“Again, we ask how you think you’re better suited for this job,” someone said.
“I have no affiliations with one government or another and I have done nothing but fight alongside people from other countries and aliens from different planets for a year and a half. As to me being violent, yes, I damned well am. I would be dead and my fleet destroyed if I wasn’t violent and ready to use force to destroy the enemy before they destroyed me.
“Do not kid yourselves, the universe is a terrible place. It is not for the weak of heart. I am also, through my gaming experience, better placed tactically and strategically to command the Free Fleet. I am able to work ground fights and space fights at the same time. You have admirals and generals. in the Free Fleet there is me. Certainly, I have a chief of staff and the commander of the Armored Marine Commandos, commanders and personnel that are amazing, but I need to know everything that’s going on and use my forces accordingly.
“Your people have been trained to be soldiers or pilots or captains. My people have been trained to be in multiple positions. They need to be adaptable. The Free Fleet is no place for someone that wants to just be a grunt. They’ll be a Commando, an engineer, damage control, armorers, and any number of hundreds of jobs.
“I thank you for the offers, but I am unable to accept them at this time. If they are able to think of the good of humanity, then I will accept them into my ranks, though they will go through the same training as my grunts and have to prove themselves. In the Free Fleet, officers are awarded on merit.”
“Not trying to be offensive, but what is your merit?” the president of the U.S. said.
“If my people didn’t want me leading them, then I wouldn't be the commander of the Free Fleet.” My protection detail moved uncomfortably around me.
“If you want your officers to give it a shot, they must be released from your military and they may apply to the Free Fleet. The conditions for application to the Free Fleet are on the information site.” I saw more than one leader flinch from my words as the speaker ended the day and after a few obligatory farewells I was finally leaving the talks building and heading through the throngs of reporters to my awaiting shuttle.
I have the feeling it won't be the last time my abilities are called into question, I thought as I remembered a time when I had not wanted to be responsible for anyone else than myself and Mecha Tail. The shuttle settled onto the ground, the ramp lowered and Yasu was waiting on the ramp.
“What are you doing here?” I muttered as everyone got on and the shuttle sealed.
“I think it’s about time you saw Korea. I know that Mecha Tail’s families want to see you,” she said as we picked up and weere already flying towards Korea. Thankfully, the reporters had learned from yesterday and were well back from the shuttle.
“Alright,” I said, knowing I’d lost. With a smile, she sat down beside me and we went to Korea. The shuttle parked on top of a multiplex parking lot nearby the apartment building Mecha Tail had called home. I walked to the building, my group garnering stares and pictures. I came out onto the floor where Mecha Tail had lived and breathed. I put in my code for the door which opened into a room of people training on simulators.
“Salchar!” I heard a cry from one of the promising newbies who had brought a Japanese sword for good luck, which I had attacked a grabbing arm with, getting half of it stuck in my shoulder. The room was a rush as people turned, realizing who I was and rushing over. My manager was among them. Family members, new members, and most of the newbies as well all gathered around me.
“Get back to training, people! This war isn’t going to win itself!” my manager yelled as he grabbed a new kid I didn’t even recognize.
“Get me eight Jjajang myun’s!” he said as he brought us into the kitchen, ordering us to sit as he went in the fridge, throwing energy shakes and bars at us. Without thinking, and from a lifetime of habit, I started eating them as fast as possible as if I was going to be playing another game at any minute. I was done before Janice was even trying her energy bar.
“They’re all good; eat them,” I said to my protection detail, who dutifully ate the food, at first hesitant and then rapidly. Ship food had gotten quite boring.
“Remind me to get a hold of the company that makes these bars. I think I have a proposition for them. It’s much better than the food I’ve had for the last year and a half.” My manager tsked as the new kid came in, carrying Jjajang myun. I couldn’t stop my eyes lighting up as he put it on the table. I grabbed chopsticks, not waiting for the others.
“You always knew my weaknesses,” I said, digging in, unable to see my managers face as I devoured the bowl of food.
“This tastes good,” Krom said as he similarly devoured a bowl. The manager gave me and the Avars two bowls apiece and the rest one. He was like a mind reader I’d swear.
“So, what has been going on with the rest of the Mecha Tail?” my manager asked as I finished off my second bowl, sitting back satisfied.
“I have Monk running a station which we’re using as our base. I sent Cheerleader off as a fleet commander to have a look around the area and to create alliances with more planets and make them aware of our existence. Bok Soo is in charge of a battalion of AMC. He loves being in the field too much, and there was no way any of them were going to take a desk job.”
“No, I suppose they wouldn’t,” he said with a knowing smile as he turned to Yasu.
“Though I didn’t think we would ever have the esteemed leader of the Samurai’s Revenge in this apartment! It is good to meet you, Yasu Masami Ono, or do you prefer Blade Mistress?”
“Yasu is fine,” Yasu said, a little color on her cheeks.
“Very well. So, I heard that you two are married,” he said, his voice light but his eyes serious.
“Yes, we’ve checked the records, we’re listed as married on Earth databases. It’s about as real as it can get,” I said Yasu, shooting me a cold glance as my manager smiled.
“Ah yes, and will you be remaining married? You two do make a lovely couple.” There was nothing but warmth in his voice.
“Uhh, well.”
“We’ll see what the future holds.” Yasu came to my rescue as I heard a knock at the door.
“Expecting guests?”
“Yes, I am,” He said with a smile
I heard “Joo Mi!” come from the hallway and a rush of feet. I rose from my chair, turning in shock to face the other members of Mecha Tail’s family members as they rushed to hug me in the enclosed space.
After a few minutes of heavy hugging, smiles, and greetings the women took Yasu and Janice, pushing the rest of us out of the kitchen and sending a few husbands to get ingredients as they set to making a feast. I talked to the fathers of the other members of Mecha Tail and the mothers listened in as they cooked. The whole place was quiet as even the gamers put down their gear and listened in as I talked about what we’d gone through.
As I finished, the meal was ready and we sat down in the main gaming room, the gamers being herded into seats by the women and told to eat to get bigger and stronger or there was no way they’d be able to join the Free Fleet. Yasu sat next to me, as the other couples did, and talked to the wives animatedly as I held my own conversations, eating my fill and talking well into the night.
The meal was cleared away and goodbyes said as the families loaded me and my protection detail up with food. They said goodbye to us as we ascended the shuttles ramp, which had gathered a crowd. They stepped back as we climbed into the sky and. for the first time in a long time. I smiled happily. Yasu took the food to our room as I took a few treats with me to the AMC quarters in Hachiro Station.
Bok Soo came to the door groggily.
“What is…” I put the kimchi in his mouth and he bit down on it and his eyes went wide.
“Amoni’s kimchi!”
“She sends her best, and I’m taking you down tomorrow morning before the talks with a shuttle dropping off the first Free Fleet visitors.” He star
ted to make excuses around a mouth of Kimchi but I raised my hand. “Yes, James. Thank you, James. I will introduce my wife to her, James. Good night, James. Is what you where going to say? Right?”
“It is!” his wife said from inside the room and he shot her a dark look, turning back as I gave him an armful of foodstuffs.
“See you in the morning!” I said, turning and walking away.
“I guess you will,” Bok Soo said with a grin, turning back inside. I worked on the paperwork which was, as usual, piling up in the station commanders cabin. Rick had been doing brilliantly in my stead as I was at the negotiations. I’d asked for his recommendation for the station commander to take over as he worked with the people of the station more. The intelligence group was working through the information held in the Syndicate servers and had more than a bit of useful information, but there were limited few of them, and they were also picking up information from Earth to assist me in the talks, so information was limited. It was yet another area I had to work on expanding. The shrinks had helped put most of the recruits back on Earth. A few too far gone to return had been added to the ranks of the training Avar under the tutelage of the Sarenmenti special forces. It would allow them to learn how to use their anger, and after their training they would be able to quit. The Marines that had boarded the Resilient had disappeared off the grid as I had expected them too. I just hope they hadn’t seen too many of our secrets. The fleet was at seventy percent effective. Meaning they could fly and fire, but most of them needed quality time in a dock. The Resilient’s fusion power plants were sitting in her storage so the other ships could be put online again. Both me and Eddie wanted to get her back to Parnmal to effect the repairs, but Eddie and myself where painfully aware how defenseless she was, so we were going to try putting her plants in later when the crews had had some time to rest and we could dedicate more people to the project.
Before I knew it, Yasu was walking in the room with an unimpressed look.
“You stayed up all night again, didn’t you?”
“I guess I did,” I said as I slipped a capsule of Wake Up into my pocket. I had a feeling I’d need it. She shook her head as I got up and walked to the shuttle that would drop off the visitors to Korea and then go to Canada.
Bok Soo was already aboard with his wife. I nodded to him. I took my own seat as the shuttle dropped down towards Earth. We made three stops in Korea before Bok Soo, who was getting dropped off in the same parking lot I’d dropped off the day before. The parents of Mecha Tail swarmed him and his wife, dragging them away and thanking me as I smiled, taking off again.
As we came closer to Japan, Yasu held my hand.
“I want to see it for myself,” she said, her face emotionless as her voice quivered.
“Are you sure?” I looked to her as she looked at the harness across from her.
“Yes.” Strength filled her voice.
“Pilot, could you put us down at the southern crater of Japan,” I said into my comms.
“Are you sure, sir?”
“Yes.” My tone solid.
“Be there in two minutes.”
We waited in silence as the shuttle touched down gently on the rim of the crater centered on what had been Yasu’s home. I led her out by the hand as she stepped to the edge of the crater. It had filled with water, stretching from one side of the island to the other. Yasu sunk to her knees and she touched the side of the crater. There was absolutely nothing for miles as it had all been ripped up by the after affects of the kinetic weapon. She held up a handful of burnt dirt, letting it fall through her fingers as wind whipped it away from her. I saw her shoulders shudder.
“Protection detail, look out!” I said. They all turned to face outwards as I knelt beside her. She turned, burying her head in my chest as I held her.
“We’ll make them pay.”
All she did was nod as she brought herself under control. “You have a meeting to go to. Let me stay here. Pick me up afterwards.”
“I’ll leave you Shreesht.”
She pulled away slowly and gave me a smile. “Show them the military man you are,” she said, rising and walking away slowly. I watched her go as I walked back onto the shuttle. I wanted to stay with her but as much as I did, there were more important things to do, and she knew. I promised myself I would keep her safe in the future and by Hachiro’s bones I was going to kill them or punish all of the Syndicate accordingly.
With this new fire I sat down and readied myself for the talks.
“Shreesht, look over her, please.” He nodded, following her with his weapon ready as the shuttle took off.
Chapter Beers, Brides, and Politics
Henry stroked what was becoming a decent sized beard as the shuttle touched down on a secluded farm in Texas.
A man sat on his deck sipping a beer, seeming a bit annoyed with the dust up created by thrusters. A woman could be seen in the kitchen, a smile on her face as she worked on something.
“Thanks for the ride,” Henry said as he jumped off the shuttle before it landed, craning against the dust up as he walked to the house, the shuttle adding thrust and setting off towards the East coast of the United States.
The man eyed Henry.
“Looks like you finally grew in that beard, huh?” e asked as he offered Henry a beer, who dropped his issued gear bag and sipped on the beer.
“Might be water, but it's a hell of a lot better than what I've been drinking.” Henry muttered as he recounted what the man had said and took a seat in the handmade lawn chairs. “Yeah, no regs against it in the Free Fleet. With a Mecha it covers everything, no gas masks anymore.”
“Henry!” The woman that had been in the kitchen came out and Henry rose with a smile as he wrapped his arms around her.
“Hey, Mom,” he said as he realized for the first time how much he'd grown since being away. His mom looked tiny compared to him, and his arms almost engulfed her.
“Well, at least you've been eating right,” she said, her eyes misty as she looked him over.
“You don't even want to know what they've been feeding us.” Henry shook his head. The green goop was still in circulation and disgusting as ever. He took a long pull of his beer as his mom talked.
“Good thing we'll be having a proper meal then, isn't it,” she said as he smiled.
“Just got to wait for your brother's and your sister to show up,” his dad said, grabbing another beer.
“They're all coming?”
“Of course!” his mom said as a timer went off. “I've got to get that!” She rushed off, Henry smiling. I missed this, he thought as he took his seat again.
“So you're in this Free Fleet now,” his dad said.
“Yup, I'm the CAMC.”
“That's pretty odd sounding.” His dad gave him a look as he laughed.
“It stands for Commander of the Armored Marine Commandos.”
“British, eh?”
“Nope, Free Fleet,” Henry said, finishing the beer off. Might as well be good as water. that metal peeling crap's making my tolerance go up, it seems.
“How is it?” Henry's dad had been a Marine, did a few tours. Most of them had been hairy. He'd gotten out after getting a round to the leg. It caused him near chronic pain, but he always said he'd seen much worse; now Henry had too.
He looked to his dad with a quick answer on his lips as he saw a soft but steady look. You can tell me, I know something about it. His dad's eyes seemed to say as he leaned forward, grabbing a piece of hay, playing with it absently. His father just waited as he looked at that piece of hay.
“I've been in contact and battles, but this is different. There's no safety. It's nerve racking, crazy, and damned ridiculous.” He looked to his dad. “It's nothing like what you told me it'd be like when I was enlisting. It's so much more.” Henry couldn't even grasp the words.
“There's no stopping. There's no rest. We're constantly in a state of preparing for whatever comes next, and every time it's gotten harder and hard
er. Battles are fought in a three dimensional battlefield with multiple factors, it's a mess and it's terrifying, but we keep it together.
“Everything wants to kill us, the enemy, their ships, their stations, their people, their slaves, even space. Space is the coldest bitch of all. The dark will do anything to take you into it's embrace. Then you lose people and that stuff just faded away. That stuff just disappeared and the only thing that matters it getting what you need to ensure that your people are safe. The Marines is a brotherhood, but it was more of a hangout compared to this. I wake up, eat, train, hangout, and sleep with my lowliest team member to Commander Salchar. It makes us closer, and it makes losses terrible.” Images of the things sentient's had done to others passed behind his eyes.
His dad sighed.
“It's not going to be easy, but it never is,” he said, looking out onto his fields without seeing them.
Henry nodded as he twirled the hay.
A dust plume rose at the end of the drive way.
“Must be Carl,” his dad said as he nodded. “Know that I'm always here for you, plus, it sounds like you have a few friends there for you too.”
Henry grinned. “Oh, I've got a family. Have you heard about the gaming team Mecha Tail?”
Henry talked as his two brothers Carl and Jesse arrived, Cindy being the last as normal, wearing her office apparel as normal. Carl had his wife Lucy and his daughter Meghan, plus, they were expecting a second child. Jesse was seeing a girl, and Cindy was married to her job still, though no one denied Momma Terrance.
They sat, ate, and drank as the sun went down. Henry smiled as he looked at his family smiling and joking.
This is what the Free Fleet’s for, he thought as he looked at his dad who gave him a look that said the same thing about the Marines.
As the family lounged around the farm, Henry went to the barn. The smell of Hay was comforting, even though it reminded him of when he had to stack the damned things.
Jesse found him after some time.
“Hey, Henry,” he said simply as he sat down.
“I come bearing beer,” he said as he handed Henry one, none in his own hands.
Coming Home (Free Fleet Book 2) Page 11
