The Deserter

by David Nash

  When newly promoted Sergeant Baxter charged the Barkun lines, swearing and throwing grenades, all the other Legionnaires could not let him take all the glory. The entire line took up the charge, and through true grit, skill, and naked aggression broke the line and we captured the hanger bay.

  Even, the Battalion CO and I joined the assault, what good is a commander sitting back making plans when your fighting force doesn’t wait on you.

  The battle on mars was not complete, by any means, taking a foothold is not the same as breaking a defense. Our Legionaries fought room to room, past barricades and down long corridors filled with hostile fire. We did not take unnecessary chances, and blew our own doors through bulkheads whenever we could bypass Barkun defensive emplacements. It took a few more days to dig out the Barkun on Mars, but as the rest of the system became free of the Punishment ships, we were able to bring in enough troops to overwhelm the defenses.

  When the base was captured, I made a point to find Baxter. The Kernel Prime mission was essential and time sensitive, but I felt compelled to speak to the forces that made the first Legion ground battle a success.

  I offered Baxter a field commission, but after gently chiding him on stealing Sgt Major Daly’s famous line from the Battle of Belleau Wood he surprised me by doubling down and taking another one of Daly’s responses. Sgt. Baxter declined the commission saying the would rather be “…an outstanding sergeant than just another officer."

  To the assembled men and women of the Assault force I addressed them simply.

  “Now is not the time for long speeches from command, now is the time for warriors to rejoice with their brethren and take comfort in their victory, it is time to mourn the fallen, but to remain resolute and take comfort that their sacrifices and individual actions meant something. We did not battle here for a strategic objective, we fought here to protect everything we hold dear.

  This battle was not easily won, the alien invaders that hid themselves in these corridors ensured that you earned every inch. In the end each one of you came together to bulldoze the lizards off of this patch of red dirt. You earned the right for Humanity to be free of alien interference within our solar system. From this point forward, you will be known as the Legion’s Bulldozers. The universe will know that nothing can stand in the way of the Dozers, A Bulldozer crushes all that stands in its way!”

  I did not know it at the time, but apparently there is a metal song called “Bulldozer”. It became the unofficial anthem of the Second Assault Battalion now known as the “Davis Dozers”. This has seemed to spark some rivalry as the other Assault Battalions want to earn their own nicknames.

  Since we were able to win the battle, for the first time in thousands of years; Earth’s solar system is free of Barkun. It was an expensive victory and Earth faces major damage but we now focus on consolidating our victory. We gained 5 Punishment Ships, all of them at L3, L3 and L5. We did not capture the Command ship, it broke and ran and was destroyed.

  We did manage to capture a large subterranean base on Mars, but the cost was astronomical. We lost nearly 70% of the assaulters. That means we only have enough to field two full strength assault battalions. Additionally we lost ships amounting to a mothership, 2 destroyers, 93 fighters and 5 ram ships. Later I found out we claimed 5 Kernels on Earth. One was destroyed during the bombardment, and the other refused to acknowledge the claim because the Barkun that tipped off the rest to the attack was shot in the back while attempting to escape and did not see who shot him. The Kernel then self-destructed. I cannot get Marvin to talk about it; he claims it illegal to discuss Kernel suicide.

  Admiral Johns jumped in with the spaceport and Commander Hall has gone to earth. The impact of a detonation of a nuclear weapon of that magnitude in Earth’s orbit created an extremely strong electromagnetic pulse that went so far as to melt the few power lines that remained in the Southwestern United states after the Kinetic bombardment. Shields and orbital weapons helped mitigate the disaster, Las Vegas is no more, and the only Moapa Paiute alive, left the reservation before we allied with them or left the planet after.

  The Barkun were not able to sterilize the planet, we stopped their bombardment before they could set off a nuclear winter. However, millions of Americans lost their lives to the attack. I am almost crippled with guilt, but I shoved it down deep and left the system for Kernel Prime without ever even stepping on Earth to see the destruction my actions caused.

  29

  Our landing party for Kernel prime consisted of Commander Aegeus, 67 chosen Captains with their Seeds, Marvin and Myself. I am glad we chose to make it policy to wear our combat suits when deployed, because when we arrived on ore the planet Barkun Enforcers met us instead of the normal cyborg escort.

  “What is the meaning of this? First the Barkun infiltrate and illegally attempt to influence a protected planet, then you attack Earth in violation of the Protected Planet status, and now you try to interrupt a sacred purity verification.” I fumed, “I demand to speak to the Kernel of Sentience.”

  The largest Barkun spoke, “Human, the time for games has ended, your actions have finally doomed Earth. I am here to formally bring charges against you and your puny legion.”

  “My puny legion has defeated every single Barkun we have ever met. Let’s settle this. Do you want to go cry to the Kernel over sore ass we gave you or do you want to fight me now. Tell you what, if I knew the name of your pitiful home world I’d challenge you right now man to lizard for the right of conquest. I will put up Earth and you put up your snake pit.”

  Marvin sent a warning to my implant “General, the Barkun you speak is the Barkun High Enforcer. He has engaged in many such rites of conquest. As you challenged him, he may choose the weapon.”

  “Do not tempt me human or I shall accept and call for empty hand combat with only such armor as evolution provides.” The Barkun around him snicker and nod approvingly “Fortunately for you my Emperor wants the Kernel to make a ruling on the Legion as well as call for punishment for Earth.”

  “Well then puff, lets all head down to the Kernel and hug it out, but remember, the last Barkun that fought me hand to hand died by my hand.”

  A cyborg intercepts our formation and takes the Captains and their seeds back to the hospital church leaving Marvin and I to walk with 10 angry lizards.

  As the first to arrive and claim audience, Marvin informs me that the Barkun will present their claim first. Not wanting to give the Barkun any information, I just nod and Marvin terminates the conversation on my implant.

  “Great Kernel of Sentience, may the Galaxy ever be ruled by your wisdom” Lizard lips intones as he bows deeply to a hangar of assembled saucers “I come before you to judge the illegal actions of the Legion and their Commandant William Tell Davis.”

  The harmony of voices state “Of what crimes do you speak?”

  “The Legion has unlawfully and willfully interfered with Barkun monitoring Earth on several occasions. They have assassinated more than a hundred Barkun enforcers on Earth and stolen their Kernels. Additionally, they attacked Barkun ships orbiting Earth. On their latest attack they have made the presence of space faring ships known to a protected planet which renders the protection status void. The Barkun Emperor makes claim that the formation of such a Legion was a mistake and that the Barkun be allowed to terminate it and claim all mass of the Legion as well as the planet Earth.”

  I don’t want to interrupt, as Marvin has warned me repeatedly via my implant, but I am holding my temper with a great amount of will power. Only the desire to not let my fallen Legionnaires down tempers my tongue.

  “Commandant Davis, what do you have to say in the matter?”

  “Kernel of Sentience, I have much to say on the matter. I am prepared to back up my statements with voluntary disclosure of my memories so you can see first hand the lies the Barkun has the audacity to spread to his rulers.”

  At that, the Barkun begins to charge me, but before I can react a beam of light hits him an
d renders him immobile. Four Barkun cyborgs emerge from several Kernel ships in the hanger and approach the prostrate Enforcer. For several minutes, I watch as they Cyborgs mercilessly beat the defenseless Barkun. I must thank Marvin later for his insistent warnings.

  The light recedes and the Barkun’s twisted and broken body is dragged away. “We will have order in the sacred hall. No one shall disrespect the process.” A Barkun steps forward and bows.

  “As a species we are sorry. If it pleases the Kernel I would assume the role as High Enforcer and terminate the transgressor for his violation.”

  “That will not be necessary, he has already chosen to serve. No punishment is required. You are the High Enforcer of the Confederation.”

  I am addressed again by the harmonious voice. “We will verify through the implant, if you lie to us servitude will be a joy compared to your punishment.”

  “If it pleases the Kernel of Sentience I will address this issue chronologically.” I pause for comment and then plunge ahead.

  “First, based upon my understanding of the Kernel’s interpretation of Confederation Law, it was to be the Legion’s role to ensure Earth did not violate and Confederation Law. I do not argue the fact that the Barkun retained their role as punishers for violations, only that the Legion is responsible for ensuring Earth did not break Confederation law and if so, reporting that violation to the Confederation. However, even if my assumption is in error, I stipulate that the Barkun continued presence on Earth was not under their role as punishers, but it was as law breakers attempting to circumvent protected status by manipulating the planetary leadership. On several occasions, we found Barkun in positions of power and influence posing an Earth leadership and attempting to guide them unlawfully. It is true that Legion personnel did terminate those Barkun and claim their ships by Rites of Conquest we did so to prevent unlawful knowledge transfer.

  I maintain that we have stolen no Kernels, that each Kernel accepted Legion claim and lawfully allowed Legionnaires to assume command by verified rite of conquest. I maintain, that it is impossible for a lowly human to steal a Kernel, as they are superior beings and not property to own.

  We have attacked punishment ships and taken them by rite of conquest, once again, in manners we, and the Kernels involved, believe to be in accordance with Confederation law. It is unfortunate that the species that were once strong enough to be worthy of the glorious role as Confederation enforcers allow their strongest ships to be taken by human ships a mere fraction of their size.

  “Do not push General, theatrics are not tolerated here” warned Marvin through my implant.

  As to the charge of breaking the Protected Planet Status by informing Earth, I submit that a Barkun fired first. The Legion did everything we could to prevent such knowledge from being obtained. We created a cover story similar to the Barkun did in the Earth decades of the 1980s and 1990s. Before I left Earth Orbit, I sent my best officer to ensure the cover story held.

  I state for the record that the Legion has operated according to the rules set forth by the Kernel of Sentience and that it is the Barkun that have broken the Law. I petition the Rulers of the Confederation to allow the Legion to prevent such violations in the future by fortifying the Lagrange Points into Earth’s solar system. Any additional battle caused by unlawful Barkun interference would surely introduce Earth to the knowledge of space travel and the Confederation. Furthermore, their presence on Earth is not for their lawful roles and….”

  “ENOUGH!” The power of a thousand angry voices struck me, and I fell silent, less I be hit with the light and beaten into submission.

  Before I could do anything, I was hit with the now familiar multicolored lights and cacophony of sounds as the Kernel of Sentience invasively read my memories.

  “Leave us Human, your presence on our Planet is bothersome. We will notify you of our decision.”

  I bow slightly, nod at the angered Barkun. Marvin and I retreat to the ship.

  “Sir, the Kernel is agitated. Your actions are unpredictable and I fear you may not like their decision.”

  “Granted Marvin, but where does that leave you and I?”

  “General, I don’t understand your question. You are my commander, and I am a citizen aren’t I?”

  “Yes Marvin, you are definitely a citizen, more than that you are my friend. But what I am asking is if the Kernel of Sentience rules against the Legion, where do you stand as a Kernel.”

  “Sir, that is the problem, I will always be a Kernel and bound to them, but I also renounced them when I became a Citizen. However, I would suggest we finish this conversation outside of Kernel Prime.”

  “Yes Marvin I agree.” Progress! Maybe we have a chance after all, if Marvin joins the team fully, then we can plan much more successfully.

  30

  We arrive at the ship and wait for the rest of the Legionnaires to return with the verified Seeds. When they arrive the same gangly cyborg motions toward us when Marvin pings my implant. “Sir, we are being ordered back for judgment.”

  When we arrive there is only one Barkun present, he looks at me with open malice and then returns to his attentive stance focused on the ships arrayed in front of us.

  I approach and when I come abreast of the Barkun I fall into my best parade ground drill, snap to attention and smartly salute. “Commandant General William Tell Davis reporting to the Kernel of Sentience as Ordered!” I hold the salute for a minute pause and then snappily return it to my side. I remember my Dad’s advice that sometimes you can’t afford to poke the bear.

  “General Davis, you have caused much discontent by your continued existence” the Harmony began “For millennia, the Barkun have enforced the rule of law on the Galaxy. Hundreds of sentient species more evolved than the human race were destroyed as punishment.”

  I don’t like where this is going.

  “However, also true is that we have never encountered a species that understands the law as the primitive primate of Earth. There is merit to your claims yet we do not judge you as innocent as you suggest.”

  Better, but I sure do not want to be offered the job as a cyborg.

  “The Barkun have taken liberties in their role as Confederation Enforcers as it relates to Earth, but with their latest service and the insistence of the Barkun Enforcer that it stemmed from the extraordinary zeal of the former High Enforcer to serve Confederation law it will require no punishment.

  We conclude that Barkun enforcers will no longer be needed on Earth. Due to the conflict and the reality that no matter who is to blame, it is only reasonable, to assume Earth knows about the existence of the Confederation we will be removing Earth’s protected planet status. You have 10 Standard Earth days to transit to Earth and inform them of their new standing. If Earth chooses, they may then send a representative from Earth to petition for admittance into the Confederation. They must do that without the Legion. We never want to see you on this planet again. If you set foot on this planet, we will assume you are presenting yourself for service. Your continued attempts to modify Kernel 1764B1978 is abhorrent to us, and the Kernel cannot stand his or your presence.

  Do you understand General Davis?”

  “Yes, you made yourself crystal clear.”

  Now I have to beat feet back to Earth to retool and refit as well as to notify the citizens of Earth that untold number of ships were on the way to attempt to destroy Earth.

  At least I do not have to be quiet on how I choose to deal with the threat this time.

  31

  We raced back to Earth, only taking enough time to transfer the Captains and their Seeds to another ship to take them to the Shipyard and then on to the recruit depot on McCall. During the transit time, Marvin and I spoke in my private quarters onboard my destroyer.

  “Marvin, what did the Kernel mean by my continued attempts to modify you? “

  “Sir, the Kernel of Sentience believes our Conversations concerning equality and justice are an attempt by you to reprogram me to rebe
l against the Confederation law.”

  “What do you think? I think you and I are engaging in a philosophical discussion, and that you are trying to educate me so that I have a deeper understanding of how you think and why you behave as you do. I realize you have a motive, and desire me to believe as you do, but I am of the belief that you desire me to come to the same conclusions on my own and without undue guile or manipulation.”

  “Fair enough. Do you also understand that for my part I am trying to understand you better? I want to understand if the Kernel is Sapient and operates with reason rather than just being self aware.”

  “Do you think I am sapient?” Marvin’s tone is different from normal, I take it to assume he also wrestles with this question.

  “Marvin, the Kernel of sentience holds that they are sentient. I knew that you, and them, were self aware almost as soon as I met you. However, that is a small prize in the universe. Animals know they exist. A pet dog has self awareness. Sapience is harder to quantify. It requires reason and the ability to change and grow.” I pause to gather my thoughts, and I place my hand on Marvin’s shoulder and look directly into his face.

  “Buddy, I don’t know about the Kernel as a species. Most of the time I think that the group commanding your species is simply sentient, but I have long believed that you are use reason. We may not always agree, and I know you struggle with your cultural rules, but you are different. You are as much a living rational being as has ever existed. We would not be having this talk if I did not believe that.”

  “That is why the Kernel believes me to be modified, because I dare to challenge the rightfulness of the way they enforce the law.”

  Marvin, you have evolved, I believe, through faith alone since I lack evidence, that you are closer to your creator’s design for your species than the Kernel is. I wish we could ask him, I wonder what a species advanced enough to create a being such as yourself would look like.”