Alien Legion: Arrows of Artemis
By C.S. Hayden
Alien Legion is the trademarked and copyrighted creative property of Carl Potts as published by Epic Comics/Marvel Entertainment 1984-1993. This is a work of fiction loosely based on the characters of Alien Legion and is unauthorized by its creator Carl Potts.
Plot and additional original characters copyrighted 2002 to Christi Smith Hayden
Arrows of Artemis
V. Friendly fire:
"Artemis is taking the field," Zeerod commented idly, as he took notes on the troops. Sarigar had decided to appoint the old warrior as his aide during maneuvers. It helped preserve Zeerod's dignity and if it consequently improved Nomad's time during the speed trials, so be it.
"So they are," Sarigar commented, feigning disinterest. "Neebo needs to check that battlesuit in for maintenance. The servos seem to be sticking." He swept the binoculars over the field, seemingly checking on Nomad but he wasn't satisfied until he was able to pick out Jaikira in the group entering the simulated battlefield. She was trying to lead her squad but there was another officer in the way trying to countermand her orders.
"What the hell is he doing there?"
"Who, Major?"
"Some rear guard D.I. officer," Sarigar muttered. He increased magnification on his viewer. It was Fremmick, all right; Sarigar remembered the unpleasant creature from the reception and so had General Gokk. It wasn't long afterwards that a directive came down mandating that all officers below the rank of major needed to have their combat skill ratings updated. "Stupid bospor doesn't have the sense to let Kira do her job."
"You know, I haven't seen Captain Jaikira around in ages," Zeerod continued. "How is she?"
"Fine, and keep your mind on work." The truth was that he'd been avoiding her. After the reception, he couldn't seem to come up with a reasonable explanation for why he'd pulled away from her when they both were clearly attracted to one another. He and Jaikira had been at a few officers' meetings but never were able to spend more than a few minutes to talk to each other, and awkwardly at that. It was disturbing that she could occupy his thoughts so thoroughly and it bothered him more than he cared to admit.
"I'm not sure you realize it, but that's the third time this week that I've heard you call her Kira." Zeerod was looking at him speculatively. "Omitting the family prefix is a term of affection in your culture, isn't it?"
Sarigar didn't answer but flexed his tail spikes irritably instead. He swung the binoculars back to see Torie guiding Nomad successfully through the maze of trenches. "Captain Montroc has cut ten seconds off Nomad's time -- well done. Where does that put us in the standings?"
"Edging over Devil squad," Zeerod commented, checking a nearby monitor. "They drew the early slot, unlucky rammers. At the rate the good captain's going, he'll raise the bar on the scores."
"Good."
"Of course, that will only last until Artemis finishes their run, eh?" Zeerod paused and there was a faint whine as his cybernetic eye refocused. "Major! What the devil is going on down there?" He shot a finger out, pointing downfield.
Sarigar looked back towards where Artemis was struggling through the mine field. Most of them were weaving around obstacles, cautiously navigating their routes to the next test area. Fremmick was standing up and yelling at them, totally oblivious to his surroundings.
"Is he insane? This is a field test with live rounds," Sarigar muttered, not taking his eyes away. "Zeerod, ping the ground judges at the mine field. Alert them."
"Too true, Major," Zeerod grumbled as he reached for the com unit. "I've never seen such a blue officer in my life."
Holding his breath, Sarigar continued to watch. To their credit, Artemis was ignoring Fremmick and following Jaikira's orders instead. It had to be clear to even unbiased observers who was the field commander and who was definitely not. Fremmick had just stepped on a gas mine and was starting to stagger back towards a ditch. Jaikira looked back at that moment and the alarmed expression on her face became carved in white hot laser beams on Sarigar's long term memory. Things slowed half-speed; she'd seen what Fremmick had not - the faint glow of a plasma mortar battery charging to fire.
"No."
Jaikira was yelling at him but Fremmick was ignoring her. She spun around and was using her tail coils to propel herself forward. Some of her troops had turned with her but were too far away to help. He could hear Zeerod arguing vehemently with someone over the com unit but the sound was like hollow shouting heard through a long tunnel. The plasma mortar flared - she had tackled Fremmick mid-section - he was struggling - she managed to topple him with an elbow strike to the inner knee - neon yellow burst indicating pre-firing - Jaikira had thrown Fremmick into the ditch - mid-air coiling of her tail as she dove for cover - the blinding yellow outline as the plasma charge hit, turning her twisting body into a stark black silhouette.
"JAIKIRA!!!!!!!"
The lenses of the binoculars shattered as he flung it away from him and threw himself over the side of the tower, taking the emergency ladder down. The hand rails whistled through his gloved hands as he plummeted to the ground. Over his com unit, Zeerod was barking orders like the brigadier general he once was.
"Medics!! Medics!! Man down!! Shut down the mine field!! Shut it down NOW!! Medics!! Medics!!"
Sarigar hit the dirt, shoving soldiers out of his way as he traversed the field. His sleeve caught in some razor wire but he jerked it free, unaware of the gash in his arm. He slid into the mine field recklessly, not caring whether the mines were active or not. Jaikira had been thrown several yards and was lying in a twisted pile in the mud. A sick, acrid smell of burnt flesh filled the air.
"Kira!!" Sarigar reached her only to have Jez stop him. He started to struggle with her but Jez pushed him back, her heels plowing deep ruts in the ground as she switched on her seldom-used synthbox.
"Major, you have to let Zora handle it!" Her artificial voice had been repaired but it still had a faint metallic resonance that grated on the ears. "The captain could have spinal injuries - look how she landed!"
The medic for Artemis, a felinoid from Siphan, was carefully scanning the length of Jaikira's body. She looked up and nodded, twitching her whiskers. "It's safe to move herrr -- get that gurrrney in herrre!"
Jez released him and he stood there numbly, watching as the medics sprang into action and loaded her limp body onto the hospital skimmer. Her arm slipped off the gurney and dangled lifelessly for a few seconds. One of the skimmer drivers had Fremmick's arm over his shoulders and was helping him into one of the seats. Besides him, Jez growled.
"Major Sarigar!! MAJOR!!" Zeerod had appropriated a staff skimmer and was waving him over. "Come on!!"
He vaulted over the side of the vehicle and pulled his tail in after him as the hospital skimmer pulled away. Zeerod let them clear the field before following. "Not to worry, Major. I know where they're going."
The adrenaline surge began to subside and Sarigar made himself breathe for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. His heart was pounding so hard that his chest hurt and his throat was raw but he didn't remember yelling. He couldn't seem to get the image of Jaikira lying there like some broken toy out of his mind.
"Major?" Zeerod held out a clean cloth from the skimmer's supply box between the front seats. "You might want to tidy up, sir. You'll frighten Jaikira looking like that."
"Thanks." He flipped up a reflective panel on the dash and it was then that he realized he'd been crying. The soot and mud from the minefield was there but streaks of blue skin showed cleanly all around his eyes and down his cheeks. "Oh, Ayal!" he swore under his breath.
"Didn't see a damned thing, sir."
Sarigar scrubbed at his face, painfully aware that he was showing a vulnerable side that he'd kept carefully hidden for years. "I suppose this will be a big hit in the barracks later."
Zeerod spoke up. "Hardly -- I doubt anyone would believe me." He slowed down to maneuver in traffic. "It hurts like hell to see someone you care about get hurt - worse than if you yourself had taken that blast for her. No one could witness something like that and be unaffected." He glanced over. "Incidentally, your arm is bleeding."
Twisting the cloth into a makeshift bandage, Sarigar tied it off by holding one end with his teeth. "When did I do that?"
"You probably did it when you set a new speed record going across the training field. I think you went over and through everything and everyone in your way," Zeerod commented with a chuckle. "Now I can guarantee that will be talked about!" He pulled in at the Medical Wing. "Any orders to pass on?"
"Tell Captain Montroc that he's in charge of Nomad for the time being." He slid out of the skimmer. "I'd also like Meico to come up here. I want his medical opinion."
"Will do." Zeerod reached over and grasped Sarigar's hand. "Good luck, sir."
snikt-KLACK, snikt-KLACK, snikt-KLACK, snikt-KLACK ... Sarigar had finally stopped counting the number of times he'd paced up and down the outside the OR waiting room flicking his tail spikes. The nurses had started to avoid eye contact with him after he snapped at the last well-meaning person who tried to take him away to have his arm treated. The first moment that there was word of Jaikira's condition, he wanted to be there.
"Major Sarigar?"
His head snapped up. His second-in-command, Torie Montroc, medic Meico, and Jugger Grimrod, were coming up the corridor. "Captain," he said curtly, "I'm sorry I missed the end of your field run. How did it go?"
"Top scores, major," Torie answered. He looked through the open doorway into the waiting room. "Any news?"
"None." Sarigar glanced hard at Meico. "Any chance that you can find anything out? The nurses just keep telling me that she's being treated."
"Perhaps," Meico said speculatively, studying the bloody cloth twisted around Sarigar's upper arm. "But first your arm I should treat."
"To blazes with my arm!" Sarigar snapped, earning a dirty look from one of the nurses. "It's not what's important right now!"
Meico merely crossed his upper pair of arms over his chest and put his lower arms on his hips as he regarded his commander patiently. "If information you want, treating your arm first I do." The empathic alien's words were mild but firm.
Sarigar glared at his medic for a few minutes but Meico refused to stand down. Finally, he blew out a deep breath of frustration. "Fine, but I'm not leaving!"
"Into the waiting room, please," Meico said. He pulled out a chair and moved it to a spot in the room with more light. "Field kit I have. Not long this will take." The pink-skinned Polaran deftly removed the soiled bandage and clicked his tongue at the wound. "Nasty rip this is. Razor wire, I am guessing?"
"I'm not sure," Sarigar said gruffly. "I wasn't paying attention."
Jugger spoke up from the doorway. "I had a chat with that little bint from Artemis, major. I'd hate to be that desk jockey that got the snakegirl fried. That is one bunch of mean, bloodthirsty women."
"They can get in line behind me," Sarigar said darkly. He winced slightly as Meico sprayed some antibacterial wash on his cut. "Montroc, I want Captain Fremmick found. He was brought in on the same hospital skimmer."
"Understood, major." Torie nodded and then asked, "I assume you want a few words with him?"
"To start with." Sarigar glanced at Jugger from across the room. The Thracian merely nodded and followed Torie out into the corridor.
"Almost finished, major," Meico said quietly as he placed a hypospray to Sarigar's arm. "Prone to infection, razor wire is. Check this again I must." He neatly put his field kit back in order and stood up. "Medical clearance I have not for this area but I will see what I can do. To the staff entrance I must go."
"Very well," Sarigar said, suddenly feeling weary. If it wasn't such a ludicrous notion, he might have suspected Meico of slipping him something. His arm throbbed and he shifted his weight over to lean against the wall for a moment.
"Majorrrr?" a soft voice purred urgently. "Is he all rrright?"
"Resting he is," Meico commented wryly. "Coming around he is."
Sarigar's head felt like it was stuffed with wool. "Meico," he ground out, "what did you do?"
"Merely a reaction to the antibiotic shot it is," the Polaran medic innocently. "Stressful to the mind worrying is. Rest is good." He gestured to the felinoid female next to him. "Medic Zora Ree of Artemis this is. She and Jez Shivblade in the hospital they were." He cast a derisive look towards the hallway. "As well as one other."
"Fremmick?"
"In the keeping of Montroc and Grimrod he is," Meico reported. "Arriving shortly they will be."
Zora sneezed and wrinkled her whiskers in disgust. "That mewling whinerrr! He pulled me away from the captain when we arrrrived. It took me forrreverrr to get back to herrr."
"Jaikira!" Sarigar stood up suddenly. "How is she?"
"She is in the isowarrrd unit," Zora replied. "Her arrrmorrr deflected the worrrst of the damage but she is badly burrrned by plasma rrradiation." She patted Meico's shoulder. "I must go back to the barrrracks to pick up some things and rrreturn herrre. She must be carrrefully monitorrred forrr the next few days. Meico can answerrr any questions you have."
"Thank you." Sarigar shifted his attention from Zora to Meico. "You've seen her?"
"With my own eyes, I did." Meico nodded. "In critical condition she is but stable." He paused and frowned, looking towards the door.
"What is it?"
"I fail to see why I have to come here, sergeant," a too loud voice drawled out. "Surely they can access the accident report that I recorded in the hospital files?" There was a pause. "Stop waggling your fingers at me, Shivblade. You have a perfectly useable synthbox! I signed the repair order myself!"
Torie's voice interjected. "Actually, Captain Fremmick, there are some points in the official incident report that you need to clarify for us, since your version and Captain Jaikira's differ."
"I can well imagine. After word of this fiasco gets around, her field agent stasis will be revoked and her career will be over," Fremmick gloated out in the hall. Sarigar came to the doorway to see Fremmick standing there in a clean crisp uniform and sporting a showy knee brace and a cane. "When General K'thok gets my report, it'll be all over for that prima donna."
The obsequious bureaucrat didn't even have time to blink when Sarigar lashed out, slamming him into the wall with a dull thump. "What," Sarigar ground out, "are you saying?"
Fremmick gurgled with the Jentekian's hand on his throat.
"Don't you know she saved your miserable life?" He tightened his fingers.
"Major?" Torie put his hand on Sarigar's wrist. "Perhaps we should take this out of the Med wing? So the doctors can work on Captain Jaikira?"
Sarigar growled under his breath. "Get him out of my sight." He dropped the luckless D.I. officer and turned away with a flick of his tail spikes.
"C'mon, Jugger," Torie said urgently. "Give me a hand."
Fremmick sagged between the two Legionnaires and groaned. "I'll see you up on charges!"
"We'll see you dead in a ditch first." Jugger tossed his head at Jez pacing nearby like a predatory cat. "C'mon, you can help." She nodded grimly and followed them.
Satisfied that Montroc had matters well in hand, Sarigar turned back to Nomad's medic. "You were telling me about Jaikira's condition?"
"Muscle relaxants and sedatives have been administered," Meico said calmly. "In much pain she was but treatment is now underway."
"Can--" Sarigar hesitated, "can I see her?"
The Polaran medic nodded. "Conscious she is but due to her medications, little sense in speaking she may make. This way, Major."
Meico made Sarigar go through decontam before entering the isoward, leaving his outer garments behind and donning a protective gown over his Legion skinsuit. "New skin growth procedure very delicate is," he explained. "Very sensitive cellular regeneration it is, so great care must be taken." He nodded to Sarigar's gloves. "Please to leave those here. All exposure to outside germs and bacteria must be limited."
All thoughts of his own concerns fled as Sarigar followed Meico through one last sterilizing ion field into the isoward. Covered in tubes and wires, Jaikira was laying on her stomach with her head turned to one side, a sheet shrouding her from shoulders to hips, and with her caudal appendage immersed in a carbonated gel bath. Sarigar winced at the angry black-rimmed expanse of burnt skin visible beneath the cooling emulsion. The worst of the damage had been to her lower body where the plasma blast had hit. Even thought he'd had a chance to calm down from his earlier outburst, he still wanted to make Fremmick pay for this outrage. It was obscene to see her beauty marred in this way.
"Jaikira? Meico this is," the pink-skinned medic said gently as he checked her monitors. "How are you feeling?"
"...mmm..." Her eyelids moved but she didn't seem to have the strength to open them. "Tired. Tail's all numb."
Meico motioned Sarigar to come closer. He tried to move as quietly as possible but he froze when she spoke.
"Meico?"
"Yes?"
"Is he okay?"
Meico exchanged a look with Sarigar who shrugged. "Fremmick? Survived he did."
"No, not him." Jaikira gave a pouty frown. "S'gar. I heard his voice." Before either of them could reply, she whispered, "I miss him." The words came out in a weak, shuddering sigh.
Sarigar dropped into a tight coil besides the medbed. "And I've missed you." He covered her cold fingers with his.
She managed to open her eyes and to stare at him in bleary shock. "Sorry, it's the drugs talking." The corner of her mouth twitched.
"Too bad," he murmured back, "because I can't use that excuse."
Her eyes closed. "How long?"
"I've been out in the waiting room the whole time," he answered. "Zeerod and I saw the incident and we followed you in. Meico just brought me back to see you."
"mmm..." Jaikira studied his hand on top of hers through her eyelashes, clearly puzzling over what was different. She rubbed her thumb against the darker blue of his index finger and broke into a small smile.
"Yes," he answered for her. "I couldn't wear gloves in here. Aren't you pleased?"
Her lips parted in a laugh but she was simply too exhausted to respond. Sarigar reached over with his other hand and brushed some wayward strands of hair from her face. "It's going to be all right," he murmured. "I just wanted to say -- the way I've been acting, Kira, it wasn't you. I'm just very stupid when it comes to love." He looked away and blinked furiously for a few seconds. "It has to be that because today nearly killed me. You have to get well so we can talk about this some more."
Nodding slowly, Jaikira smiled sleepily. Sarigar raised her hand to his lips and kissed her bruised knuckles. He sat there for an indeterminable time, holding her hand and watching for the slightest movement, until Meico put one of his hands on his shoulder.
"Deep in REM sleep she is," Meico said quietly. "Time also it is for you to rest, major. Notified you will be of any changes in the night." He nodded towards Zora Ree who had returned and was taking his place at the monitors.
"Thanks, Meico." Sarigar stood up and winced as he straightened to his full height. "I suppose I should find out whether I'm headed to the stockade for striking an officer."
"Justified, I am thinking. Many reports of the incident I have heard. This Fremmick's orders were unwisely given. Combat proficiency he had not." Meico glanced over Jaikira's sleeping form. "Happen these injuries they should not."
A deep anger tinged with grief swept over Sarigar as he allowed Meico to steer him out of the medical wing and back towards their barracks. He hadn't realized how much he'd been missing her until she had nearly been taken from him. Still, in spite of everything, in spite of her own pain, Jaikira's first coherent thought had been to console him. That thought made him feel almost giddy with hope.
"Major! Meico!"
They had just passed by the group lounge when Torie had called out to them. Meico raised his eyelids questioningly.
Sarigar nodded. "They'll want to know."
Both Artemis and Nomad were crowded into the room and had been there for some time, from the number of empty grogh kegs lying about. Jez Shivblade gave Meico a desperate look, knowing that he could read her thoughts telepathically.
"Yes, update you I will. Most severe Captain Jaikira's injuries were. Plasma burns, trauma to caudal appendage, and radiation poisoning she has. In isolation ward for the time being she must remain." Some members of Artemis became visibly upset, weeping on the shoulders of their comrades. "Fortunately, treatment we do have and responding well to it she is. Deep the damage is, so time cellular regeneration will take."
"Major?" Zeerod handed him a fresh flagon of grogh. "Did you get to see her?"
Sarigar nodded and took a deep drink. "It was such a shock to see her like that." He paused, letting the grogh settle his nerves. "Caudal injuries are always traumatic for us Jentekians but I think she'll pull through." He drained the glass and held it out for more. Jez was looking at him hopefully. "She was awake when I talked to her, but she's under a lot of meds."
The silent Thracian made a series of hand gestures, simple enough for him to understand.
"'Did she say anything?'" Sarigar sipped more grogh. "Not much - she knows what happened and where she is." He smiled sadly. "She said some personal things and then she joked about it, saying that it was the drugs talking."
Zeerod chuckled and continued to top off Sarigar's drink. "That's the spirit," he said lightly. "That's what I like most about your Jaikira, sir, her wonderful sense of humor -- pops out at the most unlikely times."
Sarigar smiled sadly over his glass. "That's true, isn't it? I've always loved that about her." It wasn't until half a glass later, that he realized just what Zeerod had done - he had gotten Sarigar to admit his feelings in front of everyone. He winced before looking around.
The old rogue was grinning at him and the whole room seemed to share his sentiment. "Major," Zeerod said gently and with great dignity, "I think I speak for all of Nomad, and, if the ladies will allow me, Artemis too, when I say that we approve of you and Captain Jaikira. We would like nothing better than for both of you to be happy." He glanced around and held the grogh keg up. "And regulations be damned!"
Jugger uncorked a fresh bottle and flourished it in the air. "I'll drink to that!" A number of people raised their drinks, agreeing with him.
Stunned, Sarigar had to look away for a few seconds to regain his composure. It was a truly magnanimous gesture of respect on the part of both their squads. He only wished that Jaikira was here to share the moment with him. "Thank you," he said with as much quiet dignity as he could muster. "Thank you all."
Torie cleared his throat. "Sir? We do have some bad news for you."
"Yes?" Sarigar raised a brow ridge questioningly. "You killed that little weasel before I could have a piece of him, didn't you?"
"I'm afraid not. We weren't able to keep Captain Fremmick in custody. The MPs took him."
Jugger snorted. "Yeah, and right when ol' Jez over there had him squealin' like a pig, too." He saluted her with his bottle. "Damn fine piece of work with that flayin' knife."
"Military police?" Sarigar asked sharply. "Is he up on charges?"
"Several, in fact." Torie shook his head. "I think he was reported by the tower monitors, other squad leaders, and some of the brass that were there doing observations." He gestured towards an avian female with a tall feathered crest. "Lieutenant F'marrl has been given temporary command of Artemis."
"Lieutenant," Sarigar said gravely. "Will you be continuing in the war games?"
"Yes," F'marrl answered in her high fluting voice. "Captain Jaikira would expect Artemis to go on and to do well. We aren't going to let her down."
"Major?" Zeerod knocked discreetly before entering Sarigar's quarters. He had personally escorted Sarigar to his room last night, if only so Meico could re-check the cut on his arm. The major had consumed more than his usual amount of grogh, thanks to some sneaky refilling on Zeerod's part. He felt it was the least he could do, under the circumstances, so he was fully prepared to take the consequences of dealing with the major's hangover the following morning.
As it turned out, Sarigar simply wasn't there. His bed was rumpled but clearly not slept in. Zeerod took a moment to straighten it. Yesterday's uniform was in the laundry bin and the sanitary unit had been recently used by the still-damp towels on the rack.
"Hmm...," Zeerod chewed his beard for a moment. "Curious."
Torie Montroc came to the door. "Zeerod? Where's Major Sarigar?"
"Ram me if I know, captain," Zeerod replied, "but I think I have an idea where to look."
Zora Ree was on duty when the com unit went off. The felinoid medic had traded her armor for a white-and-blue medical tunic that contrasted nicely with her tan-and-sable fur. She reached over and clicked it on.
"Isowarrrd herrre," Zora purred softly. "May I help you?"
"And a very good morning to you, my dear lady," Zeerod said gallantly, with Torie hovering in the background. "We were wondering if Captain Jaikira has had an early visitor this morning. One of our majors seems to be missing."
Twitching her whiskers, Zora gave a hissing little laugh. "Indeed she has, and he's still herrre. Would you like to see?"
"If it amuses you so much," Zeerod said with a grin, "I certainly must!"
Zora reached over and accessed the isoward's cameras. Sarigar had pulled a chair up to the bedside but his head was cradled on his arms resting on the edge of the bed. A discarded compupad was under his elbow. As they watched, Jaikira reached out and combed her fingers through his hair.
"Oh, look!" Zeerod exclaimed and several other Legionnaires crowded the viewscreen. "She's awake!"
"The captain has had a good night," Zora reported. "The skin rrregenerrration is at fifteen perrrcent and the worrrst of the rrradiation poison has been neutrrralized." She snickered. "Howeverrr, if someone could come and get yourrr majorrr, I'd apprrreciate it. He's been snorrring since oh-fourrr-hundrrred. She may think it's adorrrable but I'd prrreferrr that she get some rrrest."
"I'm on my way to rescue you even now, milady." Zeerod bobbed his head at her. "If you would, please tell the major that he's due at an emergency command meeting and that I'm picking him up."
"With pleasurrre, Zeerrrod."
Whispery touches left electric trails across his skin. Slowly, Sarigar became aware of the sounds of machines around him and the sharp smell of the gel bed bubbling a few feet away. He winced as his neck and shoulders complained loudly about the odd position he fell asleep in. The last thing he remembered was writing on his compupad and watching her sleep.
"Morning."
He opened his eyes only to find Jaikira studying him from only inches away with a small amused smile on her face. Sometime during the night, they had removed the oxygen tubes from her nose so she looked more like herself. Her left hand was tracing his jaw and he reached up to take it.
"Did I wake you?" he asked quietly.
She rolled her eyes. "Well, you do snore."
"Blame Zeerod -- he seemed to think that I needed to get drunk last night."
"Hope you had some for me. My yesterday was rammed all to hell."
"It was no picnic for me either." Sarigar sat up and swiveled his neck around. The popping of his vertebrate was audible.
"Gar?"
"Hmm?" He rotated his shoulders and leaned back down on his elbows.
"Why'd you stay all night?"
Sarigar shook his head. "I did try to go back to the barracks, but once I was there, all I could think of was being here." He took her hand between his. "I guess I didn't realize just what you meant to me."
"Which is?" A familiar light was dancing in her eyes.
He smiled ruefully. "When you went down, it was like my heart was ripped right out of my chest. I made a perfect ass of myself and I slammed that rat-faced bospor right into a wall." He lowered his head down so he was at eye-level with her. "It's entirely possible I may be in love with you."
She merely raised a brow ridge, waiting.
"I just didn't want to admit it."
Jaikira squeezed his hand. "You already have." Her lips parted in a smile that begged to kissed.
"And do you?" he asked breathlessly, edging closer.
"A girl would have to be stupid not to love you." She nuzzled his mouth.
"Lucky me."
They were in mid-kiss when Zora cleared her throat forcefully.
"Parrrdon me, majorrr," she said apologetically, "but yourrr aide called. He's en rrroute to pick you up forrr an emerrrgency staff meeting."
"Damn." He smiled wistfully and stroked her cheek. "Duty calls, Kira. Try to stay out of trouble, hmm?"
"It'll be tough but I'll try."
Zora was standing by the door. "Majorrr?" she said softly as she escorted him from the isoward, "You can visit again laterrr this afterrrnoon. We'rrre doing some prrrocedurrres this morrrning and she'll need to rrrest afterrrwarrrds." She patted his shoulder as if he were a wayward child being sent on his way. "You underrrstand, prrt?"
Sarigar gave her a wry grin and snapped off a Legion salute. "Yes, ma'am."
Jaikira waited until she heard the door cycle open again. "Zora?"
"Yes?"
"Did he really stay all night?"
Zora gave a purring little laugh. "Indeed he did. He may seem like a model soldierrr, but I think yourrr majorrr is a closet rrromantic."
"I think you're right." She smiled to herself and prepared to settle down to sleep.
"What is this?" Zora asked as she stooped by the bed. She came up with a compupad. "I do not rrrecognize this language."
"Let me see," Jaikira said as she tucked her fist under her chin to prop herself up. Her eyes widened. "Sarigar must have left it - this is Jentekian verse; a classical form of poetry on our planet."
"Prrrt?" Zora nodded approvingly. "That was verrry considerrrate of him. Perrrhaps he meant to give it to you so you will have something to rrread laterrr." She gently pried it from Jaikira's hand. "As for now, kitling, you must get some rrrest. I will keep this safe for you."
"--Furthermore," said the rat-faced judicator in the center of the three-way split screen on the monitor in General Gokk's office, "we demand that all of the Legionnaires involved in the attack on Captain Fremmick be severely disciplined."
"That will not be necessary," Sarigar said emotionlessly. "I alone am responsible for the conduct of my men." He'd been standing there in front of Gokk's desk for an indeterminably long time listening to this bureaucrat rant on about his conduct. The fact that the judicator had a strong family resemblance to Captain Fremmick had not been lost on either Sarigar or Gokk; the bear-like general was barely keeping his temper as it was.
"That is not --"
"As it so happens," General Gokk interrupted in a rumbling voice, "a situation has arisen that requires an immediate and lethal response. Casualties will be high. I plan on using Major Sarigar and his squadron to spearhead the attack."
"That is not good enough!"
"Adjunct, I need combat-hardened men on the front lines, not sitting on their arses in a holding cell. You filed your complaint with me and it's up to me to decide what action I wish to take in disciplining the men under my command."
The fish-eyed admiral on the right side of the screen nodded. "I concur with General Gokk. The situation on the frontier is perilous. Sending Major Sarigar into a high risk battle zone is more than adequate compensation for his actions."
"I also agree," said the Defense Intelligence officer on the left. "General K'thok is less than pleased with losing the use of two of his officers at this time, especially one of his best field agents. He himself could not be present for this meeting as his ship was diverted to the frontier. Gentlemen, time is of the essence. We need to move."
General Gokk nodded grimly. "So we shall. My troops will be leaving within the hour. Gokk out." He punched a button on his console and the viewscreen winked out. "Damn infuriating interdepartmental squabbles," he growled. "And you - what are you waiting for? I need you and your bunch of psychopaths on the frontier now. Dismissed."
Sarigar paused in the doorway, took a deep breath, and came back into General Gokk's office. He waited patiently for Gokk to respond.
"Major, I've done all I can for you," Gokk said curtly. "I agree that something has to be done about that incompetent bospor and it will, but you had no business laying a hand on him, much less ordering your men to remove him from the hospital." He huffed, puffing out his muzzle. "Fremmick was insistent on you taking the blame for their actions."
"I'm willing to take full responsibility, I'm not denying that." Sarigar waited until Gokk was looking at him. "Trillian, I need a favor. My transport is leaving within the hour and I'm not going have time -- will you go to the hospital wing and tell Jaikira what's happened?"
"Hospital wing?" Gokk glanced at the disciplinary report and back up at Sarigar. "Surely she's not the other injured officer in the report? The adjunct barely mentioned her."
Sarigar nodded. "Fremmick's actions put her in the isoward. I was there all night and she'll be expecting me back. I'm not even going to be able to say goodbye." He sighed bitterly. "She's going to be vulnerable there -- could you please keep an eye out for her? I don't want Fremmick going anywhere near her."
General Gokk sat slowly back in his chair and nodded. "Now it all makes sense," he murmured. "You showed considerable restraint, old snake -- I would have put him through the wall." He gestured to the door. "You'd better collect your gear and get to your transport. Not to worry, I'll go speak to Captain Jaikira today and afterwards, I'll be having a very serious discussion with General K'thok about members of his staff. I'll sort this out... personally."
"Thank you, General." Sarigar turned to go.
"You really care about her, don't you?"
He turned his head and smiled. "Would I go through all this trouble if I didn't?"
To be continued in "Part VI: Away Mission, en route"
