The Recruitment: Rise of the Free Fleet (54 page)

In most cases finding out how well she was connected and about the supporters she had in nearly every department.

Annoyed I left the bridge to find some refuge in the armouries where Shrift was waiting with two coffees and a large platter of food. Feeling ravenous I happily dove into the food as Shrift and I sat in companionable silence watching as the armoury working in noisy continuity. With the increased concentration on Commandos and training, Shrift and every armourer had gained two apprentices.

I took a large gulp of the coffee and sat there with him.

“Where’s my Mecha?” I asked still scanning Yasu’s data pad.

“I haven’t fixed it yet.” I looked at him about to demand why he hadn’t as he raised his palm to stall me.

“I’m waiting off till we know more about your, condition, to see if the settings need to be changed, helmet replaced and such. Or if I need to make an entire new one. The
 
third
 
one.” He said with feeling as I looked at my first one still clamped to the wall with its plaque above it.

“I didn’t want to have whatever was done to me done to me.” I growled.

“I know, but the Avarian’s Mechas we’re making it should be easy enough to make one that’ll suit you.”

“Avarian Mechas?” I looked up from the data pad.

“Yes it seems that the majority of the Avarian race are miners. They turned to the mines in order to trade with people, but it wasn’t long until people stopped coming. The mines kept going in case there was someone to trade with for fuel and they learned to work together. Being in the mines have done terrible things to their health but kept them in shape. Their warrior mindset is still very much intact, they host games in which they practice wars, battles and reenact their violent history. Winners get food allotments so everyone particiaptes.

With a bit of good old medical care to get them healthy and me making a new damned mecha model. We’ll have some damned good Commandos and personnel to help out the Free Fleet, all while we protect the planet and help them out.”

“How do we know they will hold their word?”

“They’re more loyal than any race I’ve ever seen; don’t ask them to show their loyalty otherwise they’ll try to kill themselves to prove it.”

“So they have to do what Yasu or I say, or they’ll be killed by another one of their own?”

“In most cases they kill themselves. One can only leave the ranks of the sworn if they are so given permission by the one they’re sworn to, or their sworn breaks their vow, or is dishonoured. Every warrior in your village is sworn to you. In return for their loyalty you are to look after them. Yasu went to the city and asked everyone to come to the city hall and say what they want to do. Be it a medic, teacher, miner, builder, trader, fighter. She took the roster and had everyone get a sleep learning headset.”

“Many found they still wanted to do what they had in mind, others changed their ideas but the warriors group only swelled. There were over four thousand Avarian warriors that applied the first day. Currently there are twelve thousand that wish to join the ranks of the armoured Marine Commandos.”

“So I’ve got a loyal as hell group of super warriors that can work in a team that have been working in mines most of their lives. I need to train them and get them outfitted with Mechas within the five days we have to get to Chaleel. I hope no one was busy before because now it’s going to be a damned hell storm of work.”

Shrift sighed with emphasis, a glimmer in his eye.

“I was getting bored anyway.” He said getting up and stretching.

I contacted Henry and the trainers within my fleet including all of the Sarenmenti Special Forces we’d taken with us.
 
They’d thought they’d escaped training people, ah how cruel fate was.
 
I thought as I waited for everyone to get back to me. Shrift was working on getting mostly made Mechas, it would mean that each Avarian got one but they wouldn’t be complete. They would give them basic armour, HUD’s and the ability to fight in a space environment. Copies of my battle suits medical systems were being made at an alarming pace.

Now all I have to do is hope that they’ll actually listen to me.

My head still a whirlwind of work and things to do when I took a shuttle down to the planet. I needed to show my face and I wanted to see Asul. If nothing else then it might get me a few more warriors that seemed like a well-timed gift.

“Comms connect me to the FTL system.”

“Who do you wish to speak to?”

“Commander Monk.”

“You’re connected commander.”

“James?”

“Hey Monk I need the biggest ship we have at Parnmal that is jump capable to AIH.”

“The Avarians?”

“Yeah, we need to get them trained up, and Parnmal is the best place to do that.”

“Agreed, I’ve been reading the reports your comms officer has been submitting daily.”

“Good, now it’s about time I had a look over my new city.”

“Must be a nice place.”

“Yeah if volcano worlds with lakes of magma are your thing.” I drawled.

“Go easy on Yasu, she didn’t know what would happen, she was only thinking of saving your life.”

“It’s going to take some time.”

“All things worthwhile do.” His voice sad, reminding me of how his wife Caroline had died in the assault of Parnmal.

“Look after yourself James.”

“I will.” I said cutting the channel as I checked the time for the next shuttle down to Asul.

She watched as the shuttle touched down on the landing pad. There was a hover car already waiting by the landing pad which was moving quickly towards the city after a few moments.

She stood on top of the administration building as a large figure uncoiled himself from the car. Even three stories above him she could see the blood red eyes which sent a chill down her back.

He’d changed so much with the awakening, how was she to know that he would? She shivered as she remembered the metallic table which had restrained him, how he’d screamed his body morphing and changing as he’d fought the restraints until his throat was raw. Then he finally ran out of energy as he collapsed back onto the table in exhaustion, the moment when she thought he was dead.

She was still trying to figure out the emotions she’d felt as she saw Krom march out to James, bowing down to him as low as he could. James barked something and Krom was on his feet in an instant.

Then James in full Commander Salchar mode began roaming the city.

She watched him as he talked to groups working; to those from the fleet recoiling from his appearance keeping out of arms reach as he tried to reassure them.

He continued moving trying to not let it bother him, she could tell by the tension in his shoulders no matter his outward appearance he was annoyed and saddened by the way the people from the fleet, especially the humans reacted to him.

After an hour people were getting more relaxed but they were still edgy around him as he walked into the administration building. She waited, using the sensors in her Mecha linked to the administration building to track his progress through the building. He had an exceedingly long conversation with Ursht trying her patience, before he made his way to the roof.

She turned looking at him, his face a controlled mask. For the first time she wanted to touch him, to reassure him as he tried to hide his pain only her training similar to his own showed her the smallest shadow of emotion.

He walked up to her so he could see out over the growing city which wasn’t much more than a town without anyone being able to see him.

“It’s impressive.” He said grudgingly. She wanted him to continue to say it was amazing, how she’d done well keeping the fleet running, helped with their lack of personnel and brought another race into space. Or that she’d transformed Asul city from a series of underground warrens into a town which would with time and resources turn into a city and a port for the entire planet.

“Thank you.” She said as she saw he wasn’t going to. He was still too angry with her to give her any more praise.

“I’ve ordered our people to return to the fleet, we’ll be leaving tomorrow. We’ll retain two thousand Avarian warriors; we don’t have the resources to suit more. I’m going to leave three corvettes and a small contingent of shuttles in the system who will continue moving water comets into the atmosphere. One corvette is already travelling to Parnmal to get the biggest jump capable ship and bring it here to take Avarians to be trained on Parnmal.” She wanted to demand why he would take away the resources of the fleet that were busy creating their home city but remained quiet fuming as she stared at nothing.

“We need to go and release the people of Chaleel from the Syndicates clutches, plus the Avarians are already getting a handle on things. Ursht is an able administrator of the town and will do well in your stead.” He said as if reading her mind.

“
Our
 
stead,” She corrected him. “You are the battle master of the Avarians we might have the fourth largest warriors to our banner but we have the most civilians and people that want to do other things than swing a plasmid or mono blade sword. Our city will be the forerunner for this planet it will become the centre of power over the entire planet.”

“As our city grows so will the number of warriors that swear loyalty to you. They will follow you into battle and obey your commands. They will never stab you in the back as you believe I will.” She felt rage making her shake.

“That is one thing I do like about you.” He said a smile on his lips as he looked over the city seemingly unaware of the Sato sisters a few metres away within striking distance with their chained swords.

“What could that possibly be?” She said hotly. He walked up so he was a bare foot away from her his breath hot as she felt heat rising on her cheeks.

“Your passion.” He said a smile on his lips as he looked at her in the eyes as if searching for something. Then with a sigh he stepped off the edge of the building. She rushed to the side to see him walking to the hover car as if he’d stepped out of the main doors instead of dropping thirty feet.

She wanted to scream, she wanted to yell in frustration, how could a man, a person act like that and leave her more confused afterwards than before.

Mentally she was already making a list of people that needed to stay behind to keep the projects that she had started going as well as a few ships to keep the system safe and keep the comets coming in until AIH was refilled with water.

Avar Interi Hermanti was quickly losing its name, little to no one called it by it’s full tittle, to everyone it was AIH, and the Avarians loved it. They were brutally practical, if there was a better way to do something, and it was proved then they would change to it as quickly as possible.

Ursht had been a godsend to Yasu, he’d taught her all about the Avar and their ways. The Avars were a proud people, but the planner had taught them that they had to work with one another or they would fall apart. The lesson had been so imprinted that when the awakened that had become smarter became recluse the Avars turned away from them without thought.

Ursht had also made everyone that applied to be a trainee of the Free Fleet make a blood oath to Yasu and Salchar. It meant that the Avars would never go against the Free Fleet code.

While on the outside the Avarians were the perfect soldiers they were also a caring folk. Children were prized above all, and any Avar would die for another and their family if they were under the same banner.

There were no large battles between different bands under banners anymore, games had replaced wars as a way of proving one’s worth.

Now I just have to get them thinking again.
 
Their tactics up to this point had been mostly basic, they didn’t think independently, something that the Free Fleet needed. Yasu had talked to Ursht and come up with a few ideas of how to assist in the change over. Those that were going to be part of AIH’s space workers were already being made to think for themselves as the Free Fleet trainers imprinted how dangerous space was, it had made them adapt in a hurry.

Yasu watched the departing hover car. She was his wife, it was expected that she look after things in his stead, but he was at most of the meetings himself, getting her to deal with the time consuming details!

He hated and suspected her that much that he didn’t want to deal with her, or give her a free moment. That was going to have to change, as well the fact that he was staying out of their room with another one of the crew.

She’d kept a quiet eye on him as it was not her place as his wife to go chasing after him and going to him. Still she’d been cautious when she’d seen the way that his old team mate crazy cheerleader In Soo—his rumoured lover back on Earth—acted with him.

She hadn’t been able to find proof that they were doing anything that was outside of their marriage vows. Though there had been times where she could find no record of his and In Sook’s whereabouts while they were on the station. She would allow him to rescue his friend Iron Bok Soo and Takahashi if he was still lacking in his duties as her husband there would be a reckoning.

For now she had to plan to keep her hold running at least until she got back. With a sigh she went back inside the administration building, so many things to do and so little time in which to do it.