by CR Daems
"Dragon Tzadok, we've seen Dragon Sapir shoot, and she designed our current target array. What about you trying it," Gunny Sayre said with a grin. "Better yet, why don't you both have a turn…together." That caused an eruption of hoots and clapping.
"What do you think, Dragon Sapir?" Tzadok said with his own grin. "A pushing match with Mfws."
I smiled back. Neither of us would be embarrassed no matter the outcome, and it would give the FIST a good story. "Sounds like fun, unless I lose," I quipped. They went about setting up new targets and clearing the range. Then Tzadok and I stepped up to the firing line, standing side by side.
"Ready?" Wolfson's voice said from a couple of meters behind us, followed almost immediately by, "Fire."
Subconsciously, I noted that the time had been increased, probably doubled, as the next target was appearing less than a second after the last one.
"I'm glad you're on our side," Sayre said as the targets were being retrieved. When the targets were examined, the only way you could tell that both bullets hit the target was the hole was slightly larger or somewhat elliptical. The video of the match looked like we were in perfect synchronization, including the report from each shot which sounded as if only one weapon had fired. "By the way, the timing was twice the rate we train at. Now let's see who won." They slowed the video until you could see the bullets in motion. Tzadok was eventually declared the winner by a millisecond. He had gained a millisecond lead at the first target and kept it for all ten targets.
I gave him a bow to a roar of shouting and clapping from the FIST.
"I would imagine that video will have been seen by every Jax commando within a week," Wolfson said.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Jax: Rest and Reflection
"I'm glad that assignment is over," Wexler said, as he finished reading my after-action report. "I could imagine those mercenaries in shootouts every day because they had been allowed to keep their weapons. I would not have allowed them to be armed but on second thought, that may have resulted in more trouble. With weapons they had to worry about dying, either from the mercenary they were confronting or the Black Guard. Without weapons, confrontations would just be fights, and they would have been harder to stop. So, your strategy was correct and unique in that everyone appeared happy with the outcome."
I was somewhat taken back by his comment, until I realized that many more people were impacted when the Black Guard got involved beside the parties trying to kill our clients. In some cases, relatives could secretly want the person we are protecting killed because they would benefit, others may prefer the rebels to win, relatives of the person we kill would hate us, neighboring countries may prefer a new ruler, and sometimes I wasn't happy with the result because one or more of my family got killed or because the killing had been excessive, even if unavoidable.
Wexler grinned. "Yes, as far as I can tell, the mercenaries had a successful meeting, no one misses Captain Damsan, and everyone blames him for Corgin's death. Goebel is happy they didn't destroy the War Games building, the Mailin Commonwealth is satisfied as an agreement was reached, and the Jax Committee, I, and even you are happy with the result."
I had to nod agreement. Wexler was right, there were no losers even considering Damsan's death, as no one is mourning him.
"A perfect contract, yet it worries me. The contracts are becoming less traditional and involving more risk. To the Jax Committee, these contracts are very lucrative and the risk/reward ratio appears favorable because we have been consistently successful. But one disaster and we could lose more Guards than we graduate in two or three years. Worse would be the loss of experience those deaths would represent. The very experience that makes those high-risk assignments successful, could result in more losses and the eventual demise of the Black Guard."
I loved the diversity, but Wexler had a right to worry. The Jax Committee saw these contracts as high reward and low risk, whereas Wexler saw the potential high risk on every unique assignment. It made me understand Dorbin's and Tzadok's admiration of Wexler, and his responsibility of having to choose the individuals for each assignment.
I decided to visit Choje Abhaya in Tagar City, as Hada was on assignment and unlikely to be back for a month or two. Besides, I always felt better after a few days talking with him.
I left for Tagar City the next day after having determined Abhaya would welcome my visit.
"You look well, Rivka. How was your last assignment?" he said, rising as I entered the meditation room.
"Commander Wexler thought it a successful assignment as did I. None of my family got killed or even wounded," I said, after a respectful bow in his direction.
"But someone did get killed," he said, picking up on the None of my family, remark.
"I had to shoot one person."
"Kill?" he asked, but not in a judgmental way. When I nodded, he continued. "Why?"
"Because he was trying to kill me," I said. "He gave me no choice." I smiled, knowing his next question would be, we always have a choice. "No choice other than to die."
"You are an excellent shot. Couldn't you have wounded his arm or hand to stop the fight?" he asked, again without any indication of judgement.
"If I wanted to give him another chance to kill me," I said. "I did not challenge him to a duel and would have conceded the match if that would have satisfied him. I let him draw first so that any subsequent review of the fight would prove I was merely defending myself and did nothing to provoke the fight. Shooting to wound him in an effort to keep from killing him would reduce my odds of surviving. The novels and videos ignore the realities of fights with weapons. First, that I could hit the exact spot I was aiming for one hundred percent of the time, while my opponent is moving, and that other facts didn't materialize. Even if I hit the exact spot I intended, that it would preclude him shooting, that he wasn't as fast as I am, that he wasn't wearing protective gear, and that he didn't have another hidden weapon. Combined with letting him draw first, it would reduce my odds of winning by ten to twenty percent. Or put another way, I could expect to die in at least one of my next ten encounters. I draw last to protect my family's reputation, not to give my opponent a fair fight because I don't know his skill. I choose to kill, not to save my life. but my family and the others he will encounter if he lives."
"Aren't you being judge and jury?" he asked, not to argue the ethics but for me to explore the truth of my actions.
"No, the person trying to kill my family or me may have justifiable reasons to try and kill my client. I cannot know, nor do I care. I am merely trying to protect my family and the person I've been assigned to guard."
"Interesting, Rivka," Abhaya said. "Hada's father, Jian, tried to justify killing so long as it wasn't for glory, hate, or pleasure. That acknowledges that killing is wrong but less wrong if not done for those reasons. You on the other hand see your opponent as the person in the wrong, much like the blindfolded statues of justice. You see him as committing suicide using you as the instrument of his death. Therefore, you don't feel the mental struggle Jian did while he was in the Black Guard."
I returned to Sasser Mountain relaxed and at peace, which I always did after several days with Abhaya. He followed Tibetan Buddhism and believed in the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, not as rigid commandments like most religions but as a way of life leading to internal peace rather than to someplace after death.
"I think I see your next assignment running toward us," Dorbin said. When I turned, I saw Corporal Yardon as he slowed, stopped, and bowed low. I agreed with Dorbin as I was currently the only eligible captain on site. Dorbin had just returned from a five-month deployment and was planning to leave tomorrow on post-assignment leave. He had spent the last hour telling me about his last assignment, protecting a very rich merchant who had been seducing women with promises he never kept. From what Dorbin could determine, he had at least eight individuals who wanted him dead for ruining the reputation of some woman or for ruining their relationship with the
m. Unfortunately, several of the men or their families had the coin to hire assassins. Consequently, there was an assassination attempt almost every week. The question was only whether they would run out of money before an assassination attempt succeeded. Fortunately, the merchant decided to move to another kingdom, ending the contracts.
"Captain Sapir, Commander Wexler would like to see you," Yardon said between gasps for air.
"A good lesson, Dorbin, to remember when you are dazzling the ladies," I said, nodding to Yardon for us to go.
"I'm hurt, Sapir, that you think I would mislead the women I meet," he said, as Yardon and I walked away.
When we arrived at Wexler's office, the door was open and he waved me in. I bowed low, my eyes to the floor as befitting a senior Black Guard officer, the only person accorded that honor.
"Sit, Sapir. We have another one of those contracts the Jax Committee likes because they are lucrative, and I dislike because they are nontraditional and therefore unpredictable." He sighed. "Because you are primarily responsible for the Jax Committee approving them, I'm giving it to you. Princess Estelle's parents were killed in a shuttle crash, propelling Estelle, at the young age of twenty-four, to Queen. Palace security believe the shuttle crash was an unfortunate software malfunction and not an assassination attempt. Her minister is not so sure, and to complicate matters, Estelle was the king's only child and has no children. Her death would create chaos as the various parties fought for power."
Wexler stopped for a sip of his coffee, giving me a chance to comment. I agreed. It was a recipe for revolution and wars. "That is bad enough, but the queen feels she should tour her kingdom so her subjects can get to know her and her them. She believes the palace guard would be enough security. However, her ministers don't want to take any chances, and are requesting a contract with the Black Guard. The Jax Committee has asked me to prepare a contract." He laughed. "I immediately thought of you. So, you can help me write a proposal."
I could not help thinking of Isobel, although that was unfair since I didn't know Queen Estelle and hadn't even heard any rumors. Obviously, someone or some group wanted her dead but that may have more to do with wanting power than any fault of Estelle. Another Isobel was more than I was ready to manage, although I would order a kinetic strike again under similar circumstances, I would not be comfortable doing it. I gave myself a mental kick. There were enough today problems without conjuring future ones. I guess the Isobel confrontation bothered me more than I had thought.
"I think the same rules have to apply even though she's a queen," I said considering the facts Wexler had outlined. "We can't protect her unless we can see her, and we are in the best position to assess threats. So, the Black Guard is in command of her security and failure to listen to us is justification to cancel the contract."
Wexler laughed. "I don't know what the Jax Committee thinks of the idea of us dictating to our clients, but the dragons are all on board as well as the other captains. It's hard to argue with your track record." We spent the next two hours revising our standard contract, which would soon become our standard nonstandard contract, and selected the sixteen-person team that I would take to Adalok.
Two days later we boarded the shuttle dubbed the Black Widow, the shuttle specifically designed for the Black Guard to use when clients intended to travel. On the outside it looked like a standard marine shuttle, at least to the casual observer. Inside, it looked like a luxury shuttle for senior level executives. In reality, it was a mini war cruiser, built to deliver speeds up to Mach five and missile, laser, and fifty caliber destruction, and had defensive systems to match the best-equipped fighter. The plush seating in the middle would accommodate ten, with an additional ten, somewhat less comfortable, seats for security in the back near the exit ramp. The Black Widow was a true inter-service vehicle: maintained by the navy, operated by a crew of four marines, and reserved for the Black Guard on assignments to transport clients.
I spent ten minutes touring the shuttle with the rest of my team. Afterward, Chief Warrant Officer Dully, the shuttle's pilot, spent an hour describing the shuttle and introducing us to the Chief Warrant Officers: Armando, the weapons officer, Izaak the navigator, and McKenna on ECM.
"In conclusion, I would like to thank the Black Guard for creating the Black Widow," Dully said and bowed. "It's a dream to fly and safer than any other shuttle in the known, inhabitable worlds. It can't outrun a missile, but it takes the missile forty to fifty percent longer to catch us, giving us additional time to work on diverting or destroying it. We have an ECM suite capable of detecting and countering most missiles, and weapons that can destroy most fighters and ground defensive systems. Besides missiles and lasers, the fifty-caliber guns spew nearly two thousand bullets per minute."
"Captain, I noticed that all the senior positions are filled by women," Elijah said as we ascended toward the War Horse. "Is that to accommodate the Queen?" she asked, knowing I was averse to accommodating clients regardless of their wants or biases. I nodded.
"I object to reconfiguring our teams in the field. That tends to give the client the idea that he can command the Black Guard. I don't mind configuring the team when it's convenient and is not done to appease the general population and their biases. In this case, a woman commands the country, so having women in positions of authority won't be seen as unusual and it may help cause the Queen to be easier to accept my suggestions." I saw Elijah frown. "Elijah, when you are in charge, you not only have to be concerned about the client but the observable universe. Jax are being watched by many planets and potential clients. If you accommodate one, you can wager someone else will eventually want the same consideration. However, there are times when the request is reasonable. The Draco War Games was an example. Male guards made Zenaida nervous because of her upbringing and that would have had an impact on the games. So, reconfiguring her team to the extent that she had only female guards in her quarters was reasonable. When she left her quarters, she had the male Guards on her team."
* * *
"This appears to be a relatively standard assignment, although knowing you were assigned screams non-standard," Colonel Wolfson said at dinner that night with Captain Hwang and his XO, Commander Turk. "Why?"
"Consider your FIST Team," I said, trying for a scenario he could relate to. Standard would be entering a crippled cruiser. Non-standard would be having to enter an area of multiple crippled cruisers of unknown origin, and without knowing the extent of their damage. They would have the danger of crossing from one to another, not knowing the configuration of the cruiser, the capabilities of the survivors, their armor or weapons, the cruiser's internal defenses, or if they had captives. In our case, we have the Black Widow which would be like a fighter escort for your FIST."
"An interesting comparison," Hwang interjected. "To simplify, a non-standard assignment is one with a high number of unknown variables." He nodded, gazing off into the distance. "Like combat with an unknown type of cruiser."
"Exactly. The more unknows, the harder it is to plan and to anticipate potential surprises," I said.
"I don't envy you, Sapir. Bad enough facing one unknown cruiser. On your current assignment, each location will be like facing a new cruiser."
CHAPTER TWELVE
Adalok: Queen Estelle
When I exited the shuttle, an honor guard of ten men in gold jackets and white pants with a gold stripe waited, along with two men; one in military attire and one looking like a high-level minister.
"Good afternoon, Captain…?" he said putting out a hand and almost instantly withdrawing it, when I nodded but didn't offer my hand. "I'm Minister Timoteh. I manage the kingdom's accounts, and this gentleman is Senior Colonel Mathaz. He commands the palace guard and the queen's security."
The colonel had a bland expression on his face but his eyes were evaluating every centimeter of me. He looked to be in his sixties, stood close to one hundred eighty centimeters, and had a lean athletic build. His angular face was smooth and clean shaven;
however, his eyes were like a hunting cat, constantly evaluating his environment. The minister looked to also be in his sixties with a maturing frame, and a round face which currently supported a warm smile. He had a full beard and full head of hair, both silver. His eyes, like the colonel's, were evaluating me intently.
"I'm Captain Sapir, gentlemen. It is a pleasure to meet you," I said giving a bow. "I'm sorry, Minister Timoteh, the Black Guard do not shake hands or salute. I'm in charge of the Black Guard unit contracted to guard the queen and would be happy to answer any questions you may have, now or at your convenience."
"I'm afraid neither the queen nor Colonel Mathaz is happy that I insisted we hire the Black Guard," Timoteh said with a shrug. "I may be a foolish old man, but recent events lead me to believe her life is in danger and extra security necessary. A malfunction of the queen's shuttle several weeks ago, although apparently a part failure, could have been an assassination attempt. Queen Estelle's early accession to queen would be an excellent chance for the left wing of our society to eliminate royal rule. In addition, her upcoming tour of her providences will make her more exposed than normal." When I merely nodded, he continued. "Colonel Mathaz has arranged two transports for you team and assigned them quarters at the security compound. I have a vehicle to take you to see Queen Estelle." He gestured toward a long black vehicle standing twenty meters behind him, and two open military transports.
I held up my hand before he could move. "Minister Timoteh, my detail needs to be transported to the palace," I said. "They will need to be introduced to her highness and given quarters near to her and in the same building. The shuttle should be parked in a secure area, preferably on a landing pad close to the palace."
The colonel didn't say anything, but anger flicked across his face for a brief second. I chose to ignore his issue for now. It could wait until the queen and I resolved any issues she may have, one of which would certainly be the colonel and his responsibilities. Timoteh nodded, and led me to the vehicle. As we walked, I clicked my Mfi to Lieutenant Elijah's channel.