Children of Steel (23 page)

"That's not the half of it. They executed
about half of the males, both animan
and
human. They were
using the survivors to work the mines, women, children, whatever.
And torturing anybody who gave them trouble," Balizar continued.
"So the troops are so mad they're not excepting any surrenders. The
Captain is royally pissed about that, and is coming down soon
himself."

I was flabbergasted; I couldn't believe what
I was hearing. Especially that the Captain would enter the combat
zone, he was the ultimate company authority here, to risk himself
was unbelievable. I just sat down and watched. They continued to
move markers, and designate zones of fire.

I could see from the tally sheets there were
about fifty out of action on our side, and probably about three
hundred on the enemies. It also appeared that there were about
another six hundred of them holed up in the command area. From what
I could see of the markings on the map, they had been pushed back
into that position from the spaceport and their barracks.

I also noticed that they only had markers for
six Assault shuttles; I wondered what had happened to the other
two. Balizar, Katrine, and the three other personnel working the
center started to get busy then and from what I could overhear
Balizar saying to the Colonel, I assumed a major push was starting.
I decided to clear out and see if I could find a doctor.

"Don't stray too far," said Balizar without
looking up as I started to leave. "You're going to be part of the
Captain's bodyguard, and I want you out there when the shuttle
lands!"

"Yes Sir!" I responded.

I wandered out into the hall, and walked up
to the guard watching the window.

"Is there any kind of field hospital set up
around here?" I asked him.

"Yeah, in the basement," he looked me over.
"You look okay to me though."

"I want to see if I can get my back fixed
before I go back on." I said walking to the stairway.

I went down the stairs, and entered the
hospital. It was a pretty big affair, covering the whole area. I'd
say there were only about eighteen people there though. Either most
of the wounded hadn't been moved in yet, or things were going
exceptionally well. I walked up to one of the doctors.

"Got a minute Doc?"

"What's the matter?" he asked, "You look
okay."

"I crashed a shuttle earlier today and my
back hurts like hell. The rest of me is pretty sore too."

"Strip, and come over here." He said walking
over to some equipment.

I got out of my gear as quick as I could, I
didn't know how much time I had till the Captain got here. I stood
where he pointed; it looked like a portable diagnostic machine. He
switched it on and started looking me over with it.

"I can't stay long Doc, what's the
verdict?"

"A lot of sprains, stretched tendons and
ligaments, some muscle bruising, a few slightly compressed disks,
and about half your vertebrae have small cracks in them. Lay down
on the table here, we'll do this quick and dirty. Nurse!"

A nurse came over, and he talked with her a
minute. The diagnostic machine had printed out a picture of my body
with different color marks on it. The nurse came back with four
hypo sprayers, and she and the doctor started shooting me all over.
It hurt too.

"What's all this?" I asked trying not to
growl.

"Some bone glue for your back, a localized
pain killer for some of the worse spots, a healing agent for some
of the others, and an anti-coagulant for the worst bruises. You'll
hurt like crazy in five minutes, but in ten you'll feel a lot
better. Just try not to lift anything heavy for a day or two." he
responded.

It took them a couple of minutes, and then I
was putting on my armor again and grabbing my stuff. I had just got
to the top of the stairs when I heard a shuttle taxiing outside; I
finished slinging my rifle and headed outside at a jog.

I got to the shuttle just as it stopped and
my pain peaked. Two of the guards from inside had joined me and
when the Captain got out another two came with him. We all saluted
and I noticed I was the ranking person at that point.

"Sir, Warrant Third Rakir reporting with the
rest of your Bodyguard, Sir." I said, successfully keeping the pain
out of my voice.

"At ease everybody." he said returning our
salutes, "Glad to see you're still with us Mister Rakir. Could you
show me to Commander Balizar please?"

"Yes Sir Captain, Right this way Sir."

I lead him into the building, the others
forming up around him. We had our guns ready and were keeping our
eyes moving, this was all the practice we were going to get.

I showed him into the room and Balizar gave
him a quick briefing on any changes that had taken place since he
had left the ship. He then called the Colonel and gave him his
orders.

"Well time to go to the front and try talking
to these bastards." He looked around for a second, "Pass the word
that I think the troops have done an outstanding job so far, and
that the leaders of this group are going to have to answer for
their behavior."

He then turned and strode out of the room; I
hurried to get in position, and used my helmet comm to find out
where our transportation was. I then led the Captain to an armored
personnel carrier that must have come down on the other shuttle. I
reached over and removed the Captain's rank tabs.

"What are you doing Mister?" He asked angrily
as I put them in my pocket.

"Sniper's sir, everybody on our side knows
who you are. But if the enemy should see your rank, they'll go
right for you."

"Oh," he said mellowing, "I had forgotten
about that, too long on a ship I guess. How's my armor look?"

I gave him the once over, everything was
perfect. He may not have seen ground duty in a long time, maybe
never. But his armor was excellent.

"Look's fine sir. Have you seen much ground
combat sir?"

"Actually no, I usually don't get to see the
battle ground till after the fighting is over. The only reason I'm
here now is to try to get these vermin to stop before I lose
anymore people." He looked at the others and me. We were all
Leopards; he was the only human around. "I'll be the first to admit
that I don't believe in you folks having all the same rights as
humans, but you're still people, and still should be treated as
such. And I'm not going to spend your lives if I can help it."

"Do you mind if I ask a question Sir?" My
back was feeling better now, and my curiosity drove me to ask a
certain question.

"Sure Warrant, go ahead." He looked directly
at me, making eye contact.

"What about the reports of murder and
torture?" I couldn't look away, I really wanted to know his
thoughts and where we stood in them.

"They're true, and I don't like it one bit.
Prisoners are prisoners, and shouldn't be murdered or tortured, no
matter what they are. That answer your question Warrant?"

"Yes Sir, I have no problems with that at all
Sir." Which was true, I could see the others relaxing too. Maybe it
was our upbringing, I don't really know, but I kind of agreed with
his feelings. I really didn't want any part of human politics, and
I was so used to his point of view I could live with it. I think I
even agreed with it. That he was honest about it was also a point
in his favor. Someone who hated animen could never have made it in
his position anyway.

The vehicle came to a halt. I checked with
the driver, and found out we were at the Colonel's position. So I
opened the door and we got out, Captain last, and took up our
positions as we escorted the Captain over. The four others took up
positions around the trench. I went in with the Captain.

"Sir, I see you arrived safely," said the
Colonel saluting. Shipboard ranks worked a little differently, the
Captain was equal to a full Colonel in rank, while the Colonel was
actually a Lieutenant Colonel, plus being an animan which usually
(but not always) made you a lower rank than an equal ranked
human.

"I'd rather be in my command chair drinking
coffee in all honesty Dane, but if you believe they might surrender
to a human I'm willing to try it. Did you send over any
preliminaries yet?"

"Yes, I sent over a message capsule a few
minutes ago, and set up a video link on a repeater. They shouldn't
be able to backtrack it to here with their equipment."

"Well let’s give it a try and see what
goes."

The Captain opened his visor then, and went
over to a small portable video unit. The technician operating it
gave a nod, and the Captain started.

"This is the Captain of the Astra, and
Tri-Star Mining and Manufacturing's official representative on this
planet, we have you surrounded. In the interest of preventing
further loss of life, I would like to negotiate your surrender. I
await your reply."

It didn't take long.

"We won't talk with any animal lover!" Came a
shrill reply, and the image of a Lieutenant.

"Colonel shell them for five minutes, and see
if it changes their minds," the Captain answered coolly making sure
the video picked it up.

The colonel passed the order and the shelling
started. After about three minutes, a higher ranking officer
appeared on the screen.

"Please Captain, hold your fire. That was
just an overeager subordinate." He explained hastily.

The Captain nodded to the Colonel, and the
shelling stopped shortly thereafter.

"First sir, let me tell you that I am
perfectly willing to have each and everyone of you killed. So don't
do that again." said the Captain, "And understand that there will
be a trial for your senior officers, and anyone else implicated in
the Murder's that took place."

"We will not be responsible for the death of
animals'!" He stated flatly.

"I seem to recall that quite a few humans
were killed as well!" The Captain snapped, "And would you please
identify yourself sir."

"I am Major Hausen, Sir. Colonel Hassenbock's
executive officer."

"Very good Major. Now when would your
Superior care to discuss terms of Surrender? I am not a very
patient man Major." He said coldly.

"The Colonel would prefer to discuss terms in
person, rather than on this device." I stiffened as he said that,
it sounded like a trap. "There is an unoccupied building in no
man's land that should suffice?" he asked.

"I'll agree to a meeting, but I'll pick the
place." he said forcibly. "I'll contact you in ten minutes with it.
Your Colonel had better be there in another ten, and yourself as
well Major." He cut the connection.

"Dane," he said turning to the Colonel, "I'm
going to need a good place for a meeting. One they don't control,
and can't easily drop a barrage on." He looked at me then, and
smiled. I suddenly felt very uncomfortable. "Oh, and give your rank
tab's to the Warrant here!"

"Sure thing Captain." he replied with a
smile, pulling off his oak leaves and tossing them to me. "Don't
lose 'em, they're my lucky set."

"I'll try not too." I said, replacing my
warrant third's rank. I looked at the Captain. "Uh sir, if you
could fill me in please?"

"Easy, I asked for their leader and second in
command. They'll expect to see mine there as well. But I'm not so
stupid as to actually bring mine, and they don't know what he looks
like anyway, so you're it. But we know what they look like from our
intelligence," He pulled two photo's from his pocket and showed me.
"If this blows up, just make sure you shoot them first!"

I looked over the photos. One was obviously
the Major; the other must have been the enemy Colonel. The pictures
looked like they had been official photos. Probably came from an
office wall at the Spaceport.

The colonel came back with a map in a few
minutes and pointed out an outside courtyard, that had concrete
tables set in it.

"This is the best we can find Captain," he
said. "It's not in either side's artillery range. But we do have a
couple squads of soldiers there."

"Looks okay to me, let's call the Major back.
It's early, but I don't want to give them time to come up with a
new plan."

So saying he got the Major back on the link.
They agreed to the place, and that only side arms would be allowed.
Their Colonel then came on himself.

"I feel that both of our staffs should be at
this meeting, so that we may reach an accord quickly." He said.

"That sounds fine to me, how many on your
staff?" replied the Captain.

"There are six counting me, and we'll all be
there."

"Fine, that's what my intelligence told me."
The Captain continued shrewdly, "We got their pictures from the
files in the Spaceport." He paused for a breath, "There will only
be four of us; Myself, the commander of the Ground troops, his
second in command, and my intelligence Chief. I have no other
Staff."

I had to admit the Captain could lie with out
so much as batting an eyebrow.

"That is acceptable," he grimaced. "I shall
meet you there in ten minutes."

They broke the connection and the Captain
turned to two of his bodyguards.

"You just became Balizar," he said pointing
to one, "and you're Major Frankle." He said pointing to the other.
"Go and see if you can't get the proper tabs and some side arms,
and make it fast."

They hurried off and I gave my newly acquired
rifle to the Colonel's aide. I was going to have find out if it had
to go to the previous owner's relatives or not. If not I was
definitely planning on keeping it myself. I also gave him the
grenades, except for one, which I stuck in my pocket. Just in case
mind you.

We were mounted up and ready to go in a
couple of minutes and showed up at the far end of the meeting place
just before they did. We were about one hundred yards from the
table, and so were they. One of the bodyguards who were staying
behind confirmed that the people there matched the pictures by
using his binoculars. So I waved a hastily rigged truce flag, and
after they did the same, we both approached the table.