by Clay Moore
"The count has been completed. We won." She said that last with a tone of mild surprise as if she had some doubts about her abilities.
Brian smiled. He took out his Slate and showed it to her. "May I suggest the animal for your official crest, Amelia Grace Stegitz?"
She looked at his Slate. The picture was a beautiful pose of a Tigress with her cub safe under her.
"What about a motto?"
"Beware the claws."
She gave him a full-throated laugh, the first she had given him during the mission. "Give me that image. I like it."
Brian swiped it to her Slate. She got right to the sketch of what she wanted her crest to look like.
The pace of the count proceeded quickly. They used simple mechanical counters. The voter was given a colored chip that represented a candidate, one each for each candidate. The voter would put one disk into a significant bin. Then he had to turn in the chips for the other candidate. The chips would be sorted with poll watchers looking on. Then that mechanical counter would count the chips. They stopped counting when someone had the majority of chips for that precinct they announced the winner and stopped the count. The day after the count, they went through a check count. The number of chips had to match the number of voters. If it did not, they counted the individual chips. They knew the total of voters in the precinct, so they had an equal number of chips to the voter tally.
Brian would find out later that there was a virtual certainty that they had a clean election. Giesling was the only planet in the 29 colonies that could say that now.
"You should tell whoever that was we will issue a statement at seven in the evening. Bring the coalition leader. He can make a statement from your personal starship."
"I don't have anything prepared."
"Amelia, rest easy. Wait until you get up there. The lights will give you something to say. As to theatrics, Amarantha and I have something prepared for you and the coalition leader."
She completed the call getting permission from the Coalition Leader and his bodyguard that they would come. Then pursued Brian through the Ship asking, "What is it?" Brian just chuckled.
The Coalition Leader and his bodyguard arrived. Amelia introduced him to Brian.
"Brian, this is his Excellency the Prime Minister of Giesling, Joaquin Fredrickson. Joaquin, this is Special Agent of the Eridani Secret Service Brian Butler."
"Whenever I've seen the Ofana I have seen you standing nearby with that sour face. O'Brien said that face is a result of being a bodyguard."
"Joaquin, Brian is not a Bodyguard. He is … more."
"I have been briefed by your ambassador about one of these Special Agents and what they can do. You are—"
Brian merely nodded.
"My God, the Eridani Government lets you have that power and then walk around with it."
"I have rules, and regulations and a bitch of a director to which I report."
Joaquin laughed. "Amelia tells me that you have a mind for politics."
"A good Special Agent is a Polymath, Excellency."
Joaquin nodded. "One would have to be to deal with all things the universe can throw at you."
"Yes, that is so."
"What do you suggest?"
"We bodyguards will precede you. Then you will come out together as joint victors. Amelia should speak first, then Joaquin. Do you all need a pulpit?"
"I've been writing this speech for the past year," said Joaquin. "I know what I want to say."
Brian looked at Amelia.
She took a deep breath. "So do I."
"Amarantha, extend the cargo ramp to extend the porch for all of us."
"Done, sir."
"It's Six fifty-five. I'm going to wait until Seven-oh-five. Let's get to the Cargo Bay."
Brian led them through the Ship the way they all came. Then they walked into the relatively large space that could hold items for trade.
"Come this way, and you will see my surprise. It has been on the hull since the end of the voting."
When Amelia took in a hard breath, he knew that she understood. Joaquin followed with a dropped jaw.
"How did you do that," asked Joaquin?
"A trade secret, you will let me retain those?"
"Of course," said Joaquin.
O'Brien said: "It is seven-oh-five."
"Brian, use your Gunnery Sergeant's voice to announce us."
"Outstanding, Ambassador."
Brian walked on the extended Cargo ramp, now doing duty as a stage.
Carla Sylvester sat in the family room of the Residence with the Emir. The assembled family was watching the trid. The first surprise of the evening was that the newsflashes chose to focus on the smart paint animation of the crossed flag and the two sentences that still electrified her; Allies in War, Allies in Peace.
“Did you give her this bit of Political Theater, Majesty.”
“No,” said the Emir between chuckles. “This is all out of her fertile mind—”
“—and given form by my man.”
“Maybe we should threaten them more often, so they can perform the impossible.”
Carla chuckled. “Majesty, these are highly trained killers. I don’t think I want to piss them off more often.”
“Neither do I.”
The picture changed from the frozen image to the side of Amarantha. Out walked Brian wearing his black tuxedo. He took a minute to stare at everyone waiting by the side of his ship. Carla nodded. He was telling them all that they would have to come through him. To get to anyone on the stage. Carla shivered when he squinted at someone being a little too loud. Then he took in a lungful of breath.
“Ladies and Gentleman, Ambassador Amelia Grace Stegitz and The Prime Minister of Giesling Designate Joaquin Fredrickson.”
Amelia and Joaquin arrived on stage with raised hands, and Amelia stepped forward into the light. Her gown shimmered with Gold.
“That’s a good one, Z2,” said Carla.
“I agree, director,” said the Emir.
“Today has been a victory for all of Giesling. I know that I have said that we were: Allies in war, and allies in peace. When your government is up and running, I will return to make that promise a reality. Our Ambassador will get the preliminaries begun. Then we will have a celebration and see the renaissance of Giesling. Thank you for embracing me.”
Carla saw Brian stiffen. Then she heard him scream: “GUN!” He reached out and tried to interpose his body. He felt two darts hit his back with no effect. She thanked God that Brian had one of those armored Tuxedo Jackets. She saw another two hits ricochet off his Jacket. Then she saw a red Stain form on Amelia’s side. Brian was up on one knee with his pistol in hand. He fired twice. She heard someone say, “You got him.” Then she saw him carry Amelia into his ship where the autodoc waited. She heard Brian ordering the Prime Minister to make room. He had to get her home.
Amelia Grace Stegitz, Ambassador Plenipotentiary, succumbed to her wounds at 0420 Eridani time, Date: 0422351. She died bringing freedom to another world.
Brian had written that Announcement about fifteen times in different forms. Then he sent it via Eridani Secret Service to the Emir.
He had gotten her into the autodoc. He crashed the Doc by hitting the emergency button. Brian had to speak her name twice for the Doctor to get it right, his voice was so changed by grief. Amarantha had taken off and burned out of the Giesling orbit. Amarantha flew the fastest he had ever seen her fly. She hit hyper as soon as she was out of the hyper exclusion zone.
Brian watched the Autodoc move so quickly and with such precision. The Doc had all of its arms working, and Brian saw the damage that was done. An Artery had been severed. The dart had continued, tearing apart the right ventricle of her heart.
Brian was amazed at how long the autodoc was able to keep her body alive. He knew in the third hour that she was going to die. Brian went to her closet and found the white caftan and the turban. He found the spider pendant and put it back on the turban. Bria
n brought it into the AutoDoc room. He took out a body bag.
Brian tried to live a healthy life while the Autodoc worked diligently on Amelia. The Battle Damaged Flags were returned to his ship before he buttoned up. He unfurled them and set them up on the cargo bay. Finally, her heart gave out, and the Autodoc called it. It even printed out a death certificate. He moved the gurney closer to the autodoc. He authorized the autodoc to suture the wound and close up the body. Then the Autodoc embalmed her.
He took her out of the autodoc and put her on the gurney. He took out his knife and removed the rest of her clothing. He bagged it as trash., and Brian put it in the Cargo hold. Then he returned to the autodoc room. He put the white caftan on her. Brian carefully braided her hair. He laid it over her right shoulder and down the front of her body. Then Brian put on the turban with the spider pendant on her. He decided that he would put on her makeup after a few days. Brian put a gurney sheet over her. Then he walked out of the Autodoc room.
Brian sat in his pilot’s couch. His ship was dead in space relative to the Eridani system. He watched in his sensors as two huge Navy ships formed up behind him with all of their attendant craft. Then Captain-Admiral Jernwel appeared on his comm screen.
“Thank you for letting us form up with you. You have the precedence, Amarantha. Give the order.”
Brian put on his headset. He keyed his mike. “Cortege Fleet, Funeral colors.” Every single ship in the fleet changed their running light colors to red with precision only possible with computers. Only Amarantha was allowed to have her lights remain white.
“Cortege fleet set speed to five thousand miles per hour.”
Brian had five hours left. He used that time to get Amelia ready for her last ceremony. Brian brought the set of makeup that she used all the time. He applied the make up to her face. He included that ultra red lipstick she liked so much, and that he liked to be kissed with.
After applying the makeup, he rolled Amelia to the luggage lift. He lowered the luggage lift and pushed her into the Cargo hold. He dropped the gurney. He used straps to hold the stretcher fast to its position.
He went to his closet; he had nothing clean to wear. Most everything was worn. He received a call from the Commandant who wanted a Marine Presence for the Funeral. Brian asked for something unusual, which was granted enthusiastically by the Commandant.
Carla sat next to the Emir on the VIP stand, waiting for the cortege. Suddenly Marines in highly polished Battle suits landed around the Capitol building. Her grav-limo pulls up to the front of the Vip Stand. Scott told her in the Bodyguards sign language that she and the Emir are wanted at the landing site now. Carla persuaded the Emir to come with her. They rode the grav-limo to the landing pad. Where a ceremony not performed often was about to begin.
"What is going on?" asked the Emir getting out of the limo.
"Black Knight, Majesty," said Scott. "You may go up if you wish to see the ceremony."
"Black Knight?"
"Something from the Eridani High Guard days. I performed it once. I will interpret," The Commandant said.
They walked up to the cargo ramp. Two Marines in Full Battlesuits with weapons drawn guard the Cargo Bay. Four Marines in full dress blues stood on each side of the gurney.
"Bereaved enter!" commanded The Ceremonial unit's Sergeant Major, also in his full dress blues.
Brian walked into the cargo bay, fully undressed. The Commandant of the Marine Corps marched up to Brian. The Commandant saluted Brian.
"What you ask is granted because of your service as a Marine. The Scale of our participation is because of the rank of your intended. This can only be done once for you. Are you sure."
"I am sure."
The Commandant saluted once more. He took the bundle that he held under his left arm and handed it to Brian. Brian took it and displayed it to all. It was a black undersuit, and Brian put on the ski mask and the undersuit booties. Fully garbed, he waited for the next Stage.
The four marines around the gurney freed it from the straps. They picked it up and moved it into the crew's section of his ship. That left Brian standing in the middle of the cargo hold.
"Are these two flags the ones you mentioned?" asked the Commandant.
"Yes."
"Proceed, Sergeant Major."
"Color Guard, recover the colors."
"Two men were wearing their dress blues and flag belt holders. they marched in and approached the two crossed flags."
Aren't those…"
"Yes, they are the battle flags from that Giesling war. We have permission to use the flags and to return them with our new Ambassador Plenipotentiary. The Marines would like the honor to return the flag."
"That is granted,” said the Emir.
Carla nodded to the Marine Commandant. He smiled back at her.
The two members of the color guard took their new burdens out to the chief color guard. They marched down the ramp and then stopped. The Marine Honor guard came back with a crystal coffin. Inside the coffin was Amelia resplendent in the white caftan. They marched out the cargo hold.
"They are going to put her on the royal hearse," said Carla.
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me. Thank the black knight."
"Why is he doing this?"
"He fell in love. He calls it getting entangled. This is to help disentangle himself from her," said Carla.
"Can we ever get disentangled from one we love?"
"Not totally. Brian is going to learn that in the month to come. I'm giving him one-month bereavement leave. Now it comes. What does a Knight need?"
"A knight needs Armor and a sword."
"Here they come."
Four highly polished marines in Battlesuits brought in a crate about three quarters as tall as a person. They marched into the cargo hold. They squared it up to Brian. Then they removed the cover. Crouched as if to lift a barbell the Battlesuit was entirely colored black.
"Black Knight, Arm!"
Brian touch the lock pad with his right thumb, and He stepped into the suit. His torso was still out of the suit. A Marine brought a datastick, and Brian took it.
"What was that?” asked the Emir.
"Brian's AI is both a ship and a suit AI."
They watched Brian duck into the torso of the suit. The hatch closed and sealed after a few minutes. The suit's joints expanded and contracted until the suit was sized for him. The suit's gloves opened and released the bar. Then he stood up. Brian backed up a couple of steps, and The four suited Marines moved the bottom of the suit container and marched out of the cargo hold. Outside the Sergeant Major handed Brian a broad-bladed two-handed sword.
Brian took it and held it point up with both hands. He continued his march until he was behind the Hearse.
Carla and the Emir followed him. The immediate family had been ferried to this location by Carla's grav-limo. They formed up as they could with quite a few children, all dressed in black.
Suddenly Brian held up his sword. All talking ceased. "Cortege, at a funeral pace, March."
For the family, it was all color and handshakes and people talking from a pulpit until they were in front of the family mausoleum. Something new had been added, A stone podium one step high with a metal plate on top. Amelia had been carried inside the mausoleum. Brian stepped onto the stone podium. He made sure that his feet were on the steel. Then Brian lifted his sword. He brought the sword tip down until it made a ringing blow. He put the suit's hands on the quillon. All the systems in the suit were shut down. The hatch opened, and Brian stuck his torso out. Six Marines were below him, and He fell out of the suit. Someone slammed the hatch shut.
"What was that about?"
"Emir, the Black Knight is in the vigilant pose in front of her final rest. He is promising to watch over her forever."
It was hard for any not to have tears in their eyes.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Around the Universe in Three days
Bereavement leave is shit, thought B
rian. For a solid two weeks, every newsflashes site ran the entire group of recorded speeches Amelia gave, and they included her funeral. The Gossip sites wondered at who the black knight was supposed to be. “He wore that ski mask to hide his identity,” they said. Of course, that was obvious to the most addled person.
It was hard to take the girlfriends who recognized him from the video of him running from the Black knight’s suit. Any woman who had been with him would know him by his tool. They even came by his apartment, hoping they were still on his access list to his apartment. A few of them were angry that he would not let them in his apartment. They left angry messages. He took to erasing messages on his com without listening to them. He almost deleted Julie’s request for a lunch with him at the Kitchen.
He accepted that invitation quickly. The Kitchen lured him, and Julie’s conniving nature probably meant collusion in some fun bit of office gossip, prank, or joke. Since he was going into the office, he had to wear a suit. He put on the freshest grey suit, and He tooled up as he did for a typical day. He put on his shoes. He put the “ray-gun” in his briefcase. He already expended all the gifts. He returned the dresses he bought for Amelia. He left his apartment and walked the brief walk to the Eridani Secret Service headquarters building.
He went to the 6th floor. And made for 610, his office. Julie was there busily going over his report. She turned to him when he entered.
“Hello, boss,” she said brightly. She always seemed to have a sunny disposition. “Is your leave over?”
“Not officially. All this silence was getting me down.”
“Need company? Dan is on Mission. I think that Dan left you some messages in your secure queue.”
“I’ll look at them later.”
“Let me round up the other three. The other ladies were so looking forward to you to being here. We have so many questions to ask.”
“I’ll give you the chance to ask them. I’ll go into my office.” He sat at his desk. For a moment, something seemed awry. There was an odd smell that was not part of his space. He looked around and found the purple panties. He wadded up the panties and put them in his left pocket. He would return them later.