Starlight Gleaming Ch. 17

"I'll arrange it."

We talked about training schedules and he gave advice on how to approach the Ground Security CO and some of his officers. With his input, I set up meetings with them over the next few days. Since Janetta had my vehicle, I checked the parking lot for duty vehicles, and checked one out from the Ground Security clerk keeping watch on the place. He was happy to have something to do.

After picking up Sowitwee, we took three cruisers. Killayana led the way in his own vehicle, and Doyya and I followed. We soon arrived at the Ground Security Stockade.

As I expected, the interview with Laroks went quickly. With the doors to the interview closed, I asked Sowitwee to step into the Observation Room and make sure no one else stepped in.

"Sir." And he left.

I asked Laroks to renew his oath to the service, which he promptly did. I reinstated him to his previous grade, and then asked him if he wanted to see his wife and daughter.

"More than anything," he said, his voice full of emotion.

"You are already aware, I presume, that she's pregnant?"

He nodded. "Voyacherno used my daughter to get her cooperation. Threatened to sell my child to the draconians. I knew she had no choice."

Doyya blanched at that revelation.

"Do you know what happens to children sold to the draconians?" I asked him.

"They raise them to become sex slaves..." he trailed off as I shook my head.

"They buy them as food, Lieutenant."

He looked at Doyya for confirmation, and she nodded.

Suddenly pale, he reached down and grabbed the trash bin, and worked on emptying his stomach. He did a good job.

Doyya handed him a napkin and bottle of water after he was finished, which he gratefully accepted.

After taking a drink, he asked hoarsely, "When can I see them?"

"Where's your vehicle?"

"At work."

"Doyya, drive him to work and see if his vehicle is still there. If not, sign him out a vehicle, and both of you come back here. Loroks, when you get back, your family should be ready to meet with you. Right now, they are still getting checked out by the medical teams to make sure they are okay. Hurry back, both of you."

I sat through a few more interrogations in observation until Doyya returned. Laroks was directed to where his wife and daughter were staying, and I dismissed him.

The success rate among the Air Security officers was much lower. As I expected. Most of the men remaining were either criminals or willing to turn a blind eye to anything, and I wanted neither sort in my command. The criminals would get punished, and the others would be transferred out.

At sixteen hundred hours, I let Ground Security know that I was done for the day. The senior medical tech and the interrogation officer agreed, as they did have other tasks to tackle. Fortunately, we'd made a dent in the numbers. We'd resume after lunch the next day, as Doyya and I needed to be at work when people arrived.

As we walked to our vehicles, Doyya asked, "Can we get a priest to come in and purify the office?"

"Okay. You pick the priest and put in the request with the Chaplain's Office. I'll sign it and the payment authorization."

"Thank you, sir."

"I need to head home and pick up Janetta. The rest of the family comes in tonight."

She smiled at that. "It'll be good to have them back here."

"Tomorrow, I need to get the authorizations for the promotions signed and into their personnel jackets. Have Chita write up the forms to give Laroks the pay differential for his reduction. It won't make up for anything, but it'll ease their living situation. After orientation with the people tomorrow, there's going to be a settling process. Ground Security is still taking the entire load for the base, but we need to start doing our share soon. Starting day after tomorrow, you and I will be in meetings. And I'm starting to get notices from C&C about reports that are due, meetings I'm supposed to attend. Is Chita going to be here tomorrow morning?"

"I believe so, sir. We were so busy catching up and talking about what happened, that I actually forgot to ask her, so I don't know for sure. I'll find out tonight."

"So you are spending a lot of time together?"

"Uh, well, we're roommates now."

"Huh. Is it working out?"

She tried to hide it, but she blushed a little as she smiled. "It's better than I expected."

"Then you have a place of your own, then? Make sure you send me your address."

Since Doyya was an officer, she couldn't stay with Chita at the Enlisted Women's Barracks, and for the same reason, Chita couldn't stay with Doyya at the Bachelor Women's Officer Quarters.

Then I stopped. "Seven hells!"

Doyya and Sowitwee looked me. We were at our vehicles.

"What's wrong, sir?" she asked.

"I just realized what I did to Yalcamara and Stimmi. Where did they sleep last night?"

"I don't know, sir."

Sowitwee cleared his throat. "They slept in their cruiser, sir."

"What?" we both exclaimed.

"Stimmi told me when we went to get lunches. They were able to go in and get showered and changed in the morning, but she couldn't stay overnight in their old room and had to place else to stay. He chose to stay with her."

I rolled my eyes and dug out my wallet. "Doyya, take my charge card and go to the office. Get them down to Housing and into a place before Housing closes, and use my card to pay the fees and first month's rent. They can pick a new place after they get their paychecks at their new pay rates. But this bollocks-up is my doing, and I need to make it right. They need a place to live. Unfortunately, I can't be there to do it myself. Send me their new address to my phone. And when you're done, pick up Chita. and I want all four of you have dinner on me."

"Sir!"

"It's the least I can do. If they fuss, tell all three of them I ordered it. I'll see you in the morning, Captain."

"Night, Commander. And thank you."

"Safe flight and safe return, Doyya."

We got in our vehicles and drove our separate ways.

As I drove us home, I said, "Thank you, Sowitwee."

"Wit's fine, sir." But he smiled at the compliment.

"Do you like it shortened? I know Nariya calls you that, but she's your wife, and she's entitled to certain liberties. I'm your commanding officer, but I don't want to presume on your preferences."

"It's fine, sir."

"Then thank you, Wit. Over this coming weekend, I want to hear about how things went at Tikún. And I want to know if she was hurt while she was there, too, and if you know it, by whom."

"Begging your pardon, sir, but isn't that her place to tell you or not?"

"She's my Second, Wit. But even if she weren't, she's in my command, and I want to know if my people are happy, sad, angry, hurt, whatever. She may or may not say anything. Women tend to not talk about assaults because it happens so often. Just like if anyone threatened you or Nariya or your unborn baby, I want to know so that I can try and put a stop to it. I know you'd do anything to protect them, Wit. But some of what happens to you will because of me. You are my Aide, so you have a lot of undefined job duties that we still need to work out. But like with Captain Lovyanchiti, you are also my responsibility."

"Yes, sir. "

"By the way, I'm sorry we trapped you and Nariya in the kitchen last night."

"You knew we were there?"

"I heard you shush her when she came in from the garage. I appreciated your discretion. If you had tried to sneak by, she would have seen you. That woman has phenomenal eyesight. She probably knows you were there, too, but has decided that since she didn't see you, you were safely tucked away in your room."

"I understand, sir."

I pulled up in front the house. As we got out, I added, "They went shopping today, Wit, and they probably did a lot. We're going to pick up the family later, but if Nariya's overdone it, make her stay home."

More sure of himself, he smiled. "I will, sir."

"And unless I ask you specifically to do something, when we're home, you are on free time. Spend it with your wife, on a hobby, whatever."

At the doorway, I checked the handle. Locked. I nodded in approval.

"Welcome home, Commander Kandikan and Sergeant Sowitwee." The computer voice startled me.

The door clicked. I tried it, and it was now open. "House AI, did you just open the door for me?"

"Affirmative, Commander. I detected the handle being tried and scanned for intruders. I recognize you both and so determined that you are allowed entry. Do you wish to make a change to my decision?"

"No, you did fine. Thank you." We entered the home.

"You're welcome, Commander. Do you wish me to tell you where Captain Tlacotli is?"

"Not normally, no. Only when I specifically ask."

"Protocol updated."

Standing in the foyer, we both spotted Nariya sitting at the table, hand on her belly, resting on a chair. She looked worn out.

Janetta came downstairs at a brisk pace. "Come on, Nariya! We need to go or we're going to be late!"

"Wit, you stay here and take care of her. When we get home, you can help us unload."

Nodding, he said, "Thank you, sir." Then he went to see his wife.

Approaching Janetta, she offered her cheek to me. "Make it quick, as I want to be on the tarmac before their wheels hit the ground."

I pulled her into my arms. "I missed you, too." Then I kissed her on the lips.

She made a small noise of pleasure, then pushed me away. "I'm driving."

"So am I. There's probably more luggage than what will carry everyone and fit in the back of the ChoCac. I have a cruiser which we can also load up."

She grinned. "That's planning. Good job, ground support. Let's hit sky." She headed to the garage, while I went back outside to the cruiser, backed it up so Janetta could get out, and waited for her.

Out she came, then to my astonishment, zoomed off, lights and siren going!

I followed, adding lights, but finding the need for a siren more than I could justify. I had to work to keep up with her. She does like to speed.

We arrived in plenty of time, waiting on the edge of the field, both lights still on.

A Ground Security patrol came over and checked us out. Once I explained we were waiting for a plane, they moved along.

On a hunch, I flipped the radio frequency over and picked up tower air traffic.

"You can do that?" Janetta asked.

I grinned. "I have many talents."

"That I know. Because of one, I've been walking funny all day."

I laughed and she joined me.

So we sat in the cruiser, both doors open and waited. I scooted in and reached for her hand.

I saw the hesitation, then her decision to relax and let me. I told her quietly, "Thank you."

"I'm still getting used to you being a field commander, Ranji. I'm twenty-two, and I'm a captain. That's rare. You are two steps above me, and that's fucking unheard of. Between the Protection Order and your grade, I'm actually starting to feel somewhat safe. And that's a huge thing, Ranji. Huge."

I nodded. I didn't need to comment. She'd said it all.

Ten minutes later, we heard Flight 212 opening communications with High Guard. I recognized his voice at almost the same time as he identified himself. Senior Lieutenant Zim Blaychan, and Lieutenants Canbatca and Altyun. I felt myself relax a bit. With the experience Janetta and I had with the Grey Bastards the day before, I hadn't realized I was worried for them. Zim was a good pilot and had a good crew.

"You're smiling," she observed.

I explained that Zim and his men were the ones I rode with when I'd first arrived, and I'd given them a hand getting the Condor down.

"He's the pilot bringing them here?" She blinked, looked away, then back at me. "So you're telling me your first time piloting a Condor, the pilot was blind and the co-pilot was stuck in the latrine with a burned ass? Fuck, Ranji. Gods of North and South."

"It's not like I was a newbie. I have a lot of hours logged on the Albatross, and I'm certified on the Sunskipper. I'm not combat qualified, but I did manage to avoid four SAM missiles not so long ago -- though the tower of rocks did help save me."

"You may be ground support, but you're really aren't a ground-pounder." Then she squeezed my hand as she smiled at me.

From Janetta, that was a serious compliment. "Sit closer, please?"

She rolled her eyes, but did it, and once I half-turned, she leaned against my chest. I put my arms around her and she relaxed further. It felt good, being there together like that. Comfortable and intimate while also casual.

We listened as they periodically updated the tower, and then twenty minutes later came in for their landing. Their ETA was close to an hour late, but once they landed, we both sat up and started grinning.

Janetta got out and into the ChoCac wagon and waited. Once we saw which terminal it was moving toward, we began to move. Keeping to the edge of the field as we drove, to avoid the aircraft landing and taking off.

People were already disgorging down the ramp when we arrived. We parked behind the sergeant from Housing and the Ground Security we'd seen earlier.

"Attention!" one of the Ground Security said over the loudspeaker. "Do not depart yet. There is a new base-wide order each of you needs to be apprised of. Please get checked in and wait a moment."

Almost a hundred men and women got off, and about half were navy. The rest were a mix. And near the end came our family.

"Stand with me," I told Janetta.

"Why?"

"Because they are going to want to hug, and you might as well get in on the group hug at the start."

She grumbled a bit, but did as I asked.

Once the passengers were assembled, the Ground Security announced the Protection Order. More than a few faces were startled, and several of the women were actually stunned.

While they waited to get checked in, the looks I got from my family spoke volumes. There was such pride and love in their faces.

Sisi tugged at Zinja's hand. "Can I give Tenant a hug? Please? He's waiting for it."

Zinja nodded, and Sisi dashed to me.

Kneeling down, I scooped her up, doing my best not to squeeze her too tight, yet show her how much I loved her.

The rest of our family approached.

"Hi, Tenant! Here's your hug. Did you make it safe for us to come home?"

Janetta leaned close and brushed my daughter's hair from her face. "He did, Sisi. That he most certainly did."

"I love you, Tenant."

I couldn't help it. The tears just came and I hugged Sisi again. Then I was surrounded by even more hugs.

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