by M. D. Cooper
“You’re that Tanis Richards?” Abby looked Tanis up and down. “I have to admit, I wouldn’t have expected someone so…”
“Pretty,” her husband supplied with a smile.
Abby cast him a caustic look. “Yes, quite…so pretty to be the butcher of Toro.”
“Guh…” Tanis shook her head. “I had forgotten that moniker.”
Sanderson gave Tanis what could almost be considered a sympathetic look. “Between those of us standing here, the official report does not accurately represent the events of that operation. Suffice it to say that the major here ended up absorbing far more blame than she should have. To be honest,” the admiral shuddered—an emotion so real it almost seemed out of character. “What her team faced was so…unimaginable that it couldn’t even be shown on VA.”
Tanis kept her amazement from showing on her face—and her dress since Angela wasn’t being a help on that front. She wouldn’t have expected Sanderson to be her advocate, but he must have been aware of the truth to bring her aboard the Intrepid. “Her performance on the Dawn is a far better reflection of her record,” the admiral added.
All eyes were on Tanis, regarding her in a new light, except for Andrews who must have known the truth as well.
“Well. Let’s hope that your devotion to the TSF carries over to your duties here.” Terrance gave his smoothest businessman’s smile. “Stopping that nuke certainly raises your estimation in my books.”
Tanis gave a genuine smile in return. “I like to avoid being blown up as much as the next person.”
“You’re too modest,” Captain Andrews said. “I look forward to seeing how your current security improvements pan out.”
“They’ll be an inconvenience at first, sir.” Tanis was glad to be back to business. “But given time, the new protocols will become part of the process.”
“I imagine they will.” Andrews picked up a drink as did Terrance.
“Well, we have to make the rounds. I’m certain we will talk more later,” Terrance said.
“We’ll join you.” Earnest smiled and pulled Abby along with him.
“You should get out there as well,” Sanderson said to Tanis, who nodded in agreement and left Evans’ side.
It was the typical mix of high society and canny businessmen. Tanis had just stepped away from a military contractor who was trying to sell her on her company’s improved Auth & Auth portal when a tap on her shoulder caused her to turn and come face to face with the MOS stationmaster. Tanis was expecting him to pay her a visit and was surprised he had taken so long to do it. She had, after all, commandeered a significant portion of his station.
“Major Richards, it is good to finally meet you.” His handshake was a tad too firm; one of those grasps intended to signify superiority.
“Yourself as well.” Tanis put on her most pleasant smile. “I hope you haven’t found our new security measures at all inconvenient.” There, it was out, let him either make a complaint or brush the issue aside.
“I can’t say I enjoy having TSF troops assume control of several decks on my station.” The stationmaster was going the more aggressive route. “I believe that our security is up to the task of keeping MOS in one piece. We’ve managed to do so for nearly a thousand years.”
“Indeed you have.” Tanis nodded, keeping eye contact. “But over those eight hundred and ninety-four years there have been several explosions on MOS that severely debilitated the station. In fact, nearly five hundred years ago an attack by a militant arm of the Mars Naturalists actually had the Mars government considering shutting down MOS altogether. In the end TSF stepped in to provide security and the Marsian government refitted the station. So while MOS has handled itself well, it is also no stranger to TSF supplementation of its security.”
Evans was standing within hearing range and couldn’t keep himself from commenting.
The stationmaster coughed into his hand. “That was some time ago, Major. I assure you that MOS can handle itself now.”
“There have been other, more recent instances when MOS needed TSF and even GSS assistance.” Tanis smiled a bit too sweetly. “I could outline them for you.”
“No, that will be quite alright.” The stationmaster glanced around anxiously at some of the nearby dignitaries.
“I assure you, we will leave no lasting impact. In less than a year we will be gone and you will be free of the added burden the Intrepid has been imposing on you.”
Several groups in their vicinity appeared to have lowered their voices to better hear what Tanis was saying.
Everyone in the room was all too aware that MOS was laughing all the way to the bank with the money it was making from the construction of the Intrepid. It was by far the most profitable shipbuilding job that had taken place on MOS in decades.
The stationmaster fidgeted with his collar. “You misunderstand me, Major; the Intrepid is no burden at all. We are happy for your assistance with keeping the MOS secure.”
“I’m glad to hear it, Stationmaster Stevens. If you’ll excuse me, I have some routine checks to make.”
The stationmaster looked like he had something else he wanted to say and Tanis resisted the desire to push him over the edge. The admiral most likely would disapprove of a scene.
After a moment he nodded curtly. “Of course.” The stationmaster turned, his route describing a direct line to the bar.
Evans’ warm laugh filled her mind.
The evening progressed uneventfully and in time the dignitaries with adequate clearance gathered and made their way to the maglev station for their tour of the ship. Tanis went with the tour, both for security’s sake and to get a firsthand view of more of the ship. The guests weren’t being taken anywhere too dangerous, or too sensitive, but it was better than standing around in the ballroom. On top of that, she had a suspicion that Evans was considering asking her to dance. Tanis didn’t dance.
The tour was uneventful until the maglev ride back to the VIP corridor. No alert had come over the security net, but Tanis sensed something wasn’t right.
Angela didn’t respond for a moment.
Even as Tanis was issuing the order to belay docking for that vessel it made its seal and the airlock cycled open. Security responded that the lock controls were compromised and they were unable to close it.
Once the train was outstation a new train rolled in with a platoon of TSF Marines on board. They deployed with smooth precision, secured the station and set up a barrier at the entrance to the VIP corridor.
Tanis’s vision zoomed and she peered down the straight hallway to the dock. No movement at the airlock. So far. Four TSF Regulars stood like statues with their pulse rifles leveled at the hatch.
“Fuck,” she swore softly.
Laserfire lanced down the corridor toward the maglev station. The Intrepid deployed refraction clouds and the beams played harmlessly against the TSF Marine’s shields.
“Lieutenant Forsythe,” Tanis called to the CO of the platoon. “We need to secure the ballroom to the right. Deploy your personnel in a scaled phalanx.”
“Yes, sir!” The lieutenant nodded and signaled her staff sergeant with the particulars of the maneuver. One squad stayed behind to keep the station secure and the other two interlocked their shields and advanced down the corridor.
“Up where, sir?” A Marine bearing a corporal's insignia asked.
“Into the crawlspace above the corridor,” Tanis replied.
One of the privates coughed. “In that, sir?” He looked her up and down.
"That's an officer you're gawking at, Mendez," the squad’s sergeant growled.
“Aw shit.” Tanis looked down at her new dress. “Someone give me a knife.”
The sergeant handed her his blade and Tanis cut her dress off at the tops of her thighs. “Now hoist me up and no comments please.”
At least the two privates who lifted her didn’t ogle. Rank had some privileges after all. Clambering up into the access hatch Tanis set a VIV on her HUD to Forsythe’s vision as she advanced with her men below. The vision-in-vision showed the two squads advancing under steady fire from the airlock toward the entrance to the ballroom. They were over halfway there, and judging from the angles of fire the attackers were closing in as well.
The accessway had a small ledge for maintenance crews and Tanis scrambled along it, wishing she hadn’t bowed to fashion and had simply worn pants. She could hear the shouts of the men below as they worked their way down the corridor, combined with the whine of the enemy’s lasers and the Marine’s pulse rifles. The corridor had never seemed so long and Tanis was certain she had drawn blood on her knees as she progressed. Luckily, the forces below her seemed to have battled one another to a standstill. Both were still over twenty meters from the entrance to the ballroom.
With her knees now freely bleeding, Tanis passed over the platoon, and a minute later she was positioned over the attacking force. Angela deployed probes through a grate and the team got their first clear look at the attackers. There were fifteen of them in heavy body armor—probably why the TSF’s pulse rifles were doing little or no damage. She relayed the feed to Lieutenant Forsythe.
Angela focused on the delicate procedure of slicing through the plasma conduit, while Tanis controlled other nano manually and used them to loosen the fastening for the grate.
Screams erupted as the attacking force dove out of the spray. The visual from the probes showed six men tearing their armor off and one down with a hole burned clear through his torso. The plasma flow to the conduit was cut.
Three quick shots from her rifle took out three of the enemy trying to get out of their half-melted armor. Moments later the ten seconds were up and Lieutenant Forsythe’s Marines let loose a concentrated volley of pulse blasts.
Two other attackers who were half out of their armor fell backwards onto white-hot metal and screamed as their skin caught fire. Another three fully armored attackers also fell.
Tanis took quick stock of the armor the attackers were wearing. It was Trylodyne Mark VII; good enough for most situations, but weak under the arms. She checked the specs on the laser rifle and saw that it was a Westings A41; more than enough to slice through that weak spot.
One of the enemy, still combat-ready, spotted Tanis and pivoted to fire on her. As he took his shot Tanis dove to the side and returned. The shot burned clean through the man’s shoulder and out his head. He fell to the deck, spasming.
She fired at another man, nearly cutting his arm off before he was flung to the ground by the second timed pulse from the Marines. The volley knocked the remaining enemies to the ground and moments later the Marines rushed them, force shields pinning them to the deck.
The enemy’s armor was power assisted and the Marines fired point-blank shots in an attempt to stun the mercs. One of them broke free from the chaos and lunged across the hall to hold a beam rifle to Tanis’s head.
She froze, swearing at herself for not moving back once the Marines got in close.
“We go free, or she gets it!”
Before anyone could respond, a sound like a thunderclap echoed through the hall and the man holding the gun on Tanis dropped to the deck, his armor’s face shield cracked.
“Damn that was loud, what was that?” Tanis looked around to see Evans holstering a ballistic sidearm.
“Told you I didn’t want your job back.” He grinned.
“My god, how on earth did you get that aboard a starship?” Forsythe asked, eyeing the weapon.
“Umm… I was my own CO for a while.” Evans pulled an innocent face.
Forsythe directed six of her men to secure the lock while they waited on word from the TSF team that was breaching the exterior of the shuttle at the hatch down the hall. Medical teams rushed in, attempting to save the attackers that had been doused with plasma, or that had fallen onto the hot steel.
“God damn…” one of them muttered.
“Commander Evans, let the folks in the ballroom know that their VIP selves are safe for the moment,” Tanis said.
Evans chuckled. “They probably would like to be let out of the catering room.”
Tanis nodded to Forsythe who signaled the six men at the airlock to remove the brace that was holding it open. They took custody of the two men who were brought out to the corridor. With that done the Intrepid was able to seal the airlock and minutes later the display above the lock showed the ship had undocked.
“Anyone for drinks?” Tanis asked the platoon with a smile. “It’s an open bar.”
CHAPTER 4
STELLAR DATE: 3227164 / 07.30.4123 (Adjusted Gregorian)
LOCATION: GSS Intrepid, Mars Outer Shipyards (MOS) REGION: Mars Protectorate, Sol Space Federation