Vindication

by Ken Wolfson

  “Peaceful but ready.”

  "Yes, sir. swords in." Alenkot hit the lever. The troopers marched out, hands on their sword and their combat shotguns primed. Adrian strolled out after and did a quick survey of his own before joining them. His boots left footprints in the dust.

  "Can you get in?" he said.

  "Door's unlocked," Alenkot said. He made sure to stand before Adrian before keying the access panel. The door slid open, throwing up a curtain of dust in its place, glinting in the dropship's nose spotlights. Alenkot led the way inside.

  Adrian waited for the "clear!" before entering.

  This was a lobby, with the usual snack bar and bare metal chairs. Again, everything was covered in several years’ worth of dust. Another human sized door awaited them.

  "Vindication, this place appears deserted. Are you still getting a signal within?" He spoke into his collar mic.

  "I can't assure you it’s human," Zoey said.

  "Actually, I hope it's automated. That’s fewer external factors to worry about," Adrian said. The exit hissed and slid open.

  A lone figure strode inside.

  "Greetings, Commander. I am Major Julien of the Shadows. Allow me to welcome you to classified territory." He pointed the last words, to layer the trespassing charges.

  Julien was Adrian's height, which was the rough average of an adult male human in the Systems. His skin was tanned to the average tone, and his eyes were a shade of light brown shared by a hundred billion men, women, and children with far more identifiable features. He had a pleasant, non-confrontational smile on his face, and had mastered a delivery as even as a blank white wall. His posture had a slight slouch, like any ordinary fellow going to work. He was so unforgettably forgettable, Adrian could pick his face out of a crowd a klick away.

  "Hello," he said. "Has the Major Meironara landed?"

  "He has, and is being brought to our meeting room. Your ship appears to need some repairs."

  "She does," Adrian said. "Lead on."

  They hoofed it down the arm. "There are but fifty of us on this outpost. Only a few rooms in the hub are inhabited regularly," Julien said.

  "Well, we've got plenty of our own laborers to move the supplies," Adrian said. Julien shook his head.

  "You do know that Major Roverra Meironara was not authorized to give this location to entities outside the Ministry? He will face a tribunal and severe punishment upon his return to civilization," Julien said.

  "There's a war going on, and I have an FTL drive malfunction. By law, you must provide my supercarrier with aide," Adrian said. Julien didn't react; he kept that pleasant smile on as he stared at Adrian.

  "I know of the war. I received a flash drone from Tollyon just a few days ago. However, I must inform you that the Ministry is above common law; the pursuit of the security—"

  "—o f the United Systems requires extraordinary people qualified to go to extraordinary measures for the greater good." Adrian finished the standard spiel. The Shadow was damn good; he didn’t blink.

  "Then you are aware as to why I can't give you these supplies. I'm sorry. Your ship will have to wait until rescue comes," Julien said. Adrian didn't waste time scratching the tungstanium armor with his fingernails further.

  "I'm rebuilding my drive core."

  "At what cost? Your head would be on a spike, and your crew was definitely complicit, it would be a shame for another mass trial to clog up the courts.

  "I’ll worry about that when I get back to civilization. I’ll worry about you now," Adrian said. He maintained his own cheerful smile. "I'm threatening you."

  "I know you will do bodily harm to me if I don't concede my legal rights."

  "Your legal obligation is to help your comrade. The ministry's violation of those rights is your privilege," Adrian said. Julien ignored him.

  They reached a bolted portal. A shadow stood guard on either side. They wore black jumpsuits padded with armor plates. Black hoods obscured their heads, but they doubtlessly carried eye beams like troopers' helmets. Each wore a black rapier. "This the meeting room?"

  "This is it." Julien waved a hand and the door slid open. This time dust didn't come pouring out.

  "Alenkot, with me. Everyone else remain outside," Adrian said.

  "Sir." The troopers took up positions around the two shadows. Adrian followed Julien inside.

  The lounge itself was a marvel of smoothly curved furniture and foldout computer screens attached to said furniture. Gel keyboards in armrests and atop dedicated consoles sparkled. Most important; the chairs were deep in luxurious foam cushions. Adrian could feel the comfy chair beneath him as he stretched out to relax with a spiked coffee and recorded Tollyon Paladins crunchball game. He sat down, and confirmed they were incredibly soft form-molding furniture. An indistinct wall panel on the opposite side slid open, and Meironara emerged. He wore an identical uniform to Julien’s, with the top buttons hanging loose and a tie protruding.

  "Ministry timing is impeccable," he stated. "Hello, Julien."

  "Greetings, shadow," Julien said. They eyed each other over, neither saluting.

  "Pleasure," Meironara said. "Forgive me for foregoing an introduction. Times are trying for security. There are traitors in our midst."

  "I will do my duty to the Ministry as always," Julien answered.

  "Good. The Commander requires full access to your arsenal and facilities. In particular, all FTL spool repair parts, including graviton generators and guide magnets, are of critical importance."

  Adrian studied the major's face. It was a blank screen shielded hard as a stealth probe. Meironara was good, he finally conceded.

  "As I told the Commander, I cannot comply; do you have justification from up the chain of command?" Julien said.

  "Nothing, for the chain of command is severed completely. The post in Farrigan was destroyed by bombardment from our own ships, as was every other outpost I've attempted to contact." Weariness crept into Meironara's voice. Adrian caught it for a heartbeat before it disappeared again.

  "This is a severe setback. We will have to adapt to avoid bloodshed." Julien's expression shifted for half a second. Adrian caught it, and gripped his sword hilt. Meironara did too, judging by the way he casually slipped his hand into his jacket at chest level.

  “Problem?” Meironara said.

  "Officers, there is no need to be alarmed."

  "Commander, I'm detecting a battlecruiser hull emerging from behind the nearest planet. She's first Wicked Creek fleet, CBDR," Zoey said into Adrian's earpiece.

  Adrian stood. "Emoche Hulle's oathbreakers are here."

  Alenkot drew his sword and stepped to Adrian's side.

  "There was a legal transaction involved, signed by the ministry and several noble houses. There is no reason to be alarmed," Julien repeated.

  "Your buyers are the fucks leading the mutiny," Adrian said.

  "That is not our concern. The transaction was legal. Such is the will of the Ministry." There were fifty shadows on the station. Adrian had eight troopers and another shadow with him.

  "The Ministry serves the Systems, not her enemies," he said. Amelie was already dispatching reinforcements by the platoon. They'd have to fight their way through a hostile station they lacked the blueprints to navigate.

  "The Ministry is far beyond the limits of the High Lords on Vulk." Julien was tasteful as ever, but Adrian felt his arrogance all the same.

  "Then it's grown too big for its own good, and it’s time to cut it back down to size," he said. He grasped his gladius’ hilt. "I'm sure Meironara can figure this station out."

  "Oh, I can," Meironara said.

  “We must remove your obstruction,” Julian said.

  The door behind him slid open. A dragon-scaled tower with a faceless visor marched out. Two swords sat at her waist: a three-footer with a flattened tip and square hand guard, and a straight blade half that length, slim and agile, for dissecting opponents. Adrian struggled to recognize her until he saw the purple badg
e with crossed swords over her heart.

  "Autumn Nordhammer," he said. She removed her helmet, confirming his theory with her ivory skin and brown eyes.

  "Commander Huxton. I see you survived your escape. You’re tougher than I thought," she said. Eight troopers spilled into the room behind her. Each wore armor that'd been painted blue so quickly that Adrian saw the sloppy brush strokes from across the room.

  "You’re the last in a long line of people to find that out." They drew simultaneously and he closed distance.

  "Stop!" Julien barked, as his shadows stepped between them. "Violence will result in the destruction of this station."

  "I think we've got enough troops to board and take her," Adrian said.

  "And I can disable the self-destruct codes," Meironara said.

  "Can you stop me from firing on your damaged ships? You'll be forced to destroy her," Julien said.

  "And if you don't, I will before you kill my mount. This isn't a combat platform; it's pretty fragile," Autumn said. Meironara grunted, but nodded in acceptance.

  "Well you can give us the FTL spools and I’ll leave," Adrian said. "Keep everything else."

  Autumn frowned before replying. "I'd be making the same demands for the sake of my crew if I were in your position, but I must refuse. My Lady's sworn liege Emoche Hulle commanded me to bring the entirety of the Anchorage's material back to his control and to show no mercy to his enemies. So, I will do it."

  "Well, you're forcing us to a fight, then," Meironara said.

  "She's not." Adrian corrected him. "No mercy and no quarter aren't the same legal order. No quarter is when you kill the prisoners. No mercy is when you don't provide assistance to the vanquished, make them fly back home alone. Which my ship can't do."

  Autumn smiled at him.

  "Correct. I will let you leave. However, judging by the condition of your supercarrier, she won't last the journey to the nearest inhabited system. And if she did, your daughter will have moved on by then. So I'll accept your unconditional surrender."

  Fear flashed at the thought of missing Alyssa's childhood. No mentoring, no cheering on her accomplishments.

  "Major Meironara, you may take Serpentia and flee to the collapsing ruin of the United Systems. We'll meet again soon."

  The old shadow twirled his mustache in thought. "The offer is tempting, but my life is tied to this anchorage, so I must decline."

  “Smart,” Julien said.

  Adrian wouldn't surrender to the Wendago, or anyone who threatened his crew and Alyssa. "I guess we'll all die here. Vindication, Actual, fighters up," Adrian said.

  Meironara exploded in wheezing, can-crushing laughter.

  "I know you'd rather live to hold your daughter again, and I'd rather return home to my husband," Autumn balked immediately

  "My first objective is to win. Surrender is not an option," Adrian said. "If you don't want to die, let's talk. Alone."

  "Why should I trust you?" she said.

  "The traitor demands an assurance of trust," Adrian said. His troopers snickered. One of the Hullen gestured venomously. .

  Autumn sighed, and closed her eyes in thought.

  "Hullen, depart and let us negotiate alone."

  Julien glowered until his shadows shuffled him outside.

  "Troopers, extract," Adrian said.

  "Yes, sir," Alenkot said. Meironara hesitated, until Adrian nodded.

  Once the bulkheads were sealed, he found two armchairs facing each other and sat down.

  "Where did they get the budget for chairs like these?" he sighed from the foam’s soft embrace

  "The Ministry's got money from somewhere. Not even Righteous has chairs like these." Nordhammer sat down opposite him.

  "We should order drinks, drinks make all negotiations easier," Adrian said.

  "And dull the screams,” she said. Adrian nodded in sudden understanding of his enemy.

  “So that’s a yes?”

  “An officer with your record, violating another regulation?"

  "Add that one to the pile," Adrian said. "When this is over, I'll print them all up and tack them on my wall. In pulp paper." Actual paper was fucking expensive.

  A grin cracked across Autumn's face. "Artreyas has a library of pulp paper volumes on her wall. Some of them are pre-dark age works," she said.

  "Has she read all of them?" He remembered Tarly going AWOL for a day in the Crescent to buy a rare book. Lady Hamilton had been pissed at the earthquake that reverberated through her ironclad routines.

  "She read them all, of course. Lord Markkanen Artreyas gifted her the library to get her to read. It was his last gift, so she honored his wishes, and became a scholar in the ways of the old world."

  "The Lady is turning into quite a scholar," Adrian said. "She's still a revenge-obsessed psychopath, though—you know that?"

  "To you, she is. She saw my potential when I was debt slave in the fighting pits of Worlen, at the Palace on Auburn Hills. I am sworn to be her right arm and the sword attached to it. She is wise; she saw that the Systems couldn't continue as such, and when an alternative path appeared, she took it," Autumn said. "What are you sworn to, Adrian? Perhaps you've let blind loyalty guide you, and your best interests lie in the blue." She plucked a blue ribbon from her armor and proffered it.

  "No. I've fought too many like Emoche. Your game is going to end the same if you win: death and broken dreams. And I’ll never join the Wendago."

  "I understand. Though your government is as corrupt as you claim my Lady is bloodthirsty," Nordhammer said.

  "Still better than rape and slavery."

  "That's fair. Now, how're we going to settle this?"

  "You give me the parts to repair my FTL drive, and keep the station," Adrian suggested. "There's probably a few secrets onboard. Say I was gone before you got here." It was a sincere deal. Vindication and her crew's survival were the paramount priority.

  "It is a sound plan, though my liege demands I retain the supplies you seek. She insists they be denied completely to the enemy," Autumn replied.

  "Unfortunate. We could all just die right here."

  "I'd rather not. There's too many good people on my ship."

  "And mine. Well, how about we duel over it?" That was his last offer before he gave the order to launch Jotunns and take their chances in combat.

  "Blood duel, then. I like the way you think, Commander. What are your terms?"

  "If I win, you leave, and I get this Anchorage."

  "And if I win?" she said.

  "Vindication surrenders unconditionally and Serpentia departs," Adrian said.

  "Done. Call the others back in," Autumn said.

  #

  Chapter Nineteen: We, Soldiers

  Both sides reconvened. "What's the deal?" Meironara said.

  "We will decide ownership of the station via blood duel," Adrian answered.

  "I will not accede to such an arrangement," said Julien.

  "You will, or they'll beat you black and blue," Meironara said. He snickered at his own joke for a few seconds. Julien looked to Autumn, who nodded.

  "If it must, then it must. I submit to the will of House Artreyas," Julien said. He offered his rapier to Nordhammer. She took it, examined it with the eye of a senior officer, and then returned it.

  "I accept," she said. "Now, clear the center of this room. No one else will be harmed by our conflict."

  Adrian nodded to Alenkot.

  The furniture was pulled back to the perimeter. All computers were detached from their housing and tossed into the pile. A circle five meters by five meters was cleared.

  Adrian wasn't comfortable with the size of the arena. His tactics utilized agility to outmaneuver bigger opponents and make them miss until they gassed themselves flailing at his after-image. That couldn't be done here; he'd run out of room in a few backstops.

  He removed his jacket and gloves. Then, he drew his gladius and took a few practice swings. The gladius was a lowly trooper’s weapon, meant
for hacking and stabbing in the whirling confines of a shipboard brawl. With its short and wide blade and iron spike at the tip of the pommel it was an ugly weapon that made ugly wounds. No one had ever written a manual on advanced dueling with a gladius, and if Adrian died here, no one ever would.

  Autumn drew her sword. This was a katana, more popular in the Metropolis regions. It was a curved weapon for more reach and cutting power, able to balance brawling with individual dueling. Against his brawling sword, she had the advantage. By the appreciative murmur from the Hullen, her minions knew this.

  Adrian studied his opponent while they warmed up. Autumn was two decades his junior, by his best judgement. Young enough to be in the middle of her prime, but old enough for plenty of combat experience. She was his height, and packed with slim yet dense athletic muscle, like a sprinter. The way she moved, Adrian couldn't detect any lingering injuries. And she moved fast.

  "Ready?" Autumn said. She studied him with mirrored intensity. She was smart, too; her eyes were reading his body for advantages and weakness. Competent swords used the same tactics for every opponent, and died when they met someone they couldn't adjust to. Good swords adjusted their tactics by what they thought of opponents. Elite swords could read an opponent and predict their tactics in advance.

  "Yes."

  “Hang on.” Autumn stripped off her armor, revealing a royal blue jumpsuit underneath. “This is sheath armor, now we’re equally armored.” They stepped to the center, and crossed their swords.

  "Who's going to ref this?" Autumn said.

  "Meironara? It's not like he can fix the score or anything," Adrian said.

  "Fine with me."

  Meironara grasped the blades. A trickle of blood ran down either sword.

  "You are here to settle a matter of blood. I am here to ensure you settle it honestly. You will utilize the weapons displayed in advance. You will not be augmented biologically or mechanically. There will be no concealed weapons or throwing of your blades. When quarter is asked for, it will be given. Are both sides clear?"

  "Yes," Adrian said.

  "Yes," Autumn said.