Human Legion: Marine Cadet Part 18

"A poss-ee...?" The voice box raised up the last syllable, indicating Pedro's confusion. Pedro must have been mulling over the word, looking it up probably, because when Arun grabbed his bike, the alien said: "You mean an affectionate term for the species Felis catus, especially those kept as a domesticated emotional symbiont?"

"No, I don't mean a frakking cat. P-O-S-S-E. Look it up." As he set off along the nest tunnel on the long journey back to his hab-disk, he called over his shoulder. "You wanted to learn something about humans. We have a saying: No Marine left behind. Watch and learn what that means, pal."

* Chapter 24 *

The cadet posse finally cornered Tawfiq, the Hardit bully, in a deserted pa.s.sageway off Corridor 710 on Level 5, not far from their old novice school.

Only Springer and Majanita had joined Arun. As a posse it was pathetic, but at 3-1 odds they didn't fear the lone Hardit as they closed in, blocking her and forcing her to acknowledge their presence. Arun still felt dangerously exposed, and kept glancing back over his shoulder.

When he'd returned from his talk with Pedro, Arun had scoured the hab-disk and battalion chow halls, looking for allies he could trust.

Most of his squad had been in gunnery practice, but Springer and Majanita had been studying in their dorm. Cristina had been there too, and tried to convince them of the insanity of their plan. But once Madge had heard what they'd done to Hortez, nothing would stand in her way. Not reason, that was for sure.

She'd listened to Arun for about three seconds before going to the dorm armory and helping herself to three flash-bombs. Then she went back and brought out six more, which she divided between Springer and Arun.

And now, here they were in a tense standoff with the murdering alien overseer.

Arun felt the pouch on his hip that bulged with the flash-bomb within.

He undid the pouch flap.

"I saw you earlier," he told the alien. "You're Tawfiq Woomer-Calix, aren't you?"

The Hardit gave no indication that she had heard Arun speak. She was looking up at the ceiling as if inspecting a dirty patch.

"We apologize," said Springer hurriedly.

What? Arun looked wide eyed at his friend.

"We do not have experience of interacting with your people," Springer continued. "Please accept our apologies. May we beg permission to converse with you?"

Arun was all for begging permission with his fists, but maybe Springer's way would yield results faster.

The Hardit slowly lowered her head and looked at Arun. "This one thinks I should recognize him," she growled in Hardit speech, a toneless voice translating at the same time into human words through a collar-mounted speaker. Unlike the clanking gears of Pedro's box, this translator was silent and hidden. It wasn't as convincingly human, though.

"All of you look identical," said the Hardit, "and that stench humans have of rotting cheese you stink worse than nest insects. I refuse to accept apologies. I speak with you because I want you gone and this best way to make you..." There was a pause as the alien selected the optimum translation. "Frakk off!"

"We have questions," said Arun. "About rumors we have heard concerning the human Aux. We would like to know whether they are true." He paused, but the alien gave no acknowledgment. She didn't give a refusal either, so he pressed on. "Is it true that your Aux team is given insufficient food to stay alive, their quarters so cramped that they cannot lie down to sleep, and that you sometimes kill your workers for reasons other than disobedience or treachery?"

It was hard to tell, but Tawfiq seemed to concentrate, to work through the translation. Then she reacted, bringing itself fully erect and confronting Arun.

The alien was a head shorter than the cadets but she yielded nothing to her taller accuser as she raised her head so that her snout almost rubbed on his chin. She breathed out through a wall of teeth, blowing a smell his way that was rich and meaty, and beginning to choke the back of Arun's throat.

The cadets hadn't thought this through. Arun was acutely aware of that, but he couldn't back down in front of this arrogant murderer. "Are the rumors true?" he pressed.

"I do not deny them."

Arun was trying to work out whether that meant yes or no when Madge took over. "We want a.s.surances," she insisted. "The humans are to be well treated. Enough s.p.a.ce to sleep properly as becomes our species. Enough food for them to be healthy. A shower once a week and an end to the killings."

Tawfiq breathed again into Arun's face. He got the feeling it was meant as the ultimate insult. The Hardit ignored Madge's words.

"We have ample food and shelter," said Springer, "and we can share what we have. Let's work something out. If your workers were healthier and happier they would be more productive. Surely that would be to your benefit."

Tawfiq stepped back. "I have indulged your foolishness." She wrinkled her nose. "And your stench. Now stand aside or face the consequences."

That was it! Arun snapped. He brought his flash-bomb out of his pouch and brandished it in front of the murdering veck. "Do you know what this is, alien?"

"We wish no confrontation," said Springer.

"What my comrade says is still just about true," added Arun. "But the prospect of confrontation is feeling better by the second."

"Our two species are allies," said Springer. "But we humans are trained to kill, Hardit. It is what we have been bred for. I think with these flash-bombs we can fight and hurt you without killing. But we might not be able to control our violent nature."

"Yeah," said Madge. "Shall we find out?" She drew out her flash-bomb. "These devices stun enemy soldiers. They give out such noise, light and radiation that they can fry unhardened enemy targeting systems. Show us your human workers. Show us where they live. Let us talk with them, or we shall find out what these bombs do to you."

"You would not dare, human."

"We give you ten seconds," said Madge.

The Hardit folded her arms and looked at the ceiling.

"Nine," said Madge Was this an enormous mistake?

"Eight."

Madge sounded impatient to finish her countdown. But she hadn't experienced the glare of an angry Jotun. Arun was in no hurry to explain to Colonel Little Scar that he'd attacked a Hardit.

"Seven."

Arun glanced at Springer. He could see she wasn't sure either, but she was bringing out her own flash-bomb.

"Six."

He'd like to think they were a band of gallant adventurers, living up to the Marine motto.

"Five."

Never leave a Marine behind.

"Four."

But they'd been flung into this confrontation on the crest of a wave of bl.u.s.ter and indignation.

"Three."

Where would that wave spill them when it broke?

"Two."

Was it too late to back out now?

"One."

Madge's hand twitched but she did nothing. She must have had the same doubts all along. Springer stayed her hand too.

"You are as weak as you are stupid," sneered the Hardit. "It is your cowardice that enables us to exterminate you like the vermin you are."

Arun grabbed the flash-bombs from Springer and Majanita, and dashed all three to the ground.

* Chapter 25 *

The flash-bomb was so loud that the noise reached inside Arun's ears and twisted his poor brain into knots, squeezing out his awareness like sweat wrung from a sodden s.h.i.+rt. Arun had turned his head away from the blast just before it went off. Even so, the flash was bright enough to bore through the rear of his skull and sear a white patch onto the back of his retinas.

Unlike the Hardit veck hopefully the cadets had experienced flash-bombs many times before. After a few seconds, Arun's brain untwisted and the after-image of the flash began to flake away. Only a high-pitched wail continued, rising in pitch and volume to unbearable levels.

Every ounce of pain ever experienced by every sentient in the history of the galaxy was distilled into that banshee screech.

Arun opened his eyes and looked in wonder upon Tawfiq. She hadn't collapsed to the ground, hadn't even covered her ears or eyes. The alien just stood there, screeching that wail. Suddenly all three of the Hardit's eyes rolled back far enough to show the optic nerve. Then they began to dance crazily in their sockets.

Tawfiq's scream crescendoed, making Arun flinch. It was not a remotely human noise, more like a percussion drill shattering gla.s.s.

"Did we go too far?" asked Springer.

"No," replied Madge.

"Not far enough," added Arun. He spat on the alien.

"But how can we negotiate with it?" hissed Springer, the scream setting her teeth on edge. "That is why we're here, isn't it?"

Before Arun could reply, a change came over Tawfiq like a fever breaking. Her eyeb.a.l.l.s snapped back into focus glaring at Arun.

"Frakkk-kk-kkk. Frakkk-kkk-kk. Frakkkkk. Frakk. You. Human. Filth!"

"It speaks," said Arun.

Tawfiq raised her lips, revealing the full length of her fangs. She snarled.

"Do we have your attention, darling?" asked Madge. "We have plenty more bombs..."

Arun glanced across at his cadet corporal. She was giving the pitiful creature a sultry smile. This was more like the girl who had been his friend.

"Human sc.u.m. You will learn your place. Veck. Veck."

Madge admonished with a wagging finger. "Naughty girl. And such rude words too. Don't we think that's the kind of bad att.i.tude that got you into trouble in the first place? Hmm?"

"Give it another bomb, corporal," Arun suggested.

"Not so hasty," she said. "I've read up on animal training techniques. I reckon I can tame it." She threw a patronizing smile at the Hardit. "You are bad furry thing. If furry thing do bad things to humans, we make furry thing scream with these."

She brought out another two bombs from her pouch.

Tawfiq ceased her snarling and licked her lips nervously, her gaze never leaving the bombs.

"Not so brave when humans bite back, are you?" sneered Arun. He brought out a pair of bombs himself.

"Easy!" Springer put a hand over his arm. "Let's get our demands met. Don't push it."

Arun took a calming breath, but the heat of his anger would not cool. This skangat of an alien was reducing Hortez to a sniveling wreck, and murdering the Aux in her charge.

No, he would not take it easy.

He flourished both bombs in front of the alien's face. "I wonder what would happen if I set these off right in front of your eyes?"

"Shall we find out?" added Madge.

Arun leered at the alien, loving this. It was more than just sweet revenge. Since making cadet, he'd felt pushed ever further to the edge of the squad. Now he was in the thick of things, and Madge was backing him up for once.

He squeezed the bombs against the alien's eyes.

"No. No. Please," begged Tawfiq. She curled her tail into a circle. Was that a submission gesture? "Please let me speak first."

Arun withdrew the bombs a short distance. The alien touched a stud on her collar and then stared into s.p.a.ce for a few moments before explaining: "I have summoned an Aux worker so that I may demonstrate the new way of things."

"I don't like this," said Springer.

"You worry too much," said Madge.

"Really? I don't think you worry enough, corporal. Look at her," Springer gestured at Tawfiq. "She's not cowed. She's just buying time."

"Is this one of your visions, cadet?" Madge sneered.

Springer seethed, but said nothing.