Theodore (6 page)

Sleep soon followed, good food had made that so much
easier.  But just as the perfect realms of sleep had engulfed him there was a
knock at the door... Morning had come all too early.

“Come in,” he called as he sat up in bed.

Agent Telmark smiled as he poked his head in, “If you can be
ready in twenty minutes or so, we should be able to get a big breakfast in you
before we head to the space port.  Same cook as last night!”

“Oh no, just slam my tail in the door,” grinned Theodore. 
“For
that
I'll be ready in ten!”  He quickly changed and cleaned himself
up.  A suitcase with his items from the dorm that hadn't been sequestered as
evidence had been provided the night before.  Such a small case now...

A wonderful breakfast was soon followed by a well escorted
trek to the rooftop.  Apparently they were taking a repulsar gunship to the
space port!  He took school-boy excitement in the chance to be on such a
craft.  His humor was tempered by the serious expressions and even more serious
hardware that the soldiers on the gunship handled.  These were professionals
and they had a task, a goal, to move Theodore safely to the port.  It wasn't
going to be pleasant for anyone who got in their way.  Twenty minutes later the
crew's vigilance was rewarded and they safely landed at the space port. 
Telmark and three other agents then escorted him down long halls and past the
busy patrons and their kiosks.  They had a transport to catch and little was
going to stand in their way.

They cleared checkpoint after checkpoint and seamlessly
moved to the far end of the complex.  Theodore broke into a broad grin as up
ahead he suddenly caught sight of Anna Westmore.  Just as suddenly, his fur
shot on end and his armor followed: Anna wasn't smiling and the people next to
her were armed!

Rage is often the enemy of effective combat: it often bids
you into actions that are reckless and dangerous, not just to yourself, but to others
as well.  Rage, combined with practice, experience and superior firepower,
however, can be quite remarkable!

There were screams and challenges fired back and forth as
Theodore charged straight toward Anna.  His armor was fully extended and twin
swords now graced his hands and he was on a collision course.  Some warning
flittered past his ears... one of the thugs ahead made some form of challenge
that should have warned him away.  One of them ripped Anna's jacket clear,
revealing a bomb vest wrapped around her.  What type of primitive did they take
him for?  Apparently they hadn't fought a Highlander before... 

Anna would have screamed if she had realized what was going
on or what was getting ready to happen.  Theodore's right hand blade shimmered
and glowed as he fired a crossing blow right through the middle of Anna's
torso.  All too often people see the
blade
of a Live Steel Weapon and
keep forgetting it is just a projection, a manifestation, into their realm. 
Had this been sparring practice, the blade would have caused an electric-like
sensation of pain, but no damage.  This was
not
sparring practice... If
he had been at his father's skill level, Theodore would have been able absorb
the bomb vest into his own Live Steel.  He was nowhere near as skilled as his
father... but he was skilled enough!

As the blade painlessly raked through her torso, it
shimmered and ripped the bomb vest off and through her in the same blue glow. 
Once clear of her torso, Theodore flung the sparkling sword and vest combination
clear to the far wall.  He pulled her clear from the now thoroughly bewildered
thugs and his armor swelled, engulfing her just as the bomb vest detonated. 
The explosion was crisp and clean, devoid of intentional shrapnel.  It had been
designed to kill the wearer, not decimate a crowd and Theodore was grateful for
that: he didn't want his human escorts to suffer for his actions.  The other
thugs, however...

Theodore's armor relaxed from around Anna as he quickly
stood and spun, firing his left sword into the nearest assailant.  His other
sword winked back into being in his right hand, while its doppelgänger in his
left stabbed through the weapon of a second thug.  Precise gunfire from behind
him let him know that Agent Telmark and the others were not standing around
idle.  By the time Theodore had finished his turn and centered himself, it was
over.  And none too soon.

Theodore's blades twinkled and disappeared as he spun back
around and effortlessly scooped Anna up into his arms.  Just as quickly, he carried
her back toward Agent Telmark and the others.  Telmark stood with him at the
ready, while the other three moved forward and secured the thugs.  Local
security was quickly on hand as reinforcements.

“Don't let go of me...” came Anna's muffled voice.

“I'll hold you until the end of days, if that is what you
want.”

She grinned sheepishly up at him, “Well, not that long.  But
how about long enough until someone finds me a new shirt...”

Theodore's fur stood on end as he suddenly realized the side
effects of what had happened: when the Live Steel blade had ripped the bomb
vest clear, it had taken her blouse and under garments along with it.  “Oh
Anna!  I'm
so
sorry...”

She giggled, “Well,
that
aspect of you hasn't changed
one bit: you still apologize for
everything
!  That was awesome, brave
and amazing what you did.  Apologize for nothing!  You turned the tables on
them so fast they had no idea what was going on.  So fast
I
had no idea
what was going on...”  She grinned and looked back up at him, “So, did you like
the view?”

Never in his life had his fur tensed so tight.  He swore he
could feel hairs moving so that they could stand end to end rather than just
simply straight up.  His ears flared red and so uncomfortably warm he feared
his fur might burst into flame.  All that in time for his mouth ran dry as
well.

A first responder gawked at Theodore's condition, “I'm not
used to Taiks, but is he suffering from shock?”

“Yes,” grinned Anna as she took an offered blanket, “But not
medical shock...”

With his ears still burning and his skin still crawling he
quickly located his dropped suitcase and found a shirt.  “Um, it's a little big
for you... but the color is nice...”

The pair, Theodore and Anna, just sat on a bench while all
around them people ran to and fro as they all tried to sort things out.  How
had they picked up Anna so easily?  So quickly?  How did the explosives get
past security?  How had the thugs known where to intercept Theodore and his
escort?  Who
were
the thugs?  The same people as “Alexandre Phebeson?”
Or were they Bella-Shoana?  If the latter, why try for a standoff rather than
just try to kill Theodore as before?  Had they changed tactics because the
previous frontal assault went so poorly?  That was mostly due to his father's
actions...

“We've got to figure out how to get you two home,” muttered
a thoroughly flustered Agent Telmark.

“No,” interjected Anna.  “Don't try to get me home.  I was
just plucked right off the streets there.  Get me to Afon.  Get me to
Theodore's place... they can't touch either of us there.”

“We have a duty to get you back to your parents, ma'am.”

“Contact my parents, I think you will find that they agree
with me.  I can take a semester off from school, that isn't much of a problem.”

“We'd be delighted to have you visit, Anna,” offered
Theodore.  “But we have no idea how long you will have to hide out, as it
were.  And we are a simple family.”

“I'd rather hide out where I knew I was safe!  If I'm a
burden to your family, I will happily find work of some type.  I've got quite
the run of experience in first aid and the likes.  Midwife, whatever...”  She
grinned at Theodore, “But I'll have to take a pass at 'nanny.'”

That made him flush again, “Um, so you remember that still,
eh...”  He laughed as he regained his composure.  “And no, you would not be a
burden to the family, we have always eaten well.  Just, well, our house is
humble and...”

“Pshaw!  I'll sleep in the attic or in the barn!  Whatever! 
Help paint a few walls, add a few walls, I have swung a hammer before!  I've
busted my butt these last six weeks learning the Highland Old Tongue; I might
as well put it into practice!”

“I think arguing with her is pointless,” laughed Theodore to
Agent Telmark.  “We can easily handle her.  Contact her parents and see what
they say.”

Telmark smirked at the pair as he cued his com link, “Need
two priority calls, need a gate-synced call to Dr and Dr Westmore, the parents
of the aforementioned Anna Westmore... Yes, I know how expensive that is going
to be!  Do you have any idea how expensive the investigation into how four
kilos of high explosives made it through the precious security system is going
to cost?  Right!  That phone call is a drop in the bucket.  And if the auditors
don't like it, have 'em take it up with my number two priority call: I need to
get a hold of the Secretary of the Foreign Office.  Yes, I know he is a busy
man.  He's going to be even busier if we can't safely get these two kids
off-world and back home!  If this was
easy,
I wouldn't be talking to
you!”

Theodore grasped for anything to change the subject so he
turned to Anna and fired off in the Old Tongue, “So how much of this language
did you manage to squeak in?”

Anna laughed as she carefully threaded back, “I can handle
simple cases and conjugation.  Still trying to keep track of all the case based
mutations and for heaven sake, don't ask me how to form,” she paused as she
shifted languages “gerunds!”

Theodore laughed and continued in the Old Tongue, “It sounds
like you made a quick study!”

Anna nodded and smiled, obviously enjoying the opportunity
to show off what she had learned, “Languages flow well for me.  Not as well as
my mother; she is an extreme polyglot!  Mom said I could visit when your
semester was over, so that meant I had nine to ten weeks.  Your First Mother
did
invite me out, if you recall.”

“For six weeks of study, you are doing amazingly well!”
grinned Theodore.  “I prided myself on how quickly I picked up human languages,
but that was in
months
not weeks!  And yes, I do recall my First Mother
inviting you out.  For the whole summer as I recall.”

“Excuse me,” interjected Agent Telmark with a broad grin,
“you were quite right, young lady, your mother did agree to let you go to
Afon.  You are required to write home once a week, she says.”

Anna laughed, “That's my mom!  I'm just curious how long it
takes to post a letter...”

“What about transportation?” asked Theodore.  “I take it I'm
not going on the ship you had scheduled earlier.”

“No,” grinned Agent Telmark, “the Foreign Office has
arranged transport for the pair of you on a Shukurae Dreadnaught.  Let these
punks try to get past
their
security!  You two leave in three hours.” 

“That sounds like wicked fun!” grinned Anna.

“Speaking of fun,” replied Theodore in Old Tongue.  “Yes.
Yes, I did enjoy the view.”

Anna turned a deep shade of red and doubled over laughing.

Three hours later the pair found themselves tensely waiting
for their shuttle to the ship far overhead.  Anna had briefly distracted
herself as she purchased a new blouse and a change of clothes, but that
distraction was short lived compared to the apprehension that weighed
overhead.  It was painfully obvious to all parties present that this hand off
was going to be the most dangerous part.  Between safely making it onto the
shuttle and then up to orbit without some miscreant trying to shoot them down,
things were... edgy.  Fortunately, edgy was how the Shukurae lived.  Well, that
and they never
ever
believed in a fair fight if it was even remotely
possible to bring more firepower to the table.  And firepower... well,
firepower arrived!

The entire traffic at the port, terrestrial or orbital was
shut down as the Shukurae arrived: three heavy assault gunships loitered high
overhead and quickly terminated a few stray avians in the area.  Five light
assault gunships then descended with one touching down just long enough to
lower its ramp and have the pair run aboard before blasting back into the sky. 
They were shepherded to their seats by a pair of massive Shukurae, their pale
blinkless eyes seemed to glow in the interior lights.  The flash of light off
of their crisp triangular teeth and jutting tusks rounded out their imposing
forms.  Theodore knew they were in good company, but that didn't make his first
encounter with them any less intimidating!  Theodore laughed at his own
apprehension as he noticed Anna grinning broadly at the Shukurae's imposing
form.

“They are massive!” she half whispered to Theodore.  “Did
you know that their bones go through a secondary solidification process as
young adults?  Boron carbide infuses their teeth and bones!  Gives them an
amazingly strong skeleton! They also...”

Her conversation was cut short as the engines on the gunship
flared to full power and were augmented by a parade of JATO bottles
accelerating them even faster than normal.  Theodore counted five complete
cycles of exterior rockets firing off.  Those normally just
fell
off
when they were spent.  He wondered if the spaceport below was being suddenly
pelted by empty rocket casings...

Anna was thoroughly rattled by the time the exterior rockets
finally stopped, so Theodore leaned close and teased, “So, am I just a big
science project, too?”

Anna grinned, “Yep, and a really cute one, too!”

That should have taught Theodore not to tease...