by Rod Carstens
“Well, well, look who’s here, all grown up. My little plaything from so long ago. It’s so good to see you again,” Raina said, her eyes on Netis.
“Usiche, what is she talking about? Who is this person? There is some big mistake,” Kat said, looking from Raina to Netis.
“No mistake, Kat. Raina is a hybrid who has been running Senator Carroll since at least Rift. But it goes much further than that into Von Fleet. We’re here to find out how far and to put a stop to it all,” Usiche said.
Kat looked over at Carroll and said, “What are they talking about, Col? This can’t be true.”
Senator Carroll’s face went white, and he slumped down in a chair.
“Do you expect me to tell you anything?” Raina said.
“No, but we can always try. Istas and Netis do have their ways,” Admiral Raurk said.
“Please. My little plaything and your bitch? I don’t think so.”
Faster than Istas could follow, Raina tore off her dress and grabbed Kat. It was amazing to see Raina’s body change in front of her eyes. Her muscles expanded until she looked like a hybrid ready for combat. Her claws were out, and she had one hand around Kat’s throat. She could kill her in a split second should anyone move, and Istas knew it. She remained still. Netis walked into the middle of the room, ripped off her uniform, and stood facing Raina. Her body too went through the transformation. In fact she looked more muscular than Raina.
“So this is how an Alpha decides to die. Not in combat with a worthy opponent but hiding behind a hostage. Afraid of her former classmate. Afraid of her plaything,” Netis said, her eyes on Raina. “You will not leave this room alive. These Marines will kill you if I don’t. Why not add a kill to your list? A real kill, of another hybrid, not some weak human.”
Raina’s smile grew wider. Kat’s face was the terrified mask of someone discovering her whole world, with all its power and beauty, could disappear in a second.
“You have a point. It would be good to feel the life drain out of you before I died,” Raina said.
Raina threw Kat across the room into a Marine, who picked her up and put her into handcuffs.
“You know what I remember about you?” Raina said. “I remember how I could make you scream in pain. So unlike a real hybrid. More like a human. I wonder if I can make you scream before you die.”
Netis smirked, and for once Raina seemed surprised. “I am no longer that child, bitch.”
Raina screamed in a language Istas had never heard and jumped at Netis, but Netis was not there. She was behind Raina and slashed her back with her claws as she dodged Raina’s move. Netis had her back—she could have killed her, should have killed her, but she was doing something else. Do not play with this one, Istas thought. This one is too dangerous.
Istas brought the pistol around and held it at her side, ready to use it should Netis look like she was going to lose. Raina did a backflip, her foot swinging in a killing blow at Netis’s head, but again Netis was ahead of her. She caught her leg in midair and twisted it. Istas heard it break and saw the knee deform as Netis continued to twist. Raina landed on her back and with her other foot kicked Netis away. Raina then jumped up on her one good foot.
Istas was impressed. Netis was obviously the stronger and better fighter. She glanced at Raina’s face. This fact was starting to dawn on her.
“Well, well.…” Raina started to say.
This time it was Netis who was the aggressor. With a snap kick that was too fast to see, she broke Raina’s other knee. As she fell, Netis was on top of her, claws raking across her breasts once, then again. She was not trying to kill her—only hurt her. Blood splattered everywhere, covering the furniture and Netis. Istas brought her pistol to the front of her body. Netis had mounted Raina and brought a hammer fist down on her shoulder. Istas could hear the joint snap. Raina was almost helpless—she had one good arm that Netis grabbed. Netis fell to her back and pulled the arm to her chest, wrapped her legs around Raina’s neck and head, then tucked her foot under her knee and began to squeeze. She could kill her with the power in her legs.
Istas walked over to Raina and looked down at her. Netis had given her the only chance she might have to determine if Raina knew about Chika. Someone about to die and badly wounded had a hard time hiding what they knew.
She said, “Did you know about Chika?”
“What?” Raina choked.
Istas knew she did not. Nothing in her training nor her years in the field detected the slightest attempt to lie. She nodded to Netis, who began to slowly squeeze harder. Raina’s face turned red and then purple. Just before killing her, Netis let her go and stood up.
“This is for all of those nights. I will kill you the way you killed all of those little ones you said weren’t good enough.”
Netis grabbed the table, tore a leg off, and beat her head in with the table leg, then threw it away and stood facing the room.
“I am finished.”
Istas was impressed and attracted to this strange half human. A warrior like herself. Someone she would not want to fight.
“Did she know?” Usiche asked.
“No,” Istas said.
Usiche walked over to Senator Carroll, who was literally shaking in his chair. She nodded at Netis, and she walked over to stand behind him. Netis was naked, covered in Raina’s blood and still muscled up. She put her hands on Carroll’s shoulders. That was all—she just placed them on his shoulders.
“Now I’m going to ask you some questions," Usiche said. "If I don’t like your answers, I will let Netis do something to you. I’ll leave it up to her what she does. Are we clear?”
“Yes, yes! Anything.”
“How long have you been working with the Xotoli?”
“Since before Rift. I was passing information to the chairman for almost a year before the Rift attack. The chairman told me the stuff I was passing on from Rift was just corporate espionage. Von Fleet was trading with the Xotoli through the Autonomous Zone. The chairman told me they were making more money than with any of our other contracts. It was a way for me to get a leg up, and I thought it was just corporate gamesmanship. I was in the right place at the right time.”
“For betraying the human race!” Usiche shouted.
“I didn’t know. I swear to God. Not until the day they attacked. When they rescued me before the attack, he told me what was happening. That is when I met Raina and saw what she could do. They threatened my family if I didn’t continue to cooperate.”
“He’s lying. He knew before then,” Istas said.
Netis dug her claws into his shoulders. Carroll screamed as blood began to stain his expensive jacket.
“All right! I knew before then. I met Raina in the chairman’s office. She showed me that she was a hybrid and told me that we were doing business with the Xotoli. But the chairman told me the information was so we could continue to do business with them. That’s all, nothing more. Just doing business.”
“How long had Von Fleet been trading with the Xotoli?” Usiche snapped.
“I don’t know, really, but it had been some time, according to the chairman.”
Usiche looked at Istas. He was not lying, and she nodded that he was telling the truth.
Then Usiche spun around and faced Kat. “When did you know?”
Kat had changed dramatically since they had walked into the room. Her presence was completely gone, and she was a cringing, crying woman. Istas recognized someone whose world was crumbling and who did not know why.
“No, no. God, no. Usiche, you’ve got to believe me. I do business with Von Fleet. I don’t represent them. I represent other corporations. I would never, could never do such a thing. You know me. How could you think I would do such a thing?”
Usiche glanced at Istas. “Is she telling the truth?”
“Yes.”
“See, I didn’t know anything. I was having a meeting tonight with Carroll for Ecomcon. They want to be cut in on the new Von Fleet contract, and I
was supposed to convince Carroll to vote for it with Ecomcon in on it.”
“She’s right,” Carroll injected. “I never discussed anything with Kat remotely involved with the Xotoli.”
Istas watched as Usiche’s face grew sad before she said, “Kat, the problem is that it goes to the chairman, your great-uncle. You travel in all the circles that could be of use to them, including the highest parts of Von Fleet. You don’t know what you know or what you could have revealed. I am afraid that under the Wartime Powers Act I am arresting you and Senator Carroll for treason. Take them away.”
The Marines handcuffed Carroll, and Kat had to be helped out of the room. Istas glanced at Usiche. She did look years older.
“Somebody give Netis something to wear. Security will go over this place. Istas, Netis, with me.”
They left the apartment and went to the admiral’s limo to depart the Von Fleet building. When they got into the admiral’s car, Usiche told the driver, “Take me to the secretary general’s residence and get him on comm before we arrive.”
Usiche did not say a word until the secretary general appeared on the comm. Her world had been changed dramatically by events and the decisions she’d had to make today, but Istas knew to sit silently and wait. She would let her know if she needed her.
LSD Tarawa
General Sand’s Quarters
Nani stopped Fenes, Minga, Ardan, and Striker and made sure their new black Raider utilities fit them. They were standing outside General Sand’s quarters, waiting to meet the famous commander. Satisfied she had made them as presentable as possible given the short time they had to get squared away, turned and knocked on the hatch.
“Come.”
Nani marched the four of them into the general’s quarters, then turned to the general and said, “Sir, Sergeant—uh, Temporary Lieutenant Mala Nani reporting with our Von Fleet soldiers.”
General Sand stood and looked the four over. Fenes was surprised at how he looked. He wasn’t that tall. He was good-looking enough, but there was an aura about him that immediately struck you. Fenes knew he was in the presence of a leader, someone you immediately wanted to please. Once, Fenes had heard Striker talk about command presence. This must be what it looked and felt like in person.
“Which of you are penal soldiers?” Sand asked.
Fenes, Ardan, and Minga raised their hands. Then Sand looked at Striker. “Then that makes you the old soldier Nani told me about,” he said.
“Yes, sir. I think ‘old soldier’ would fit me.”
“All of you, at ease. I just finished going over Lieutenant Nani’s report of your actions. I must say you live up to the finest traditions of the Marine Corps and the Raiders. For men and women who have not been through the selection process, your performance was nothing short of spectacular. I watched your stand from the TOC during your fight in the dunes, and I thought I was watching the last moments of a bunch of brave men and women. Whose idea was that?”
Fenes looked at Striker and said, “It was Staff Sergeant Striker’s order, sir. He said it was our mission and we were going to carry it out. Besides, if we’d tried to run they would have just chased us down.”
Sand smirked and looked at Striker. “Sometimes there aren’t any good choices, are there, Sergeant?”
“No, sir. It seemed like a good idea at the time.”
“Well, Sergeant, if you had not chosen to stand and fight, there is a very good chance we would have lost at least one, if not all three, LZs.”
“Thank you, sir. Don’t forget that Mike boat crew, sir. They did some fucking outstanding flying and fighting,” Striker said. “Oh, sorry, sir. Really good flying.”
“I haven’t, Sergeant, nor did I miss what you and your people did to rescue them. You all are going to be put in for citations. That was real combat leadership.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Don’t thank me. Thank the lieutenant. She put you all in for your actions at the spaceport. She also made a recommendation.”
Fenes and the others looked at one another.
“Lieutenant Nani put you in for a special admittance into the Marine Corps and the Raider battalion.”
Fenes wasn’t sure he had heard the general correctly. To become a Marine and a Raider…he could never have dreamed this journey would end up here.
“Sir, with all due respect, I am as you said an old soldier up for retirement soon, and as much as I would be honored to accept such an appointment, I fear I must decline.”
Sand held up his hand. “I completely understand. A Von Fleet pension is nothing to take lightly. How about the rest of you?”
Fenes was the first to say, “Yes, sir. Absolutely.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You understand there will still be a selection process that you must complete at some point in the future. But if you say yes today, then I will swear you in.”
The three nodded.
“Then it is with great pleasure I ask you three to raise your right hands and repeat after me.”
Fenes, Ardan, and Minga came to rigid attention and raised their right hands.
“I—please say your full name—”
"I," they each said then their full names.
“Of my own free will and without coercion.”
“Of my own free will and without coercion.”
“Do solemnly swear to protect and defend the Constitution of the Confederation against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Confederation and will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of which I am about to enter with my life should it be necessary. So help me, God. You may say your own religion’s God’s name if you want,” General Sand said.
Fenes and the others repeated the oath.
“Then it is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the Marine Corps of the Confederation. You may stand at ease.”
Fenes turned to shake Minga’s and Ardan’s hands. Lieutenant Nani then solemnly said, “There may be a day when you regret this.”
“I don’t think so,” Fenes said.
Suddenly the ship’s lights began to flash red. Fenes turned to General Sand. He looked as confused as they were. Admiral Grogan’s face suddenly appeared on the display on Sand’s desk.
“General, I have been ordered to get the fleet under way immediately. We have been ordered to leave the system with all possible speed.”
“What are you talking about?” Sand said.
“General, the wormhole is closing behind us. The Xotoli are trying to trap us here.”
“What?” Sand shouted.
“I just got a flash message from Admiral Raurk. My own science officers have been monitoring the situation and were about to bring me the news.”
“I have most of my division still on the planet. They will need to be evacuated.”
“We don’t have the time. Admiral Raurk has ordered us to get under way immediately. It is her belief that the Xotoli are now headed for Sol, and we are the only viable fighting force available. We have to leave now, and immediately upon our return begin preparing to repel an invasion of Earth.”
“You can’t leave those men and women down there without supplies!” Sand shouted.
“I have ordered all of the supply dropships to be launched immediately. They will have what we brought. That is all I can do.”
Sand looked completely stunned. Then Fenes saw his face change to anger.
“Then I’m taking a boat and going to the surface. Prepare a boat for launch immediately. I told myself I would never leave any troops again after 703, and I’m not leaving anyone down there.”
“Sorry, Dasan. Admiral Raurk gave me strict orders that you are not to be allowed to leave your quarters until we are out of the system. She knew you would react this way. You are too valuable. You must follow orders, Dasan.”
Sand pushed past Fenes and Minga, forcing his way to the hatch that led to the passageway. Two of the big
gest Marines Fenes had ever seen were standing there.
“Sir, please don’t try to get past us. Please. We’re just following orders,” the biggest Marine said.
“Stand aside. Or I’ll have you in the brig!”
“Dasan! Think!” Admiral Grogan yelled.
Sand turned to Grogan’s image on the display.
“They are going after Sol. Billions of lives will be depending on what we can do. It’s only us and what we can scrape together. You have got to understand. Neither Raurk nor I find this any easier than you do.”
Sand took a deep breath and walked back to his desk. His face showed recognition of the situation and the weight of a decision that he hadn’t made but had to carry out.
“Have the commanders on the ground been informed?” Sand asked.
“No, I knew you would want to do that.”
“Ririsa, get them on the comm for me. I want a conference call.”
“Of course.”
The display went blank and Lieutenant Nani said, “We’ll get out of your hair, sir.”
“No, I want witnesses to this, because there is always the lance-corporal underground that will say I willingly left them. Understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
Fenes stood there trying to comprehend what a decision like this would feel like to make. Watching Sand go through the agony of leaving his troops was overwhelming. He could feel the weight of such a decision. Fenes didn’t know how much time passed while they all just stood there silently. A soft ping signaled the conference call.
“Captain Akina here.”
“Colonel Bittar here.”
“Colonel Tiryak on board.”
Sand stared at the three officers. Each was in a structure so they could hinge their helmets back. He looked at their images for several seconds. Fenes could not imagine what was going through his mind. How do you tell people you know and respect that you are going to leave them to die?
“Ladies and gentleman, I have been ordered directly by Admiral Raurk that we must get under way immediately and leave the system. The wormhole is closing, and unless we leave now we will not make it out of the system. Apparently the Xotoli are trying to trap us here while they attack Sol. We have been ordered to return and prepare to defend Earth.”
