by Jason Kent
Ross clung to a railing where he could still keep an eye on the approaching nanite-animated enemy. When the roaring of the escaping atmosphere died down, Merrick point at Kate and Sparrow. "GO!"
Kate helped Sparrow through the new exit then followed close behind. She pushed off from the jagged edge of the hatch and snagged Sparrow's suit as she passed. Locked together, they tumbled away from the Tallinn ironclad. Neither of their suits had any control thrusters so they were forced to endure the uncontrolled spin Kate's collision with Sparrow imparted. After their first turn, Kate caught a glimpse of Ross squeezing through the airlock. She was sure it was him due to his oversized suit and twin rifles. The spin caused Kate to lose sight of the hatch for a moment.
"Come on, Merrick," Kate breathed. She craned her neck, desperate to be sure he made it out safely. Unfortunately, the movement just added to the erratic nature of her and Sparrow's tumbling. When she caught sight of the airlock again, now growing smaller in the distance, she was relieved to see a second white pressure suit emerge. Merrick was firing back into the hole with his sniper rifle. "Merrick?!"
Merrick fired once more before replying. The force of the shots helped propel him away from the ironclad. Over the radio, he said "Sorry. Had a few last minute guests."
Kate sagged, letting her body become limp with relief except for her hold on Sparrow. She turned to see the Link Sprite grinning back at her through the ridiculous brass helmet. Sparrow held up the tablet then pointed back at Ross and Merrick, now drifting with them away from Seiklus. Kate smiled back and gave a thumbs up.
A shadow moved across Kate's faceplate. She tilted her head to see Dagger through the cracked cockpit window drifting closer to them. Blade pitched over on its back. The large rear cargo door yawned open. Garrett was in a suit ready to catch them.
"Sorry we're late," Garrett said. "We discovered another uninvited visitor on the outer hull!"
"I just want to remind you all," Dagger's voice cut in on Kate's helmet speakers, "Dagger's Rule #11: Always wear your armor."
Chapter 23
Homecoming
Tivon glanced up at the ceiling of the Library. The archivist tilted her head, as if studying the intricate workings of the models hanging there. She smiled then, but just as quickly, replaced the smile with her usual, serious expression. She announced, "Lieutenant Colonel Georges returns."
Sparrow glanced around the table, wondering if anyone else caught the archivist's smile. Ross met her eyes and winked. Despite their age differences, Tivon had taken quite a liking to the marine leader. Georges, concerned as he was with appearances, had gently rebuffed the younger Tallinn's attempts to build a deeper relationship. Still, Sparrow continued to catch her old friend stealing glances at Tivon when he thought no one was watching. It was obvious Georges had feelings for the woman. But he refused to act on them. Sparrow shook her head, not sure what she could do to help the potential couple.
The roar of a starship's engines cut through the stillness of the Archives. The ship passed overhead flying in the direction of the landing field located on the opposite side of the Archives. They had decided to place the runway as far from the hill where the great tree flourished in order to minimize the disturbance to him. That, and they were not sure how much Nemus would actually grow, so they gave him an ample buffer whenever planning additions to the Archives and the surrounding structures. At the same time, the landing site for Blade and the few other shuttles used by the archivists was an easy walk.
Tivon was out of her seat before the others.
Sparrow got up to follow her.
"Whose ship did he steal now?" Dagger grumbled.
"There is no way to be certain," Sparrow replied. "We were expecting him to contact us from Transom to arrange a rendezvous."
"Only one way to find out," Ross said. He plucked his assault rifles from where he'd left them next to the door.
"Maybe it's something I'll get to fly!" Garrett said brightly, pulling his crossbow from under the table.
Merrick snagged his sniper rifle from the corner behind his seat.
Sparrow fell into step beside Ross. Preparation to defend Nemus was constant since they had arrived at the Archives. The archivists, through their leader, Tarun, had let it be known carrying their weapons around perturbed the otherwise peaceful atmosphere. Sparrow smiled when she thought about Dagger's response to the archivist's complaints, 'Tough tral!'
Tarun had yet to broach the subject again.
As they stepped outside, Sparrow paused and took a deep breath of fresh air. It was heavily scented by the wild flowers blooming in the meadow surrounding the Archives. Budding fruit trees, marching in orderly rows down to the landing field, added their scents to the breeze.
Merrick appeared at Kate's side. Sparrow noticed he'd taken the time to don his combat vest. It was a bulky affair with reactive armor plating built into it and pockets loaded with extra ammunition clips. A flashlight, multi-tool, and combat knife were fitted to the integrated webbing. The military garb and armor the marines wore also drew looks of disapproval from the archivists.
Sparrow and Kate refrained from wearing the vests the marines had given them unless they were traveling somewhere beyond the walls of the Archives. They were heavy and uncomfortable. But, Sparrow made a point of always wearing her second skin armor under her clothes. The second skin had saved her life more than once. Plus, she barely noticed it was there anymore. It was certainly easier to put on compared to squeezing herself into a suit of form-fitting armor.
Sparrow knew Kate did not begrudge the protective nature of the marines from the late-night discussions they'd engaged in. First and foremost, Kate had Merrick now, and fully intended to live a long life with him. Second, Kate knew the archivists needed help as they went about their daunting task of recording the revelations from Nemus and they looked to Kate as their leader. Finally, as the Archives' sole Watcher, Nemus needed her. Although the archivists were able to access Nemus' vast intellect and insight, they did not share the same relationship with the big tree as Kate. Her mind was tied directly to Nemus. As such, she served as a calming counterpoint to the relatively young tree's fits of being a teenager. Kate had confided in Sparrow that she often wondered how long it would be until Nemus selected another Watcher. Kate bore the burden well enough. She accepted being a Watcher, selected by Knowl to guard and nurture his son.
As Sparrow walked under the arched branches of the trees along the path winding down to the tiny spaceport, she reached out and found Ross' hand. Their fingers intertwined in a familiar way which made Sparrow feel like they had been together for years instead of merely a few months. She squeezed the marine's big hand, happy to be at his side.
"More unwilling recruits?"
The voice stopped Sparrow. She turned to face Andrea as she came around the trunk of a nearby apple tree. Even with smudges of dirt here and there, Dagger's sister managed to look stunning in her work outfit.
"Lieutenant Colonel Georges is back," Sparrow said. "I am not sure if he has brought anyone with him."
"Pity," Andrea said. Her lips curved down in pout. "I could use the company." She turned and saw Dagger behind Sparrow. "Oh, hey sis...off on another space adventure?"
Dagger ground her teeth but said nothing. Since she'd rescued Andrea from the Tallinn Councilman, Dagger had been unable to convince her sister she'd done it for her sibling's own good.
Andrea started to walk away. She waved a hand over her shoulder and called back, "Don't worry about me! I've got plenty of dirt to play with here!"
Sparrow whispered to Dagger, "Try to not let her bother you." She figured it wouldn't do any good. But she had to say something.
Dagger stomped past Sparrow and Ross, muttering, "Should have left her on Transom!"
Ross raised his eyebrows and Sparrow sighed. Whatever healing needed to happen between the sisters would come in time. For now, they needed to see Georges.
They arrived at the edge of the field just as a unifor
med pilot climbed out of the craft's cockpit. The menacing design, integrated heavy weapon pods, and mottled gray paint scheme screamed military attack shuttle as much as the 'SUMC' and marine emblem stenciled boldly in matte black across the hull. This was a different model than the one Garrett had piloted. The shuttle sitting on the Archives' landing field was nearly twice as large as Garrett's had been and perhaps two thirds as big as Dagger's Blade.
The figure dropped to the tarmac and faced the small welcoming committee. As he turned away from the retractable ladder, Sparrow could finally recognize her friend, Rand Georges. He smiled and ran a hand over the white stubble of his buzz cut. Sparrow let out her breath and relaxed. Until she actually saw the older marine, she was not entirely sure who was calling on them, despite Tivon's pronouncement.
Sparrow had missed Georges immensely. After all, they had spent the better part of the past eight years together; more often than not in extremely dangerous situations. But, no matter what they faced, he had always been there at her side.
She smiled at the memory of their first meeting. When then-Major Randall Georges had slipped into her booth at her favorite cybercaf she didn't realize how radically he would change her life. He'd asked if she knew anything about Project Hyperion. The mischievous look in his eyes told Sparrow he was well aware of her intrusion into SUMC's classified computer systems. Two questions had run through the Link Sprite's mind: what had she missed which tripped the security sub-routine to bring the marines down upon her, and, was this man going to arrest her?
Georges brought Sparrow in, but not under arrest. He'd offered her a job she couldn't refuse. Sparrow's job description of 'technical consultant' was an excellent cover for the undercover missions Georges dragged her around the galaxy to perform. With his skills at physical infiltration and her skills at manipulating the digital world, they were an extremely successful team. She had come to love him like a father and was glad he was finally back from his meeting with Fleet.
Merrick, Ross, and Garrett exchanged salutes with their superior officer. As soon as Georges dropped his arm, Sparrow ran up and wrapped him in a hug.
"It is about time that you returned," Sparrow said. As she stepped back, she fingered the eagle insignia on Georges' collar and gave him a wry grin. "Well done, Colonel!"
Kate gave Georges a hug. "Welcome back!"
When Kate released him, Georges stepped over and shook Tarun's hand. When he reached Tivon he hesitated before giving the younger woman a quick hug.
Sparrow caught the disappointed look which passed Tivon's face. She made a mental note to have a talk with the man about pulling his head out of his rear.
"Congratulations, Colonel," Kate said with a smile. She brushed a light finger over the silver eagles. "They look great!"
Sparrow punched Georges in the arm. "You sly devil! We send you back for some intel and you go and get yourself promoted!"
"I assure you," Georges said and gestured at his collar, "These are more the result of your actions than anything I did on my own."
"Congratulations, sir," Garrett said.
Georges put on a serious face and returned the marine's salutes. "Thank you."
The ground shook. Sparrow grabbed onto Ross to keep from being thrown to the tarmac. After a moment, the rumbling stopped. Everyone straightened up, and stared at Georges as if nothing had happened.
"What. Was. That?" Georges asked, his eyes roaming over the landscape around the Archives.
Sparrow hooked a thumb over her shoulder, pointing back at Nemus. "Growth spurt."
Georges stared at Sparrow for a few long seconds before his face cracked into a grin. "Wouldn't you know it? I returned just in time to see him go through puberty."
"You didn't sell us out for a promotion and a raise, did you?" Dagger asked from the back of the crowd.
Tivon and Tarun stepped aside and looked back at the pilot. Dagger had one hand on the long knife she always carried at her waist. The other hand rested lightly on the handle of her big handgun.
Georges turned slowly to stare at Dagger. He held her gaze for a long moment before he broke into a grin. "You know me, Amanda. I would've carpet-bombed you from space were that the case."
"Uh-huh," Dagger replied. Her eyes slid past Georges to the Marine Long-Range Assault Shuttle. "And have you brought any friends along for the ride?"
Georges turned to look at the shuttle then back to Dagger. "Is that what's chipping at your blades?"
"Maybe," Dagger said, her tone dangerous. "Just wondering what this is all about. Am I to assume you don't need me or Blade around any longer? Have we outlived our usefulness?"
"Dagger..." Garrett began then let his voice trail off.
Sparrow realized she was beginning to wonder the same thing.
"God, I've missed you, Dagger," Georges stated and shook his head. "First of all, that..." he pointed at the shuttle, "was my way of getting back here without having to catch a lift on some tral-hole of a merchant trader. As you well know, our little slice of paradise here isn't exactly on the main trade routes." He tossed a set of plastic registration cards to Garrett.
Garrett caught the cards and studied them for a moment before looking up at Georges. "This says the ship is permanently attached to the 707th Deep Reconnaissance Unit."
"That's right, Captain Garrett," Georges replied. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a pair of Captain's rank as bright as his eagles. He tossed them to Garrett. "Congratulations. You have a new ship. And you've been promoted."
Garrett fumbled the toss and dropped the new rank on the ground. He quickly picked them up. Still surprised, he managed a salute and said, "Thank you, sir!"
"But there is no 707th DRU," Ross interjected.
"There is now," Georges stated. "You are the newest military members of the SUMC Deep Recon elite. Welcome to the Special Forces. You..." He eyed Kate, Sparrow, Tarun, and Tivon, "and your civilian counterparts are officially attached to me for 'extended special duties'."
Dagger cleared her throat.
Georges faced her. Over his shoulder, he asked, "Master Gunnery Sergeant, will you please grab that case I left beside the shuttle?"
When Merrick didn't move, Georges reached into his pocket and pulled out two arm patches with three chevrons and four rockers sealed together in plastic. He tossed the package over his shoulder at Merrick without looking. The sniper caught it out of the air with one hand.
"Congratulations, Master Gunnery Sergeant. You'll to see to all the needs of the enlisted men within this DRU," Georges announced, not breaking eye contact with Dagger. Merrick narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the new rank. The impact of the gesture finally registered and he snapped off a crisp salute at the Colonel's back. Georges returned the salute without turning. "Get my suitcase, Master Gunny. Before I take them back. You have no idea what I went through to get you all battlefield promotions."
Merrick hustled over to retrieve a large silver case standing alone on the concrete next to the cockpit ladder. As he was about to hand it to Georges, the Colonel gestured toward Dagger.
"That belongs to the lady with all the knives."
Merrick's eyes darted from Georges to Kate to Dagger. Deciding to go along with whatever the Colonel was playing at, Merrick walked over and held the case out to the pilot.
Dagger reluctantly took her hand off her pistol grip. She clicked the lock open and slowly lifted the lid as Merrick held the case for her. Sparrow noted the pilot did not let go of the blade in her other hand.
Dagger's eyes went wide in surprise then just as quickly narrowed in suspicion. She looked around Merrick to Georges. "What's the catch, promotion boy?"
"No catch," Georges said softly with a slight hitch in his voice. "Consider that the payment we agreed to back on Transom station...along with interest, of course. That, and a down payment."
"Down payment?" Dagger asked. Her eyes flicked over the contents of the suitcase once more. "On what?"
"Say, permanent employment as our res
ident 'insertion expert' and local guide to the stars."
"There's enough credits here to buy three new ships," Dagger protested. She picked up a twenty thousand credit stick and waved it at Georges. "You could buy yourself your own 'Blade'!"
"But not the pilot," Georges replied. He sighed. "Dagger, you're the best pilot I know. Sorry, Captain Garrett. No offense."
"None taken, sir. Dagger's the best pilot I know!"
Dagger pocketed the credit stick and shut the case. She stepped away from everyone and turned to face the Archives sprawling across the nearby hilltop. The starship pilot looked up into the blue sky and the sliver of a small moon that was visible there. Everyone waited in silence.
After a long moment Dagger wiped her face with her hand. Sparrow knew the woman was wiping tears from her eyes but said nothing. Sparrow had tears of her own to deal with.
"You've got yourself a pilot," Dagger said over her shoulder. Without another word, she strode across the tarmac toward Blade.
"Welcome home," Sparrow whispered after Dagger's back. She faced the others and found they were all grins. Garrett had the biggest smile of all.
"Uh, sir...?" Ross began. He scuffed the tip of his immense boot on the ground. "I was just...uh..."
Georges reached into one of his side pockets and pulled out a set of arm patches featuring three chevrons and two rockers. He looked at the patches, fingering the embroidered fabric for a long moment, then straightened his back. He addressed Ross, "As you know, a Gunnery Sergeant serves the unit commander as his tactical advisor and premiere weapons specialist. I can think of no other man I would rather have filling this position in my command." He handed the patches to Ross and saluted before the other marine could lift his hand. "Congratulations, Gunnery Sergeant Ross."
A grin spread across the new gunny's face before he realized he needed to salute. "Thank you, sir!"
Georges smiled back then rubbed his hands together. He was as excited as a kid in a candy store. "If you marines like the new rank, you're going to love what I've got in the hold of the shuttle!"