The Chronicles of Benjamin Jamison: Call Sign Reaper (20 page)

Aisling got back to her quarters. She had been thinking during the whole walk back about Andrea’s erratic behavior. She was a by-the-book officer and a marine to the core. Lately, though, she had been someone else. She thought she might have a talk with her. She touched her com and asked Andrea to join her for a drink.

Andrea really didn’t want to have a drink. She wanted to go talk to Ben and tell him how sorry she was. But she thought a drink might be good before she went to see him.

The captain had changed into something comfortable and poured herself an Irish whiskey. The door chimed and she let Andrea in. She walked over to her bar and poured two fingers of Irish whiskey in a glass. She walked over to where Andrea had sat down and handed her the glass. Andrea took a pretty good pull off the glass and swallowed slowly, letting it burn all the way down. Aisling decided to sip hers and watch her friend.

Andrea couldn’t take the quiet anymore. “Is there something you wanted to talk about?”

“I’m just concerned about you is all,” Aisling said. “You don’t seem yourself. Everything seems to center around your new team member.”

“It’s nothing I can’t handle.” Andrea stared at the table top.

“Oh, like you handled it in the gym — is that how you plan on doing it?” Aisling said. “Well, you just keep right on doing it that way and we will see how it works out.”

“You would love that, wouldn’t you!” Andrea blurted out.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“You’ve been throwing yourself at him like a cheap whore ever since he got on this tub.”

Aisling’s hand connected with the side of Andrea’s face with a crack.

Andrea sat stunned and the side of her face burned. Aisling’s slap had a good effect, as Andrea seemed to get a grip on her emotions.

“I’m sorry, Aisling, I really am. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Andrea, I know you’re in love with him. The whole ship probably knows you’re in love with him. You can’t take your eyes off him, and then there is your behavior. Erratic, jealous, and possessive. I have flirted with him and thrown myself at him but he has never taken the bait. I really like him, Andrea, and if you fuck things up then I plan on stepping in. I guarantee I will treat him right. You are my friend, and all I’ve done is test him. If he had given in, then I would have known he didn’t love you. But he didn’t give in, so I think he does love you.”

The captain took a long drink. “I am going to be his friend regardless, so you better understand that now,” she said. Andrea nodded that she did.

“Good,” the captain said. “Finish your drink, give me a hug and go have a talk with him.” Andrea turned up the glass and finished the drink. She stood up and walked over to Aisling, who stood facing her. She looked at the beautiful redhead with the emerald green eyes and a body that could start a galactic war. She hugged her tight and told her she was sorry again. She kissed her cheek and headed for the door.

She went to Ben’s room and tried the door. It wouldn’t let her in. She flashed her badge so it would announce her, but the door still didn’t open. She took out her com and pinged him, but he didn’t answer. She was about to walk away when the door slid open. She stepped into the dark and the door closed behind her.

“What do you want, Major?” Ben said very formally.

“I need to talk to you, can I sit down?”

“No. You can stand and talk from right there,” Ben said. He was being a dick and he knew it, but right now she had it coming. It was quiet. Neither spoke.

He broke the silence. “I’m going to sleep. Wake me up when you have something to say.” She was standing in the dark wringing her hands. She didn’t want to fight or argue with him. She walked to his bunk and knelt down. Her hand touched the side of his face as she ran her fingers through his hair. She started kissing his face in random places. She kissed his eyes and forehead, his cheeks and finally his lips.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly.“I don’t know what it is wrong with me.” Ben scooted back on the bed and Andrea lay down. He kissed her and held her tight.

“The rest of the team will be here tomorrow and Gunny will be back to 100 percent soon,” Ben said. “We have things to talk about but they can wait until tomorrow.” She stood back up and undressed. Ben held the blankets up and she slid into the warmth of the sheets and his body.

The Warhammer met with the Falchion mid-morning the next day. Ben hadn’t seen his ex-teammates in over a year. He wondered what they would think about his arrangement with the Colonial Military.

Andrea had left his quarters earlier to get ready to meet the rest of the team. Ben showered and put on his thermal suit. He decided to wear his armor and see what kind of effect it had on his friends. He dressed with his armor, boots, helmet, katana, laser pistol and combat knife. His door chimed just as he was on his way out. Andrea and E’Aria were both standing in the corridor.

“Strange choice of uniform for meeting old friends,” Andrea said.

“First impression is everything, Major, and this group is hard to impress,” Ben replied.

“You should wear the broadsword and the mini rail gun if that is the case,” E’Aria added.

“Good idea.” Ben said. He stepped back into his quarters, took off his katana and slung the broadsword over his back. He grabbed the mini rail gun and put the sling across his shoulder, letting it hang just below his chest where his hand could rest comfortably on the pistol grip.

“How’s this?” he asked. The major rolled her eyes and smiled. E’Aria looked serious and nodded her approval.

“How is Natalia?” Ben asked as they walked down the corridor.

“She is doing really well,” E’Aria said. “You should stop and see her when we pass the bay.”

“I don’t want to scare her,” he said, gesturing to his suit.

“I doubt you could do that. She thinks of the Reaper as her savior.”

Ben slowed down as they walked past Med Bay and saw Natalia talking with Nurse Tanaka. She looked happy. Then she saw Ben and ran over to him. She started firing off a million questions.

“Where are you going? When will you be back? Will you go to the gym with me?”

“Whoa! One at time,” Ben said, smiling at her energy. “First off, I’m going to meet some old friends who are coming in on a shuttle soon. Secondly, we are not going anywhere for a few days, and yes, we can go to the gym later.”

“Can I go with you to meet your friends?” Natalia asked.

“I don’t care as long as the major doesn’t care.”

“It’s fine, you can come, Natalia,” the major said, “but you have to stay with Reaper or Ensign Aok.” Natalia smiled happily. She walked around to Ben’s free hand and took it, and they continued on down to the cargo hold shuttle hanger. Their group got plenty of looks as they walked.

The stealth shuttle was just landing in the shuttle bay when they arrived. Natalia was fascinated by all the activity. Ben watched the stealth shuttle land. It was sleek and angular and black. It looked like a attack craft. It had turrets with lasers and small missiles under the wings. He assumed those would be for planet-side defense or offense.

The sergeant major and Gunny picked that time to join them. Ben could see the cargo deck on the rear opening but couldn’t hear anything. He darkened his visor so no one could see his face. He wanted to watch the initial interaction with the major and his old teammates.

Four marines and a corpsman walked down the ramp. They were carrying the hard shell crates that housed their weapons and others that had their gear and belongings. The tall marine was giving orders to the rest. Ben sent a thought to E’Aria.
Watch yourself and tell the major to tell them when they ask that I will be along shortly. I want to see how they react to her.

Ben saw E’Aria lean in and whisper to the major. Ben knew his old team had been a bunch of outcasts or misfits when he took charge of them years ago. They were not good with authority and didn’t care if you wore metal on your collar or stripes on your sleeves. They were very good at what they did, which was usually something that the brass denied happening probably before they even did it.

Ben heard another set of footsteps from behind that stopped next to him. The captain was standing there.

“Natalia, stand over here by Captain O’Shaughnessy.” She walked to the other side and was between Ben and the captain, who put her arm around her shoulders and pulled her in to a hug against her side.

A tall marine walked up to the major while the other four lined up behind him. He brought his hand up in a sharp salute.

“Sergeant McAllister and Jamison’s Misfits reporting as ordered.”

The major saluted back. He held out a data chip with their orders on it. She took it and slid it in her pocket. She already knew what their orders were.

“Sergeant, have your troops sound off rank and name and I will introduce everyone here.” Corporal Bernstein Genius, Private Kozlowski Mumbles, Private Beavens Hillbilly, and Corpsman Hernandez Ronnie were introduced one by one.

“My call sign is Snake, ma’am,” Sergeant McAllister said.

“So you’re called Jamison’s Misfits?” the major asked the sergeant.

“Yes, ma’am, it’s probably the nicest thing we have been called, so it’s what stuck.” The team had been looking everyone over who stood facing them. It was an odd assortment of people.

“Sergeant Major, please step forward and introduce everyone,” the major asked.

“Hold on a second, Major Andersen,” McAllister said forcefully. Ben asked E’Aria to step back to her left Snake had taken a quick two steps forward and was in the major’s face.

“Where is Ben Jamison?” he hissed in anger. “You know we are only—” is all he got out as a large black leather-and-tungsten-clad fist hooked around the major and hit the sergeant in the jaw, knocking him down.

They froze. Ben stepped around the major and picked the sergeant up off the floor by his shirt. “Snake, I’m disappointed in you and the rest,” he said. “I leave you alone for a few months and you are back to threatening officers. I see some of you have less stripes than when I last saw you.”

Mumbles and Hillbilly looked down at the floor, knowing he was talking about them.

“Ronnie, you still have the smelling salts in your belt?” he asked. “Give him a whiff and wake him up.” Ronnie had an idea who was addressing her but kept her mouth shut. Ben grabbed Snake by the shoulders and turned him to face Ronnie, who put a vial under his nose for a second. Snake shook his head then came back to reality. Ben spun him around to face him again. “Now get in line with the Misfits and shut up.”

Ben turned towards the sergeant major and subtly pointed to the Reaper on his chest. “Sergeant Major, please continue,” he instructed. He stepped up and did so.

“Troops, attention! Captain, step forward please. This is Captain O’Shaughnessy and this is her warship Warhammer. It is also her brig you will spend time in if any of you fail to show proper respect again! You know Major Andersen. This is Ensign Aok. I am Sergeant Major Kim and this is Gunnery Sergeant Smith.” He paused for effect. “Finally, this is Reaper. He is a private contractor working with our team. He is second in command under the major. Is this all clear to you thick-skulled jarheads?” he said, smiling at them in a not-so-friendly way.

“Yes, Sergeant Major,” they all chimed in unison.

“At ease!” the captain said to everyone. “Sergeant Major, if you would get with XO Holmes he should have quarters ready for your team.”

“Fall in behind me and let’s get you settled,” Kim continued. “There is a meeting at 1500. Everyone, fall out at 1450 and I will take you to the conference room.” Sergeant Major and Gunny led the team off to find their assigned quarters.

The major turned to Ben once they were out of earshot. “Have you forgotten everything you learned in your past life?” she said angrily. “You do not strike anyone wearing the uniform. “ She stood looking up at him, anger written all over her face. Ben stood quietly. He was aware he had an audience of the captain, Ensign and Natalia.

“Major, could we discuss this later in private?” Ben asked.

“I’m kind of curious, Reaper” the captain said, “as to what you have to say for yourself.” Ben looked at the three officers and young girl all staring at him. The major looked at the captain but said nothing.

“Okay, I’ll tell you,” he said, looking at the two senior officers. “First of all,
you
cannot strike another service member. I am under no such code of conduct. My contract is very vague when it comes to what forms of discipline I can exercise or how I carry it out. I cannot go into too much explanation without being in conflict of our orders, as you know, Major.” He turned to O’Shaughnessy.

“Captain, let’s just say I have experience in handling troops like these. They tend to need an attitude adjustment from time to time. I don’t think that it will be necessary again, if that is any consolation to you.”

Ben turned and knelt down on one knee in front of Natalia. “Little one,” he said, “I am sorry if striking that soldier frightened you in anyway.”

Natalia put her hand on the side of his helmet as if it was his face. “It’s okay,” she said. “He was being mean to Andrea. I don’t think he will be mean to anyone anymore.”

“Neither do I,” Ben said. He stood up and looked at the officers.

He took Natalia by the hand and started walking away. All three women were shaking their heads in amusement now.

“Do you think we should talk to the general?” the captain asked the major.

“No, I doubt it would do any good,” she replied. “He sent us all the way to Anubis to get him, so I am sure he knows what he has there. Plus, he’s probably right. They will not cause any trouble from here on out. I will still have words with all of them in my meeting.”

Ben could see and sense the crew around them as he and Natalia walked, holding hands. He was taking her to the officers’ mess to get some ice cream. There was some time before the meeting and he was going to spend it with her. He asked the sergeant to fill her a bowl of chocolate ice cream, which the sergeant did at a double time pace. He would only glace at Ben, but he looked at Natalia and gave her a big smile.

“Thank you Sergeant,” Reaper said “I appreciate your speed and your kindness.”

“Yes sir,” he said, still only glancing at Ben. They sat down at a table while she ate. One table behind them sat two lieutenants. Ben did not know their names but had seen both of them around on the ship. One was about 5 foot 6 but talked like he was 7 feet tall. The other was slightly taller and of medium build

“They let any riffraff and street urchin use our mess,” he overheard the shorter one say. “We are officers and deserve to share our mealtime with people of our own class and breeding.”

“So true, Oliver, so true,” the taller lieutenant said. The shorter one continued. “I don’t know if I can even eat another bite, James, the stench is over whelming.”

Ben heard every word, as he was meant to, but he stayed seated. The sergeant heard it all too, so he got on the com with the officer of the deck who called the captain. The captain and the major were on their way in that direction already, so they stepped up the pace. Ben looked down at Natalia, who was just eating her ice cream and had no idea the idiots where talking about them.

“Let’s go James,” Ben heard from behind. He heard the officers stand up and then there was some shuffling and liquid splashing off his armor, which got all over Natalia and her ice cream.

“Sorry about that,” he heard them laughing as they walked away. Natalia just looked shocked, and she scooted away from the liquid. Ben was out of his chair and on their heels in about two seconds.

“Hey! Assholes!” They turned to find him standing right behind them. His hands shot out and grabbed both of them by the collars and pulled them towards him.

“How about we all meet in the gym later and settle this man to man. I’m good with two against one if you two are,” he growled. The captain and the major walked in the mess.

“Gentlemen!” the captain said, loud enough that she knew she would be heard. Ben didn’t let them go. They were using both hands to try and get free and it wasn’t working. The captain watched her men struggling.

“What is the hell is going on here?” she asked.

“The lieutenants and I were just discussing meeting at their convenience in the gym to settle a matter of difference in their olfactory senses,” Ben told her. The major saw Natalia and walked over to check on her. They were having a discussion and the sergeant of the mess was there with towels, drying her and the table off.

“I am awaiting their answer, Captain,” he said to her. “Although I think they just don’t make navy officers like they used to. I guess the news will spread about the cowards on the Warhammer.” Ben turned from the three of them and walked away. The sergeant was bringing Natalia more ice cream, and some for the major also.

Ben sat down at the dry table. “Both those guys are sorry, little one,” he told Natalia. “I think I’ll meet them later and give them lessons on how to walk so they don’t spill their drinks on anyone else.” He heard the lieutenants leave the mess like their pants were on fire. The captain joined them and gave Ben a cold stare.

“The lieutenants will be in the gym at 1900 hours. I trust you won’t be late.”

“No ma’am,” he answered, “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“You don’t mind if I attend, do you Reaper?” the captain said.

“Please do,” Ben said. “After all, it’s the honor of your ship that is at stake.” He laughed. The captain got some color to her face, stood up and started walking.