Out of the Ashes: Book 2 of the Death Dealer Saga - Deaths Own Daughter

by Jessie Wolf

  “Well daughter dear; what else did they do?” The tone of her voice could freeze the equatorial sea all on its own. Oh boy is she pissed.

  “They made you the perfect example of a fashion vide model, mama.” I almost cringed when she answered me.

  “They Did What?! No never mind. Just how bad it is?” she asked of me.

  “Well let’s just say that from what I can see. If I was you I wouldn’t go near the House military barracks without a ball bat and a gun.” I just waited for her to finally look down at herself.

  “OH! Sweet Goddess! Where are my clothes?” was all she said.

  Uh … Wait a minute where’s the scream of outrage? Shouldn’t she be pissed about this? Could she really have no problem with this?

  “Hum… mama are you really ok with this?” I was really worried about her.

  “Yes child, I’m fine. Just a little shocked by how young I’ve become, not to mention how beautiful I am.” Was her answer. “Now what happened to my clothes? I really liked that outfit.”

  Smiling I handed her the replacement outfit I had gotten for her. “The nanites destroyed the other while they were working on you. That’s why you are naked, mama.”

  “Well at lest you planed ahead for my rebirth it would seem.” She says as she takes the replacement outfit from me.

  “Not really, it wasn’t until I thought about disengaging my armor that it crossed my mind, that you would need new clothes when you came out of your cocoon.” I was honest with her.

  “Well then daughter, I believe that you handled the matter quite well.” She told me as she was getting dressed. “Now what else is bothering you?”

  Sighing I begin to tell her what it was really eating at me, that was until I realized where we were and who could be listening. “I’ll tell you when we get home, mama. There is one thing though that we need to talk about right now. Can you tell me how old my younger sisters are and what they might want out of life?”

  “Why Maiha, I thought you knew. Fuyuko who is the eldest just turned fourteen, is a second year novice, or I should say was. I know she wants to be the pilot for an AP suite just like her sisters. As for the twins they are two years younger at twelve. Now what is it about them that has you so concerned?” I could tell she’s worried as well.

  Before I can tell her thought I get a flash alert from General Star. “Excuse me mama, but I have an important message from some … friends of mine I need to take.”

  Seeing the urgent need in my face she nods her head. “Go take care of your business my daughter. From the look on your face it is time for you to be Death’s own Daughter I’m afraid. Just do me one favor.” I look her in the eyes when she says this. “Do not forget that you have a second chance at life. When this is over come home to me and together maybe we can put the past in the past.”

  “I’ll make no promise that I might not be able to keep, mama. I will do my best to come home and in one piece.” I tell her. “However I think we may have time yet, before I must be the Daughter of Death. For now I just need to answer this call.” With that I head outside to the IFV just outside of the shop.

  Outside in the IFV…..

  “Lieutenant I need to use your sat-com radio.” I tell my favorite House lieutenant.

  When he looks at he has this look on his face that tells me he ain’t too happy about what happened earlier. “Then you need to go get your aunt’s permission, ‘Lady Nakatoma’.”

  That was it; I have had enough of these ass whips thinking that they did not answer to me. When all was said and done I, not my mama, was the Head of House for the Nakatoma Family. Not to mention the highest ranking son-of-a-bitch on the planet and in the System. “Lieutenant I have put up with your bullshit all afternoon. I am the Head of House, not my aunt. Do you understand this fact or not?”

  “You may be the Head of House but I do not answer to you, little girl. I answer to the Reverend Mother and Major Fujiyama. So go get her to give you permission.” The arrogant prick had no idea of who he had just pissed off.

  “Lieutenant, I hope you have plenty of long thermal underwear.”

  “Just what do you mean by that?”

  “Sergeant, you are to place this man under arrest. Then you are to deliver him to Major Fujiyama and inform him that this man is to be sent to one of the polar listening posts within the next seventy-two hours. Understood?” I ordered the staff Sergeant who was standing nearby.

  “Yes ma’am. Right away.” Then turned to the lieutenant “Sir if you’ll come with me?”

  “Sergeant she can’t” was all he got out before the Sergeant punched him in the gut.

  “Yes sir. She can and has. The last time I looked the Head of House outranks even our commander. I was there when the Reverend Mother not only turned over that position to her, but gave her, her blessings in guiding their family. Private get him out of here. Place him in blue two for transport.” When he was done giving out orders he turned back to me. “My Lady please forgive us the way you were treated by that man. If I could have I would have put him under arrest sooner.”

  “Don’t worry about it Sergeant. He's the prick not your troopers. Now I really need that sat-com.”

  “Go right ahead ma’am. Do you know what frequency you need?”

  “Yes I have all the info I need for this. I just need for you all to clear out the track.”

  “You got it ma’am. Ok move it you lot. You heard the Lady; clear out.” I watch as the crew of the IFV cleared out in five quarter time.

  Once everyone was out of the IFV I slipped inside closing the hatch behind me. Setting down in front of the sat-com radio I set it to the correct frequency and began to transmit. “Wave Dancer to Delta Six Command, Over”

  Mike must have been standing next to or in the coms-room for him to answer me as quick as he did. “Delta Six here Wave Dancer. Over”

  “Six you sent a flash message for me to make contact via sat-com. What is our track? Over.”

  “Dancer you were right about there being bandits waiting for us. Over.”

  “Six any casualties? Over.”

  “Negative Dancer. We caught them with their pants down. We destroyed three and captured two. We currently have seventeen I repeat seventeen papa oscar whiskeys. Over”

  “That’s great news Six. Have they let slip who they work for? Over”

  “Dancer they didn’t have to. The idiot’s were wearing the uniforms of their House Units. Over.”

  If what he said was true then I have a bigger problem than I first thought. “Six what were they flying? Over.”

  “Dancer they were in Corsair Delta nines. Does this give you Intel on who we’re facing? Over.”

  “Hold one Six.” Leaning out the IFV I get the sergeant’s attention. “Sergeant would you know which House troops fly Corsair D nines?”

  He gets this oh shit look on his face. Just by that I can tell his news ain’t good. “Ma’am there is only one High Family that puts those birds up. I don’t think you’re going to like the answer. If they are Corsairs then we have our hands full, because they belong to the Kiel Family House troops. They have two full Flights of the damn things. One set up as raiders and interceptors. The other is set up as fighter/bombers.”

  “Hold that thought Sergeant.” Turning back to the sat-com and key it up. “Six what was the setup of those bandits? Over.”

  “Dancer from what we can tell they were setup as interceptors. Over”

  “Shit ma’am that means those pigs still have their ground support attack craft. If we go hunting them those things will play holy hell with our APS units.” The Sergeant said. He had been listening in on my conversation with General Star.

  “Six listen up when you hit dirt you are most likely going to have company. Most likely in the form of fighter/bombers with APS ground support. Be ready to unass your LZ if it gets too hot. Over”

  “Sorry Dancer but no can do on that. We’re skoosh on fuel. All that station keeping burned up most of our reserves.
Over.”

  “How long you been in system Six? Over.”

  “Dancer we’ve been on station for six months waiting for our Gulf Delta Charley to show up. Over.”

  Holy shit if they’ve been on station that long waiting for their Group Division Commander to show then we’ve bigger problems than I thought. “Six who was to be your Gulf Delta Charley? Over.”

  “We have no clue Dancer. They were supposed to hit system before us on a civilian drop ship. Their mission was to gather Intel then call us in to take down the trouble makers. Over.”

  “Dee De scan the fight records for all civilian traffic for the last year to see if Sanders made land fall.”

  There is no need for that Commander I began a search of the immigration records for the last fourteen months. I have found our missing Group Division Commander. (Charley)

  “Where is he, Charley?”

  On his way back to Earth Prime in the cargo hold of the drop ship Kyron. (Charley)

  “Did you say the cargo hold? As in he’s dead?”

  That is correct Commander. He was killed in a mugging gone wrong shortly after he hit planet. (Charley)

  “Why do I have the feeling that was no ‘accident’ Charley?”

  From what I have been able to get out of the LEO report I would hazard a guess that it wasn’t, I would say it was more like an assassination. (Charley)

  Before I can get too much further into this with Charley. Mike comes back over the sat-com demanding my attention. “Wave Dancer you still there? Over.”

  “Sorry about that Six, my Delta Delta AI just pasted me some Intel on your missing Gulf Delta Charley and his where a bouts. Over”

  “Dancer you have a different call sign for us. I would like to know where that knucklehead is. Over.”

  “Six Sanders is on his way to Earth Prime in the cargo hold of the drop ship Kyron. Over.”

  “Dancer are you telling me he’s worm food? Over.”

  “You got it buddy. Looks like it’s just you, me, and the rest of your Delta Charleys’ for this op, old buddy. Over.”

  “Looks like we’re right back where you left us Star Jumper.”

  “Just what does that mean Slappy?”

  “Up the polluted passage of water without proper means of propulsion.”

  When I heard Mike use my old call sign and that old ass joke I knew he had my back. Ok time to put things in order. “All right Slappy I want you to follow through with your orders and get down here ASAP. Just one change put out full fighter CAP and upon touch down full deployment. There will be no half measures here Slappy. These people have broken two of the three Universal Commandments.”

  “Oh shit Jumper which two?”

  “Thou shalt not frack with a man’s mama. Thou shalt not frack with a man’s family.” Then I thought about things and decided to add one more to the list of sins committed by my enemies. “I forgot one. These scum bags have broken the holy trinity. They also broke thou shalt not frack with a man’s money.”

  “Damn! I ain’t never seen anyone or meet anyone who has broken all three of the big boys before. Are you sure about this Jumper? Because if you are then they won’t make it to trial.”

  “That is my full intention. There will be no quarter given and none taken Slappy. These jokers have done everything in their power to crush the people of this planet. All while raping it of all its resources. Slappy I have to be honest here. We’re going to get bloody on this one. From what I can tell they have the better part of five regiments out there along with at least one flight of Corsairs for air support. I don’t know if they have artillery support or not.”

  From the other end of the sat-com I heard the sound of laughter. “Well I know one thing hasn’t changed Jumper. They can drop your ass into the middle of nowhere and before long you have more Intel in five days than an entire intelligence section with twenty-four months of work. Now we know just what we’re facing or at least have a better idea. Do you want me to signal for the reserve divisions to deploy?”

  “How many are there in reserve Slappy and when can they be here?”

  “We have three from the Delta sector and two from the Alpha sector in orbit around the seventh planet over in the Nexus system. You know that super-sized gas giant with all the moons. As for when they can get here no later than tomorrow morning.”

  “Call them in. When we move on these jokers I want it to be the ‘Hammer and Anvil’ solution to this rebellion Slappy.”

  “Read you five by five Jumper. Contact you when we’re planet side. Out.”

  “Until later then my old friend. Out.” Setting back against the wall of the IFV, and just let my mind wonder. As I set there I think about how people have been treating me lately. Some just see some teenage school girl without a clue as what to do. Then there are the ones who see the unstoppable killing machine. Finally there are the ones who see the Head of House Nakatoma the final authority for the region and the commander of the Nakatoma House troops. Only the last ones show me any respect.

  What is the difference? I mean I’m the same person in each situation wasn’t I? I mean why do some only see the girly girl school girl? Then it came to me. It was because of how I acted at times. When I act as the Head of House I latterly became the Head of House. When I acted as a combat commander I became Wave Dancer the head of the House Military. When I just acted like I looked I became a teenage school girl. It was time for me to be the sum of all my parts. It was time for Maiha Nakatoma to become once and for all Death’s Own Daughter.

  It was like watching the systems come to life on the bridge of a star ship. As I took stock of my assets I sat a little straighter, just a little bit taller. Once again I felt the mantle of command settle about my shoulders. I have let my responsibility’s slip away from me, but no longer. I was the Head of House Nakatoma and it was time for me to act like it. So reaching deep inside I find that core of my being that shall always be James J. Owens First High Lord of the Death Dealers, the man called Death by both his friends and enemies. The Group Division Commander for the Delta sector Death Dealer’s.

  As I get ready to exit the IFV I notice the sergeant looking at me in awe. Before I can ask he answers my unspoken question. “Ma’am did you just call in nine whole Death Dealer divisions?”

  “Yes I did, Sergeant. Do you have a problem with this?” I asked heatedly.

  “Oh no, Ma’am. It’s just well I have never seen or heard of a Head of House who can do that.” He was truly confused and frighten by this. “Can all Heads of House do this?”

  Smiling at his obvious attempt at trying to find out who I am. Maybe it was time to show him and everyone else. After all Mike has entered me into the books as the First High Lady Maiha Nakatoma of the Death dealers granddaughter and heir of First High Lord James J. Owens. “No Sergeant, they can’t. I however am not your typical Head of House. I am also the heir to the First High Lord James J. Owens of the Death Dealer’s. When he passed away I inherited his title and position. That is how I can call in the Death Dealers. Now excuse me I need to check on my family before we mount up and return to the compound.” He stepped out of the way as I exited the rear of the vehicle. Once I was standing outside I saw that my family were waiting for me to exit the vehicle. When I turned to walk over to them I see a smile spread across mama’s face.

  “I see that you have found your balance once again daughter. May I ask what has happened to bring this about?” was all she said. No Zen quotes, no mysterious sayings, just a simple question as to how.

  With a bow of respect I tell her. “Let us just say that an old friend gave me back something I thought I lost.”

  “And just what that might be child? Maybe your self-confidence?” she says it as if that was what the problem was from the beginning.

  There are times, no make those whole weeks I wish I could go back and do over. I swear I have been listening to all of her teaching over the past few days. I just didn’t understand what she was telling me. “I finally understa
nd Reverend Mother. I and I alone can be me. Your teachings have been all about being true to myself and not be a slave to that which we cannot control. It is up to us too make our own choices on how they affect us.”

  “Finally child you have grasped the core of your lessons. You may no longer be who or what you once were physically, but inside nothing can take that away from you.” She tells me.

  Finally she gets it! (Dee De)

  Truly about time! (Charley)

  “Just what the hell are two going on about?”

  We told you that the only person who can control the behavioral program was you. (Dee De)

  Exactly Commander you are the one who dictates how you will behave not the program. (Charley)

  “You know something, both of you can bight my ass!”

  “It may take me a while, but I always get to where I need to mama.” I smile at her and she can tell I just had a fast conversation with my AIs.

  “I take it that you have had a little ‘inner guidance’ my daughter?” she asks me with a straight face.

  I swear this woman could play the straight man to any comedian out there. I can’t help it I start to laugh. One of the few people who knew my secret; just referred to two of the most powerful AIs known to man as ‘inner guidance’, made the perfect joke about the situation. Oh Goddess how I love this woman. Once I have got myself under control. “As much as I have enjoyed the day, it appears to have come to an unsettling end. I’m afraid, we must return to the compound mama.”

  “This was not your doing, Maiha. Please, do not take responsibility for the actions of others.” I can tell she is upset and worried about me.

  “I’m not, but it is time for me to do what I should have done three days ago. I need to put an end to this mess, once and for all.” Taking a deep breath to center myself. “I am; after all, the Head of House Nakatoma, First High Lady of the Death Dealers Maiha Nakatoma, and the only Daughter of the one called Death.” When I paused I could tell that I had everyone’s attention. “They have made the last and finale mistake they will ever make again.” Waving over the sergeant that has been so helpful. “Sergeant, my mother and three sisters will be traveling home in your IFV. I want to make this as clear as possible for you. If they get hurt you will wish I sent you with that lieutenant. Do I make myself clear?”