The Black Guard: Book II: Evolution (Black Guard Series 2) Read online

  "That is one hell of a bonus you just earned us, Sapir … are you all right?" His face wrinkled in concern.

  "Just minor wounds. I forgot to wear my protective gear." I quipped, touched by his concern. "We still have ten to fourteen raiders in the other building."

  "What do you suggest?" Issak asked.

  "Whatever will risk the fewest Jax lives," I said, trying to think what that would be. "I'd say a two-pronged attack—blow the delivery door as a diversion and attack through the walkway right afterward—but I would think they'd be ready for an attack down the walkway."

  "The army can do it. We aren't afraid of a few raiders," Lothar said, straightening up as he talked.

  I wanted to scream but managed to keep my face impassive and not comment.

  "What if we try the same strategy as in this building? The army forces its way in through the delivery bay and the Guard takes the second floor. We keep a force here in case the raiders try to escape through the walkway. I think that plays to our strengths," I said, looking at Issak and ignoring the colonel.

  Lothar sneered. "The army can do it. We don't need the Black Guard, if you are worried about getting hurt."

  "General Issak, if the colonel feels we will be in the way, I'd be glad to have the Black Guard stand down," I said, having had enough killing for one day. We had done our duty and none of my family had been killed.

  Issak laughed. "You really don't like killing or losing even one of your troops, do you, Dragon Sapir?"

  "No, sir. I don't. I have no throwaways in my detail."

  "Neither do I. Let's try your suggestion. If the survivors weren't going to hang, I bet they would leave voluntarily if you asked." He laughed. "Give us a half hour to get set up." He left with the colonel following.

  I dressed while I decided on the distribution of my detail.

  "Elijah, pick five including Ganz and Reti to guard the hallway and keep an eye on the vault. I doubt they can get out from the inside but why take chances. I'll take the other seven."

  "You're injured. Why not send me?"

  "I should and would, except I don't trust Colonel Lothar. He seems to think he has something to prove—or he feels in competition with the Guard. I'd rather be there if he does something stupid," I said. That was true, but I was also a bit of a mother hen and preferred to be where I could look after my chicks.

  Elijah smiled and nodded, probably knowing my thoughts. She had nothing to prove either.

  * * *

  I collected my seven-Guard detail and worked my way around the main building to the army's staging area for the assault on building two. Issak met me as I neared.

  "In five minutes, an assault shuttle will arrive and blow the delivery panel. Then a team of twenty troops will storm the first floor. You can follow whenever you're ready. We will be restricting our weapons to Mfws to minimize the damage to the machinery."

  "Unless I'm wrong, they are either all on the first floor or the second, depending on their strategy. Makes no sense to split their force." I wondered how that would make a difference to the Guard's timing. I laughed mentally. I only had to worry if they were on the second floor. "We will follow the first wave in, General," I said, deciding not to give the raiders any more time to get ready for us.

  Issak nodded.

  Just then, a combat shuttle appeared hovering ten meters above the ground and less than thirty meters from the building. I clicked on my Mfi. "Elijah, get ready. We're going in now!" I said as the delivery panel exploded inward and twenty army-commandos charged through the gapping panel. I rose and ran to keep up, sensing my detail were on my heels. I felt drained, like I was running through sand.

  The army flowed into the silent room filled with machines—but no people.

  I turned right toward the stairs and elevator. To my relief, the stairs were not enclosed but open to the top. Halfway up and still hidden by a filled in two-meter wall on the second floor, I stopped and used a small black light to check the stairs and saw a laser beam at the top. I pulled out a flash star and checked behind me.

  Catz and Nadel stood there with stars in their hands.

  I turned, threw, and covered my closed eyes with my hands.

  Seconds later, the room filled with the sound of Mfws spewing projectiles and exploding shells. The second-floor partition shielding the stairway slowly disintegrated as hundreds of bullets and exploding shells hit it. I suspected the shooters were blind and just shooting in the direction they had been positioned, hoping to hit something. We threw three more stars upstairs and waited for the count of five. More firing followed, producing head-sized holes in the walls and completing the destruction of the inside partition.

  I cupped my hands and Nadel put her foot into them as we waited for the inevitable lull when clips emptied. When only random shots could be heard, I boosted her up and over the destroyed partition.

  She sprinted left, firing as she ran, drawing the gunfire in her direction as the shooters, still unable to see because of the star-flash, fired in the direction of the sound of her Mfw.

  I boosted Judt and then Catz up, who quietly found cover to the right. I then got a boost from Click. On my signal, Judt and Catz opened fire while I moved left and found cover. I could see the raiders had found cover some twenty meters from the elevator and stairs.

  It looked like Nadel had killed two on her sprint left before sliding behind a wooden bench. Judt and Catz had drawn the fire back toward the right and had killed two more as I moved to the left.

  I shot another I could see from my position who was rubbing his eyes, unaware he was exposed. I knew that by now the raiders' eyes would be regaining some sight, except for the few who thought rubbing their eyes would help. The last two Guards gained the landing as I reached Nadel.

  Now it felt like target qualification. Because of our current positions, they couldn't raise up to aim without exposing themselves and giving one of us a clear shot. Three more went down in rapid succession. Afterward the room became deathly quiet.

  The remaining six appeared content to wait us out.

  I nodded to Nadel and we moved along the wall deeper into the building, hoping to get behind the remaining raiders.

  The left-most raider saw us. "They're on our right, behind us!" He spun to bring his Mfw to bear on us just as Nadel put two rounds through his head.

  Nadel and I dove for cover as raiders opened fire while keeping their heads down.

  But Catz and Judt were racing along the right wall and soon began firing as the raiders became visible. They killed two, which caused the remaining three to panic. They made a foolish attempt to run deeper into the building and better cover. They didn't make it as seven Guards opened fire.

  "Make sure they are dead and there are no more," I said as I walked over to the walkway and dismantled the explosives the raiders had rigged to kill anyone coming through. When I looked around, everyone looked functional, although I was certain several of the team had been hit by either a projectile or flying shrapnel. Smiling, I walked back to the stairs and dismantled the explosives at the top of the stairs. Looking down, I saw Issak looking up.

  "Is it clear to come up?"

  "Yes, sir. The second floor is clear." Now that the adrenaline had eased, my body felt on fire and every movement produced pain. I suddenly felt weak and gave a weak laugh when I saw my bandages were soaked with blood. But it was a good day, a very good day because there were no deaths—that counted.

  "How many?" Issak asked as he reached the top.

  "Fourteen."

  "The two raider cruisers have been neutralized. One was totally destroyed; marines are now boarding the other one. I imagine they had a rough time of it. Those raider cruisers were well armed."

  "How did you fare, General?" I asked, curious as to a general's feeling about the troops under him. My impression was that Colonel Lothar considered them pawns.

  "Thanks to you and the Black Guard, our losses were small. We lost four when we cleared the first floor of th
e main building. Without you, clearing the building of forty raiders would have resulted in many more deaths, and I doubt half of the hostages would have survived. Although tradition sometimes demands needless deaths, I don't like it. I hate to admit it, Sapir, but you save lives, so I will shamelessly call for your help whenever I can. I'm sorry."

  "The Guard is my family, but knowing you don't do it to look good helps, sir." I liked Issak. He, like Commander Wexler, considered the army family, and I'd wager he would be monitoring Colonel Lothar's future assignments. I wouldn't be surprised to find the colonel behind a desk in the not too far future.

  "Let's get you and your troops to the medical station and get them checked out. The cruisers aren't going to be available for a day or two. They will need time to repair their damage and see to their dead and wounded."

  * * *

  Two shuttles appeared within minutes, and we were flown to a Heibei hospital where the Jax army medical unit had set up in anticipation of casualties. I noticed that the hostages had been taken to the same facility but were being treated by the Heibei hospital staff.

  "Captain Sapir, I'm Doctor Handlin. I understand I can thank you for my lack of patients," said an elderly, gray-haired man as he entered the cubical and pulled the curtain shut. "Not that I'm complaining. I'll get paid the same and will sleep much better tonight." He smiled. "If you'll strip out of that body armor, I'll have a look. It's great underwear, but while it usually stops penetration wounds, it doesn't negate impact." He spent the next hour cleaning open wounds, removing shrapnel, applying sutures, and bandaging them and a fractured rib. "I'm recommending some time in the cruiser's Rehab Unit to help accelerate the healing process."

  He must have given me a sedative of some kind, because when I woke up I was in a room and light was streaming in through the window, indicating it was morning. Just then a young woman walked in with a tray of food and shortly afterward, Doctor Handlin.

  "How are my troops, Doctor?" I knew no one had died, but ...

  "You'll be happy to know you were in the worst shape of the bunch." He laughed. "I thought you could use the sleep, since your assignment was over and you seemed determined to run off and see your team and undo all my beautiful work," he said looking amused. "Your uniform is in the closet, but eat first. You have a couple of hours before the shuttles will be here to transport you to the Black Leopard."

  True to his word, the shuttles arrived around noon, and we were delivered to the cruiser two hours later. It was obvious as we approached the Leopard that it had seen action recently—several exterior areas had temporary patches, and our shuttle had to use one of the fighter bays, as the shuttle bay was not functional. On the walk through the inside corridors, I could smell the lingering aroma of melting metal, flux, and gas, and I could see areas of distorted superheated metal. I shuddered at the thought of the deaths that must have resulted from the explosions that caused that damage. My sympathy went out to the captain and the colonel. I agonized over each death, while they had to contend with tens if not hundreds in a cruiser engagement. Inside the marine area, the mood was sober with men and women standing or sitting in small groups talking—most in soiled uniforms, and many bandaged. I went directly to my room, not wanting to impose upon their grief.

  * * *

  In the morning, I learned that the Black Leopard had incurred the most damage of the three Jax cruisers, although the other two had also suffered damages and deaths. The Leopard had lost fifty-five navy and nineteen marines. The Sabretooth had lost forty-one sailors and fifteen marines, and the Lynx had lost twenty-eight navy and six marines. Fifty percent of the marines on the Leopard and Sabretooth had been lost in boarding the raider's ship after they had lost power.

  I couldn't help but wonder if this would accelerate the new weapons qualification procedures throughout the fleet that General Lerman had initiated on the Deathstalker. How many would have been saved if they all had qualified with one hundred percent accuracy? One life saved would make it worthwhile! I shouted mentally as I left the Leopard at Adamah and headed for the shuttle that would take me to Sasser Mountain.

  My detail was in a good mood on the way down. It had been a successful assignment from their perspective—no one had been killed and they had looked like the professionals they were. I agreed with them but couldn't help but lament every Jax death that could have been avoided. My black mood lightened when I saw Hada waiting for me to exit the shuttle.

  "Commander Wexler says we can leave as soon as you hand in your after-action report," she said, giving me a hug. "I would have packed your clothes but you don't have anything but uniforms." She laughed but quieted as she held me at arms-length. "What's wrong? You didn't lose anyone, did you?" Her lips moved like she was counting my detail over my shoulder as they filed out.

  "No. The Guard had a near perfect mission; however, the Jax Navy and Marines lost over two hundred."

  "As you've told me more than once, we're in a killing profession." She maintained eye contact with me.

  "True, but seventeen of the marines died during a boarding action. I can't help but wonder how many of those marines would have survived if their weapons training were closer to ours?" It wasn't our problem, but ...

  "Come, sister." Hada hooked her arm through mine and propelled me down the trail. "I'll help you write the damn report. We'll bring in snacks and stay up all night. It'll be fun, and you're in desperate need of a vacation." She laughed, but her eyes looked sad.

  I agreed. I needed a rest from death.

  True to her word, Hada reappeared with a two-day supply of snacks and drinks. Within a few hours, it was like a party. As I recounted what had happened, Hada organized it into a legible report. By daybreak, the report was finished and I hand-carried it to Wexler's secretary and went to bed. In the process, we had discovered an innovative and fun way to write after-action reports.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Avivo: Learning a new way

  "I'm excited, Rivka," Hada said, her arm locked in mine as we made our way to the landing pad to catch the shuttle the Guard ran from Sasser Mountain to the city of Cordo.

  "I'm terrified. I know I need to develop a life outside the Guard, but it ... it feels like when I was six and the man came to collect me for the military. I don't know what to expect."

  "I'm as clueless as you." Hada laughed like a young girl going to her first party. "My sisters have offered to help, so it'll be like a surprise party with family."

  "That's what I'm afraid of. I hate surprises." I scowled to make my point.

  She laughed. "Surprises can be good. Anyway, your sister will be with you for support."

  The shuttle was an on-demand service and was waiting when we arrived. It left shortly after we boarded, and we arrived in Cordo two hours later. From there we bought Air Express tickets to Avivo and then we took a skimmer taxi to Hada's home on the other side of the city, where her parents owned a small clothing store and temple devoted to teaching old-Earth Tibetan Buddhism.

  "What do you think your sisters have planned?" I asked as the skimmer neared our destination.

  "Think of it as another one of those masquerade parties you're so fond of pulling on your assignments. We're going to masquerade as civilians."

  "Can we wear Mfws in case they find out we're not?" I was trying to look serious but broke out into a laugh at Hada's stunned silence.

  She hit me on the arm then joined me in laughing as we marched down the street. To my surprise, the people we passed seemed to find it amusing. I felt relaxed by the time we reached the Attali house, having good memories from my last visit and how they had treated me as one of the family. They must have heard us coming, because Mei stood in the open doorway shaking her head.

  "Have you two been drinking?" asked Hada's sister, scrutinizing each of us.

  Hada grabbed her around the waist and twirled her in a circle.

  "Yes, from the fountain of happiness. We're home, among family, and ready for an exciting adventure."

>   As Hada put Mei down, her older sister, Lui, and mother, Daiyu, appeared. They looked to have been cooking, judging from the aprons they were wearing. We were pulled into the house and given warm hugs of welcome. Food and drinks appeared.

  "An interesting problem," Daiyu said when everyone had settled down in their small but cozy living room with its old but comfortable couch, three mismatched upholstered chairs, and multicolored rugs scattered around the room. "Like Mei or Lui asking you to be taught to be a soldier." She held up her hand to stop Hada or me from reacting.

  I could actually see her point. We had each spent years becoming what we were and in a sense weren't going to change.

  "Like Hada's father, you will always be Guard, and like him, you want to learn to be comfortable around civilians and be able to enjoy some of their activities. That, we can help with."

  * * *

  The next three weeks were exciting, terrifying, and amusing. The first few days we spent shopping for civilian attire, which proved comical. All Hada and I had were military clothing. Everything we had was black, so just finding a color we liked required trying on every color. In the end, Hada tended toward pastels and browns, whereas I tended toward the darker reds, purples, and blues. We both liked wide skirts, probably for ease of movement. Mei dragged us to a hairstylist, but in the end we stayed with short styles that were easy to maintain.

  Money was not a problem, as neither Hada nor I ever spent any. Our bank accounts were more than adequate, so we bought what we liked with little regard to cost and paid for everyone's expenses when we went out.

  Over the next couple of weeks, they took us to theaters, local events, and out to eat at a variety of restaurants. We were taught to dance and were taken to a nightclub one night. That was terrifying. Even though the dancing was fast with little contact, men as equals and potential mates proved scarier than a firefight. Daiyu was right; our inexperience was most obvious in making conversation—like a tiger talking with a deer. My experiences were of combat, weapons, and military life, while all the men I talked to knew about were non-violent work, entertainment, and civilian life. And then there was the mating-dance that I didn't know anything about and had to ask Mei or Lui every time I got a chance.