Star Force 12 Demon Star (31 page)

“Stop! Stop this insulting tirade!” Argos fumed.

“Tirade? I’m quite calm.”

Argos looked frustrated. “You don’t trust us. Even after fighting shoulder-to-shoulder, one species helping another—you still don’t trust us.”

“Oh, I’m a very trusting person,” I said. “But I also prefer to verify that my comrades have my best interests at heart.”

Argos snorted. “That’s equivalent to paranoia.”

“Call it what you will. Do you accept my terms, or should I move my ships out of orbit? We have other things to do.”

Argos sweated. “You can’t leave. We don’t have any protection. Another Demon fleet might be cruising in stealthily even now to surprise us.”

“My terms?”

“They’re accepted,” Argos said bitterly.

“Good. We’ll be in touch soon.”

The channel closed, and I took the time to reflect on our relationship with the Elladans.

It was a complex one. We were cooperating, after a fashion, but neither of us trusted the other any farther than we could throw a Ketan.

-25-

A week later, I found myself sipping a passable imitation of rum punch and putting my feet up on the rail of a gazebo overlooking China Beach. That’s what I’d decided to call our leisure facility, after the famous—or maybe notorious—R&R location I’d read about in the Vietnam War. I’d studied all sorts of military history, and the incongruity of a peaceful slice of heaven just a couple of hours from the bloody jungles had always stuck in my mind.

Our China Beach was better than the earthly version, in my estimation. No one was fighting nearby, so I didn’t feel a bit guilty about taking some time off.

Stalker
cruised in a geosynchronous orbit guarding us.
Valiant
sat grounded nearby for easy access, with her brainbox and a rotating half-crew aboard always alert for trouble.

I squeezed Adrienne’s hand, and she leaned over to kiss me deeply. I brushed her hair off her tanned face. A few days of sun and relaxation had bronzed us both, me more than her.

“Quarters?” I asked, wondering if her affection was a signal for a romantic interlude.

“Mm,” she said with a wink. “Later, love. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about the recruiting.”

“All work and no play makes Cody a dull boy.”

“You’re far from dull—and you’ve been playing quite enough.”

“Hey, I’ve been working, too,” I protested.

And I had been. Between long discussions with a resigned Galen and negotiations with a still-mulish Argos for everything I wanted, I’d been digesting the deluge of information from the Elladan databases. I really hadn’t had that much time to simply lie around. My sand volleyball game was getting pretty good, though.

“I know you’ve been busy, but the crew has had enough rest. They need to be put back to work soon, or they’ll get soft.” Adrienne pointed out over the rail, where we could see people swimming in the crystal-clear blue ocean and sunning themselves in the sand.

The Raptors kept to themselves in a complex a quarter mile down the coast. The humans and the Elladans were all around me. Most of the Elladans had been assigned to make sure we were as comfortable as possible. I’d made sure there weren’t so many locals they’d overwhelm us. As expected, most of my men and a few of my women had found themselves new relationships. Romance had blossomed all over the beaches.

The Elladans were mostly from the lower orders, the ones with collars. After a bit of debate among my officers, I’d ordered the collars removed. It had taken a laser-torch to do it. The neckpieces were designed to be permanent. That fact particularly bugged me. It told me that these people had no hope of advancement beyond their slave status.

A dozen or so of the Elladans assigned to us were from the middle classes, the managers. They were appalled by the removal of collars, and several of them quit, demanding to be sent back. I guess they didn’t like the idea of their former servants moving up in the world. I never did understand some people’s tendency to see the good fortune of others as bad for themselves.

Probably a few of the newly freed were spies or informants, but I wasn’t too worried. I doubted these people were
all
sympathetic to their ruling class. As long as we didn’t come out as anti-Elladan, they probably wouldn’t do us any harm.

I pushed away my thoughts, grunted and put my sandaled feet on the decking. Setting down my drink, I picked up a ripe mango-like fruit. “Okay, Mistress Turnbull, what’s on your mind?”

Adrienne shrugged and rubbed her neck. “As you know, the staff has been interviewing the Elladans, trying to identify potential recruits. Most of them have no skills beyond menial service jobs or escort services.” She said this with more than a hint of disgust.

“Different people, different practices,” I said mildly. “Their customs make the lower orders available for sexual service to their upper classes.”

“I’m aware of that. As I see it, the problem is that they seem to be lumping us into the ‘upper class’ category. Crewmen are taking advantage. The slaves see our people as superior to them, so they’re not going to refuse when someone asks…or even hints.”

“But you explained repeatedly that they
could
say no without any repercussions, right?”

Adrienne clenched her fists. “Yes, but if you were them, would you say no?”

I shrugged helplessly. “We can’t change their culture overnight, and we need to gender-balance the crew better. I’m amazed we’ve held together this long, frankly. We also simply need more personnel. Everyone is doing two or three jobs. Look,” I said, taking her face in my hands, “we’ve talked this to death. We have to do what we have to do, and we’re giving them a chance at a better life and a huge status increase. We even told them that if ever we reach Earth, they can return to Ellada if they want. It would be the best thing in the universe to open regular travel between our worlds. It would probably improve both societies. Now can we get back to business?”

“All right.” She kissed my palm and sat back down with a roll of her shoulders. “Business. Almost all of them have high potential to be trained for service in Star Force. They test well above average. They won’t let us do any physical tests on them, and they’re keeping their anatomy secret.”

“Everyone has their taboos.”

She shook her head. “I think it’s more than that. If they were actually humans, I would have to conclude their ancestors had been genetically modified for health and beauty.”

I almost shrugged, but I thought the better of it. Personally, I could use crew replacements that were super-attractive. Apparently, it bugged Adrienne.

“We can’t really mate with them, you know,” she said. “There can’t be any children. If we stay here long term, we’ll form fruitless relationships.”

“That’s interesting, but hardly a problem two weeks in.”

“I disagree,” she said. “People are pair-bonding. At least our humans are. I think the Elladans are playing along in accordance with their caste system.”

“I still don’t—”

“Hear me out. What if we take these people with us into space? What if our crewmen want to marry Elladans? And what if the Elladans get tired of shaping themselves into human form?”

This last statement made me look down at her. “You think they’re doing that? On purpose, just to fool us?”

“I’m not sure of their motives, but they are definitely shape-shifting into human form because we’re here. They can’t want to do that forever. What if Hansen marries Cybele, and then she decides she wants to look like a goat instead?”

I laughed. I couldn’t help it, despite the fact I knew it was a bad idea. Adrienne gave me a cold stare.

“I don’t know what we’ll do,” I said, “but I’ll have a good laugh when that day comes.”

She scooted away from me. “Well, that’s my report. I don’t recommend that we recruit any Elladans for our crews. They are too different, too odd. We can’t trust them, either.”

Drawing in a breath, I let it out slowly. I knew I’d regret my next action, but I didn’t’ see a way around it.

“Objection overruled,” I said.

“Meaning?”

“We’re going to do it. We’re going to recruit Elladans. Our crews are too low in number. These people at least look like us, and the lower orders are obedient. We’ll actively recruit among them so we can survive. I have no idea how many battles are ahead, but I do know how many losses we can take before we get home.”

Adrienne looked thoughtful—which was good, because I thought she was going to get angry.

“I still say it’s a bad idea, Cody. But I understand your reasoning. You did the same thing with the Raptors.”

“And that’s worked out pretty well. Make sure, love, that you’re not thinking with the jealous side of your brain. Try to stay rational when thinking about a ship full of beauties.”

She frowned. I’d said the wrong thing, and the anger I thought I’d avoided was coming on now.

“I demand an equal number of males and females—if we get anyone to come along.”

I shrugged. “Not going to happen. We’ll test them and take the best that volunteer.”

Huffing, she left my side.

A few days later, she went to work in earnest. Whatever she really thought of my plan, she was implementing it without reservation.

Interested Elladans were recruited and tested. We started a training program, focusing on physical fitness and technical know-how first. Surprisingly few Elladans dropped out. They were all young, fit, and best of all, motivated. They learned fast and absorbed our Star Force lessons like sponges. The only challenge I found was to minimize any blatant favoritism by our own people toward their new lovers.

Once they’d done two weeks of basic training, it was time for the Elladans to learn their individual jobs. They all started at the bottom of their specialties, but I could see that some of them would soon be catching up to our own personnel.

A month of this went by, and I decided we were ready to move into space. Argos never shut up about getting Galen back, despite his son’s assurances that he was being treated well. I had a feeling the younger man was reluctant to return anyway, so my indoctrination was paying off.

But, if I didn’t let him go soon, I was afraid the elder Elladan would do something foolish like send in a commando raid. So I told Argos I would leave Galen at China Beach to be picked up when we left.

Cybele decided to stay with us, the only one of the higher-order Elladans that did. She took up with Hansen, which clearly infuriated Sakura. The engineer’s expression remained colder than chilled steel, especially when she was required to come up to the bridge. Mostly she stayed in Engineering, training her new techs and getting
Valiant
completely shipshape.

I shook Galen’s hand before we lifted off, leaving him and the Elladans who’d decided not to join us standing there with uplifted eyes as we rose on repellers.

I hoped they’d gotten a good impression of us. Of all the space-going races we’d run across, the humanoids on this world were the ones I most wanted to have as allies. Achmed’s tests had confirmed the compatibility, and our Elladan recruits were already having vigorous relations.

It also pleased me that we’d had not one hint of desertion. Of course, as we were on an isolated island, there was really nowhere to go. If we’d been at an Elladan resort in their version of Miami, a few might have disappeared into the populace.

It didn’t surprise me when Marvin called as soon as we’d broken atmosphere. What had surprised me was the fact he’d not communicated at all during our R&R, even though I’d pinged him from time to time.

“Good to hear from you, Captain Marvin!” I said with sincere pleasure. I really did want whatever information he had. I’d left standing orders to put him through to the holotank so I’d have a meticulously detailed image, the better to read him. “How are the ring experiments coming? Or have you come up with a bug spray yet?”

“No bug spray. The Demons are well designed for combat. In fact, as a naked race, they are the most deadly biotics I have ever encountered. Although, of course, technology is a great equalizer.”

“Then I’m happy we have you as the pinnacle of our technology, Marvin,” I said, blatantly buttering him up.

“I detect incipient manipulation.”

“Not at all, Marvin! Can’t I express my joy at our reunion? I’m in a particularly good mood after spending so much time on vacation.”

Marvin froze into a thoughtful posture. “I’ve never taken a vacation. Do you think it would be beneficial?”

“I’ve got no idea, Marvin. Do you sleep?”

“No.”

“Do your neural circuits require rest of any kind?”

“No, only regular maintenance.”

I shrugged. “I guess you’ll have try it sometime and find out. Now, what’s the news about the rings?”

“The news is good.” He stopped, his cameras focused expectantly on me through the holo-link.

“And you’re going to make me plead for it?”

“No pleading. But I thought some compensation for my efforts would be in order.”

I sat down in my chair, leaned back and picked casually at the arm, as if unconcerned. “I need to know what your efforts yielded in order to consider any rewards, Marvin.”

“The reward should be substantial. I have opened a connection with the Trinity-9 ring.”

I couldn’t keep myself from showing eager interest at Marvin’s revelation that he had successfully activated a ring. “Does it connect to known space?”

“If by known space you mean those systems familiar to us before
Valiant
accidentally passed through the Thor ring, then no, it does not connect to known space. If by known space—”

“For crying out loud, Marvin, where does it go?”

“It connects to the Tartarus ring.”

The Demon subsystem? Fear swirled in my gut. “Does the connection go both ways?”

“Yes.”

“Then the Demons could come through at the Whale planet, and the Whale fleet isn’t home yet.”

Believing themselves to be completely safe after wiping out the remnants of the Demon fleet at Ellada, the Whales had made a slow, high-efficiency turn and were on maneuvers in deep space, placing their forces between Trinity-9 and Tartarus.