Coming Home (Free Fleet Book 2) (2 page)

"Something that you will not be seeing for a long time," I grated. He held my gaze as I saw them lose their glow.

"You have lost my faith, Stone Warrior." With a jerk of my head Krom took him away, another nod sending Shreesht with him. A Sarenmenti of my protection detail was waiting now as Janice and Dave watched Yasu, their faces emotionless.

"Calerd, get my armour out of the closet if you will." I signalled to the Avar who nodded, walking into the disaster that was my room and unhooking my mecha and its power cradle. “Dave will you please help Janice get Yasu out of her armour.”

They did so rapidly.

"Dave, please retrieve the weaponry from my room and bag it."

He did so as Calerd exited my closet with my mecha and its cradle.

"You wanted to know where I was sleeping with my supposed concubine? Well, I guess you can enjoy the comforts I did in an attempt to allow you to be free and not impose our marriage upon you. See, the reason I didn't sleep in the captains quarters was to give you room and to not pressure you, out of respect. Which you, like Takahashi, have lost. Janice, Dave, take her. I’ll take my weapons.”

Dave gave me a bag of the various weapons I’d had in my quarters as Yasu talked.

"James can we just talk?"

"I was always here for you to talk to, but then you tried to cleave me with a sword. Once you fool me, twice and I'm the fool, three times I'm a dead fool. I trust in my weapons and in my people.” I nodded my head to Dave and Janice who guided Yasu away, her body language dejected as she went willingly. I walked to the lift with Calerd carrying my mecha in its charging cradle.

I came out of the lift and saw the Sato sisters by the captains quarters door.

I held the massive plasma rifle up, ready to drop it and level it with them.

"I ain't in the mood girls, Yasu and Takahashi already took one crack at me today. So I have little patience, so you're going to report to the Bachelor Battalion and be integrated into that unit. Or we can fight it out." I let a savage grin cross my features, they could tell how much I was spoiling for a fight to let off my aggression.

"Yes, Commander, we-"

"Will take the-"

"First option," they said in a singsong manner between them.

"Thank you, ladies," I said and walked right past them and to the captains quarters hatch. I think my confidence as I came so close to them without flinching or caring made them really evaluate. I had already planned for them to attack me here, but the attack I expected didn’t come. After a few moments, they walked away, taking the lift to the AMC areas of the ship as I accessed my new quarters.

I spent the next few hours unloading the small armoury that had been in my quarters from the bag Dave had collected, placing them around my new quarters as Calerd put my cradle and mecha in its new spot and waited in my room with his own plasma rifle trained on the door. If anyone came in uninvited they wouldn’t be doing much of anything else.

I took a shower, some Wake Ups, and donned a new battle suit Dave had grabbed for me. I walked out feeling worse than I had when I'd gone to sleep, finding four of my protection detail inside my room.

"Sir, we should visit medical first about your injuries," Krom said in a way that brooked no argument.

"When did you become my babysitter?"

"Since I first saw you." This got a rough exhale from me in lieu of a laugh.

"The first time we saw one another we were fighting one another, to the death if I remember."

"Yes, sometimes one must teach the other how to survive better."

I grinned, Krom sharing it with me as I waved my hand.

"Alright, to the med bay then."

A lot of prodding and poking later, as well as a bunch of bandages - personally I think the medical staff was just a bit bored; I came out looking like a mummy when I left. I returned to the bridge.

"CFF on deck!" Rick said, affecting a slight muffling sound to his speech as he grinned. I shook my head.
Of course Rick would be the one to make a joke of it.
I couldn't help but feel a little better with my second in commands antics. At least he hadn't used my full title.

Officially, my title was Commander of the Free Fleet, but the thing was just too damned long. So CFF worked. Rick and Henry had come up with it, and being my military experts I was not allowed to say no, as they had put it.

I walked to my chair as if I didn't notice all of the stares. It wasn't like they hadn't seen my face covered in scars before. Though it was annoying to have them back, it did add a fearsome looking appearance that I’d lost from being ‘awakened’.

Rick came over once I was settled in.

"Are you good, sir?"

"Been better but I have other things to worry about than my personal matters. This fleet and our destination being one."

"Well, we've begun braking," he said immediately, changing to work as to take my mind off of my personal matters. The man knew me well.

"We're on schedule for meeting up with the second fleet. Shrift and Tactical have figured out the allotted supplies and worked with the shuttle pilots to figure everything out. It's going to be a very hectic eight hours before we jump."

"I want all of that equipment sorted out and the two eclipse ships are to be placed at optimum positions for their deployment. How long til we begin charging the jump drive?"

"Eleven hours."

"Good."

"CAMC and Bok Soo are in the conference room waiting for you."

"Thank you, I'll go see what they want." CAMC was another acronym, standing for Commander of the Armoured Marine Commandos, Rick was loving using all the damned acronyms he could find, and I had a feeling he would be for some time, unfortunately.

I got out of my seat and went to the adjoining conference room.

"Henry, Bok Soo," I said as I entered, relaxing as I slumped in a seat.

"Have you slept yet?" Henry asked as I looked up at him with a look that asked him 'what-do-you-think?'

"I would suggest getting some sleep soon, sir. We're going to need you for this upcoming battle," he said in a gruff manner as he looked to me like a dad would to a boy the night before school.

"Listen to Henry. You're working yourself to the nub, James," Bok Soo said, his voice gentle for a man that nearly had as many as scars as me. A man I considered my brother just as I considered Henry. His words made me bite back the quick response I had ready for Henry as I sighed, sitting back in my seat.

“I don’t think I’m going to get much sleep until we’re in the Wolf System with it fully scanned.”Bok Soo nodded in sad understanding. Henry spoke, clearly trying to steer away from my personal issues.

“Krom wants me to increase your protection detail and I agree. Though, I think you need to talk to Yasu. I think there’s more to the situation than meets the eyes. She knows that the Avar would be honour bound to kill her if she was to kill you, being their battle mistress or not.”

The rumours about gossip spreading faster than light across star ships seems to hold true once again.
I looked sourly at a corner in the room before replying.

“I know.” I really did need to talk to her but I didn’t have the time and I was too sleep deprived to trust my own judgments.

“For now we need to work with the hole that’s in our AMC structure. I can’t have someone that attacked my protection detail, and from what I pieced together inspired this conflict, as my battalion leader,” I continued, switching to the issue of Takahashi's involvement.

“Agreed,” Henry said, his face taking on a hard edge, mimicking mine and Bok Soo as well.

“He was one of the best commanders by far and deserved the post on merit, but he’ll have lost the respect of most of his troops in this move,” Bok Soo said, annoyance on his face.

“So who’s going to replace him?” I asked.

I was pretty sure who it was going to be already, and on such an important mission the final decision would come down to me, but I valued both of their opinions and they where commanders in the AMC. Technically, I was too. But recently, because of my duties as CFF, I ‘d been doing so much more I had no time to stop in on the AMC. Though I knew Henry and Bok Soo had no illusions that when the AMC went into battle me and my protection detail would be there if at all possible. As much as they griped about me being in the front, something that I’d cut down after their repeated requests, they too - like me - lead from the front. The Free Fleet would not be run by some armchair generals the way I’d heard some of the Earth military people amongst my ranks.

"Santos," Henry said without hesitation, Bok Soo nodding g his head as well. Santos was Takahashi's second in command, but it was clear to anyone that he was loyal to the fleet. Before the recruitment he'd been a gang leader, his whole family dead in one way or another. He hadn't cared about giving until he was recruited. He had people that were willing to die for him, and he found himself wishing that he died for those that did so. 
"I agree, though we also need to figure out what to do with Takahashi. We cant just leave him in the brig. James, your too close to this. Let me take it over so it can be done right and not be pulled into question later," Henry said.
"Agreed. " I sighed, feeling a small weight lift from my shoulders, both of them visibly relaxing.  "Alright, well, if that's all, I'm going to the armouries." I stood, both of them tapping their fingers to their foreheads before dropping them lazily as I did the same and left, going to one of the few places I knew I'd find solitude.

***

“What in the fuck was Takahashi thinking?” Bok Soo demanded, slamming his fist into the table. Henry's grin was replaced with a grim look, both of them where counted as members of Mecha Tail and the most trusted members of the Free Fleet by James, a naturally paranoid and suspicious man. Takahashi and Yasu's betrayal would only further his paranoia.

I wish I knew,
Henry thought.

Both Bok Soo and Henry knew that James was going for a month and a half on three-ish hours of sleep, and he wasn’t going to get anymore for some time now.

“I have no idea, but I intend to find out.” Henry’s voice was harsh as he rose.
I'll get an answer from Takahashi.
He felt his fist tighten as he thought of the betrayal.

“I’m coming with you.” Bok Soo saw Henry was about to question him as he kept talking.

“James is as much of a brother to me as he is to you.”

“Alright, lets go.” Bok Soo rose, following Henry. Bok Soo’s face was hard as he thumped along behind Henry, weighing over a hundred and twenty kilograms he was one of the biggest humans on the ship and rumoured to be one of the only people to fight Avars without being in a mecha, the other being James and Henry, though Henry always found himself losing.

They walked through the ship and into the brig, no one trying to stop them and everyone moving out of their way, their looks thunderous.

“We’re here for him,” Henry said. A look of disgust crossing the jailers face as he knew who he was talking about.

“Yes, sir.” He saluted, opening the armoured doors. Inside there was one door guarded by two Avars. They came to attention, one opening the door to the cell. Bok Soo walked in first.

“So, he sends his dog,” Takahashi said, a smirk on his face. Bok Soo crossed the room in one step.

“Stop,” Henry hissed. Bok Soo backed up and leaned against a wall, anger on his face as he crossed his muscled arms.

Henry opened up his private communicator, connecting with Santos. “Come to the brig.“

“Right away, sir.”

“So, when can I get out of here and back to my battalion?”

“You don’t understand, do you?” Henry said

“Even if I wanted to have you as a commander, which I don’t, no one would listen to you. You’ve lost the respect of the fleet.”

The armoured doors opened as Santos ran in.

“CAMC!” he said, saluting Henry without even glancing at Takahashi.

“At ease,” Henry said, returning the salute.

“Santos Barrera, you are now in command of second battalion.”

Santos didn’t even pause in replying. “Yes, sir!”

“Do you know why your old commanding officer attacked the CFF?”

“No, sir, I do not.” Anger rang through his voice as Takahashi flinched.

“Would you accept commands from him?”

“No, sir, if we where in battle I would probably frag him, good soldier or no.”

“Santos as your commanding-” Takahashi's face turned to anger.

“You are no commander of mine,” Santos said, his fists turning white as he clenched them with rage.

“That is all, Commander. Go and get sorted out with your troops,” Henry said briskly.

“Yes, sir.” Santos said as they saluted one another again. Henry turned to Takahashi as Santos stormed away.

“Now you may realize the impact of your actions. The majority of the fleet is calling for your head. I might be inclined to give it to them.” Realization was dawning on Takahashi's face. James hadn’t been bluffing. There were limited few that would support him over James, which changed as soon as he attacked James.