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Klafarius
Resident
Joined: 29 May 2009
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Location: "...I took the one less traveled by..."
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 Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 4:46 pm Post subject: |
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I'm working on it...I'm working on it!
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DeadManWalking
Duke of the Mostly Dead
Joined: 24 May 2006
Topics: 30
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| Posted: Mon May 23, 2011 8:04 pm Post subject: |
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Just caught up after the long absence. I found it funny that they used Fables. Also, did not see that twist coming.
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When the dead walk, the living run.
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Klafarius
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Location: "...I took the one less traveled by..."
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| Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 5:20 am Post subject: |
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DMW! Good to see you ole chap!
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The White Blacksmith
Elder
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| Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 10:45 am Post subject: |
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Just caught up. Brilliant! Really like this one, hope it continues.
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Tea Cures All.
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Klafarius
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| Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 11:17 pm Post subject: |
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I am hoping to have the next chapter done by June 11...hopefully.
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Klafarius
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Location: "...I took the one less traveled by..."
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1429 Fables
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| Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2016 3:34 pm Post subject: |
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It's been 5 years and life happens. But it's time to work on my stories again. Here is what is completed so far and we will go from there.
If it wasn't posted before it is now. This story contains explicit language and suggestive tones of sexual content. You have been warned.
Bivwacked
Chapter 1
Whoever said war was an honorable and commendable profession should have his honorable and commendable ass shot, and with the day Jack was having he was perfectly ready to pull the goddamned trigger.
Jack sat in a pitched armored tent with two of his lieutenants going over recent troop movements while waiting for final confirmation of the deaths of the last commanding general and his chief of staff while they had been traveling to the base camp. Of course Jack already knew that the general was dead because he had watched the damned convoy go up in a blaze of glory when the Nehlig attack ships had swooped down and blown them to kingdom come.
The brainiacs in the Battle Assessment Tech corps, or BATs as they were called, had predicted such a thing might happen but the pompous ass of a general insisted that a show of faith on the part of the Armed Forces would go a long way to cementing the permanent truce and end the war. As the BATs had also predicted, the truce had been another stall tactic while the Nehlig prepared for an assault against their majesty’s Royal Armed Forces.
No Shit.
Wiping out the convoy had effectively reduced the 105th battle platoon’s officer complement from five to one, the one being Jack of course. At the outset of the campaign there had been around twenty officers ditched on this worthless piece of real estate but as the fighting increased and casualties mounted, that number had dwindled to five. Of the five, two had died in the convoy (may the general and his god damned assistant’s souls rot in hell), one had been assassinated by a sniper while relieving himself behind a boulder (bets had been taken as to which head had been shot first), and the fourth officer had the gall to die of a heart attack (while fucking his chauffeur, a fact which had been ordered off the official records). Yep, life for Commander Jedidiah A. Caz, Jack for short, couldn’t get any worse. Or so he thought.
“Incoming!” shouted a voice over the several commbands each soldier wore seconds before a barrage of rapid blaster fire tore through the camp as a Nehlig combat skimmer came in low and fast for a strafing run. The sound of the anti-air cannons return fire shook the earth around the base camp.
Commander Jack closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose trying to ignore the headache that threatened to turn into a migraine.
“Why the hell did I get mixed up in this?” Jack muttered to himself.
***
Jack stared at his cards; an ace of hearts, an ace of spades, a five of diamonds, a five of clubs and a jack of diamonds, not bad, not great. It was his bet. Jack’s eyes strayed to the pile of chips in the middle of the table then slid to the small pile of chips in front of him. The amount was pitiful, a measly one hundred thirty-five Credits left.
His eyes took in the faces of the three other players in the game. Nothing. “Thirty-five” said Jack picking up the chips and tossing them onto the pile.
“Call” said the man next to him on his left.
“Call” said the guy across from him in the felt fedora.
The man wearing the tie on his right slowly smiled. “I’ll see your bet and raise you hmmmmm…” Jack instinctively knew what was coming. He thought fast. “…all you have left.” The man in the tie leered. “Or is that too much for you sonny?”
Jack sighed inwardly, five thousand Credits gone. The man in the tie tossed chips on to the pile. “I’ll see your one hundred,” said Jack placing his remaining chips into the middle. “And I’ll raise you…” Jack placed his cards face down on the table and started to reach into his back pocket. The three men stood up quickly.
“Hold it sonny,” said the man in the tie.
Jack looked up. “What? I’m getting my wallet.” The man on his left walked over to Jack and unceremoniously removed Jack’s wallet from his pocket.
“Hey!” said Jack grabbing at his wallet but the man wearing the tie pushed Jack back into his seat. The man opened the wallet and spent a moment looking through the credit, DChit-card pockets and his pictures. Satisfied, he showed it to the two other men.
“Cute pictures,” said the man wearing the fedora tossing the wallet back to Jack.
“What the fuck was that all about?” said Jack catching the wallet in mid-air.
“Making sure you’re not cheating,” said the man on his left.
Jack glared at the men as he opened his wallet and took out the five Credit bill that was in the bill fold. “I raise five Credits,” said Jack unfolding the bill and placing it carefully on the pile of chips. The three men laughed. “What?” said Jack picking up his cards and holding them while he waited for the men to tell him what was so funny.
“You raise five bucks?!” said Necktie using the old time slang and laughing some more. Jack slammed his cards down to the table.
“Yes, five Credits. It’s all I have left.” The three men settled down after a minute.
“Okay, five it is,” said Lefty. Jack glared at each of them as he picked up his cards, shuffled the loose ones back into place, turned them edgewise and tapped them five times quickly on the table then turned them upright again fanning them out in front of him.
“I’ll call,” said Lefty.
“Me too,” said Fedora.
“I’ll go easy on you. I call,” said Necktie.
Lefty had two pair, twos and sixes and a five of spades. Fedora had three sevens, a two and a four. Necktie had three Three’s and the other two aces. Jack grimaced, stacked his cards once again, tapped them twice on the table and with a flourish spread them out on the table.
He was showing an ace of hearts, an ace of spades, a five of diamonds, a five of clubs, and a five of hearts. “Full house gentlemen, fives high.” Jack said smiling broadly. The three men stared at Jack as he started to gather chips from the center of the table.
“Wait,” growled Necktie. Jack looked up from the pile of chips and suddenly became very uncomfortable. Three smallish pocket blasters were pointed at the top of his head.
“What the hell?” said Jack scooting his chair backwards.
“That’s funny,” said Necktie.
“Wh…what is?” stammered Jack looking from man to man to man.
“How could you have this card…” said Necktie picking up the five of hearts off the table “when I have the same card right here?” He reached into his jacket and pulled a card out of an inside pocket. Jack swallowed hard. It was the five of hearts.
Jack thought in rapid fire over the cards that had been played in the last hand and couldn't figure where he had miscounted. “Um… okay, I can explain…” said Jack backing up a few more steps.
“Kid, don’t worry, we’re not mad at you. Just tell us how you did it.”
Jack frowned. “You’re not?”
The three men looked at each other. “Kid, we’ve been hustling cards for years now. Just tell us how you did it.” Jack stood silently still not knowing what to do. “Look kid, I don’t mind being hustled, you win some, and you lose some. It’s a talent to out-cheat a cheat. I’m impressed, but I want to know how you almost got away with it.” said Fedora indicating the card.
“If I show you you’ll let me go?” The three guys looked at one another.
“Well, yeah. Why wouldn’t we? Although you will of course no longer be allowed into our games. Unless it’s a friendly game, no bets of course,” said Lefty.
Jack nodded. “Okay.” The three men lowered their guns down and Jack bent over and took the card from Necktie. The guns came up again and he carefully removed a thin sheet of plastic from the face of the card. “This is a nanofilament screen. When you remove it from the card it resets itself… see?”
The screen was clear and bare as Jack held it up for the men to see. “I had it on the five dollar bill then removed it when I set the bill onto the pile of chips. I then picked up my pile of cards and placed the screen on the bottom card.” Jack picked up a card and placed the Jack of diamonds into the palm of his hand.
“I made sure the screen was secured to the card.” Jack tapped the card face down onto the table, “See?”
The men nodded. “Then you turn the card on its side and tap it up to thirteen times, once for each value up to king.” Jack tapped the card four times then turned the card right side up. The card had a number four in the corner. “Then you tap the bottom edge for each suit.” Jack tapped the card three times and the front of the card showed a four of diamonds. “See?”
“How does it know the face of the card? Each deck of cards is different,” asked Lefty.
“The screen scans the face of the card. I’m not sure about any more than that. Anyways I’ve showed you how it was done. Can I go?”
Fedora took the card away from him while Necktie turned Jack around to face him. “In a minute sonny. Just give me a minute more and thanks for showing us the trick. We will be more careful next time. However, you were caught cheating and while my two associates here do not mind letting you waltz right out that door I have a bit more pride than that.”
Jack looked at Necktie confused. “Yeah but you were cheating as well.”
Necktie nodded. “True, but I didn’t get caught, you did.”
Jack went cold. “But he said I could leave if I showed you--”
Necktie cut him off. “We are going to let you go….but the matter of my terms have not been settled as of yet. My associates here have given you their offers, which they have accepted if my guess is accurate.”
“What are your terms then?” asked Jack still eyeing the blasters.
“Double.”
“Double what?” said Jack as Lefty came around the table to stand behind him.
“Double your entire contribution to the game.”
“But…but that was all I had! I don’t have ten thousand Credits.” Screeched Jack darting looks around the room looking for a way out.
“I was afraid of that.”
“Well, Fuck.” Thought Jack as the butt of a blaster slammed into the back of Jack’s head and the world as Jack knew it winked out. Necktie stared down at Jack’s unconscious body. Putting his blaster away, Fedora held the nanofilament screen to the light with one hand and with the other produced an envelope from inside his jacket handing it to Necktie. Necktie opened the letter and read its contents. By the time he finished he was smiling a wolfish grin. “Catch and Release.”
Chapter 2
There were two things that wormed their way into Jack’s sluggish mind as he returned to consciousness. The first was the fact that his head felt like a xylophone being played by a toddler. The second was the subtle smell of alcohol. Jack cautiously opened his eyes and found himself staring into another pair of eyes, the most beautiful brown eyes he’d seen. “Where am I?” asked Jack of the red haired goddess that stood over him.
“You’re in hell,” said the goddess.
“Ah, was I that bad?”
“No, worse.”
“How?” asked Jack feeling himself falling into those brown pools.
“You’re still alive and now that you’re awake, you have to put on your uniform and report to the drill sergeant.”
“What?” said Jack sitting up so fast that it felt like his brain played ping-pong around his skull. He grabbed his head with both hands and forced his gorge back into his stomach. “Ow, remind me not to do that again.”
“You are currently at the Armed Forces Training Base Helio One, nicknamed ‘Hell’,” she said. She took a medicompule from a nearby tray and pressed the microneedle into a vein on the back of Jack’s hand. The throbbing in his head subsided to a dull ache after a few moments.
“Thank you.”
“No problem. The AFP’s, Armed Forces Police, said that three men dropped you off at the gate stating you had gotten drunk at a going away party and hit your head when you passed out.”
“More like they pistol whipped me and hustled me into the trunk of their hovercar no doubt,” said Jack bristling in anger.
“Uh huh,” said the Nurse walking over to a counter and picked up a message flexy. She brought it over to him. “I take it your name is not Armond Lakey?”
“No, it’s Jedidiah Caz.”
“Apparently you had no other identification on your person when you were dropped off. The men vouched for your identity. Do you have some other form of ID?”
Rat Bastards! Jack thought. “I’m registered with the local authorities through a DNA conscription service stemming from a false charge lodged against me as required by the United Territories Criminal Indictment Act. As you know I am required to inform you that I have given this information freely and willingly without a legal representative present or required by myself.” Jack said running through the all too familiar litany of legal jargon.
The Nurse sighed. “You’d be surprised but this happens more often than you would guess. I’m going to have to make a few calls before you can leave the room. I’m also going to have to have the AFP’s escort you to the administration building so you can get this straightened out.” She walked to the door, taking a clipboard from the counter. Jack had a weird suspicion that his day was far from over and it was going to get worse.
It was not very long until he was proven right. After filling out several forms for the Nurse, two armed AFP’s took him from the infirmary to the administration building next door where he sat cooling his heels for an hour waiting to speak with one of the clerks. After he explained the situation the clerk was absolutely happy to not be able to help him stating that his personal security clearance was too low as to allow access to civilian files and that if he were to have a seat the major in charge would be absolutely thrilled to assist him.
Three hours later he was ushered into a modestly bare office where a lone figure sat behind a desk. As Jack once again explained the situation that he currently found himself in, the Major’s face failed to register the appropriate emotions of outrage and embarrassment that Jack had expected. In fact the Major smiled at him indulgently as he turned to the outdated data terminal and started entering information on an abhorrently inconvenient device that until then Jack had only seen in old movies. What was it called? A keyboard? Jack couldn’t quite remember nor did he try very hard. His head still hurt.
“Well, Jed. Let’s see what we can do to remedy the problem your in.” The Major stopped typing and looked at the display before him.
“It’s Jack.”
“Hmmm…What is?” said the Major not bothering to look at Jack.
“My name is Jack.”
“It says here on this form that your name is Jed.” said the Major manipulating the touch screen of the display.
“No, My given name is Jedidiah Alexandrous Caz. I like to be called Jack.”
“Uh huh…Okay.” said the Major glancing toward one of the AFP’s stationed near the office door. “Jack. Would you please insert your finger into this DNA collector for verification of your identity per UTCIA authority granted to military personnel under section one thousand dot five dot three dot zero zero dot one subparagraph H.” The Major pulled a small cylindrical tube of metal out of his desk and handed it to Jack who in turn placed the appropriate digit into the device. There was prick of the finger, Jack winced, withdrew his finger and another of the indulgent smiles as the Major took the tube back. Manipulating the display screen the Major put on a headset and made a phone call.
“Yes this is Major Smith from the RAFTB Administration Division. Can I speak to Detective Manfred Jones. Thank you.” There was a pause while the Detective was being reached.
“Hey Manny! How are you! Oh she’s fine. He's getting bigger every day. Uh huh...Yeah. Hey look I got another biv-whack here who needs to be verified…” Jack tuned out the rest of the conversation as his head began to pound in time with his heart.
The verification of his identity came in just before the Major was scheduled to go off duty. Turning to him the Major grinned like an idiot. Somehow Jack wasn’t reassured. “Alright, everything is straightened out.” Jack looked bleary eyed with pain in the Major’s general direction.
“Thank you Major. How do I get to town from here?” asked Jack standing up.
“Town?”
“Yes. Town. If you’ve cleared everything up I would very much like to get back into town. Maybe I can find the bastards who did this to me.” said Jack mulling over the several nasty ways to torture a human being.
“I’m sorry. Your not leaving.” said the Major flatly.
“Excuse me.” said Jack.
“Apparently you were under the impression that you were going to be released?” asked the Major a puzzled look on his face.
“Hell, Yes I want to be released. I’m not Armondo Dicklickey or whoever the fuck hit me over the goddamned head.” said Jack anger replacing his pain for the moment.
The Major shrugged, his smile and tone of his voice turning ice cold. “Listen closely asswipe. I don’t give a shit who the fuck you think you are; Private Jed. You showed up on this base with a valid draft note. Whose, I don’t care. The paperwork we have just gone through means that YOU will receive the standard salary and bonuses due a draftee as well as a pension if you should ever reach a rank to justify it. As for…” The Major looked down to the message flexy attached to a clip board. “…Armond Lakey his name goes into the hat for the next round of draftees. Now get out of my office before I have this AFP throw your ass out, in fact show Jed to his new quarters and make sure his ass stays there got it.” The AFP flipped the clasp over the butt of his blaster, ready to draw it if the need arose.
“Yes, Sir.” said the AFP.
The Major gave Jack a broad genuine smile and even waved while the guard escorted him from the office.
Chapter 3
Jack’s anger rolled off him in almost visible waves. He had been cheated, beaten, lied to, threatened, and humiliated all in a single afternoon. A fuse blew somewhere deep within Jacks irascible brain and drawing upon a hidden reserve of adrenaline, fury, and animalistic instinct Jack became aware with near clarity almost everything around him.
Two guards, one to the front and one behind him, weapons holstered but unbuckled ready to draw. There were miscellaneous soldiers running errands between different buildings or milling about talking to one another and laughing for one reason or another. The main gate to the base was guarded by two AFP’s who controlled the gate from inside a small guard house although now Jack could see a small one person walk through entrance on the opposite side of the guard house that had been left open fifty or so yards from where he was being lead by the guards. Time slowed for Jack as he saw the perfect opening, an unblocked path formed as soldiers magically parted.
In later years Jack would remember the following events in awe and astonishment because for all intents and purpose he should not have made as far as he did nor should it have worked so well.
Jack acted swiftly and without thinking. He faked a stumble that brought the rear guard close enough for Jack to grab the arm that shot out to catch him. Jack pulled the guard closer to himself, stepped to the guards side and in an almost dance like twirl launched the surprised guard toward his partner. The effect of which sent both guards ass over teakettle to the ground in a sprawling heap of limbs and cursing. Without so much as a breath or a backward glance Jack blitzed for the opening.
Thirty yards from it another soldier moved into his path and with a roar Jack hunkered down aiming for the opening between the man’s legs, Jack used his speed and upper body to send the man flying over his head. He heard the soldier hit the ground with a yelp of pain. Pouring on the speed Jack saw two more figures interpose themselves between him and the yawning maw of freedom. Bellowing in rage Jack launched a leaping kick to the left figure as soon as it got close catching it in the stomach just as the figure on the right veered toward him with the obvious intention of trying to grab him and instead Jack lashed out with a right hook smashing in the figures nose and loosening more than a few teeth. These obstacles dealt with Jack once again focused his attention toward his goal.
Fifteen yards…Ten yards…Five yards. Jack howled in animalistic triumph that turned to pain as something stabbed him in the shoulder. His legs, to his amazement, turned the consistency of gelatin and his brain, rather uncharacteristically, decided that while leaving was a high priority it would rather contemplate the meaning of oblivion.
Jack was unconscious when his face hit the pavement just outside the gate.
***
Master Sergeant Thomas Dinwiddie holstered the high velocity dart pistol and started toward the slowly growing crowd of soldiers hovering over the crumpled form just outside the main gate. The two upstaged AFP’s and a few of the gawkers saluted as he approached. He returned the salute automatically.
“Well, this isn’t a strip show people. Return to your duties.” Barked Dinwiddie in a tone of voice that suggested each of them find at least five other places to be. Dinwiddie turned to the AFP’s who were looking a little embarrassed and flustered considering they had just been bested by an inept and obviously uncoordinated civilian. “Alright. Which of you two numb skulls wants to start giving me a good reason for darting this asshole and saving you a court martial?” Dinwiddie pointed down at Jacks unconscious form.
The voice that answered came from behind him. “He’s a biv-whack; just in.” Dinwiddie turned and saluted Major Smith.
“Biv-whack, eh. Then why the hell is he here and not in a cab back to the city?”
The Major smiled that infuriating smile of his and said. “Rehabilitation.”
“Rehabilitation?” Repeated Dinwiddie knowing all too well where this conversation was headed.
“Rehabilitation. It seems this guy, Jed or Jack or whatever the fuck his name is, showed up under someone else’s draft notice. When I talked to the locals, they found a rap sheet long enough to wipe your ass with, only nothing ever seems to stick. Knowing that at this moment we are, oh how could you say, understaffed the locals petitioned for and received a Military and Civil Judicial Armed Forces Recruitment Waiver.”
Dinwiddie nodded. “I thought you needed both a civilian judge and a military special circumstances judge ranked no less than Brigadier General to push that kind of paperwork through?”
The Major’s smile turned smug. “Apparently today is their weekly hologolf game.”
Dinwiddie repressed an eye roll. “Who is he assigned to?”
Major Smith thought for a moment. “Training company E I believe.”
Dinwiddie nodded again. “I want him.” For the first time in a long time Dinwiddie was actually surprised to see the smile on Major Smith’s face wiped off and replaced with open mouthed astonishment.
“You? You want this…this piece of shit?” The Major looked incredulous.
“Yep. This piece of shit took out two AFP’s, a hand to hand combat instructor, two seasoned infantry men and still managed to run forty-five meters in under a minute and a half. That’s talent that I can work with as opposed to the majority of the meat bags you administrative types assigned me for training.” Dinwiddie pointed at Jack then the two medics working on the infantryman Jack had decked. “This idiot’s got guts and brains if he was able to outwit the local authorities as often as you say he did. I want him assigned to my training company immediately.”
To Dinwiddie’s amazement the Major’s jaw actually dropped further before regained his composure. “Absolutely not! The paperwork has already been pushed through. It would take at least a week to get all the right forms and signatures to change anything now.” Major Smith indicated with a nod for the two AFP’s to pick Jack up.
Dinwiddie motioned for the Major to come closer and in a conspiratorial whisper said. “If you don’t get that soldier reassigned to my training company you're going to be spending tomorrow explaining to your wife why she suddenly has pictures of you and Colonel Andrew’s secretary in flagranti delicto at this last years Christmas Ball while she was at home nine months pregnant. If you’re lucky it would only tie up your military, private and social lives for six months minimum while a Military Judge decides which testicle she could have to shove down your lying throat.” Dinwiddie smiled for the first time in this conversation. “A week or six months of your time Major?”
The range of emotions that crossed the Major’s face ran the gambit. First shock, then anger, then fear, then anger again, then contemplative as Dinwiddie figured the major had started adding up the net worth of his prized possessions, subtracted the approximate amount of money his wife would insist was her half and then subtracted child support for the next seventeen years, and only after was defeat and acceptance.
There was no smile on the Major’s Face now when he looked at the Master Sergeant. “Alright you fucking bastard the transfer paperwork will be done first thing in the morning.”
Dinwiddie shook his head. “Tonight.”
The Major’s face flushed with anger once more. “I’m off duty now!”
Dinwiddie raised an eyebrow. “Are you?”
The Major’s shoulders slumped in resignation. “Alright…alright. I’ll get the paperwork off tonight.”
Dinwiddie clapped the man on the back. “Good. When the new orders come in make sure a copy is forwarded to me.” Dinwiddie motioned for the AFP’s to follow him. “Training company K.” said Dinwiddie over his shoulder as he started off toward a clump of buildings.
“Wait!” Screeched Major Smith, half in anger and half in fear.
Dinwiddie stopped and turned. “Yes Major?”
Major Smith moved in close again. “Ah…what about those pictures?”
Dinwiddie smacked himself in the forehead with the palm of his hand as if he had forgotten about them. “Oh, yes those. When I have the orders you get the pictures. Not before.” Dinwiddie waggled a finger under the Major’s nose then started toward the buildings once more; the AFP’s carrying Jack’s limp form grudgingly behind him.
***
When Jack regained consciousness yet again, the xylophone playing toddler in his head had apparently decided to join a duet. The pain throbbing at his temples was so horrendous that despite himself tears welled up in his eyes and began to flow freely down his bruised and scraped cheeks. Moments later a soft, cool wash cloth was placed over his forehead, the sting of a micro-needle on the back of his hand, and the soft crooning of a woman’s voice told him that everything would be okay.
A few minutes later the pain again dulled to an annoying ache. As he slowly opened his eyes the Nurse's face came into focus and her lovely brown eyes threatened to drink him in. Jack admired her moist lips and tried to memorize the gentle curve of her jaw line. Then surprising both of them Jack proposed to this healing goddess of modern medical practice. Smiling the Nurse wiped the tear streaks from his face with the now luke warm wash cloth.
“If I had a Credit for every time I have heard those words from a concussed man I would be the Princess.” She winked at Jack then turned and looked over her shoulder. “Master Sergeant Dinwiddie, he’s awake.” Despite the medication a stern voice jolted through Jacks abused head.
“Good. Can he sit up?” The Nurse helped Jack into a sitting position on the small couch the two AFP’s had unceremoniously and literally dropped his limp body on. Finally in the upright and semi swaying position Jack was faced toward an older gray haired man with a tanned and slightly wrinkled face. It was his eyes though that really caught Jacks attention. He had only ever seen eyes like the man he sat in front of one other time and that was when he had the unfortunate luck to cross paths with an assassin. The eyes were cold, calculating, wary, and deadly. Luckily for Jack this man was apparently more interested in some sort of photographs than knifing him in his sleep.
“Is he going to live?” asked Dinwiddie not taking his eyes off of the photos.
“Unfortunately for him, yes. I’m going to have one of the attending Physicians prescribe a pain killer for his head and an ointment for the abrasions. They should be delivered by messenger in about an hour if we are lucky.” The Nurse said, gathering up various instruments and packing them back into a medical bag. “If something changes have someone ring the infirmary.” She closed the bag, gave a little wave and another wink to Jack then left leaving feverish mental pictures parading through Jacks mind. Who knew a woman could look so damn sexy in medical scrubs.
The man slowly slid the pictures into an old fashioned paper envelope and setting them on the desk; he stood, came around to the front of the desk to sit in front of Jack and stared for a long moment.
“You are either one hell of a risk taker or your just plain stupid.” said Dinwiddie. “Your damn lucky I tranq’ed you before you got too far outside the gate.”
“Yeah, why is that?” asked Jack none too politely while trying to remain upright. Dinwiddie walked to the window directly behind his desk and pushed a control that negated the light filter and gave way to an orange and yellow sunset. Dinwiddie pointed to the two gun turrets mounted on each side of the walkthrough gate.
“What the hell do you think those are for? Keeping people out?” Dinwiddie pushed another control to darken the window again and moved back to the front of the desk. “When you were brought in you were implanted with a sub dermal transponder for three reasons. The first is so that the bozo’s operations can keep track of your whereabouts during complex and highly volatile missions, the second it monitors and transmits essential vital statistics about your current fighting condition, and lastly it controls your access to various parts of this base most notably the entrance and egress points.” Dinwiddie smiled. “Basically it means you can’t run, you can’t hide, and it also tells us if you’re dead.”
Jack glared at the man. “So I’m fucking stuck here.”
Dinwiddie nodded. “That pretty much sums it up.”
“What the fuck did I do to deserve this shit.” Yelled Jack bolting upright off of the couch and launching himself at Dinwiddie who casually knocked Jack’s legs from underneath him; sending him sprawling to the concrete floor.
“You’re here now and all that concerns me is that you follow my orders and besides I could make it well worth your while.” Dinwiddie walked around the desk to sit in his chair again.
“What do you mean?” asked Jack cautiously picking himself up off the floor and planting himself back onto the couch.
“I run a sort of ...operation here. Suffice it to say that I take care of situations that certain wealthy and very powerful people, who would rather not use or trust the corrupt legal system, need taken care of. I do this in exchange for payment on completion of services rendered, divided between the certain talented individuals who assist with the work. I personally couldn’t give a rat’s ass about you but my current employer has a task which is a perfect fit to utilize your menial talent.”
Jack scowled. “Which talent is that?”
Dinwiddie smiled slowly while looking Jack squarely in the eyes. “Espionage.”
For the first time all day Jack found himself truly scared and in an instant Jack’s demeanor changed from angry and indignant defiance to cool and deadly wariness. No one knew about his past, he had made undoubtedly sure about that.
“Ahhhhh.” Said Dinwiddie picking up another folder off of his desk and tossing it into Jack’s lap. “You are not the first son of a bitch to change your appearance, Lay low, tinker with certain government records and go by an alias. Although I will admit you are one of the few who actually stay under the radar most of the time. Isn’t that right Renald Jobidiah Cazerandolf. Jack opened the folder and glanced at the first page which showed an abbreviated history of his whereabouts over the past few years as well as his criminal history.
“I left the business and I’m not going to do it again.” Said Jack pushing the pain aside in his mind so he could focus on a slightly fuzzy Dinwiddie.
“See that’s where you’re wrong. I told you once kid that one day you were going to wake up and realize that what you want to do and what you’re going to do are two different things and either don’t fucking interest me.” Jack stared open mouthed, memories from a past life coming to the forefront of his vision, surfacing like a giant leviathan awoken after a few millennia sleep. “No fucking way…you…you can’t be…he’s dead.” Dinwiddie smiled slowly.
“BOO!” Dinwiddie lunged forward and was satisfied when Jack jumped and tried to bury himself farther into the cushions on the couch. “I told you that you were not the only one to successfully disappear.” Dinwiddie sat back down and folded his hands over his head. “Look, I have a problem and until recently I could not for the life of me figure out how I was going to solve it.” Dinwiddie smiled again.
“You’re an asshole Eric.” Growled Jack “And to think I even thought about sending flowers to your funeral.”
“Look, it wasn’t your fault. The job was engineered to go south and to be honest I was ready for a change of pace.” Dinwiddie shook his head. “A nyway, I need your help Caz and frankly you’re the only one I know I can trust to make sure the jobs that I need get done. The operation that I’m a part of here is legit, black ops type of shit. Four of my best people have been killed and I’ve been ordered to find the problem and fix it. I need your help and from what I’ve heard you could use a change of pace. Jesus Christ man! What’s with the wimpy pussed out act you’ve been doing lately anyway.”
Jack ran a hand over his bruised, abraded face and quickly regretted it. “Dunno, something to try, I’m tired of living the “Nomadic life” I guess.” He stood and gingerly paced the small room.
Dinwiddie laughed “You crossed the wrong people I am assuming. Someone who your tricks wouldn't work on perhaps.” Jack slouched and stared into space. “Not really. I guess I’m getting old.”
“Old my ass you son of a bitch. Look. I need help and having you dropped into my lap lessens the pressure of having to try and sneak another greenhorn into a bad situation.”
“Wait, how did you know it was me? No one knows who I was.”
“Let's just say that I had a hunch and some information suggesting you or someone with skills comparable to yours might be in the area.”
“That’s it?”
“Yep.”
“No way out of this?”
“Nope.”
“All right, Tell me what you want and I'll think about it.” asked Jack sitting back down on the couch.
“First, quit the pussy act. Second, I’ll need your equipment list. I’ve already started gathering some of the stuff I knew you would need from what I remember of the good ole days. Third, I’m in charge. No if, and, or buts about it. Orders come from no one except me with out a verification phrase known only to the two of us for confirmation. Exceptions are of course other ranking officers within your normal military duties with heavy emphasis on normal. We are ghosts, not officially sanctioned by the military, though we are required and requested to be...” Eric made quotes with his fingers. “Respectful of the Military regulations and ranks. They of course...” He made the quote gesture again. “Respect our regulations and ranks. Though technically you will outrank anyone on this base besides me and one or two other people.”
“Then who does sanction us? You said this is legit.”
Dinwiddie thought for a few moments before answering. “The Queens themselves.”
Jack laughed out loud then regretted it as his laughter turned to yelps of pain. “Ow…Yeah, right. The Queens. Does Santa Claus sign our checks?”
Dinwiddie stood and rounded the desk, touched a spot on the back of his right hand and a small holograph of the seal of the Royal Armed Forces appeared in front of Jack. “Verify Ident. Wolf Zero One.” There was a soft chime and the holograph changed into an all familiar symbol of Power and Jack’s mouth dropped open again.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Jack stared at the badge floating in front of him. “You’re a Royal Guard! This is a story I have got to hear!”
Dinwiddie shook his head. “No. I am the Spy-Master for Queen Endrianna. I'll answer questions later. But I need to know if you are in?” Dinwiddie touched the spot on his hand and the badge disappeared.
Jack thought about it for a long while. “Steady Pay?”
“Regular salary provided by the AF supplemented by bonuses from the various jobs we get done. Nothing over the top mind you but enough to comfortably live off of.”
“Give me two good reasons why I should.”
“I’ll kill you where you stand then hide the body where no one will ever find it. The second is that you really don’t have any reason not to. No family, hardly any friends and no girl friend or boy friend. It’s been awhile since I knew that much about you to guess. Oh, yeah and of course you have no money to speak of.”
Jack nodded slightly. “You do realize that once my head quits pounding I’m going to kick your ass from here to next Friday.”
Dinwiddie laughed and slapped Jack on the back causing him to wince in pain. “Welcome to the Armed Forces Recruit.”
Chapter 3
The barracks smelled of sweat, blood and dirt. Jack’s stomach threatened to toss whatever cookies he had eaten the night before. “This place is a pig sty. I thought the military was supposed to instill order in the chaos of ones mind?” Clothes, electronics, message flexies, and other detritus blanketed the beds and storage trunks of nearly every cot in the room.
“Hell no. We rather like chaos with in the recruits. Keeps them from actually thinking, which can be dangerous.” Jack thought about that for a moment then nodded. He himself had realized how dangerous thinking could be. Shoot first, run away next as the saying goes.
“Where do I bunk, where is the shower, and some fresh clothes.” asked Jack gingerly touching his temples. Eric pointed to a bunk in the corner of the room. “The storage trunk has a few things and is already keyed to your DNA. Oh and if you lift the bottom you'll find some toys.”
Jack laid down on the bunk and closed his weary eyes. “Jack, I'm making you the Team Captain such as it is. The last asshole that thought he could control a bunch of lowlifes like this died in his sleep. Of course the knife in his back didn't help either. I'll help where I can but your going to have to be the one to pull this new group together. Like I said no more of this pussy shit. One of these yahoos needs taking down take'em down. Someone not working out you let me know and I'll take care of it. I'm giving you a month to get your shit together.”
Eric turned and headed toward the door. “Showers are left out the door and two buildings down and the RAF Store is the building straight ahead, you can get spare clothes and almost anything else legal there.” Eric stopped at the door. “We muster at six in the morning out side the barracks. Given the situation you'll miss tomorrow and I'll meet with you to go over some things, give you your assignment, and you'll be re-chipped which will bypass the Fort Security Systems when necessary. Be warned. If you run, I'll find you and feed you to the palace dogs. It'll also allow us to communicate when necessary. Now get some sleep.” Jack listened as Eric left the building and he reached over and hit the button that activated the semi-privacy shield. He fell asleep as all the sounds of the outside world were silenced.
_
The shower was cold. Very cold. Jack stood under the shower head and let the icy coldness seep into his skin and muscles until the pain of the various other injuries faded and the needle like cold droplets stinging his skin from the heavily mineral encrusted shower head overrode any other pain signals.
“Jack?” said a female voice from behind him. He didn't turn around. “I have something to help the pain.” He opened one eye. The Nurse from yesterday stood just outside the shower cubicle holding a medi-ampule.
Shutting off the water he walked toward her taking each step very carefully until he stood naked and dripping in front of her, staring into her eyes. Gently she reached toward him and played her fingers up and down his arm feeling the deceptively solid muscle tone. Jack shivered as the medication from the medi-ampule entered his blood stream and the many pains subsided once again to a dull ache.
“Better?” she asked as Jack blinked not realizing he had closed his eyes.
“Thank you.” he said and moved to grab a towel from the rack just beside the door. The Nurse smiled glancing down. “My pleasure. You will need to come by the infirmary later for a checkup.” She turned and walked out of the showers followed by the two guards he had bested yesterday at the gate glaring evilly at him. She stopped just before the exit and called over her shoulder. “My name is Jayla.” Then she left.
Dressing in the uniform he had requisitioned from the store he exited the showers and started for the building that housed Dinwiddie's office. He knocked and Dinwiddie's voice answered. Entering he saw Eric hunched over a terminal, the light from the screen playing shadows across his face. He motioned for Jack to take a seat on the couch.
“Damn bureaucratic paperwork never stops.” The screen blacked out and Dinwiddie sat back rubbing his eyes for a moment before focusing on Jack. “Did you sleep well?” Jack shrugged. “Well enough I guess. What's this job you were talking about?” Dinwiddie tossed another of the paper folders that he apparently preferred to use as opposed to a flexie or some other electronic media. Jack opened the folder and perused the contents for a moment before looking at Dinwiddie.
“It looks like an inventory or some sort of requisition list.” said Jack flipping through the pages.
“Right. It's an acquisition list for a black market dealer somewhere either in town or here on base. I'm told the parts themselves are relatively harmless but the list added together makes this.” Dinwiddie handed Jack another sheet. Jack glanced at the paper, then looked again with more interest.
“A compact assault weapon...” Jack looked at Dinwiddie. “Interesting...but several different types have already been introduced into the field.”
Dinwiddie nodded and pointed to the diagram. “Yes, but the problem with this one is the powersource.” Jack perused the diagram again...and then again...and then again. He looked up warily. “There isn't one...and there isn't even a port for an external powersource.” Dinwiddie snapped his fingers and stood up. “Boys over BATs tell me this thing isn't powered at all. It operates like a goddamed sling shot.” Dinwiddie leaned over and indicated a spot on the diagram. “This is some sort of magnetic amplifier and this is the trigger. Pull it and it kicks a slug into the shoot and wham-o next thing you know the guy across from you has holes where his brain once was.”
“Yeah but it would take an amplifier the size of a tank and a barrel as long as two null grav football fields to get the slug up to speed. It's impossible in this size of gun.” said Jack placing the papers and file on the small table in front of him.
“Well, the techs are still slitting each others throats trying to analyze this but I get the feeling from what some of them were saying that this part is alien.” Dinwiddie walked around the desk and pointed to a small square toward the end of the firing chamber itself. Jack turned to Dinwiddie. “Which aliens?” Dinwiddie shrugged? “Not any that we are familiar with at this moment.”
Jack sat back and closed his eyes, thinking. “How did you get the list and the diagram?” Dinwiddie sighed. “Usual way. Someone came across the wrong information and passed it along to us just before they died.” Jack shrugged. “Has anyone seen the weapon being used?” Dinwiddie shook his head. “Not anyone that has lived anyway.” Jack sat quietly for a while.
“Who do we have that we can put into the black market in town?” Dinwiddie thought for a moment? “Josef and Hamill.”
Dinwiddie walked over to a spot on the wall and touched a hidden panel. The panel slid aside and Dinwiddie shuffled through some papers until he found what he wanted. He handed two more folders to Jack. “Josef Queld and Natalie Hamill. Two of the best infiltrators I've seen in years, including you of course.” Jack raised an eyebrow and Dinwiddie smiled. “One of these two should be who you need.” Jack perused the folders absorbing the information they held. He looked up at Dinwiddie. “Let me guess. Standard formation just like the good ole days?” said Jack standing up and letting the folders drop on to the couch.
“Hey it works. Two infiltrators, one E-tech, two bouncers, one sniper, one meditech, one demo and one Jack.” Dinwiddie flipped a playing card at Jack who caught it. It was the Jack of Spades. Jack looked sidelong at Dinwiddie as he headed for the door. “Let's introduce me to the team.”
–
Chapter 4
Jack looked at the motley crew of “Soldiers” that had been hastily arranged in front of him. Jack suddenly wondered what had possessed him to agree to this ridiculous arrangement. Surely death was a welcome embrace. Of course the xylophone playing toddler was starting to pound away inside his skull again. Jack briefly wondered if he could get him to appear out of his head and join up. It would be a wonderful skill to use against someone like Dinwiddie. “Hey go get into that guy's head and start pounding away. No don't worry he'll love it!”
Dinwiddie saw the look that crossed Jack's face. “Now look. I got them. They are raw as a side of beef. You get to teach them and mold them. I'm having enough trouble with the political side of this stupid job. The nice part is that you get some time instead of the usual way of doing these things.” Jack glanced sideways and commented. “Yeah. Thrown to the wolves, screwup and someone kills you.”
Dinwiddie barked an order and the seemingly unimpressed bunch of recruits barely registered interest in the situation. Dinwiddie was about to bark another order when Jack almost imperceptibly motioned for him to remain silent. Moving quicker than he should have Jack grabbed the nearest and largest recruit to him that wasn't paying attention and in several quick movements threw the recruit into the rest of his peers. The sudden yelps of pain and groans was mildly uplifting as the most of the recruits sprawled to the ground.
“The Master Sergeant has asked for your attention. Get your asses up off the ground and into your ranks and stand at attention...quickly.” Jack said calmly watching the startled group pick itself up off the ground and roughly form up.
“When your Commander is speaking you will remain quiet and respectful. If you do not I will deal with you myself, severely. While there are other companies here on base that are more lenient in their adoption of the rules, I am not. You will do this at all times for any ranked officer or Team Captain. Do I make myself clear?” There was a barely audible series of affirmations.
Jack cocked his ear toward the group. “What was that?” The series of affirmations came a bit louder. Jack glowered at the group. “When you are asked a question there are only two answers. Yes, Sir. No, Sir. And your answers should be given at a volume to allow no misinterpretation of your answer. Do I make myself clear?”
A chorus of “Yes, Sir” came from the group and Jack nodded, turned and walked back to Dinwiddie's side. From the corner of his mouth Jack said “No, Time like the present.” Dinwiddie nodded. “No Shit.”
Dinwiddie addressed the group. “I see you have met your new team Captain. Captain Jack Caz will be taking over the daily tasks as assigned by myself. As you can tell he has a different and rather commendable take on Military service unlike most these days. He has been specially selected for his leadership abilities and strict adherence to the rules. You do as he says. You don't and we'll have words...after he's done with you.”
“Form Up!” said Jack
_________________
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