The Chronicles of Benjamin Jamison: Call Sign Reaper

by Thomas Wright

  Reaper took two steps and leaped from the back of the shuttle before the door could close. He hit the ground, rolled and was up running towards E’Aria. He picked her up and ran for the tall foliage and vegetation. The shuttle lay down some cover fire as it flew off. Reaper kept moving deeper into the park. He knew it was on the edge of the city and it was only jungle after that for miles. He left his com on so they could record a little bit of the departure. It would operate until they left atmosphere and then he would probably lose them.

  The major sat on the shuttle. Her visor was down because she had tears in her eyes. She called Ben names in her mind, and then remembered the coms were good for long range planet-side.

  “Benjamin,” she whispered into the com. “Stay alive. I love you.” There was no response. The shuttle started bouncing as it got into the upper atmosphere.

  “An-rea, love you-I’ll be-ere.” The message broke up and then the com went silent. The major could see on the screen there was only one Trillond ship left in orbit and the Morningstar and the Warhammer were trading shots with the Allith ships.

  “On our way, Lieutenant Chavez,” the captain responded. “Morningstar, rendezvous with us, it’s time to go.” The shuttle caught up to the Warhammer and the cargo doors were open. Chavez flew straight in. The minute the doors shut and locked, the ship went to FTL and was gone.

  Reaper heard the sound of flowing water. He found a small stream and a place to lay Aok down that would not be easy to spot. He walked a perimeter up to 500 meters and didn’t find any sign of the Allith following or major predator signs. There were a few game trails, but for what he didn’t know. He decided he would go back to the town after dark and see what he could find for supplies.

  The team was free to disembark from the shuttle once the Warhammer went FTL. Ronnie gave Emily a shot to revive her. She was lying in the floor of the shuttle moaning. Chavez had informed Captain O’Shaughnessy of the people they had brought back with them. She sent Lieutenant Jared and the marines to sort out everyone. They disarmed the Trillond Militia. The embassy staff was not armed and they were standing together in a group.

  The captain came down to greet them and welcome them back. She watched as they all walked off the shuttle, looking very sad and angry. The two corpsmen from the med bay took Emily Brous away. The enlisted had walked off first, followed by the major. The captain walked up to the shuttle and past the major to look inside.

  “It’s empty, Captain, no need to look.” The captain turned back to the major, puzzled and worried.

  “We left them behind,” the major said. “We don’t leave soldiers behind, but we did today. Our mission was a success but we failed our teammates.”

  “I need to go inform the general,” the major said to no one in particular, and walked away.

  Reaper found the Allith had been causing as much damage as they could with what they had to work with. They mainly set fires and looted. He didn’t see any sign of the taller formidable being that had been with them earlier. He must have returned to his ship.

  The mines had torn up the embassy. Ben wasn’t sure there would be anything to scavenge. Chances were the Allith hadn’t taken anything. Maybe there was some food that had survived the explosions. He looked and saw there were no hostiles in the area, so he ran across the road to the hole they had blown in the embassy earlier. He stood outside and listened; he could hear sobbing and things being thrown around.

  He moved inside and stood in the shadows. Part of the floor from the second level had collapsed. It lay like a ramp to the second floor. The sounds were some distance from the cave-in, so he made his way up slowly to where he could stand looking at floor level. There was a hallway that went up the middle with offices on either side. They were in an office at the end of the hall. One hostile was pacing around the room. Ben knew there was a second one; he could hear him eating. He waited a few seconds and couldn’t detect any other movement.

  Most of the doors were open to the offices along the way. He ducked into the first office with an open door. He waited, listening, but there was no change. He took off his rail gun. It would not be of use in such close quarters. He eased his katana out of its sheath and headed for the next office. He was just outside the office the hostiles occupied. He stole a quick glance. The wall was blown out. There was a dead Trillond male laying across a desk and one of the Allith was eating his corpse. The other must have been waiting his turn and getting impatient. Against the wall was a female Trillond with two children. They had their faces buried into their mother’s side.

  Reaper knew he would need to do this quickly and quietly. He eased his laser pistol out. He listened to the Allith pacing and waited until it was at its farthest away from him. He moved quickly, putting his shot right in the ear hole of the Allith that was eating. It collapsed onto the floor with a thud. The other charged him almost immediately. He tossed his pistol towards the female and the children. He turned sideways to avoid being barreled by the charging reptile, its claws raking across the armor on his arm. He shuffled a couple of steps and was now between his enemy and frightened family. It had no weapons.

  “Pick up the pistol,” he said to the female behind him. “Just don’t shoot unless I go down or more of them show up.” He heard someone move behind him.

  Reaper moved around. Standing stationary was not a good idea when fighting a brawler who just wanted to knock you down or tie you up. It was taking swipes at him with its claws. Unfortunately, it only knew one way to swing its arms and followed the same pattern each time. He taunted it with the katana, stabbing and cutting its arms. He wanted to piss it off enough that it would over extend its reach. He was swinging the katana in time with the lunges.

  Finally the angry lunge came and his katana flashed in a downward stroke, taking its clawed hand and forearm off at the elbow. It screamed in pain and rage. Blood spurted out of the stump. Reaper backed up and felt himself against the wall. The enraged Allith threw itself at him mouth and teeth first. He braced his back against the wall. He twisted his left arm and stiff-armed the Allith in the face, stopping it just long enough to drive the katana up through its throat and into its brain. His elbow gave way as the dead reptile fell forward, pinning him against the wall. He let go of his katana and pushed it off, then bent down and pulled it out. He wiped the blade off in the body and put it back in the sheath on his back.

  He stood for a moment while he caught his breath and studied the family against the wall. One of the children had been the one to pick up the laser pistol and now stood in front of the other two and pointed it at him. He raised the face shield on his helmet so they could see his eyes.

  “I am not going to hurt you,” Reaper said. “Some of our people used to work here. Like you, I got left behind. Can I have my pistol back?” The child stepped forward and handed it to him. He picked up his rail gun from the office where he had left it. They were able to find first aid supplies and some food. They didn’t speak to him, but they did do what he told them to. He took them across the road and off into the jungle to where he had left the lieutenant.

  Aok was still unconscious when they got to her. He was hoping nothing was broken. The Trillond family was a bit apprehensive seeing another soldier. Reaper kneeled down and took her helmet off so they could see it was one of their people. They seemed more at ease after that.

  He asked the mother to sit down beside the E’Aria. He showed her how to remove the armor and asked her to check the area underneath the armor where she had been shot for any breaks and bruising. He left to find more supplies.

  Aboard the Warhammer, the captain and the major sat in the state room. The major had about half a glass of Irish whiskey in front of her. This was her third.

  “Why does he always have to be the hero?” the major said.

  “Really! You have to say something like that out loud,” the captain said. “That’s about the dumbest thing I have ever heard you say. He isn’t necessarily. Plus, I still have a pirate and a girl to do so
mething with, so stop your whining. Furthermore, don’t any of you tell Natalia. I will talk to her. She loves them and to lose them both in one stroke will be hard on her, even if they are only missing.”

  Suddenly, the door announced Lieutenant Jared.

  “Enter,” the captain said. He did, with Emily Brous tight behind him.

  “Captain, this is Ms. Brous. She is demanding—”

  “I think I can speak for myself,” Emily said, cutting him off mid-sentence.

  “It’s okay, Lieutenant, thank you. I will call you when it’s time to take Ms. Brous to the brig,” the captain said. Jared smiled and left her quarters.

  Emily started to speak when the captain pointed at her, eyes snapping.

  “Don’t speak,” she said. “Ms. Brous, I am Captain O’Shaughnessy and this is Major Andersen. Our orders were to retrieve you from the embassy. The Morningstar was in orbit for at least three days and all those other people should have already been on it. Why were they still at the embassy?”

  Emily seemed about to answer, but the captain continued. “If you people knew how to follow orders, you would have been waiting at the prearranged site and we wouldn’t have had to leave good people behind. We were obligated to take their sorry asses, being Colonial citizens; the Trillond Militia personnel, I have no idea yet what to do with. Before I let you speak, you need to understand something. If I find out you are disrespectful to any of my crew again, I will lock you in the brig for the duration of your stay. Furthermore, I don’t care who you work for.” Her speech ended, and it was very quiet. The major thought it was a good time to have another drink, so she had one.

  Major Andersen got up and walked over to the bar and poured herself another half-glass. She could feel the effects of the first four all the way down to her toes.

  “Captain!” she yelled, breaking the silent stare-down that was going on across the room. “Can I pour you another?”

  “Would you like a Irish whiskey?” the captain asked Emily.

  “That would be wonderful,” Emily said, looking relieved.

  “Two coming right up,” Andrea yelled.

  “Is she drunk?” Emily asked the captain.

  “It does sound that way,” the captain said, lowering her voice. “The two soldiers we left behind were hers. This was their first outing together as a team. She is very fond of those two. But I’m not counting them out. Those two are probably the two smartest and toughest soldiers in the galaxy.”

  “In the galaxy, Captain?” Emily asked, questioning the high praise.

  “Yes, Ms. Brous, in the galaxy. I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t hear from them in the near future.”

  XO Holmes announced over the com that General Grey wanted them to drop out of FTL for a conference and to get their new orders.

  “Fucking great,” the major yelled. “Of course he wants to talk, talk, talk. It’s all they fucking do is talk, and send us to all these god forsaken shitholes.”

  “Drop out of FTL, XO, and give me a minute to talk to the major,” the captain said.

  “I will do what can.”

  Captain O’Shaughnessy walked hurriedly around the table and grabbed the major’s arm, lifting her up.

  “Come on Major, it’s time to lie down,” she said.

  “I don’t want to lie down. I want to talk to the general,” Major Andersen replied.

  “Andrea,” the captain said patiently, “you need to listen to me. You do not want to talk to the general right now, you want to lie down.” She took her and laid her down on the bed then walked back out. General Grey was on the wall vid.

  “There you are,” he said. “I see you have met Ms. Brous.”

  “Yes sir,” the captain answered, “we were just getting acquainted.”

  “Where is Major Andersen?”

  “The major isn’t feeling well, General. We had to leave two soldiers behind on Hyson.”

  “That is unfortunate. Where is Reaper? He can sit in for her.”

  “He is on Hyson, sir, along with Aok.” The general did not look happy with this news at all.

  “Reaper was alive, but are not sure about the lieutenant,” the captain said. “She was the last to board the shuttle when she took a shot to the chest and went down. The shuttle was taking fire. It had lifted off and was shutting the cargo door when Reaper jumped out. They recorded him picking up the lieutenant and running for the jungle with her, and that’s all we know.”

  General Grey’s face stopped frowning and he thought for a moment.

  “Thank you, Captain, for the report. Let me tell you about your orders,” he said. “There are a number of Trillond warships meeting a supply freighter before heading to Hyson. The supply ship will depart for Trillond Prime when they are done. I understand from reports that you have a number of personnel you need to offload. Ms. Brous, you will stay on the Warhammer. We will have orders in place by the time you are done at the rendezvous with the freighter.”

  The door to the state room opened and Natalia rushed in crying. She ran straight to the captain and wrapped her arms around her.

  “No one will tell me anything,” she sobbed. Emily sat staring, watching the child and the captain, as well as the general, who had a shocked look on his face. The captain hugged her and knelt down.

  “Natalia, I am speaking with General Grey right now. Go wait in your room and we will talk when I am finished.” She turned and noticed the general’s concerned face on the big screen. Natalia stiffened up to stand as tall as she could.

  “I am sorry I interrupted sir,” she said formally. “Please do not be mad at the captain. Everyone is back on the ship except for my friends that saved me and no one will tell me anything.”

  “Natalia, child,” the general said, “you go to your room and I will talk to the captain about our friends. It may take a little time but we will find them.”

  Natalia walked towards the bedroom.

  “Natalia, don’t mind the mess in there. I’ll clean it up later,” the captain said, hoping Natalia would understand. The general leaned back in his chair, smiling.

  “Captain, that mess wouldn’t happen to be sporting bronze major’s leaves on her collar, would it?” he said with a chuckle.

  “Oh no sir,” the captain replied quickly. “My steward is poor about cleaning, but a good cook. I don’t make it easy on him.”

  “Captain, please. If you’re going to lie to me, you could at least hide the evidence. If you poured me a half glass of Irish whiskey and put it on the table, that’s just cruel,” the general joked.

  “That was actually Ms. Brous,” the captain said. “She is a legendary two-fisted drinker but pushed it away so you wouldn’t judge her.” Emily looked shocked, but then they all started laughing.

  “I will make sure the major is well by our next meeting, sir,” the captain said.

  “That would be great,” the general said. “Tell her I am furious and make up a few other things for her to worry about until then. Let’s not let her off to easy.”

  “Excellent idea, sir.”

  “Grey out.”

  The screen went blank, and Emily and the captain sat quietly. The captain picked up her drink and took a slug. Emily reached over and grabbed the major’s drink.

  “I guess I need to live up to my legendary reputation.” she said and they both started laughing.

  “Ms. Brous,” the captain started.

  “Captain, would you call me Emily?”

  “Emily, there are a number of things happening on this ship, and most of them revolve around a man we left on Hyson, the man who carried you out of the embassy and put you on the shuttle.” Emily tilted her head, listening.

  “He’s a ghost, Emily.” She knew that Emily was military intelligence and would know what that meant. “The general recruited him a few weeks ago. He sent the major to do it and she is his first casualty, in a manner of speaking. Five spacers were killed before they got onto my ship. But he spared one of the spacers and has her wor
king for the old people he used to live with. Paying a penance, I think you would call it. He then saved a girl from a tiger and got seriously wounded in the process.

  “We encountered some pirates on our way to meet you,” the captain continued. “There is only one left, and she’s in my brig. He rescued Natalia from a locked steel box in the floor of the pirate ship. The captain was using her. He asked me to take care of her, and I couldn’t tell him no. As for the other lieutenant, two weeks ago she was the chief engineer’s assistant. Now, after a week with him, she is beating the hell out of three men at a time.”

  “She must be a quick study,” Emily responded.

  “She is Trillond and a genius. You know how they love to talk about being peaceful,” the captain said.

  “I think she has thrown that memo away, Captain.” O’Shaughnessy poured herself another drink.

  “If you ever meet him, run the other way as fast as you can,” she told Emily.

  “Thank you for the drinks and the entertainment,” Emily said, chuckling. “I think I am going to turn in.”

  “Good night Ms. Brous,” the captain said.

  “Good night Captain,” Emily replied.

  “Jen, honey!” Janet Vander Hoyt called out. “We have company.”

  “I’ll be right down,” Jen yelled back. It was early. She wondered who would be visiting at this time.

  Nick walked up to the Vander Hoyts door. Harold opened the door and greeted him.

  “Good morning, Nick,” he said. “What brings you out to our neck of the woods?”

  “I understand from Ben that you have a house guest,” Nick said. “Do you think I can talk to her? It’s about a job.”