by C. R. Daems
"If I thought it would avoid trouble, I might consider some compromise. But I believe it would incite more trouble because we would be admitting they were right in believing women are inferior. I repeat. Ignore them but tolerate no interference with your duty."
* * *
I had just reached the front door when Colonel Jarde arrived in one of their armored vehicles. Using my Mfi, I had contacted him on a prearranged channel we had set up. He opened the rear door and waved for me to enter.
"Good afternoon, Captain Sapir. I’m glad you called. I have many questions before we depart, and I would like my senior people to meet you. We are not backward here on Molova, just paranoid." He laughed. "The states have a long history of wars over borders, treaties, money, and women, among other things, and therefore have over the centuries developed rules to reduce the carnage. No state may bring more than fifty troops into another state or the capital, which means I can only send thirty since you have twenty Guards. No state may have an air force which includes any flying vehicle that is not strictly for civilian transportation, and those have limits on size, speed, range, etc. Furthermore, no state may have more than five hundred militia. The central government independently maintains the army and navy for the planet. The capital acts like an eighth State and it take four princes and the capital’s representative to elect a president to run the government."
"Do I understand correctly that Prince Badal’s brother prescribes to the teaching of the Prophet Azaria and would become the Prince of Surat if Prince Badal died?" I asked, trying to understand the potential dangers Badal faced.
"That is true and correct. He has his own estate and a small contingent of fifty troops assigned for his security. Religion is a personal choice and not everyone on Prince Badal’s land follows the teaching of the Prophet Nomiko or Azaria for that matter. Prince Meric appears to favor Azaria but isn’t vocal with his views."
"How many roads lead from here to the capital?"
"Only one."
"If you were going to ambush the Prince’s party, where would you do it?" I asked. Jarde would know the best spot and the local thinking.
"Near the border with the capital. They wouldn’t be wearing uniforms so they could easily disappear into the city afterward. You think there will be an ambush?"
"With religion involved, would you be surprised?"
"No. Prince Badal’s death would be an easy solution for the followers of Azaria, since Meric would vote with them."
"As the Guard are always outsiders, we are naturally paranoid." I grinned, thinking of the many after-action-reports I had studied while in training—conclusion, trust no one. "We often appear foolish but are seldom surprised."
"What would you suggest?"
"What if you send a decoy party ten minutes or so ahead of the real party. I and one of my teams will accompany it to make it look real. If nothing happens, they can return home after Prince Badal crosses the border into Hezuo."
"Why not," Jarde said, eyes cast down in thought. "Come, let’s work out the details."
* * *
Back at the house I explained what would happen and decided Sergeant Wahle’s team would accompany the decoy party with me, since Jovana would be riding along with her mother. After an update from each team, I decided to update Badal. Checking my Mfi, I found he was in his office in the main building—the one connecting the two wings. As I opened the door, Dara was standing behind Sergeant Catz with a Shard gun pointing at her head, and his buddy had a multifunctional gun pointing at her chest.
"Just in time, Captain. Sergeant Catz was going to demonstrate what the Guard women are really good at," Dara said loudly, probably for Badal’s benefit as I noticed he could see the reception area through the open door from his desk where he sat. He looked amused.
"Sergeant Catz, you are in dereliction of duty," I had barely finished saying when she spun left. Her left forearm struck Dara’s gun arm, knocking it to the right. As she spun, she drew her Mfw weapon with her right hand, and her momentum carried her behind him. Her arm with the weapon came around in an arc and smashed into Dara’s temple and simultaneously fired a blast of shards into his companion’s chest. The impact of the tightly focused beam of shards lifted him backward, and his multifunctional weapon discharged in Dara’s chest. The impact caused Catz to take several steps backward and she released Dara to drop to the floor.
"She killed them. They were just having a little fun!" Badal shouted as he rose from his desk and stalked into the room.
"I warned you and them, Prince Badal. The Black Guard does not do demonstrations or play games. Your life and your family’s lives are too important for such distractions. I would demote Sergeant Catz except it’s my fault. I should have given orders to shoot anyone interfering with their duties, which includes harassing them, since that is a distraction." I nodded to Catz. "When you are relieved from your duties, Sergeant Catz, you will brief every Guard member on what happened, and that it’s not to happen again."
"Yes, Captain Sapir. It will not happen again."
Badal stood silent for a long time looking between Catz and me. "I didn’t believe you… I should have… The Black Guard is well named." He walked head down back into his office, poured himself something to drink, and sat staring out the window.
* * *
"How is everything going?" I asked Zinn. She was doing her rounds and standing with Corporal Haber, who was currently guarding Princess Sophia, who was busy monitoring the packing for the trip tomorrow. Before she could answer, Sophia approached.
"Captain Sapir, why did you order my husband’s bodyguards murdered?" She asked quietly, but the tension in her face showed she was angry.
"I didn’t order Prince Badal’s bodyguards killed. They had guns pointing at the Guard assigned to your husband and intended to debase her. I simply reminded her she was not doing her duty."
"Duty?"
"Yes, Princess Sophia. Her duty like all of ours is to protect Prince Badal, Princess Jovana, and yourself. If we let ourselves get distracted while we are on duty, we are being negligent and increasing the risk to your lives. Besides, they pointed guns in her direction. Guns are not toys, and we are not here to play games. If you point a gun at a member of the Black Guard, we assume you intend to kill us and will respond appropriately."
"She killed them…"
"It’s your culture, Princess Sophia. If those guards had drawn guns on a man, everyone would have thought it acceptable to kill them—self-defense. But because they drew their guns on a woman they thought it was alright. Conclusion, men have a right to abuse women," I said.
"No… Perhaps you’re right, Captain. But that will cause others to… retaliate."
"No. Not to retaliate but to prove women are inferior. That men are superior. Their actions will not be noble or out of loyalty but to maintain the status quo," I said, voicing my thoughts.
"Do you believe in God, Captain Sapir? That maybe he helped you to become what you are?" Sophia asked. "And has a plan for you… like here on Molova?"
I laughed. "If God did, then I know her name. Hada Attali." I bowed and left smiling. Hada was the reason I had worked so hard. The reason I made the Guard and Captain. The reason I had overcome rejection by my family. The reason I was finally at peace. I didn’t know about God. Several religions were prevalent on Jax. The Guard neither encouraged or discouraged religion and didn’t care which, if any, a person chose so long as it didn’t interfere with their duties. Hada’s father was a Toaist. I’d have to ask Hada about religion when I saw her next, wondering if that were in any way part of the dream.
CHAPTER SIX
Molova: The trip to Hezou
I had briefed Prince Badal on our decoy plan so he would understand why Wahle’s team and I would be leaving before his party started. He gave me a strange look but didn’t comment. When it looked like the Prince and his family would be ready to leave within the hour, I signaled Wahle, and we sped off on the military motorcycles Colonel Jarde
had loaned us. It only took a few minutes to reach the camp, where Jarde and the decoy caravan were waiting. Wahle and his team took up positions surrounding the limousine which should be carrying the Prince and his family, while I caught up with the car Jarde stood next to.
"Good morning, Captain Sapir. I understand one of your women Guards didn’t like Dara’s jokes," he said as I neared.
"She had tolerated their crude jokes, but when he and his partner drew their weapons and threatened her, she defended herself like you or I would under similar circumstances."
"Pointed guns at her? I’m impressed. Dara was a nasty piece of work, and his partner eager to follow his lead. Was she hurt?"
"Only her pride. They had the drop on her when I walked in."
"Well that’s understandable. How was she to know … Oh, I see. It’s her responsibility to know." He nodded as he studied me for several seconds. "I’m glad you’re here, Captain Sapir. The Prince is a good man and the planet Molova needs him." He gave a bow and entered his vehicle, then signaled for the party to begin moving.
* * *
The road was well maintained and the ride smooth. The terrain varied from flat farm land to rolling hills suitable for grazing cattle, to dense forests. We were less than an hour from the border with Hezuo when I heard gunfire from automatic weapons somewhere in front of us. It sounded like it was coming from the front of the column and off to the left. The road was wide enough for several vehicles, but we were presently in a heavily treed area containing very old and large oaks.
"Guard the forest to our right," I said into my Mfi while waving to the limo to move forward. Instead the driver began backing up. I shrugged as I left the road and entered the forest, scanning for movement. Since there was no reason for an assassination attempt to attack the front of the column, it had to be a diversion. If it were, the opposite side seemed the best bet. I had just cleared the first few trees when I heard sounds of automatic weapons and seconds later shards were pelting the cycle’s windshield. Then twenty meters ahead, a man stepped out holding a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, hurriedly fired in the direction of the limo, and jumped back behind the massive tree he had been hiding behind. Smiling to myself, I pressed the cycle’s gun switch and headed in his direction. No talent required. The cycle’s two guns sprayed pellets in a two-meter path, stripping the bark from the tree he had jumped behind. He was either a lousy shot or I had caused him to fire before he was ready because the explosive shell hit the front wheel of the limo, demolishing the front end and killing the driver. If Prince Badal had been in the limo, he might have survived; however, if the driver had followed my directions, the vehicle wouldn’t have been hit.
As I approached the tree he had ducked behind, no one was shooting at me. From the level of gun fire, I suspected my team had everyone busy, and the man behind the tree didn’t have the nerve to show himself. I couldn’t blame him. The cycle’s guns had shredded the bark and hand-sized chunks out of the tree he was hiding behind. I released the firing mechanism as I slid the cycle to a stop in front of the tree and released my whip. I lashed it around to the left and heard nothing. Then back around my head and to the right. A man screamed and his weapon discharged, sending a missile a hundred meters into the forest and eventually a large oak. The explosion cut the tree in half, and it came crashing to the ground, taking several smaller ones with it. Silence followed. I dove past the tree with my laser ready as I flew through the air. I hit the ground several meters from the shooter. He lay dead, blood spurting from his severed arm and chest where his clothing and skin had been cut through to the bone. I rose and clicked on my Mfi.
"Sergeant Wahle, what is your team’s status?"
"A couple of minor wounds, nothing serious. Between the cycle’s shields, our body armor, and the speed of these cycles, it wasn’t much of a fight. We killed ten. I suspect they were here only to protect the man with the missile launcher." As Wahle talked, Colonel Jarde’s car pulled up next to the limo. I mounted my cycle and joined him.
"This was a good training exercise." He pursed his lips. "My troops were pulled out of position by the diversion. Only the Guard seemed to understand what was happening."
"A natural reaction. The army has a tendency to think in terms of engagements, and therefore would respond to the attack. The Guard think in terms of their contract’s safety. The limo had to be the target so it was obvious the attack up front a diversion. I waved to the limo driver to proceed forward. If he had, he would be alive."
"Interesting observations. Yes, they stayed only long enough to get our attention, then retreated. We might have killed a couple, but if we did, they took the bodies with them. How many attacked you?"
"Eleven. You may want to inspect them to see if you can identify anyone."
"None escaped?" He shook his head in disbelief.
"We wouldn’t want killers running loose on the Prince’s land, would we?" I asked rhetorically. I accompanied him as he examined each body.
"Thank God," he said as he finished his inspection. "I don’t recognize any of these men. I’d hate to think that Prince Badal’s brother would be involved, but when religion is involved, you never know. I’ll have the bodies collected and verify that none of them are from Meric’s estate, but I’m pretty sure they aren’t."
* * *
Prince Badal’s party arrived an hour later. He stopped to inspect the damaged limo and the eleven dead men Jarde had recovered and laid out on the side of the road before approaching the Colonel and me.
"The Guard?" he asked nodding to the dead men. I nodded. "But if I had been in the limo…"
"A good example of what happens when the Guard are not in sole command. I waved for the driver to move forward. If he had, he would be alive and the limo undamaged. It was the problem with your bodyguards. They would have interfered with unknown consequences."
"The… Black Guard doesn’t make mistakes?"
"Of course we can make mistakes. We’re not perfect, but we react based on our years of training and not with our emotions."
Badal stood silent for several minutes, surveying the area, Jarde, and me. "Colonel Jarde?"
"Sir, I feel perfectly capable of defending you against an attacking force, but I believe Captain Sapir understands assassins better than me. I shudder to think of you and your family in that vehicle." He nodded towards the limo. "If the driver had recognized Captain Sapir as being in authority, I imagine he would be alive today. He reacted reflexively to the danger. However, if he had seen her as in command, it would have over ridden his fear, and he would have moved forward. We cannot have multiple people in command."
Badal nodded slowly as Jarde talked. "Thank you, Colonel Jarde. I value your loyalty and wisdom. Most men would have been concerned with their ego rather than my safety, especially when the leader of the Black Guard is a woman." Badal’s eyes bore into mine. "Captain Sapir, you and the Black Guard are in charge until this matter is resolved."
I nodded to Badal and gave Jarde a low bow, although my eyes never left him. Badal was right. Jarde was loyal and wise.
* * *
Colonel Jarde quickly organized the thirty militia who would accompany Badal into Hezuo, and after a short meeting to ensure everyone understood the Guard was in command, we were on our way. The transition from Surat into Hezuo was dramatic as the forest thinned out and opened onto farmland dotted with houses and barns. Two hours later, the number of houses increased and before long we were in a modern city, if somewhat old fashioned. The buildings were made from brick or other natural material, and most of the people were using ground vehicles, although there were a few small skimmers in the air. The real strangeness was diversity in the clothing the people were wearing—like a collision of worlds.
We exited the main road into an area of manicured real-estate and a massive three-story stone structure called the House of Princes, which Jarde had explained was seven independent buildings joined to form a seven-sided polygon that created a domed enclosure the
y used as the meeting room. A kilometer to the north looked to be a military installation with modern combat shuttles and jet aircraft. Several kilometers beyond was the ocean. From my contract literature, Molova had only one inhabitable continent.
We circled the structure until we reached an elaborate arched entrance with Prince Badal’s coat of arms—a white shield with a red cross dividing it into four quarters. In the middle of the cross an open book, with what looked like writing. In the upper left quarter a sword. The symbolism implying the Badal line was the protector of Xintoism. Of course, since the creation of that crest, Xintoism had split into two Sects, so it could mean either, but the Badal line had always supported the teachings of the Prophet Nomiko.
Inside, the building was split into two: troops and servants had quarters on the left and Badal and his family had quarters on the right. Badal had a permanent staff that maintained the building, and everything had been prepared in anticipation of his arrival.
"Captain?" Badal asked when he stepped out of this limo.
"I’d like a tour of your wing with the Guards and Colonel Jarde."
"Everyone?"
"Yes. We need to see the layout, check entrances, meet the persons authorized in your wing, and understand Colonel Jarde’s normal security." It took several hours to tour the family’s wing, which had twelve rooms: on the first floor, dining, reception, drawing, kitchen, and storage rooms; on the second floor, five bedrooms, a study, and a drawing room.
The soldiers and servants’ wing also had twelve rooms: on the first floor, a kitchen, laundry, maintenance, storage, and recreation rooms; on the second floor, a barrack for fifty troops, servants’ sleeping area for twelve, and five separate bedrooms for senior personnel. Together the building stretched over a hundred and fifty meters and was fifty meters wide.
The good news was that there was only one entrance into Badal’s building from outside and one from the center enclosure. Colonel Jarde would provide security at both those points, and the Guard would provide security along with Colonel Jarde’s troops inside the family wing. The Guard at the entrance was equipped with a retina-scan device which he used to check anyone entering the family wing.