END of LINE: Humanities Last Stand - part 3

by John Short

  “Attract the females on my home planet.” Jon answered truthfully.

  “What? Such a fine male as yourself? You're not into other males are you? the Captain asked.

  “No sir. I'd have a hard time with them too back on Haven. Its because of my size. They all think I'm some kind of freak because my genes made me grow this big and theirs didn't.” Jon responded. “Its ok though. I don't really need them.”

  “What don't you need Lieutenant?” the Captain wanted to know.

  “I don't need the males or the females from Haven to like me. I've learned that the females on other planets like me just fine.” Jon tossed him a half smile. “Considering my business operates in space anyway, I won't need to go planetside very often.”

  “Yes, I see here that you have controlling interest of BBITCo. According to the records that's a small transport company that mostly keeps busy in the Haven system.”

  “Yes sir, that's correct. We've also got three inter-planetary FTL freighters too.” Jon proudly told the man.

  “Your not some spoiled brat kid whose father bought you a commission are you?”

  “No sir. I've earned my certs. I only learned that I’d inherited the company after I graduated Peacekeeper basic.” Jon told him. “I grew up working the shuttles with my uncle. That's how I got my license and later my FTL qualification. I earned the certs with a sword before I enlisted. I earned my sniper cert in basic.”

  “I'd like to see what you know about swordplay Lieutenant. It just so happens that we have another Master Swordsman onboard and plenty of room for a match in the grub room. Interested?”

  “My orders said not to bring personal items except for com badges and tablets. Where would we get practice swords?” Jon asked. Then drawing the one he was wearing to show the Captain that his sword was indeed a real combat weapon he looked at the Captain and waited for his reply.

  “The service will provide young male, the service always provides. So, you up for a match?” the Captain asked with a brightening smile.

  “OK. Where and when?”

  The next day, space was cleared in the cargo area and Jon was issued both a practice sword and armor. The sword was off balance and the armor didn't fit very well, but at least it covered the important parts of his body. He stood at one side of a makeshift practice circle while a large male of another race stood opposite him. The male was almost as tall as Jon. Both males made warm up motions and different moves with their swords getting a feel for how the armor fit and the swords acted in their hands. Finally the Captain came into the circle dressed in a black robe with a belt that carried the insignia of a swordsman. His many victories as well as his ranking within the sword fighting community were clearly displayed on his belt. The Captain was two steps lower in rank than Jon. Jon had earned gold edging for his own black robe that was still neatly folded on his dresser at home.

  “Trainees, we are honored to have with us two Master Swordsmen on this trip who have agreed to give us a demonstration of their skills. On my left is Lt. Jon Connell. On my right is Lt. Mopie. Contestants to center.” The Captain barked and Jon moved to meet Mopie. When they were less than three steps apart each male stopped and bowed deeply to the other, then stood back and drew their swords allowing them to cross between them. Then they stood in that position, each male taking stock of his opponent until the Captain shouted out, “FIGHT!” Then the real fun began as each male made a series of precise movements with their swords in rapid fire strikes and blows.

  Moving around in the circle and making more aggressive movements in their blows, strikes, and stabs along with their defensive moves as the fight continued for over thirty long minutes. Neither male managed to strike a scoring blow to the others armor. Both of them were rapidly becoming winded and breathing was becoming more and more difficult. Jon knew that if one of them did not score a blow soon, both would be totally out of breath. His opponent was good. No one had ever fought Jon to a stand off before. This Mopie fellow was going to best him unless Jon did something unexpected.

  Taking several quick steps back and away from Mopie, Jon raised his arms out to his sides and stood for just the fraction of a second it took for Mopie to make his move trying to strike Jon's outstretched sword arm. Mopie's swing sliced through clear air as Jon spun quickly and made one fatal cut through Mopie's neckline. Had this been a real fight, using actual swords, Mopie would be dead now with his head rolling on the ground and his body laying in a twisted heap at Jon's feet. Instead he was simply embarrassed as he lay on the floor gasping for air with Jon on his knees beside him, also gasping.

  The roars and cheering of the gathered trainees around them was deafening when the Captain came over to them. “Are you two both OK?” he asked. “That was stimulating to watch. You are both Masters indeed.”

  “I'll be OK in a minute. I just need to catch my breath.” Mopie said.

  “I'm good” Jon told the Captain. “Mopie, its too bad we weren't keeping score. No one has ever fought me to a draw like that before. You should be awarded another rank.” He told the male still lying on the floor beside him.

  “As should you JonConnell.” Mopie agreed with a smile. “It will take more than one sparring match for me to advance in rank. I've already earned the gold.”

  “Ah, that explains it then.” Jon agreed. “I am also braided with gold.” Jon said as he helped Mopie to his feet. “I'll wager our good Captain here didn't know that. What say you Captain, care to take the ring with either of us?”

  “No way am I going against either of you two today. Perhaps one day when I have achieved your skills. Your swordplay is far too advanced for me. Thank you for agreeing to share your skills with us all here today.” the Captain said as he bowed deeply to the pair and backed out of the circle before turning to leave.

  Jon and Mopie faced each other and with their swords held at their sides, bowed deeply as the custom of their sport required, and then they turned together in the direction of the storage room that held their armor and weapons. Each male strode out of the circle walking tall and straight as they crossed the boundary together, it was custom for the victor to leave the circle first. By crossing the boundary together they were telling everyone that they both felt the other male to be their equal. They then went straight into the storage locker.

  Their display of mutual respect was not lost on some of the trainees. For others their bowing and their mumbled words about gold braids meant nothing. This was just something to watch to help break up the boredom of a long FTL slip, a way to maybe win a few fast credits provided the right male won the fight, not something to learn with honor. No one fought with swords in this day of long range plasma weapons. Today the best way to win was to hide behind cover and drill a hole through the enemy's head from as far away as possible. Helios intended to do just that one day to Jon Connell. He was really getting tired of watching that human freak win at everything. Soon enough that human would be the one to lose when Helios shot his freak ass during some battle in a way that would make everyone would think it had come from the enemy.

  As they changed in the storage room Mopie told Jon, “I am from Umbar. We are a race of Warriors. Our younglings are taught the sword from the time they are five cycles old. Have you ever seen one of the ancient Dragon Swords? It is said that they produce the fire of the dragon's breath in the hands of the right person.”

  “I own one of those swords and it does produce a plasma blade that could be considered the dragon's breath. It comes from a carving of the head of a dragon on the hilt where the blade starts.” Jon told him. “I've never used it in combat, but I sometimes carry it on special occasions.”

  “I would very much like to see it one day.” Mopie told him with a smile. “After what you did today you should carry it all the time. You are an amazing Warrior JonConnell. I am considered the best among my people. You would have bested me in actual combat. That is no easy feat. Back on my home world I would be in your service for the rest of my life because you a
llowed me to live.”

  “Well, it was just a sparring match to put on a show for the troops, right?” Jon explained. “Maybe we both pushed it too far. If one of us had not struck a blow we would have fought each other until one of us collapsed.”

  “That is true JonConnell. However you still fought with honor and bested the greatest Umbarian warrior alive today.” Mopie told him. “Under our law I am forever in your debt. I shall request to be assigned as crew to whatever vessel you captain, even if that vessel is a rowing boat used on ponds for hunting the monsters of the depths on my planet. It is done and shall ever be so.”

  Jon shook the strong males hand, then grasped his forearm and held him for several seconds like that. “Mopie, I don't know what the Peacekeepers are going to do with us, but I will be honored to have you at my side in whatever comes next for us both.”

  “I must return to my section.” Mopie told Jon. “I'll hope to see you soon enough when we reach the camps. Farewell JonConnell. May all your battles be victories.”

  “We'll be meeting again Mopie. Victorious battles to you as well.” Jon answered the male using the time honored farewell of Master Swordsmen as they both left the storage room and went back to their seats.

  The rest of the trip was the usual boring experience of every long FTL slip. There was nothing to see through the view ports except the blur of the stars as their ship traveled faster that the light from those stars could match. There was little activity other than the classes being given by the trainers assigned to their transport. There were classes on navigation, weaponry, crew assignments and maximum loads limits. Most of this material was old news to Jon, who had been flying FTL shuttles most of his life. He'd even piloted bigger ships between star systems. After all, the old Pluto from the BBITCo. fleet was huge compared with a mere shuttle and he'd piloted that ship between Haven and Lexon II twice now.

  Chapter Seven

  Finally they arrived at the training camps and Jon was surprised when the transport descended into the atmosphere to touch down at what appeared to be a major planetside spaceport. He'd never known that a ship of this size could be flown in the atmosphere of any planet. Store that information in the _You don't yet know everything _ file for later use. Maybe those new carriers he'd had Wrenches buy could land on the surface too. Might make getting freight on and off them a lot faster.

  “Listen up people!” an Officer who had run into the ship as soon as the hatch opened and the boarding ramp lowered shouted. “When I call your name, you get off and go to the first building straight ahead of you. Pilot Connell, Pilot Jarrieal, Navigator Pabki, Cargo Master Mopie, Cargo Specialist Jelio III. Exit the transport and go straight into the building where you'll receive you first injection of nanoids and be fitted for your uniforms.” Jon and the others hurried off the transport and hit the ground running to the open hanger of the building in front of them. The strong gravity of the planet hit several of them by surprise and by the time they reached the hanger the entire group was covered in sweat as they gasped for breath.

  As the group stumbled into the hanger, another officer who told them to remove their clothing and follow him greeted them. Jon and Mopie were both given a case for their swords and told to hang onto them. Soon after they had all been fitted for new uniforms and shot with the nanoids the group was taken for a meal. Part way through the meal another group of trainees arrived. These were not pilots nor were they even officers with one exception. Lt. Zeprik was with them and he came straight over to sit with Jon. The rest of the male and female members of the group took seats surrounding the group that Jon had come in with. They all were eating a meal and talking among themselves when an Officer entered and spoke with them.

  “I see you all have met. Good. You will be training together from now on. Pilots and crew, get to know the grubs. Likewise, you grubs, get to know your flight crews. You will be putting your lives in their hands. Its best that you learn to trust them now.” Letting his words sink in for several seconds the officer continued, “We are going to begin after you've had morning meal. Flight crews will report to the simulators in the next hangar. Ground troops will meet outside. Enjoy your meals troops. Mealtimes will be your only time to relax during the day and you'll progress here from daytime to nighttime operations in just a few weeks. Once the team has started both day and night exercises you'll never know when you'll be called into action. Just like in real combat.” Taking another pause to look over the team sitting in front of him he ended his speech, “You people have all been selected to form an elite squad. It will be the first of its kind in the Peacekeepers. Ground troops, you'll be training under Captain Featree. He's a Libirian with no sense of humor in him when it comes to training troops. So don't try any of the usual tricks on that male or you'll find yourself wearing out your arms doing push ups and your legs running nonstop for hours after hours. This is a heavy world and the air is thin. Your muscles won't stand too much of the Captain's discipline. Learn everything he has to teach you. As for the flight personnel, you'll meet your instructor in the next hangar. Good luck to you all.” Turning, he went to speak with several other groups that all appeared to Jon to have only flight qualified people gathered together. None of the others had the distinctive uniform of the ground troops except for the team of twenty men and women gathered with him.

  “Well what do you know about that?” one of the grubs said, “We're extinct.”

  “He said we was elite, not extinct you limp brained jawie.” another chimed in.

  “Same thing.” retorted another. “They make you an elite anything and suddenly everything you do is off the records and if you die they never reclaim the body to send home. So we're extinct.”

  Jon quietly finished his meal before standing to return his tray to the kitchen. Jarrieal followed closely behind him and together they went to the next hangar. “I wonder what they have in mind for us” he questioned.

  “We'll find out soon enough I guess.” Jon replied as he opened the small door to let Jarriel enter before following him inside.

  “Ah Lieutenants Connell and Jarriel. I'm glad to see you first. Lets get you fitted for your flight suits. Come with me please.”

  That was the end of any kind of normal training. Once the whole crew was fitted they were assigned to a simulator and put through every kind of drill the training corps could dream up. Twice during low-level slip insertion, Jarriel had slipped inside a mountain. Of course that rated an instant kill on the entire team. Jon had gotten them blown out of the sky by hovering too long in one spot to make an insertion of the ground troops. Had he followed procedure he would have killed the team leader, Lt. Zeprik whose release had not fully retracted and had him dangling below the belly of the shuttle. It was a no win situation for both the Lt. and for Jon. However, blame for the incident fell on Lt. Jelico III who was responsible for checking the equipment before take off. The troop releases weren't even on the pilot's preflight checklists. They spent their first two months of training in the simulator before they were even allowed to see the real ship that would be their assigned shuttle for the remainder of the course. This period of close contact between the team had developed a well rounded group. Jon was selected as primary pilot and overall mission commander. He received a promotion to Captain so that his rank would match his duties. Jarriel became copilot and mission specialist. He would work closely with Lt. Zeprik to plan out and see to the execution of their assignments. Pabki became their shipboard weapons specialist. This put him in charge of all of the team's weapons including those used by the grubs. The male was a natural with any kind of weapon. He could examine one and tell exactly what it needed to fine tune it for total accuracy. The entire team was mystified at his ability to take a brand new plasma rifle and tune it to fire straighter and farther than it was designed to shoot. Jelio III was a whiz at handling the ground assault details and worked with both Jarriel and Zeprik to insure mission success. She also managed to pack more supplies into the shuttle than anyone thought
possible especially with twenty fully armored and armed assault troops sitting in their insertion seats.

  When their six month training period was over, they had become a well oiled machine. Each of their assignments were handled perfectly even when they had to improvise as the trainers purposely changed things on them part way through a mission. They did not have a graduation ceremony like the other trainees but they did receive the coveted dragon patch to wear on the left shoulder of their uniforms in a private ceremony held in the battalion's mess along with special headgear that distinguished them from all other troopers. They each got a two month leave. All of the flight crew received their flight wings that they wore over the left breast of their tunics and on their dress white uniforms. These were not just the wings earned by all pilots and flight crews throughout the fleet. These were the coveted Golden Dragon wings cut with a dragon in flight on them.

  Jon invited all of the team to visit him at his home on Haven. Only Zeprik accepted because he said that he had business to take care of on Haven. He didn't tell the others, but there was a Magistrate who needed to be removed from the court for accepting the bribe that landed Jon Connell in the Peacekeepers. Besides, he wanted to see the home of the first Jon Connell for himself and he also wanted to introduce Jon to his sister.

  The others all had friends and family they wanted to visit, as this might be their last chance to see them in a long time. Each of them already knew they were going out to the rim worlds and would not be back to the inner systems for a cycle or more. The Peacekeepers had decided it was time to rid the rim worlds of the pirates and special arrangements had been made for Jon's team, along with three others that had received identical training, onboard a civilian ship. That ship would pick them all up at the Lexon Orbiting Station at the end of their leaves.