Shards [Book Three]

by Peter W Prellwitz

  I still had a month left before Mike would access the permissions, but there was no point in letting these things go until the last minute. Yet I also couldn't let Jody control my access to the puterverse. Not only was I hesitant to let others see Mike and Kiki, but taking Jody to my plane of existence in the puterverse would kill her. Belatedly—as seemed to be my habit—I realized that had I put the safeguards in first, instead of the UTC charges, this wouldn't even be a problem.

  “All right, I won't push, Jody. But see if you can get me access, okay? Even a sub-level would help a lot."

  “I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, let me take you over to your new detail."

  We left the barracks and headed down the tunnel—unlike our corridors, this was a very quick job—toward the mess hall. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach we were heading for the laundry.

  Jody took me to the laundry door, then walked past it. I breathed a sigh, but then let out a small groan.

  “Jody! Not KP!” Centuries after its coining, the word KP still struck fear and despair into the hearts of even the most hardened soldier.

  “What?” she smiled sweetly. “Are you too good for KP?"

  “Yes! I mean, no. No, I'm not too good for it, every dog draws the detail sooner or later. But I do mean yes. I don't think this is taking full advantage of my training and expertise.” She grabbed me by the arm and pulled me to a corner.

  “You don't think I know that, Abigail? I know it was you that took out those five commandos in hand-to-hand. I believed you when you said you were Triteam One anchor. And I believe you when you told me about your puterverse skill. After the debriefing was over—mine, not the Lieutenant's—I would have paid real creds to get you in my company with full access to the puterverse. Giving you KP is like using a phase hov as a paperweight.

  “But this is the way it has to be. I don't run this outfit and I do follow orders. The Lieutenant was livid at being told what to do with you. I think it hurt his feelings that a kid like you rated such attention."

  “So he put me here? Why? Why doesn't he take advantage of me? If TAU thinks I'm useable, why doesn't Lieutenant Posen use me?"

  “I don't know. If I did, I wouldn't tell you. But no, he didn't put you here. I did."

  “Jody!"

  “I put you here because the Lieutenant wanted to put you on a Company A recon team."

  “That doesn't sound too bad."

  “It is. They hit the jungle for three weeks per loop. All they do is drink, sleep and get sick. Unless there's a woman with them. Then they find other things to do. If you came back a virgin, it would be because you had killed the entire team."

  Her words came as little surprise to me, which was scary. The 179th's Company A was shaping up to be a different kind of animal than the Third's.

  “But I didn't put you here to save your virtue.” She smiled and winked. “My guess is you can protect yourself enough, though I can't see how you do it with such a small frame.

  “The reason I put you here is so you can be my little spy.” She held up a hand. “Sorry, I shouldn't have said little."

  “At least calling me little is truthful. Calling me your spy..."

  “Sorry again. A bit of the dramatic in me. Too many romance novels. Come on, let's grab some coffee and I'll explain."

  So we sat down and had some coffee and hot chocolate, and Jody gave me the details. By the time she'd finished, I knew this was one seriously messed up outfit. I also knew that I'd be her little spy, and told her so.

  “Thanks, Abigail. I hope I'll get a chance to use what you tell me. Otherwise, we'll be stuck in this scavenger mode forever.” She rose. “Well, it's time for afternoon defense classes. You're welcome to come along, though I don't think you'll learn much. Class is two hours. Your start duty in three hours. The lunch and dinner shift goes ten hours from 1000 to 2000."

  “One last thing, Jody. My price tag. Even Mata Hari got paid."

  “Mata who?"

  “You should study up on your history, Jody. She was a famous spy in the early twentieth century."

  “That was almost eight hundred years ago!"

  “So talk to more Cues. Or access the historical libraries. But don't change the subject. My price."

  “You want me to pay you? You ungrateful little bitch!” Her tone took all the sting out of the words. “I just saved you from Company A recon!"

  “Sounds more like you saved Company A recon from me. Doesn't matter. I'm now performing duty above and beyond the call of duty. So I want compensation. Two things. One: Nobody uses my sidearm but me."

  “I can do that. Pritchard, our armory master, owes me a couple. And number two?"

  “You have got to get me access to the puterverse. I'll take you along, but it must be me accessing."

  “Why?” she asked a little suspiciously. It seemed some of the paranoia here rubbed off on everyone.

  “I can't tell you as much as show you. But that's my price."

  She looked at me carefully. “I'll be honest with you, Abigail. It's been very hard visualizing you as a Cue. I've met so very few. You look like a sixteen year old girl..."

  “That's because I am a sixteen year old girl."

  “Yes and no. You've got memories and training and skills that I'll never have in my entire life. I can see why Lieutenant Posen would be envious. He's in his thirties and is a lieutenant. You're sixteen and have made major."

  “Believe me, Jody, I doubt he would want to take the path I've taken."

  “Probably not, but he's just looking at the result. So am I. But while I'm a little envious, too, I'm also glad for you and sorry for you.” She paused, then nodded. “It'll take a couple weeks, but I'll get you access."

  “Fair enough.” I finished my hot chocolate. “Now let's see what kind of workouts you people have. I need to limber up some."

  We stopped off long enough to get me into a workout uniform. I was just a little self-conscious about changing in front of so many unfamiliar women, but I figured I had to get used to it. I was even more self-conscious when I saw some eyes open when they looked at me. At first I thought they were staring because, well ... but it wasn't that.

  They were looking at my scar. I looked at it, too. It was still red and wicked looking. Although Doctor Ressler had done a good job, we'd been too far from base for full treatment, so the scar would be permanent. Running in an almost horizontal line across my lower chest, it branched out in several places where I had ripped it open after being thrown from the destroyed hov. I looked up, smiling shyly.

  “Not too pretty, huh?"

  Nobody said anything, but one of them, an athletic looking blonde with hazel eyes, smiled a little. I finished dressing and followed them to the workout area.

  It was basic and simple. An open space with a treated floor that would soften on bodily impact, but remain hard to footfalls and other forms of striking. We spread out and started stretching. I noticed, with some concern, that we were all women.

  After about five minutes, the Lieutenant and another man walked in on us. Immediately everyone took her place. I nudged the woman next to me.

  “What kind of defense class is this? Where are the men?"

  She motioned me to be quiet. I heard the Lieutenant clear his voice.

  “Good afternoon, ladies. I take it you've finished warm ups. We'll begin immediately. Sergeant Olecki?"

  The big man stepped up and before he so much as spoke a word, I didn't like him. He seemed brutish and condescending. He looked at us as though we were a bunch of little girls, our hair still in pigtails.

  “All right, we'll pick up from where we left off last week.” His eyes scanned the thirty of us. He came to me, but looked right past me, settling on a tall woman far to my left. “Stingle, we'll work with you first."

  She rose and took position. Olecki went to a standard basic attack position, and Stingle went to the defensive. She had no more than set when she was on her back, gasping. Olecki was quick, I'll give him t
hat. He helped her to her feet.

  “That's why we're going to work on today's defensive positions. Had Stingle known the move I'm going to teach you today, she would have easily blocked my attack."

  I felt my face get red as my blood began to heat up. He was nothing but a bully. Why in world would you injure someone just to show the importance of something you hadn't taught yet? I nudged the woman next to me again.

  “What is it with this guy? And what's with these basic moves? Are you all rookies or something?"

  She looked like she didn't want to answer, but did. “Quiet! Some of us have only been here for a year, and these defense tactics take time to learn. And when we—"

  “Vetter!” The woman stiffened at her name, and I saw a quick look of fright cross her face. Fear? Over a workout? I felt the beast in me and quickly fought it down.

  She rose silently and went to the sergeant. She assumed her position, again a defense posture, one arm close to her body, the other at right angles. Olecki closed fast and struck for her head. She deftly blocked it, but made no counter attack. Too late, she saw his right foot step in. She swung free, avoiding the leg, but leaving herself wide open for the right arm that thudded into her ribs. She dropped and didn't move. The Lieutenant motioned, and two of the women up front helped Vetter to her feet. The three started off to sickbay, Vetter only barely conscious. I think I knew now why they had eight beds in sickbay.

  “It was my hope that you had all practiced over the past week.” Lieutenant Posen's voice had the disapproving tone of a disappointed father. “That hasn't happened, I'm afraid. Very well. Sergeant Olecki will review last week's lesson before going into this week's. As always, any injuries are a result of your poor preparation. I'm sorry, but you will learn the importance of defending against a superior aggressor."

  I had had enough of this. The practice was only three minutes old and two women had been injured. That wouldn't be so bad if we were also learning something; getting hurt comes with the uniform. But the way I saw it, the only thing these people were learning was how to be useless. I stood up.

  “With the Lieutenant's permission, I'd like you to try me, Sergeant Olecki."

  Every head swung toward me. The Lieutenant smiled slightly. Sergeant Olecki just stared.

  “Sit down, Private. You're not ready for this level yet. I'd just hurt you."

  “That's all you're doing to the others now. I don't see you teaching us anything, Sergeant."

  He took a step toward me. These Company A goons were great on posturing.

  “Very well, Private Wyeth,” the Lieutenant spoke with his slick, clipped voice. “You said you were on Company A in the Third. Let's give you an opportunity to show us how good they were.” He emphasized the word were, and I felt myself tense up.

  I walked up to the sergeant and assumed a defensive posture identical to Vetter's. He smiled.

  “This will be quick. Don't worry, girlie, the doc can set broken bones quicker than anyone I've seen.” His arm shot forward toward my jaw.

  He almost nailed me, too. I was upset enough; his calling me girlie with that tone of voice made me angry. But it was a bad, uncontrollable anger. I jerked my left arm up and deflected the arm past my head. He brought it down on my shoulder, trying to break it. I slid down, cushioning the blow, but still falling; he brought a leg across my chest, putting a knee to my breast. I blocked it down, but it hit my scar. I felt a stab of pain and grunted He stepped back.

  “I'd heard you were an anchor. Looks like you were an anchor all right, holding everyone back."

  I wanted to kill him, but in the wrong way. I rose to my feet and took a couple of deep breaths, keeping my eyes on him. I approached him and went to defensive.

  “Again, Sergeant."

  “With pleasure, Wyeth."

  He shot in, using his left leg for a feint to my groin and bringing his head down as the main attack. I jerked my own head back and felt his forehead thud into my chest, knocking the breath out of me. I didn't pay any attention to that attack, however. I wanted to see how he positioned the rest of his body during the attack. I had my right leg against the inside of his and kept my eyes on his arms as they spread wide with the hit. I again slid down, softening the blow, but going to the ground. He stepped back smiling. The Lieutenant also had a smile on his face.

  I stood up. I had his measure now. I could feel his weight shifting while my leg was pressed against his, and knew he had very poor balance. He was a clumsy brute. With the kind of training I was used to, I could attack and defend aggressively because I knew my opponent would be well trained, and was capable of at least deflecting my blows. But I had to be careful with Sergeant Olecki. I wanted to teach him a lesson, not kill him. I stepped into the same defense.

  “And once more, Sergeant."

  He laughed.

  “I think you've had enough! Sit down and maybe I can teach you something."

  “You can't teach me a thing, Sergeant. I know your moves, and they're very basic and poorly executed. You might be all right for boot camp, but you wouldn't even rate Company C in the Third, and they were rookies. So, once more, rookie."

  Just as he had thrown me off with his taunts, I now threw him. He didn't even set up but went straight to his attack. He kicked up to put his left foot in my chest, and again he almost nailed me. But this time he almost nailed me because I wanted it that way. The object of hand-to-hand was not to make the opponent miss by a lot, but by a little. If I kept him in close, I could counterattack, which I now did.

  I sidestepped his awkward kick and slid in along his leg. Putting my left foot on his planted right ankle, I grabbed his thrusting left leg with both hands and lifted it about a half meter. I now had him bent away from me, his left leg in the air, his arms flailing to maintain the balance that focused all his weight on his right ankle. In normal circumstances, my opponent would already be disabled by my next move. If it were a combat situation, he would be dead. But I stopped at this point because it was time to teach everyone a lesson.

  “I can now do one of three things, Sergeant,” I said with my best instructor's voice to the suddenly attentive women. “I can lift your leg another half meter while shifting my ‘girlie’ weight to your right ankle, crushing it. As a bonus, I could collapse your right knee with my right foot while letting you fall to the ground.

  “Or I can release your left leg and send either my right fist or right foot into your groin, turning the contents of your scrotum into a fine paste.” Several laughs escaped from the crowd.

  “Either of those attacks would disable you, Sergeant, but I think I'll do the third attack, the one I prefer.” I released one hand and slipped my knife from my left boot. With my right hand below his knee, I jerked his left leg down. The movement was so quick that he was unprepared for his suddenly regained balance. He landed on his feet and our bodies were right next to each other, my knife hand, blade down, clenched just under his breast bone.

  “This is a seventeen-centimeter boot knife, and if I had given you the blade instead of the hilt, it would be tickling your heart right now. You're dead, Sergeant Olecki.” I pushed him away and turned to sit down.

  I heard a grunt and quick step behind me. The idiot! It had been practice, now it was real. Flipping the knife away so I wouldn't be tempted to use it, I dropped flat, twisting my body over and pulling it in. Of course he went for where my head was. He was fairly tall, but he had stooped to deliver his blow.

  Partially coiled on my back and shoulders now, I jerked straight and shot my right foot at his unprotected head. At the last instant, I unlocked my knee and flattened my foot so the sole caught him squarely where his jaw joined the upper throat. Had I left my foot pointed with a locked leg, the attack would have broken his neck. This way, the blunted kick spread the impact so more could be taken by his shoulder muscles.

  His head snapped and he lurched forward, his momentum carrying him into the front row of women. They were apparently nervous about terrible rumors going ar
ound of having the Sergeant's head in their laps, because they generously gave him the whole floor to fall on. As he hit softly, I regretted the downside of technology that still couldn't tell the difference between a real person hitting the floor and a jerk hitting the floor.

  I stepped over him and sat down, sheathing my recovered knife. Lieutenant Posen's face was study in scarlet. Red ears, red face, even his eyes seemed to have a red tint to them. I don't know what he was so mad about.

  “On your feet, Wyeth!"

  But it wasn't the Lieutenant who said gave the order. It was Jody, who stood behind us. I went straight to my feet and stood at attention. Anything Jody was going to tell me, I was going to do. Better her than Posen.

  “How dare you attack a sergeant! What excuse do you have for your actions?” She shouted, her mouth only centimeters from my face.

  “Well, it was a drill and—"

  “I don't want to hear it, Wyeth! I don't want to hear it because there is no excuse!” She pointed to three of the women near me. “You three! Get Sergeant Olecki to sickbay immediately! I want the Lieutenant to have a full report within ten minutes! Got it?” From the way they jumped, I'd say they got it. Jody turned back to me.

  “Well, you've messed things up nicely, Wyeth! Seems to me you should be the one to fix them up."

  “One moment, Sergeant Eyer.” Posen had stepped up, trying to take over the situation. I hoped Jody knew how to handle herself. She did.

  “Excuse me, sir. All due respect, sir, but this is a disciplinary action that is beneath your attention. Since Wyeth is my problem, I'll take care of her and report to you within the half-hour. Sir!” She saluted sharply, and I thought she'd kissed up to him too much. No way he'd buy this.

  But he did. His face color went closer to normal and he visibly relaxed. The most important thing to him, keeping face in front of his troops, was achieved. I made a mental note to not show him up again in public. I wished it was a mental note I'd use. Sadly, I knew it wouldn't be. Officers like Posen really bugged me.