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I will look into options. They are leaning on Commander fairly heavily. Is there any way that you can foot the bill?
Pilot thought about it. I have some savings and the signing bonus that I was given. If you can find us a seamstress, I will pay for the uniforms.
She could feel the warmth of Relay’s tone. I was just checking. I will subvert some funds into your account. There is a seamstress on Rehahlic named Zalbeeliyah. I have contacted her with scans of the men and she is making up some uniforms with basic body armour. After this event, go directly there and get your Guardsmen kitted out. If there is no other call, I will have you brought home. Hyder needs some proof of concept and since he wasn’t the one with this bright idea, it is tougher than it should be.
Pilot suddenly realized that every one of the five small ships coasting over the city were shuttles. How did everyone get here?
What could only be described as a wicked chuckle came through the data stream. I very politely asked a warship to hijack itself. Steyvin will be acting as transport for the Guard until we can get something more permanent.
I know him! You must be very persuasive. What was the Yahara supposed to be doing?
It was off for repair. There is no atmosphere, but he can still haul the shuttles and jump with them.
Perfect. That is a five-week repair, so he has some time to come and play. She sent the image of rubbing her hands together evilly and Relay chortled on the data stream.
The battle around her was winding to a close.
I think I need to check on the situation. I will be in touch with you when we reach Rehahlic.
Fine. Just a warning, Zalbeeliyah is a l’nal. I will send her the information she needs based on those who are with you now. Good job, Pilot.
Thank you, Relay.
They parted and Pilot removed her connections to the ship. An emergency com plug was inserted at her temple and the microphone curled around her jaw line. She got to her feet, kept the stunner in her hand, sealed the ship behind her and went to join her fellow Guardsmen.
As a few of the raiders started to come to, she zapped them with her stunner while she sought those she had transported.
An Enjel landed next to her and smiled. “Pilot, I presume?”
“Yes.”
“Shade, Razer and Flame have made it to the far end of the city. If you would like, I can take you to them.”
She recognized him from the files. “Thalik.”
“Yes, but you may call me Seer.”
“Yes, please bring me to Shade and the others.”
Other familiar faces kept an eye on the pile of raiders while Seer lifted her and took off with a heavy surge of his legs.
Clumps of citizens were gathering in the streets. Women sobbing and men relieved. The children were watching the Guardsmen who were working to right toppled vehicles and put doors back on buildings.
“How many of us are there here?”
“Twenty-one, including you.”
“It seems like more.” She smiled as she watched Flame helping a woman with an abdominal wound and then she winced in sympathy as he used green flame to heal her.
“We do seem to take up more room than most.”
A male with silver skin was next to a burgundy Dhemon with silver horns and wings. “Haaro and Martuas.”
“Thinker and Guardian. The men have enjoyed your idea of an alternate identity. Several have families who are not too impressed with their participation in this new grouping.”
She nodded and Seer brought them down with a slightly rough landing. Several of the locals were staring at her in her bright suit with the floor-length vest. “It does feel a little weird to be the only female in this bunch.”
“The citizens need information and comfort. You can provide them with both if you would.”
She nodded and started to walk toward a cluster of folks who seemed to be wrapped in conversation and not in sobbing relief. When she learned her guess was correct, that they were city officials, she began to help them work out communication with the Alliance and supplies to keep them up and running until they got back on their feet. Comfort was not her style.
When everything was sorted via Relay, Pilot smiled at those assembled. “We will remove the living raiders. Can you arrange for disposal of the bodies of the dead?”
They nodded. “Can’t you remain here?”
She shook her head. “No, that is not the nature of the Guard. We are here for emergencies only.”
“Can’t some of them stay?” The deputy mayor was plaintive.
“No. The Alliance ships will be here within days.”
One of the politicians spluttered, “You have to stay, we pay your salary.”
She went still. She eased up to him and stared into his eyes. “We are about to go to a world where someone is waiting to fit us with uniforms that I am paying for. We landed here without weapons, armour or shuttles of our own. Our lives were placed between you and your attackers and the assembly is working to cut this project down to nothing. Now, if you have enjoyed us saving your asses, please let the assembled coalition know about it. I have to make sure that the men under this command are safe.”
He trembled and swallowed. “I was unaware—”
“We are not regulation Alliance forces. We offered our lives to help those in emergencies who cannot wait for the regular defences of their lands and lives. That is what the Sector Guard is for. Not bodyguard duty when the attack is over just so you don’t feel vulnerable. We received this call within hours and we came as quickly as we could. We arrived, we eradicated the threat and if we get another call, are you willing to sentence others to death in order for you to feel less exposed?”
The politician paled. “Of course not. Thank you for your assistance. We will manage the dead.”
Pilot stood and when she turned to look behind her, all of the new recruits were listening to every word she had said. She pinked a little. Public speaking was not her favourite thing.
Pilot nodded at Razer. “Is everything secure?”
He nodded. “It is. Scans of the system show no activity.”
“Pile the prisoners into one of their ships and we will lock them into Steyvin’s custody. If they try to leave it, they will be entering a zero atmosphere area. Shade, can you cripple everything but the environmental systems?”
He nodded. “I can and will.”
She turned and nodded to the gathered citizens of Shizzi. “We will take our leave now.”
Pilot pressed her hand to her temple and used her com to summon her ship. She wasn’t sure that it would work, but when the gleaming silver ship moved slowly toward her, she fought to keep a cool expression.
Shade entered one of the attack ships and the Guardsmen loaded the newly stunned raiders into it. When the vehicle lifted off and headed to the warship in orbit high above, Pilot took her leave with Razer and Flame entering the Class One via the extended ladder from the lower hatch. The Guardsmen returned to the shuttles that had brought them and in under half an hour, they were exiting the atmosphere of Shizzi and their first mission was over.
Pilot aimed at the warship and looked back at her grubby and scuffed up companions. “Was that fun or what?”
Razer and Flame looked at each other then grinned at her. “When can we do it again?”
She sighed happily. It was a good start.
Chapter Eight
The enormous spider clicked as she was faced with twenty-one clients at the same time. The translator dangling on her thorax clicked before it spoke. “How lovely. My assistants will help you five in that area, you with the wings, come this way and the rest of you wait here.”
Those with tails went one way, the winged went another and the others stood and waited. After Zalbeeliyah had set up her assistants with the flyers, she turned toward the remainder. One at a time, they were hauled behind the curtain and shoved into a uniform.
Pilot was amazed. The men went in scruffy and they came out in armoured bodysuits that fit l
ike a second skin. The plating on the suits gave the men a more muscular appearance, but they really didn’t need it.
Shade was preening in his unrelieved black. His ability to move in the shadows let him remove himself from the raider ship after his vandalism and the shade had simply drifted into the Class One within the warship.
Male after male entered and left the changing room until just Pilot was left.
When the spider gripped her shoulder and said, “You next.” She looked up into the multiple eyes.
“It isn’t necessary. I think I am fine.”
“Relay told me to outfit you all and I am going to. Now, get in there and strip.” There was no room for argument.
Helen’s eyes widened at the elaborate suit that was hanging in front of her. Bands of colour were woven into the fabric that would accentuate her female figure.
“I don’t hear you changing, Pilot. Your troops are waiting.” The l’nal’s translator had a singsong tone.
She removed the clothing that she was wearing and slipped on the suit that hugged her body like a second skin. There was a subtle warmth as she was gently compressed by the fabric closing over her arms, legs and torso. She stepped into the boots and when everything was sealed and set, she peeked around the curtain. The l’nal looked at her and clicked with satisfaction.
“Your tank measurements were good. You look good enough to eat.” From a l’nal, it was high praise.
“Thank you, Zalbeeliyah. Your work is very much appreciated and the work is exquisite. I am sure that future Guardsmen will try and make the pilgrimage to your door. It is too bad you are not on one of the new bases.” She bowed.
“Could I be?”
Blinking in surprise. “I am sure. Yes. There is a village being set up outside of the Morganti Base. Off-duty staff and Guardsmen will have nothing else to spend money on and they do seem to enjoy your style and designs. They are truly wonderful.”
“Are you the only female?”
“In the Guardsmen, yes, for now.” She lowered her voice. “There will be one for each of them, but don’t tell them that. Some of them don’t know that yet.”
“Males rarely know what is good for them.” Zalbeeliyah made some minute adjustments to the suit and then nodded. “Excellent. I will arrange for a new shop with the coordinator. Relay will be able to put me in touch with the correct person, I believe.”
“That, I would have to agree with. She seems to know everything that is going on at any given time.”
Zalbeeliyah clacked in amusement. “Being wired into the data stream will do that. Anyway, time to see your audience and stop hogging my facility. I will be sending spare uniforms to Morganti in the morning. My fabric generator needs time to stop smoking.”
The fabric screen was swept away by one of the l’nal’s limbs and she was facing a room full of men in a colourful variety of uniforms that had a style that was completely distinctive. Despite the difference in colours, she could easily see she was facing a unified force.
The men were grinning at her and she grinned back. “Oh, yeah. This is going to work.”
They all started laughing and admiring the detail that the seamstress had managed on such short notice.
An assistant ran up to her while she was speaking with Guardian. “Pilot, there is a call.”
She went to the house communicator and answered, “Pilot here.”
A dry mechanical voice replied. “Pilot, this is Relay. Pardon the voice, I can’t get my tone through the non-secure lines. There is an emergency evacuation needed on Corevan and a riot to control on Vekriab. How fast can you get there?”
“How big is the riot?”
“Seven hundred people.”
“We are on our way.” She hung up and returned to the centre of the shop.
“Okay, two assignments. There is an emergency evacuation on Corevan to coordinate and a riot to control on Vekriab. I need you to decide if your skills can be more useful on one or the other.”
She lifted her left hand, “Corevan here.”
Her right went up, “Vekriab here.”
The men quickly moved from the right to the left and back again. Once everyone had settled, she nodded. “Right. I will take those for Vekriab. The rest of you try and get life support running in Steyvin’s ship for those who need medical evac and get everyone else off that world.”
A male Enkaran with his tail lashing asked, “Why is there an evacuation in place?”
“I wasn’t told. I am sure that you will be able to let me know what happened after you get the people whose lives are in danger off the world.” Her voice was implacable. “If it makes you feel better, I am taking a crew to a riot where the cause could be alien interference. It isn’t about us knowing what is going on but that we have an ability to assist that others do not have. So, let’s be on our way.”
She clapped her hands and the men scattered. Some were eager, some were leery, but all of them headed for the shuttles.
Exhaling and swaying gently from the stress of speaking to a crowd, she smiled up at the l’nal who put a leg around her shoulders. “Thank you, Zalbeeliyah. I will settle the bill.”
“It has already been done. You have some very impressive friends. I will see you on Morganti when this is all said and done.”
“I look forward to it. Thank you again.”
Pilot made a mental note to find out who had paid the bill and grabbed her previous clothing and took it with her with a bright wave to the seamstress and her assistants.
Her knees buckled as soon as she was out of their field of view. Being in control of this kind of situation was different from going into battle as a tanked pilot. When she was in the tank, her nerves took the beating and she defended those inside the walls of the ship to the best of her ability. In this situation, she was sending them into a situation that she knew nothing about. Whether they lived or died, she couldn’t put herself between them and harm’s way.
Her hands shook as she returned to the Class One and the twelve men inside were jockeying for space. She swiped her hand along the galley and seating for four appeared out of the walls. Pilot sealed the ship and took her position in the command chair.
“Is everyone ready?”
Affirmatives came from everyone in the ship. Thinker had bound his hands to thongs hanging from the ceiling. His wings made the chair backs uncomfortable, he was better off standing.
“Okay, mission to Vekriab commences now.”
Pushing aside her misgivings, she got clearance, jacked in to the ship and lifted off. The moment they were clear of orbital interference, she jumped. Screw the jump points, she had places to be and lives were at stake.
Chapter Nine
Vekriab was calm. Thinker had gotten to the heart of things while the others had worked crowd control. Exhausted, Pilot took her Guardsmen away from the surface and wondered what the hell to do next.
Relay came to her rescue using confrontation as the bait. Hello, Pilot.
Hello, Relay. How are you today?
A little worried about Commander. The bureaucracy is cracking down. He needs you. All of you.
How is the evacuation coming?
Almost complete. They just needed some more shuttles to clear some of the outlying areas.
Can you get a message to them?
No. You will have to bounce over to Corevan and gather them up for a show of force, then bounce over to the meeting enclave on Zheharic.
Force?
Okay, a united front. You need to show them that not only is the theory of the Sector Guard sound, but you have put it into action.
On our way. This is gonna hurt.
Give yourself a bubble bath when you get home. Good luck, Pilot.
The signal went silent and Pilot had the feeling that it was the last she would hear from Relay until this was over.
“Okay, gentlemen. We have just gotten a communiqué that we need to present ourselves en masse. Commander needs a show of strength to convince a few n
aysayers who want to shut us down before we really get started. I am going to jump to Corevan and from there, we will join Commander at Zheharic.”
Thinker smiled wearily. “We will follow where you lead, Pilot. Just tell us where you want us and we will be there. You have not steered us wrong yet.”
The others agreed and she gunned the engines, clearing all gravitational bodies before jumping to Corevan. A steady stream of ships was leaving the surface, but it was an orderly exodus.
Hey, Steyvin!
Pilot, how are you doing?
Great. How many ships are you still waiting for?
Only one clump of Guardsmen is still on their way in. They should be inside within five minutes. Where shall we go next?
Pilot laughed. Steyvin was having fun and it was showing. Zheharic. We are going to confront the politicians in their den.
The guys told me about your confrontation on Shizzi. They were very impressed.
I almost puked. I hate public speaking and this week has been hell.
You sound tired, have you been resting?
Not really. Not enough food either. This will be the last trip for me for a few days. I get the feeling that I will be spending some time in medical.
You have to take care of yourself.
That is Commander’s job.
Well, they are aboard and locked down, so we can get moving. See you at Zheharic?
See you there.
She warned her companions, “Jumping to Zheharic,” and they were away.
The trek from the jump site to the orbital station where a good many of the multi-race treatise were debated and settled was surprisingly quiet. Ships from hundreds of planets were in orbit around the station.
She sent a signal to the station, waiting for an acknowledgement.
“Is this the Class One?”
There was something in the tone that set her on edge.
Steyvin’s bulk appeared behind her and floated into a holding pattern.
“It is.”
“Please dock in berth nine where you will be taken into custody for theft of Alliance property.”