by L. Fergus
Kita sauntered to a red-nosed Snowy. She sat on the edge of the table and pulled Snowy’s chair to her. Grabbing Snowy’s hands, Kita pulled her up, wrapped her arms and legs around Snowy’s slender body, and kissed her.
Kita looked into Snowy’s eyes and hummed happily. “I like that. I feel better now.”
Snowy laughed. “I like it too, kitten, but I feel like everyone’s staring at us.”
“So, let them stare.” Kita kissed Snowy again.
They stayed together until someone coughed. Kita looked and laughed. Her entire staff stood watching. Everyone but Forrester had a look of good humor.
Thorne said to Forrester, “Look at it this way. If the commander’s happy, everyone’s happy.”
“Good morning. Glad to see everyone is bright-eyed and bushy-tailed,” said Kita after breakfast had been cleared and everyone had a seat at the tables. Several people looked like they had partied a little too hard. “I know last night we had an informal meet and greet, but I’d like to take the time to formalize the command structure.
"General Forrester will serve as my second-in-command. He will be handling operational and logistical operations. He will organize you as he sees fit. I’m sure you’ll have another meeting later today.
"For those who don’t know him, Cowboy is my personnel advisor from LCom. He holds the equivalent rank of commander. Consider him the only person allowed to argue with me.” Most of the staff looked nervous. “That was a joke.
“Next is General Zidin. He’s my personnel bodyguard and a veteran of more battles and campaigns than most of us combined. I consider his experience invaluable.
"General Snowy is the commander of our animal allies. She will be in charge of both the war cats and the bears. Her counterpart is General Frostbane who is the white bear sitting in the corner. The cats and bears are not to be harmed or harassed. If this is violated, I will hold a discipline parade the like you’ve never seen, am I clear?”
Everyone nodded.
“All of these people speak for me. If they tell you something, consider it coming from me. If you feel they’ve made an error, do what they tell you and then come talk to me.
"Captain Logine is the commander of the forces of Yorq. Captain, consider your forces to be auxiliaries of the Legion until you can link up with the rest of the forces of Yorq. When dealing with the Legion, consider yourself to hold the equivalent rank to general. Any questions?”
No one had any.
“I need to see my personal staff, Captain Logine, and General Forrester, along with any leadership who know about spying.”
Forrester leaned into her, “In the Legion, spying is called intelligence.”
“Ok, get whoever is good at intelligence.”
The group met in the back of the inn. Kita smiled at everyone. Finally, in my element. “What we go over here does not leave this room, and you do not discuss it outside this room. If I hear about a leak, I will find out who did it.” Kita raised her hand and extended a barb. She dropped several drops of acid on the table. “I also make a potent truth serum. If you want out, now is the time to go.”
No one moved.
“This room will be secured at all times and dedicated to intelligence. All sensitive materials will be stored here and will only be removed when absolutely necessary with the permission of myself or General Forrester.”
Everyone nodded.
“General Forrester, will you introduce our two guests?”
“I have with me General Yang and General Fedorov—both have excellent intelligence departments in their respective Legions.”
“General Yang and General Fedorov, I want you to pick ten of your best and most trustworthy men to guard the room in shifts. That window and door are not to be left unguarded after we leave today.”
Snowy raised her hand.
“General Snowy, question?”
“Could I detail ten war cats to help guard? They’ll appreciate the sensitive roll and position of trust and honor.”
Kita hoped Snowy would forgive her eye roll over honor. “Excellent idea! They can sleep here at the inn. A cat and a human guard should make a formidable deterrent.” Kita licked her lips. “Now, to business. I’ve known for some time that I’ve had a spy in my midst.”
“How do you know?” asked Forrester.
Kita crossed her arms and looked down her nose at him. “I know you read my file, General, and know what I am. One of the things we’re trained for is spy hunting. We’re taught to recognize our squeamish counterparts and eliminate them.”
“So, who is it?” said Cowboy.
“Bart,” Kita said with a wolfish smile.
“That’s a serious charge since he says he was in the service of the king,” said Jeffrey.
“From the way he acts, dresses, and preens himself, he is not the type for this kind of fieldwork. He is a seducer. I think his plan was to seduce me, but Snowy got in the way. He’s used to competing against other men to seduce girls or men. Competing against a girl for another girl must be something new to him, and he’s not sure what to do. Not that it matters. I identified him the first time I met him and have been leading him on.”
“So, this morning’s display was business then?” said Jeffrey.
Snowy’s nose turned red.
“A girl has to have her fun,” said Kita.
“Let’s not do it at the breakfast table,” Cowboy grumbled.
Kita shrugged. “Sorry. It was a golden opportunity to mess with him. I’m not sure why he would take this kind of assignment. Maybe the pay was good. I want General Yang and General Fedorov to watch him round the clock. I want to know where he goes and who he talks to. If it’s possible, I’d like to know what they talk about. For now, I just want them to observe and report. I’m more interested in climbing his command chain than busting him. We can do that at any time.
"I wanted all of you to be aware he is dangerous. If something happens, do not send your men to arrest him. Find me, Zidin, Cowboy, or Snowy and let us deal with him. I don’t want good men’s lives wasted on him, clear?”
“Yes, Commander,” said Yang and Fedorov.
“Good. That’s all I have. You’re dismissed.”
After the meeting, Kita, Cowboy, Zidin, and Forrester remained in the intelligence room.
“Ugh, this is more grueling than combat,” said Kita.
Cowboy and Forrester chuckled.
“Command isn’t all combat and glory. Nearly all your time is spent doing this,” said Forrester. “I’m impressed with your knowledge and grasp of military doctrine.”
How do I explain I have a computer in my head feeding me this information? “I watched and learned from my brother and father.”
Forrester raised an eyebrow. “Well, Commander, if you will excuse me, I have my own meetings to conduct.”
After the nightly briefing, Kita left to find Jeffrey and have a chat. She made her way through the Yorq camp and found Jeffrey at his tent going over the directives that had come down.
“Got some time?” Kita asked after she stepped through the tent flap.
“Of course, Commander,” Jeffrey answered with a raised eyebrow and resigned tone.
“Come walk with me then.”
Kita didn’t say anything until they passed the camp's perimeter. A guard detail of war cats and legionnaires followed her everywhere. Zidin and Sarge also trailed. She chased them away when she reached the top of a hill overlooking her camp.
Kita glared at Jeffrey. “If you try and screw me, you know what I can do.”
Jeffrey flinched. “I'm not here to mess things up for you. I thought you were dead after the attack. How did Mother and Father die?”
Kita sighed. Am I ready to remember this? “Father died at the hands of a Mongulesian barbarian. I made the barbarian suffer for it.”
Jeffrey chuckled. “I understand you have a talent for that.”
“Let’s say I owed him a family debt. As much as I loved Father, I hated him as much
or more. His last words to me were not kind.”
“What did he say?”
Kita’s whispered, “He…he called me a monster.”
Jeffrey nodded. “Given your history, that’s fair.”
“I am a fallen angel,” Kita said defensively. “Yes, I do some of the most horrific things imaginable and enjoy it. Killing someone is easy. Torturing someone is easy. Leaving someone to a life of pain and suffering is easy. I’m told none of these things are supposed to be easy. You’re supposed to feel regret, sympathy, remorse, but I feel none of those. I feel nothing for my enemies. They’re just something in my way. I tell myself I don’t want to enjoy it, but I can't help it. However, I do use my talents for good.”
“What about all the people you’ve murdered? Where’s the good in that? What happens when you do it in the Legion? I won't tell, but don't expect me to stand up for you either.”
Kita’s eyes narrowed. “Thanks. Don't you get in my way either. I will bury you, if I have to.”
“No, you won't. You're bad, but not evil. How did Mother go?”
“She died protecting Father and giving my companions and me a chance to escape. She refused to come with. She said she’d rather die with Father than live without him.”
“That’s devotion.”
"More than Father deserved." Kita spat.
"He loved Mother, and she loved him."
"He was a self-promoting pompous prick. If he'd lived it might have been my blade going through him."
"How can you say that?"
"Because he never betrayed you and sold you like a piece of meat."
"He did not do that. He was thinking of the bigger picture. You came out unharmed, and he barely touched you."
Kita stifled a scream. Unharmed? He raped me, you bastard. She turned and stuck a finger in Jeffrey's chest. "I should have known you'd side with him. You were always his little stooge."
Jeffrey's face turned red. "I was not."
"You were too," Kita snarled.
"At least he trained me. You're just a soldier playing pretend."
Kita grabbed him by the breastplate. "Yeah? And which one of us has the real army? Don't forget who's in charge of who."
Kita slung Jeffrey backward and stalked off. "I should have known better," she muttered.
Yelling and boot-stomping came from the dining room of the inn. Kita stuck her head out of the intelligence room and was surprised to see General Barneky in armor, covered in dirt and blood.
“There you are!” Barneky bellowed.
“General, glad to see you’re safe,” Kita said with an even tone as she approached him.
“No thanks to you. You abandoned us to die. You should be court-marshaled and hanged.”
Kita glared at him. “I see they didn’t stop you.”
“Of course not. I’m a combat soldier, and I know how to lead my men to safety. I saved my station’s men and two others without losing a man.”
“I will put you in for a medal.”
“Stuff your trinkets. I don’t want anything from you. I want more men, so I can go back down and rescue the rest. You’ve played commander long enough. Let a real commander do his job.”
Kita fought to control her temper. “General, I sent a warning the moment I knew. I’ve been trying for a week to reach anyone using the communications system, but I’ve received no answer. What little field intel I have says the west and the north are destroyed. Those here in the east and south got out.”
“You left us to fend for ourselves. That is cowardice of the worst kind. Now give me back my Legion before you destroy what’s left.”
“AT EASE, General!” Kita yelled. “I let you disrespect me once. Keeping going and you’ll be made a permanent example.”
“Little girl, get out of my way.” General Barneky pushed Kita back and yelled at the rest of the room. “Listen up, everyone. My name is General—”
Kita grabbed him by his chest protector and threw him down a row of tables. He landed in a heap on the floor. She jumped the tables and landed next to him. Pulling him upright, she punched him in the gut. He flew through the door of the inn, past Zidin and Cowboy. Barneky lay crumpled at the bottom of the inn’s stairs. Kita slammed through the door and jumped down the stairs.
“Get up, you son-of-a-bitch!” Kita commanded. “If you want my Legion, you’re going to have to fight me for it. If you think you’re all blood and guts, get your ass up and face me like a man.”
Barneky climbed to his feet. “I won’t hit a girl."
“You better learn. Look around you. I’m not the only girl with the Legion’s mark around here. They’re not my doing either. They come from our sister Legions. You better get used to the idea, you cochon chauvin. So come on, if you think you have what it takes to take me out. You beat me, you can have my Legion.” Kita stood with her fists clenched.
“Say goodbye to that pretty face.”
Kita let him land a few to make it look good for him. Barneky packed a wallop for someone who wasn’t augmented. Damn, that last one was one too many. Now my eye’s going to be swollen.
“Had enough, sweetheart? Give in now and I won’t break anything.”
“Oh, we’re just getting started.”
Kita struck out with all her fury. Body blows and headshots stuck Barneky faster than he could react. He retreated, struggling to keep his hands up, but even that failed after a few blows. With a final uppercut, Kita launched him into the air. She jumped and connected with a roundhouse, sending him crashing into a water trough.
Kita walked over to him, a dark scowl on her face. She grabbed Barneky and yanked him up to her face. “You think you still have what it takes to kick this little girl’s ass, old man? DO YOU?” Barneky didn’t say anything. “This is my Legion, it was never yours. Understand?”
Barneky refused to say anything. Kita shoved him underwater and held him there until he flailed his arms.
She yanked him out. “Do you understand?” Kita yelled.
Barneky refused to talk.
Kita dunked him again. They repeated the process several more times until Barneky relented.
“I understand,” he sputtered.
“About damn time,” said Kita. “Go report to General Thorne and beg his ass for a job. Pray he has something for you. Now get your sorry old man ass out of my sight.”
Kita found the street packed with people watching. Zidin, Cowboy, and Forrester looked worried.
“Anyone else?” Kita yelled. “Forrester? Cowboy? Anyone else want to take a shot? Now’s your chance.” I think their hearts have all stopped. “Fine, then get back to work.” Now, where the blazes was I before that fool interrupted me?
Kita sat in the intelligence room for the daily intelligence briefing.
“The good news, Commander, is that we have been able to put together a fairly complete picture of our enemy’s forces,” said Yang. “The Crown has twelve thousand regular army soldiers supplemented by ten thousand Arconian mercenaries. This compares to the three thousand regular soldiers on the rebel side. In the tubes, the Crown has five thousand Arconian mercenaries and five hundred regular soldiers. The ravager army is estimated to be anywhere between twenty and fifty thousand.”
“Any way we can get a better estimate on the ravagers?”
Yang shook his head. “A third of our scouts didn’t come back.”
Kita grunted.
“We did get some information on Bart’s activities,” said Fedorov. “He passed a paper detailing troop strength and individual bios on you, General Zidin, Cowboy, and General Snowy. The one on General Snowy was most unprofessional. We swapped his reports with some that gave less than accurate details.”
“How did you get a copy of what he sent?” said Kita.
Fedorov smiled. “Sorry, Commander. Spies do not reveal their techniques, especially to counterintelligence operatives.”
Kita laughed. “Fair enough.”
“The courier delivered the information to a resi
dence in the capital city of New London.”
“Do we have anything on the rebels?”
“Currently, they're fighting among themselves. The senior earls that have rebelled had most of their forces with the king. We believe the Crown hasn’t moved against them because they don’t pose a threat. The Crown holds many earls and dukes hostage, keeping their states and estates from joining the rebellion. We think they feel the Legion is the bigger threat. Once the Legion has been destroyed, they will move on the rebels.”
“Take care of the bee before swatting the fly. Ok, that helps start a plan to move forward.”
“Moving where?” said Forrester. “We’re so badly outnumbered we’d be hard-pressed to defend this place.”
“That’s part of my plan on moving forward. We’re going to shift fifteen thousand from their side to our side.”
Forrester’s eyes went wide. “How do you plan on doing that?”
“I’m going to get insulted by the King of Yorq.”
“I fail to follow the logic, Commander.”
Kita grinned. “When he does, fifteen thousand men and woman become mine to command. That’s correct isn’t it, General Zidin?”
Zidin had a contemplative look on his face. “You could do it without having to be insulted.”
“It looks better this way. It doesn’t make it look like I’m doing it for the Legion. I plan to go representing Arcone.”
“I still don’t understand,” said Forrester.
“The Commander belongs to the Arconian guild of the Rose," said Zidin. "She is our emissary, traveling to different regions promoting Arcone for trade, allies, and contracts. If necessary, she can cancel agreements on her will. Insulting or threatening her is the same as insulting or threatening Arcone. The Rose can rally the Arconian forces to her to defend Arcone’s honor.”
“That’s a lot of power to wield, coupled with being a Legion commander,” said Forrester. “I’m surprised LCom allowed it.”
Kita shrugged. “I’ve talked to them about it, and I’ve told them I’m not interested in ruling the world. Running this army is hard enough. Running The Mass would be maddening. I prefer to go out and kill something.”