Gray Panthers Captain Short Blade (25 page)

“That’s quite a collection of military weapons and supplies you have. How did you get it?” Short Blade asked innocently, watching the owner’s face.

“That’s none of your damn business, runt. Be quiet or get out. I have no time for freaks or fools.”

“Every item you don’t have a receipt for will be confiscated. I am Special Enforcer Short Blade, of the Central Council. Did you know that theft of government supplies is punishable by death? If you’re found guilty of buying stolen government supplies, the punishment is the same. What have you to say for yourself?”

The store owner looked down in embarrassment, as he had wet himself. His fear then turned to rage. He pulled out a short sword, raised it over his head, and thrust it down toward Short Blade. As the shop owner’s arm descended, Short Blade moved inside the arch of it and grabbed his hand, forcing the blade to turn with him. It went through the owner’s leg, forcing him to the ground.

“You’re lucky. I’m in a good mood today. That’s why you’re only bleeding now instead of dying,” Short Blade said as he pulled out his shield. The owner shrank from just the sight of it. “As I was saying, citizen, everything you don’t have a receipt for will be confiscated. We’ll start in the corner. Do you have receipts for any of the space gear? No answer? Okay, men, take all of the space gear to the truck.”

Looking down at the store owner, Short Blade frowned when he noticed the blood leaking out from the puncture wound. He grabbed the handle of the sword and pulled it out. Then he took a package of wound gel from the pouch on his belt and smeared it over the gash, forcing it in the open wound. The store owner swore from the pain but then grew quiet as the bleeding stopped and the tear in his skin seemed to close.

“You won’t even have a scar from that, citizen,” Short Blade happily informed the astonished store owner as the warriors passed by them a second time with armloads of gear. “Like I was saying, citizen, I’m in a good mood today, so not only are you going to live, but you’re not going to prison, either. You won’t have to be marked or wear black for the rest of your life. Do you understand me, citizen?”

“Y-y-yes, Special Enforcer Short Blade. Thank you for allowing me to remain a citizen.”

“Corporal, is there anything else we need here in the way of supplies?” Short Blade asked. The corporal looked at the racks of weapons, noting that they were the latest issue for the Fire fleet.

“Sir, we could use an additional hundred carbines and ammunition. New side arms would be good, too,” the corporal replied, trying to sound as official as possible.

“Get busy, then. I want to be gone in ten minutes.”

Turning back to the store owner, Short Blade shook his head before speaking. “I’ve recorded everything in this room. I’ll trust you to report this to the local police and turn it all in. I’ll also receive a police report, so I highly recommend that you get a receipt for everything. If so much as one bullet is missing, you’ll go to prison and be branded for the rest of your life. Do you understand? Tell them you are under my orders, and my protection.”

“Thank you, Special Enforcer Short Blade. How can I ever repay you?”

“Don’t break the law. I’ll be watching you,” Short Blade said as he pulled the store owner to his feet. “Good day, citizen.” He stopped when he got to the door and turned to look at the owner one more time. “I suggest that you never look down your nose at a runt again, as we make up most of the special enforcer units.”

Short Blade broke out in laughter as he walked to the hover truck. The warriors in the truck bed were happily going through their new gear.

“Get the serial numbers from the weapons and gear,” he said to them. “I’ll report this to the council. There’s a ten percent reward for reporting stolen government property. This isn’t even three percent of what he had. We’ve served the council and given them a bargain at the same time. Good job, warriors.”
Now I just need to go over the data from Dan Daniels, and then we can go when the Beater is mission-ready.

As the hover truck approached the ranch, the smell of charred meat was thick in the air. Short Blade figured the humans must be having one of their barbecues.
I hope there’s enough meat for everyone. Liver sounds especially good right now
.

The humans were sitting around a campfire as the meat cooked over a grill. A small Jacka female held their undivided attention.

“Flower!” Short Blade called out, jumping from the still-moving hover truck. He rolled on the grass and easily jumped back up. As he ran toward the girl, the humans seemed amused. He felt foolish when he reached her, not knowing what to do. Flower saved him any embarrassment by reaching out and hugging him. They wrapped their arms around each other and squeezed until neither had any breath left.

“Why didn’t you come for me?” Flower asked him quietly when they finally pulled away from each other. “Was I just another little trophy for you? You’re all I’ve been able to think of since we were together. Say the word and I’ll leave. I won’t embarrass you again, my little stud.”

Short Blade couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He was embarrassed by the tears that were starting to fill his eyes. He grabbed Flower and ran with her to the house to avoid the crowd.

“You’ve been my every thought. I want you to stay—not just tonight, but forever. Will you be my mate here at the House of Short Blade? You’ll want for nothing.” Short Blade felt as if his heart would explode.

Flower smiled as she took his paw and led him up the stairs to his bedroom. An hour later, feeling very content, Short Blade started to get out of the bed. Flower stopped him.

“Why are you getting up?” she asked, lying on top him and rubbing her forehead against his.

“I was going to get us some meat before it’s all gone.”

Flower jumped from the bed to the floor with all the grace of a dancer. Stopping to pick up his T-shirt, she smiled and pulled it on over her head. She left the room with him staring after her.
It’s not just the human females,
he thought.
Females of every species are crazy!

He watched from the window as Flower walked toward the fire with the slow dignity of royalty. The warriors didn’t call out or tease her. Instead, they showed her the greatest respect with their silence.

“Is there any meat left for Short Blade? He is hungry.”

Ramirez filled two plates with meat and set the plastic utensils on top. Flower bowed to him in gratitude. With both paws full, when she turned to walk away her shirt twirled, rising too high. The insects in the night could be heard in the dead silence. She turned her head and looked back at everyone.

“Please, don’t stop your party because of me. Short Blade wants you to have fun and be happy, so that is my wish as well.”

Dias started playing his guitar and the warriors started to sing. Everyone resumed their drinking and eating.

Short Blade was amazed at the way Flower had handled the group, especially since they were all strangers to her.
She will be my wife and the mother of my cubs. If they are runts, they’ll be runts that are loved.

“Here you are, my mate.” Flower looked at the utensils and dropped them on the floor. “Humans are strange, don’t you think?” She stuffed a piece of meat in Short Blade’s mouth before he could answer and then took a piece for herself. “These seasonings take away from the flavor of the meat. I will cook for you so you can once again follow the Jacka way.”

Short Blade listened to Flower talk, and then talk some more. Just as he was beginning to think he’d made a mistake, she grew quiet and pulled off the shirt she was wearing. She pushed the plate off his chest as she decided it was time to get back to work and make him happy again.

Central space dock, planet Glory

3 May 2129

Thrust was in disbelief when his maintenance officer claimed the ship would be ready for space trials the next day. The flight deck had new stations and seemed bigger now that there would be a smaller crew. Based on the success of the other cruisers that had already had the upgrade, Thrust was confident that all would go well, but then again the other ships’ upgrades had been done by humans, not his mixed crew of Jacka and Libra.

“Vengeance, report status of upgrade.” Before him appeared an apparition that was six feet tall and attired in a black cloak made of animal skins. The figure in the cloak was a charred black skeleton of a Jacka warrior, but only the glowing red eyes could be seen from under the cloak’s hood.

“Superior Captain Thrust, the ship is category one. All sections of the ship are online, but MO Harve refuses to acknowledge the ship’s condition until he signs off on each area himself.” The skeleton sounded to Thrust as if it were pouting.

“Is it true, Vengeance, that you can run every system, without the need of a crew?” Thrust thought the AI’s avatar was almost comical, but kept his opinion to himself.

“Sir, I am able to perform any function the ship needs—communications, navigation, maintenance, combat operations—all at once, if necessary.”

Thrust looked at the apparition one last time.

“Vengeance, unless otherwise specified, your interactions will be audio only. I don’t want to see you ever again. Dismissed.”
They have the stones to call this an improvement,
he thought.
Ships need crews, or they have no spirit. I should find and congratulate Harve. He has done as he was ordered.

Thrust found Harve in the ship’s mess, testing the chef unit. It looked like half of the entire maintenance crew was there with him, trying the food the unit was producing.

“MO Harve, how is the food?”

Harve looked up, surprised to see the superior captain watching him as he ate a fish sandwich that couldn’t exist by natural means, since Libra oceans had been contaminated beyond recovery.

“Sir, the food is synthesized to taste and look like the real thing. Dietary requirements are strictly enforced, so even if you’re eating something that normally would be bad for you, it’ll actually be good for you.”

“I’ll repeat my question, Maintenance Officer Harve. How is the food?”

Harve looked sheepishly at the captain. “Sir, if my wife could cook this good, I’d be happier.” he replied, making an attempt at humor, then feeling guilty when he realized what he’d said. “Sir, there are selections of food for many species. There’s even the human drink coffee, which has a stimulant to help the crew stay awake. Chef unit, one cup of black coffee,” Harve ordered. He handed the hot cup to the captain, unsure of what kind of response he’d get.

“Harve, this contraption by itself is worth all the aggravation we’ve had to go through. Keep up the good work. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s space trials.” The captain turned and left, taking the steaming cup of coffee with him.

Harve looked around at his engineers as they enjoyed their meals and a well-deserved rest. He had to admit that he’d been surprised when Chief Edge told him all of the work had been completed, and that the port-side team had won—but then they admitted to borrowing every free droid on the station, through nefarious means if necessary.

The captain received a letter congratulating him on his expedient upgrade of the ship. At the same time, he received a letter of reprimand for the abuse of station resources.

House of Short Blade, planet Glory

3 May 2129

Short Blade didn’t sleep well. Flower kept stealing the covers and kicking him in her sleep. When the first light of dawn began to show through the bedroom window, he silently stole out of his bedroom, carrying his clothes and boots.

What have I gotten myself into? I certainly wasn’t expecting this. How do I get rid of her?
he thought.

Guns watched Short Blade sneak out of his house and could tell from past experience that he was afraid of something.

“Good morning, Captain Short Blade. A beautiful day to go fly, don’t you agree, sir?” Short Blade looked at Guns with something close to terror on his face, and then glanced at the open bedroom window to make sure Flower hadn’t been awakened by the greeting.

“Shhhhhh!” Short Blade put his paw to his mouth in the human way to signal silence. Guns did his best to keep from laughing, but the tears came rolling down both cheeks.

“Not as you expected it to be last night?” Guns asked a little more softly as Short Blade again looked up at the window in fear.

Walking closer to Guns, he tried to explain. “She wouldn’t stop talking, and whatever she said was either foolish or I didn’t like. I’d become a drunk if I had to stay with her. The mating was good, but I suspect she wasn’t honest with me. I can’t explain it.”

“Jimmy and John are on the ship already. How about we take off to test the systems and have Senior Sergeant Knife send a detail of warriors to deliver her back home?”

Once again, Short Blade didn’t know if his leg was being pulled, but he enjoyed the thought of getting rid of the female in such an easy manner. He knew he had to do it himself, though.

“No, Guns, I’m afraid if we tried that we’d sustain many casualties that we can’t afford. I’ll handle the problem when we return from our test flight.”
Maybe I’ll get lucky and accidentally get spaced.

When Short Blade entered the flight deck he was surprised to see the crew was ready for launch. The flight deck’s configuration consisted of five crew positions, arranged like the five dots on a die. The commander’s console, which had the ability to monitor all stations and override any or all of the others, should the need arise, was located in the center. The front left position was a combined sensor and navigation console. The front right was the pilot’s console. The left rear position was a combined engineering and security station, and the right rear position was for hangar bay operations.

“Captain on the deck!” Jimmy announced from where he sat at the engineering station as Short Blade entered. Guns sat down at the navigation console and Poland stood behind him as they set a course.

“Are we ready to launch?” Short Blade asked as he jumped up into the commander’s seat, displeased that it couldn’t auto-fit itself more suitably to his stature.

“Captain, ship and crew are ready to launch,” Poland stated triumphantly as Guns entered the last information to plot the course.

“Beater, is the area around the ship clear for takeoff?” Short Blade asked in good humor.

“No, sir. Dr. Namid is too close.”

“Namid, we are about to take off. Would you like to come along?” Short Blade asked, realizing it was easier to invite her along than to tell her to get out of the way.

“Sure! Thanks for offering.” She arrived on the flight deck out of breath, and Short Blade pointed for her to sit at the hangar bay console.

“Captain, all preflight checklists have been completed. We’re ready to take off,” Poland advised. Short Blade felt his heart start to beat faster as the words sunk in.

“Very good, John. Let’s kick the tires and light the fires. Launch at your discretion.”

The inertial dampeners masked all sensation of movement as the ship rose. Jimmy was meticulously going over all of the engineering data on his monitors. Guns diligently observed their projected flight path to avoid any possible collisions with the many ships in orbit around the planet.

“Captain, we have a clear lane to engage the FTL,” Guns announced.

“John, you may engage the FTL. What will the FTL duration be?”

“We have a play area about an hour away. We could try out some maneuvers there.”

“You have the flight deck, John. I’m going to take a walk and see how everything is looking.”

As Short Blade closed the hatch to the flight deck, sealing the banter of the crew inside, the silence of the passageway was a stark contrast. All he could hear were his footsteps echoing off into the distance. He headed for engineering, not entirely on purpose. Wandering through the ship brought back old memories.

I’ve come a long way from being an indentured servant to the Libra, on this very ship. This ship is me. I see my past here, and my future,
he mused, feeling a little melancholy. His thoughts were interrupted by a ship’s announcement.

“Captain to the flight deck. We are disengaging the FTL drive.”

Short Blade jogged along the passageway toward the flight deck. When he got there, asteroids were visible on the main monitor.

“Battle stations, gentlemen,” he instructed.

Guns threw two switches for the sensor station to control weapons. Jimmy polarized the hull and engaged the force field.

“Very good, gentlemen. Time for Beater to take the lead. Beater, please attack the two asteroids at our eleven o’clock position. You have unrestricted ship control.”

Thrusters fired immediately, positioning the ship in perfect alignment with the asteroids. Port and starboard beamers then fired. The asteroid on the left exploded into hundreds of chunks inside a cloud of dust, while the asteroid on the right simply broke in half, a shower of dust surrounding the two pieces. Checking the antique stopwatch he carried, Short Blade saw it had been just forty-five seconds since he gave the order to attack.

“That was an impressive display, Beater. Please jump us to the planet Maji and then establish a high orbit.”

The view on the main display changed to what looked like the interior of a gray tunnel. Short Blade set his stopwatch. Thirty minutes later Beater announced that the FTL would disengage in ten seconds. The main monitor changed, revealing a view of a blue planet that grew as they closed in. Short Blade checked his screen to see what the distance was, ready to give the order to establish orbit, but Beater was already on it. The ship turned and assumed an orbit.

It looked like more than ninety percent of the planet was covered with water. Short Blade ordered Beater to scan the planet for life forms or anything that seemed out of place.

“Sir, there’s a debris field, which could have been a ship, in a small canyon on the largest island in the southern hemisphere. The area is now accessible, but in twelve hours it will be under water when the tide comes in. No life forms have been detected.”

“Find a safe location near the debris field where we can land to investigate. When we land I want you to remain with the ship commander. Guns, please go to the armory and get weapons for you, Jimmy, and me. I’ll only need a side arm.”

“Can I come too, Short Blade?”

He’d forgotten that Namid was along.

“Guns, get a side arm for Namid also, please.”

Short Blade turned to face the front of the flight deck in time to see the monitor’s view change as the Beater began a shallow dive into the atmosphere. Black clouds and white clouds swirled by as the ship continued on its course. The ship broke out of the clouds about a half-mile above the water and leveled out a quarter-mile over the surface as it headed for a rocky outcropping. The island was devoid of any vegetation, just rock and sand. The Beater flared up before lowering the landing legs and began to drop to an open area in the center of a canyon.

“John, you have the ship. Be sure to keep an eye on us as we explore. We’ll go out in patrol formation. Jimmy will take point, since he was Army, then me and Namid. Guns will bring up the rear.”

Jimmy stood by the hatch as it opened. The stench of dead fish wafted through the ship as the group exited.

“Peee-yewww! This smell makes me feel like I’m back in Korea,” Jimmy said as he looked for any dangers.

“Suck it up, Jimmy. Real men can get past the fishy smell,” Guns joked. When Namid turned and gave the old sailor a dirty look, he blushed and shrugged his shoulders. Short Blade ignored the banter, looking down at a pad that displayed what the ship’s sensors were detecting.

“We’re less than two hundred feet from the debris field. Straight down the middle of the canyon, that way,” he said, pointing in the direction they needed to go. Something seemed wrong to him about the pattern of the debris field.

The remains of a spaceship were in the center of the ruins. The damage to the ship didn’t seem to be from a crash. Instead, it looked as if it had been pulled apart.

“Captain, I’m smelling something strong and fishy,” Jimmy said. Short Blade had already begun to smell it as well.

“Guns, you lead,” Short Blade ordered. “We’re heading back to the ship. I don’t like this.” He checked his pad again, still seeing no danger. His hair was beginning to tingle as Guns picked up the pace without being told to.

A shot echoed through the canyon. Everybody turned to Namid, and she pointed to a hole where a dozen crabs were eating the one she had just shot. A clattering sound began to emanate from other holes and from under ledges near the ground.

“Boss, I think I know what tore up that ship,” Jimmy yelled over the sound of his beamer as he fired into a ledge, causing it to collapse on the crabs beneath it.

“Pick it up, Guns. I’m feeling a little exposed back here!” Jimmy shouted as he fired rapidly into a group of crabs pouring out of a hole.

The deafening roar of the Beater’s engines as they started sent most of the crabs scurrying back into their holes. The expedition party ran flat out for the ship, occasionally shooting at a crab here and there that ventured out into the open.

Guns made it to the open hatch first and turned to provide cover for the others as they ran and leaped up into the hatchway instead of climbing the short ladder. Guns followed after Jimmy jumped into the ship.

“I’m in and clear. Let’s get the hell out of here!” Guns shouted as the hatch closed behind him. The ship rose straight up until it cleared the canyon.

“Beater, set course for home. You passed your test flight,” Short Blade instructed. He looked at the others as they all realized they’d nearly been killed by crabs.

“Doc, you ever see a worse case of crabs?” Guns asked as he unloaded his weapon. Namid just gave him a blank look, still fighting shock.

“Hell, Guns, you forgot she was with the Army, not the Navy. Otherwise, she’d have been prepared to fight crabs,” Jimmy quipped.

“Sorry, guys. I was just thinking it’s been a long time since I’ve had crab, and neither of you bothered to stop and pick up any for dinner,” Namid shot back.

Short Blade looked at the woman, who still looked scared, and started to laugh nervously at her joke. The others joined in and soon most of them were crying from laughing so hard.

Even after they returned to their stations, an occasional giggle escaped here and there.

“Guess I missed all the fun,” Poland said. “Want me to call ahead to the ranch and tell them we want crabs for dinner?”

They all stopped what they were doing and looked at him before laughing hysterically again.

“What? It wasn’t
that
funny!”

That just set off another bout of laughter.

“All in all, I think we’ve had a good day,” Short Blade said. “It looks like Beater won’t kill us, and the crabs that wanted to failed. Tomorrow, everyone take care of any last-minute preparations, and the day after we’ll depart on our mission to search for the missing Dixie ships. Anyone have questions or problems I need to know about?” He exhaled a sigh of relief when no one said anything. Just as he began to relax, Namid piped up.

“Can I come along on the mission? You might need a doctor, and—”

“No, Namid. It’s too dangerous. We have an automated medical bay, as well as stasis chambers if we can’t repair an injury. You almost got killed today on a routine trip. I won’t risk your life on a dangerous excursion,” Poland interjected.

“Thank you, John, but the decision is mine,” Short Blade said. “Namid, I agree with everything he just said. You’re needed on the farm, and I can’t afford to have you riding along on missions. Maybe later we can train you for a position on the crew.”

“I may have seen more combat than any of you. I can be of use, and I can look after myself!” she replied defensively.

Short Blade was surprised at how angry she had become—and how quickly. It worried him slightly.

“I’ll give it some thought and get back to you tomorrow, Namid,” he told her.
Now I have a human female to deal with in addition to one of my own. How did this happen? I should get rid of Flower when we return. I can’t stand her when my pants are on. Reality is not like what I imagined. I should talk with my father when the mission is over. He’ll have good advice to offer, I’m sure.

“Captain, it’s time to drop from FTL. We’ll be ten minutes away from the planet, to avoid dropping into another ship or satellite.”