Amantus
Copyright© 2026 by QM
Chapter 5
Amantus barely managed to dodge the fist by tugging hard on Parse’s arm, overbalancing him. Releasing the arm, Amantus took advantage of the man’s struggle to remain upright and punched him hard in the stomach, remembering what the legionary troopers had passed on to him and attempting to punch through to the other side of Parse. It worked, and with an explosive whoop of exhaled air, Parse collapsed before vomiting up his last meal.
The owner of the premises had rushed out at this time, holding a handset and calling the guards, though she appeared surprised that the fight was over so quickly. “Station Security has been called. I ask you not to leave!” she requested.
Seeing no way out of it, Amantus and Mabis remained, even as Parse’s ‘friends’ slunk away unnoticed by the owner, though not Amantus. Station Security arrived quickly and hauled the still-down Parse away to a medical centre before questioning Amantus, Mabis, the owner, and other witnesses about what had happened, and reviewing a video feed.
“I’m releasing you on your own recognisance,” the senior officer in security said. “It’s clear that this was an unprovoked attack.”
“Thank you,” Amantus replied politely.
“I will, however, be reporting it to the FleetSec office, so expect an enquiry when you return to your ship.”
“Understandable,” Amantus sighed.
Amantus and Mabis returned to the ship, though they were logged in without incident, and it was several rotations later that Amantus was summoned to a small conference room where he found Mabis, as well as Commander Zaka, Commander Ticce and Lieutenant Commander Collis, Mabis’s senior officer. Amantus snapped off a salute and remained at attention until he was ordered to sit.
“We’ve received a report from FleetSec on an incident in the station involving you two and Midshipman Parse of engineering,” Zaka said. “Parse is still hospitalised, though FleetSec has interviewed him and he claims you attacked him without cause.”
“Midshipman Parse attempted to grab Midshipman Mabis, and I restrained his arm,” Amantus replied. “He then attempted to assault me, and I dealt with him.”
“Quite effectively,” Collis chuckled. “Though his internal injuries will take a binary cycle to repair.”
“Why did you use such extreme violence?” Ticce, as the neutral party, asked.
“It was not intentional,” Amantus admitted. “I simply emulated the training our troopers are given.”
“Ah...” Zaka exhaled.
“He prevented an assault on me by a man who would not take my disinterest in him seriously,” Mabis added.
“Yes, you’ve reported unwanted approaches three times,” Collis nodded. “Though this is the first time violence has resulted.”
“I think he saw Midshipman Amantus as a rival,” Mabis replied.
“It does appear that way,” Ticce agreed.
“I agree,” Zaka nodded. “Though Midshipman Amantus’s status means the incident will be logged in his datafile and may be used for future reference should other cases involving him arise.”
“A man defends my honour yet has to be logged as a potential thug?” Mabis asked dryly.
“Those are the rules we have to ascribe to,” Zaka shrugged. “If FleetSec weren’t involved, we’d probably have brushed it out of the airlock.”
“It’s OK,” Amantus shrugged. “I was aware that the system is gamed against me.”
“It is,” Zaka sighed. “Any incident, however small, is logged in your datafile, but only in a way to make you less than ideal.”
“It is what it is.”
“Midshipman Amantus, this tribunal finds you not guilty of aggravated assault and commends you on your defence of a fellow officer,” Zaka continued. “It will, however, issue a verbal warning in the accidental use of excessive force in your defence.”
“Sir,” Amantus saluted.
“You are to be fined a day’s pay, and will remain confined to the Lignet for the duration of our stay at Dephrar.”
“Yes, sir,” Amantus grimaced.
“That’s about the best we can do, Fleet regulations actually permit us to confine you to the brig without pay until a tribunal of senior officers on Gevase is assembled.”
“I understand, sir.”
“Rest assured, the senior officers know the truth of what happened, and it will not affect your training or standing on the Lignet,” Zaka finished.
Recognising this as a dismissal, Amantus and Mabis stood, saluted and left the room. “So unfair,” Mabis muttered as they headed to the canteen.
“Well, now you know why I tend to remain calm,” Amantus chuckled. “Not that I would permit any man to lay a hand on you.”
“Thanks,” Mabis nodded. “Wonder what they’ll do to Parse?”
“Possible transfer?” Amantus shrugged. “I doubt he’ll enjoy the crew knowing what it was he tried.”
“True, the females at least will never trust him near them.”
“I suspect he’ll not travel out with us when we depart,” Amantus replied. “We’ll be gone in three days after the award ceremony.”
Amantus and Mabis enjoyed a meal at the canteen and were eventually joined by Crendon, who was keen to get the unedited story from them both.
“It’s all over the grapevine,” Crendon informed them. “According to some rumours, you nearly killed him.”
“I only hit him once,” Amantus frowned.
“Seriously?”
Mabis explained what had happened to Crendon’s growing disbelief, though Amantus realised several of the crew, both officers and crew, were also listening in. “In the end, Amantus was fined for excessive force and confined to the ship,” she concluded. “Despite only defending me.”
“He had it coming,” Crendon nodded. “Parse, that is.”
“He did, he just wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
“Just how strong are you, Amantus?” Crendon asked.
“I’m not sure, though I do work out in the trooper gym every dead shift,” Amantus replied.
“You should see his bod,” Mabis giggled. “He’s seriously ripped.”
“What’s with the gym?” Crendon asked.
“I’ve always been into keeping fit,” Amantus chuckled. “The ladies like someone with a bit of stamina.”
“Only you avoid women now,” Crendon pointed out.
“It’s a break during my study time,” Amantus shrugged. “The entertainment room holds no interest for me.”
“Ah, that’s why I’ve never seen you there?” Mabis smiled.
“You avoid it yourself because of Parse,” Crendon chuckled.
“True, I’m now planning on going to the gym with Amantus to tighten a few things up,” Mabis giggled. “I’m sure my boyfriend will appreciate it.”
“Mind if I join you?”
“I’ve no objection,” Amantus shrugged. “Just be careful when lifting weights; the troopers have enhanced physiques and can lift stuff you can’t.”
“Good advice, thanks.”
The Lignet left Dephrar Station with a mostly happy crew, all except Amantus had received ‘prize money’ though there were some like Crendon and Mabis who were unhappy at the fact that he hadn’t. Amantus, however, hadn’t been surprised by this, having finally received a copy of the contract he had been required to sign, finding several caveats written into it, though he realised there were several loopholes too, including one where he could request his disciplinary record expunged after a year without incident.
Currently, Amantus was manning the pilot station as the Lignet pulled away from the station, following a track laid in by navigation. Sub-Lieutenant Lorra was supervising him and watched in satisfaction as Amantus followed the track perfectly without the minor course alterations most Midshipmen new to the station often fell into.
“Seems the experience you had on the Bulka helped,” Lorra commented.
“She was certainly more prone to overcompensation issues,” Amantus chuckled.
“Bulk freighters tend to be, though they have far more overrides and safety features than a Fleet vessel.”
“Yeah, there were a couple of times I felt like I was fighting her.”
“Me too,” Lorra smiled.
“Approaching XD limit,” detection announced. “Nothing in range.”
“Take us in, Midshipman,” Mance ordered.
“Yes, sir,” Amantus replied. “Transitioning now, course set for Gevase.”
“All stations stand down from alert status, normal duties to recommence,” Mance sent over the communication channel.
“Amantus, I have a training exercise for you,” Zaka said.
“Yes, sir?”
“I want you to calculate an XD course from Gevase to Litra manually; you have the time Lignet is in XD space to complete it,” Zaka informed Amantus.
“Yes, sir, permission to return to my cabin to work on it?”
“Do so.”
It had not been too long since Amantus had done something like this in his basic, though the mass of the Lignet was unknown to him. Still, Crendon was able to supply it for him. Amantus was already familiar with the navigation limits of the Lignet. However, a quick check of the emergency star charts warned him that two potential mass objects between Gevase and Litra needed to be accounted for.
Still, the exercise was not too much of a challenge; rather than calculate to the usual six decimal places, Amantus chose his preferred option of twelve. He also factored in several minor objects that caused eddies and calculated a route that avoided all potential hazards yet kept the transit time as short as possible. This took nearly 400 rotations before Amantus submitted it back to Zaka, receiving a perfunctory thank-you for his efforts.
At the start of the next shift, however, Amantus was summoned to the Captain’s day room where Mance, Zaka, Ticce and Dant were in attendance.
“Midshipman Amantus, please hand over your perscomp,” Ticce ordered.
“Yes, sir,” a puzzled Amantus replied, handing over the wrist-mounted device.
“The history confirms it was not used for mathematical integration,” Ticce finally informed the senior officers. “Then again, I suspect you already knew that, Captain.”
“I needed it confirmed,” Mance shrugged.
“Why?”
“This,” Mance indicated, putting down Amantus’s XD calculations.
“An XD calculation,” Ticce shrugged, then frowned. “It’s handwritten and to twelve decimal places ... was this Midshipman Amantus’s work?”
“Apparently so,” Zaka confirmed.
“Quite impressive, Amantus,” Ticce nodded. “How long did it take you?”
“Four hundred rotations, sir,” Amantus replied, wondering what the fuss was about, granted he’d been quick, but nothing too special.
“Nicely done,” Ticce acknowledged.
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