Every Last Mother's Child

by William J. Carty, Jr

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  It was near lunch time. Although many of the kids had either been returned to their parents or reunited with their families, or had been adopted; there were still a great many kids still on the grounds. both those who had chosen to become cadets of the Queen’s Own Royal Corps of Cadets, and others for whatever reason had decided that it wasn’t for them who were still at the old boarding school. There was also a great many small children, younger than 12 who had not found homes yet. As they all trooped to the mess halldining hall, for lunch the general alarm sounded.

  “This is not a Drill!” The School Mistress was calling over the public address system as the alarm tones muted. Her image was seen everywhere it could be. There wasn’t a computer display that didn’t have her image on it. “All students and staff report to emergency shelters. Immediately!”

  “What’s going on School Mistress,” Lady Hawthorne asked as she put her coffee cup down on the instructors table where she was eating lunch.

  “We have just been informed that a fleet of Republican war ships have been spotted among the asteroids and isare heading our way.” The School’s AI projected her image in a seat in front of Lady Hawthorne. “The Mountain says maybe a day or so before the full fleet gets here; but light space craft could at arrive anytime.”

  “All right continue getting the kids and staff into the shelters,” Lady Hawthorne replied wondering where her kids were. As if reading her mind the School Mistress said, “Your boys are with Lieutenant Morgan and heading towards the shelter under the gym.”

  “Thank you School Mistress,” Delores said watching the kids make an orderly exit from the building. Sergeant Lucas came up to her, “Major. I’ll have box lunches at each shelter in an hour.”

  “That sounds good,” Delores replied as she saw Sergeant Green coming her way.

  “They’ll be in the shelters in fifteen or so minutes major,” Sergeant Green reported. “I want to arm the instructors and some of the cadets.”

  “How soon do we have to do that,” Delores asked.

  “We can wait a bit,” Millie said, “But we don’t want to be handing out weapons as Republic troopers enter the grounds.”

  “Hold off on the cadets,” Delores then it dawned on her, “do we have enough weapons?”

  Millie Green realized that the noble woman had forgotten that the cadet weapons were real and could be armed with the insertion of power cartridges, “Yes ma’am. It’ll take an hour or so to make the cadet’s weapons live. The military have their weapons. The other instructors will get theirs from the armory.”

  The noble woman nodded and ordered, “Make sure everyone of the adults who knows how to use a gun has one. I want the guards at the gates and the patrols along the fence to be doubled up! Adults with older cadets.”

  “Aye,” Millie left to be about her business.

  Delores went to the gymnasium shelter where she found Jill. The gym’s concessions had been set up as an emergency command post for the school and for Jill. The rest of the gym was the shelter. Jill and Queen Agatha were talking over the secure communications system. Another addition they had made for JillJill. at the academy. “We only know that a Republican fleet is hiding in the asteroids. The weapons barge has been taken over by an AI and is in route to this fleet. General Qoum reports that the combined fleets of Earth and Thonia are on their way to do battle. It’s a good thing they are here because we have very few militiamen left.”

  “Aggie,” Jill asked, “You don’t know if there will be an invasion or not?”

  “No one knows Jill,” The Queen answered, “We’re getting everyone to shelters and praying that the fleets can do the job they were built to do. How are things there Major Hawthorne?”

  “We’ll be under lock down shortly,” Delores replied, “I am distributing arms to the adults and am thinking about the senior cadets.”

  “Major Hawthorne,” The Marshal broke in, “Slow down on arming the cadets. This thing is going to happen in space. Even if the Republicans win, they’ll be so bloodied that an invasion is unlikely.”

  “We don’t need this now,” Jill commented, “We still have several thousand to get off world. Dad will we still be able to do that?”

  “The fleets are using dedicated ships,” Her father said, “None of the space lift and star lift vessels involved in the evacuation are impacted. None of the landing craft the defenders are using will be from the space lift group. I have suspended current ground to orbit flights. And I have told the ships in orbit that can head to Home; to do so!”

  “Okay,” Jill said, “I guess I need to be out of your hair Dad. We won’t know what’s going to happen for a few hours.”

  “I’ll keep you both in the loop.” Her father cleared the com.

  “Your Highness,” Delores asked, “Would you be safer here at the school?”

  “No Delores,” the Qqueen replied, “I need to be here where everyone can find me. I also think it’s not a good idea to have both me and Jill in the same location. Home can deal with the loss of me or Jill but not both.”

  “We’ll let you go,” Delores agreed cutting the connection. Delores looked around the shelter. She wanted to see where her kids were and saw Rhonda quietly rocking her youngest. To see the short small girl, who was known as Lamile’s whip quietly rocking the infant, holding a baby bottle surprised her. She figured that Rhonda would be in one of the other shelters or out with the cadets on watch.

  “Hello Major,” Rhonda said. She knew she should be out among the cadets, working with her unit getting them to safety; but the woman who normally looked after the Major’s kids had left the night before to be with her family on Yonkers station where she had found a position as a nanny.

  “Thank you Rhonda,” Delores took the infant from the girl’s arms, “See to your cadets.”

  “Yes Ma’am,” Rhonda said and left the shelter.

  “Colonel,” A runner came into the shelter and addressed Jill, “Major Atom’s compliments. She reports that the security team is on their posts, and the school’s secure. All the cadets are in the shelters, as are all the kids.”

  “Tell the major I’ll relieve her or Mitch will in a couple of hours,” Jill said as Millie came in.

  “Major Hawthorne,” the Sergeant said, “Your heard Major Atom’s report?”

  Delores nodded not saying a word as Billy her youngest was sound asleep. Jill saw her friend still holding the baby and turned to Mitch who was working quietly at the next desk taking reports from the dorms and other shelters, “Mitch get someone to the Commandant’s Quarters and bring Billy’s crib.”

  “I’ll see that it’s done,” Mitch said.

  Millie and Delores watched the cadets handle the emergency. Dolores looked up at the Sergeant Green and nodded, “Millie pass the word to everyone good work! Jill, please tell your cadets that I am very pleased with what I am seeing.”

  “Thank you Mmajor,” Jill said her voice barely above a whisper. The gymnasium shelter was holding mostly little kids who were now sound asleep for their afternoon nap. Jill was astounded at that. She figured with the alert and the excitement that the kids would not be anywhere ready to settle down. But they were.