by Clay Moore
“No caftans for the final speech?”
“Choose a look that says, successful diplomat. Your speech will center on how excited Eridani is about their nascent democracy, and looks forward to negotiating a return to normalcy between us. Open and close with the Motto you have been using.”
“That’s powerful stuff.”
“Not as powerful as the video Luana has prepared for you. You get introduced. The video plays. Get up during the Eridani anthem. Stand still for the Giesling old anthem. Luana had help from Klaus Goberhagen.”
“Wow, help?”
“Yes, Klaus doesn’t know Gieslings, and Luana does. It was more of a collaboration. Luana provided the heart and Klaus provided the technical assistance. I wouldn’t be surprised if she gets some contracts to work on informational Media for the new government.”
Ofana was going through professional dresses. She occasionally moved one over to the end of the collection.
“You make this a little too easy.”
“What do you mean?”
“How do you know this much about running a political campaign.”
“I had a little more than three days to study up on running a political campaign. You’d be amazed at what having twelve hours a day for three days to study means.”
“The better part of a semester. You read Zagnitz?”
“I asked around, and he was universally said to be the best.”
“Actually, he is a she. Sarah is her first name. The S in her attribution is for Sarah.”
“Okay. Good, I’ll put that in my mission report. The Secret Service may add it to the courses in the Special Agent training.”
“Is that why they want a report from you. To capture the knowledge of how to do a mission?”
“Yes, about things that worked, and it is important to find out about things that did not work. This information is gulped into the computer. It is now available for Special Agents to look at.”
“Do you read other agent’s reports?”
“Of course, You never know when something will lodge from these reports, and you use it to get out of a tight spot.”
“Maybe diplomats can use the same kind of thing.”
“Just don’t tell them where you got the idea. You need to get dressed for your shopping expedition. I like this tan number with a red belt.”
“It’s length is below the knee. Which does give you a more professional look.” Brian moved to the chest of drawers to the left of the closet. He opened the top drawer. “Here are some bras and panties. The next drawer down is an assortment of handbags. May I suggest the red bag.”
Of course, Brian would choose the crossbody bag. No thief would go after a crossbody purse. Thousands would be easier to get in a crowd. She looked at the wallet, and The color matched the attached belt well. She reached into the intimates drawer and selected a faded pink bra and color matching lace panties.
“I’m going to go and take a shower. You wanna come and hold the soap.”
“You don’t have time for that other part. Take a shower by yourself. Then have a Fun time at the Market. Heres all the scrip I have.”
Ofana looked at the scrap pile. “Are you expecting me to buy the bazaar?”
“No, get professional looking Giesling clothes for the Team. We’ll present it to them at the dress rehearsal for tomorrow. Also, look for shit you can wear. A brooch with a Giesling theme to wear on your dress something like that. Don’t worry about it looking high cost. The goal is pro Giesling without being pro miner’s guild.”
“I do get to shop for myself?”
“Not too much. I am sure there will be one or more photographers out there looking for that Iconic shot of you being in-Giesling. Wear an exotic caftan. Get the Uniform clothes that you can for the Team. Look around, occasionally pick up something expensive looking and put it down.”
“Where will you be?”
“Me, I will be around looking for a familiar face.” Brian picked up his slate. He showed her the Alert Declaring open season on Anton Hecton. It came in only a minute ago, but it gave him excellent cover with Ofana. He also doubted that Hecton would try something like killing Ofana at this point in the campaign. He had the Ace of Trumps with the nuke.
Anton Hecton knew that his enemy was in the same city. He knew anything like an assassination would only garner more sympathy votes for her coalition group. It would also make the nuke seem like sour grapes. If he got all of the orators with one blow, it would change the vote. Planetary Interests might be able to salvage something from Giesling.
Deanna was finishing the nuke for transport. She had on the red jumpsuit and a pair of work boots. The handbag made to transport one of the circular bombs looked more a satchel to carry a bowling ball. She had a stand that the bag and the weapon could rest in without following away.
“Are we ready?” said an obsequious Anton.
“You know this won’t work if they don’t turn off those Radiology warnings.”
“Ahh, my dear, you have forgotten with whom you are dealing. I talked with the security chief. Marks talked, and he stated that he would turn it off at three in the afternoon. It won’t go on until half past nine tomorrow morning.”
“The normal operation of the weapon is that the plutonium will be unshielded ten minutes before detonation. That will make the alerts go off and create fear. The normal people will panic. Then ten minutes later—boom.”
“We should be long gone by then,” assured Anton.
Yeah, thought Deanna, off to Angus. Where ever that is? There to live a life of luxury as if I was a kept woman.
She looked at Anton and shivered involuntarily. She looked at the time. She wanted to hit the entrance to the catwalks below the Festival Surface at the exact time mentioned by the traitor.
She hit the door leading out of Anton’s door at the exit time she wanted. She was followed by two Planetary Interests guards. They were paid by the black purse, so they were not opposed to killing out of hand. They were dressed in the same uniform red jumpsuit for Stadium services. They left the Planetary Interests building and walked toward the Stadium. They showed the entrance guard their hastily cobbled together credentials. He bought them because everything else was genuine.
They were in the plascrete apron that surrounded the oval Festival surface. She had seen only pictures of the Stadium. At the time of construction, it was a wonder of the galaxy. Five athletic fields plus the Festival surface made the Stadium the place to be to see Games and Music Shows.
There was a guard at the entrance to the catwalks under the festival surface. He saw them and opened the locked door. Deanna ran to the door, and She took a few steps into the catwalks. She activated her belt lights and ordered the guards with her to put theirs on. She ran until she was on the middle transverse catwalk.
The guards took a few minutes to reach her. They did not feel like they had enough light to run. They were not used to being stealthy. They walked quickly.
She looked at the corner of the north-south walkway and the east-west walkway. At that corner, the guardrails formed a perfect ninety-degree angle. She set down the stand on the catwalk grating floor. She unzipped the bag and set the bomb on the position. From the bag, she took out a coil of a thin metal cord.
Deanna checked that she had enough of the metal cord. The two segments were going to work. She threaded them through the eyelets on the bomb chassis. The holes were used to marry the bomb to the missile. Now she was using them to lash the weapon to the stanchion at the corner of the two catwalks. After she applied the metal stay to keep the two metal cords from loosening. Now cane the job of programming the arming sequence, and This could be done through special access. She took out a powered screwdriver.
Deanna unscrewed the access plate on her right. She carefully pulled off the plate which contained the keyboard with the verbs and nouns. There was a numeric keyboard for entering number information. She pressed the “set time” verb to ten thirty-six. She was asked the auth
orization key. She typed the childish “1234.” The authorization key was the same ley for all of this model of the nuke.
She had to keep reminding herself that this was because Alphacent groundlings did this part of the arming process. There were a few problems with the groundling entering the information incorrectly and dying with great honor. That’s what happens when you have an under-educated lower class.
Deanna set the current time. The Status indicator time to detonation: 6 hours 30 minutes. Then she inserted her Datastick into the jack into the control section of the bomb. She squirted the code into the weapon. Then executed the install routine.”
She saw the four colored buttons an inch away from the control panel. It displayed the color code, which was hers. Then the blue light lit steady for five seconds, and the light extinguished.
Deanna put the cover on for the control panel. She looked at the bomb to make sure no light was showing. Then she picked up the remaining parts.
She felt a whole lot better. Everything was for the better now. She just hoped that Brian was not a dunderhead. She did all that she could do.
It was all up to Brian, which is as it should be.
Brian arrived in their hotel suite seconds before she burst through the door. Four boys of varying height brought in the clothing for the team. She gave each boy thirty scrips for their wage. The boys placed the Four uniforms on their bed.
“What do you think?”
Brian looked closely at the khaki combat uniforms. “These are the old Giesel Army uniforms. Would anyone remember the uniforms?”
“All of us will effendi.” Brian guessed that the man was the maker of these replicas. “This is the book being turned out by the library.”
Brian took the book. He flipped through the book. Showing all the various uniforms. The last Uniform he saw was the dress combat uniform. It included the officer’s Uniform, and Then he noticed the sixth Uniform. It was an Officer’s Uniform. According to the Rank Insignia, it was a Colonel. Then he looked at the unit ciphers are worn at the Collar. It couldn’t be. It was the famous 210th Regiment of Fusileers.
Of all the famous Giesling Regiments, the 210th was the most memorable. They held the starport long enough for the Eridani High Guard Marines to land and reinforce them. While they rearmed themselves with modern weapons during Battle, they held off three waves of Alphacent Groundling troops. When the Gieslings were rearmed, they led the assault on the improvised starport. In the attack, the 210th broke the back of the Alphacent army at a fearful cost. The 210th took 70% casualties and was given the honor name of The Ghost Regiment.
“How many of them still exist?”
“About a hundred are still living.”
“Are you one of them?”
“Effendi is perceptive.”
“Were you an officer.”
“You are very perceptive. I am Major John Mortimer. I was the XO of the Ghost Regiment.”
“Is the Colonel still alive?”
“Alas, no, in the peace he agreed to be interned with Alphacent. They executed him for trumped-up charges of war crimes.”
“He was a man of singular Bravery.”
“Brian the story has been told and retold by the Gieslings,” said Ofana. “This will remind all Gieslings of the past and how far they have come and how far they have to go.”
“You sound as if you got them to come and march in the Processional.”
“They are. I got 210th permission to come in armed and as my complete guard. And you got a commission in the 210th.”
“You got me what?”
“You now have a Commission in the 210th, as the Colonel.”
“I wonder how Carla is going to take this.”
“Oh, I suppose she will find it hard when my Father confirms the commission in Parliament.”
“He’s not going to name me, is he?”
“I’m suggesting he call you an unknown Eridani Patriot helping me at his own expense, an employee of the Pendit Corporation.”
Brian picked up the hanger with his Uniform. It also came with the combat boot and the black Cravat. His Hat was a Khaki beret with gold piping. He took off his clothes and put on the Uniform. The combat boots were polished to a high gloss.
“I am afraid that I don’t have an impressive enough weapon to wear. The had that big pistol he wore in those pictures.”
“I have that Weapon, Effendi.”
Ofana reached into her bag. She pulled a replica holster, but the weapon in that holster looked like Space Ranger Bob’s more than the heroic Colonel’s. He put on the gun belt.
“The Colonel was always interested in making weapons. He said that this was Che finest. I don’t remember seeing him fire it, so I don’t know the nature of the weapon. In the Battle, he took an ordinary trooper’s rifle.”
“Does it work.”
“Some of the troopers claim to have seen the Colonel fire it. They said it was a ray-gun.”
“Yeah, right, and my left shoe gives me levitation.”
“Brian, you know that a plasma weapon is possible.”
“That’s what you think this is, a plasma gun?”
“Could be.”
“There are no batteries. It needs batteries.”
“Maybe not. Don’t ask me what could replace the need for batteries. Ask your Quartermaster.”
“I might. Is this my weapon now?”
“Please, with thanks from Giesling.”
“I’ll return it intact.”
“There is no need to return it. I have a feeling that in a couple of years we will be having weapons like that, or be making them.”
“First I have to use it. I won’t fire it off, and The roof is pretty big on this building. I’ll drill my team for 60 minutes. Tell your people that we will march straight down the boulevard through the gate and through the crowd. About 60 feet from stage peel off in half face the stage. You call your commands. When she is complete, I will run the Ofana to my ship. We’ll hole up in the ship until the votes are counted and we know the victors. It will be our coalition. We have been following hers we know the sense of the Gieslings. The people understand what it is that she says.”
“Okay, I will go tell my brothers. See you tomorrow.”
The merchant left the suite.
Ofana embraced Brian. “Oh, Brian, you look like a real soldier.”
“I have been a real soldier. Remember?”
“I know.”
“You know that this could backfire. I am wearing new, and the real 210th will be wearing old clothes.”
“I don’t think so. Those clothes are from a different time remembered fondly. It will be fresh in their memory come to the election. Ohhh, Brian, it really is going to work.”
“Your hare-brained ideas and my dogged determination, it was bound to work.”
“Hare-brained, my foot. Everything I did had the backing of science.”
“Okay, okay. Did you get in touch with the team?”
“Yes, they should be waiting outside.”
Brian put on his visored cap, and He stuck his head out the door of his room. Brian saw the four remaining members of the self-appointed bodyguards. He asked them to come into the suite.
“You all have been so nice and fiercely protective of me. Thank you. I have recently been told of the reverence that you hold for the 210th Regiment. I found a merchant who makes and sells replica uniforms. He made these for you. Luana, you are a corporal in the 210th now.” Ofana handed her the Uniform, with cap and boots. “Joe Little you are a Lance Corporal in the 210th now.” She gave him the Uniform with Hat and boots. She presented the other two men with their uniforms.
“Now go and put them on,” said Brian. Not your rooms. The bedrooms in here, please. Come out when you’re done.”
It took all of them 30 minutes. Then Brian had to show them how to put the cuffs of their pants into their boots. He also showed them how to wear their caps. The final two things he taught them was how to hold their weapon wh
ile marching, then he showed them how to salute with the gun
Brian took them all up to the roof. The roof was a sports court. Right now, it was not set up. Brian moved everybody to the opposite side of the court. He showed him the 30-inch step. He had them practice until it became second nature. Even Ofana joined in and marched with them.
Then Brian showed them the normal speed march and the command that started them off. He blew the whistle and got them off. Brian stopped them just short of the end of the court. He also showed them the slow march. This is also called the parade march, Slow 60 beat per minute. He demonstrated. Then he called them on Parade.
After the standard march, they found the Slow march agonizing. After a few dozen passes of the roof, they got it, Even Ofana.
“Okay now, this is the trickiest part of the whole thing. We will be near the apron of the stage. My next command will be ‘Corporal take charge.’ Luana, you will take a step to your right and about face. Dietrich, you execute an about-face. Try to time you together. If you want, Luana you can count the command out. Luana, you do the count for a parade march. Both of you march to the end position. Then step to the left, Luana. Luana will call out ‘Detail, about-face.’ Ofana, you do a runway turn.”
“I will come forward and bring the rest of the Parade. After everything is done, I will disappear. I have to find that bomb and defuse it, and I will. I assure you. I want you all to get some good sleep. Order from room service. Watch the trid. Dismissed.”
In their suite, Ofana looked at the intimate garments Brian bought before he ever knew her. She began to pair each bra with a matching panty.
“They won’t see them. Why are you worried about matching the undergarments?”
“Because you matched them so carefully. I like the colors you picked. I’m going to wear pink at the ceremony. It will remind me to be a woman. I’ll try on the orange tonight.”
She took off her caftan. As usual, she was naked underneath. She put on the orange bra and panty. She turned around and struck her best runway pose.
