by Mark Wandrey
“I wouldn’t mind at all. Lizardville mutton?”
“Only the best for the jailed jailers,” Orlando said with a halfhearted laugh.
It was pretty common for people from the Boglands to joke at almost any situation. Gregg tended toward the same behavior.
She was offered an extra lawn chair and was just being served a cold glass of mead with the heavy sounds of running feet reached her ears. She looked up to see the fearsome sight of a Tanam running over the nearest hill towards the cottage.
“Here she is now,” Michael announced the obvious, his preferred way to join a conversation.
As she ran, Minu could see her middle limbs held something bloody against her abdomen while the other four carried her with surprising speed. They might not like to run on all fours, but damn they could move when they did!
When the Tanam was less than a dozen meters away she slowed, realizing there was a new human in the crowd. As she slowed to a walk and rose to her full three meters, she recognized Minu.
“You have come to see me at last, Chosen Minu.”
“I am sorry it took so long, Seela. I had not been told you were still here.”
“I have not been allowed communications with my people, I have not been given a chance to request ransom in exchange. This is in violation of the law.”
“I acknowledge that. Your keepers have not told you, but I am now First among the Chosen, and I offer you humanity’s sincere apologies.”
She dropped the mauled adult ram and crossed her two top sets of limbs, making Minu very aware that she was the only one evidently armed. A compact beamcaster pistol was held in a low slung holster on her right hip, and a combat knife on her left.
Did the ex-misfits even have any weaponry in the house? It was possible they didn’t. The only thing more fearsome than an unarmed Tanam was an armed Tanam.
She considered Minu for a minute, her nostrils flaring and sniffing. Minu wondered if she smelled afraid; she really wasn’t. She’d fought Tanam and was pretty certain she could deal with this one again, if she had to.
She took a moment to examine Seela’s cybernetic right middle limb. It looked almost identical to its opposite except it was not properly covered in tan fur.
“Was your medical treatment satisfactory?”
“That was the one thing I compliment you on, human. That and at least my prison has some amenities. The jailers though are boring.”
“That’s just because we won’t spar with her,” Derek said from the patio where he was tending the mutton chops.
“Probably a smart move,” Minu said, “I didn’t come out entirely in one piece from my experience.”
She turned back to Seela.
“I am going to initiate negotiations with the Tanam for your return.”
“It is about time.”
Minu bowed in apology. “I would have simply returned you when I ascended to First after finding out about this situation. I don’t know why the previous First kept you instead of bargaining to return you. Maybe he thought you more valuable as a hostage against further attacks? I don’t know. But instead I must exchange you for a human captive that was taken a number of days ago on Coorson.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, a team was ambushed there by what I believe was your sister, Veka. I can only assume the captive was for negotiation power to obtain your release.”
“If they were never informed of my survival after the attack on the herding beasts planet, she may be unaware of my still-living condition.”
Minu had considered just that, but the fear of what they might really want Aaron for kept her from acting on that fear. She still wanted to grab a couple scout teams and a platoon of Rangers to go out questing for her husband.
Seela cocked her head and examined Minu for a moment. “You are with kittens?”
Minu chocked and laughed. “I am pregnant, yes. That is very observant of you.”
“Some humans carry extra fat around your abdomens, but you are a Chosen so I found that unlikely in your case.” She considered for a moment. “Is the hostage they took a leader in your Chosen?”
“No, he is not.”
“Then he is your mate.”
“I never said that.”
“You did not have to. As the First of your Chosen, you would not undertake such an exchange lightly. In this case, the personal attachment warrants your desire, though it may weaken your bargaining position.”
“They will not find out.”
Minu removed an advanced Concordian imaging device.
“I would like you to describe your condition and how you have been cared for. You do not have to lie concerning your incorrect detainment— ”
“Good, because I shall not.”
“I wouldn’t ask you to. I intend to make you whole in this bargain. We broke the law and I accept the consequences.”
“Most advanced of you.”
“We will play by the rules, unlike some species.”
Seela snorted another laugh and went to the ram, where she tore a few messy bites from its haunches. After chewing and swallowing, she spoke again.
“You are growing as a species. You’re learning who can be trusted, and who cannot.”
“We’ve fought space battles with several species.”
Everyone fell silent, even the four humans who’d been chatting quietly about the spectacle in front of them. All eyes were now on Minu.
Seela stood and regarded her again, the expression now quite different. Piercing, appraising, and perhaps cautious.
“So you have found some spaceships, have you.”
Minu chose not to comment.
“It is a dangerous game you play now. Only higher-order species use spaceships.”
“I keep being told that,” Minu replied, matching her look for look, “but I don’t think we’re going to go along with the premise.”
Seela let out a long low growl deep in her throat. It wasn’t menacing like her sister had done just before attacking, and Minu wondered what it meant. Maybe the feline equivalent of hmmmm. “There is one more thing.”
“Yes?”
“That human is burning your meat.”
Chapter 77
September 17th, 534 AE
Office of the First, Fort Jovich, Peninsula Tribe Territory, Bellatrix
From her corner office First among the Chosen Minu Groves watched the Fall storm rage against the moliplas window. She was still uncomfortable with the office. This had been hers originally as the Ranger commander and had gone to Gregg when he’d taken over. It was his by right.
When she’d showed up to move the First’s office into the fort, she’d found he’d moved to another office and would not hear of her using any other room. And the staff had refused her orders to relocate her stuff to a smaller space.
“You are being insubordinate,” she’d grumbled at him standing in front of her desk.
Dram had stayed in his chair and just chuckled, so she’d eventually given in.
Dram, as her Second, had kept his office at Fort Jovich and Steven’s Pass, headquarters of the Chosen still. It was more prudent. The access to the deep bunker was there anyway. Should the forts ever be breached and invaders make it past her, he would need to command from that last bastion of defense.
Today would be a busy one, for a number of reasons. The first was announced by Ariana just before noon.
“Please send her in.”
The door to the outer office opened and Cherise came in. She marched over to stand before the desk at attention.
“At ease,” Minu said and gestured to one of the chairs.
“I haven’t had a chance to say congratulations,” her old friend said with a tiny hint of a smile. “All the women in the Chosen are walking around five meters tall. You’d think we’d all ascended to First.”
“In a way we were,” Minu agreed.
Cherise looked down and her eyes teared up. “I’ve been trying to figure out how to apologize
…”
“For what?” Minu let her get it out.
“For… for… letting you down!” she sobbed and fell forward onto her knees.
“I just couldn’t kill any more!” she bawled, and hit her thighs with balled up fists making smacking sounds against the hard muscle. “Damn it, I just couldn’t! You waded into them like they were flies and killed, and killed, and kiiiiilled!” The last came out in a long wailing moan.
It took everything Minu had not to come around the desk and cry with her old friend. She wanted to say that she had never gotten pleasure from the slaughter of the Leesa, when they’d hit them in the rear. That it was only a necessary thing, a cost of war. But she didn’t want to lie.
“I shouldn’t have put you in that situation, that was my fault.”
“Huh?” Cherise sniffed.
“You taught me a lot about fighting, but you are not a warrior at heart. The testing during our early training had picked that up in your psychological battery.”
She turned the computer tablet on her desk and Cherise saw her own file. “Noted high levels of compassion for suffering. Can display ferocity when necessary, but often only in defense of loved ones,” Minu read the psychologist’s review. “They put you in logistics for a reason, Cherise. And I fucked up and tried to turn you into a warrior.”
“I tried,” Cherise cried, her face a mask of pain. “I fought against the other suits and the warriors just fine!”
“Yes, you did.”
“Then we hit their unprotected flanks, and it became a slaughter.”
“Yes, it did. And you cracked.”
“I know,” Cherise said and looked down. “I want to offer my resignation.”
“Screw that,” Minu said and finally came up to round the desk.
“What?”
“I said screw that.”
She put a hand on Cherise’s head and gently stroked her hair. “We’ve been through a lot together. Bled some of the same blood, even shared some of the same love.”
Cherise tried to smile and didn’t quite manage.
“Right now I need you to do something for me?”
“Anything I can, Minu.”
Minu held out her hand and Cherise opened hers. Minu dropped a pair of two green stars into her friend’s hand.
“I want you to lead the Logistics branch for me.”
“What happened to Fernando?”
“Nothing. He just decided to retire.”
“Didn’t have anything to do with supporting Jacob, did it?”
Minu grunted and sat on the edge of her desk instead of going back around.
“I know the rank and file are having a hard time buying the ‘voluntary retirement’ story concerning Jacob. I think more might know the truth than the lie. Trust me, I’d much rather tell the truth.
“He’s the one who wanted it this way, and the rest of the council saw no real harm in it. I don’t agree, but it’s not a dictatorship.”
She thought for a second then asked her friend a question: “I can’t move around and talk with Chosen the way I used to. What have you been hearing? What is the talk about my taking over?”
“Well, I see things through a filter too, you realize? Everyone knows we’re friends, so people are careful what they say around me. But word gets back to me, and it’s generally positive.”
“Generally?”
“Yes. The division seems to largely be along age lines, and that shouldn’t surprise you much. The older Chosen are acting like this is some kind of betrayal. Not all of them, and not many that really matter. I understand we’re going to lose a hundred or so?”
“That estimate is pretty close.”
Minu had been notified of ninety-six retirement requests. Thankfully, they were mostly in the command and training echelons. Immediately after the announcement of Fernando Vega’s retirement, all but one of the requests from Logistics had been withdrawn.
“We have a trail coming up in the spring.”
“How is signup going?” Cherise wondered.
“Up forty percent. Female signup increased over two hundred percent.”
Now Cherise did give an honest smile.
“Am I a recruiting tool then?” Minu asked.
“No, you are a trusted friend and would bring my clear allies on the council to three.” Cherise nodded.
Minu was thinking that if she could just get rid of Terrence in training, that would only leave Jasmine from science. The loss of Pip really hurt at that moment; he would have been perfect for that branch.
“I know you are doubting yourself now, and I understand. I’ve lived with self doubt and second guessing my decisions since I led my first mission. But you are a natural at logistics and organization. You can keep a thousand things in your mind at the same time, and I still trust you in a pinch to fight when it matters.”
“Do you really?”
Minu stared Cherise straight in the eye and nodded her head. “I do.”
Cherise gave a little sigh and nodded herself. “What I did to the Leesa had to be done. It was a much their leadership’s fault as anything for leaving a rear position undefended by competent warriors. We have no blooded Chosen in the logistics branch. My intention is to begin moving battle-hardened Ranger units into all the branches. I will not see my people caught in that kind of situation.”
“Some of the Chosen won’t like that. They’ll think you are trying to militarize the branches.”
“Then they’d be correct. After what you’ve seen out there, what we are facing, do you see any other course?”
Cherise thought for a second and shook her head. “We either try to hide under the Tog’s skirts forever, like the Beezer, or we move out on our own.”
“We can’t even hide here. We’re vulnerable, and that’s been proven over and over. We need to harden ourselves and get off this rock. We were nearly wiped out on Earth. That can’t happen again.”
“What can we do about it? Clients aren’t allowed to have leaseholds.”
“That’s confidential,” Minu said and looked at the two sets of stars in her friend’s hand. Cherise glanced down at them, seemingly realizing again they were there. She nodded and removed the three green stars from her sleeve and replaced them.
“Excellent,” Minu cried and gave her a hug. Cherise was surprised at first, then warmly returned it.
“What is in the past, stays in the past, and between us. Understood?”
“Yes, boss.”
Minu chuckled, and then started telling her what she planned.
* * *
The portal activated and immediately a Tanam stepped through. Her face was shaved and intricate tattoos covered much of the exposed skin. She wore an ornate belt around her middle with designs in precious metals and gems. A pair of beamcaster pistols were holstered on both sides of the harness.
Minu quickly scanned the belting for any of the required symbols of vendetta or war and was relieved to find none. Even though it was difficult to tell the average feline Tanam apart, Minu was pretty sure she knew this one.
“Welcome noble being,” she said and bowed low. She was the only one in the portal chamber and all forcefields and shields were in place. She’d foregone the black Chosen jumpsuit in favor of the field camo of the Rangers. A compact beamcaster pistol rested on one hip, combat knife on the other, shock rifle cross slung to the right, mono edged katana to the left. Minu had a field kit, she was ready for war, and one look at the Tanam told her she’d made the right call.
“I am welcomed,” the Tanam growled and her translator rendered into English. Her bow was considerably less and could have passed for a shrug in most situations. “I am Veka, daughter to the high matriarch of Tanam.”
“I am Minu Groves, First among the human Chosen, in service to the Tog.”
“I have reviewed your communications and genetic data and confirmed, you are holding my sister Seela in violation with the Law.”
Minu bowed low again and placed her hands a
gainst her head. “We apologize for this transgression. The action had ben taken by our former First without the knowledge of the Tog or the leadership council. He has been removed and I am now in charge. I offer to make amends.” The Tanam showed her teeth, Minu stood her ground.
“Return Seela and we will discuss it.”
“You are holding a human Chosen.”
Seela gave an almost human shrug and looked around. “I do not know what you are speaking of.”
One wall of the portal chamber came alive as a screen. On it was a somewhat enhanced image taken from a Ranger helmet camera. It showed a pair of Tanam warriors bearing Aaron away amidst a crowd of scurrying Traaga. “Does this help your memory?”
The feline considered the image for a second and seemed to be considering an answer so Minu showed another image. A partial facial of Veka herself, looking back over her shoulder as her team fled the vicinity of the portal building on Coorson.
“Your evidence is compelling.”
Minu nodded. “
Very well, I am prepared to admit we have this human.”
Minu wanted to snort but resisted. They had him because their operation had been designed to take a high ranking human and kill all the rest of the team. It had only succeeded in taking Aaron.
“We will trade Seela for the human,” the Tanam said.
An image of Aaron came up, his most recent Chosen service image. Though several years old now, it was still extremely close to current day.
“And the recompense you have offered for the Law violation?”
“Name your price,” said Minu.
“One million tons of grain.”
Minu actually did snort this time and shook her head. “We illegally held your sister, we didn’t torture and murder her. In addition we cared for her injuries that resulted from legal combat.”
“Your counter offer?”
“We will return all your transports and support craft you lost on Serengeti.”
“And the artillery.”
“We’ve already sold that.” It was a lie, but Minu knew the Tanam would have no way of verifying it.