by L. Fergus
Zidin didn’t stop. He swept Great White around and struck Kita as she landed. The shark tooth blade left a nasty gash in her side. Kita launched into the air out of reach. She pulled a throwing star from her thigh pad and threw it at him. Zidin swung Great White and hit the star, returning it to Kita. She caught it and stuck her tongue out at him.
Climbing into the air, Kita turned invisible and dove. She changed directions, but Great White sliced into her upper arm, dropping Kita to the ground. She pressed her hot bracer against his leg, rolled away, and revealed herself.
They circled each other. Kita tried a few faints, but Zidin wouldn’t commit. They rushed each other and clashed in a blur of attacks. They separated, both bleeding from numerous wounds.
Laughing, Kita counted the cuts on her and the cuts on him. “It’s fourteen to thirteen, my favor.”
“A burn is not a cut,” said Zidin.
“It’s an injury, that’s what matters. The whole point is to fight like you would in combat. Don’t make me pull rank.”
“You always have to win, don’t you?”
“Yep.”
The practice matches resumed and Kita stood with Zidin to watch.
“You’ve learned a bunch of new tricks,” said Kita.
“I learned from you. The battlespace is not just what’s in front. It’s what’s around. I’ve learned to use my other senses. You make a lot of noise when you fly. Fast feet are also important. So is anticipating where your opponent will be—especially you. You have learned some new tricks as well.”
“You like the wings? I got them after I died. I got the armor yesterday. Do you like it?”
“It’s a little risqué for my tastes. I take it you’re more Angel than human now?”
“Guess you could say that. Don’t worry. I can tone the armor down if I need to. Don’t be such a stick in the mud.”
“You haven’t seen how some of the men, especially the younger men, look at you.”
“They can look, but only one person is allowed to touch.”
“Make sure you tell them that.”
Kita laughed.
“Commander Logine? Commander Logine, are you here?” a voice called from the back of the crowd.
“I am!” Kita yelled back.
The crowd opened and the fight stopped. Snowy escorted Glen and seven men surrounding Dmitri wrapped in chains.
Kita smiled wickedly. “I see you found him, Dad.”
“We did. The weasel was holed up in a root cellar in some little village in the middle of nowhere.”
“Well, Dmitri, we meet again.”
“Hello, my dear. It looks like you’re recovering nicely.”
“Yes, it has been a trying time. So, tell me, what was a nice person like yourself doing in a root cellar?”
“Hiding, of course. It’s very unprofessional to order a professional like me hunted when all I did was my job.”
“Well, you can always count on the Shadow Guild to be professional. I think it was only their professionalism that kept you alive on your journey here.”
“I don’t understand why you want me. All I did was provide a service. Nothing more.”
Kita cocked her head. “Really, Dmitri, is that all it is, a service? You don’t choose your clients. You just go where the money is?”
“I have to make a living.”
Kita rolled her eyes. “I see. I’m in a similar line of work. One of my many jobs is to hunt down the evil and wicked and make them pay for their crimes.”
“I’m not evil or wicked. I’m a professional.”
“Evil and professional are not mutually exclusive, Dmitri. There are many evil professionals in the world. I am one, for instance.”
Dmitri returned a curious look. “You'll have to explain, my dear. How can an evil being hunt other evil beings?”
“You say you work on anyone—evil or innocent.”
“I work on who I’m paid to work on.”
“Do you show any remorse or ask forgiveness for what you’ve done?”
Dmitri turned up his nose. “That would be unprofessional.”
“I disagree. I love to deliver pain to those who deserve it. I enjoy killing. When I finish, I cry for what I’ve done. I apologize and beg for forgiveness. Why do this? Because I know what I’ve done is wrong. Do you know what you do is wrong?”
“No, it is not. It is a service people pay well for. It sounds to me like you’re in the wrong line of work if you can't handle the emotional strain.”
“No, Dmitri, it’s what separates evil like you from evil like me. Fallen angels are evil, but we walk in the light.”
Kita stepped back. She pulled her hood up and her skin disappeared. She drew Dusk and Dawn and flourished them until they glowed hot. The new etchings in the sides made the blades look like they were on fire. She flapped her wings and floated above Dmitri.
“Dmitri, you’ve had your chance to decide your fate. Now it has come to me. How many people have you worked on?”
“I’m not telling you.”
Kita touched Dawn against his neck. “How many, Dmitri?”
“Three thousand four hundred and sixty-eight, including you.”
“That wasn’t so hard, was it? Dmitri, I’m not going to kill you. I'm going to inject you with a drug that opens every pain receptor in your body at once. You’re going to experience all those people’s pain at once.”
Kita extended a barb in front of Dmitri’s face.
“Unlike you, I don’t need a tool kit to cause pain.”
Dmitri’s eyes went wide in fear. “You can't do this, it’s unprofessional. Kill me if you wish, but what you want is just torture for its own sake. I’m a professional; you’re a monster.”
Kita’s vision became red, and she let out a long, loud giggle.
“Everyone, get back!” yelled Zidin.
“You haven’t seen anything yet,” Kita roared and slammed both barbs into Dmitri’s neck. “Sweet dreams.”
Zidin grabbed Kita from behind.
“Let go of me!” Kita shrieked and threw Zidin over the top of her.
“The dishonored one is attacking Lady Rose!” someone yelled. The Arconians pushed forward, some yelling for Zidin’s head.
Snowy grabbed Xeen. “You have to tell them to get back.”
“He attacked Lady Rose.”
“He tried to grab her before she berserked.”
“Berserk?”
“Look.” Snowy pointed to Zidin and Kita.
Rolling and drawing Great White at the same time, Zidin knocked Kita’s incoming attack aside. Kita twirled around him, slashing at his legs. Zidin blocked. True to form, the more frustrated Kita became, the faster and harder she struck.
Zidin stuck his arm out, knocking Kita to the ground and brought Great White down, but Kita rolled out of the way. She jumped at him, but he caught her with the flat of his blade. Kita hit the ground and rolled to her feet. Zidin charged. Kita jumped at him again. Twisting to miss Great White, she sliced Zidin’s neck and shoulders. Rolling over in the air, she threw a pair of throwing stars. Zidin blocked them, wielding Great White one-handed. Kita flipping over Zidin and stabbed him with both blades.
Xeen looked at Snowy unconvinced. Kita giggled maniacally, causing everyone’s hair to stand up.
“Please, Xeen,” said Snowy. “I wouldn’t be asking if it wasn’t the right thing to do. I love her. I wouldn’t allow anything bad to happen to her. But we have to stop her.”
“Aye,” Xeen said reluctantly. “Everyone back!” he yelled as he pushed the crowd away from Kita and Zidin.
“You think you can beat me?” Kita screamed at Zidin.
“I can't, but they can.” He waved to everyone around him.
“I’ll take on the whole damn army. I’m not scared!” Kita thundered.
“Kita, stop it!” Snowy yelled.
Kita charged her. Snowy jumped. Kita performed a handspring and launched upward and struck Snowy, wrapping her legs around her middle. Flapping her
wings hard, Kita somersaulted and opened her legs, throwing Snowy into the ground.
Some Arconians attacked Snowy. Kita attacked them. Spinning, jumping, and tumbling through them, she cut them down. More Arconians joined the fight. Before they overwhelmed her, Kita jumped in the air.
A shot rang out from the edge of the crowd. The bullet hit a joint of Kita’s wings. She fell back into the crowd, hitting the ground hard. Zidin pinning her to the ground.
The Arconians surged forward. Snowy jumped between them and Zidin, baring her fangs and forming large arcs of electricity between her claws to hold them back. Cowboy turned into The Rider and shoved his way through the crowd to protect Snowy’s back. Glen ordered his men to join the protective circle. Sarge snarled and bared his fangs. Xeen moved around the circle pushing people back.
The mob refused to relent.
“How do we stop them without hurting them?” Snowy yelled.
“We might have to injure a few to restore order,” said The Rider.
Loud roars carried over the sounds of the mob. Frostbane and a dozen of his bears pushed their way through the Arconians. He stopped next to Snowy, stood on his hind feet, and gave a spine-tingling roar. The rest of the bears encircled the small group.
Zidin struggled against Kita. Her wings hit him across the head and shoulders. Screaming and snarling, Kita grabbed Zidin’s arm. He yelled in pain but refused to let go as Kita burned him.
Snowy heard the yell, looked behind her, and swore. Leaving her position, she kicked Kita in the face, breaking her hold on Zidin. Snowy grabbed Kita’s arms and pinned them to the ground. Struggling to break free, Kita singed Snowy’s fur.
“Stop it!” snarled Snowy. She plunged her claws into Kita’s arms.
“Zidin, when I say now get off her,” Snowy yelled. She waited for Kita to slacken. “Now!”
Zidin rolled off Kita.
“I’m sorry, kitten, but it’s for your own good.”
Snowy electrified her claws. The electricity passed across Kita’s metal skeleton like a high voltage power line. Kita screamed in rage and then in pain until she quit moving. Snowy cut the electricity, but she left her claws in place and waited.
The sound of Kita crying came from under her hood. Snowy let go and helped Kita sit up. Kita cocooned herself in her wings.
“What’s wrong with her?” Xeen demanded.
“It’s the other side of the coin,” said Zidin. “You don’t have that kind of emotional outburst without paying for it later.”
“I wasn’t asking you, dishonored one.”
“That’s legionnaire to you.”
“He’s right,” said Snowy. “It’ll take some time for her to calm down. Leave her alone. She’s in a fragile state. You upset her and I’ll kill you.”
Xeen glared at Snowy; she returned it with ferocity.
“Everyone, she’ll be fine,” announced Cowboy to the crowd after turning back from The Rider. “She just needs a little time to collect herself. If you could give her some space it would help.”
The bears took a few steps forward, pushing the crowd back.
“Snowy,” Kita called in a tiny voice.
Snowy knelt next to Kita. A wing wrapped around her.
“I’m sorry,” Kita said through her tears. “I want to go home.”
“Of course, kitten. Do you want Zidin to take you?”
Kita raised her head, smiled, and nodded.
Snowy called for Zidin. He picked Kita up.
Xeen stood in Zidin’s path. “Put Lady Rose down, dishonored one, or I will kill you.”
“Get out of my way," said Zidin. "She’s my commander. I’m tasked with protecting her. You may be her uncle, but I am her friend, and I know her better than you.”
“Enough!” Snowy yelled. “Xeen, you are welcome to come with us to the inn. Do not interfere with us taking care of her. We know her best. You and the Arconians will have to trust us. If I'm there nothing bad will happen, understand?”
“He is not to touch her,” said Xeen pointing his sword at Zidin.
“Zidin is not your concern, he is mine!” snapped Snowy.
Frostbane blasted hot air from his nostrils into Xeen’s face.
“If she comes to harm, you will all pay,” said Xeen with a scowl, but he let them pass.
The inn was almost empty as Snowy walked downstairs. The command staff had joined their units, in preparation for moving at first light. Cowboy, Jeffrey, and Forrester sat going over a series of maps. Zidin stood like a statue guarding the stairs. Xeen stood to one side looking unhappy.
“How is she?” Xeen demanded.
Snowy sighed. “She’s fine, just tired. Why don’t you go get some rest? Your people are moving with us in the morning.”
“I won’t leave her unprotected.”
Snowy was tired of dealing with the man. “Look around you. Everyone here is capable of defending her. I’ve posted Master Sergeant Zidin as her personal bodyguard.”
“He’s not a suitable guard! That’s a position of honor.”
“Anyone who's taken her on while she’s berserking and won has more than earned that honor. We’re not trying to disrespect your traditions, but from the Legion’s perspective, it’s necessary. We need someone who can stop her if she berserks at an inappropriate time and can calm her down afterward. It’s a delicate task, and she only responds to those she trusts.”
“Are you saying she doesn’t trust her own people?”
Snowy rolled her eyes. "Zidin has been with her since day one. She knows him, trusts him, and loves him like a brother. He knows the signs of when it starts and how to stop it. As far as I’m concerned, he’s perfect for the job. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go look after my Legion.” She pushed him aside and left the inn.
Once Snowy was gone, Xeen charged Zidin, drawing his sword. “Your guard cat is gone, dishonored one. I won’t permit you to guard Lady Rose any longer.”
Zidin didn’t move. “An attack on me is an attack on Kita. She won’t be pleased.”
“Even Lady Rose can't overrule Tradition. She will understand why in time. You already know why you must die. Your dishonored presence near Lady Rose dishonors us all. I will kill you and restore her honor.”
The click of a revolver hammer caused Xeen to pause. The deep eerie baritone of The Rider chilled him to the core. “If you want to talk about honor, you should have a conversation with your niece. She has interesting things to say on the subject. I doubt you’ll approve.
"Zidin is her man now. He is no longer an Arconian. He is a legionnaire. The Legion is a place for second chances and for penances. Whatever crimes he’s guilty of, he will make up for them in the Legion. He will pay the ultimate sacrifice one day. I guarantee it. Now put the sword away and sit.”
Kita stopped at the bottom of the stairs to listen. The inn was quiet—odd for this time of the morning. She heard Cowboy and Snowy. Kita stepped off the stairs. They sat at a table. Zidin stood next to the bottom of the stairs.
“Good morning. Glad to see you’re up. Feeling better?” said Cowboy.
“Good morning, kitten. You’re up earlier than I expected. Are you hungry?” said Snowy.
Kita nodded.
“Help yourself.”
Most of the food was gone. Normally, the cooks stacked the table high, but today there was barely anything. Kita’s stomach rumbled. Shrugging to herself, she grabbed everything, took it to the table Cowboy and Snowy occupied and ate as fast as she could.
“I know you don’t eat as often as you used to, but you could remember your table manners,” Snowy scolded with a playful tone.
“Sorry.” Kita put the food down and put her hands in her lap.
Snowy laughed. “You don’t have to stop. Just eat like you know how. It’s not going anywhere. I’m glad everyone else had a chance.”
“Where is everyone else?”
“They left.”
“What do you mean they left?” Kita cried in alarm. “It was
over me, wasn’t it? I was going to apologize. Did I injure them badly? Where did they go? I can catch them and make it right. I—”
Snowy and Cowboy laughed.
“Kitten, it’s ok. Nobody is mad at you. You might want to apologize to Zidin. He took the brunt of it.”
Kita stood up and wrapped her arms and wings around Zidin in a crushing bear hug. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hurt you too much did I? You forgive me, right?”
“You’ve done worse, and yes, you’re forgiven. Please let go. I can’t breathe,” Zidin wheezed.
Snowy put a hand on Kita’s shoulder. “I took the liberty of officially assigning Master Sergeant Zidin to be your personal bodyguard. He’s to stay with you at all times. Don’t make him look bad by wandering off and leaving him, ok?”
Kita’s expression turned sour. “What about everyone else? I can still catch them. I know the Arconians have to be mad at me.”
“Everyone is following your orders, Kita,” said Cowboy. “They’re all moving to Leedings. They left before dawn this morning. Once you're feeling better, we’re to catch up to them. I wouldn’t worry about the Arconians. I think you’ve become some kind of folk hero to them.”
Huh? “Folk hero? Why?”
“It has something to do with a woman named Boadicea. As their legend goes, she once faced an army singlehandedly. I think they equate you with her."
“Did I say I’d take on the entire army?”
Cowboy chuckled. “Yes, you did. Loud enough they heard you on the other side of The Mass. The way you went through about two dozen of them added a lot of credibility to that challenge.”
“I didn’t hurt them too badly, did I?”
“No, kitten. They’re fine," Snowy said in a reassuring tone. "True to form, you struck only where it would hurt, but not where it would be lethal.”
A wailing sound drifted up through the floor.
“What’s that?” Kita said raising her eyebrows.
“That’s Dmitri,” said Cowboy. “That reminds me. What did you give him?”
Kita sat. I wish I could remember. What did I give him? Something nasty. Oh, yeah. “There was a paralyzer and the pain-inducing agent.”
“You hit him with both barbs,” said Cowboy.
