The Fight for Creation: Book 01 - Life Warrior (13 page)

• • •

Pride looked at the three brothers and their new swords. “What are those?”

Jon smiled, “Swords.”

“I can see that; but they’re much more than just swords.”

Teg quickly said, “How can you tell that?”

“The power field around them is incredible. It is close to the fields I’ve seen around the psychic ships.”

Jon’s eyes narrowed, “I’m not sure what you mean.”

Pride just shook his head, “That violet colored field extends out into space. You should be able to see it.”

“We don’t.”

Pride stared at the brothers, “You don’t know what they’re designed to do?”

Jon shook his head and said again, “We don’t. We just sense that we’ll find out when the appropriate time arrives.”

Pride’s tail swished back and forth and then just the tip curled and uncurled, “I really hope you do. What are you going to do now?”

Dern shrugged, “Go back to our units and continue the fight.”

“I think that would be a good idea. Let me know if you find out what’s going on.”

Jon nodded and the giant cat disappeared.

Teg and Dern teleported out and Jon remained for a moment and stared at the house where he had been discovered. He looked out at the thousands of black piles of minerals on the streets and pulled his sword. He walked out into the middle of the street and extended the blade. His eyes narrowed and a brilliant violet beam shot out and rushed up the street. It suddenly disappeared and Jon saw the street was clear. He looked at the sword and saw the pulsing light inside the handle. He brought it closer and stared intently at it counting off the pulses. Suddenly he looked at his armor’s readout and matched the medical screen to the sword’s pulses. His heart beat and the sword’s pules were identical. He knew that he and the sword were part of the same body. He released the sword and it went into the scabbard. He looked at the handle with his armor’s scanner and continued to see the small light pulsing.

Suddenly he had a thought; it wasn’t a sword. It was shaped like a sword so he would feel comfortable with something he recognized. It was a power source. He looked at the handle again and it was gone. He smiled and reached over his shoulder and the handle appeared. He took his hand away and the handle disappeared. He held out his arm and closed his grip and found the sword in it. He was going to have to talk to Dern and Teg about his discovery. He thought about it a moment and held out both arms and a projectile cannon appeared; but this cannon was unlike anything in the Realm’s arsenal. Jon released his grip and the cannon disappeared. Now this was interesting.

D
ebat sat with Jon in his office on the transport HMS Jingo Dorg. “I’m not sure what you’re wanting here Captain Gee. What do you mean you want to call an assembly to select the Warriors to be in your company?”

“Colonel, you’ve seen my platoon is what made the difference in the last attack. I sense that there are Warriors among us that can use some of the talents I’ve been able to put in my armor but they are going to be hard to find. If you want a company that can make a difference, I need some leeway in selecting the Warriors that make up its roster.”

Debat stared at Jon and then said, “How are you going to select them?”

“I’m not sure.”

Debat stood and shook his head, “This doesn’t make sense.”

“I know that, Sir; but I sense it must be done this way. Please allow me to try it.”

Debat stared at Jon and pushed his wrist unit, “All Life Warriors in third Regiment will assemble in the teleportation room at…,” he paused and looked at his chronometer, “fourteen hundred hours.” He looked back at Jon and said, “Do what you have to do. I hope this works.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

Jon left the Colonel’s office and wondered what he was going to do. He just heard music and it just kept putting an idea in his mind. He saw the ranks of Life Warriors in his mind but he didn’t know what he was supposed to do. He teleported to the transport room to think about it; he still had an hour until the regiment assembled.

Jon sat for fifty minutes and still wasn’t clear on what he was going to do to select the men in his company. He sent a thought to Teg, “I know I’m supposed to select my warriors from the regiment but I just don’t know what process I’m supposed to use to do it.”

Teg thought, “I’m not going to be any help, Jon. I don’t have any ideas either.” Teg hesitated and then said, “What’s different now?”

“What do you mean?”

“You refused a command earlier but now you’re open to the idea; what’s changed?”

“Well, I went and saw our home world with the billions that died there.”

“What else?”

“I found my sword.”

“Perhaps the answer lies in that direction.”

The first Life Warriors began teleporting in and forming up in their units and Jon said, “I’ve got to go.”

“Good luck.”

• • •

The ten thousand Life Warriors stood in ranks at parade rest. They saw the Colonel on the raised platform in front of them and the newly promoted Captain standing next to him. They all wondered what was going on. Debat listened to the battalions report in and then turned to Jon, “Do what you need to do.”

Jon stared out at the thousands of warriors and was starting to panic. He felt a vibration and he reached over his shoulder and pulled out the violet sword. He held it over his head and hundreds of violet beams shot out into the ranks of the gathered warriors. Jon saw one of the warriors hit by one of the beams and saw him looking around. Jon wondered what he was doing and then he saw it. They were hearing something. Jon said over the PA system, “Those of you who are hearing music will step out of ranks and move to the front of the assembly.”

At first no one moved, but then a private stepped out and moved forward. Immediately, two hundred others began leaving ranks and moving to the front of the room. Jon smiled when he saw Sgt. Dominick Calso coming forward. Jon turned to Col. Debat and said, “I will need to promote the officers in my company from those that are moving forward.”

Debat wondered what was going on. He saw Jon raise his arm and then instruct those hearing music to step out. He didn’t see the sword in Jon’s hand. He also didn’t see the bright beams that went out into the regiment. He looked at the two hundred Life Warriors gathered in front of the platform and saw quite a few of his best warriors. He looked at Jon, “What else do you want?”

“I need you to allow us to train on a planet for two weeks immediately after we go to the main armory to change our weapons.”

Debat stared at Jon and after a long hesitation he decided that sometimes one just had to go with a gut feeling, “I’ll approve your requests. Captain, you better make sure you know what you’re doing.”

“Sir, I’m moving in the dark right now, but I know we’ll make a difference.”

Debat said, “Those that moved out of ranks will remain here. All other units are dismissed.”

Jon moved down to the floor of the huge room and said, “I want all officers and NCO’s to move to my left.” Jon counted and there was an exact number of NCO’s for the squads in his company. He had four platoons with four squads in each and there were seventeen staff sergeants gathered in a group. He had three lieutenants and knew who the fourth was going to be. He said, “Sgt. Calso, you are now a lieutenant. Move over to the officers.” Dominick did a double take but followed Jon’s orders. I want each of the lieutenants to spread out. Put fifty yards between each of you.”

The four lieutenants moved out and Jon looked at the sergeants, “I want you to move among the lieutenants until you determine which one you are going to report to.” The sixteen sergeants moved out and began moving among the officers. Jon watched as they seemed to be listening for something. In less than five minutes, all of the sergeants were standing with a lieutenant.

Jon looked at the remaining Life Warriors and said, “Move out and find your platoon.”

A private said, “How do I do that?”

“Just move around until you feel you’re in the right place.”

Jon waited and in less than two minutes all the warriors were standing in a group. Jon looked at a private and said, “Why did you pick this unit?”

“The music was louder here.”

Jon looked around and saw everyone was surprised that someone else had the same experience. Jon said, “All of you have been chosen to be a part of a company that will be different from all the others in our regiment. You will gather your gear and report back here in an hour. Your training will then begin. Before we leave, I want the officers to organize their units into squads and assign the right warriors to each; dismissed.”

Dominick came over and said, “What’s going on? I’m not officer material.”

Jon smiled, “You just don’t realize it yet, Lieutenant. See me about this again in a couple of weeks. If you feel the same way, I’ll make a change.”

Dominick stared at Jon and then nodded, “We’ll see, Sir.” He turned and left to collect his gear.

Jon smiled, “I’m sure we will, Dominick.”

• • •

Zeta Company stood in a storage room in the main armory. The room housed all of the main auto-shoulder projectile cannons for Life Warrior’s armor and it extended more than eight hundred yards from end to end. The cannons were stored on pallets from the floor to a ceiling that was more than three hundred yards over their head. Jon looked at his company and said, “Fall out and stay behind me for this exercise. Lt. Calso, please step forward.” Dominick stepped out of the warriors and stood beside Jon. “Lieutenant, there is a shoulder cannon in this room that has your name on it. I want you to go find it.”

Dominick looked at the millions of weapons and said, “Just how do I do that?”

“Start walking and listen for it. You can start now.” The warriors in the company were as confused as Dominick. He shook his head and then started walking down the long rows of cannon.

General Steven Kim watched the proceedings wondering what was going on. He was not going to allow another sixty thousand mini-penetrators to disappear from his inventory and he was determined to watch everything that happened.

Dominick walked more than three hundred yards before he suddenly stopped. He moved to his right, stopped, and then walked to the left. He moved down a long aisle and then stopped again. He looked to the right and left and then moved down the right aisle between two tall racks. He walked fifty yards and then stopped. He looked around and then he looked up at the ceiling. The company had followed him and watched him wind his way through the vast storage units. Jon turned to General Kim, “Do you have a way for him to move up the racks?”

Steve smiled, “That’s not necessary.” He moved to a control unit and pressed a button. The tall racks began rotating toward the floor. After a few seconds Dominick said, “Stop!” Steve stopped the rotating racks. “Please bring the last one back up.” Steve pressed a switch and the rack that had moved under the floor moved up. Dominick moved on top of the cannons and lifted one out of the middle of the pallet. His smile was huge, “This is the one, Sir.”

Jon turned to the other members of Zeta Company, “I want you to find your auto-cannon.”

A private raised his arm in the back and said, “Sir, I think I heard mine a hundred yards back.”

Jon turned to General Kim and said, “Will you help the warriors find their weapons?”

Steve stared at Jon and said, “What is going on here?”

“I wish I could explain it, Sir. However, each of these warriors has particular auto-cannon for them. They need to find it.”

Steve stared at Jon and then called in fifty of the armory’s staff to assist the Life Warriors. He watched the two hundred warriors wander around the facility for three hours until all of them had selected an auto-cannon. Jon then said, “We need to go to the hand and arm blaster storage now.”

Steve shook his head and led them to the next room. Four days later, Zeta Company’s warriors were all armed and possessed new combat computers with new power packs. Then Jon asked Steve to take his company to the mini-penetrators. “Just what are you going to do, Captain?”

“I’m going to store four thousand penetrators in each of my warriors.”

“That’s more than eight hundred thousand!” Jon nodded. “I don’t know if you’re authorized to take starship inventory.”

Jon smiled, “Then why don’t you find out if we are, Sir.”

Steve took a deep breath and pushed his wrist unit; Admiral Mandel appeared, “Sir, I have a Captain Gee here who wants to take possession of more than eight hundred thousand mini-penetrators.”

“Do you have that many available?”

“Well, yes Sir, but these are for starship use.”

“If the Captain requests an entire starship you will provide it. Whatever he wants, you will do your best to make sure he has it.”

Steve stared at the Admiral and said, “Yes Sir.” The display went off and Steve looked at Jon and shrugged, “Follow me.”

• • •

Juliette stood in the reception line with James Dodd beside her. She was the highest ranking member of the Royalty present and had to endure the long introductions. She accepted the attendee’s bows and greetings with a smile and listened as many of the Royals offered their sympathy to James. “I’m sure your Father died defending the Realm.”

“Thank you. He did.”

Juliette wanted to scream that his father had attempted to kill a warrior of the Realm that held a higher position than anyone of them. She held her tongue, barely. After the receiving line was done she turned to James, “Just what was it that your father was doing?”

James looked at her and said, “He was attempting to protect the Realm from a being that is not part of this Creation. He is an abomination.”

“Are you talking about Duke Robbin’s son who was recognized as a hero of the Realm?”

James eyes narrowed and his sneer was instant, “I’m sure he didn’t do anything to deserve that award.”

Juliette looked James in the eye and said, “Perhaps you might want to take a look at the recording of that battle. It might change your opinion.”

James wanted to curse her but he gathered his wits and said, “I’ll do that. I certainly respect your council.”