Roar of Lions (Darkening Stars Book 3)

by Mark Iles

  “It must have given you pause, at least for a moment.”

  “Not at all. I only found out about you later, when I reviewed your file. We have thousands of trainees, as you well know, and that includes a great many with your surname. As for Queen Miranda, she’s the only member of my family still alive. I hadn’t heard from her for a very long time, until we were sent to Capulet some years back. I didn’t care if I never heard from her again. She’s changed, and not for the good. Miranda’s not the lovable young girl I once knew.”

  He sat back in his seat and returned her gaze. “Let’s be frank. The crimes we’ve committed are irrelevant to the Penal Battalions. We’re just criminals who made it through their commando course and out the other side in one lump. Now we spend our time in the service of humanity, until our sentences are completed or we die. My sister and I are no longer close. I can see from your expression that you don’t believe me, so I’ll tell you why.”

  He took another puff and blew smoke to one side. “Yes, she blamed me for failing to rescue her, and also that your parents married. She said it should have been her, and I am also aware she was responsible for your father’s death. She had already forced him to divorce your mother, and to marry her when the old king ‘died’. So, yes, she got your father in the end—even if it was over his dead body—and, yes, that makes me your uncle. But you’ll get no favours from me.

  “Miranda could have pardoned me years ago, but she wanted me to suffer. That isn’t the girl I grew up with. She’d become a tyrant and is responsible for countless deaths. So, now you know where I stand, both with the Queen and you.”

  His coal-black eyes bored into hers. “Now that’s all in the open, let’s move on. The reason I called you here wasn’t to discuss our personal histories, but to say there’s a rather tricky problem we’re sending you to deal with.” He continued to meet her stare without flinching.

  Selena pursed her lips. He may talk around things, but as far as she knew, had always spoken the truth. “Very well, thank you for explaining, Sir. How can I help?”

  “Lieutenant Roberts tells me she’s been informed that the Lenars back on Capulet are refusing to cooperate. By all accounts they’re not happy about what happened to you and are refusing to work with us until you’re reinstated. We need them on board, Commander, desperately. There are still a lot of ForeRunner spies out there, and the Lenar-Human search teams are the only way we have of detecting them.”

  Selena studied him for a moment or two, feeling her full lips tightening. Giving a slight shake of her head, she said, “You honestly expect me to go back there?”

  “You’re in the military; your job is to follow orders and soldier where you’re sent.”

  Selena felt the bite of her nails digging into her palms and took several breaths to compose herself. “Well, let’s face it, the Queen wasn’t happy about the Lenars before this—she hates them, and I’m surprised she hasn’t tried to exterminate them. I can’t say that I’m looking forward to seeing the old witch again.”

  Van Pluy glared. “Damn it, Dillon, we need those search teams back in action, and if that means you going back there and behaving yourself, then you will! You’re relieved of command of the underground Eden Complex, with immediate effect. You’re going back to Capulet, along with your old team—at your current rank of Commander.”

  Trying to keep calm, Selena focused on the sweet-sickly fragrance of his cigar. It reminded her of Christmas when, traditionally, her father always had one to celebrate the holidays.

  The fury in the admiral’s eyes abated and he looked away. Standing, he walked over to his drinks cabinet. “I’m sorry if I sound harsh. Whiskey?”

  She nodded, accepted the crystal glass and took a sip of the fiery amber liquid.

  “Remember,” Van Pluy continued, “Capulet is now a member of the Assembly of Worlds, and whether the Queen likes it or not she’ll have to accept the decision for your return. Colonel Christina Delmar is in charge there and will remain so. She’s a good officer. You’ll report directly to her and no one else. The Magellan is due in tomorrow and departs the day after. You and your team will be on it. With luck, the journey will give both you and the queen time to cool down … once I’ve told her the news.”

  Selena snorted. “She doesn’t know?”

  “Not yet.”

  “I’d pay good money to see her face when she finds out.”

  Van Pluy’s look was unfathomable. “Like I said, she hasn’t a choice. Things have happened that you know nothing about. The news will hit the fan shortly, so I may as well tell you now. One of Capulet’s five new cities, Ephesus, has been destroyed.”

  “What?” Selena’s breath froze. She remembered walking through the streets, could almost hear the hubbub of the markets and enticing smells coming from many eateries. She had watched the construction of those cities and their defences, and now one of them was gone. “How?”

  The admiral looked away, but for a moment she thought she saw sadness in his eyes. She must have imagined it.

  “We’ve no idea how the ForeRunners blew it up. All that remains is a damn great hole. The defence systems were operating correctly, and were on constant alert. No inbound weapons were detected. The only thing we can assume is that someone smuggled a bomb of some kind into the city, which is why we need the Lenar-Human search teams back in action immediately. We have to find those responsible and stop them before they can destroy any of the other cities.”

  “How could they have bypassed our security?”

  “They probably came in as colonists, or part of the work crews. And of course, with our search teams non-operational, they’re almost impossible to detect. Your mission will be to get those teams working and to personally take charge of that side of things. The Queen won’t like it, but, with the Lenars refusing to work without you, she’ll have no choice. Either she puts up with you, or she could lose Capulet.”

  The very thought of being near the queen was enough to enrage Selena, yet she had to admit the admiral had a point. As long as she kept out of Selena’s way, she’d keep out of hers. He was right, she had a job to do and it appeared that only she could do it. Everything else was secondary.

  “I’ve reassigned Lieutenant Kes Philips to you, and I understand from my secretary that he’s waiting outside. You’ll pick up the remainder of your old team at the Magellan, the day after tomorrow. There’s something else.”

  “I thought there might be, there usually is.”

  “When the Alliance of Worlds found out about your extra five years’ sentence, there was an uproar. They’re demanding this be rescinded, or there will be sanctions taken out against Capulet. The queen’s livid but realizes that she has little choice in the matter, so she’s left it with me.”

  Selena was speechless for a moment or two, while it sank in. “And?”

  His coal-black eyes studied hers, and he breathed out a long stream of cigar smoke. “I’ve willing to commute your extra sentence, on the understanding that you volunteer for extra service, including this mission. We need you on Capulet, but you didn’t deserve the extra sentence and your old one is almost up. Volunteering puts you in a whole different category; it shows dedication and everyone gets what they want.”

  “Except me.”

  He ignored her. “It’ll make good publicity and hopefully inspire others to join. I know you, Selena. Things happen when you’re on the scene—our goals are achieved. Let’s face it, you need this and we need you; and of course, you’ll be free to leave once the war is over.”

  “And if I don’t volunteer?” she asked.

  “Then the extra five years stands, and you’ll be deployed there anyway.”

  “Kind of a catch-22 situation then, Admiral. I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t.” She thought furiously. “Okay, you win. I’ll volunteer.”

  “Thought you might. That’ll be all, Commander. Dismissed.”

  “Thank you, Sir.” Selena stood, saluted, turned on one heel and
marched out of the office. Her old sergeant Kes Philips, now a lieutenant, indeed stood waiting in the corridor.

  “Hey, Commander.” He greeted her with a salute and a raised eyebrow. “What happened to that long blonde hair? The guys are going to be disappointed, particularly as you now look like an underweight convict.”

  “Well, that’s what I am. But never mind me, what the hell happened to your eyes? They’re completely black!”

  Kes snorted. “It’s the latest fad, you take the meds and wham. Harmless too, but it sure scares the shit out of the bad guys and wham. Here…” he handed over a small packet.

  “What’s this?”

  “Tabs for your eyes. You’ve got to fit in, you know. Believe it or not, there’s some that can change your skin colour, for a while at least. Ideal for camouflage.” Kes looked at her sideways as they walked. “In case you’re wondering why I’m here, Jessica told me she’d seen you heading over, so I thought I’d wait and say hi.”

  “Jessica. You mean Lieutenant Roberts?”

  He looked a little uneasy, Selena could read him like a book. Kes had been with her since basic training and he moved with surprising grace for his swarthy build. Although she’d missed him, she knew she had done the right thing by recommending him for officer training.

  “Yeah, and before you go on about my ginger hair, she happens to like it. Between you and I, we’re secretly engaged to be married, and I was kind of hoping you’d be my best man, woman or whatever.” He looked at her sideways, keeping pace as she strode across the parade ground towards her room.

  Selena stopped and turned to face him, a genuine grin on her face. “That’s brilliant news; I’m so pleased for you both!” Her smile was tinged with concern. “But you know that sort of thing isn’t allowed in the Corps, so keep it quiet.”

  “Don’t worry, we will. We intend getting wed when we’ve finished our sentences. If you hadn’t put Jessica in charge of the search teams, and sent her here to Loreen, we might never have met. So, for what it’s worth, thanks. In the meantime, the admiral tells me the team’s getting back together. What’s going on?”

  “We’re returning to Capulet, the day after tomorrow.”

  Kes stared, astonished. “We are? Whose brilliant idea was that? This is wrong, after what the Queen did to you the last time you were there. Sooner or later, one of you will kill the other. You know that, right?”

  “Maybe. Apparently the Lenars have kicked up a fuss. They are refusing to work without our team being there. Van Pluy told me that Ephesus City has been destroyed by the ForeRunners, and they need those search teams back online ASAP to prevent it happening to any of the others.”

  “We just heard about it. Over a million dead, they say. That’s beyond horrible.”

  “Well, they obviously slipped pass our defences, and unless we get those teams working it could easily happen again. By the way, tell Jessica to pack. She’s coming with us. In the meantime, I’m going to say my farewells to Franks and Amanda.”

  Kes raised one hand, fingers high, in acknowledgement as he walked off. “We’re all meeting in the Hole in the Wall ‘bout eight or so. See you there.”

  Oh—my—God, Selena thought. That could get messy. The bar was legendary and she knew what her troops were like. Party animals, all of them.

  She took a skimmer to the village, where her friends lived. The village had grown, from two lines of buildings facing each other across a dirt street, with yapping dogs and the occasional child playing outside in the mire, to what it was now. More houses had appeared. A few shops and— Selena had to look twice—a butcher’s, after all this time! She hadn’t seen one of those for a while. The meat she had been used to was either grown artificially by the cook staff, caught and slaughtered while in the wilds, or came prepacked.

  Finding the building she wanted, she walked up the steps and knocked on the white hexagonal plate hanging haphazardly on a metal-meshed door which, despite its looks, was surprisingly strong. In the quiet of the village, the plate clanged loudly against the mesh.

  “Selena!” Amanda greeted her enthusiastically, opening the door to give her a hug. “Come in. Franks, Hope, we have a guest!”

  Franks and their daughter, Hope, greeted her with smiles and hugs. It didn’t take much for Selena to remember that this family had been involved in an uprising the first time she and the others had arrived on this world, such a long time ago now. The Magellan had been damaged in a firefight with the Manta. Captain Kotes hadn’t known her team’s true mission and had defied Selena’s orders to go straight to their objective, attacking an enemy convoy that was enroute to the embattled Bernard’s Star. She could see him now, fire in his eyes shouting his denial of her orders to continue on to their destination.

  It was almost as if Selena lived it again, flashbacks came and went furiously. Images of how the skirmish had ended with their ship damaged forcing them to land on Loreen—a backwater world—for repairs. There they’d discovered the base was endangered by rebels, who’d recently crash landed and stirred the locals into an uprising. Selena’s group had joined in repulsing their attack on the Penal Corps Citadel. The guns barking and stuttering, beam weapons hissing, the terrible screams of agony from attackers and defenders alike; and how many rebels and locals had been captured at the end.

  Afterwards Selena, Franks and Amanda had sat down and brokered a peace deal, including an agreement that Loreen became the Penal Corps home world, for the regiment’s rules state they are unable to return to the worlds that birthed them on completion of service. Many troopers had taken up Loreen’s offer, bringing with them employment, income and the planet a means of defence. At the time, Amanda had been eight months pregnant with Hope, the child aptly named for the promise of peace to follow.

  “You’re just in time for dinner,” Franks greeted, breaking into her daydream as he embraced her.

  “Pork gumbo, with fresh green beans and okra. One of your favourites, as I recall,” Amanda continued, grinning widely. “Betcha smelled it on the way over here.”

  Even after the birth Amanda’s remained slim, Selena noted. The only difference in her looks now was that her hair, dyed a bright-red, was now cut short.

  “Sounds great,” Selena said, as they all sat down to platefuls. “Beats our rations any day. Look, the reason I came here is to tell you that I’ve been posted, back to Capulet with my old unit—no, don’t say anything. It’s all been covered before, and I promise that as soon as I’ve finished there, I’ll come back.”

  Amanda looked as if she was going to say something, but changed her mind and kept her eyes on her food. It was Franks who broke the silence.

  “Well, at least your friends will be there to look out for you. We’re glad you’re coming back afterwards. Your house is finished and you could move in any time you like.”

  Selena raised her eyes to look at him. “One day, when my punishment is over,” she said. “One day…”

  ***

  “Just in time, it’s your round!” Singh greeted Selena, as she met up with the others just as they were about to enter the bar.

  “Typical. What are you on, or need I ask?” Humour tinted her words as she sidled up to the bar and placed orders for Roget’s Revenge.

  “What the hell is this?” Braxis asked, staring down into his glass with a dismayed look.

  Selena eyed him. He was the company buffoon— tall with broad shoulders and ears that stuck out as if they were placed there as an afterthought. Before she could reply though, Singh burst in.

  “Funny you should ask that,” Singh said. “This drink was invented by an ancestor of mine.”

  “Stop,” Braxis interrupted. “I can see by the expression on Selena’s face that I’ve walked right into something and, as it happens, I’m off to drain the lizard.” Without another word, he strode off towards the old-fashioned swing doors that led to the men’s toilets.

  “Don’t look at me like that,” Selena remarked. “I never said a word.”

>   The others wanted to know about the attack on Capulet. She’d just started to explain that she knew as much as they did, when the swing doors burst open and a marine came flying through them, with Braxis trotting after him bearing a happy and somewhat demented grin.

  Kes stuck out a boot and the reeling man tripped and landed flat on his back with a slap. Several of the fellow’s companions sat by the bar stood up, but taking one look at the uniform Selena and the others were wearing, most sat back down again. One of the few remaining standing charged Braxis, but Selena intercepted him. Rising quickly to her feet, she clotheslined him, hitting him in the throat with thumb-side ridge of her right hand. The man’s legs shot out in front of him and he levelled out about chest high, before hitting the floor with a resounding thump, where he remained apparently unconscious. More of the marines stood, looking uncertain.

  Raising one hand towards them Selena said, “Don’t even think about it. There may only be five of us and a hell of a lot more of you, but we still have you outnumbered.”

  Her sinister smile obviously decided the matter. Two of them came and picked up their comrade. They all left the bar without another word.

  “Okay, Braxis,” Selena said. “What happened? Don’t tell me, he attacked you and you had to defend yourself.”

  “Sort of.”

  “Come on,” Selena insisted. “Spill.”

  “Well, I’d just been to the bathroom and was tucking the lizard away when that dumb fuck said, ‘In the marines they teach us to wash our hands after going to the bathroom’.”