Black Guard, The (19 page)

"Is that a threat, Captain?" She glared down at
me, which caused an amused smile on my face.

"No, Imum Kelebek, that is a one hundred percent
certainty. There is nothing on Faithful that could stop a Jax invasion force.
We live up to our contracts or die trying. But if we find a contract was not
made in good faith, we cannot ignore the deaths that result. That would reward
treachery and insult those who died trying to honor a faithless contract."

Kelebek sat quiet for a long time, eyes closed. I collapsed
into a lotus-style posture and waited. I felt her eyes open and rose.

"Yes, I have been dealing with politicians for far too
long. It has become too easy to think of people as pawns on the board of life
and of little value except to achieve a result. Pawns on a chess board. We
convince ourselves that only the final result matters." She paused to look
at something in her lap. "I have several matters to attend to, but I would
like you to join me for dinner tonight at eight if that is acceptable."

"Yes, I’d like that, Imum Kelebek."
And to
hear the truth,
I mused as I rose and exited the room.

* * *

A Sergeant Asker, who was a Royal Guard, arrived at the
compound just after seven and delivered me on time to Kelebek’s residence, a
round, two-story gold-veined white-granite building. It appeared a modest
structure for the leader of a country. Six five-meter wide steps led to a
single door guarded by two royal guards. Accompanied by Asker, I was admitted
without a word. Just inside was a circular foyer with a cream-colored marble
floor inscribed with the Suryah crest: A purple shield with a gold torch lying
behind an open book. They were bordered on the left and right with a man
sitting on a rearing warhorse and holding a raised sword. Behind the shield was
a larger shield that produced a star-studded black border. The walls and ceiling
were white and bare of pictures. A semicircular staircase with a purple runner
led to the second floor. The door had no sooner closed than a tall man dressed
in a light-grey suit appeared.

"Good evening, Captain Sapir. If you will follow me, I
will escort you to the Holy One." He led me straight into the house to a
circular hallway. He turned right and at the third door, which was open,
stopped and indicated for me to enter. Kelebek stood as I entered.

"Good evening, Captain Sapir. Welcome to the official
residence of the Supreme Leader of Suryah, which it is my honor to occupy at
the will of God." She was dressed in a long white robe as before with no
jewelry or medals. The room was white and the walls bare. Two high-backed
chairs with dark-red velvet padding on the seat, back, and arms sat on a large
circular cream-colored rug. A small ebony table sat next to each chair.

"I thank you for inviting me, Imum Kelebek. You have a
very restful and interesting house."

"Yes, it was designed to provide a serene place for
the leader to relax and think about her responsibilities. Please sit. You may
call me Imum, if you wish," she said, as a short thin man entered with two
small trays and placed one on each table. "Appetizers and drinks. Stuffed
sausages, chick peas with herbs and spices, deviled eggs, and a garlic chick-pea
dip. If you do not like something, do not feel obligated to eat it." She
smiled and picked up one of the round balls and began eating. I doubted the
food was poisoned, so I picked up the same shaped ball and took a bite. It had
a strange but subtle blend of spices that I found tasty.

"We don’t drink alcohol. Not sure of your preferences,
I had them provide hot mint tea, coffee, and water."

"I don’t drink alcohol, Imum, and would enjoy trying
your tea and coffee," I said, pouring a cup of the tea.

"I’m glad you were direct when we met. It’s
refreshing. Far too often, no one says what they mean, and you must attempt to
infer their meaning from the words they use." She laughed softly.
"And half the time their real intent is not what the words infer."
She took a sip of tea. "The UF, United Freelands, believes its government,
way of life, and religion is perfect. Of course, we believe the same about
ours. The difference is that we do not feel the need to interfere in their
lives. They on the other hand, believe they have the right to tell us how to
conduct our lives and incite those among us who are discontent to overthrow the
government. They sneak across our border illegally, not only criticizing our
laws but providing dissenters with money and weapons. Since they have broken
our laws and are inciting violence, I’ve had them arrested. Based on history,
the UF will demand we release those arrested, claiming they were visiting
friends, then they will threaten various forms of boycotts, and finally they
will attempt to rescue the prisoners." She stopped to dip her bread in a
creamy greenish-looking spread, took a bite, and then a drink of tea before
continuing. "The question on your mind is why do we need the Guard when we
have our own military? Because the UF is a military state and devote most of
their vast wealth on weapons and their military, they will strike hard and fast
with superior weapons. I had hoped…"

"To pit the Jax against the UF."

"Yes, and it was wrong and stupid as you pointed out.
I release you from the contract and will pay whatever damages the Jax feel
appropriate. And I personally apologize to you."

I picked up one of the sausage rolls and chewed on it as I
considered what she had said. I did not know whether her government was good or
bad, or whether their religion was kind or cruel, but that was not my concern.
The Jax did not attempt to overthrow governments or religions and, in general,
did not support rebels. History has proven rebels are seldom better than the
governments they overthrow and many times worse for all their good sounding
intensions.

"I will honor the contract if you will appoint someone
in authority to provide me with whatever I decide necessary to counter the
threat, and you may have to pay a premium to the Jax for additional
support."

"Thank you, Captain Sapir. I accept, but your troops…"
she said, leaving the sentence hanging—many will die. Ironically, that
had been part of her concern with her troops having to face a superior force.

"Without the information you gave me, our losses might
have been great, and although we are mercenaries, those troops are my family
and each life important. Knowing the situation, we can perhaps surprise the UF
and minimize our losses. And if the UF escalate their response, we might get
more Jax involved." Not long afterward, a servant announced dinner. The
conversation during dinner was light. She talked about her country and was
interested in my life in the Guard. I left feeling better about the contract
and upcoming confrontation.

* * *

Early the next morning, a middle-aged man entered the
compound in a dark gray uniform and asked to see me. A high ranking officer
judging by the four stars on his epaulets, and long in service judging by the
medals on his chest and patches and symbols on his sleeves. His gaze critically
appraised me as I approached, but he smiled when I neared.

"Good morning, Captain Sapir. I’m General Zogby. Imum
Kelebek has asked me to help you in any way that I can. I have to admit that I
was upset when she decided to bring in foreign troops to protect our prisoners.
The Suryah military is willing to die to protect our country and its
sovereignty, so it felt like she lacked faith in us. But, as usual, the Holy
One is right. We are not a military state as is the UF. Many would die, and in
the end, we would lose the prisoners." He grinned. "However, our
Supreme Leader did not say we couldn’t support you if you wished."

"Even if their military is better equipped and
trained, surprise will be their most effective tactic. So it’s our task to
anticipate their response and provide a surprise of our own. To do that, I will
need: to understand the capability of their military so I will know what we will
face, a tour of the surrounding area to understand the terrain, and some help
with supplies we didn’t bring."

He laughed. "I look forward to helping you, Captain.
What if we start with a tour of the area around the compound?" he asked.
When I nodded, he waved me to the four seat skimmer he had arrived in.

"Sergeant Srour, give us a slow, three-hundred-sixty
tour of the area starting about a kilometer from the compound." He looked
to me and I nodded. The compound was a stone’s throw away from a one hundred
meter wide river on the west side, and clear to the road, about ninety meters,
on the south side. On the north and west the compound bordered a rural
community of isolated single story houses. The first were located around three
hundred meters away.

"Does the river provide access for the UF?" I
asked.

"No, the Tar River connects to our neighbor, Lesoto.
The UF are on another continent and will have to strike from one of their
warships. They will come in from the west. It’s approximately three hundred
kilometers from here to the ocean."

"Will you have warning when they enter Suryah
airspace?"

"Unlikely. They know where our radar installations are
located and will avoid them."

"To avoid them, they will have to come in from
specific directions," I said, wondering at their options assuming they
wanted the element of surprise.

"Yes." He frowned in thought. "Two, I’d say.
We maybe could give you five to ten minutes warning." He smiled, stroking
his full beard.

"And I’d like to quarter my troops out of the compound—"

"Why? How are you going to protect the
prisoners?" He scowled at me.

"Surprise, General. We must surprise the enemy if we
are to win. That compound would be like hunting in a zoo. I’m going to need
welding equipment, explosives, loud speakers…" I went on to explain my
list of requirements. He left smiling. I called the Crouching Tiger and was
connected to Colonel Berger.

"Colonel Berger, I’ve talked to Imum Kelebek, who
brought me up to date on the situation. The situation is as we suspected and,
therefore, likely we may need further Jax support. She has agreed to pay for
the cruiser to remain on standby and to pay for any additional support that is
necessary."

"Good work, Sapir. I’d hate to see another Lanzhou.
What do you need?"

"I believe I can handle their initial assault to free
the prisoners. I’d only be concerned about some kind of a retaliation strike.
In fact, if you and the captain agree, I wouldn’t mind your monitoring the
traffic from their warships. I’m informed that is their most likely launching
pad."

"I’ll check with Captain Blatt and get back to
you." He clicked off, and I called a meeting of my team.

"I apologize, but there will be no masquerade costume
party this time," I said to smiles and snorts. "But we are going to
have a surprise party."

"I love surprise parties," Sergeant Haber said.
"Sir."

"General Zogby is securing us quarters off this
compound—"

"Pardon, sir, but isn’t that going to make it
difficult to protect the prisoners?" Lieutenant Elijah asked.

"If you were the UF, how would you go about freeing
the prisoners?" I asked and waited.

"Sir, I would come at night with helicopter-like
attack ships and troop-carrier aircraft, blow the crap out of the barracks…"
Sergeant Geller said.

"Like hunting tigers in a cage," Elijah said softly
to nodding heads.

"First, duty. Ironically, we are not contracted to
protect the prisoners. We are contracted to keep them from
escaping—alive. Tradition says we fight to the last man or woman if
necessary. I’d prefer we preserve the Black Guard image and kick ass and go
home alive."

"Yes, sir!" the group shouted as one.

"So I’m having the Suryahians modify the compound so
our prisoners can’t leave without a lot of time consuming help—and our
permission.

Imum Kelebek kept me up-to-date on the status of the
discussions with the UF as the work on the compound proceeded. The first five
days the UF discussed possible solutions whereby the prisoners could be released.
Kelebek was willing if they would admit they had been in the country illegally
and had been inciting unrest and violence against the government. The UF
insisted they were just visiting friends and hadn’t intended to break any laws.
For the next five days they accused the Suryah of intentionally targeting UF
citizens for harassment because of their religion.

During that ten days, General Zogby had managed to acquire
four houses for my team within a kilometer of the compound, equipped the
compound with loud speakers and cameras, moved the prisoners so that there was
an empty cell between each, and rigged explosive charges inside the empty cells
and in the control room. And I had secured additional weapons from Colonel
Berger.

"Lieutenant Ceder, Elijah, I want two twelve hour
shifts. On each shift, four inside the compound supervising meals and other
activities, and four in the cars Zogby has provided, covering the perimeter of
the compound. The team not on duty will be on alert with their ground-to-air missile
launchers and military grade weapons. The team on alert will have ten minutes
to be in position. Any question?" I asked, feeling as ready as possible.

"Why ten minutes, Captain? I thought Captain Blatt had
agreed to monitor the UF warships and give us warning of any incoming
aircraft," Sergeant Mintz asked.

"If he does, that would give us an hour to get ready.
In that case I will send word and will expect you in position in thirty
minutes. But if the UF doesn’t cooperate and chooses a different method or
approach or the crew on the Crouching Tiger fail to notice their approach
because it’s staged over a day or two, or… I’m hoping in that case General
Zogby’s teams will alert us. But given their locations we can’t expect more
than ten minutes’ warning." I paused to look around the room. "These
are not local rebels and their weapons are going to be bigger than ours.
Surprise is our only chance of avoiding ’taking no prisoners.’"

"I think we prefer duty, sir," Senior Sergeant
Zinn said to nodding heads.

* * *

Twelve days after the talks began, the UF claimed to have
proof that the Suryah were torturing the prisoners to obtain false confessions
and were in violation of international law. In fact, the prisoners had been
treated well. I knew because I visited the compound and the prisoners each day,
and the Guard was served the same food the prisoners ate. If an attack was
coming, I decided it would be soon and contacted Ceder and Elijah.

"I believe we are getting close to some kind of an UF
response. The rhetoric has escalated in the last two days to imply they have no
choice but to act to save the prisoners from the inhuman treatment of the
Suryah."

"What kind of proof?" Ceder asked.

"They claim they have witnesses who saw the prisoners
being beaten, going without food and water for days, and kept in cells without
bedding." I said, repeating Kattan’s summary of the last meeting.

"Well, we don’t have to worry, Captain. It’s obviously
some other prisoners they are talking about," Elijah said, restraining a
grin.

* * *

The UF delegation walked out of the meeting the day after
the Suryah refused to release the prisoners. Nothing happened that night or the
next. I spent each morning in meditation preparing myself for the day ahead. I
sought peace of mind, neither expecting, wanting, nor fearing an attack.
Afterward, I toured the compound, reviewed our preparations, and visited each
member on duty. I rested during the afternoon, and spent the night at the
compound, feeling that was the most logical time for a rescue attempt.

I was in the control building when my Mfi flashed red and
Captain Blatt’s face appeared on my screen.

"Good morning, Captain Sapir. I believe it’s party
time. Our radar shows two small aircraft accompanied by three large ones just
crossed into Suryah about five minutes ago, and another four just left the UF
carrier which has been moving into position off the coast for the last two
days. My operator estimates the first wave, probably attack aircraft and
commandos, will arrive in about forty-four minutes. I would guess the second
wave is your prisoners’ ride home."

"Thank you, Captain Blatt. Sorry to get you out of bed
at this hour. But some of these local yokels love surprise parties."

"That’s good then, I understand the Black Guard throw
some good ones." He laughed. "Have fun, Sapir." He clicked off,
and I hit my alert icon.

"Company in forty minutes," I said.
"Corporal Toch, disable the control panel." That would effectively
preclude the cells doors from being opened without explosives. "All
personnel, to your assigned positions outside the compound." I followed
Toch, Ganz, Polak, and Zinn out the front gate and locked it. Now only the
prisoners were in the compound. As the four ran off, I trotted over to a
vehicle, parked next to one of the single story houses and entered the backseat.

"Good morning, Captain," Sergeant Geller said
from the driver’s seat. "Orders?"

"None, we’ll wait to see how rowdy our guests are
going to be before we call the police." I said and sat back content to
wait and see. Twenty minutes later my Mfi buzzed and General Zogby’s face
appeared.

"Captain Sapir, ten minutes. Five attack aircraft
approached from the west in corridor two. Good Luck."

"Attention Guard. Ten minutes approaching down
corridor two. No firing until I signal start. Let them have a little fun before
we call the police." I watched as acknowledgments registered on my Mfi.

The two attack helicopters, looking like giant mosquitos
without legs, appeared first. They approached surprisingly silent, moving slowly
into position about fifty meters above the ground and just outside the
perimeter fence. They began firing at the barracks. In the first few seconds,
glass and window frames were shattered and giant holes appeared in the roof as
shingles tore loose. Then parts of the roofs caved in as the wooden beams and
cement walls weakened from the thousands of bullets slamming them. Within less
than two minutes, the barracks had been reduced to rubble and the firing
stopped. On cue, three attack shuttles approached, hovered, and disgorged their
commandos—fifteen in each.

I clicked an icon of a missile launcher, and a second later
the five planes exploded almost simultaneously as multiple missiles scored
direct hits. My troops with the hand-held missile launchers were within a
hundred meters of their targets, too close to miss and too close for any
antimissile system to respond.

I clicked on a microphone icon, which activated the
speakers in the compound. "This is Captain Sapir of the Jax Black Guard.
The compound is surrounded, so you cannot leave alive without my permission. I’d
suggest you drop your weapons and surrender… or die heroes along with the
prisoners you came to rescue. Because if you choose to fight, I will trigger
the prisoners’ building which is wired with explosives, and the resulting blast
will kill everyone in the compound. You have ten minutes to choose." I had
just finished talking when my Mfi buzzed.

"Captain Sapir, I’ve been told there are three
shuttles coming up corridor one."

"Thank you, General." I clicked my Mfi onto our
general channel. "Team, the prisoners’ ride home will be here in ten
minutes. Fire on my command." Looking through my binoculars, mass
confusion reigned within the compound. Many were swiveling around, weapons held
ready, looking for their enemy, others trying to find cover—away from the
prisoners’ building—and a small group huddled in conference. Soon the
three shuttles approached from the southwest. As they slowed, I pressed the
missile-icon on my Mfi and a second later the three exploded. I clicked on the
microphone-icon.

"Time’s up. Drop your weapons and raise your arms over
your heads… or say your goodbyes to your comrades." If we had to kill
them, it would be messy, since I didn’t intend to blow up the prisoners.

One-by-one they dropped their weapons and raised their
arms.

I clicked on the general channel. "Lieutenant Elijah,
your teams stay where you are. Lieutenant Ceder, your team approach with
caution. Kill anyone who looks like a threat." I exited the car and
approached the front gate as Private Krebs stood unlocking it. Sergeant Haber
and Corporal Alpert waited with her. I entered the compound with Haber
following, leaving Alper and Krebs to secure the gate if necessary. At the same
time, Senior Sergeant Zinn entered with Corporals Polak and Toch through the
back gate. Lieutenant Ceder and Sergeants Ganz and Cerff remained on guard. I
had only taken ten steps when a third of the invaders dove for their guns and
the officer in charge brought a laser out from behind his back. I slapped my
Mfw, dropped onto one knee, thumbed for projectiles, and fired for his face as
the bulkiness of his uniform suggested he was wearing protective gear. His head
seemed to implode inside his helmet, and he was thrown backward into several
men with rifles in hand. Bodies collapsed simultaneously as the Guard opened
fire.

Only seconds later, the firing stopped. Pride in my team
washed through me at the job they had done. Fourteen invaders lay dead, but not
one of the invaders who had stayed with his arms raised had been shot.

"You have no honor," a man with salt-and-pepper
gray hair said as I approached the survivors. "Killing prisoners and this
slaughter of unarmed men."

"Name?" I asked.

"Senior Sergeant Williamson."

"The rules are simple, Sergeant. Follow our
instructions, or we kill you." His protest was absurd but I empathized
with the pain of standing among fallen comrades.
War was ugly and stupid and
without honor,
I conceded, a
nd out of my control.
I could do nothing
but my duty to the Jax and those under my command. Right or wrong, they were my
family.

"Lieutenant Ceder, escort our prisoners of war to
their new quarters," I said, clicking on General Zogby’s number.

"General Zogby," he answered, looking worried.

"The raid is over for now. We have thirty-one
prisoners."

"How… bad?" he asked, showing real concern for
us.

"Thanks to your help, we suffered no losses. I’ll keep
the prisoners unless you want them, as they are prisoners of war."

"I would like to talk with them, but you keep
them."

* * *

General Zogby arrived just before noon with Imum Kelebek
and an escort of six royal guards.

"Welcome to Compound 7, Imum Kelebek, General Zogby. I’m
afraid our guests made a bit of a mess," I said, feeling pleased none of
my team had been seriously injured—two had hand-sized bruises from
projectile hits to their protective gear during the brief firefight.

"You had no injuries?" Kelebek asked in disbelief
as she surveyed the area. The barrack was a pile of rubble and parts of
aircraft lay scattered in and around the compound for a hundred meters.

"An ancient Chinese philosopher once said, ’All
warfare is based on deception,’" I said. "This time we were the
sneakiest."

"And the best prepared," Zogby added.

"Could you join me for dinner tonight, Captain Sapir?
I know you haven’t wanted to leave the compound prior to the anticipated rescue
attempt, but now…"

"It would be my pleasure, Imum Kelebek," I said,
even though I doubted the UF had given up. But it would take a few days for
them to digest what happened and decide on a new plan.

"Eight p.m. then," she said and spent the next
hour touring the area and inspecting the prisoners.

* * *

"Well, Captain Sapir, what do you think they will do
next?" Kelebek asked. We sat in the same room with a similar tray of
snacks sitting on the small tables next to where we sat.

"That will depend upon you," I said, sipping the
spiced drink I had been served. It was different from anything I had ever had
before, and I quite enjoyed it. It tasted like milk, sweet, with strange
spices.

"Me?"

"Yes, you embarrassed the UF, and they must retaliate
or look weak."

"But how can I stop that?"

"That Chinese philosopher also said, ’Appear weak when
you are strong, and strong when you are weak.’" I smiled. "Have me as
a guest at the next session. I will assure them they can’t retrieve their citizens
or soldiers. Then you can in your benevolence agree to release them if the UF
sign a document apologizing for the illegal entry of their citizens and the
unauthorized action of one of their military commanders. That will allow them
to avoid saying they authorized either action, avoid a trial and international
attention, and get their people back. And you look to have been dealing from a
position of strength."

"You make a good advisor, Captain, but I can’t afford
to keep you forever." She smiled. "Let’s try it."

* * *