Every Last Mother's Child

by William J. Carty, Jr

  Chapter 12: The End of a Very Long Day.

  They were pulling into the academy after a long day working with the police to find Lady Wilson. They had lost track of the number of homes that they had searched, and they were all bone tired. Lamile wanted to do nothing but find a piece of mattress and read the back of her eyelids for a few hours. No one was paying any attention to them as they pulled up before the mess hall.

  The truck stopped before the mess hall.

  As they filed out Lamile noticed that there were several adults and kids on the grass before the mess hall looking into the sky.

  “What’s going on,” Lamile asked.

  “This is the first night we can see the asteroids,” Someone replied.

  “Are they that close?” Lamile asked searching the sky. Sergeant Lucas pointed them out to her. They were not much bigger than the stars in the night sky. She could hardly see them even though her eyesight was in the near infrared.

  “I can hardly see them,” Lamile commented.

  “They are about two months out.” Someone said, “From here on out we’ll be able to see our damnation.”

  “How did it go Major,” Sergeant Lucas asked seeing the young woman. Lamile still thought it was someone else who they were talking about when they called her major, or Lady Atomi.

  “Not good,” Lamile said following the cook into the mess hall. He had sandwiches for them. When Lamile saw the chocolate chip cookies she smiled. Sergeant Lucas always seemed to know how to treat the cadets.

  “Thank you sergeant,” Lamile bit into a cookie, “We didn’t find Aunt Lisa, but we found several people hiding in abandoned homes.”

  “How you holding up Major,” The sergeant asked. Sergeant Lucas was like an uncle. He seemed to be there when one of the cadets needed an adult to talk to. He wasn’t as imposing as Lady Hawthorne, or Sergeant Green. There was always a mug of coco for a cadet and a willing ear. What Lamile didn’t know was that the sergeant was playing his part. Millie Green had asked him to stay on and be the person she couldn’t be. As the lead NCO for the school she couldn’t be mother confessor, or the one that the cadets came to when they were in trouble or needed a friendly adult. She was part of the disciplinary chain for the cadets.

  “Oh we’re all tired,” Lamile said as Rhonda, one of the kids from the long march came up to her. She held a plate for both of them. Lamile took it as the cadet sat down with her own dinner. “We did a lot of walking today. And we spent a lot of time in cars. We can’t be doing this every day.” Lamile said seeing Mitch come in.

  She was worried about her young friend. She still winced every once in a while as she did when she sat down. Though Mitch hid it well Lamile could tell she was in a bit of pain. Mitch would deny anything was bothering her if Lamile asked.

  “Major,” Mitch sat down with them, “this came in from Serenity for you.”

  “From Jill,” Lamile asked. She was terribly worried about her friend and her parents. She was thankful for the work she was doing or else she would have too much time to dwell on things. She had spoken with her mother briefly and could tell she wasn’t doing well either. She and her aunt were terribly close. More so as Lisa helped her mother, adjust to loss of her father. For a non thonian, the biowoman seemed to understand the ramifications of the aqaut and the bond that lifemates formed through it. She didn’t know who the person that was holding her aunt; but it didn’t sound good.

  “No ma’am,” Mitch said and gave Lamile the note. It had the royal seal on it.

  She opened the note it was hand written, “Lady Atomi, I know you will be getting this late, so I won’t keep you long. I just wanted to say thank you on behalf of the crown for you and your cadets’ service in the hunt for Lady Wilson. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help you.

  “Queen Agatha I of Trena,” Was how the note was signed.

  “Mitch get this is in the bulletin for tomorrow. Make sure that all of the special cadets get a copy slipped under their door tonight.” Lamile said.

  “Aye,” Mitch said, she too looked tired.

  “How is Jill holding up?” Lamile asked.

  “She’s doing okay Major,” Mitch said, “We took a run earlier today that seemed to mellow her out.”

  “Where is she now?” Lamile was concerned for both her friends. The run Mitch had had with Jill couldn’t have been comfortable for Mitch.

  “In quarters sound asleep.” Mitch said, “It all finally caught up with her. She nearly collapsed. Lady Hawthorn and Sergeant Green put her to bed an hour ago.”

  “Thank the gods,” Lamile commented. She had talked to her friend after she got back from the Valiant, she could tell that she wasn’t doing too well either.

  “She was running on adrenalin.” Mitch said seeing the fatigue in her friends face. “You okay Lamile?”

  “Nothing a few hundred hours of sleep won’t cure,” Lamile said and turned to Rhonda, “Not that I am liable to get it. Rhonda, I am off to bed. Get our unit ready to move by 0800. I want everyone showered and ready to board by 0800.”

  “Aye-aye Lamile,” Rhonda said. She too was tired; but she wasn’t going to let Lamile down.

  “Mitch before I stumble to my bed to read the back of my eyelids is there anything else I need to deal with.” Lamile asked.

  “No I am acting as you until you return,” Mitch replied. “We have everything under control.”

  “I am off to bed then,” She got up from the table and started to leave she spied the plate of cookies and took one more and said to Lucas, “Thanks Sarge.”

  “You’re welcomed Major.” Lucas said. He watched the kids troop off to their dorms and then shut his kitchen down. They were the last ones in. When he made sure that the kitchen was ready for morning chow he called Sergeant Green at Fletcher.

  “Hi Steve,” Millie said, “Once second! Tell Hawkins that he needs to report with that platoon to the South Mall in morning.”

  “Sure thing Sarge,” a voice said off phone.

  “How do they look?” Millie cut right to the chase.

  “They all look tired,” Steve said, “But they’ll be okay. They all are proud as hell to be doing this.”

  “It’s a big thing for these kids,” Millie said, “They are being given a big responsibility. I saw the roster that Lamile and her people put together.”

  “So did I,” Steve said, “There isn’t a dud in the group.”

  “I’ll try to get out among them tomorrow.” Millie said, “Thanks for calling me.”

  “Okay Sarge,” Lucas said, “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  He went back outside and looked to the skies. He could barely see the asteroids.