by GARY DARBY
Sami turned to Dason and muttered, “And to think of all the latrines I cleaned because of you, I—”
“Sami, knock it off,” TJ ordered. “You should be glad for Dason, not mad. Remember, he’s the one who thought all this time that he was dying.”
Sami scrunched up his face. “All right, I’m glad for you,” he uttered to Dason. “But next time, I get the fake poison, and you clean the potties.”
Bianca laughed and remarked with a shake of her head, “There’s some sort of twisted logic in that, but I’m not going to try and figure it out.”
She nodded at Shanon to continue.
“Well,” Shanon answered, “I couldn’t understand why we were sent up against such a powerful predator with only long-knives in the preserve.
“There had to be a pretty good reason we didn’t at least have stunners. Meaning in this case, we could have used them against you, or rather, on you as outlaw poachers.”
Bianca nodded and directed, “Go on.”
Shanon bobbed her head. “On Alistar, we closed on the T-Ape a couple of times and it never attacked. That went against your explanation of its, uh, ‘feeding habits.’
“Then, it seemed just a bit too convenient that the beast escaped on the first ship. If it was so dangerous that you had to wear L-guns, surely you would have had even greater security measures and its escape would have been all but impossible.
“But I will admit, you put on quite a show, trying to convince us that the ape escaped and what it did to your crew.
“I take it that was to make sure that there was a big enough boogeyman around to help keep us in line. You know, the ‘feed’em to the ape’ line in the infirmary.
“And then there was your crew. Oh, you and they tried hard to act ‘outlawish’ but you were just too organized and too professional for common poachers. Plus, you used Star Scout equipment like it was second nature.
“It was odd that OutLand poachers would be that savvy with Life Sensors, sky trackers and the like. And ma’am, your mission briefs were almost textbook precise. Like someone who’s been Star Academy trained.”
“Ouch,” Bianca replied. “Certainly didn’t see that one coming. Have to work on that.”
Shanon went on. “When you stopped wearing your L-guns on the Queen that really piqued our curiosity. So I did a little recon while we were supposed to be getting the scouters ready. I located and examined the ape. Found a side control panel open.”
She lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “Real animals don’t have micro-relays and positron grids.”
Bianca shook her head. “Shanon, when you went looking for the ape, did you know beforehand that it was a SimLife?”
“No,” she replied. “Suspicions but nothing firm.”
Bianca stared at Shanon with open admiration. “So, unarmed, having faced the beast before, and seeing what it did to your teammate, you went after it again?”
Shanon hesitated before saying, “At the time, it seemed that the risk was worth it, yes. We needed answers.”
Bianca studied Shanon’s face before saying, “I take it there’s more.”
“Yes ma’am. Lastly, when you closed on us here, you had us in your sights. Could’ve stunned us or worse. But you didn’t shoot.”
Dason spoke up and jutted his chin toward the centipede creature. “If you had been an outlaw, or a Faction cross-over, you would have let that thing do your dirty work.
“Plus, a real outlaw would either have left us to fend for ourselves on this planet, or, more likely, would have made sure that there were no witnesses left behind to testify against you.”
Stinneli stepped forward. “I’m Doctor Troy Stinneli. I’m a Star Scout medical doctor, but I also hold a doctorate in macro- and microanatomy. I study the anatomy of life-forms, both terrestrial and XT.
“I was the team director that developed the SimLife ape. Your team was the first to, uh, ‘experience’ our field prototype.”
He turned to Dason. “Sorry about the rough handling in the cargo hold; the muscle control compensators were a little out of sync. It wasn’t supposed to handle you quite so hard.”
“And the puncture mark on my neck?” Dason asked.
“Air-hypo. You had a slight contusion on your neck, so I injected a little sterile saline, and let the bruise mimic the supposed trauma of the ape’s injection site.”
“I don’t know,” Sami breathed out. “I’m not sure I’m buying this. Like TJ said, this seems way too elaborate for a field test.”
Brant took a step closer. “Star Scout Lieutenant Brant Renn. Sami, did you enjoy your playmates in Alistar’s jungle? IS Grolson and I almost gave away our positions laughing so hard when we saw your little dance.”
Sami glared at Brant. “I didn’t see the critters when I lay down. Bark chips covered them.”
“It was quite a jig, and how are your—”
“Fine!” Sami snapped. “No need to get personal,” he muttered.
Brant spoke to Dason. “And that was a pretty close call at the river. You were lucky that there was an overhanging branch.
“When the cat jumped you, Grolson thought you would high-tail it for the trees. He was going to cover you in case the cat closed before you could climb.
“But you went the other way, toward the water, caught him flat-footed. If the branch hadn’t been there, well, he wouldn’t have been much help at that point.”
“So he was shadowing me!” Dason blurted.
“Yes,” Brant went on. “He was trying to distract you, give you two problems to work at the same time. But things backfired because he ran you smack into the cat.
“And by the way, he sends his compliments. You gave him quite a run; almost caught him twice. He wanted you to know that between you and the Chameleon Coug it was a very interesting day.”
Tam introduced herself, saying, “I’m Star Scout Lieutenant Tam Lahr.”
She turned to TJ. “That was a first-rate piece of tracking you did on the SimLife during the storm, deducing that it was both a ground and tree dweller.”
She smiled while saying, “But next time, be careful about dozing off in the middle of a hunt, it was very tempting to have you wake up to the SimLife standing over you.”
TJ let out a breath. “I’ll keep that in mind. So, when the ape charged me, you stunned me then too?”
Tam gave a little shrug. “Yes, and sorry for the rough handling, but we—”
“Needed bait, and I was it,” TJ replied.
“Well, it could have been any one of you,” Tam explained, “but you were the most convenient at hand.”
Bianca held up her hand. “I know you must have a boatload of questions, and I promise you that when we can, we’ll answer all of them. But we need to finish this because we have teammates that might be in very serious trouble.”
“So,” Sami asked, “I take it those bozos shooting at us, and the Queen being missing aren’t part of—”
“No, Sami,” Bianca replied in a firm tone. “Neither of those are part of the scenario. Unfortunately, they’re all too real. We’ve got missing teammates, both on the ground and above.”
She cocked her head and asked the four, “Convinced?”
The young scouts nodded in answer. “Good!” she replied. “We need to get to work, and we need you.”
“Hey, wait,” Sami said, “did you see those odd-lookin’ footprints?”
“Yes, indeed,” Bianca responded.
She looked around to see Lara striding up to the group. “As a matter of fact, while we rounded you four up, Lara’s been examining the prints.”
At a gesture from Bianca, Lara stepped close and said, “Three distinct sets. The good news is that several have the same tread as we do.”
“The Stinger One crew!” TJ exclaimed.
“I believe so,” Lara replied.
“Which means that our scout mates are alive,” Bianca emphasized with evident relief.
“The other two sets are anatomically correct
for a humanoid bipedal,” Lara went on. “Human feet are typically about fifteen percent long in relation to a person’s height.
“If we use that as a guide, then the larger prints belong to a being who stands close to three meters tall.”
“Whoa,” Sami quipped, “Goliath’s long-lost cousin.”
“Cousins, Sami,” Lara responded. “Plural. If I’m reading it right, there are at least ten to fifteen individuals in that group.
“The smaller prints belong to a being who stands maybe a meter or so high, and from the angular projections at the toe, has either a webbed foot or toes joined by a sheath of skin. I would say we’re looking at maybe three distinct species, humans being just one of the subset.”
Lara’s eyebrows furrowed and she bit down on her lower lip. “One thing that's disturbing is that the larger footprints are all on the outside of the other prints.
“That suggests that they’re either being escorted or guarded since we know that someone attacked our teammates.”
“So, what exactly are you saying?” Dason asked.
Frowning, Bianca said, “What we’re saying is that we have some very strange goings-on. We lose contact with the Queen; the Stinger One crew is attacked and now missing, we find some very unusual footprints that suggest our teammates are being held hostage, and now this attack on the team by human assailants.”
“No kiddin’,” Sami replied. “Say, just who were those guys shootin’ at us and why’d they start that little skirmish?”
“If I were to guess,” Bianca began, “I’d say they’re from the downed ship that sent the distress call, and they were trying to keep us from following the footprints. When I find out for sure, Sami, you’ll be the second to know.”
“Deal,” Sami remarked and leaned a little closer to Bianca. “Ma’am, I’ve been thinking. Since we found those interesting thingamajiggy footprints, and we saved your bacon a couple of times—”
As one, Dason, Shanon, and TJ chimed together, “We, Sami?”
“In spirit,” Sami replied, “always in spirit. Does this mean we pass our exam?”
Bianca hesitated before saying, “Sami, I am not only ending the no-notice examination of the novice scouts constituting Team Thorne, but because of the circumstances, I am going one step further.
“I believe that Star Scout Command will endorse my actions based on our situation.”
Leaning toward Dason, Sami loudly whispered, “I think that means we’re in.”
Ignoring Sami, Bianca rose and stood at attention. “Star Scout Officers Stinneli, Renn, Lahr, and Zowalt stand to witness.”
The Star Scout officers formed a single line at a right angle to Bianca and stood at attention. She turned to the four novices and ordered, “Novice scouts, fall in.”
Sami, TJ, Shanon, and Dason scrambled to their feet and formed a second line facing the four Star Scouts, each standing tall, eyes front, and bodies ramrod straight.
With a solemn expression, Bianca said to the novices, “If this mission had gone to its expected completion, your Scoutmaster would have met you on Canopus and I would have reported to him my findings.
“However, there is some doubt in my mind that we will reach that destination in the immediate future.
“I am empowered with commission and enlistment authority by Star Scout Command. And having the necessary quorum of Star Scout officers present for an enlistment board, we will conduct the proper protocols here and now, and I will announce the examination results.”
She stopped and her voice lowered in sadness. “Though Novice Star Scout Nase Wek is considered missing in action, nevertheless, I will speak for him during these proceedings.
“Like you, he too has earned the right for enlistment consideration in the corps.”
She addressed the Star Scout officers. “Major Stinelli, you are senior, will you speak for the board?”
Stinelli replied firmly, “I will.”
“Then confer among yourselves and render your report.” The four Star Scouts did an about-face, took several steps and huddled together. In quiet tones, they spoke among themselves for a few moments before reforming their line.
Bianca then asked the Star Scout officers, “If there are any among you that have a reasonable doubt as to the worthiness of these novices who present themselves for enlistment, let that officer stand forth.”
All four Star Scouts held in place. Bianca then asked, “Major Stinelli, how say you?”
Stinelli replied in a firm tone, “We find that the novices who stand before us have met all criteria and earned Mission Accomplished status on their No-Notice Final Exam report.”
He paused before saying, “We also recommend, that, considering the unusual circumstances under which they had to perform, that you add a ‘well done’ to your evaluation findings and post it to their respective files.”
"Thank you," Bianca replied. “And I fully concur with your recommendation.”
She stepped forward to stand before the four novices. “I find that each of you has successfully completed all examination criteria.”
Bianca let her eyes glance toward Dason and Shanon. “And in certain instances, I can unequivocally state that you surpassed all expectations.
“As such you have earned the right, and I have the great honor to offer you an enlistment into Star Scout Command with a probationary and brevetted rank of Star Scout, First Class, until such time as Star Scout Command makes this action permanent.
“Each of you must enter into this condition without coercion and of your own free will. If you choose not to accept, there is no disgrace or dishonor, and we will consider you as a civilian under our protection until such time that we can place you in the hands of the proper authorities.”
She paused before continuing. “Under normal circumstances you would be offered a twenty-four-hour grace period to consider your decision. Unfortunately, I can’t provide you with that luxury, and therefore I must have your answer now.”
Bianca paused and then asked in a strong voice, “Novice Scout Alvaro, how say you?”
Sami gulped and then said in unsteady tones, “I do—wait, that’s for getting married—I mean, I accept.”
“Novice Scout Utlander, how say you?”
TJ replied without hesitation, “I accept.”
“Novice Scout Hsu, how say you?”
Shanon answered decisively, “Without question, I accept.”
“Novice Scout Thorne, how say you?”
Dason’s knees felt weak; his heart pounded in his chest and his mouth had suddenly become dry. He hesitated to speak and then a peaceful, calm feeling came over him that this was not only good, it was right.
Taking a deep breath, he answered in a resolute voice, “I accept.”
Bianca then declared, “And I will answer for Novice Scout Wek that he accepts as well, as I firmly believe that would be his wishes.”
Bianca paused before saying, “Throughout history, different societies and civilizations developed unique ways to enact oaths and covenants.
“For some it was the simple raising of a hand accompanied by an oral vow or expression, others used both hands, again with some form of verbalization, and still others performed elaborate rituals.
“We Star Scouts have our way too. After we recite the Scout Oath, if you accept its conditions, precepts, and the associated covenant, step forward.
“That simple act symbolizes that you are prepared to join your fellow Star Scouts in advancing our great quest and that you are ready to walk your First Trail as a full-fledged Star Scout.”
Led by Bianca, the small group recited the Scout Oath, and Dason couldn’t help but notice that Bianca’s voice was a little shaky, but it didn’t matter, for his own seemed to be but a whisper of its usual self.
Dason felt that he stood in a solemn and sacred place while the words flowed out and around him, not loud, but hushed and reverent.
Of my own free will and choice, I solemnly pronounce this oath and do cov
enant that:
I will do my best to do my duty at all times, in all places, in all climes, and with all people;
I will obey all lawful orders of the Terran Imperium and Star Scout Command;
On whatever star paths I stride and worlds that I visit, I will respect the sanctity of life, taking life only in the defense of my own or for those for whom I hold responsibility;
I will safeguard the lives of my teammates, holding their lives as sacrosanct as I do my own;
I will magnify my abilities by keeping myself physically fit, mentally alert, and morally just;
From my First to my Last Trail, I will Return with Honor.
As one, Dason, Shanon, TJ, and Sami stepped forward, Novice Star Scouts no longer but Star Scouts in name and deed.
Bianca then ordered, “Scouts, return to your teams and stand by for orders. We have much work to do.”
After a quick shaking of hands all around, Bianca motioned for Dason to come over. “Scoutmaster Tarracas would have done the honors on Canopus for all of you, and unfortunately, I only have one of these.
“But I think it should go to the scout who successfully led his team through a most memorable final exam.”
Reaching into a vest pouch, Bianca retrieved a Scout Arrow emblem and pinned it on Dason’s right collar. She grasped his shoulder in a firm grasp and her eyes were lively and bright. “Well done, scout!”
She then held out Dason’s knife. “By the way, you left this behind. It’s a good knife; I would hang onto it in the future.”
Dason nodded and reached out to grasp the hilt. “Thanks, and I will.”
Bianca smiled and asked, “Ready to go?”
Dason reached up to his collar to feel the tiny arrow and then turned his eyes skyward. He could just make out one or two stars, and they weren’t Veni’s star, of course. In fact, he had only a vague notion where Veni lay in the galactic body from this planet.
But he knew that somewhere, Out There, it sailed along on its cosmic course. And as Veni was coupled to its star, Dason knew that his life would be forever linked to Veni and its unsolved mysteries.
He had taken the first step, and there were so many more to go, but at least he was now on the journey that someday would lead to the answers that he so very much wanted and sought.