by Jessie Wolf
I had to be honest with her. “I don’t know, baby girl. I know that the others only have cosmetic damage, but the armor over your right leg can be replaced in a matter of a few hours. It’s the damage to your right arm PPC that might take a while. They’re going to have to replace it completely, and I don’t know if they have one here.”
“Can you find out for me? I really want to be out there with everyone else.”
“Ok honey I’ll find out if they have a replacement, but I’m not taking you out unless you’re one hundred percent. I will not put you in danger just to show them you’re not afraid. Do you understand?”
“No I don’t. I’m your partner; I should be out there with you. I don’t need all my weapons to fight.” She pouted.
Sighing “Vicky, please understand. Look I love you, you understand that right?”
“Yes”
“I know that you can fight with only part of your weapons, but I will not let you go into a fight without everything at your full disposal. I won’t handicap you like that.”
“Ok, if I have to sit it out I will. I won’t like it, but I will.”
“Good now let me go see what I can do about getting you repaired.”
Once I have disconnected and climbed out of the cockpit Dee De displays the total hours needed to repair Vicky and the on hand list of spare parts. What I see brings me up short.
“Dee De is this right?”
Yes it is. When I heard what you said to Vicky both me and Charley went digging. Well I should say I went digging and he started listing the needed repairs in maintenance log. (Dee De)
“But how can you be sure it will only take nine hours to get it all done?”
I placed her at the top of the list for repairs. As you pointed out the other only sustained cosmetic damage. When you placed yourself at the head of the charge the enemy pilots instinctively targeted you first. There for you received the most damage. (Charley)
“Ok I’ll buy that, but how can you be so sure that they won’t take care of the others first? I mean it’ll take less time to repair them than it will Vicky.”
If you promise not to tell I’ll let you in on a secret. (Charley)
“Ok, I won’t say a word to anyone. Now give, I want to know how Vicky will get taken care of first.”
Chief Donnelly has a soft spot for Vicky. (Charley)
“Just how ‘soft’?”
If Vicky was a human, he’d be doing his best to court her. (Dee De)
Holy shit! My senior maintenance tech was in love with my APS. I had only gone a few feet before fifteen techs rushed past me to start climbing all over Vicky. Chief Donnelly’s voice cut through the bay “Get a move on you lot. Get you’re asses in gear you sorry excuses for humanity. I want my baby girl up and running before dinner.” I watch as he kicks one young tech in the butt. “Don’t make me repeat myself. I said move it.” Coming up to me the old chief gave me a smile. “Don’t worry Lady Maiha; I’ll have Miss Vicky good as new and just as pretty by tonight as she was this morning.”
“Chief, please don’t let the others get neglected.”
“Don’t you worry about that, my Lady. I’ll have all of the Storm Dancers up and running in top form before long.” He was smiling up at Vicky as he’s telling me this.
I just have to know why he feels the way he does about her. “Tell me something Chief. What’s so special about Vicky?”
The chuckle lets me know he’s not mad about me busting him. “When I first came to House Nakatoma, as a young and inexperienced technician, the very first APS I was assigned to take care of was one of the very first Mountain Lions to ever be produced. I bet you didn’t know that there have only been two thousand and forty-one of these beauties produced or that they all have a female personality. Anyway Freedoms Widow was a true beauty, but she was temperamental as an unbroken filly. She had this little sensor glitch that used to drive her pilots crazy.” The look in his eyes was of one remembering a loved one from long ago. “Her last pilot was, Eiji Nakatoma, he was Lady Dai Etsu’s older brother. They both fought to the end when Hades was attacked by the ‘Union of the Soviet Socialist United Planets’ seventy-one years ago.”
When he tells me he knew Eiji, Matsu’s and Dai Etsu’s older brother; my head snaps up in shock. “Just how old are you Chief?” I ask in pure shock.
“Now that is not a nice thing to ask of one’s elders, my lady.” He says with a chuckle. “But since I kind of brought it on myself by mentioning that long ago battle. I will be celebrating my one hundred and ninth birthday at the end of the year. Yes I know I don’t look that old, but then I’m not totally human. My mother is Riegallian and they live to be close to three hundred on average.” To prove his point he pulled the hair back form over his ears. I could see the tell-tail points of his Riegallian heritage.
“Uh, Chief just how long have you been in the service of House Nakatoma?”
“Almost eighty-five years now. They gave me a chance when no one else would. Your family, Lady Maiha, is my home. I’ll tell you here and now, there are none of those fool traitors among my men. If there is I’ll personally rip them apart with my own hands.” The anger in his voice over the actions of some of the House troops was palatable. There was no question to his loyalty or that of his men. If there was they’d be dead.
“Thank you, Chief Donnelly. Now if you’ll excuse me I have some rats to take care of, and you have work to do.”
“Break one of their legs for me, my Lady.”
Smiling at his parting request I head for the bunker. It was time to get to the bottom of this ‘rats nest’ starting with Blackthorn. Alice caught up with me as I exited the hanger. “Do you have any idea how you’re going to question Blackthorn and the others? Oh by the way his real name is William Hazes.”
“Well I figured I’d start by breaking the fingers in his left hand, before I asked him any questions. Then once I had his attention I’d see just how much he knows. Why?”
“Maiha, you just can’t go all psycho bitch, on him right off the bat. Look let me try to talk to him first, then if he doesn’t want to talk you can break his fingers.”
“But my way is much quicker.”
“It may be quicker, but all it will get us is his immediate supervisor. My way we just might get him to give up the whole ring.”
As I thought about what she said I realize that the dark side of my behavioral programing was showing its ugly head. Damn it! I thought I had a hold on that part of the new me. Stopping in the middle of the yard behind the barracks I begin a simple exercise to calm and center myself. I can’t go in there and rip this man apart, like some feral animal. I need to be the Head of House of Nakatoma. I must present the face of calm cool reason, and not barely controlled rage.
Alice looks over at me as I try to find the inner peace I need to do this. “Kitten, are you ok?” at her calling me kitten my eyes bug out.
“Did you just call me, kitten?”
“Yup, sure did and that is what I’ll call you in private from now on. Now will you answer me, are you alright?”
“Um… yes I’m fine. I just needed to get a hold of my emotions before we go inside. If I don’t I think I just might skin the bastard alive.”
“Well, in that case let me confront him first. After a few minutes I want you to come in, but I want you to have your combat blades out.”
“Ok, but why?”
“Oh trust me. By the time you come in he’ll shit his pants at the sight of you with your blades out and spill his guts.”
“What are you going to tell him?”
“Oh nothing much, just that you’re waiting to turn him into a freak of nature, just like the former Head Captains sons.” The cold smile that crosses her face that she would gladly do that herself. There is more to the story behind her problems with this man. It was time for truth here.
“Alice, I know the sound of revenge when I hear it. What else did William Hazes do to you?” At my blunt confrontation of her past I
see the pain in her eyes. I pull her to me in a hug. I whisper in her ear “Please love tell what he has done? I can’t help if I don’t know.”
She started to cry into my shoulder, and then in a very small voice she told me. “Two years ago he and three others raped me after they got me drunk at a party in the barracks.” She tried to pull away from me, but that wasn’t going to happen. Not with the rage of what they had done to her filling me. “I went to the Head Captain and he said that it was my fault for getting drunk and if I had sex with them because I was drunk it wasn’t rape.” The more she told me the madder I became. Not at her, but the old Head Captain. I had killed that son-of-a-bitch too quickly.
I must have said that out last thought out loud, because Alice pulled back enough to look me in the eye. “You’re not mad or ashamed of me?”
“No, my love. I am not. However I am at myself for killing that pig too quickly. Who were the other two pieces of shit that attacked you?”
“One is my former platoon Sergeant. Unfortunately he died in the attack on the house. I made sure of that. I know I should have let you handle it in the Grand Hall but I was afraid he would get away before seeing justice. The other is one of Hazes best friends and lance mates PFC Laurence Taylor.”
“Well he won’t be getting away, my love. Trust me on that. Now dry your eyes. I need you to be a cold hearted bitch when we go in there. I want you to scare the living shit out of that useless fuck. Because when I enter he’s going to wish for death.”
Chapter 4
As we walk down the halls of the old bunker I fight to keep control of my anger. I realize that I’m a hair’s breadth away from a killing rage. It would not be good for me to lose control right now. Even though my family and Alice do not have the CORBRA system in their makeup I do. Charley and Dee De have been doing everything they can to help me keep control. Unfortunately I’m failing at it. The reason I know this my HUD keeps painting everyone we pass with a targeting cross hair and a friend-foe designation.
If I don’t get a better control over my emotions before I go into the interrogation room I’ll really lose it and kill the son-of-a-bitch rapist. I promised the people of my House that I would not be some blood thirsty dictator. That I would rule with a sense of justice and fairness. But I just can’t help it right now. I want to rip his so called manhood from him and shove it down his throat. “Alice, I’ll wait out here for now. Whatever you do don’t let that piece of shit goad you into doing something stupid. That is what he’ll want or try to intimidate you. If he tries that just remember you have all the backup you need inside of you.”
“Yes, I know, Marry has been giving me all kinds of advice on how to get what we want from him. She also said that my own combat blades are ready.”
“Show me.”
As her blades extend from between the knuckles of her hands a small mischievous smile crosses her face. Yes, her confidence is growing and Marry, her AI, is showing the way. Now all she has to do is face the man who tried to destroy her without killing him outright.
“Ok baby, go get him. Signal for when you want me to come in.” I give her a quick kiss on the check and a pat on the butt. As she turns to enter the room I send a quick prayer up to the Goddess to give her strength.
She with draws her blades and enters the interrogation room. The first thing she does when enters is to look over at the two Death Dealers. “You two! Get out!” when they don’t move she decides that they didn’t understand her. “I said get out! Now! Don’t make me repeat myself!”
This time one of them decided to challenge her. “Just who do you think you are to order a pair of His Majesty’s Death Dealer anywhere?”
“I am the Lady Allison Wellington, consort to the First High Lady of the Death Dealers, the Lady Nakatoma Maiha, and your worst fracking nightmare. Now get out of my interrogation room before I have you doing time on the backside of frozen Hoth in nothing but your underwear.” Now that is something I never thought about.
Talk about making a person wishing for a super nova just to warm up. The very thought of doing time on Hoth was enough to make most diehard miscreants think twice. That planet had such a slow rotation that only one side of it ever got any sunlight. Not that it mattered; the place was so far from its sun that it never warmed up enough to melt the ice and snow.
The looks of fear as they realized that Alice held their immediate futures in her hands, to the two men practically ran for the door. Once outside the room they see me standing there. I decide to put them at ease. “Gentlemen, relax you’re quite safe, and so are your careers.”
“Lady Nakatoma, we did not realize, please try to understand, we had no idea of who the Lady Allison was.” they were both in a near panic. I had to settle them down.
“Gentlemen, I understand. I sent her in there unannounced for a reason. Also I haven’t made the official announcement yet. I still wouldn’t piss her off though, that young lady has a mean temper.”
Meanwhile I can hear Alice really going after Hazes through the door. “You miserable excuse for a man! For over two years you have gotten away with rape! No longer! Your only chance for redemption is to tell us who all are involved with your betrayal of House Nakatoma.”
What I hear next almost was me ripping the door off its hinges to get to him. “Like I’ll tell you anything you slut, don’t you know it’s not rape if you’re drunk?” his laughter at that is almost more than I can stand. “Anyway there is nothing you or your little cunt girlfriend can do to me. I’m protected by double jeopardy. Nether you or she can try me again.”
Holy shit if he was tried and found innocent then there wasn’t anything I can do even if it was a corrupt court. At the sound of Alice’s laugh I wonder what is going on. “That is where you’re wrong, William. There never was a trial, not even an investigation. The old Head Captain never started one, so guess what, dipshit. All of your past sins are coming home to roost.”
“I want a lawyer. I have rights. You just can’t accuse of me of something like that or even of treason without proof!” he screamed.
“Oh. I don’t have to. You have already incriminated yourself with your own words. Lady Maiha will you please come in?” she calls out.
“Excuse me, gentlemen, but that’s my cue.” Letting all of the anger I have felt for the past few days show on my face. I let the golden cross hairs form in my eyes; I extended the combat blades in my right arm. When I walk into the room there is nothing of the cultured young lady that has been around lately. What walked through that door was Death.
Oh yes, my dear friends, the Daughter of Death was open for business. And she was looking at her next customer. In a voice as cold as the arctic winds of Hoth. “You have one chance, and one chance only, to tell me the names of all the traitors to House Nakatoma. Those here in the compound and the ones outside it.”
“What do I get out of it?” he demanded. “I don’t see any reason to give up any information.”
“That will depend on you. If you cooperate I’ll show you mercy. If not then you’re a dead man.”
“That’s not good enough. I want immunity for what you think I did.” He said with a very smug attitude.
I had noticed that he was very securely tied to the chair he was in. “Lady Allison, be a dear and break the pinky of his left hand?”
Alice didn’t even question me. She just reached over and grabbed his left hand pinky. Then twisted it to a very painful angle. “You just can’t ...YAHAAA!” he was screaming before he finished his sentence.
“Allow me to explain a few things, Willie. You know those two kind gentlemen who were in here before; well they are Imperial investigators with the Death Dealers. As such they are required to follow the rules of war, I am not. They are bound by a certain code of ethics that I am not. They must answer to their superiors, I do not. They only person I answer to is His Imperial Majesty who as commanded me to end this war and corruption on Hades. Do you understand your position now?”
When he nods his
head yes I continue. “Now, this is how it is going to go. When I ask you a question you will answer me. If you tell me the truth I won’t let the Lady Allison hurt you, but if you lie you will know how it is.” To drive the point home Alice breaks the ring finger on the same hand. As he screams I look over at Alice and in a fake sad voice “Why Lady Allison, he hasn’t had a chance to lie yet.”
“I just wanted to be sure we had his undivided attention.” The look of mock innocence was priceless.
“Oh, then I highly agree then. Now Willie, how many traitors are there in my House military?”
“Fifteen” he screams again as Alice breaks his middle finger. “Twenty-three. I swear there’s only twenty-three.”
“So you can tell the truth. Who is the ring leader?”
He hesitates for all of three seconds as Alice reaches for the first finger on his left hand. “Captain Rockwood of the support troop. After him is First Sergeant Kinsley.”
“Why would they wish to betray House Nakatoma?”
When he doesn’t answer right away Alice breaks both the first finger and his thumb of his left hand. “Oh ain’t that a real bitch all the fingers on his left hand are broken, I guess I’ll have to start on his right hand.”
“No Lady Allison start in on his toes. Only this time cut them off one joint at a time starting with the left foot.” When Alice hears me say this she realizes that I going to let her get her revenge on this animal. Before hearing of her rape by this pig and his accomplice I was prepared to do the dirty myself. Then when he had the gall to sit there and admit to raping her believing that he was untouchable, well I knew that if I started in on him he would be dead before I got the information I needed.
With quick strokes of her combat blades she removes his boots and socks. Looking up at me she cuts off the little toe on each foot. As he screams “I believe he’ll be more motivated to answer your questions now, Lady Maiha.” Then places her blades next to the next ones in line.