Dawn of the Mad (36 page)

“Are they treating you all right?” Roman knew how men in uniform could be, especially if they hadn’t been on leave in a while.

Natasha laughed. “You crack me up. In case you may have forgotten, I can handle myself very well.”

Roman had no doubt of this and quickly changed the subject. “I just want you to know that I’m still holding that position for you down at the H.Q. I mean, you were a XXX Corps front line platoon leader. Especially with troop demobilization happening soon, the police force is going to be one of the top employers. I know I can get your officer’s commission reinstated.”

“Johnny, we’ve talked about this before. I just don’t think I’m ready for government service again. They left me high and dry last time. I’m still waiting on my disability pension.”

“I’m sorry.” Johnny reached across the table and took her hand in both of his. She looked at him in surprise; the move shocked both of them. He could feel her hand tremble through his. He quickly released his grip, sat back in the chair, and resumed his blank stare out the window. “I just worry about you. Anyway, it’s there if you want it.”

Natasha nodded and decided to change the subject to something more neutral. “I think the cloud cover is breaking for good now that the factories are slowing production.”

Roman said nothing. He took another sip from his coffee and resumed eating his burrito.

“Are you ready for today?” Natasha asked.

Roman wiped his mouth with his hand. “A dog and pony show, from what Matthias told me a couple days ago. But tonight, after the assembly, I get to meet the chancellor.”

“I’ll watch the chancellor’s speech at home. All other programming has been suspended. I appreciate you inviting me to your ceremony tonight, though. I’ll be there. I think you look sharp in your uniform.”

They both shared a laugh and finished their coffee while watching the sunrise.

CHAPTER 33

The gathering of uniformed troopers, representing all branches of service, was on a scale Roman had never before witnessed. Massive foundations of white stone appeared at regular intervals across the parade grounds. Protruding out of the foundations were forty-foot swords, constructed out of a smooth rock resembling obsidian. Members of the various divisions of the military stood in mass block formations in front of the stone foundations. A wide pathway passed through the middle of the great assembly, ending in front of a giant platform. Flanking the platform on both sides were the great eagles of the United Consortium of Planets. Large torches burned with bright red flames on either side of the stairs up to the main platform. The entire spectacle took place on green grass beneath a humongous bioshield that protected the greenery, rarely seen on the planet, from the polluted air.

Roman stood at the head of a company of newly recruited police cadets that was a part of the XXX Corps. The company all but vanished among the many thousands of military and police forces that had come from all over Hellenheim and the nearby planets still subservient to the supreme chancellor. Over the next hour, the remaining divisions marched into their designated positions. As the last of them found their positions, the supreme chancellor finally appeared, followed at a respectful distance by Marshal Von Jesonik; Chuikova, dressed in full regalia, including his jeweled baton; and three other high-ranking officers. The military leaders walked purposefully toward the platform. As they passed the assembled men, the divisions raised their standards in honor. The standard bearers began to pound their standards in a rhythmic manner.

When his group reached the base of the main platform, only the supreme chancellor, dressed in a simple black suit, continued up the giant steps. Red flames licked up out of the torch dishes lining the stairs, like great wispy fingers. The supreme chancellor reached the platform and turned to face his massed armies. He raised one hand, and the rhythmic pounding of the standards ceased. He slowly lowered his hand. After surveying his commanders below him, at the base of the steps, he began to speak into the voice projector, in powerful, deep tones appropriate to the solemnity of the occasion.

“Throughout the twenty-two years of this war, we have all suffered. The trooper has suffered at the front; the civilian has suffered at home. Today begins a new era in which our grand empire is once again reunited. I speak to you as our troops stand along a great line from Hellenheim to the capitals of the conquered planets, and as columns of the defeated enemy march as prisoners. They are giving up by the thousands. Throughout this long war, I know that one thing has remained true: I have shown our people the light and the path to victory. At this moment, our thankful hearts go to our noble troopers. We have conquered, and we have prevailed!”

Cheers erupted from the formations. The supreme chancellor stepped back and pushed a couple of strands of hair off of his face. He nodded and stepped back to the voice projector. Raising his hand, he quieted the masses and continued.

“I did not want this war. It was propagated by greedy and corrupt governors of the outer worlds of the empire, as I have said time after time. Those of you who have been with me from the beginning know that I have tried to achieve nothing but peace and good relations with our outer world governors. I say again that I tried, in every possible way, to bring about the end of this terrible war.” The supreme chancellor paused briefly, taking a deep breath. He continued in a calmer, quieter tone. “Justice will be served to those who are guilty. The people of these regions have suffered much, and I do not desire to prolong their suffering. Today is a day of celebration and remembrance. Today is a day for heroes. With that in mind, I request that Ground Marshal Chuikova join me on this platform and receive the empire’s highest award, the Star Cluster of the Empire.”

The standard bearers resumed the rhythmic thumping of their standards as Ground Marshal Chuikova ascended the steps. He bowed before the supreme chancellor and accepted a brilliant blue medal, beset with eight jeweled stars, hanging on the end of a gold braided necklace. As the supreme chancellor hung the medal on Chuikova’s neck, the masses erupted in cheers. A few moments later, while the cheers continued, a curious entourage of black-robed figures seemingly appeared from nowhere at the base of the steps. The supreme chancellor and Chuikova descended the steps, joined the robed figures and other military leaders on the ground, and began the long walk out of the grounds.

“Are you ready?” Natasha’s voice broke the silence of Roman’s apartment later than evening. She entered the apartment and replaced the key card in her overcoat pocket.

Roman stepped out from the bathroom, adjusting his black bowtie. “Just let yourself in and make yourself at home, why don’t you?” He grinned at her, and she smiled back as he struggled with the tie.

“Dammit,” he swore at the strip of cloth.

She walked toward him, grabbed the tie, and within minutes fixed the problem. She took a step back and looked him over. His knee-high leather boots were mirror polished, as were his belt and shoulder strap. He adjusted his badge and grabbed his peaked hat off of a nearby table. Turning around, he finally took in Natasha.

“I … wow.”

Natasha looked herself over, trying to see herself through his eyes. “Is there something wrong?” she asked nervously.

“No. Quite the contrary. You are absolutely stunning.” Roman smiled as he complimented her. She wore a long, black flowing evening dress complete with gloves that went up her arms, covering the bionic appendage. Roman was surprised to see that she’d gone as far as applying makeup, fairly generously. He had never seen her wear it before. The scar on her face was barely noticeable. She blushed from his comments.

“Thanks, Johnny. It’s been a while since I’ve been out to anything nearly this formal.”

“No prob. Let’s go, shall we?”

Roman offered her his arm, which she accepted without hesitation. He secured the apartment on the way out, and they made their way to the busy street below. Nightfall had set, but the streets still teemed with activity.

After a short walk, they arrived at the number seven light rail station. Sifting through the dense crowds entering and exiting the light rail, they boarded for the trip to the government section. They attracted quite a few stares in the light rail, but no one said anything. The daytime assembly and the gathering at the supreme chancellor’s residence had been the talk of the town, but only a relatively small number of people had actually been invited, and their fellow rail passengers could only guess that Roman and Natasha, dressed as they were, were among those lucky few.

The light rail stopped at the government section a few minutes later, and Roman and Natasha exited. The government section truly was a separate section of the city, walled off from the rest, housing various government bureaus, both military and civilian. Through one of the gates, Roman and Natasha saw the supreme chancellor’s residence illuminated by several columns of white light that split the night sky. The brilliant columns reached upward and touched the bottoms of the clouds overhead. After a short time, Roman and Natasha reached the first set of security checks, where a long line of similarly dressed guests waited to get in. The security guards had been trained well to handle the crowd efficiently, and Roman and Natasha soon reached the front of the line.

Roman showed his paper invitation to the private manning the security station. The private nodded and said, “Please submit a retinal scan.” He lifted a small scanner to Roman’s face. Roman looked down into the screen and waited. The scanner beeped once and announced in a robotic voice, “Roman, John J., lieutenant, sector 7 police administration. Confirmed.”

“Go ahead, sir,” the private said. Roman nodded and took a few steps forward, and waited for Natasha to clear the retina scan. After a few moments, she joined him.

They followed the crowd toward the main structure that served as the chancellor’s residence, at the end of a half-kilometer pathway, lined on each side by alternating shimmering mirrors, stone columns, statues, and sculptures. The columns and the pathway were constructed out of bright red stone, inset with lights to help show the way. Guests stopped every so often to admire the beauty and workmanship of the artwork.

When they reached the steps into the main building, Roman and Natasha found another security checkpoint. Several armed troopers lined the steps. They submitted to another retinal scan and were scanned for weapons or any other contraband. After the second scan was completed, he again showed the paper invitation he had received earlier in the day, imprinted with his name and Natasha’s. He nodded in acknowledgment when the private waved him through. He stood at the top of the steps, watching Natasha look down into a scanner. She undertook the same contraband scan.

As another private passed a scanner over her body, the machine beeped rapidly. The private waved the handheld scanner to clear it, targeted her upper thighs and forearms. Two more troopers, holding large rifles at the ready, approached her.

“Is there a problem, private?” a soldier with three chevrons on his sleeve asked.

“I have a positive scan, Sergeant.”

The sergeant looked at Natasha and asked, “What do you have?”

“Bionics.” Natasha pulled off her right glove, exposing her bionic arm.

The private waved the scanner over it, confirming the positive reading. The sergeant nodded and pointed to her right leg. Natasha leaned over and raised her dress over her thigh boots, exposing part of her upper thigh and the bionic plate. The sergeant reached out to touch her thigh and found his wrist gripped tightly.

“Is there a problem, sergeant?” Roman sneered. Security was one thing, harassment was another. “I have no problem having you arrested for your unprofessional behavior.”

“No, lieutenant,” the sergeant said, recognizing Roman. “No problem here.” The sergeant nodded nervously to the other troopers, who cleared the doorway. Roman had made a name for himself in his short time on the planet, and his closeness with some of the most powerful men in the military was well known. Natasha dropped her dress back down and walked up the stairs with Roman in pursuit.

“I am
so
sorry about that,” he told her. “It’s OK. Let’s go in, shall we?”

Nodding, Roman took hold of her hand, and they walked into the main building. Two attendants ushered them through the massive double doors into the ballroom, which already held several hundred guests.

“Wow, this is impressive!” Natasha noted. “I’ve seen this building before, on news feeds, but I never thought it was this big in person.” She looked around in awe, especially at the geodesic dome above. A mural painted on the ceiling of the dome depicted naval fleet ships, once numerous but now depleted by war. Roman found himself caught up in the grandeur as well. He managed to grab two glasses from a passing waiter and gave one to Natasha. As he sipped the bubbling liquid, he heard his name called from behind.

“Johnny.” The low voice was almost imperceptible over the crowd noise. Roman spun around and saw the familiar face of Sebastian Cruwell, who had a plump blonde woman in tow as he made his way toward Roman. Roman extended his hand, which Cruwell shook.