by Becky Black
She made her point pretty clear. Marines carry a slender, rather elegant, combat knife. I'd no strong urge to see it close up.
"I think I'm following you, ma'am."
She stalked off into the women's barracks and I walked into the men's. The other men had chosen their cots and started unpacking their gear.
"Ilyan," I said, making him look up at me. "You want that cot on the end, by the wall." I pointed at it. He frowned at me and stood up.
"I don't think I do, thank you, Sergeant," he said, haughtily. The others stared at me.
Damn, I'd got a little too cheeky. Giving Maiga so much lip must have gone to my head. I'd started strutting around like a full bird colonel. I took a breath, trying to let some of the air out of my head. Then I put on my special "telling an officer what to do while making him think it's his idea" tone.
"It's more secure. Then I can take the cot next to it. Tesla should have that one." I pointed at a cot in the opposite corner. "And Rish or Rin can take the one next to it." The two marines at least looked intimidating.
Including Tesla in the arrangements worked. Ilyan's haughty look softened and he glanced around at the cots.
"Good idea, Sergeant." He started gathering up the gear he'd unpacked. I followed him and dumped my pack on the end of the cot beside his. Vimal had started to unpack there and he glanced up at me nervously as he packed up his kit. I resisted the urge to tell him to hurry, waited patiently until he stood up.
"Thanks, kid," I said, smiling at him. I sat down and started to unpack my gear.
****
I woke in the morning to the very unlikely sight of Ilyan and Tesla doing push ups. I just lay for a while watching them and trying not to laugh. Tesla moaned and complained. Ilyan kept up a stream of encouraging chatter while not managing any more reps than his mate.
Good to see them show willing, but you know push ups aren't really push ups unless you're doing them outside at oh-four-hundred hours, in the rain or snow, with two NCOs screaming insults and contradictory orders into each ear. Shame I couldn't reproduce that here. Well maybe a good thing actually, if I wanted to keep Ilyan alive.
I got up off my cot, scratching my belly.
"How many's that, lads?"
"Oh, good morning, Jadeth," Ilyan said, looking up at me. "Um, twenty two… three."
"Twenty four." Tesla gasped out.
"No breakfast until you get to fifty."
"What?" Tesla flopped to the deck and looked up at me. "What the hell are you --?"
"Did you hear me tell you to stop?"
The expression on my face must have scared the pants of him, because he levered himself up again with a groan.
"Hey, Vim, um, Vimal." I tried to be a bit less cocky. It's hard when you're in a room full of blokes most of whom you can take down with one hand behind your back. "Keep an eye on them while I shower. Don't let them slack off."
I had little hope that the boy would crack the whip on them, but someone had to keep count, because Tesla would count each push up as five if I read him right.
I found the bathrooms and took my time in the shower. We had two weeks on this ship. With intense work I could at least make a start on getting those two into shape. We'd have good food to eat so that would help. Get plenty of protein into the pair of them. So fitness training, some hand to hand. Weapons training might be more difficult. There'd be a practice range around somewhere, but using that could fall under the heading of drawing attention. It would look odd. If Ilyan and Tesla were meant to be field intelligence agents, like our fake orders claimed, then they'd already have weapons training.
Okay, I'd leave the guns till we got planet side and stick with the physical stuff for now. And I decided I'd hand Tesla off to one of the others. Rish and Rin were both in top shape, and they didn't seem to think much of Tesla, so I think I could get them to push him.
I'd concentrate on Ilyan.
****
I made sure the spooks did their fifty push ups before I let them have breakfast. Tesla glowered at me the whole meal and Ilyan didn't exactly look at me like he wanted to have my babies. But I didn't let that bother me. If a man doesn't hate you while you're training him then you're not pushing hard enough.
The girls joined us for breakfast, Maiga still casting me the evil eye. After we ate I put on the most diplomatic tone that I could manage and suggested that Rish and Rin took Tesla for a run. We might as well take advantage of the miles of corridor on this ship. Tesla moaned, but Ilyan just looked at him and nodded.
"Tanashi, Jia and Vimal are going to do some recon," Maiga said. "And I'm going to stroll around and see what useful items I can pick up."
"I want a new Snapper." I reminded her.
"Do you have a colour preference?" she snarked and Jia giggled. "And your plans, Sergeant?"
"I'm going to give Ilyan a little refresher in those unarmed combat skills he's forgotten all about." I grinned evilly at him.
"Oh dear," Ilyan said, suddenly looking very worried indeed.
****
Once the others pushed off Ilyan and me shoved all the cots and the table out of the way and arranged the mattresses from the cots on the deck, as crash mats.
"Right, boss." I sat on a chair and took off my boots, then stood up and pulled my shirt over my head. "Shoes off, shirt off. Let's see what you've got."
Looking nervously at my scars again he slipped off the soft shoes he wore and, kind of shyly, took off his shirt, loosening the short placket of buttons then pulling it over his head. He dropped the shirt and wrapped his arms around himself as if he felt cold.
Though he was as skinny as a rake, like I'd figured, his arms and shoulders had a bit of lean muscle, if not much bulk. Good abs, stomach flat and taut. Okay, I had enough to work with, not too bad a place to start. He needed bulking up and he needed strength and stamina, but I could get him there.
Right now though, unarmed combat.
"Come here." I had him follow me onto our improvised crash mats and I looked him over critically. "Right, you're a tall man, but skinny and light. That means you've got a high centre of gravity, so you're vulnerable to being taken off your feet. Hold your arms out, towards me."
He did as I told him and I nodded.
"Good, you've got a long reach. Your best chance is speed, and in staying back and wearing your man down. You wait for him to get winded, and then go in for a quick decisive finish. You get too close then you're dead meat. You get knocked down then you're dead meat." He listened intently, taking it all in. "So in that case the first thing you need to learn is how to break out of a hold, standing or on the ground."
I approached him and he backed up a step, nervous. Instinct I guessed. He's taller, but I'm significantly heavier. His instincts told him to get away from me. Good. Instincts are a soldier's friends.
But he regained control and a defiant look appeared on his face. I smiled, a bit feral, and then closed on him fast and grabbed him around the waist. I hooked a leg out from under him and took him down to the mat. He gasped as we landed. I kept my weight off him, just held him down with my arms.
"Lesson number one. Somebody big can also be fast."
"So I see." His voice sounded pained and I frowned. Did he hurt himself already? I'd been careful not to actually slam him. Something occurred to me. Oh bugger, he really had forgotten everything he'd ever been taught.
"Ilyan, you do know how to fall don't you? So you don't get hurt I mean?"
"I knew I'd forgotten something," he said ruefully.
Great. I sat up, letting him go. He sat up, rubbing his back.
I passed a hand across my face, rubbed my eyes. "We're really going to have to start with the nursery stuff, huh?"
"I'm afraid so."
I got up and pulled him up after me.
"Right, let's try that same manoeuvre, but this time you throw me and I'll show you how to land without getting hurt."
I had to demo it three times before I felt satisfied he had the gi
st. By the third he'd started moving very nicely when it came to hooking out my leg. With me co-operating of course. No way could he throw me against my will.
As I landed on my back the third time, slapping the mat to take the impact, he leant over, trying to pin me as I had pinned him. He'd soon learn you didn't pin a man heavier than you. You went for a fast killing blow, because you can't keep him on the ground any other way. But for now I indulged him, told him where to put his hands.
"Good, that's it." His soft hands felt ridiculous on my skin, made it hard to remember we were practicing fighting here. I didn't need to fight a man like this, I could swat him aside.
"Jadeth?"
I looked up into his questioning face. His long blond hair fell forward as he bent over me. Should have tied that back. In fact he should cut it. Long hair gives the enemy a handhold.
"What's next, Jadeth?"
Next? Buggered if I knew. I saw the truth clear suddenly. I couldn't teach this man to defend himself against even a badly trained soldier, never mind a good one. I could indulge him with some basic holds and throws. Let him think he had some idea what he was doing. But to get him in even basic fighting shape would take a year at least. And High Command would come after him long before then, I knew. Long before then.
Well they'd have to get past me when they did.
"You know," I said, surprised at how hoarse my voice sounded. "Maiga could have been teaching you this stuff."
He grinned then, sat up and I thought he was going to stand, but he suddenly straddled me. I gasped with surprise and resisted the instinct to buck him off at once.
"We tried," Ilyan said. "Maiga and me." He bent forward, put his hands down flat on the mat on either side of my arms. "But picture yourself as me and me as Maiga. Now tell me…" He bent closer, till the ends of his hair actually brushed my neck and chest. His voice went low and throaty. "Do you think in these circumstances you'd manage to finish the training session?"
I gulped. "I, um, see your point, Boss."
He laughed and rolled off me, onto his back, still laughing, one hand flat on his belly.
"Much less distracting with you, Jad. Much less distracting."
"That's good," I said, looking up at the ceiling lights.
I needed a drink.
Chapter 8
That night we ate dinner while sharing out the nice haul of goodies the others had picked up while they checked out the ship. Tanashi had snagged a bunch of medical supplies. Maiga had picked up lots of good stuff, including a Snapper for me.
"And I thought only grunts suffered from Shiny Kit Syndrome," I said, examining the gadget carefully. A newer model than my old one. Nice. "Thanks, Captain."
She actually gave me a friendly smile. "Don't get this one smashed."
"Sure." I winked at her. "Next time there's some shrapnel heading my way I'll try to shield the Snapper with my body."
Ilyan, sitting beside me drinking tea, laughed and then groaned. Tesla sat on Ilyan's other side, with his head down on his folded arms, taking no interest in the shiny things.
"The sergeant been giving you two a good workout?" Maiga asked them.
"If by good you mean 'brutal to the point of sadism', then yes," Ilyan said, rubbing his side. Tesla just moaned. Him and the marines had come back in to the barracks room after his run and the five of us hit it hard the rest of the day. The two spooks were wiped out and even Rish and Rin seemed tired. I'll admit to looking forward to some kip too.
But tomorrow we'd do it all over again. Harder.
****
Dreams. Not of blue or green sky. Dreams of urgent flesh and darkness and hunger. And I woke up drenched in sweat, too hot to rest.
Damn, but these barracks rooms needed better ventilation, I could hardly breath. The sounds of the other men sleeping seemed unbearably loud. Snoring, muttering or just bloody breathing. I sat up and glanced over at Ilyan's bed. He slept on his back, his face relaxed, almost smiling, his long hair disarranged on the pillow. Across the room Tesla slept with the covers pulled over his head.
I jumped, startled, as I realised Rish was awake, looking at me. I guess my movement woke him. Maybe those marine boys are sharper than I give them credit for. I nodded at him and he lay down again. I rose and pulled some fatigues out of the box under my cot, slipped them on quick. The cold floor against my feet felt good, so I left off socks and shoes and padded out of the room.
I decided to take a walk, just around the block of barracks rooms. The corridors were cooler, almost breezy, I could get a breath. And then maybe a shower, a cold shower, because when I say 'hot' I don't just mean the temperature.
I found Jia out in the corridor. Maiga had ordered a guard be set, must be Jia's stint. Okay this could be interesting.
"Hey," I said, wandering up to her.
"Hi, Jadeth." She smiled. She really was tasty. Thick, black hair, brown eyes with long lashes and her mouth... Her close fitting star ship officer's uniform showed off a curvy figure that she carried off nicely despite only being about five foot two.
I stood quite close to her, put my hand on the wall, and leaned casual-like.
"Maiga got you pulling the graveyard shift?"
"Yeah." She smiled ruefully. "She thought she'd let all you men sleep, since you've been doing all that PT today. So just us girls on watch tonight."
"If I'd known that I'd have stayed up all night myself." I winked at her and she blushed.
"You need your rest." She looked up at me, kind of shy, but I felt still sure I got a vibe from her. I bent forward and raised my hand, to cup her cheek. My lips rested briefly on hers, but she pulled away.
"Don't."
"What's wrong?" I moved my hand so it stroked her bare upper arm. Soft. Smooth. Warm. "I thought you liked me, honey?"
"I… I think you're, um, attractive," she admitted. "In a sort of, well, different kind of way." Hah, the rough and ready, that's what she wanted, just like I thought. My head filled with sensations from my dream again. Flesh, straining for satisfaction.
"What's the problem then?" I moved closer and she pressed back against the wall. A tiny morsel of fear showed in her eyes. "I fancy you, you fancy me," I said. "Where's the complication?"
"Thing is, me and Vimal, we're sort of--"
"Vim?" I laughed out loud. I moved my hand from her arm and ran my fingers around the edging of the neck of her shirt. My fingers trailed across soft skin as my hand moved. I watched my own hand, didn't look into her face. "You need a real man, not a boy," I told her.
"Don't," she whispered again.
I looked at her face and now I could see real fear there. She knew my strength. Knew I could take what I wanted, if I wanted to. But I didn't want to. Never been that sort. Not saying I can't get a bit insistent at times. But force? Nah, not me. Besides which Maiga would slice off my balls, fry them in garlic and make me eat them. So I stepped back and saw her sigh and relax.
"Okay, princess." I suddenly had an image of her in one of those old times frocks, all silk and lace. A princess in a tower. Yeah I guess she needed more a knight in shining armour sort. Vim could maybe fit the bill. He's in training for it anyway. I smiled. "Well you know where I am if you want a little fun with someone who has to shave every day."
I turned away. Now I really needed that cold shower.
****
Between the two of us, Maiga and me managed to keep Ilyan bottled up for a week. I wore him out during the day. She kept him occupied in the evening. And no, not the kind of occupation I'd tried with Jia. I doubt he had the energy. But in the end Ilyan decided he'd had enough of it.
A week into the trip we were sat around the table in our room, playing a few hands of poker. I noticed Jia and Vim giving each other darting glances and smiles. Hell, I'd probably improved the boy's chances no end. She'd apparently decided to make some moves on him. Maybe looking for a protector from the big bad grunt.
"I'm going to talk to some of the troops on this ship," Ilyan announced.
"Why not?" he asked. I felt disappointed that he didn't pile on the same haughty tone that he'd used when I'd told him where to sleep.
"Because we can't get off this ship," Maiga explained. She had a good point. It wasn't like in the wilds when we could drop by a unit, tell them about the prophecy and be long gone before anyone could report Ilyan's presence. A ship was different. Like Maiga said, we couldn't get off. Still she could have explained that to him in private, not put him down in front of the rest of us.
"Nevertheless," Ilyan said. He tossed a poker chip into the pot. "Raise twenty."
"Ilyan--"
"I'm doing this. If I wanted to stay safe I wouldn't be here at all. I'm starting tonight."
Rin called and we laid down our cards. Ilyan had a full house, Maiga had two pair. He smiled gently at her and raked in the pot.
"I'm sorry, Maiga."
Chapter 9
Ilyan got his way of course, despite Maiga's protests and we spent the rest of the journey in secret meetings and gatherings. Never a large group, just a select few. And, just in case, we kept an eye on a planet hopper in one of the hangers. Vim and Jia could both fly it and Maiga reckoned she could override the systems to get the hanger bay doors open.
We didn't need the escape plan though. Sixteen Earth days after leaving Muaan Qacia, we docked with a space station orbiting Ayokidishi and disembarked with the rest of the crowd. Still using our fake ID info, we hitched a ride on a troop transport to the surface. After landing, we found a bar to hole up for a while and work out our next move.
We were followed.
We'd not been in the bar five minutes when a young fella walked up to our table. For a second I took him for the waiter, then I spotted his uniform and I recognised him from the ship. He'd been to a couple of the meetings. The second time he'd sat right up front and asked lots of questions.
I tensed and glanced around, fearing he was here to point us out to someone. But he seemed to be alone. He wore marine uniform, the insignia of a second lieutenant and a medic patch on his sleeve.
