The Fight for Creation: Book 02 - Scout Warrior (13 page)

S
am sat at his desk on Fourth Sword with Jixie standing at attention. She saw that he was upset and figured it was because of the loss of half the warriors in the company. Sam looked at her and said, “I haven’t told you what the Cat said in our planning meeting.”

Uh oh.

“The Cat said that a creature had tried to enlist in the Life Warriors and was turned down because of its size. The being was just too small to fit in warrior’s armor.” Sam paused, “The Cat said that the creature was encountered more than a hundred years ago and was one of the most dangerous beings in creation.”

Sam stared at Jixie and she said, “Imagine.”

“Imagine what?”

“Size is not a measure of talent.”

Sam stared at Jixie. “Do you know the whereabouts of that Creature, Scout?”

“What does it look like, Sir?”

“It looks very much like a fairy from Earth’s mythology.”

Jixie shook her head, “I’ve not see a creature like that around here, Sir.”

Sam leaned back in his chair, “The Cat says that creature is a real danger to us. He also said SHE was invited to come and fight with us against the evil we’re trying to remove.”

“Wouldn’t that be a good thing, Sir?”

“The Cat says that we are nothing more than toys to be used by this creature and discarded after it has its fun.”

Jixie looked at Sam and said, “I find that hard to believe, Sir.”

“Why?”

“That way of thinking is evil. I don’t think that being would be here fighting evil if it was evil as well.”

Sam smiled, “I was hoping with the things you’re now able to see since you’ve heard the music that you might know how to contact this creature.”

“Why?”

“To thank her and tell her she will always have a place in my command.”

Jixie stared at Sam and said, “Why would you thank her, Sir?”

“If you ever see her, she’ll know the reason. You’re dismissed.”

Jixie saluted and turned toward the door. Just before she exited she heard Sam say, “You’re just as beautiful as our first queen.”

Jixie paused without turning around and then went out. Sam stared at the door for an hour before he went to meet with the platoon leaders.

• • •

Jixie went to her quarters and sighed. Sam knew. She had given herself away and she knew where she had done it. She had told him she looked forward to playing after the long months of training. Jennifer was right; she talked too much. She shook her head and realized that he knew but he didn’t admit he knew. She sat and thought about it.

“Jixie.”

Oh crap. “Hello, Mother.”

“I think you have violated the rules enough to come back now.”

“What rules would that be, Mother?”

“You know you’re forbidden to use any toys that your playmates don’t possess. You’ve clearly violated that convention.”

“Not really.”

“Yes you have. You used weapons that none of them have and you used your superior speed during your last play time.”

“Mother, the weapons I used were offered to me by the ones commanding our play.”

“Jixie!”

“My commander told me to move around the armory and see if there were any other weapons I’d like to use. Didn’t you hear him?”

“Uhhh…”

“You did not hear him tell me that some of them were not to be chosen? No, he said all of them were available.”

“Absorbing that star is not something they do!”

“Mom, I’m sending you information I have that shows them doing exactly that more than two hatchings ago.”

There was a pause and her mother said, “But that was done by their ships.”

“My armor is made from the same material as their ships and can absorb energy. I didn’t create the technology, I just used it. I’ve done nothing that they couldn’t do themselves. I’ve even refrained from moving faster than their toys’ maximum limits.” Jixie paused, “Why are you so anxious to force me back home?”

“Most of your hatching has been bonded. If you delay any longer, you will never have a family of your own. You must come back.”

“Mother, I feel at home here. It was hard at first, but I’ve become closer to my friends here and they need me to survive. There’s nothing for me at home. I can’t accept anyone else but Trex and he’s taken. I’ll suffer my entire life if I try to bond with another and you should be able to see that in my pattern. Please tell me you see it.”

“Jixie, can’t you at least try to find happiness with another? I want you to have all the happiness you deserve, my favorite child. This breaks my heart.”

Jixie sent her vibrations to her mother and said, “I’ve always known I have a special place in your heart. I feel pain for your misery over me, but I have found peace here, Mother. This is where I belong.”

“Can you not find peace in the Study?”

“I’ve found more excitement in what I’ve learned here than anyone I’ve ever talked to in the Study. I’m going to give you what I’ve learned and see if you can see what I mean.” Jixie transferred her information to her Mother in less than a second. “Look at this, Mother. Tell me that I am not doing the right thing by coming here and I’ll consider returning.”

Jixie waited and thirty minutes later she heard, “I love you so much, Jixie.”

“I’ll always love you, Mother. I pray I can grow up and be just like you.” Jixie felt her mother’s sorrow as she ended the contact and she fell back on her bed and cried. She wondered at the expression of sorrow that her body used to express her emotion but couldn’t stop her tears.

• • •

Admiral Thom Gardner stood in front of the King and Queen of the Bristone Realm and bowed. Jon said, “I’ve been examining the data from the drop on the Grogat.”

“I thought you’d find it interesting, Your Majesty.”

“I see that more than ninety eight percent of the warriors dropped on three sides of that Weapons Complex were killed by the defenders.”

“More than seventy percent were killed on the Fourth Side as well.”

“There is a huge difference in the numbers, Thom.”

Thom breathed a mental sigh. Jon was going to keep this conversation informal. He knew that Jon was upset at having dropped Sam in at the building.

Jon said, “Why did you decide to drop a company with only two weeks of training in on the attack at the building?”

“Meaning no disrespect, Your Majesty, did you review the video?”

Jon stared at Thom for a long moment and finally said, “I did.”

“What would have happened if I didn’t drop them there?”

Jon looked at Maranda and she said, “Admiral, speak freely. We won’t use what you say against you.”

Thom looked at Jon and he nodded. “Your Majesty, we were sending in four hundred thousand ships and half a million Life Warriors to take technology from that planet. I saw the defenses around the building and the numbers of warriors our forces would have to face to make that happen. Your brother hears the Trace. We both know if he does hear it and his warriors also hear it, they will be more dangerous than any unit we have. You’ve read the words of the Three Brothers about how their armor took on a life of its own and they fought without thought. Longer training would not have made them any more effective. Sam’s unit scored the highest of any unit in history, other than the Brothers, in the electronic training facility. I believed they hear the Trace. If I truly believed that and I didn’t drop them at the building, I would be endangering every warrior manning the defensive line to hold out the Grogat from the attack on the building. The only reason losses were lower at Sam’s location was because of his company’s performance.”

Jon said, “I understand he changed your original attack profile.”

“He did and I am thankful that I listened. If we had delayed getting our warriors on the ground, we would have lost them all. It was a very close thing that we didn’t. Fleet scans showed more than fifty million Grogat were moving into the city as we teleported our warriors out.”

“How were you able to do that, Admiral? I thought the Grogat had a teleport suppression field in place.”

Thom shook his head, “I’ve not been able to determine how it was removed.”

“How is that possible?”

“We have nothing in the data showing its removal. One moment it was active and the next it wasn’t. My staff believes that it was removed by something that was done on the ground; none of the ships were involved in its destruction.” Thom paused and said, “Your Majesty, I know your real fear is that now Sam’s unit is going to be the point of the spear used against the enemies we’re facing. If you order me not to use him in that fashion I will follow your command without hesitation. I must confess that I didn’t know him before meeting him at Ross. I only had my daughter’s description and she described him as a stuffed shirt that took things too seriously.” Thom looked at Maranda and said, “He is anything but a stuffed shirt.”

Maranda smiled, “I’m glad you see that, Thom.”

“My daughter is an idiot. She walked away from one of the finest young men I’ve ever met, Your Majesty. She’ll see that one day.”

Jon said, “What are you going to do if I don’t order you to keep him out of danger?”

Thom stared at Jon and said, “I will use him wherever I can to save the lives of our Warriors. If that means he’s put in situations that I don’t expect him to survive, I’ll do it. The only way I can live with myself if I don’t do it is to know that I’m doing it because you ordered it. I will not blame you for making that order, Your Majesty. I would probably order it if our roles were reversed.”

Jon lowered his head and stared at the floor in front of his throne. Maranda and Thom waited and finally Jon raised his head and said, “Most Admirals would have just made sure he was not put in danger without my having to ask.”

Thom nodded, “Most would.”

Jon shook his head slightly, “I’ll not order you to protect him.” Jon took a deep breath and blew it out, “I remember from my earliest memories, my parents teaching us what the price of Royalty was and that those that shirked their responsibility were not entitled to lead. They told us over the years that we are more than we thought and that our destiny was to make the Realm better…and stronger. I’ll not dishonor them and Sam by diminishing his sacrifice in fighting for the Realm.” Jon looked at Thom, “You have won my admiration today, Admiral. You are more than I thought and I know you’ll do whatever it takes to defend the Realm against its enemies. I charge you to do that to the absolute best of your ability and used the forces under your command as you deem best.”

Thom looked at Jon and bowed, “Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty. My family has served for more than two hundred years and I know that the Realm now has a King that is truly worthy of his title.” Thom stood and left the throne room.

Maranda looked at Jon and came over and sat in his lap. She was much larger and the baby was coming soon. “Jon, I know what that decision took to make. I’m also more proud of you than I’ve ever been. Thank you for choosing me to be your wife.”

Jon looked into her eyes and smiled, “You know I didn’t stand a chance.”

“I know, but it’s nice to see how wonderful you are.”

Jon pulled her close and kissed her on the forehead. Maranda smiled and said, “Have you forgotten what lips are for?”

Jon laughed and kissed his Queen.

• • •

Sam looked at Admiral Gardner on his display, “How may I help you, Admiral?”

“I’ve been struggling with how you fit in the command structure of the Realm’s Forces.”

“I’ve thought about that as well. I can see where it could be an issue.”

“It is an issue. I’m promoting you to Admiral and asking you to build a larger unit consisting of a battalion of Life Warriors and a squadron of transports and warships to defend your forces. Are you at the point where you can make this a reality?”

“I think so.”

“You will also report directly to me and will be given complete independence in when, where, and how your forces will be used.”

“Admiral, I won’t be able to choose where we’ll be used, unless I’m in on the information used by the staff that selects our missions.”

“I will order you to support our major exercises but you will determine where you want to see us use you. You will be given freedom to choose your own targets as you get up to speed.” Thom paused and said, “Your suggestion to change my plan before the attack was crucial to the success of the mission. I see that you are talented in seeing the big picture and I need your ideas as my team develops our strategy. I think I wouldn’t be wise enough to know how to best use your unit so I’m giving you as much leeway as possible to be effective. I will issue the orders to all my senior officers that they will comply with whatever request you make.”

“Is that wise?”

“Sam, you’re a Duke. Who’s going to challenge me or you on that one? They’ll probably be grateful that I’ve made that relationship clear.”

Sam smiled, “Thank you, Sir. I’ll start working on getting my units ready.” Thom nodded and the display went dark.

Sam was linked to the other three and he said, “Well?”

Dort said, “That was interesting.”

Robby interjected, “Are we able to grow that quickly?”

“We need to try. If we had a battalion on the last drop, I suspect we could have handled the situation with fewer losses. The other Life Warriors actually were in the way most of the time.”

Tgon said, “A battalion has six companies. Who is going to command them?”

“Obviously, the four of us and…”

“Not so fast, Sam.”

“What?”

“I can see where you could command a company and be involved in the fight especially with us linked. Six companies is an entirely different beast altogether and two of them will not be linked. You need to not be tied up in commanding a company. We’re going to need you to be in contact with fleet and sending data to the units on where they can be used most effectively.”

Tgon said, “I agree with Robby, Sam.”

Sam sighed and said, “Well, back to the original question. The three of you will command a company.”

Dort said, “I think Jennifer and Jixie should be given one as well.”

“I agree that Jennifer is ready but I’m not going to give Jixie a command.”