Knight of the Empire
Chapter 8

The shuttle powered down and my guards were out through the door before I could stop them.

“Stay here,” I ordered Gena worried about a confrontation between my guard and the Confederacy.

As I exited the shuttle my guard had formed a line their weapons drawn confirming my worst fears. Opposite them stood a squad of Confederacy Marines in green and grey patched armour their weapons at the ready. It was then that I noticed the other shuttle in the bay. It was painted in a dull black. On seeing the shuttle I began to notice other details. I knew where I was. I was back on the Havok although the reception was less than friendly.

“Sergeant stand the guard down,” I ordered my guard in Terran. I turned to the Confederacy Marines and spoke in Galactic. “I’ve ordered my men to stand down and it will be for the best if you follow suit.”

Two of the Confederacy Marines were female with the other four were male. One of the males must have been Sarah’s replacement. My guard slowly lowered their weapons, as did the Marines.

That’s better,” I said with a nod to the Marines. “Sergeant help Gena retrieve my gear from the shuttle,” I said in Terran noting Marsha wasn’t here I wondered where she was or even if she was the captain. I walked across to the Confederacy Marines who had slung their weapons and stood at ease their attention on my guard.

“The captain wants you in the briefing room.” I recognised Steve Tutor’s voice he didn’t sound all that pleased to see me.

I guessed that because I was wearing a Terran uniform and over a year ago the Empire and the Confederacy had been locked in battle. “Ok LT,” I replied unsure if I had the rank to give orders. I was on an indefinite leave of absence Com Ops had seen to that. Turning to my guard I spoke. “As soon as my gear is off the shuttle. Head back to the Jakarta.”

“Yes ma’am,” the commander of my guard replied sounding reluctant.

“That’s an order!”

“Loud and clear ma’am!” he said again pulling a full Terran salute.

“Lieutenant Tutor I’ll need someone show Gena where I’ll be bunking down and give her a hand with my gear.”

“Bacare, Kriaeusus and Harms help get this gear stowed away.” He signalled the three named and spoke again. “The briefing room.”

“Of course Lieutenant Tutor,” I replied there were all sorts of questions I wanted to ask but Gena’s pale appearance pushed them to the back of my mind. “You will be alright?” I asked Gena.

“Yes my lady.”

Tutor gestured urgently towards the door. I took the hint regretting leaving Gena with them. I began to wonder if coming back was a good idea.

Ocynca was waiting for me as I exited the shuttle bay still dressed the garish blue and green he always wore.

“Good to see a friendly face,” I said to him.

He blinked as if something was in his eye. “ Of course your grace. That is the correct term for you is it not?”

“Please Ocynca I’m still me?” I was hoping for at least one person on my side.

“You’re not,” he replied still blinking.

“What do you mean by that?” I had a sinking feeling it was going to be a long lonely trip.

“You glow as bright as the sun.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “I glow?”

“Your aura is so bright I can hardly see you.”

I remembered him telling me he could see a person’s aura. “What have those Guardians done to me?” I said aloud.

“Guardians?”

I sighed. “Too much to explain here and now.”

“Of course,” he said with a smile. “If you need to talk you know where I’ll be.”

“Thanks,” I replied feeling my heart lighten. At one person from the Confederacy was on my side.

“Good luck Sandra,” he said and led me to the briefing room.

Marsha was waiting from me inside. The table and benches had been recessed into the floor and had been replaced with an exercise mat. As soon as it saw it I knew the drill. At least this time if my underwear got ripped I had replacements. Marsha towered over me, her 199cm to my 177. She was an Enari or Valkyrie as the first humans that encountered them called them. What else would you call towering blue eyed blonde haired amazon. The Enari had liked the name humans called them and had taken it for their own. Her hair, normally twin plaits either side of her head were coiled around the top of her head. Two icy blue eyes regarded mine. Quickly I stripped down to my underwear wishing I had changed into PT gear. Marsha still wore her skinnies the tight fitting Confederacy fatigue uniform that fitted her like a second skin. She had removed her boots and unlike me there wasn’t anything more she could remove.

“Marsha,” I started but it was a far as I got.

She lunged at me before I was ready. As quick as she was I was quicker. I stepped out of the path of her attack grabbing her arm as she few past me. I gripped her arm and with a twist flicked her around to land face first on the mat. She scrambled up a glare on her face. I began to worry I knew what battle rage did to a Valkyrie. She lunged again and I slipped past her guard and punched her in the stomach. She folded over my fist and crumpled to the floor. I hoped that was the end but she climbed to her feet her eyes ablaze.

“Marsha, Captain Yanik,” I warned.

She growled and leapt for me. Her face twisted in rage. This had gone too far. It would end up with both of us badly injured or worse still one of us dead. I didn’t want that to happen.

“Marsha!” I yelled my marked hand raised palm facing her.

Her shock of seeing my hand held her in place. “Sandra!” She grabbed my hand and touched it to her face. “Oh Sandra.”

I couldn’t pull myself out of her grip. At least she was no longer trying to kill me. I had forgotten about the symbol etched into my hand.

“Who did this?” Marsha spoke softly and let go of my hand.

“I’ll tell you.”

She sat on the training mat I sat opposite her still in my underwear.

“A present from the Guardians on Melanos. And before you ask it doesn’t hurt!”

“Look I’m sorry I was so angry with you.”

“Angry with me why?” I considered Marsha a good friend even with what we had done together one drunken night.

“I sent you dozens of messages once we knew you were safe on Earth but you never replied or even acknowledge any of them.”

I looked at her surprised I should have suspected something. “I never received them. I did the same. I have copies of my mails on my datapad.” I winced. “I was going to ask you the same.”

Marsha drew a deep breath. “You’re not lying.”

“Someone intercepted our messages.” I had two suspects well rather one. I wasn’t going to include Ellie.

“I hadn’t considered that,” Marsha admitted. “I was angry. I wanted to hit something.”

“Was that why you wanted to fight?”

“I admit that was my intention. I did see you on those vids. Greeting people a smile on your face and the rousing speeches.”

“The smile was fake and someone wrote those speeches, I wasn’t allowed to go off script.”

“You were a prisoner?”

I thought about it and discarded the idea. Camelia wanted to keep me close. I was third in line to the throne that was in the line of politics rather than making me a prisoner. “I did try to leave on several occasions but they always seemed to be one step ahead of me.” I went on to explain the attempt on my life and the fact that I was an Imperial Princess and Duchess of Mars.

Marsha listened open mouthed. “Here’s me bitching about a few messages not realising what you had gone through.”

“The Usurper and the Rhosani really did a number on the Terran people.”

“Did a number?”

“Terran expression means betrayed or something along those lines.”

“I want to know more.” Marsha seemed to be eager to talk to me.

I was aware I was underdressed. “Later we have to get moving.”

“Yes we’ll have plenty of time to catch up.”

The lights flickered we had made the jump there was no way I could contact the Jakarta now. A pang of regret ran through me. I never got to say goodbye to Tony. “At least when we get to Melanos I’ll get some answers,” I said as I dressed my mind still dwelling on not saying goodbye to Tony.

All Marsha did was lace up her boots.

“We’re not going to Melanos,” Marsha replied looking unhappy.

“Oh?” I tried hard to hide my disappointment. “And where are we heading Analon? I expect search teams have combed the system.”

“We not going to Analon we’ve been ordered to Nthus.”

“Hell! That’s months out of the way.” I felt my anger stir.

“Peace Sandra, peace I have my orders.”

“Why?” I throttled back my anger Marsha was only following orders.

“There’s one of those wormholes near Theadon.”

“The gas giant near Nthus.”

“It’s got the government in a panic although they’re not going to admit it to the people there would be mass panic.”

I understood the dilemma. “The Empire did the same when they discovered a Rhosani vessel on the edge of the Solar System. How did you replace it?”

“Someone called Joyce Neilson told the senate.”

“I know Joyce but I’m surprised the senate listened to a Terran.”

“Oh course you know Joyce, apparently she has some powerful friends.”

That wasn’t that surprising. “Where is she now?”

“Back on Melanos working for the senate. She warned the senate that there was a wormhole near Analon.”

“So that’s why the T’Arni have withdrawn their fleets.”

It all made sense now but I was uncertain how I fitted into all this. The only two people I knew who could open wormholes were on Earth. I seriously doubted Ellie or Camelia would desert their duties and help the Confederacy. There was too much still left to put right. “I best see to Gena she’ll start to worry.”

“Gena?”

“Sergeant Gena Guerro she pledged herself to me.”

“Pledge?” Marsha seemed to get the wrong context for pledge. Understandable after what she told me the last time we had parted.

“She pledged her oath to serve me. It’s a Terran thing.” I searched for a Confederacy equivalent. “I’m her patron.”

“I see, sorry Sandra I should have known better.”

“Not as half as sorry as I feel for Gena having to drag her with me.”

“I best get back to the bridge,” Marsha said her once grim expression replaced by a happier one. “I’m sorry for the way I acted. I should have known better.”

“That not a problem Marsha,” I replied relieved that she wasn’t holding a grudge. I knew how destructive those were.

“One other thing Sandra?” Marsha paused by the door.

“Yes?”

“Briefing here in two hours. That will give you time to dress in something more suitable.” She gave my Terran uniform a meaningful eye.

I took the hint. “I’ll make sure. Thanks Marsha.”

“Later Sandra.” With that she was gone.

Ocynca was waiting for me outside. “I’m glad that ended amicably.”

“You knew she was itching for a fight. Why didn’t you warn me?” I felt annoyed he could have at least told me that Marsha was angry with me. I hadn’t wanted to fight her.

“She is Valkyrie do you expect her to act any other way? Although your aura was bright you were stressed. At least I can still sense your emotions. It was more stressful for Marsha she cares about you.”

“Stressed?” I felt uncomfortable that Marsha still had feelings for me. I thought she’d be over those by now.

“You might not think so but it was in your stance and your voice. I’m trained to see these things.”

“You do realise that Marsha could have killed me?”

“I seriously doubt that. You beat her and that made her happy.”

“Beat her?” I felt confused. Marsha had been out for my blood. She seemed to have been determined to pound me into the ground until she had seen the mark on my hand.

“Yes major.”

“I’m not a major in the Confederacy anymore.” Com Ops had seen to that by putting me on an indefinite leave of absence. They must have known when they had refused my reinstatement during the war. Again I felt used.

“Don’t sell yourself short you are still Major Locke to all here.” He paused. “As to the rest of Confederacy we’ll show them.”

I wasn’t certain what Ocynca was on about so I changed subjects. “Do you know where I’ll be bunking?”

“You have your old quarters.”

“Good, what about Gena?”

“She’s bunking down with your squad.”

“Not my squad anymore.”

Ocynca shrugged. “You are wrong. They’re never been anything other than yours.”

I had my doubts but anything I said Ocynca would have a smart answer. “You do know Gena can’t speak Galactic?” I had tried but she had no head for learning languages.

“Shawna is learning to speak Terran and I do.”

I was relieved to hear that. That had been my other worry about bringing her. “Where’s Gena now?”

“Waiting for you in your quarters.”

“Thanks I’ll replace my own way.”

“Certain?”

“Yes.”

“Ok major if you need to talk you do know where I am.”

Taking my leave I headed to my quarters.

Gena had been sitting on the edge of my bed and rose as I entered. It hadn’t changed. In one corner was a bed next to it a desk and chair the rest of the room consisted of dressing table with a mirror and several storage lockers. A terminal was on the desk. I doubted that I had access to the system.

“Gena?”

“My lady I put your clothes in the closet.” She indicated the locker the corner furthest from the bed. “There wasn’t enough space for the rest of your things but I was shown a store room down the corridor.”

I remembered the layout for my last time aboard. Communal bathroom and showers, store room and Marsha’s quarters all in this short corridor. I slipped past her and opened the locker quickly scanning the contents. I closed the door with a sigh. Gena had put all my Terran dress uniforms in the locker. I wasn’t going to tell her off because I was my fault. She thought she was being helpful since all I wore at the palace were uniforms. The court dresses Ellie and Camelia wore were not my style. Too restrictive and I liked to have a weapon handy. After what had happened at the base my only choice. I sincerely doubted that Ellie would have allowed me to wear civilian garb with a sidearm strapped to my waist.

“You know were my greys are?” I asked her. ‘Greys’ were my name for the grey top and slacks I wore as an alternative to my uniform.

“Sorry my lady, I’ll just fetch them,” she replied.

I put my hand on her arm as she turned to leave. “Are you ok Gena.” I still worried about her mental health.

“I’m fine my lady.”

“Sandra please?” I said to her.

“Sorry my lady I can’t do that it would be disrespectful.”

“Why Gena, has someone been at you again. Tell me who it is and I deal with them?”

“No my lady everyone here has been so kind.”

“Then why?”

“We represent the Empire. I must be respectful amongst these aliens.”

I wasn’t sure how to reply to that. “You do know I am Confederacy?”

“You were my lady. Her majesty made you a duchess and you are an Imperial Princess.”

I hadn’t wanted any of that. “Gena I’m going to give you an order!”

“Yes my lady.”

“From now on you will call me Sandra that clear.”

“Yes my lady, ah Sandra,” Gena replied reluctantly.

“Gena,” I warned her. “Now please replace my greys.”

While she was gone I stripped out of my uniform and folded it away in the locker. As fast as she was gone she returned a bundle of clothes in her arms.

“My lady!” she gasped her face reddening.

“Oh Gena you’ve seen me in my skin hundreds of time before.”

“Yes but not on an alien ship.”

I gave her a look. “Gena, T’Arni sometimes wear less than this. I’m still wearing my underwear.”

“But...”

“But nothing Gena now give me those clothes.”

She handed me my clothing and I dressed.

“Better now?” I queried.

“Sorry Sandra.”

“That’s ok Gena but remember we are not in the Empire anymore. You must start thinking Confederacy.”

“I’ll try but it will be hard.”

Marsha was already in the briefing room when I got there. She was seated at the far end of the room her back against the screen on the back wall. I was glad to see a table and benches instead of an exercise mat.

“Permission to enter,” I spoke formally.

“Of course,” Marsha replied with a smile. “You don’t have to be so formal with me.”

“Thanks,” I replied feeling relieved to see her smiling.

I saw her peruse my clothing and nod thoughtfully.

“I draw a line at a dress,” I told her. “Although Camelia tried to get me into one.”

“You’re not a dress person, but why the gloves?”

“Oh sorry, force of habit it stops people asking awkward questions about the mark on my hand.”

“That makes sense,” she said thoughtfully. “Come sit here.” Indicating the seat beside her.

“You sure?”

“Sandra get you ass over here.”

“Yes captain,” I quipped back.

She laughed. My ex-squad entered at that moment and I hurried to take my seat beside her. Steve Tutor and the squad filed in taking up seats either side of us. I was glad to see familiar faces. Steve looked at Marsha and then at me.

“Major, captain,” he saluted.

“I’m technically a civilian now LT.”

“You are wrong ma’am,” Shawna interrupted. “You are still a major in the GF.” She nodded to her fellow Marines. “To us you are.”

“Com Ops gave me a leave of absence.”

“That doesn’t count,” Kriaeusus said.

I relaxed I hadn’t been sure about meeting them again but from the sound of it they were still on my side. “Gee I think I’m going to drown under all those titles,” I said with a smile.

“Titles?” Bacare asked.

“I’m a colonel in the palace guard, Duchess of Mars and an Imperial Princess,” I hesitated the smile slipping from my face. “Ex-major of the 43rd GF.”

“No former about it!” Marsha remarked firmly.

Vorra was the only one not paying attention to me. Even the new guy was although he looked out of his depth. The furry-faced Ezaran seemed to be paying more attention on something she was fiddling with under the table.

“That’s not going to work Vorra!” I told her.

She jumped as Bacare snatched something out of her hand. It was the same box she had used when she had tried to hack Lottie.

“Sorry major,” Bacare apologised. “It looks as if her Ezaran oath wouldn’t hold her.”

Vorra looked uncomfortable. “I couldn’t detect a signal.”

I held up my hand to be allowed to speak. “You won’t.”

“Why?”

“Lottie isn’t with me anymore.”

“The Terrans did that?” Vorra sounded shocked.

“The Guardians on Melanos did,” I said as I took off my gloves. I raised my hand to show my mark. “They exchanged Lottie for this!” I know it was a showy gesture but I wanted to make a point. I was aware of the stunned silence.

Finally Steve spoke. “Why.”

“To make me into a living weapon.”

“Weapon?”

“To destroy the Rhosani,” I went on to explain what happened. “I saw a shadow. Any of you have been down to Melanos know that the lights cast no shadow.”

Marsha nodded carefully she had been on Melanos. I remembered that she had come searching for me only to be turned away because she had received orders from Com Ops. At the time we had only been searching for anything the Archives had on the Rhosani but events had changed that. I spoke clearly detailing my search for the shadow and encountering a corridor that wasn’t there a moment ago. Only to turn and replace I was back at Rosewood. Then things went weird as I first spoke to someone that looked like Olga my secretary and then to someone that looked like my mother. Both people had the look but not the voices. They warned me about the Rhosani and then planted their mark on my hand saying that I was their weapon. A flawed weapon at that their words not mine. Suddenly I was back in the Archive, Camelia at my side the mark on my hand. I explained the whole bizarre incident to her as we walked back to where Ellie waited. We had run on hearing her scream to replace her on the floor a Terran Colonel Franklin standing over her and in control of Camelia’s captain while her pilot lay dead on the floor. I remember firing my weapon and seeing the bullets bounce off the colonel and the next being flung backwards by some unseen force. It was then I made a shuriken from my own body and threw it at him. I lost the rest of what happened as I had blacked out.

“Incredible,” Steve said to nod from the others. Only Marsha had heard it already.

“But it comes at a cost. Every time I’ve used it I’ve blacked out. The last time was at the palace I was out for over a week.”

“That not very effective,” Bacare interrupted.

“It is against the Rhosani. And that’s all they care about.”

“Why you?” Shawna wondered aloud and blushed on seeing me eyeball her.

“Wrong place, wrong time I suppose.”

“I’ve always wondered why the Terran ship didn’t come back and finish us off.” Marsha asked.

“You did get Camelia’s message?”

“All she said was that she was taking you to Earth to stop the Usurper.”

“Rhosani are tepes and they use their powers to influence non tepes. Colonel Franklin or whatever he was ordered the captain of the Santiago to execute anyone on the ship with tepe potential including the captain’s wife. Tepes disrupt their influence, any tepes. Camelia’s pilot was probably one.”

Marsha leaned forward a meaningful look upon her face and her voice carrying around the briefing room. “This doesn’t go beyond this room. Am I clear!”

“Yes ma’am,” we chorused.

“One other thing,” she said. “Major Sandra Locke has been reinstated as my XO.”

I stared at her. “Ma’am that’s against regs.”

“Who is captain here?” she replied. “I want someone I can trust by my side.”

“But...” I wilted under her intense stare. “Yes ma’am.”

“Dismissed!” She stood and strode through the door before anyone could speak.

Gena was sitting on my bed when I reached my quarters.

“Gena?” I said as I entered.

She wasn’t wearing her Imperial jumpsuit and had been issued with Confederacy skinnies. “Sandra,” she replied jumping off my bed.

“Stay where you are,” I told her. “Have you seen my datapad?”

“Here it is,” she said picking up my datapad from the desk and handing it to me.

“You are going to be ok here?”

“Yes I’ve got duty in ten minutes.”

“Duty?” I wasn’t sure I’d heard her correctly.

“That nice Ocynca is going to show me what I can do,” she regarded my face. “You don’t mind?” she asked anxiously.

“Not at all,” I told her with a wave of my hand. “It will be a long boring trip as it is.”

I brushed past her and turned on the terminal on the desk wondering if my old security codes still worked. The holographic screen flickered on. “Computer locate Captain Yanik.”

“Captain Yanik is in her quarters.”

I turned off the terminal. “I’m going to speak to the captain. You will be ok?”

“Yes Sandra, Mr Ocynca said he would be along soon.”

Glad of that I headed back out.

It was a short step from my quarters to Marsha’s at the end of a short corridor. I pressed the comms button on the wall beside her door. “Marsha?” There was no answer so I waited for a minute or more and pressed the comms button again. “Marsha?”

“Sandra?” Marsha’s voice sounded strained.

“Can we talk?”

There was a moment of hesitation before she spoke. “Come on in.”

As I entered I noticed a distinctive scent in the air. Not an unpleasant smell but it smelled familiar something about it alluded me at the moment. I passed the washroom noting the smell was stronger there. Marsha was seated on the L shaped couch in front of her bed her hair wasn’t in the pristine state I normally saw it in. The decor hadn’t changed since the last time I had been here all those months ago.

“What is it?”

“My datapad I wanted to show you those messages I’d sent you?”

Marsha seemed a little on edge. “Could we do this later?” Her eyes were practically pleading me to leave.

Suddenly things clicked into place. Marsha’s hair, that scent the last time I smelled that was on Anwa Padak when I washed out Gena’s armour. I broke into a smile. I knocked on the door to the wash room. “You can come out now Shawna,” I said trying hard to hide my laughter.

Marsha’s look of horror and Shawna’s look of consternation were priceless as she stepped into the room.

“How did you know?” Her skinnies were in disarray but I chose not to comment.

“Come on Shawna hiding in the bathroom is so cliché. It’s the staple of all those old comedy vids.”

“But how did you know?” Marsha was uncomfortable about being found out.

“Shawna’s perfume.”

“Her perfume?” Marsha sounded puzzled while Shawna blushed.

“It’s my favourite,” Shawna sighed.

“I remembered you saying you were saving it for someone special.”

Shawna blushed redder. “I did, didn’t I?”

“I could come back later,” I told them trying hard to keep a straight face. I was glad they had found each other. Marsha needed someone she could rely on.

“No, you’re here now. Give me that damn datapad,” Marsha said.

I handed the datapad to Marsha and sat on the other side of the L shaped couch. Shawna straightened her skinnies and sat beside her close to my side of the couch. Marsha with Shawna looking on they stared at the pad for several minutes before handing it back to me.

“I’m sorry I blew my cool like that.” Marsha patted Shawna’s knee she smiled back. “We’ve both been played for fools.

Shawna took Marsha’s hand and rubbed it. “I told you she was always thinking about us.”

“And I’m sorry for the last few entries they were rather inflammatory.” I had to be honest. “I wasn’t at my best when I wrote those.”

“I did the same,” Marsha admitted.

Shawna reached over and grabbed my hand while still holding Marsha’s. “Good you can go back to being friends.”

“I was always you friend,” I told Marsha.

“You are right Sandra. I acted the way my blood expected me to behave. I can never be rid of my Valkyrie heritage no matter how hard I try.” She gave Shawna a smile. “I have help.”

I stood. “I’ll head back now I’ve taken too much of your time. Live in the moment. I learned that with Tony.”

Marsha nodded. “You are right.” Then as I got up to leave. “One other thing Sandra. Well two other things.”

“They are?”

“You are on duty in four hours and please keep silent about us.”

“Silent, I’ve got no problem with that, but to the other are you sure?”

“I’ve got my XO back. I need her to perform her duties.”

I saluted. “Major Locke reporting as ordered.” I was glad Marsha trusted me. Trust had been few and far between since the last time I graced her quarters all those months ago.

“Get out of here.”

It wasn’t Marsha that said that. As I headed back to my quarters. I couldn’t help but to smile I was back home.