Bekkreshan The Medic
Mark lay back in his seat in the lander, sipping at a cup of coffee, thinking that Simon could have brought a better brand with him when he left Earth. He really missed having milk in it too. He’d made many attempts to synthesize it, but without a sample, even the best results made him gag. As he lay daydreaming about going back to Earth for some essential samples, like some decent tea, beer and pizza, his AI brought up the feed from the drone keeping watch on the entrance to the warehouse. It showed Mike walking out and zoomed in to show the blood on her face, still oozing out of the cut.
Mark jumped up, spilling coffee and dropping the mug on the floor. “Touren! Grab a medical kit!”, then remembering she was outside guarding the two Gretton prisoners.
“I’m on it.” Bekkreshan called out, standing up and pulling a field medical pack out the overhead locker. Mark ran out of the lander, followed by Sally, then Bekkreshan with the rest of the team right behind her. Mark sprinted towards Mike, but Sally and Seltet overtook him, reaching her first.
“What happened!” Sally asked. “You were going to call when you needed us.”
“I didn’t need you.” Mike said.
Mark, who had caught up by now, said, “It looks like you did. Have you got any other wounds?”
“It’s just a scratch. If you think this is bad, you should see the other guy.”
“Well, you’re getting better at this. You didn’t need to be carried out this time.” Mark said. “Maybe next time you’ll come out unharmed.”
Bekkreshan started to clean the wound, mopping the blood off Mikes face and neck, Simon stood next to her, holding the medical kit and passing medical swabs and wipes as she needed them.”
“Yeah, maybe you’re right. What have you been doing out here, apart from sitting on your fat arse?”
“That about sums it up. Touren’s guarding two of the hostiles.”
“Were there only two that survived?”
“They attacked us after we offered to take them somewhere safe. Two of them surrendered to Kar Fen, the rest either didn’t want to, or didn’t get the chance to.”
“Where do they want to go? Somewhere in Gretton space?”
“Yes, how did you know?”
“Because they are Grettons. They have been surgically modified to look more like Herassans.”
“What? Why?” Mark asked.
“It’s a long story. Can you get a medibot down here? This cut needs to be repaired and I want to stay to talk to the rebels.”
“Did you get that Kate?” Mark asked his AI.
“I will have one put into your shuttle and send it down Mark.”
“I have taped the wound.” Bekkreshan said “If you were on the front line you’d be taken out of theater for a day’s rest. I suggest you do that now.”
“If we were on a special ops mission, which mostly we were, I’d carry on, even with a worse wound than this. I’ve ordered a painkiller; I’ll go and get it from the synthesizer.”
“I’ll get it,” Seltet said. “Order yourself a new jumpsuit, that one’s covered in blood.” She ran back to the lander.
“I could do with a drink.” Mike said. “Mark, can you bring the lander over here, just in front of the entrance.
“Sure, but I’ll let Seltet get on board first. It would be cruel to have it take off just before she reached it.”
“What happened in there?” Sally asked. “And why were surgically modified Grettons involved in this?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Complicated in the that it’s complex, or do you mean you can’t be bothered to tell us?”
“A bit of both. I’ll explain it all later. Where’s the lander?”
“Patience is a virtue.” Mark said. His mother always said that to him whenever he wanted something as a child. It usually meant he wasn’t going to get it.
“I’ve not heard that before. That’s stupid.” Mike said.
“Do you want it flying over here when Seltet’s only a few meters away from getting on it?” Mark asked.
Mike shrugged. It wouldn’t bother her.
“How many hostiles are left in there?” Sally asked.
“None, if you mean the Grettons. There are still some of the old Herassan rebels in there, but they should be harmless. You know I’ve got to go back in there by myself, don’t you?”
“Yes, but this time we keep the drones on.” Sally said.
“OK, as long as you don’t interfere. This has to be a Herassan initiative.”
“If you look like you’re going to get yourself killed, we’re coming in. It’s what we are here for.”
“Here comes the lander.” Mike said. “Just in time, I need a piss.”
“Mike! Are you sure you’re royalty?” Mark said.
“Yeah, but I’ve been in the army a long time. I guess I need to brush up my manners before I spend any time in court.”
“Or any time in polite society.”
“That excludes everyone here. Except maybe Seltet, she seems to be very polite.”
“Why don’t you spend some time with her?”
“Mark, I don’t believe it! You’ve made a sensible suggestion!” Mike said. “I think I’ll do that – when I’m finished here.”
“Are you going to get the medibot to fix your wound? My shuttle will be here soon.”
“No, I think I’ll go to meet them like this. I’ll keep the jumpsuit on too. If they see the wound and the wound, they’ll see I’m serious.”
Mike walked to the lander to get the pain killer and take a comfort break.
Chapter Forty Six
Meet The Rebels
Mike walked back into the warehouse, carrying an HKE36, Sally’s army’s big heavy caliber kinetic energy weapon. Not that she needed it or intended to use it, but it looked a lot more intimidating than the Mark Eight pulse rifle. She had changed her jumpsuit. Her body armor covered up most of the blood on her old one, and it was more comfortable than wearing blood-soaked fabric.
She told her AI to broadcast a message to every rebel in the building and tell them who she was, and that she had fought and killed many of Brel Edd Senn’s henchmen and there were none left now, and that she had fought him in single combat and killed him. She meant them no harm and wanted to talk to them.
She entered the warehouse through the gap in the sliding doors again and was greeted by a small group of Herassans armed with RX4040’s, probably picked up from the bodies of Grettons that Mike had fought earlier.
One of the rebels, a male, stepped forward, holding an RX4040 pointed at her. “What do you want with us?” he said.
“For a start, I’d like us all to put our weapons down. I am not your enemy.”
“You’re carrying a big weapon for someone who isn’t our enemy.” the male said.
“This is just for show.” Mike said. She bent down and carefully put the RKE15 down.
“You’ve still got your armor on.” the rebel said.
“And it’s staying on. I don’t want to get shot if one of you gets a bit twitchy and accidentally fires their weapon.”
“Fair enough, but how do we know we can trust you.”
“By talking to me and listening to me. But, the words of your friends speak better than mine. Sha Ast Ral told me about Brel Edd Senn. He tried to have me killed when he had me brought here. I escaped and came back, prepared this time. He sent his thugs out to capture me and intended to kill me himself. He underestimated me. He lost, I won. If Sha Ast Ral is still alive, she will vouch for me.”
“How do you know her?”
“She led the team sent to capture me when I went to the Palace to meet my father…”
“You mean the tyrant, Bass An Sur!”
“I don’t think he’s very tyrannical. It’s the aristocrats who surround him that are the problem, but we’ll come to that later. Sha Ast Ral shot and killed Tarb Af Ack during the mission when he started fighting the others. I’m sure you remember Tarb Af Ack. Afterwards I overp
owered her and her two accomplices without injuring them, then we made peace and they collaborated with me, bringing me here. My mission was unsuccessful that time. Brel Edd Senn’s thugs got trigger happy and shot me up quite badly. I was rescued by my friends, which is how I survived. I came back this time to try to speak to Brel Edd Senn, to persuade him to step down so you rebels could work with me, under my direction, to achieve your objectives quickly and peacefully.”
“You came here by yourself to talk to Brel Edd Senn? You must be crazy!”
“Maybe. But Brel Edd Senn and most of his henchmen are dead, I’m still alive. Do you know where Sha Ast Ral is?”
The rebel who was doing all the talking lowered his weapon, but didn’t put it down. “We haven’t seen any of them for several days. Two days after they left on a secret mission, there was a lot of shooting in here. Was that when you were brought here by Sha Ast Ral?”
“Yes, it was. Brel Edd Senn said that she hadn’t been seen since, but he told me he had interrogated Rad Em Forb, so he was looking for them. I hoped you may know where they were.”
“We may do.” the rebel said. “Where is Rad Em Forb? How is he?”
“Brel Edd Senn said that he didn’t survive the interrogation. Would you like to put your weapons down now?”
“I think we’ll keep hold of them. We’re safer that way.”
“We Herassan’s are not famous for our military skills. I have never come across a Herassan in Sally’s army, and I don’t recall any ever being in the body count when we have fought outcasts, not even in Tk'ng Dach Rm’s army. Sha Ast Ral said her team wouldn’t be able to back me up if things went bad when they brought me here, because she, and you, are not soldiers. That gives me a good idea of your fighting skills. I, on the other hand, am a battle-hardened soldier who has served side by side with General Sally on the front line and as part of her special operations team. I learned to fight when I didn’t really care if I lived or died, I didn’t see a future for me that I wanted to live in, but I survived, because I became very good at killing my opponents before they killed me. If you were to fire your weapon at me, I would be by your side with a blade in your throat long before my energy field armor collapsed, and if you all opened fire on me. I would be moving with the HKE36,” she touched the heavy caliber KE weapon on the ground with her toe, “and I would have cut you all to pieces before most of you had got your second shot off. You would be much safer if you all put them down – particularly as most of you haven’t even released the safety catches.”
“But what if any of Brel Edd Senn’s men come back in here. We need to be able to defend ourselves.” the rebel said nervously.
“He and all his men are dead, except the two who surrendered to my friends outside after Brel Edd Senn thought it would be a good idea to send his men out to attack General Sally and her elite team, who are in the lander out there. And there are the six who were shooting at me that General Sally subdued when she and Mark rescued me, but I don’t believe they are in any condition to hurt anyone. I’ll get them treated properly for their injuries. If anyone were to come to attack you that I couldn’t hold off by myself, Sally and her team would step in and rescue us.”
“That’s Sally’s army’s lander? I didn’t think it looked like it belonged to our army.”
“It’s a People’s lander, being used by General Sally. Would you like to meet the General and her team?”
“Not really…”
Mike sent a message.
“They’ll be here soon. It would be well for you to meet them.”
Sally and Mark led the team into the warehouse. They were all fully armed and armored, having been prepared to rescue Mike if needed. Mark and Sally stood on either side of Mike, the others spread out in a line behind them, holding their weapons pointed down. The rebels all quickly and carefully put their weapons on the floor.
The rebel who had been doing the talking pointed at Kar Fen, who was standing between Seltet and Bekkreshan, and said, “You’re a Krendor, you’re standing next to an Imperium. Everybody knows you’re sworn enemies!”
Kar Fen roared - “An Imperium! Where! I’ll tear them limb from limb!” He looked around and settled his gaze on Seltet and roared threateningly.
Seltet tilted her head on one side and sighed. ‘Don’t any of Sally’s elite team take things seriously’ she thought.
Bekkreshan, who Kar Fen knew was the Imperium, punched him on the arm and said in her loud voice, “Here, you scaly idiot.”
Kar Fen swung round and grabbed her by the shoulders pulling her into his massive chest, He patted her on the head with his left claw while holding her firm with his right arm, and looking at the shocked rebel, said, “This one’s OK. She’s my friend.” then tipped his head back and made the barking roars that passed as laughter in his species.
Bekkreshan pushed him away. “You could do with a shower, you big freak.” she said crossly. Kar fen put his arm across her shoulders.
“When you’ve finished fooling around, get into line soldier!” Sally barked to Kar Fen, then turned to the rebels. “We are here to protect Hess An Sur. She is my friend and is a valuable member of our army. She will always have the protection of my army and is under the personal protection of Mark, Friend of the People and Slayer of Tk'ng Dach Rm. At Hess An Sur’s insistence, we will not interfere with the affairs of the Herassan Empire. We will however do everything we can to ensure Hess An Sur’s safety. You have nothing to fear from us. Do any of you have any questions?”
One of the rebels near the back waved their arm and asked, “Did he really kill Tk'ng Dach Rm? I thought he was a myth.”
“Yes, he really did kill him, in one to one combat. Tk'ng Dach Rm was armed with a long blade, Mark was unarmed, and despite being badly injured by him, prevailed and killed Tk'ng Dach Rm. That action prevented a galaxy wide war which would have touched every person alive – including all the citizens of the Herassan Empire. You should thank him for saving you all.”
The rebels stood in a stunned and nervous silence. Sally nodded at Mark and they both took a step back behind Mike.
Mike picked up the RKE15 and passed it back to Mark. “You no longer need your RX4040’s. Pile them in front of me, my friends will take them away and destroy them.”
“But we will be defenseless.”
“Did you have weapons before Brel Edd Senn came here?
“No, but…”
Mike interrupted him. “Did you need weapons then?”
“No, but…”
She interrupted again. “Do you think you need them now that I, Hess An Sur, First Born of the First Family of the Herassan Federation of the Five Planets, am here to work with you to achieve your objective? Do you think that General Sally and her elite team would stand by if your safety were threatened, and do nothing? Do you think that Mark, Friend of the People and slayer of Tk'ng Dach Rm, with People’s weapons implanted in his body, his own People’s ship equipped with all their technology and weaponry would stand by and watch while your safety was threatened and do nothing? If you really have so little trust, I am wasting my time with you.”
The rebel looked at the floor, then walked up to Mike and said, “I put my trust in you, Hess An Sur, First Born of the First.” And laid his RX4040 on the floor at her feet. “
One by one, all the rebels that had a weapon came and added them to the pile in front of Mike. When they had finished, she said, Get everyone together who is close at hand. I’ll meet you in the cafeteria as soon as I’ve got rid of my armor.”
“Kar Fen, Touren, stay here and guard the entrance, the rebels need confidence that they are safe. The rest of you collect the RX4040’s up and take them to the lander.” Sally ordered.
“You can put them in my shuttle.” Mark said. “It’s here with the medibot.”
“Bekkreshan, when you’ve all got the RX4040’s in the shuttle, you and Seltet take the medibot to the injured Grettons and start to get them treated properly. With your experience you can
assess their condition and decide what we need to do with them. Touren and Kar Fen, go with them and keep them safe while they’re working with the injured.” Sally ordered.
Seltet looked up at Kar Fen. “No fooling around Fen, we don’t know if any of the hostiles are fit enough or in a mind to attack us.”
“Yes Sir!” he replied with enthusiasm.
Seltet shook her head and started picking up the discarded weapons.
Sally, Mike and Mark walked to the lander. “You handled that well Mike. I didn’t know you had it in you.” Sally said.
“I haven’t. I was going to beat the shit out of a few of them and tell them what to do, but my AI persuaded me that its idea was better. It prompted me all the way through that. It’s got better diplomatic skills than me.”
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