by Shawn Jones
Kim smiled as she said, “Just be sure to record that conversation for me, baby.”
The next morning, Heroc was with Cort in his office at the Marine Academy. He was teleconferencing with Dar Sike on Earth, Rand at Government World, and Admiral Jade “JJ” Jones, who was at the Phobos shipyard. Since Admiral Book was on medical leave, JJ was covering his job as well as her own.
Looking at Rand’s image on his screen, Cort said, “No, I’m not replacing you with Speral. I just want the Nill to think I am.”
“Just because they exiled her, sir?” Rand asked.
“Exactly because they exiled her. I’m not going to defend species that think they can be prejudiced against humans. We aren’t just their fighters.”
“You do not want to push them too hard, sir,” JJ said. “We still rely on the transition system for travel, and they have full control over it.”
“We have the Jonah Construct drives, JJ. They aren’t as fast, but they aren’t as vulnerable either. And I’m sure your eggheads will come up with something of our own, soon.”
JJ smiled as she replied, “Thanks for that confidence, General, but we are a long way from that.”
“I’ll talk to Speral. She might be willing to help you with that research,” Cort said.
“I would appreciate that. Her knowledge might be very useful.”
“Okay, moving on,” Dar said from his portion of the screen. He was one of the few people who could change a topic that Cort had settled on, so he exercised that freedom. “The transition of the military to Solitude is almost complete. There will still be a heavy defense net around Mars, but the traffic in our system is almost all trade now. We are moving thirty to forty freighters a week through the farms on Mars. Another ten are shipping goods out from Earth.”
JJ spoke again. “Phobos production is winding down. I am going to keep a maintenance facility there and it will continue to produce system ships and civilian transports as well as satellite nets, but warship production is at full speed over Solitude. All Kalashnikovs are already being printed there. Oh, and for the time being, I am keeping the Coach Gun printers at Phobos as well.”
Cort said, “I support the changes you are making to ship production, JJ, but I’ve thought more about it and I want every yard to be able to produce any ship class and any part for any ship. I know it’s a strain on your maintenance crews, but I’m not willing to risk losing a class of ships because its production facility is lost.”
“We don’t even have an enemy right now, General,” Rand said.
“Yes, we do Rand. We just haven’t discovered them yet.” Looking at JJ’s image again, Cort said, “I’m not saying you have to print every ship at every base. I just want the ability to. So keep your people trained.”
“Yes, sir,” JJ replied.
No one offered anything else, so Dar moved on. “Queen Heroc, what do you have to report about the H’uuman migration?”
As part of the peace treaty between the H’uuman Empire and the Ares Federation, the insectoids were allowed to remain on planets that they were on at the time of surrender, with the caveat that once the population of any occupied planet fell below a certain threshold, they would migrate to another H’uuman world. The ultimate goal was that their entire population would end up on the single planet ceded to them by Cort. With all the species’ queens quarantined to that planet, the process was certain to be completed within twelve Earth years, as that was the maximum H’uuman lifespan.
“Thank you, Dar,” Heroc clicked. “The Ares fleet has completed the evacuation of thirteen of our planets to the homeworld. There is a small contingent of our people on each colony acting as caretakers until your Marines have established a presence on the abandoned planets.”
“JJ?” Cort asked.
“Yes, sir. We will have forward battalions at every planet within two months. In the meantime, the satellite defense nets are still active and being operated remotely.”
“Okay, get a company of Marines to each planet sooner if possible. And make sure they don’t have an ax to grind with the H’uumans. We are allies now, and they will be treated respectfully.”
“Yes, sir. I should be able to have a few ships outward bound within a week.”
“Good. And make sure each company has a full wolfpack.”
“Yes, sir.” JJ looked at the corner of her screen to see a message from Wynn Black, back on Earth. “I have some bad news. Admiral Book passed away a few minutes ago.”
“Gods rest his soul,” Dar Sike said.
“That is bad news, JJ. He will be missed,” Cort said. “Schedule the memorial for as soon as his family can be gathered.”
After a few minutes of trading tales of their fallen friend, the meeting got back on track with Cort saying, “We already had a few high level openings, and now we have another. I want to start filling them. Doctor Tsao has made some recommendations for the Head of Sciences. One of them is Lee Pan. It’s my understanding that he was the Director of Sciences for the last Atlantica administration. Apparently he resigned from Beards’ administration prior to open hostilities between us and was granted a professorship at some university in Asia.”
“The Mars colony was his project,” Dar said. “He has a good grasp of the challenges we face in space. I would support him.” Dar remembered the look on Pan’s face years before when he delivered a message from Cort stating the Ares Federation was cancelling existing contracts for the delivery of atmosphere generators to Mars. “I think he will rather enjoy being on our good side, for once. I will contact him today if no one has any objections.”
“What about giving the job to Tsao?” Rand asked.
“He won’t take it, Rand. Since I brought him here for the archaeological find, he has been nearly obsessed with it, and beyond his wife and a few of his assistants, Kim is about the only person he can tolerate.”
“Wynn Black then?” Rand asked.
JJ smiled and spoke almost before Rand finished the question. “No. He would not accept the job. I cannot seem to shake the little man.” Not that it bothers me much anymore. Hell, if I am honest about it, I kind of like the little, bent bastard.
Cort needled her a little, saying, “JJ, after all my time with wolves, I’ve found that a puppy typically won’t follow someone who doesn’t like being followed.”
JJ blushed and said, “Moving on, General.”
“I have another appointment in a half hour at the Isthmus, so I am going to finish up what I have to say and the rest of you can continue without me. JJ, you will have to choose who takes over the shipyards. Rand, expand your diplomatic corps. That’s an order. You look like shit. Don’t be afraid to ask Dar for help. Dar, find out what is going on with Chief Rhodes. I would like him back in our corner if that’s possible. I know he’s still ‘anti-me’, but he’s a good man. Finally, Wynn Black has suggested we start marketing the planetary resonators to additional species. We don’t need them against the crystal anymore, but it seems they have the very beneficial side effect of minimizing seismic activity when activated prophylactically. It makes sense to me, but I don’t really care either way. He just asked me to pass it along.”
After Cort and Heroc left the meeting, JJ said to Rand and Dar, “Not one fucking word from either of you about Wynn Black being my puppy. Are we clear?”
Two
Bergh Station
As Cort and Heroc walked toward his flight, Dar’s nephew Lex Sike approached them. “I have a meeting with Doctor Tsao in thirty minutes, so make it quick, Lex. Walk with us.”
“Yes, sir. May I speak freely in front of Heroc?” Lex Sike turned to the insect queen and said, “No offense, ma’am.”
“None taken, Lex.” Turning to Cort, Heroc said, “I can meet you at the flight if you would prefer, General.”
“What’s it about, Lex?” Cort asked.
“Speral and Jeff, sir.”
“We can talk freely then. What’s on your mind?” Cort asked.
“Sir, well, she is always n
aked, sir. It was one thing when she was visiting a small group of us who are used to her, but now she is around us full time. And her tank placement,” Lex said, shaking his head. Speral needed a small tank of additional gases to breathe in human atmosphere for more than a short period. Her current harness held the tank just under her breasts, lifting them and making them move noticeably with every step.
Lex went on. “We really need to come up with a better solution and some clothes for her. It is becoming, well, distracting. And if Jeff hears any of it, I’m certain we will find out how much of his training he remembers.”
Cort sighed as he walked. “Okay. I will look into it. In the meantime, do you remember what I told you about parenting being a mind game?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Create a circumstance where I hear one of the junior officers say something about aliens. We need an example, and it will serve a dual purpose. The new recruits will see that the rules apply to everyone and everyone will see that I won’t tolerate disrespect.”
“Yes, sir,” Lex said.
Heroc flexed her mandibles into a smile and said, “You both do realize that I am naked too, right?”
Cort laughed, saying, “Yes, Heroc, we do. But you don’t have tits.”
“Tits, General?” Heroc asked.
“Breasts. And you also don’t have reproductive organs that are compatible with ours,” Cort answered.
“Ah. I understand. Enjoying the act of fertilization is an alien concept to me, but seeing how your males respond to your females is humorous.”
“Humorous, ma’am?” Lex asked.
“Well, we are speaking freely, so I will be honest. Your males seem to become less intelligent in the presence of females with whom they wish to mate. And your females become mean. I think the term Kimberly uses is bitchy. Especially toward females they see as rivals for copulation.”
The two men laughed and Lex said, “Well, ma’am, that is a fairly astute observation.”
Heroc was walking between the humans and said, “The only thing that is really surprising to me, is that you mate for reasons other than reproduction.”
“And your ways are just alien to us as ours are to you, Heroc,” Cort said.
“General. Your ways are not alien to me. I just don’t understand them. You and Kimberly do not seem to understand how audible your mating can be.”
If either had turned to see Cort’s face, it would have been red as he said, “Uh, Heroc, I think that is because you are so sensitive to sound. Your antennae can probably detect a gnat fart.”
Heroc’s mandibles flexed again. “I don’t know what a gnat is, Cortland. But I can certainly detect yours.”
Lex laughed uncontrollably. Between breaths, he said, “And this conversation just went off the rails.”
“Shut up, Colonel,” Cort replied.
“Yes, sir. I am shutting up.”
Cort and Heroc spent the short flight to the Isthmus talking about the new relationship between their peoples. When they landed, both could see Kim waiting for them at the shuttle pad with Dalek. As soon Dalek he saw them emerge from the flight with Bane right behind them, the two year old ran straight to his father, gave him a high five and dismissed him. Then the boy jumped on Bane, who fell to the ground to play for a minute, and the wolf was dismissed as well.
Then there was Heroc. The First Queen of the H’uuman Empire folded all six of her upper limbs behind her back and Dalek scaled her like a ladder. He came to rest behind her head and grabbed the bases of her rear antennae. The queen dropped to her stomach and allowed Dalek to ride her like a pony. Cort and Kim kissed, and the wolves all greeted each other.
“Hey, baby. How was your meeting?”
Cort and Kim followed Dalek as he guided Heroc toward the house. Cort said, “The meeting went fine, but afterward I found out we need to improve our sound insulation at the house. Probably here as well.”
“What? Why?”
Cort looked at his son and the queen and said, “Heroc can hear us. All the time. In fact, it seems she can hear us fart.”
“Oh my gods!” Kim said, turning slightly less ruddy than Cort had minutes before.
“Apparently those damned things our son is using for reins are as sensitive to sound as the aural sensors on a CONDOR.”
“Fuck.”
“Yep. She hears us doing that, too,” Cort said. “Is Tsao here yet?”
--
Donning a Military Police corporal’s CONDOR delivered from the armory, Cort left his office and headed toward the center of the base. He had a lesson to teach all of his Marines, at the expense of one of them. Already a big man, when Cort donned a COmbat Nanotube Defense OpeRations suit, he stood nearly three meters tall. The exoskeleton powered armor was the workhorse suit for Cort’s Marines. The suit was heavier than the Flexible Armor Light COmbat Nanotube suit, or FALCON, and much smaller than the HAWC suit. The Heavy Armor Warfare Component system amounted to a self-repairable wearable tank.
Cort entered the large, open space that served as both the parade ground and a park, and saw Jeff Pence and Speral walking past a small group of new officer candidates. Since being exiled, Speral taught a class on Collaborative species once a week at the academy. Jeff usually joined her for the weekly trip to Solitude.
Speral’s breathing tank was mounted in its usual place under her breasts, and her rapid steps to keep up with her taller human mate had the expected effect on her anatomy. As they passed the group of four men, one of them whistled at her.
Jeff quickly turned and asked, “Do you have a problem, cadet?”
“Not if she keeps walking like that, civvy,” the cadet sneered.
“Apologize. Now,” Jeff commanded. He faced the younger man squarely and stepped in front of Speral.
“Jeffrey, it is okay,” Speral said, placing her hand on his shoulder.
“I told you to apologize to her, cadet.” Jeff repeated.
“Fuck you, civvy,” the young man laughed. He and his cadre had not been in the military long enough to know Jeff’s history two years before. All they knew about the former Marine major was that he grew plants.
“One more chance, cadet. Are you going to apologize?” Jeff asked.
“No, buddy, but I am going to have a good time with that little body when I am done with you,” the younger man said as he drove his fist toward Pence’s face.
Jeff’s muscles remembered their training as he grabbed the young man by the oncoming arm and pulled him forward. As the cadet stumbled, Jeff lifted the man’s arm over his head and pulled him backward as the man’s momentum propelled him forward. Sweeping the surprised youngster’s legs out from under him, Jeff kicked him in the side and dropped onto his chest to begin pummeling him.
The sensor package in Cort’s CONDOR had allowed him to hear every word that was spoken a hundred meters away. He ran toward the group as the other three cadets overcame their initial shock and pulled Jeff from their friend. Two of the cadets held Jeff’s arms while the third began hitting him. The downed cadet regained his bearings and picked up a rock from near the path. He smiled as he started to raise it.
From seventy-five meters away, Cort saw Speral’s dorsal spines stand fully erect. He activated his microphone and yelled, “STOP!” but it was too late. As the cadet’s arm began its descent, Speral twisted her body impossibly and drove herself into the side of the rock-wielding assailant, forcing the three highest barbs into his abdomen. As Jeff raised his legs to kick the kid punching him, the rock fell from the impaled man’s grip and glanced off of Jeff’s skull. The cadet turned his head toward the small alabaster alien and looked at her in shock.
As she pulled herself away from the impaled man, Speral bared her fangs and bit into the assailant nearest her. The shock of seeing his own flesh lodged in her teeth caused the boy to lose his grip on Jeff, who then turned on the last standing cadet, driving his forehead into the side of the man’s skull.
When Jeff turned back to Speral, her lower
spines were now protruding from her target’s thigh, having gone all the way through his leg.
As Cort arrived at the fight, he stepped between his friends and the only conscious cadet, who was finally standing again, though there was clearly a bootprint on his chest.
“Corporal, arrest them, they assaulted us!” the cadet ordered.
“What did you say to me?” Cort responded, forgetting the rank insignia on the CONDOR he was wearing.
“Arrest them! And call medical. They attacked us!”
Two guards arrived wearing FALCONs and began to pull Speral and Jeff back. Cort commed the two new arrivals, identifying himself, and told them not to give away his identity. They walked Speral and Jeff a few meters away, while Cort questioned the accuser.
“What happened, sir?”
“We were minding our own business when the little bitch said Marines were stupid. Of course, we spoke back and then plant guy from Mars said General Addison and his Marines were a bunch of bullies. That’s when the fight started. He swung at me, my friends tried to calm him down, and she stabbed them! I want them in prison!”
Cort had heard enough. “What is your name?”
“Cadet Mike Royce, corporal. Are you going to shackle them? They are dangerous. Chain them up. That’s an order.”
“No sir, I am placing you under arrest for assault, threatening rape and attempted murder.”
“The hell you are! I will have you kicked out of the service first.”
Cort unlocked his helmet and removed it, saying, “Just how the fuck did you become one of my Marines, Royce?”
--
“General, I am truly sorry, but if Speral had not killed them, I would have. They threatened to rape her, sir.”
“I know, Jeff. I am much more concerned about our recruiting program than I am your response. The two dead ones were spoiled rich kids who wanted to get out and see the stars. The cadet who instigated it all is the son of a Hawaiian senator. I’m meeting with his dad in an hour. The one you headbutted is brain dead. I’m surprised you don’t have a concussion, yourself.”
“I do, sir. Medical said my synthetics would fix me up, though. Why were you in a CONDOR?”
