The Conscripts: Fight or Die (Blood War Book 3) (4 page)

“Well, as Kat knows, Rigel Kent is raising a great army with Von Fleet’s help. You will soon have additional troops to command against the aliens.”

“So I understand, Senator,” Dasan replied stiffly.

Kat could feel his arm stiffen as if he were trying to control himself.

“General, if I may introduce my two companions. This is Kiara and Dena.”

Kiara was the tall, slim blonde with eyes that offered much without saying a word. Dena was the tall brunette and her look took in Kat instead of Dasan. Kat met her stare and squeezed Dasan’s arm tighter. She would have to watch that one. She was looking for a new and richer bed to lie in, and Kat doubted she would stop at much to find one.

“Very pleased to meet you,” Dasan said.

“So, General, I am sure that you are excited to have Von Fleet’s new divisions and their advanced combat technologies.”

“Of course, Senator.”

Kat caught a less-than-enthusiastic tone in Dasan’s voice.

“You don’t seem excited, General,” Barish said.

“Senator, is it true that many of your divisions are conscripted ?”

“Of course. We are a very successful system and many of our system’s citizens hold very important positions in Von Fleet and the other corporations. Conscription is our best tool to help defend the Confederation.”

“Isn’t it also true that citizens who are conscripted but have enough money can pay for someone to take their place?”

“Of course. As I said before, we are a very successful system. Our citizens hold vital positions. They cannot be spared to become mere soldiers. They have other priorities. Those of lesser importance will not be missed, so it is logical to send them instead.”

“By ‘of lesser importance’ you mean poorer. Do you not?”

“Of course. If they were not lazy they would not be poor and in debtors’ prison. A time in service to the Confederation will help them develop the skills they need to make more money.” Barish smiled as if this were perfectly obvious to everyone.

“Is it not also true that you changed the debt ceilings for debtors’ prisons and most of your conscripts come from such prisons?”

“Of course, but you should understand such practices. After all you were a Legionnaire, were you not? The Legion was filled with men and women who were sentenced to service in the Legion instead of jail. They were the dregs of society. Of course, their officers—such as yourself—were an exception. So it is the same, is it not?”

Barish smiled again and seemed very pleased with himself. Kat felt the tension in Dasan’s arm grow, and his face flushed as he took a step toward Barish.

“The Legion was an entirely different thing from pulling people out of debtors’ prison and throwing them together as a unit. Every Legionnaire had to pass through a selection process. Over half never made it through, and of those who did, another quarter died in training. Becoming a Legionnaire was a process that few could complete, and those who did found that the Legion had become their breed. Most volunteers and those sentenced chose the Legion as their career once they made it through selection. They were the true heroes of Rift. Those men and women did the fighting and dying so you and those in this room could stand here today. If you look around the room now, the men and women who are standing guard, providing you with protection, are all former Legionnaires. Every one of them is a veteran of Rift.”

“Now see here, General…” Barish sputtered.

“No, you see here, Senator. You are sending me ill-trained, under-equipped troops whom I fear will not stand up to the Xotoli or their hybrids. I will have to live with sending them into combat because I do not have a choice No, Rigel Kent is not contributing to the defense of the Confederation. I fear it is only sending poor men and women to the slaughter.”

Barish’s face reddened. “General, do I need to remind you that the military is simply a tool for the political will, and the political will is a reflection of what is best for business? The economy is the engine of the Confederation, not the military. What is best for corporations is best for the Confederation. It is your responsibility to lead men and women into combat to protect those interests. You will lead the divisions from Rigel Kent, or I will personally see that you are removed from your command. If they are slaughtered, as you say, then I will hold you responsible. It is no different than a business operation. You have been given a task and resources. Now it is your job to accomplish that task with those resources or pay the price for failure.”

Dasan took a step toward the Senator. Kat pulled his arm and he stopped. When Sand took the step toward Barish's his Von Fleet security detail appeared out of nowhere behind Sand, ready to grab him should he take another step forward. They were the typical Von Fleet security type—large and menacing. Sand glanced back and just smirked. Out of the corner of her eye, Kat caught the sight of the Marines who had been standing like statues around the room suddenly moving quickly and silently toward Sand and the Von Fleet security detail.

“Only a well-trained veteran looks good in a dress uniform. These men and women are all veterans of Rift and 703. If I were you, I would not call any of them dregs of society. You, sir, would end up in the hospital if you were lucky.”

Sand glanced back at a woman Marine who had stepped between him and the Von Fleet security detail. While Barish's goons were at least a head taller than she was, there was no fear in her face. Kat marveled at her toughness.

“Take the staff sergeant behind me. Her name is Kifle Elias. She fought by my side as a Legionnaire, a Marine, and now as a Raider. See that gold badge on her left pocket? That means she has killed more than five hybrids in hand-to-hand combat. Does she look like one of your dregs of society?”

Kat watched as the senator turned red with anger then white as he realized what Sand was saying. She had to fight to suppress a smile at Barish’s discomfort. He had always been an arrogant ass. She would remember this the next time they crossed paths.

“Senator, it might be best if I continued to introduce the general to the rest of the guests. I fear this argument will have to be settled at another time.”

With some difficulty Dasan came to attention and slowly bowed. Kat gently led him away. As she did, she noticed the rest of the Marines around the room relax as Elias and the other Marine returned to their posts. They had been watching their general closely and had been on the edge of action. What kind of man could gain that respect from his troops? This general was more than just very attractive, Kat thought. Tonight was going to be quite interesting.

#

Kat then took Dasan around the room for the rest of the introductions. He was careful with what he said to the other men and women. His stomach remained in a knot of unreleased fury at what Barish had said, but there was little he could do. So he tried to relax and let Kat do the talking. Kat’s presence was so overpowering, he found it easy to sit back and let her take the lead. He was thankful that the Notes program the admiral had given him was collecting the personal information of people as he met them. Each time he met someone who offered their information, he felt a tiny vibration in his ear as contact details was exchanged.

He lost track of time until Kat finally said, “General, if I am going to help you as Usiche has suggested, I need to get to know you better. Could we sit out on the balcony for a few moments alone?”

“Of course.”

Dasan’s heart raced at the thought of being alone with this woman. Kat led him out on the balcony through doors that seemed to appear out of nowhere in the glass wall. They sat on a couch with a coffee table next to it. A plastic cover slid out of the wall to protect them from the wind. Kat leaned over a silver box. She took a cigarette out of it and offered him one.

“This is my special blend. They have nicotine, some feel goods, and some uppers mixed together. They are my favorite for parties.”

“Thank you, no. Not right now.”

Kat lit her cigarette and stared at him for a long moment before she said, “As I said inside, I don’t help people unless I like who they are. So I need a bit of information about you. I asked Usiche what was the best way to get to know you, and she said I should ask you about the handkerchief.”

Dasan was surprised. He hadn’t known that Usiche knew about the handkerchief, but he guessed there were no secrets from the admiral. Dasan slid his hand into his blouse’s inside uniform pocket and pulled out a worn, threadbare, pale-blue little girl’s handkerchief with tiny flowers on it. He handed it to Kat. She looked at him for a long moment, as if she were deciding something, and then took it gently, when she touched it realizing just how fragile it had become.

“A little girl gave that to me a long time ago. It changed my life.”

Kat looked at him and said, “Tell me the story. I want to know.”

Dasan began to talk. Kat leaned back, smoking and gently holding the handkerchief as she listened to Dasan. He told her about the patrol and how they saved some of the children, but not all of them, on Choem so long ago. How the huge footprints in the dust had convinced Dasan that the Xotoli would be back, which had led to his long professional struggle to establish the infantry in the Legion. The years in exile to tiny posts because of his belief in the need for the new infantry. Then, to his own surprise, he began to talk about Aijuba and how their professional partnership had slowly changed into a love affair. He told her how they had fought the powers that be in the Legion to establish the new infantry units. How the infantry had been formed and the secretary general had found out how useful they could be in settling disputes between colonies and corporations. Then her decision to give him the money and staff to develop the armored infantry. Finally how, before the new armored infantry could be proven, the Xotoli had attacked Rift, where he was developing the new unit. He told her about the desperate battle on Rift against the Xotoli hybrids, how close a thing it had been and how his troops had fought and died. How proud he was of them and how humbled he was by their faith in him. The armored infantry had proven its worth in the crucible of battle and saved the Confederation in doing so.

Kat sat there silently during most of the long story, only asking questions to keep him talking, exhibiting no phony sympathy or exaggerated reactions. Her reactions were those of someone who had fought battles in her life too. She seemed genuinely interested in everything he said. She took it all in. She leaned forward for another cigarette.

“Could I get one of those?” Dasan asked.

Kat gave him one, lit it, then lit her own.

“Aijuba sounds like quite a woman. I would have liked to meet her. You must miss her terribly.”

Dasan looked at Kat’s face for a long moment, trying to read it. There was no false sympathy, only appreciation for Aijuba and Dasan’s story.

“Yes, yes I do. I seem to have gone on for quite a while. I guess I’ve taken up enough of your time. You should get back to the party.”

Kat smiled one of her rare smiles. “Dear, the party has been over for hours.”

Dasan turned and saw the room was empty. He had completely lost track of time in the presence of this extraordinary woman. He blushed and said, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to monopolize your time.”

“Dear, I do nothing that I don’t want to do. And the only thing I wanted to do tonight was sit here and listen to you tell me the story of the handkerchief. It is quite a story. One that I will never forget. I feel privileged that you told me it all. Especially your relationship with Aijuba.” Her beautiful blue eyes met his.

“I’ve never done that before. I’ve only talked like this to one other person.”

“Aijuba?”

“How did you know?”

“Woman’s intuition.”

Dasan paused and said something that had been in the back of his mind for hours, but he had hesitated to say. “You know, I hope you take this as a compliment. You remind me very much of her.”

Kat looked pleased. “How?”

“You have this strength and confidence about you that Aijuba had. You are both experienced warriors, just in different arenas.”

Kat looked very pleased and smiled one of her rare smiles. “Now that, my new friend, is possibly the best compliment I have ever received.” Kat leaned back against the couch and stared at him for a long moment. “Dasan, I want you to stay here tonight.”

Dasan was stunned. He had not felt an attraction to any woman since Aijuba’s death, but Kat seemed to have blown all of that aside.

“I…I…don’t know…uh.” Dasan felt like a schoolboy in her presence.

Kat stood and held out her hand. Dasan took it and let this beautiful woman lead him back into the penthouse.

“Dear, I had you the moment you laid eyes on me. Since you say I remind you of Aijuba, then I can say she would approve of us. So don’t worry,” Kat said over her shoulder as she led him by the hand. Dasan stopped, not sure he liked being led around by someone who seemed to know so much about this game between men and women.

“What about your husbands and wives?”

Kat stopped and looked up at him. “Dear, I am not sure there is one of them even in this system. They are all away on business. We won’t be disturbed, if that is what you are worried about.”

Now Dasan felt as if she were making fun of him. “Since you seemed to know when you ‘had me,’ as you said, when did I have you?”

A small smile turned up the edges of that perfect mouth. “When I saw how you handled that little girl’s handkerchief.”

When she said that, Dasan knew this was not some sophisticated woman looking for a new experience. This was someone who had actually listened and decided based on who he was. Suddenly he felt desire sweep over him. No more hesitation. He pulled Kat into his arms and kissed her. She seemed to melt into him. Her full breasts pressed against his chest and her hips gently moved against him as they kissed. Kissing Kat was like kissing his first girl all over again. He broke off the kiss and stared into the beautiful eyes that were now filled with desire for him. Without thinking he leaned down and swept her up in his arms.