by Mel Odom
Leghef returned his gaze full measure. “Why should I think Terrans are any better than the Phrenorians?”
Sage decided to be blunt because Quass Leghef seemed to favor that. “This conversation we’re having right now, ma’am? This wouldn’t be taking place if that attack had been against the Phrenorians. They would have already tracked down those people responsible for the attack, or some people they claimed were guilty of the attack, and put their heads on pikes out in front of their embassy.”
Quietly, the Quass put her teacup and saucer to the side. “You have the names of the people you suspect?”
“Noojin named three men she recognized. There were more.”
“Corok melons grow on the same vine.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’m guessing if we find the three, we’ll find the others soon enough.”
“Tell me this: How did you get Noojin to give you those names? She can be quite stubborn.”
“I just told her the truth, ma’am.”
“What truth?”
“That Jahup would find out the names from her, and he would go after those men on his own. I’ve seen that in him.”
The Quass took a long breath and let it out. “Jahup has much of his grandfather in him. As his grandmother, I knew that would be the case. And I wanted him to be protected. I wanted you to find those men without my permission if you felt it needed to be done to save Jahup from his pride. But I cannot always be a grandmother. I also must be Quass. So I wanted to hear your argument in this matter.” She turned to the comm and waved a hand over it.
Immediately, several rectangles showing faces of a couple dozen Makaum men and women formed in the holo above the comm. All of people at the other end of the link listened attentively as Leghef faced them.
The Quass took a brief count. “We still represent a majority of the Quass and you have heard the facts these men have stated representing their interest in this matter. Those of you who agree that the Terran Army should have the authority to make arrests in the matter of the attack on the fort please vote now.”
Sage glanced at Halladay, who shook his head, letting Sage know he hadn’t known they were being recorded either. Evidently Quass Leghef was more knowledgeable about technology than she let on.
TWENTY-ONE
The Home of Quass Leghef
“Old” Makaum
2209 Hours Zulu Time
In his rectangle on the holo projection, a burly Makaum man with a shaved head and full beard looked displeased. He frowned and the scars on his face deepened. Sage recognized the warrior’s scars. This man had fought for his life on several occasions. He spoke with grim authority. “Leghef, it is my opinion that we should be the one to enforce the laws.”
“The attack took place on the fort, Quass Tholak,” Leghef said. “As we have agreed under treaty, this places the onus of justice on the Terran Army.”
Tholak slapped the table in front of him. “When are we going to start taking our lives back from the offworlders? We cannot let them continue to take everything from us. If we allow them to arrest our people . . .”
“We already allow them to arrest our people,” Leghef cut in. “Whenever Makaum people are guilty of trading in drugs or weapons, or anything else that we have declared illegal, the Army takes them into custody.”
“And they give those people to us,” Tholak said. “That is why we now have a containment building for our people that we have never had before.”
“Those people are counseled and returned to their families, Quass Tholak. Even repeat offenders are given to us.”
“Except for those who are killed,” Tholak replied.
Sage knew that less than a dozen Makaum people had been killed during arrests. The soldiers had been careful of the local population. More Makaum had died at the hands of offworlder criminals and other Makaum than under the guns of soldiers.
“Those people made their own choices,” Leghef declared. “They were lost to us before they died.”
Several others were lost who left on ships, signing on as crew or with criminal organizations. Makaum had a dwindling native population. Most of those departing were young people, and Sage knew the Makaum feared losing the future to the vices and to the freedom of space.
“What is going to happen to those who are accused of attacking the fort?” Tholak demanded. “Will they be returned to us as well?”
Leghef looked at Halladay.
“Our intent is to lock them up in the Army stockade for a time,” Halladay said. “To make our point. The actual time and punishment of those men will be left up to you people. But this attack was personal. Our response needs to be the same.”
“We cannot agree on this, Leghef,” Tholak stated, shaking his head vehemently. “I will not condone an offworlder action in this matter. If we give them this, we are giving them all our liberties. I would sooner die.” His screen blanked immediately.
A few more screens blanked out as well, leaving noticeable gaps in the original pattern.
Leghef gazed at the holo. “We still have a majority, so the vote can go forward. How many are in favor of allowing the Terran Army to go after those who attacked them?”
Answers came quickly, with only two voting no.
“Well,” Leghef said, “we appear to be deadlocked, Quass Kekish. You are the only one who has yet to speak. How do you vote?”
A young man on the lower left side of the holo shot Leghef a calculated smile. He was perhaps in his mid-twenties, surely the youngest member of those assembled. His black hair was neatly groomed and came to a point over his forehead, shadowing his dark eyes. His mouth was narrow and he had thin lips. His clothing was an offworlder style, sleek and expensive.
Sage tried to place the name and couldn’t, but it sounded familiar.
Kekish put his hands together in front of him, obviously very much filled with his own self-worth. “As you know, Quass Leghef, since my father abdicated his place in this assembly and nominated me to take his seat, you and I have not often agreed on many things.”
“No, Quass Kekish, and I didn’t often agree with your father before you either.”
The young man chuckled. “I am moved to vote ‘no’ regarding this matter, simply because you and I agree on so little. But I also know that when these arrests take place, our people are going to want to know who allowed them to happen. Perhaps the Quass assembly will have voted for it, but it is your name our people will remember as being the person who championed the offworlders in this matter.”
Leghef said nothing, merely waited in quiet dignity.
“So I will give you your deciding vote,” Kekish went on, “and I hope that it will be enough to poison your roots.”
“Thank you for your consideration, Quass Kekish,” Leghef said in a tone that was still pleasant. “Thank you all, and I will give you information regarding this matter as I receive it.” She waved her hand over the comm and the holo blanked. She leaned back in her chair. “I do detest that yipping little ageew and his self-important airs.” She let out a breath. “But he is of his vine as well. His father is Roddarsay, one of the wealthiest men in Makaum.”
That was a name that Sage remembered. Roddarsay was one of the first Makaum to start dealing with the corps and had secured a fortune for himself by licensing specialized healing plants he’d hybridized. According to the intel Sage had read, the man had already been wealthy before the deals with the corps.
“I know who he is,” Halladay said. “I’ve had some dealings with him.”
“Then you know how difficult Roddarsay can be.”
“I do.”
“There are days I think Roddarsay put Kekish on the Quass solely to torment me. Then I see how much Kekish offends others and I know he’s not my burden alone to bear.” Leghef sat up straighter. “The last I heard from my grands
on, he was with you, Sergeant, so where is Jahup now?”
“Back at the fort, ma’am,” Sage answered. “I had the doctor give him something to help him sleep till we figured out what we were going to do about this. Frankly, I didn’t want him involved in this until we’d decided on a course of action. Having him run loose could have complicated matters.”
“I agree. As you have stated, he would have gotten the names from Noojin and the present situation would have grown worse.”
“He needed the rest anyway.”
“You look like you could use some rest yourself, Sergeant.”
“Soon, ma’am. Soon as I can. Once this is taken care of.”
“There is one thing that I ask.”
“If I can, ma’am.”
“Jahup has been assigned to you in his expertise as a scout. Take him with you when you arrest these men. That way people will know that he is there because the Quass has allowed these arrests to take place. And it will satisfy his need to punish those who tried to hurt his sister and Noojin.”
Sage looked at Halladay.
Halladay nodded.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Can you look out for him while you’re doing this?”
“I look out for all of my people, ma’am.”
“This thing is best done quickly. I will deal with the repercussions from the people as best as I can, but now that the other members of the Quass know what’s going to happen, news will spread.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” Sage stood.
The Quass stood as well and searched him with her eyes. She looked tired, but compassion sounded in her voice. “I have heard the sadness in your voice when you talked of your lost village and lost parents, Sergeant. These are terrible losses to bear. But I would like to offer you this, if I may.”
She reached to one of the bookshelves and took down a bracelet made of purple and white wood that swirled in a complex pattern, weaving and separating. A silver medallion on the bracelet’s front held a single bright orange seed that had been carefully worked into the wood so that it was level with the rest of the surface.
“Ma’am, I can’t accept a gift.”
“It’s not a gift. It is a symbol of my authority and you will take it. Many people in Makaum will recognize this piece and pay more attention to you because they will know where you got it.” Leghef took Sage’s big hand and slid the bracelet over it, not stopping till the bracelet bottomed out against the AKTIVsuit’s sleeve on his wrist. Her hands were unexpectedly strong and callous.
Sage was surprised the ornament fit because he had big hands and thick wrists. The bracelet stood out against his dark skin.
“That was my husband’s,” Leghef said. “It’s called a draorm, which translates in your language, I believe, into ‘seed of my seed.’ Each draorm is unique, and none may be copied. They are made from different woods, from the heart of a mighty tree, and then carved in a single piece. Every Makaum parent makes one for sons or daughters on our Counting Day, when a child is declared an adult and chooses his or her vocation to serve our people. My husband’s father gave this to him.”
“Ma’am, I really can’t take something this personal—” Sage started to slip the bracelet off.
“No.” Leghef laid her hand on Sage’s wrist, halting his efforts. “Vergit, my husband, would want you to have this. He would have seen the sadness in you too, and he would have seen the strength you carry with you. This wasn’t made to gather dust on a shelf, Sergeant. It was made to adorn the wrist of a man who helped us stay safe and strong and true to ourselves. I did not allow this to be buried with my husband because I could not let all of him go. I’d thought I was wrong to do that. I’d thought I was being selfish. But now I see that there was a reason for me to hold it back.”
“Ma’am—”
Tears glimmered in her eyes as she patted his hand and he relaxed, knowing he couldn’t refuse the gift.
“Among our people, the draorm is believed to bring good luck, and to be a constant reminder that we are all seeds. When we landed on this planet all those generations ago, we had to move to elude predators, to find lands that we could tame, to find a place where we might anchor ourselves and flourish in spite of all that stood against us. We did. Each child is a seed as well, a part nature has promised us to spread and change and become more than we are. You too are a seed, blown from your Sombra de la Montána to our world. So take the luck the draorm gives you.”
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you.”
Quass Leghef released Sage’s hand and he stepped back. Pekoz appeared and guided them back to the door. Sage respected the woman’s determination to take care of her people, but he couldn’t help wondering if she’d feel so certain of the future if she knew about the Phrenorian base.
Outside the home, he and Halladay pulled their helmets on, opened their comms, and set about organizing the raid they had planned.
TWENTY-TWO
Med Center
Fort York
2319 Hours Zulu Time
We have a problem,” Kiwanuka announced over Sage’s comm.
Sage didn’t break stride as he entered the med center. Ahead of him, Jahup was sitting on the edge of his bed and looking a little groggy. “We’re about to do an op. We don’t have time for problems.”
“Noojin is insisting on going along on the raid.”
“No. Bad idea.”
“We’re going to have to tranq her to get her to stay here. Or else have a sec team sit on her while we’re gone.”
“Either one of those is fine to me. Choose one.”
“I think she needs to go, Sage,” Kiwanuka said.
“I don’t.”
Kiwanuka’s voice sharpened a little. “You’re leading this op, Top, so you hold rank here, but I am acting in an advisory capacity.”
“Wait one.” Sage stopped beside Jahup as Gilbride ran a med unit over him. “How are you feeling?”
“Woozy. My head feels thick.” Jahup narrowed his eyes and raised his voice accusingly. “The doctor told me you were the one who decided to keep me asleep till now.”
“He was,” Gilbride said as he slipped the bioscanner into a thigh pouch on his medsuit.
“I did,” Sage admitted. “There was nothing you could do till now.”
“I could have been talking to Noojin and finding out who those people were that nearly killed her.”
“That’s already done.”
Jahup stared at Sage in disbelief. “She told you?”
“Yes. I need you suited up in the next five minutes if you’re going.”
“I’m not going anywhere until I talk to Noojin.”
“That would be fine with me, except your grandmother wants you there when we arrest the people who attacked the fort. And she wasn’t asking as your grandmother. She was giving orders as the Quass.”
“My grandmother?”
“Soldier, you’re a day late and a credit short. You need to pick up the pace if you’re coming with me.” Sage turned to Gilbride. “I need the fog out of his head.”
Gilbride nodded. “I thought you were going to say that.” He reached into his thigh pocket and took out a compressed air delivery hypo, dialed in a med and measurement, then pressed the device to Jahup’s naked arm.
“Ouch! Rhaiz! Warn me before you do that.”
“Trust me,” Gilbride said as he put the device back in his pocket, “it’s a lot better if you don’t know it’s coming.” He took out a small flash and shined it into the boy’s eyes. “He’s perking up now. He’ll be good to go by the time you get him suited. The armor will adjust him from there.”
“Follow me,” Sage told Jahup.
“I’m naked! Where are my clothes?”
“Getting cleaned,” Gilbride said. He looked at Sage and offered his hand. “Good lu
ck out there, Top.”
Sage nodded.
“I’m not walking through the fort naked,” Jahup protested.
Sage motioned to a passing female medtech. “I need to borrow your smock.”
The medtech slipped out of her smock. Sage took it, said thank you, and handed it to Jahup, who grabbed it.
The scout shrugged into the garment and had to hurry to catch up with Sage. “We’re going after the people who attacked Telilu and Noojin?”
“Yes.”
“Who is it?”
Sage handed Jahup his PAD and kept walking. His faceshield showed the preparations being made by the small, handpicked team he had selected.
“I know these people.” Jahup sounded confused and disbelieving at the same time.
“Then identifying them will be easier,” Sage said. He went back to Kiwanuka on the comm, looking at her face on the overlay as he made his way down the corridor toward the rendezvous point. Now that things were in motion, it wouldn’t take long for word to spread around the fort. The soldiers would know, and so would the civilian workers. “Make your case.”
“Noojin has earned the right to go with us on this,” Kiwanuka said. “She was nearly killed by these people. She’s had to deal with snitching out her people. And she had you bullying her into giving up those names.”
Sage felt a little irritation at the last accusation. “I didn’t bully her. I gave her a choice.”
“You put her in a position of emotional distress.”
“She was already there,” Sage argued. “I just pointed it out.”
“You boxed her in and gave her no choice to do anything except what you wanted her to do. That wasn’t fair.”
Sage took a breath and reminded himself that everyone needed to be calm before an op like this. “Sergeant Kiwanuka, we’re not here to be fair. We’re here to be soldiers.”
“So is Noojin. She’s been training just like the rest of the Makaum reserve you set up. She wants to participate in tonight’s op.”
“She’s too involved.” Sage had worked with Noojin. She wasn’t as driven as Jahup, but she showed some natural ability in the hardsuit. The HUD interface was more difficult for her, but the physical capacity was there.
