A Cat Among Dragons

by Alma Boykin

  The insects stood around two meters tall, walking on two pair of rear legs while using the forward pair to handle their weapons. In some ways they resembled enormous versions of the praying mantis from Earth, but Cygnids had smaller and rounder heads, with less prominent compound eyes.

  Captain Shee joined her in studying the corpse. “Ever fought them before, my lord?”

  “No. But it doesn’t matter. Although it’s too bad they’re not a centrally controlled hive mind—could be easier to terminate if they were and we knew where their directors were.” Rada stood up and looked around at her soldiers. “Good job, men. Shee, see about leaving a guard here until the technicians can take charge of the ship and weapons, in case there’s something we can use. Everyone else goes back to the Palace. We still move out tomorrow morning.” Although... Rada ran through her mental list of troop dispositions, deciding to mobilize but not relocate those on the southern continent, just in case.

  At least the Palace troops respected and obeyed her. When she returned to her quarters, Rada found three messages waiting for her. One confirmed receipt of requests for winter supplies. The other two were barely proper questions from officers with the northern forces, challenging her orders and authority. Rada growled deep in her throat as she tried to decide how best to handle the problem. Azdhag females did not serve in any military, did not fight, and had no role in public life. And mammals were arboreal pests that ate crops, not commanding officers. Shi-dan had hired her in part because her very presence would force the Azdhagi to acknowledge that some mammals had to be respected as fighters and trading associates. Apparently the message hadn’t gotten through. You’re running against how many centuries of entrenched beliefs? Too bad these fools have never seen peasant females killing domestic beasts or protecting their young, Rada snorted. Then she made her plans and issued her orders.

  That night, Rada stretched out on the thick mattress in the private sleeping area of the Lord-Defender’s quarters and closed her eyes, running through an exercise to relax her body and calm her mind. A scaly, warm presence made itself known by sprawling out beside the mammal and laying a heavy head and muzzle across her chest. Neither boss nor Pet said anything about the mammal’s pending departure, but Rada reached out and gently scratched around the True-dragon’s delicate ears. Zabet had offered to come along as Rada’s bodyguard, but the Wanderer terminated that idea. “You don’t have cold weather gear, silver dancer, you’re not in the Defenders, and you’ve not trained with my personal guard. I don’t want to disrupt things any more than necessary.” The True-dragon’s reply had been as pungent as Rada at her worst and included some terms the mammal hadn’t heard before but stored away for future use.

  Shortly after midnight the Lord Defender awoke and eased away from her “concubine,” who barely stirred. She washed quietly, put on her uniform, armor, and weapons, and twisted to make certain that nothing caught or bound. Helmet in hand, she stepped back into the sleeping area. Rada started to speak but stopped. What could she say? Nothing really. She slipped out without waking the True-dragon.

  The Lord Defender’s transport set down five kliqs east of the main battle line, in a clearing in the pine woods of the Northern Shield. She and her guard dismounted and hurried out of the way so the aircraft could lift off before the Cygnids decided to shoot at it. Rada’s men spread out in a rough diamond around her, and they made their way though the snow and cold. They could have disembarked closer to the Defenders’ field headquarters but Rada wanted a chance to see how things fared among the forces already on the ground before the rest of her soldiers arrived. Captain Shee and the bulk of the Defenders would reach their assigned positions within an hour, giving the Azdhagi a two-to-one advantage in troop strength. We need better odds the mercenary thought as she pushed through the fresh snow. The Cygnids move more easily in this powder than do Azdhagi.

  A most unpleasant situation greeted the Lord Defender at the field headquarters. As she and her men arrived, five Azdhagi officers stood waiting for them, the officers’ anger and disdain obvious. Rada stopped and signaled her men to fall in behind her. “Captain Diistr, do you have something to report?” she asked the senior officer of the quintet. Diistr had also been the senior officer in the field prior to her arrival.

  “Not to a female mammal I don’t,” the lean soldier announced, neck spines rigid and voice dripping contempt.

  “Then what do you have for your Lord Defender?” Rada inquired, deceptively calm.

  “Since you’re too stupid to understand, female, I’ll repeat myself,” Diistr started, louder. “I don’t report to females or mam...”

  The other four officers stared at their fallen comrade, and then at the blaster in the Lord Defender’s forefoot.

  “Next?” the woman inquired, pistol held muzzle high. Before anyone could move, she raised her voice, her tones cutting over the winter wind and snow. “I am Commander Lord Ni Drako, Lord Defender of Drakon IV. I’ve been waging war since before your parents’ parents first mated. Now, you can fight me as well as the Cygnids, or you can concentrate on defeating the invaders. Your choice.” She turned slowly, catching the eyes of everyone in sight before holstering her weapon.

  One of the four remaining officers advanced towards the Commander. His slow steps turned into a rushing charge as he attacked her. She drew her sword, waiting until he was almost within touching distance before jumping out of his reach. As he swung past, starting to turn, she stabbed down between his ribs into the gap between the halves of his body armor. The heavy reptile screamed as she followed his movement, pulling her blade free before it could rip out of her hands. He staggered and then collapsed in the snow, clawing at his chest and flank as brown blood foamed onto the white of his camouflage. She studied the blubbering reptile with distaste, then put an end to his misery by slicing his throat.

  Rada walked forward and planted a boot on Diistr’s shoulder. “Anyone else while I’m practicing?” The bitterly cold weather felt tropical to the Defenders compared to the chill in their commanding officer’s voice. The three field officers still standing exchanged glances, but offered no further challenges and Rada nodded, wiping her bloody sword on the hem of Diistr’s field coat.

  “I’m willing to forgive stupidity once,” the Wanderer informed the horrified trio of officers, and everyone else watching or listening. “Diistr’s only stunned. He’s too good a field commander and soldier to waste. But attack me and you will die. Is that clear?”

  “Yes, Lord Ni Drako,” the largest of the three said as the others gestured in frantic agreement.

  “Good.” She turned to her bodyguard. “Sergeant Taek, get your men squared away. I’ll be in the headquarters tent.”

  The very large, light green noncom saluted. “Yes Lord Mammal.” As he and the other Palace Guard sorted out their quarters, they made it a point to talk loudly about how often the Lord Defender had beaten them in one-on-one combat and about her accuracy on the blaster range.

  “I heard Lord Ni Drako beat Shi-dan once,” Corporal Tseeker said as they walked into the dining area.

  Taek’s tail swished as he looked over the meal selection and studied the other Defenders. “Lord Mammal did. His Imperial-Majesty never let it happen again, but she would have gutted him dead if they’d been using live steel,” the Sergeant stated. “His Imperial Majesty gave Lord Ni Drako an open hunt that fall as a reward—no limits, day and night hunting as she choose.”

  Someone at another table hissed in awe and several tails twitched and thumped. The late King-Emperor’s possessiveness of his prerogatives had been as legendary as his fighting prowess.

  After Rada made herself known to the field headquarters staff, she checked on the status of the medical personnel and their patients. She quietly informed them that she was a certified reptilian emergency medic and that if the medical staff needed anything, they should ask for it. The Healers and medics approved of her interest and recognized her expertise. “Nice change, talking to an officer
who knows something useful,” one of the senior surgeons allowed.

  The Cygnids had dug themselves in as well as the thin, frozen soil and limited resources allowed. Their “air support” consisted of extra-atmospheric weapons platforms and geostationary targeting satellites, and Lord Kaeshiri, the new Minister of War and an old Imperial Forces officer, promised to have those assets out of the way within forty-eight hours. The Defenders already in the field had contained the Cygnids to a roughly circular area within the northern pine woods. The flat and frozen terrain favored neither attack nor defense. The Cygnids cut a swath of pines to build defensive works and clear the field of fire, but attempts to blast through the soil and bedrock to build deeper trenches and defenses seemed to have been unsuccessful, according to the few reports Rada received.

  After much inner debate, the Lord Defender decided to wait until she had air superiority before attacking in force. That would reduce casualties for the Defenders, as well as giving the Azdhagi time to get their winter supplies transported. The delay also allowed her to shuffle the Defenders around a little and she put two of her most trusted lieutenants opposite the command position. If someone else decides not to obey, at least the gaps can be covered fairly quickly she sighed to herself. Fortunately, reports from the Imperial intelligence nets and Defender posts on the southern continent suggested that the Cygnid extra-planetary commanders were taking a wait and see approach. If they lost too many troops here, they might pull back completely. “Or they might pour everything onto your head and go scorched earth,” Lord Kaeshiri told Rada cheerfully. “We can’t tell yet what option they favor.”

  “Thank you for that reassuring information, my lord,” Rada replied, as her staff exchanged worried looks.

  After she signed off, Captain Diistr made the sound that served Azdhagi as polite throat clearing. “Yes Captain?”

  “My Lord, a question about the supplies if...” he stopped as the radio squawked “Blue Six, Picket Three—we have an apparent breakout attempt, over,” and they heard shots and yells from the main battle line not far from the field headquarters.

  The Lord Defender grabbed her rifle and helmet. “Captain, hold that thought. We’ll return to your question as soon as this is taken care of.” She and the officers trotted out of the tent. “Get to your positions!” she called, accelerating as her bodyguard fell in behind her and running towards the sounds of combat.

  A wave of Cygnids charged over the snowy ground towards the Azdhagi line, firing on the run and supported by mortar fire as they attempted to break through the encircling force. At least the overcast weather and close quarters keep them from using their air support the Lord Defender thought, then ducked behind a tree as a random shot whizzed past.

  “My lord, get your tail down,” Sergeant Taek snarled as the mammal emerged again to drop one of the insects with a shot to the thorax.

  She crouched into the knee-deep snow and listened to the command channel, then rotated through other frequencies. Despite the surprise, the Azdhagi seemed to be holding firm except for an area half a kliq to the east. “Ground One to Reserve, form on me,” she ordered, activating an identifier beacon and moving quickly towards the faltering position as Taek and the others surged around her.

  The Cygnids had already broken through by the time the Lord Defender arrived on scene. “You and you—get these men back together and reform a line here,” she ordered. “Lieutenant, we’re going to be the anvil to Diistr’s hammer. You don’t move until I do, is that clear?”

  The young and rather upset reptile waved his forefoot in agreement, spines twitching. “Yes Lord Defender.” He seemed so relieved to take a clear order from someone that it didn’t cross his mind what sort of creature gave those orders.

  “Good. You’ll do fine, Lieutenant,” Rada assured him as she took a position behind a bit of cover and listened to the radio while sighting on the enemy.

  Diister repaid her mercy as he led the reserves along with his own platoon. They caught and held the insects, then pushed them back towards where Rada and her guard waited. “Patience, Lieutenant” she cautioned when the reptile started bouncing slightly. “Let them get closer. We’re the anvil, remember.” He looked at her and the calm Palace Guards, and steadied.

  “Now, my lord!” Diister called, and his men swung slightly, clearing the others’ field of fire.

  “Fire at will!” she snapped and matched action to words. The Cygnids hesitated, finding themselves in a heavy crossfire as the Defenders pushed forward. After a few minutes, one of the larger Cygnids died and the others began retreating, then fleeing over the snow. Emboldened, the Defenders followed and chased them past the earlier perimeter. “Bring them back Diister,” the Lord Defender ordered. “I don’t want to find a minefield or other trap the hard way.” A mortar blast from off to their right helped check the overly excited.

  “Any casualties?” she asked the lieutenant, who stared up at her like an idiot for a moment, then shook himself. He turned and checked with his sergeant, then looked back up at her.

  “Two dead, Lord Defender, including Captain Shai,” and he pointed to the body Sgt. Taek had been using for cover, “and five injured.”

  Rada looked at the captain’s wound, noting that the round had entered from behind, and that the body sprawled well behind the squad’s assigned position. She mentioned none of these observations to the junior officer, however. Instead Rada slapped him on the shoulder, saying “very good work, Lieutenant. Get your men together and resume your assigned position.”

  “Yes my Lord,” he saluted and set to work as she slung her rifle over her shoulder.

  As she and her guards walked back to the command center, Taek looked around for witnesses and then eased up next to his commanding officer. “My Lord Mammal, you really should be more careful,” he suggested, his tone respectful but firm. “Don’t scare us like that again, please.” Taek’s look was much less polite than his words were and Rada’s eyebrows rose a little.

  “Sergeant, there comes a time when one has to lead from the front,” the Wanderer reminded him, breath steaming in the cold.

  “Yes, my lord. But with all due respect, you can’t lead from a pyre.” He didn’t say anything more.

  Once back at the command center, Rada thanked her guards. “Sergeant? Point taken,” she nodded before ducking inside. Taek checked on his men and sent one to the medics (“no, that’s not ‘just a scratch,’ you fat-tailed twit.”) before he followed her.

  As promised, Kaeshiri’s forces eliminated the Cygnids’ air support in less than two days. The Defenders’ own ground attack and artillery began pounding the Cygnid positions. Another probe, this one on the southern continent, met with the same results as the Cygnid scouts near the Palace had achieved and the Imperials caught two more Cygnid landing ships outside the atmosphere.

  “We attack tomorrow,” the Lord Defender announced to her captains. About half had gathered at the field headquarters, while the rest monitored the secure command radio/video frequency. “Diister, you cover this area here,” and she highlighted a section on the holo projection of the Cygnids’ position. “Sheer, you’re my reserve. Bis-eet, here, and I assume the rest of you know your assignments?”

  Head nods, tail thumps, and “affirmative, Ground One,” came in reply.

  “Good. I want to hit them hard and fast. They’re getting desperate, which means hard fighting. And for further good news, more snow is on the way tonight, but clearing off after second moon rise.” She nodded as groans arose from the assembly. “By the way, the next case of frostbite because of carelessness gets disciplined. The next case because of late distribution of cold weather gear gets his commander disciplined.” Hard silver eyes swept the officers, one or two of whom twitched uncomfortably. “You’ve read your detail files, and I have no changes. Any questions?” There were none, and she flashed her fangs in a smile. “Good. Get some sleep. You’ve done well, and tomorrow we’ll send these pests back where they belong. Somewhere a lot
colder than here,” she grinned, referring to the Azdhagi hell. The officers thumped their tails and growled in agreement. “Dismissed.”

  And so now Rada Ni Drako waited, along with her men. Whatever they say or do when my back’s turned, they respect me to my face. That’s a start, she decided as she lay on her cot, fingers laced under her head as she stared at the ceiling. It’s as cold as the Debt Collector’s heart up here. Rada pulled her heavy field coat tighter around her. Corporal Tseeker had her blanket and quilt and looked a bit like the sausage-in-a-wrapper she’d had for breakfast. All she could see were two muzzles poking out of the roll: his, and his weapon’s. The Lord Defender sent a thought to the Azdhagi gods. Look after your people. Then she willed herself to sleep.

  As soon as he heard the faint whistle that meant the Lord Defender was asleep, Tseeker unrolled and draped the covers over their owner. He’d warm up enough on his own, he decided. And if she didn’t know what he’d done, well, he wasn’t disobeying orders. Crazy mammal, giving up her blankets to an enlisted trooper, even if she did have thick winter fur!

  Rada Ni Drako awoke well before dawn, looking up at the bright starry winter sky. She grabbed something for breakfast. After gulping her food, she made a series of short visits to the soldiers on the third watch. If she felt cold, she knew that the reptiles felt miserable, and their commander wanted to be absolutely certain that they had the winter gear they needed. Rada found one corporal lacking a tail cover and sent him to get one, making note of his sergeant’s and lieutenant’s names as she did. At least body armor trapped heat, she observed wryly, remembering the headache the technicians had with her own set as they tried to make all the connections sweat-proof. Not a problem at the moment, Rada grinned, her well-fluffed tail swishing under the back of her long overcoat.

  Sergeant Taek found her talking to Lieutenant Bleersh, the junior officer they’d met during the break out attempt. “Are all your men ready, Lieutenant?” Taek heard the Lord Defender ask.