Gray Panthers Captain Short Blade (17 page)

“You’ll position yourselves here,” he said, pointing to an area twenty feet from the grave. “When the order to fire is given, aim for the very top of that tree. I’ll give the order to fire for each volley. After the last volley, the detail you’ll stand at attention. A song will be played and that will be the end of the ceremony, since there won’t be any family members present for Commander Johnson. All right, let’s head back so you can prepare your best uniforms for in the morning.” He marched the team back to the ranch, pleasantly surprised that the old warriors were so easy to work with.

Ramirez was watching the warriors who weren’t on guard duty or work detail as they constructed a makeshift funeral pyre. Across the field he could see the Libra with Namid finishing up the morning milking. Namid was using her dogs to send the cows back to the field so they could graze. She saw him watching her and waved before heading over to him.

“What’s with the activity today?” she asked. “Is another mission being planned? The warriors all seemed preoccupied.” She turned so she could watch the dogs while she and Ramirez talked.

“We retrieved the body of the ship’s captain. We were going to have a military funeral for him in the morning, but then we found out the Jacka were going to go on the warpath if there wasn’t a ceremony to release his spirit through fire. There’s a priest coming tonight for that, and then we’ll bury the ashes in the morning. Could you help out with that? I’ll need someone to turn the music on at the end of the ceremony.”

“I can do better than that. I have a trumpet and can play Taps. I just need to make something appropriate to wear—everything I have is for farm work.”

“That would be great. Just be sure not to wear black. It’s another Jacka thing … and we don’t want to upset the warriors,” Ramirez quipped before he headed back to the armory.

As Flower looked at the box of materials for the ceremony, she didn’t know if she wanted to laugh or cry. All that was in it were a carton of flash powder and ceremonial wine. There actually wasn’t much to the ceremony—her father would give a small prayer and then the body would be ignited. While it burned, the warriors would get drunk as she danced around the fire. She would dance until the body was in ashes, though if the warriors gave a large enough donation, she would be required to dance even longer. She had almost been raped a couple of times, so she now carried a small blade in the sleeve of her ceremonial gown.

Short Blade woke with a start. Judging by the angle of the light coming through the window, it was late afternoon. Soon he would have to sit through the fire ceremony. He grabbed a piece of jerked meat and sat down in his chair to pass the time, washing the meat down with glass after glass of milk. As the light coming through the window grew fainter he could hear the soft sound of chanting in the distance.
Time to get this over with
, he decided.

The glow from the fire on the other side of the barn lit up the entire area. The warriors were sitting on a long, low board drinking a mix of ceremonial wine and milk, Seated on a smaller board across from the warriors, the humans were drinking from red plastic cups and were laughing and clapping as they took turns filling the cups for each other. Short Blade was shocked to see that he had missed the beginning of the ceremony. Commander Johnson’s body was already atop the fire .

A huge throne had been placed between the humans and the warriors. Both groups noticed him at the same time and directed him to his official seat. As a warrior handed him a large stein filled with milk, he noticed the dancer for the first time. She wore only a sheer white cloak with a hood that covered her face. With the light of the fire behind her, he could see the outline of her body through the cloak. She was like him, a runt. She alternated between dancing near the fire and dancing close to the warriors. Her movements reminded him of the lap dances he’d seen on Earth. The warriors kept chanting, “Fire will set you free!” Someone refilled his stein, and before long Short Blade felt himself losing control. He joined in the chant, mesmerized as he watched the dancer. The warriors kept grabbing at her and pointing toward Short Blade. Finally, she made her way toward him.

“Hello, Your Excellency. I hope my dancing pleases you,” Flower said in a low voice.

She softly purred as she sat in his lap and moved with the music. Short Blade burned with embarrassment at first, but then a new, stronger emotion took hold of him. He found that he was attracted to this female. As he stood to dance with her, he noticed that she was slightly smaller than he was as. The chant changed to “Short Blade! Short Blade!” His blood seemed to burn as he rubbed against her in front of everyone. He could feel her soft pelt and he grew bolder. Flower was first amused, and then excited by the runt dancing with her. She could feel the power he held over the crowd and decided that he was worthy of marriage. She could get away from her father and wouldn’t have to be his dancer anymore. She knew that this little Jacka was her destiny as she rubbed herself against him, forgetting the crowd.

Short Blade was feeling no pain as he began to stir from his sleep. He felt a soft warmth at his side. Lifting the sheet that covered him, he saw the naked little female cuddled against his side. Even in the dim light he knew two things: She was a runt, and she was the most beautiful female he had ever seen. It felt natural to put his arm around her as she draped her arms and leg over him in her sleep. He let out a slight sigh and let sleep take him once again.

“Wake up, Short Blade. The ceremony’s in half an hour.”

Slowly opening his eyes, he saw that Guns was trying to wake him while Jimmy was looking for his uniform. He came to full alertness when he realized that he was alone in the bed, the soft fragrance of Flower’s perfume still lingering, along with an unmistakable muskiness.

“Get out!” he ordered as he threw off the sheet. “I’ll be out front in ten minutes. Now go!”

The men looked at each other and said nothing as they complied with his order. Short Blade was pleased to see that the room didn’t spin when he stood up. In fact, he felt good. He could hear the birds singing, and he felt at peace as he dressed. When his obligations were over, he would find the little dancer and make her his.

The humans were all in front of the house waiting when Short Blade walked out. Namid smiled at him but said nothing. The four men were all wearing their new camouflage uniforms, decorated with racks of ribbons and awards. Short Blade thought they truly looked like they were in mourning. Namid also had on a camouflage uniform with an impressive rack of ribbons of her own.

“We modified the itinerary,” Jimmy told Short Blade. “The coffin’s already in place. When we arrive, you’ll say a few words. Then Juan will command the rifle detail for the three-shot volley and Namid will play Taps. That will conclude the ceremony. We should get going.”

As they turned to go, Short Blade heard Guns ask the others if they were as hung over as he was.
That’s why they look like they’re in mourning—they’re all hung over,
he realized. He couldn’t help but smile slightly at their discomfort.

The walk up the hill was quiet. Everyone seemed to be in thought. Short Blade was the first to discover that the top of the hill was crowded with warriors, their families, and comrades who had fought against the Libra. The group stopped for a moment to form up and then marched the remainder of the way. Short Blade went to the small podium, the few words he had planned to say lost.

“Commander Kyle Johnson was the most courageous warrior I’ve ever known. When he was still back on his own home world, Earth, he commanded a fleet of small boats fighting on the seas during the Iran War—”

A collective gasp came from the Jacka because of their ingrained fear of water.

“The commander received many decorations for bravery and skill in the face of his enemy. After that war, he retired and lived his life on a small fishing boat, going out onto the ocean every day. When he was asked to join the Gray Panthers, to leave his world and fight in space, he did not hesitate. That is the type of human Kyle Johnson was. He was my first human captain on our ship. I was a proficient crewman on the ship, but through his will and spirit he made me want to be better. I was promoted to chief petty officer, and later to lieutenant. I’m a better Jacka because of him. When his ship was damaged in an ambush during the last days of the war, he got his dying ship out of the ambush zone and evacuated his crew. He stayed behind to destroy his ship so it couldn’t be captured. He died of his wounds, deep in space, alone, knowing he had saved his crew.”

He nodded to Ramirez, who marched over to the rifle detail.

“Standby. Ready, aim, fire!”

The percussion from the rifles was deafening.

“Reset. Standby. Ready, aim, fire!”

The crowd continued to watch as one more time he gave the orders.

“Reset. Standby. Ready, aim, fire! Reset. Present arms.”

As each warrior held his rifle vertically in front of his chest, a sorrowful sound came from the side of the formation. Namid then stood at attention and played Taps. As they listened, most of the humans fought tears, while others fought memories. When she finished, Ramirez softly issued additional commands to the rifle detail.

“Order arms. Right, face. Forward, march.”

Guns went to the podium to announce, “This concludes our ceremony for Commander Kyle Johnson. Thank you for coming.” He then performed a left-face maneuver and marched down the hill slightly behind the rest of the humans. He heard the Jacka walking behind him and resisted the urge to turn around and look. 

Short Blade returned to his room to change out of his uniform and into blue jeans for the flight to Earth. The sight of his sheets reminded him of a night he didn’t fully remember.
What should I do about Flower? What if her father complains about his daughter being dishonored? What if I found her and married her? What if she wants nothing to do with me?
He tried to push the thoughts from his head as he decided to just go to Earth, get Poland, and figure it out when he got back.

He thought the warriors around the ranch seemed more interested in him than usual as he made his way to the shuttle. They were overly cheerful—almost to the point of laughing, he thought.
They know I had the dancer with me!
he realized. He continued straight to the shuttle, avoiding everyone. Namid was already there, waiting to go. Guns and Jimmy were completing the preflight inspection for him.

“Thanks for getting the ship prepped for me. See what you can do with the Beater—but no test flights until I get back with Poland,” he told them. He could swear they were ready to start laughing, the way they were smiling.
Does everyone know the dancer slept with me?

“Phoenix, coordinate the departure and flight plan for as soon as possible.” Namid followed close behind him as he boarded the shuttle. He glanced back at her to see her smiling, too.
I should just lock myself in the cockpit and avoid the foolishness,
he thought as he went straight there, ignoring her.

“We’re clear for departure, sir,” Phoenix announced.

“Go ahead and get us out of here,” Short Blade almost shouted as he dropped into his seat.

Daniels World

26 April 2129

As Dan skimmed through the correspondence that had made it past the AI Grub, he noticed a video from Short Blade. The message itself was titled simply ‘Captain Johnson.’ He gave the verbal command “play video” and sat back to see what it was. The opening sequence showed Short Blade and five humans, all uniformed, marching up a hill. The view expanded to show the top of the hill and a large crowd of Jackas that was a mix of civilians and military. Not far from them was a detail of seven armed Jackas. The view then centered on a flag-draped coffin and a small portable podium. For the next several minutes, Short Blade spoke about Commander Kyle Johnson, and then the rifle detail was in the center of the screen as a human commanded the Jacka warriors to perform the three-volley salute. After the echo from the last volley, the mournful sound of Taps was played while the view panned to a uniformed human female playing a trumpet.

“Mute volume. Is there anything else on the video besides the funeral service, Grub?” Dan dabbed at a lone tear that was forming.
I’ve heard that damn bugle call too many times in my life
, he thought as he watched the remainder of the video in silence.

“Grub, that was the captain of the Beater. Do we know how his body was found?”

“Sir, three days ago the Beater came back online and was reporting its location and status. A salvage crew found and recovered the ship. It’s currently on the ground on the Jacka home world.”

“Do we know who salvaged her, Grub?” Dan was surprised that the ship had been recovered. It had been reported as destroyed at the end of the war.

“The shuttle Phoenix and crew were the salvagers. The ship has continued to send its daily status. It is capable of returning to either Earth or here on its own, if you wish.”

“No, Grub, they did the work and took all the risks. I’m glad the ship won’t be collecting dust and that its old crew is the one that recovered her and put her back into service. Short Blade has done well with just the one shuttle. It’ll be interesting to see how he incorporates the Beater into his operation.”

“Sir, with the drawdown of the fleet, we could contract them for the support of our people on Glory. It’s overkill to use such a large ship as the Bia. The Beater is the ideal size for ninety percent of the trips we will need to make. The alternative is to hire either a Jacka contractor or a Dixie contractor. You know how nervous they are on Earth about any aliens, even from Dixie.”

“Good points there, Grub. Any ideas on what it would save the Gray Panthers to use the Beater instead of our Bia?”

“I estimate the savings at seventy-six percent per trip. Additionally, it would leave the Bia available for emergencies, since it’s one of the few ships available for immediate use for any contingencies.”

“Let’s send a message to the Gray Panthers contracting division and operations for them to propose a contract for two round-trips weekly to Glory from Earth, to include use of all available space on board the Beater for cargo and passenger use. That will keep him busy, since it’s three days per round-trip, including loading and unloading the ship.”

“Sir, is there anything else you wish to discuss on this matter?” Grub solicited.

“Okay, what have you got for me, Grub?”

“Sir, the Dixians just reported the loss of two cargo ships. Both of the ships were in an area previously controlled by the Libra Alliance. They were en route to Republic space to set up trade deals, but neither ship made it to the Republic border. Both ships had mixed crews of thirty, consisting of both Libra and Dixians. The Dixians captured the ships from the Libra during the war. After the war, the government sold them to the highest bidder. Admiral Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard bought the ships and then started his own cargo carrier company, Dixie Express. The admiral is demanding to be allowed to lead a task force into League of Planets space to investigate the missing ships. The representative from the League of Planets has already stated that if there is a military incursion into their space, it will be an act of war. Dixie’s President Davis is between a rock and a hard place. The people don’t want war, but the admiral has many powerful partners in the government, who invested in the ships. The families of the missing ships’ crews are demanding action, either to get their loved ones back or find out what happened to them.”

“Grub, if there’s a war between the two, who do you see as being the winner?”

“I don’t think the Dixians would have the resolve to go for an all-out war over the loss of two cargo ships. Even though the planet’s leadership would try to whip up support by reminding everyone that the Jacka had occupied the planet, others would then point out that the Jacka saved the Dixie fleet from the Libra and helped to end the war.

“The Jacka warrior spirit will make them fight to their utmost potential. The leaders in the League of Planets would look forward to expanding the military, so they could make more credits for their planets. They’re not worried about losing a war, although most citizens are tired of war.”

“Do you think both sides would accept Short Blade and his human crew to be unbiased if they were to investigate the disappearance of the two ships?”

“The politicians from the league don’t seem to care one way or the other, since they are also losing the occasional ship. Only Admiral Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard would have strong feelings against it, and it’s believed that he’s eager to go to war again to remove what he sees as a black mark on his record for having his fleet rescued by the Fire fleet at the key moment of the final battle of the war.”

“Grub, send out a communiqué to both sides letting them know that I volunteer to act as intermediary, with the support of Captain Short Blade and his mixed-race crew conducting the actual investigation. Be sure to include that if we find that a government is responsible for the disappearances, we will assist in bringing any guilty parties to justice—with the full backing of the Gray Panthers, if necessary.” After thinking a moment, he added, “Tell them that just like they would be, I’d be very unhappy if anyone were to disturb the peace we’ve enjoyed since the Libra War ended.” Taking a deep breath, he continued, “Grub, do you think I’m being too subtle?”

“Sir, I think both sides will understand what is being said and implied. Both sides respect you, and even fear you, to a degree. They’ve seen what you did during the war and how you are when you set out to accomplish something.”

“Thank you for your vote of confidence. Contact Short Blade and let him know that once the Beater is operational I have a good-paying job for him.”

He walked over to the elevator and soon found himself twenty floors up, at the surface of the planet. The sun had set and the night air was cool. The sky was alive with stars as he sat in the old lawn chair and gazed up. Things didn’t look as mysterious as they had at one time. He imagined the different worlds up there once again going to war and decided that he wouldn’t let those who had died during the last war die in vain.

“Deep in thought?”

Dan jumped. He hadn’t heard Juanita approach. She was carrying a metal pail filled with bottles of beer on ice. She handed him one of the beers as she sat down next to him.

“I’m seriously thinking of saying to hell with it all and just retreating here to our planet. Idiots are looking for the first opportunity to go to war again. Too many good people have died. Perhaps we just need to stop those who are ready to go to war over nothing.”

“So, my dear, now you’re God? You’ll strike down the evil, as you perceive it. Make the galaxy in your image?” Juanita moved from her chair into his to cuddle up with him against the evening’s cool air.

“I’ll keep an eye on what’s happening. From there, we’ll have to see. Now, as nice as it is with you in my lap, I think we’d be more comfortable in bed,” he said as he tried to push her off his lap. Instead, she turned and kissed him, and then jumped off his lap and ran to the elevator.