by Rod Carstens
“Aye, aye, sir!” the three said in unison.
“Now each of us would like to give you some parting words to go by as you face your futures,” Ura said.
“Remember you are warriors. That means your body is your best weapon. If it is not up to the fight, then your equipment will not save you.”
Ura paused to let his words sink in.
“The difference in most battles comes down to just two things: your willpower and endurance. The will to never give up combined with the ability to continue to march when everyone else is down will win every time.”
Fenes could almost feel the stares of the other two drill instructors.
“In the midst of battle you must remain the eye of the hurricane. All those around you may be just reacting, not stopping to think. You must be the calm one, even if your instincts are to do the same as the others. Remain calm and think. Making a decision is always better than not making a decision.
“Every day is a training day. You will fight the way you train. If you train sloppy you will die. Train like you fight. Tolerate no slacking off in training.
“Platoon mates are going to be wounded and some will die. Understand that. Be prepared for it. Carry on no matter what. Complete the mission. If you do not, then those who died will have died in vain.
“If a senior NCO or officer has a wound badge, watch what they are doing. They are probably making the best decisions.
“Remember being a leader is not just giving orders. If there is a line for something good, then get in the back and make sure your troops get some before you do. If there is a line for something bad get in the front of it, show your platoon how it is done. Your troops will notice and it will say more than any long-winded speech about leadership. Keep the platoon together and make sure they are ready for combat.”
At that point Ura did something Dieter could not have imagined a few months ago. He stood and extended his hand. Dieter took his hand and shook it. Mati and Chucha did the same. Each said, “Good luck, Legionnaire.”
Dieter and the other two about-faced and left the room.
Sol System
Earth
City State of New York
Kat straddled Dasan’s hips, her large, perfect breasts swaying as she rode him. Dasan reached up and clutched her breasts as they climaxed together. With a small growl of pleasure, Kat collapsed onto Dasan’s chest. He put his arms around her and they lay there saying nothing. They were in Kat’s bedroom, the curtains turned clear so they could see the sea of lights beyond. Sunlight was just beginning to glow below the horizon. Dasan had spent every night with Kat since they met. When his leave was over, he had continued to spend the nights with her and commuted to the base.
“Mmmm,” Kat said, stroking Dasan’s chest. “How long before you have to go?”
“Not long. I have an early meeting today,”
Kat sat up and looked down at him, her face serious. “Last night you were talking in your sleep. Something about ‘They’re coming on the right.’ You were tossing and turning. Then you said, ‘No, not Padma.’ What was that all about?”
Dasan rolled off the bed and went to the window.
“I’m sorry, babe. I guess I was dreaming about Rift again.”
Kat came up to him and put her arms around him from behind. “Who was Padma?”
“She was a medic in my unit. The best there was. She was killed by a wounded hybrid. He blew himself and her up in front of us. That’s why we don’t take prisoners. It happened a number of times. But Padma was the best and one of the first. She was just blown into.…” Dasan stopped, unable to describe what explosives did to a medic with her helmet hinged back.
Kat turned him around and stared up at him. “I can’t begin to understand what you’ve been through, but know this. I’m here for you. Know that. Last night when you were dreaming, I took you in my arms and it seemed to help. If I can do nothing else, I’ll be here for you.”
Dasan stared at her for a long moment.
“Kat, Rift won’t go away, nor 703. What I’ve seen and what I will see will always be with me. There will be more battles, more memories. They will just keep piling up on one another. It won’t get better. You have to understand that.”
“Then why do that to yourself? You’ve done so much already. You could step back and not go into combat anymore. You’re a general now.”
Dasan’s face hardened. “No, never. I will not quit until I’ve killed every fucking one of them. I’ve seen what they’ve done. I know what they are. I don’t know if you believe in fate or not, but I was fated to do this and I will not stop now or ever. The only way they can stop me is to kill me. If you can’t understand that, then maybe we should call this thing off now, because that is who I am and who I will always be.”
Kat looked up at him. Anger twisted her face and she slapped him hard. “Listen, you stupid son of a bitch. If you don’t know that I care about you by now, then you’re not the man I thought you were. We have something special going on here. I don’t have anything like this with any of my husbands or wives. This is something more. Something I didn’t think I was capable of. Now if you can’t handle it, then you’re the one who will have to walk away.”
Dasan rubbed his face where she had slapped him. “I don’t want to walk away. I just thought that you should know it will get worse,” he said.
Kat’s face softened and she said, “I know, babe. I know. The only thing that scares me is you leaving.”
Dasan pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Then he scooped her up and carried her to the bed. Kat lay back and took him into her with a low moan. Later they were lying beside one another when Dasan sat up.
“I’m sorry about—” Dasan began. Kat put a finger across his mouth before he finished his sentence.
“It was something that we both had to say. No need for an apology. Not between us.”
Dasan kissed her and Kat melted against him. She reached for him, but Dasan gently pushed her hand away.
“I really do have to go now.”
“Don’t go. Stay, baby,” Kat said, kissing his chest.
“Right.”
Kat chuckled. She knew he had to report for work. Idly, Kat traced the long scars on Dasan’s chest. His body was covered with marks left from his wounds on Rift.
“Why didn’t you have the surgeons remove the scars, baby? You feel like a road map.”
“It’s a Wolf thing. They feel that scars from wounds in battle are something to wear with pride. They separate warriors from others. Aijuba first explained it to me, and now that I have my own, I know that she was right. I am proud of my scars. They are a symbol of my battles. They mark me as a warrior.”
Dasan kissed Kat on the forehead and rolled off the bed. Kat propped her head up on a hand and watched Dasan closely, enjoying the sight of his naked, lean, muscular body.
“You know, I was thinking,” Kat began with a smile. “That thing that you do that makes me climax so quickly. Well, if you started with that little trick we might have time for.…”
Dasan was walking toward the bathroom. He stopped and turned to face Kat. Her lush, nude body was something he never tired of looking at. She was so different physically from Aijuba, but so similar in her passion and need in bed. Sprawled across the bed, she knew how good she looked. She gave him a small smirk that conveyed much more than words. At times she seemed almost insatiable. Dasan could get lost in the pure, physical feel of her, to the point that the world would disappear and only they existed. Even with Aijuba he had never felt this kind of physical need.
“No, we don’t. The meeting is with the admiral and I don’t think she would accept my excuse for missing a meeting to stay in bed with my.…”
Kat arched an eyebrow. They had not discussed what it was they had together. They had only reveled in the attraction.
“Your what?”
Dasan smiled. “My wench.”
“Oh, I’ve never been somebody’s wench before. I think I l
ike it. Come ravish me, sir. Your wench awaits.”
Dasan smiled and ducked into the bathroom.
“Tease,” Kat said, throwing a shoe at Dasan.
Dasan came out later to find Kat sitting up in bed with one of her special morning-blend cigarettes and coffee. The cigarettes had some uppers with some happy, as she called the drug, mixed with the tobacco. A pot of coffee and another cup sat on a tray on the bed.
“There’s coffee, babe,” Kat said.
“Thanks. I have time for a quick cup.”
Dasan poured himself a cup and began to dress. Kat sat watching him, smoking and sipping her coffee. He was knotting his tie when she said, “When are you leaving?”
Dasan stopped and turned to stare at her. “Now. Isn’t it obvious?”
“That’s not what I meant,” Kat said, her face serious.
“How did you know? You didn’t hear something, did you?”
“No, dear, this has nothing to do with my job. It has everything to do with being your wench.”
Dasan came and sat on the bed. “A couple more days. I was going to tell you tonight.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“I don’t know.”
Kat took a final drag on her cigarette then crushed it out. She blew a thick stream of smoke out before she said, “That long.”
“It’s just another training exercise.”
“Dasan, I lie for a living. But more than that you can’t lie to your wench. She knows you too well. I’ve known you were leaving for a week. I was just waiting to see how long before you got up the courage to tell me.”
“How did you know?”
“When you care about someone, you pay close attention.”
“Yes, and when you care, so many unspoken things are more transparent.”
Their eyes met for a long moment.
“General, you had better finish dressing before your wench jumps you and forces herself on you.”
Dasan finished putting his uniform on. When he turned she was still sitting in bed, staring at him. He leaned over the bed to kiss her goodbye. The kiss turned into a long, lingering one.
“Tonight, babe.”
“Tonight.”
#
That night when Dasan returned to Kat’s apartment, he found her waiting. She was wearing the same dress she had worn the night they met. She was wearing the same breast jewelry, her hair carefully finger-combed back from her face so that it looked casual but in reality was perfectly arranged to emphasize her beauty. She had done her eyes with smoky eyeshadow and had dark red lipstick on her full lips. She looked so beautiful and desirable Dasan went to take her in his arms.
With a laugh, Kat evaded him and said, “Oh, no there, General. We eat first. Your wench did not go to all this trouble to look good for you only to have you destroy it so early. No, sir, you will have to wait.”
“Listen, wench.…”
Kat laughed and said, “Go get out of that uniform and we will have drinks then dinner.”
“But—” Dasan said as he reached for her again.
“Out with you, sir,” Kat said as she again moved away.
Dasan found a robe and a lounging shirt and pants laid out for him. He put them on and padded barefoot back into the living room.
The lights were down, with only real candles burning on the table. Kat had opened a bottle of wine and sat there smoking, waiting for him to return. This time she came into his arms and kissed him gently.
“Welcome home, General.”
“It is very good to be home.”
Kat looked at him for a long moment, not moving out of his arms, and said, “You know I want you to think of this as your home, don’t you?”
“Kat, I.…”
Kat put one finger to his lips and said, “I know what you're thinking. That it’s too soon after Aijuba. But you told me what she said for you to do after she was gone.”
Dasan still heard the words echo in his mind. “Live your life for me. Celebrate me not by grieving but by finding someone.”
Kat’s beautiful eyes searched his face. “Dasan, I have two wives and three husbands, but I don’t have anything close to what you and I have. I’ve never felt this way before.”
Dasan didn’t know what to say. He too felt something special between them. Something as strong as with Aijuba but different in a way he could not explain.
“What about them?”
“Sweetie, none of us are good at monogamy. But this is so much more than physical. I can face that when we have figured out what we are going to do about us.”
Dasan released her and walked away. He turned and said, “What about us?”
“We don’t know yet, do we? We still need more time. This is new territory for me,”
“I’m leaving tomorrow and I don’t know when I’ll be back.”
Kat strode across the space separating them and grabbed him by the shoulders.
“I know. Oh, I know too well. All I am asking is you come back to me. Do you understand me? You come back to me no matter how long it is. I will be waiting for you.”
This time Kat did not resist when Dasan took her into his arms and kissed her with more desire than he had ever felt for anyone before. Kat responded to his passion with her own. Dasan pulled her dress off as she tore off his robe and pants. She pushed him down onto the floor and mounted him. Dasan groaned as he entered her and rolled on top of her. They lost themselves in each other’s bodies. Both knew all of the little things that gave the other pleasure now, and they kept their passion going for hours. Much later they were sitting at the table finally having their dinner. Kat noticed the scratches her nails had left on his shoulder.
“Baby, I'm sorry about those scratches.”
“I took them as a compliment.”
Kat smirked. “They were,” she said.
They finished the bottle of wine with dinner and were sitting with one of Kat’s favorite after-dinner cigarette blends when she said, “Baby, I need to get you to bed. You only have a few hours before you have to go.”
“Sounds good to me,” Dasan said with a look that said more than the words.
“Seriously, baby, you need to rest.”
“I can rest on the ship. It's time I ravished you, wench.”
He stood, reached over, grabbed Kat and threw her over his shoulder, and walked toward the bedroom.
Laughing, Kat said, “Let the ravishing begin, sir.”
#
Dasan was knotting his uniform’s tie as the sun began to rise. Kat lay nude on the bed watching him. He finished, turned, and looked down at her.
“It’s time, Kat.”
Kat rose and came into his arms. “You didn’t get much sleep. Will you be all right?”
“Are you kidding? I didn’t get any sleep. Somebody was very demanding.”
“A wench has the right to send her man off the right way.”
Dasan lifted her face. There were tears in her eyes.
“You come back to me. Do you hear me, Dasan? You better come back to me,” Kat said fiercely.
“Oh, don’t you worry. I will come back to you.”
Dasan kissed her gently on the mouth and stepped away to grab his hat. Kat stood there, one hand to her mouth. Tears were slowly rolling down her face.
“I.…” he started, but he could not finish.
“I know,” Kat said.
Dasan walked out of the apartment. When Kat heard the door slam she collapsed on the bed, crying.
Rigel Kent System
Intina
Intina Spaceport
135th Penal Battalion
3rd Company
First Platoon
Dieter Fenes and the rest of the platoon were standing in the cold of the Intinan morning with the rest of their newly formed battalion as another shuttle touched down. They had been standing in formation for almost two hours now as platoon after platoon was loaded onto shuttles that would take them up to the troopship in orbit above. Von Fleet
security guards stood at twenty-five-foot intervals around the large formation. Guard towers with more Von Fleet security manning automatic weapons pointed at the formation made Dieter feel more like a prisoner than he had since his trial.
Dieter glanced at the rest of his platoon. They were standing together in a tight platoon formation with him, Ardan, and Minga at the head of three squads. Around them other platoons were milling around. Some sat on the ground. Others argued with one another. The last thing they looked like was a military unit. Periodically the loudspeaker squawked for the next platoon to load up on a shuttle for the trip to the waiting troopship. The disorganization and downright chaos of some of the other platoons worried Dieter. They only seemed to come together when the guards made them, and that did not bode well for fighting alongside them.
“Third Company, first platoon report to the loading ramp. I repeat, 3rd Company, first platoon report to the loading ramp.”
Dieter glanced over his shoulder at Ardan and Minga and nodded. Then he said, “First squad on me.”
First squad followed him as he strode toward the ramp that led to the recently landed shuttle. Ardan followed the last man in Dieter’s squad and Minga followed the last woman in Ardan’s squad. Dieter marched up to the guard who was checking the roster as the platoons were loaded.
“Sir, 3rd Company, first platoon reporting as ordered,” Dieter said.
The guard looked up from his pad’s readout and said, “Get them aboard.”
Dieter led the platoon on board the shuttle. Each held out their right hand and a scanner scanned their Von Fleet I.D. tattoo, tracking them as they entered the ship. They were crammed in the passenger space almost on top of each other. Once they were all finally aboard, the hatch closed. Dieter and the others sat down in the web-sling seats provided and waited as the shuttle lifted off and left Intina. It was a short ride up to the ship. The shuttle docked with the waiting ship and the hatch opened. Another guard was standing there waiting for them.