Shout of Honor Page 6

  "All right," she said to her squad. "We're going to recover Commander Vepal and give him safe escort to Paladin space. Eyes sharp. With good luck we'll intercept him on his way to us. With bad luck, we'll need to extract him from a Situation, in which case, he could be wounded, even badly wounded. Medic Latvala, stay sharp."

  "Yes, ma'am," Latvala answered, sounding positively eager.

  JinJee shook her head.

  "Let's go."

  * * *

  Erthax had known nothing beyond what he had initially reported; Vepal had made certain of that. Grisly work, not proper soldiering, but necessary. Once he was sure that there was nothing else, he had used Erthax's own grace blade to end the business, and disposed of the remains before he composed the message to High Command, wrapped in Erthax's codes, and sent from his console.

  "Treachery," read the message. "Account terminated. Vepal."

  These duties complete, he picked up his field kit and exited the ship, making for the food hub, and beyond.

  Of course, he could not remain with the Paladins; he must seem to those who watched him to be going about his usual affairs. Tomorrow, for instance, he would need to find a more appropriate docking for the ship. This off-shift, however. . .

  This shift, he wanted, very much, to talk to a comrade, to someone who understood command and the duties of command. He wanted to be in a proper camp, surrounded by proper soldiers, who knew about duty and loyalty, and the price of betrayal.

  Also, Erthax's information. JinJee would need it, for herself, and to send on to her colleague, the master of all secrets.

  He took the lift to the food hub, which would be very nearly deserted at this station-hour.

  But, it was not deserted. He was confronted by a crowd as he exited the lift – and felt a spike of sheer joy at the prospect of a clean fight.

  Then he recognized the tallest in the crowd, even as Ochin Rifle called out.

  "Commander Vepal, sir!"

  "At ease, Rifle," he said, as a less-tall figure separated from the group, and JinJee Sanchez put her hand on his arm.

  "All is well, Comrade?" she murmured, for his ears alone.

  "Maybe not so well," he answered, just as softly. "We need to talk. I place myself under your protection for this shift and perhaps the next. If you will allow, Commander."

  Her fingers tightened on his arm, and she turned, bringing him with her.

  "Not only do I allow, I insist," she replied, and raised her voice to address her soldiers.

  "We have achieved our goal; and now we return to camp. Singh and Henshaw, take the rear; Abercrombie and Pike on point. Latvala and Rifle, flank us."

  She released his arm and brought her weapon out, and Vepal did the same.

  "Yes," she said, and gave him a feral grin. "We go."

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Two days later, an unassuming lieutenant, or so it would seem, walked into camp during evening mess, presenting credentials which caused her to be conducted without delay to the table where Commanders Sanchez and Vepal were dining together, as had become their wont, and, at JinJee's lightly raised hand, was forthwith given a third chair, a plate, and, at the lieutenant's rather breathless request, a pot of coffeetoot.

  "Vepal," JinJee said as the junior officer poured and drank a cup of 'toot straight down. "This is Lieutenant Cheladin. She's attached this mission with the Lyr Cats. She has no manners, as you can see, but she is often entertaining. Chelly. . ."

  The lieutenant glanced up, and put her cup gently on the table.

  "I apologize for my lack of couth," she said, her voice soft and drawling. "I really did need that, JinJee. Thank you for your forbearance."

  "Not at all; I am used to you." JinJee glanced to Vepal. "We took training together," she explained, and looked back to the lieutenant.

  "I only worry about the impression you make upon my comrade; he is accustomed to a more rigorous style." She extended a hand and touched Vepal's sleeve.

  "Here is Commander Vepal, Chelly. He and his aide Ochin form an auxiliary with us. Nolan is his sergeant, should you have need."

  "You don't say! I'd thought Ezra had retired years ago!"

  She turned to Vepal.

  "Nolan was born a sergeant, sir; you'll get nothing but the best from him. Not that you need me to tell you that."

  Vepal inclined his head.

  "I have already been much comforted by the sergeant's care," he said blandly, and Lieutenant Cheladin grinned.

  "Of course you have," she said.

  The serving tray arrived at that juncture, and the lieutenant busied herself with choosing foodstuffs.

  Vepal, under the guise of giving attention to his own meal, considered the side of JinJee's face.

  He had come to know her well; easily well enough to see the worry through the mask of amused tolerance she bent upon her creche-mate as she filled her plate and addressed it with gusto.

  "I am of two minds," JinJee said, after the lieutenant had paused long enough to pour and drain another cup of 'toot. "Do I want to know why you are here, Chelly?"

  The lieutenant sighed, her shoulders softening, and neatly crossed her knife and fork over the negligible remains of her meal.

  "No," she said, meeting JinJee's eyes.

  "Splendid," JinJee responded. "Then do not tell me."

  She raised her hand, and here came the aide to gather up all their plates and offer desert, which, surprisingly, Lieutenant Cheladin declined.

  "Let us go for a turn about the camp," JinJee said, pushing back from the table and rising. "I don't think you've seen the new configuration."

  "Is this another new configuration?" asked her comrade. "By which I mean, the fourth?"

  "Such a retentive memory – the fourth, yes. We must keep sharp, you know."

  "Then, I'm agog to see the new configuration. I was amazed you managed to get three varies out of this space. Four leaves me speechless."

  "As if such a thing were possible," JinJee said amiably. They had reached the door of the mess, which was opened for them by an attentive soldier.

  JinJee exited first, followed by Vepal, then the lieutenant, in strict order of rank. Once outside, JinJee turned to the left, and Vepal to the right, where his small command made camp, and where Ochin Rifle stood expectantly at guard by the flagged perimeter.

  "No," JinJee said softly. "Vepal, please accompany us."

  So, this was something more than an old friend at liberty.

  Vepal hesitated, glanced at his loyal troop, felt his companions take in his glance.

  "I’m seen as remiss if I have no guard," Vepal said with a sigh, "Clearly, two mercenary officers are insufficient honor to my rank."

  "I see," JinJee said, "he has been much alone of late, hasn’t he? Let him be our honor guard, then."

  The ambassador summoned his man.

  "Five paces behind, Ochin Rifle. Guard us carefully, as befits a combined command."

  Ochin saluted very smartly. "Yes, Commander Ambassador. A combined command."

  Vepal fell in at JinJee's right hand; the suddenly sober Cheladin on her left, and they moved out.

  "Advance troops were being selected last night," she said, softly, but not making any effort to obscure her words. "They've got to prep their equipment and command structure. They haven’t boarded yet. We've got a tracer on them."

  "We'd heard Liad was the target; Clan Korval the sponsor," JinJee said.

  "I'd heard that one," Chelly said.

  "Vepal disagrees with that target, by the way."

  "And so?"

  Vepal sighed, shook his head vaguely. "These are not warlike people, this Korval, except when pushed. They do not seek trouble. Clan Korval is not on the attack against Liad."

  Chelly nodded. "I'll put my coin with the commander's – so then, not Liad."

  "Have you anything more likely?"

  "I did have a thought. Surebleak might not yet be secure."

  There was a small pause, before JinJee murmured.r />
  "In fact, that is Clan Korval's new home world?"

  "That's right," Cheladin said.

  JinJee waved a hand, taking in, so Vepal surmised, the entire space station, and all the soldiers on it.

  "All of this, to dispose of a single Liaden clan?" she said. "They must be formidable."

  "They are," said Cheladin. "But they're not necessarily the target. Or maybe only peripherally the target."

  "What else, then?" asked JinJee.

  "Mercs," said Cheladin succinctly.

  "Clan Korval has hired forces? Perdition Enterprises, or whoever is behind it, sees this as a threat to their own agenda?"

  "Clan Korval's situation," said the lieutenant, "is unique. I will send files – nothing that Research Officer Aritz couldn't locate in six minutes, and compile in an hour, but I happen to have it all to hand.

  "The short form: Korval is exiled from Liad for crimes against the planet. They relocated to Surebleak with, I gather, a strictly limited show of remorse, and a ready plan. Recall, too, that it was Korval that took command of the forces on Lytaxin when the mercs there were blind-sided, and they handed the Fourteenth a thundering loss. There's a fondness for Clan Korval among certain of our brethren, some of whom subsequently assisted in the so-called crime against Liad – under proper contracts, the terms of which were scrupulously kept.

  "Also, Clan Korval has chosen for its new base a planet rife with opportunity, in a sector previously thought closed. I've heard that there's a new Merc Intake Center with Recruit Depot planned; they have a sufficiency of uninhabited land in interesting sizes and shapes, as well as a challenging climate."

  Vepal bowed slightly in agreement, "This matches my information."

  "Rich plunder," said JinJee quietly. "Either the mercs or Clan Korval would not be quite tempting enough. Two such targets in one location, however. . ."

  "Becomes irresistible, to a certain type of client."

  "Speaking only for myself," JinJee said, "I would give a very great deal to know who is the client."

  "Working on it," Cheladin said.

  "Warnings have been sent," JinJee said. "Of course."

  "Well," Cheladin said, and failed to admit to that case.

  JinJee paused, and turned to face her creche-mate.

  "Warnings have not been sent?"

  "We're trying to get the word out, as a hint," Cheladin said, sounding suddenly weary. "I lost a courier – whoever Perdition Enterprises is has the station under tight patrol. I'm afraid we lack our own pinbeams at the moment due to our civilian docking arrangements, and we dare not assume station pinbeams are secure.."

  JinJee took a quiet breath; and another.

  "Which," Cheladin said quickly, "is why I'm here. Actually."

  "Go on," JinJee said.

  "You'll recall that my team, laggards and thrill-seekers as they are, and thinking themselves above their brethren in arms, on arrival sought for themselves quarters on the civil and residential side of the station."

  "I recall this, of course," JinJee murmured.

  "Yes. And you will also recall that I, as officer in charge, made it my business to seek out station society, particularly the stationmaster and the board of governors. Inago being situated as it is, and reasonably busy even when not hosting a hiring fair of epic proportion, begin to find, let us say, the peculiar strains placed upon the station by the presence of the fair to be stretching their expertise.

  "Happily, I was in a position to offer the station the use of my laggard team, most of whom, as you know, are quite knowledgeable, once they allow themselves to be roused to work."

  "Has there been an increase of. . .system stresses, on the civilian side?" JinJee asked politely.

  "Sadly, there have, and though my team has become interested in the emerging problems, it was suggested that they might need reinforcements. I thought of you."

  "I think," JinJee said quietly, "that it is time for my co-commander to have found us an easy security job on Panore, or perhaps one of the sea-side worlds at Canova. We'll be striking camp and moving out tomorrow. I will, myself, call at the recruiting office and formally remove the Paladins from the list. Vepal – how would you?"

  Before he could answer, Cheladin spoke again.

  "That. . .may not be possible any more, JinJee."

  "When I have heard complaint from Recruiting Agent ter'Menth herself that she grows bored with my malingering? I think she would be very glad to see our backs."

  A chime sounded, very softly. The lieutenant reached to her belt; raised a communicator to her ear.

  "Cheladin," she said quietly, and, on a different note – "Got it. Take precautions."

  She clipped the comm back onto her belt, and – said nothing, her gaze seemingly on something beyond the station's horizon, or years in the past.

  JinJee placed a careful hand on her friend's arm.

  "What happened?"

  "An altercation, between forces known and unknown. Two of the Lyr Cats were attacked and injured pretty badly. Preliminary report is they were cornered near the airlock to the civil side, and made it through to aid on that side – but now the airlock’s been taken hostage and held, by someone. No firefight, but edged weapons and deadly intent."

  JinJee raised an eyebrow.

  "We’re not visible yet; have to wait for portmaster’s response."

  JinJee nodded at that, her reply unheard as station hazard klaxons sounded urgently, the red and blue flashes of the warning lights signifying a pressurization problem. Behind them, to their right, curtains of metal slid with a rumble from side walls, and dropped from ceilings with tremendous force, leaving behind them pressure changes and echoes. Rather than an open concourse they stood now in a long hall with small access doors topped by more blinking lights.

  The vocal warning in Trade followed quickly: "Airlock issue Deck Seven. Follow standard protocols, Lock Three on emergency seal. Avoid this area. All region airlocks on emergency full seal now. Section airlocks by authorized poll cards only. Refrain from crossing air boundaries until further notice."

  There was cussing in several languages as the group heard the news.

  "We’re on the wrong side of these doors to get back to our command, aren’t we?" JinJee asked as everyone checked their weapons. Behind them, Ochin turned in a crouch, on guard, gun in hand, as more distant rumbles and clanks shook the floor, and the station locked down hard.

  Chelly unclipped her handheld, pulling up a map.

  "There may be a way to get through!"

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  The large access doors to cross boundary openings were sealed and locked but the doors to the manual stairways were not: Cheladin confirmed that the one across the corridor from the one Ochin experimentally opened was also accesible.

  "We can go up or down," she muttered, "but not through!"

  Cheladin’s fingers ran over the face of the device as she tried another idea, cussed, worked on.

  "The stairway lights, Ambassador, are on the battery. Subsystems may not be as well guarded."

  "Thank you, Rifle, I hadn’t considered that ..."

  "Do you think all the units are cut off? Or is this a Perdition operation at work?" JinJee glanced back and forth between the doors held open by Ochin and the lieutenant.

  Cheladin pulled another comm from a pocket, punched that into operation –

  "Cheladin," she said, "Update. We’re on the wrong side, um, here, can you give me directions to anything open?" – and read off the corridor and level markers above the door she leaned against.

  "You, too? Check with anyone who’ll talk to you, we’re going to have to be patient or hike..."

  The lieutenant’s face showed her worry –

  "Stationmaster is going full storm on this, looks like."

  Vepal nodded agreement to JinJee, asking both, "Priority? My ship is far enough out on the docking rim to send a pinbeam if you have the coords and trust me to have them. If we need to storm a barricade we may lack the
weapons and staffing."

  "Wait – I’m getting possible routes – one’s up the stairs your man has open," she showed him the screen. " There are routes in red, those are closed. There are routes with blue stars – those are pollways. There’s one that’s gray – status not known – that’s up three decks and should lead to both merc and business sections."

  Agreement was instant, with Ochin perforce taking the lead, jumping three stairs at a time with remarkable ease and quiet, gun tucked away on favor of agility. The officers followed, Cheladin mounting the stairs with comm in one hand and gun in the other, the officers using hand grips to speed their way. The stairs were part of an air transport system, grids and grills open.

  The sound above of a door slamming, and busy feet; Ochin froze, glancing down to Vepal for guidance.

  JinJee signaled pause, and Vepal did too. Ochin took the time to pull a knife from his leg pocket.

  No more sound came to them. Had someone been testing a door to see that it would open, or going through one?

  Cheladin stretched, hands touching here and there about her person before pulling a tiny item from her belt, considering, and putting it back...

  "Gods of guns, who’d think we’d be having this much trouble because of a Liaden no one knows? No record of her in any merc contract histories, none of her organization. It’s be one thing if it was Korval invading Liad – might be some sense there. But what’s to trust this crew, or their contracts? And Korval’s no pushover. Korval’s not a pushover even for his people," she said, nodding toward Vepal. "Did your High Command go for an alliance?"

  Ochin laughed from his spot higher on the stairway, startling the officers.

  JinJee raised her eyebrows and looked toward Vepal, who spread his hands wide, palm-up, shrugging Terran fashion.

  "Please, Rifle," she said, "your thoughts, if the Ambassador permits."

  "Indeed," said Vepal, "we are intrigued."

  "I think," said Ochin, tucking his laugh away and showing a serious face indeed, "that such a strategic mistake is not likely from the High Command. The lieutenant mentions the defeat of the 14th by Tree-and-Dragon.