“You know you can trust me, my Dramok.”
The sincerity in his tone allowed Erybet to give him a hint of a smile. “I know. I’ve put in for an appointment to speak to Emperor Bevau. I had hoped to get his permission to bring you into our confidences before discussing this with you, but he is very busy. I don’t think this can wait any longer. I would rather lose my freedom and commission than my Nobek.”
“Of course.”
“We were on New Bethlehem.”
Conyod’s eyes went wide. That hellhole, where so many Earthers and Kalquorians alike had lost their lives? Where the Slaughter of Innocents had taken place? If Sletran had been anywhere near that site of horrendous bloodshed—
Conyod knew that was exactly what had happened. It explained everything. “You two were there during the massacre? And with Sletran as protective as he is … no wonder he’s having so many problems!”
Erybet’s gaze caught his and held it. “It’s more than that. I was at a command post, but Sletran…”
He visibly gathered himself. In a low voice, he said, “Our Nobek wasn’t just a witness, Conyod. After I cleared it, he gave the order to attack.”
Conyod stared, not believing his ears. Not my Nobek. Not Sletran. He would never do such a terrible thing. Never!
He opened his mouth to deny Erybet’s allegation, but nothing would come out. He wanted to scream at the other man to shut up, to say not another word, but the words stuck in his throat.
Conyod suddenly had full appreciation of the torment Rachel had gone through.
Erybet’s mouth moved, and his words told the story that Conyod no longer wanted to hear.
He sat frozen as Erybet took him back to that terrible day, to the day that ended the lives of the clanmates he’d loved and replaced them with men he didn’t recognize.
* * * *
Company Commander Erybet stood in the cramped and dark command post, half a dozen illuminated vid screens scrolling information before his eyes. His two aides Dramok Ridna and Nobek Tas flanked him, working the computers.
He smiled with no humor. This was it. This was ‘for all the marbles’, as he’d once heard an Earther commander yell as his troops attacked Erybet’s. Apparently marbles, whatever they were, were a very valuable commodity on Earth.
A slight wash of static came through the com link. Erybet frowned. Communication relays almost never became distorted, not unless someone was purposely jamming the frequencies. It cleared up immediately, replaced by Sletran’s voice.
“Team A in position, Company Commander. Team B, report.”
High Commander Akrij sounded as if he was in the room. “Team B is in position and awaits your signal, Group Commander Sletran.”
Erybet smiled with real feeling this time. As usual, Akrij was in the thick of things, fighting side by side with his men. Probably right at the front of the line, too. Just as typical, he’d left Sletran in charge of the attack, refusing to take deserving leadership away despite his higher rank.
Erybet responded. “Company Commander acknowledges Group Commander Sletran’s men are in position.”
Sletran’s smooth voice carried no sign of the excitement he undoubtedly felt. He was utterly focused on his mission. “I confirm activity within target location. We see movement within the building, but cannot make out exactly who is inside. Commence routine confirmation of target.
We have surrounded the building at coordinates one-one-seven-two-point-eight-four-six.”
Ridna doublechecked his computer. “Coordinates confirmed.”
“Coordinates confirmed,” Tas echoed.
Erybet scanned the vid before him three times before adding, “Coordinates confirmed, Group Commander.”
“Confirmations received. Request routine confirmation of intelligence.”
The three men in the command post brought their attention to their individual readouts.
Ridna reported, “Informant to High Commander Akrij, designated EM-729, reports Earther insurgents gathering in building located at coordinates one-one-seven-two-point-eight-four-six.
Intelligence gathered confirms a number of no less than forty-three Earther soldiers, having ignored orders for surrender, have commandeered the location to carry out attacks against the Kalquorian forces and peacemakers. Informant also reports, and said reports have been confirmed, the identities of these Earthers are those who have led attacks against Kalquorian peacemakers engaged in aid to Earther refugees.”
Tas repeated the exact same thing, reading from his separate station. Then Erybet repeated it again.
Another wash of static preceded Sletran’s next relay and distorted his message. “Con …
cation and intelli … received.”
Erybet’s eyes narrowed and he peered into the darkness beyond the vid displays, as if he could will second sight to show him his Nobek. “Repeat, Group Commander. I’m getting a lot of interference from your com.”
Another burst of static, then Sletran’s voice came through loud and clear. “Confirmation of enemy location and intelligence received.”
“Check for willful interference of communications from enemy. I’m getting intermittent interruption of signal.” If this mission was compromised, Erybet had no problem pulling his men out, though the Nobeks would kick and scream about it. Fuck the attack and the Nobek need for face-to-face confrontation; he’d set up a security cordon and starve the insurgents out if he had to.
Sletran spoke after a few moments. “No interference detected, Company Commander. If it’s intermittent, it could be a random jamming device coming from the target.”
“Your assessment is to continue the mission?”
“Absolutely.” Sletran let a little growl into his voice. His predatory instincts were at full force despite the cool command he exercised.
That was good enough for Erybet. Time to end this damned rebellion and go home to our Imdiko. “Company Commander Erybet assigns full authority to Group Commander Sletran to carry out the mission. All confirmations verified. My order is to destroy the insurgent threat.
Good luck and be careful, Sletran.”
“We’ll all see you soon, Commander Erybet. Teams A and B, commence planting of explosives.”
Minutes of com silence ticked by. Erybet hated these long moments of waiting and worrying in the dark. Akrij definitely had it right, jumping into the fray rather than holding down the command center and feeling useless.
Erybet’s aides felt the strain too, especially the Nobek. Too well trained to show impatience, tension nevertheless flowed from Tas in waves. He growled, “I’ll be glad when we’ve taken care of the last of these holdouts, Commander.”
Erybet nodded his agreement. “This is supposed to be the last large group of insurgents here on New Bethlehem. With any luck, we’ll be heading home in a few weeks.”
Home. And Conyod. By the ancestors, all he and Sletran talked about in their off time was their Imdiko and how much they missed him. Because New Bethlehem was such a hotbed of trouble, they’d not been allowed communications to home. No one had, as casualties on the small colony and once-secret military base continued to mount for Earther and Kalquorian alike despite the ending of the war. The only sense of contact with Conyod came through the occasional visits from his Nobek father. Vel had been cleared to come to the ravaged colony to make deals with the peaceful colonists for kestarsh. The Earthers had lost nearly all their livestock to the war and rebellion.
The identities of those trying to quell the uprising on New Bethlehem were kept quiet. Even Vel’s activities had been deemed a security issue, and he’d been sworn to secrecy just like any member of the military. Having been a foot soldier himself in the past, Vel’s loyalty was never questioned. He’d cleared the security measures without a problem, and as far as Erybet knew, he’d never told his clan or Conyod he’d been on the colony.
The only way loved ones discovered a clanmate, son, brother, or father had gone to New Bethlehem was if the dead body was shippe
d home. While the terrible truth of the colony could not be hidden from the public, at least those who served there and lived could be protected.
Erybet had watched many men, several under his own command, die in this terrible place.
He had no doubt he was a changed man, seeing all he had. But eventually the nightmares would stop once he was out of here. Having Sletran with him helped him cope with the unrelenting fighting in the meantime. That, and the eventuality of going home to Conyod. Anticipation of relaxing on the balcony with drinks, looking out over the green ocean and pink-sanded beach, of sharing stories and laughter again was the light at the end of this dark tunnel.
Today’s mission might very well signal the achievement of that goal. One last bloody hit on those who refused to bow to the inevitable, who killed for no other reason but blind retribution, and it would be done.
A loud blast of static came over the com, interrupting Erybet’s hopeful thoughts. Between the buzzing hiss of interference, Sletran’s now-desperate voice faded in and out.
“… not activate … I repeat …. Mataras and children … do not … now!”
Erybet went on full alert. Even under attack, his Nobek had never sounded that frantic.
“Sletran? What’s wrong?”
An eternity of long, silent seconds passed as he waited for an answer. When it came, Sletran sounded like he was screaming the words, though it was barely discernable through the badly distorted connection.
“… get in … search … survivors … Erybet … bad intel—”
He was suddenly cut off, and cold terror blasted through Erybet’s guts. Not caring how desperate he sounded, Erybet yelled, “Sletran, talk to me! High Commander Akrij, respond.”
Akrij’s cool voice came through clearly. “The target has been successfully destroyed, Company Commander, despite Team A not carrying out execute orders. I am making my way to Sletran to find out what has happened to Team A.”
More silence, leaving Erybet to listen to his heart thunder. Akrij is there. Sletran is alive.
It’s going to be okay. Too bad he didn’t truly believe that.
Finally, with gorgeous clarity, Sletran spoke. “Group Commander Sletran to Company Commander Erybet.”
Erybet’s eyes closed in relief. His Nobek sounded perfectly fine. Steeling his voice to not betray the depth of emotion he felt, he answered, “Sletran, you’re coming in clear now. What happened?”
“The intelligence was bad, or the insurgents knew we were coming and planted civilians in their place. We have killed an unknown number of Earther Mataras and children.” Sletran’s voice lost its composure then, trembling over the frequency. “Erybet, there are bodies all over.
Women and little ones—”
Erybet exchanged horrified looks with his aides. Then he looked at the vid suspended in the air in front of him. He couldn’t help but stare at the intelligence on its invisible surface, the information that said the building had been filled with insurgent soldiers plotting murder and mayhem. No women and children were mentioned. No innocents were supposed to be there.
The vid mocked him with its falsehoods. How had they gotten this so wrong?
I told him to go ahead with the attack. I gave the order. My Nobek carried it out and now there is blood of Mataras and babies on our hands.
His lips numb, Erybet whispered, “Sletran.” The word was nearly silent to his own ears.
Erybet forced volume into his strengthless voice. “Sletran.”
The shaken voice answered him. “My Dram – Commander?”
“Commence search for survivors if you haven’t already. I’m on my way.”
* * * *
Conyod stared at his Dramok. The Slaughter of Innocents on New Bethlehem was considered the most horrendous of crimes perpetrated as a result of the war with Earth.
Kalquorians and Earthers alike cried out for justice against those responsible, despite the military’s assertion it had all been a terrible mistake.
His clanmates had been party to that tragedy. Had ordered it carried out.
Erybet’s gaze was far away, looking into an unthinkable past. “It was beyond horrible when I got to the scene. I can’t even describe it to you. I won’t.” His eyes closed, and a single tear slid out from under one eye. “How could we have been so far off with our intelligence?”
“How could this happen?” Conyod asked. He couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“We still don’t know. The informant’s credentials were supposed to be solid. Our own intelligence said we’d find the rebels there.” Erybet swallowed. “Of course Sletran took it personally, claiming all the fault was his. He tried to stop Team B from setting off the explosives, but the com didn’t work properly, and…”
His voice died off. In the silence, Conyod thought of how protective his Nobek had always been, especially when it came to those weaker than himself. When Conyod had run away from home as a child to a strange town and been confronted by bullies, it had been Sletran who had come to his defense. Who had seen to it Conyod got back home safely. Had kept in touch and offered support on the blackest days when the Imdiko was at his lowest.
Sletran did not knowingly hurt those he felt deserved shelter and security. He sure as hell would never harm women and children.
Bad information and a shitty com connection killed those people. Not Sletran. Not my Nobek.
But knowing Sletran as he did, Conyod knew his clanmate couldn’t help but blame himself.
Erybet was suffering from self-reproach as well. Yet they’d been left without resources to deal with the guilt, made to keep their torment a secret, even from their own Imdiko! It was wrong, and Conyod seethed at the faceless bureaucracy that had taken damaged psyches and left them to fester.
Anger made his voice hot. “You should have both instantly been placed on therapeutic leave. Analyzed, given coping instruction, all of it. At the very least.”
Erybet sounded tired. “Our orders keeping this classified came directly from the top. We knew there would be an outcry against the slaughter, unintentional as it was. As commanders directly responsible for the mission, both Sletran and I would be the target of attacks from enraged Kalquorians and Earthers.”
Conyod saw his point. “If it gets out, you could be murdered. People have been howling for the blood of those responsible since it happened.”
“Kalquorian men don’t kill women and children. And we don’t forgive those who do. It was kept a secret for our protection.”
Conyod leaned forward, slapping his palms hard on the table between them. “But it was a mistake! You didn’t know. You double checked everything. It wasn’t your faults!”
“Someone is to blame for all those deaths. I gave the order to Sletran. He led the teams.
We are directly responsible.”
His Dramok was hurting terribly, and Conyod ached for him. But he was at least coping.
He hadn’t given the final order. Their clanmate had.
“Erybet … Sletran will never forgive himself. Never.”
“I know.” He rubbed his temples, grimacing as if in pain. “New Bethlehem was a nightmare before the slaughter. We would have been changed men even without that last horror.”
Conyod stilled. There was more? “Tell me.”
Erybet drew in a huge breath. “The war was over, but the insurgents on that colony just wouldn’t let it go. They were made up of soldiers manning a secret military base hidden there.
We’d learned of the installation just before Earth’s Armageddon. They refused to give up the fight. They attacked us every chance they got, even if it meant killing themselves or their own.
They went after our people who were providing Earther refugees medical care, food, and shelter.
Your father and his aides too, and all they were doing was selling kestarsh.”
Conyod turned that over in his mind. He hadn’t known Vel had gone to New Bethlehem.
“You wouldn’t have known who was the enemy o
r who was friend among the Earthers.”
Erybet shook his head. “Even some of the women wanted us dead. And some were forced to attack us when loved ones like their children were held hostage. Shortly before the slaughter, a young beautiful female like Ray-Ray walked right into the camp Sletran and I were based out of. She wanted food, and we could tell she hadn’t eaten in a while. Of course she was allowed in.”
“Oh no. Did she—?”
“It was right at evening meal time. She walked into the dining facility and detonated the explosives she had strapped to her body. I lost a lot of men that day. Your parents’ head trainer Nif died along with a couple others Vel had brought. He was out of his mind with fury.”
“Nif? But I thought he was killed in a shuttle crash.”
“Vel was sworn to secrecy, the same as the rest of us.” Erybet shook his head. “Now you know why he’s so worried about your security here. He’s seen Earther women kill.”
Conyod swallowed the pain he felt, a mirror of what he saw in Erybet’s eyes. So much had been kept from him. Worst of all was what had happened to his clanmates. “I’m sorry, my Dramok.”
“So am I.” Erybet reached across to touch Conyod’s hair. “You didn’t ask for this broken clan you ended up with.”
His clanmates needed him. Desperately. Conyod had to find a way to get them off New Bethlehem, because he had no doubt both were still trapped there in a significant way.
He said, “Now that I know what happened, maybe I can help.”
Erybet pursed his lips. “I don’t know how Sletran will take you knowing what happened. It would devastate him to think you feel any less for him.”
Conyod scowled. “You know I can’t censure him for an event so far out of his control.”
“I know, Conyod. But in his state of mind, I don’t know he’ll accept that. Help him, by all means. But proceed very carefully.”
Alien Redemption [Clans of Kalquor 06] Page 22