Chapter 14: Sword Strike

After a year leading my company through several battles on several worlds and attending the six month Advanced Officer School, I was going back to the Swords. I walked off the shuttle and glanced at the top sergeant that came to attention, “Welcome back Major.”

I nodded and glanced around again before starting towards the far terminal doorway, “I did not get a briefing packet. Who is in command now?”

The sergeant fell in beside me, “Colonel Winston.”

I nodded and looked at the man beside me, “we still in the same place?”

He grinned, “No.”

I smiled, “Did you get my gear?”

He nodded and moved forward to open the door, “Sergeant Major McCartney is back with us too.”

I smiled, “How is Ginger doing?”

He snorted and nodded to the two sergeants at the private vehicle, “Running us ragged.”

I grinned and slid into the back seat. It was several minutes before I glanced at the top sergeant, “so what is the mission that pulled you away to meet your new XO?”

He grinned, “I wanted to see the legend.”

I shook my head and glanced at the two sergeants in the front seat, “I do not think so.”

He smiled and glanced at the two men, “Another full company mission to Trinidad. Duchess Maribel has refused an Imperial summons from the Dukes council and the Imperial Court. She is also creating her own military in defiance of Imperial decree.”

I sighed and shook my head, “you would think they would learn.”

He grinned as the vehicle turned and entered a large building complex. I glanced around, “We are not that far from the emperor’s grounds.”

The top sergeant grinned, “he is supposed to be at his retreat.”

I looked at him, “Is he?”

He shook his head, “He is staying with us while the Shields do a complete and major overhaul of his residence.”

I nodded and opened the door when the vehicle stopped. I waited and walked beside him as the vehicle headed away. We took a lift up to one of the top floors. When I walked into the large command office I grinned and poked Ginger in the back, “Hey sexy.”

She spun and kicked and my reactions had me sliding aside and lifting her foot. I moved in and caught her before she went down as several sergeants snickered. I smiled, “Jumpy?”

She glared, “Damn it Pendragon, you know better.”

I shrugged and let her go, “you need R&R if you are that jumpy.”

She glanced at the others in the office, “Something just does not feel right.”

I looked at her and then around the office, “About the mission?”

Ginger sighed, “No, I do not think so.”

I glanced at my kit against the wall, “let me report in and we will talk.”

She nodded and walked towards the door with me. She knocked and opened the door, “Pendragon is here.”

I smiled as I followed her in and a large older man stood. He smiled and walked around the desk, “Welcome back Major.”

I smiled and took his hand, “How long do I have to prep for the mission?”

He gestured to a couch and several chairs, “We leave in a week.”

I nodded, “anything special I need to look at?”

He glanced at Ginger,”We are having a few supply glitches.”

I frowned, “why...”

I had been thinking and looked at Ginger, “Wasn’t duchess Maribel on the armed forces council?”

She nodded and I looked at the colonel, “did anyone change our unit supply codes after she left?”

He sat back looking thoughtful, “No.”

I stood and crossed to the window before turning as the door opened and the emperor walked in. That was when I realized what type of situation we had. I moved quickly and crossed the room, “You need to leave sir.”

I glanced at the colonel, “The duchess knows who we are and maybe where we are.”

His eyes were wide as he spun to bark orders into the comm. I pulled the emperor out and looked at the Shields, “Situation red, get your teams here now!”

I ran to my weapons bag and yanked it open and started pulling things out. There were explosions from below and Ginger was yelling orders as I slipped weapons into places. I turned and looked at the four man Shield team, “Why aren’t you moving?”

One cleared his throat, “The rest of the teams are engaged and the company is under attack by unknown forces.”

I looked at the emperor as the colonel came out, “Stay with me sir.”

I looked at the colonel, “we need a break out. They will expect us to try a roof top extraction.”

He nodded and gestured to Ginger and four other sergeants, “With him. Ginger use the basement secondary route.”

She nodded and headed towards the door, “Follow me.”

I gestured to the sergeants and fell in beside the emperor as he held a slim pistol in his hand, “glad to see you looking so well sir, but please let us do the shooting.”

He grinned and glanced at his guards as they chuckled, “I promise not to shot you by mistake Author.”

I grinned as Ginger opened a lift shaft. She slipped in and the sergeants followed. I glanced in and waited as they dropped down the shaft. I looked at the emperor, “Just hold the ladder rails and put your feet on the outside and slide down.”

He nodded and I slipped in and slid down before stopping and looking up. He was slow and awkward but finally started to slide. I dropped just below him until we finally reached the bottom. I pulled him back as his guards came down and nodded to Ginger. The shooting and explosions had slowed as she led the way out of the shaft and into a semi dark hallway.

Five minutes later we were walking through another building and going down more stairs. Fifteen minutes later Ginger stopped and grinned, “The Swords have contained the situation.”

I nodded and followed her out a door into a huge shopping mall. I grinned at the emperor and walked across to a fancy coffee shop. He frowned as he followed and looked around. I gestured and he sat as the guards spread out with the four Sword sergeants. Ginger and I sat with him and I ordered coffee for all three of us. I smiled, “So do you want to move up our mission date?”

He looked at me and then grinned, “That would be nice Author.”

Ginger snorted and then laughed, “we can leave in a couple of hours if we go to the fleet supply depot to get what we need.”

I grinned, “That would be my new job I think.”

The emperor sipped his coffee and nodded to the wide eyed girl, “Thank you.”

She smiled and bowed before walking into the shop. I pulled my comm and used a number I had memorized. It was answered on the first ring, “Pendragon, is he with you?”

I smiled, “The team should have told you that already. Get the company moving and take him to his retreat.”

“We are already closing with you now.”

I smiled and set my comm on the table, “So sir, did you find a suitable woman to marry?”

He grinned because it had be in several news tabloids, “As a matter of fact the Dukes council has a girl in mind.”

Ginger snorted, “You should just pick one yourself.”

He laughed, “and who would you chose?”

She grinned and turned to gesture at the coffee shop girl, “ask her if she is single and take her on a date.”

He laughed as he looked at the girl in the shop, “Tempting thought.”

The Shields arrived in force and swept around us. I put my comm away, “Stay safe sir.”

I stood and watched as he was escorted away and then followed Ginger out and back to the Sword building. She grinned, “see I knew you would draw lightning.”

The sergeants snickered and I grinned, “I did not get any holes this time.”

She laughed with the others and we walked into the outer perimeter. I headed back up to see the colonel. A hour later we were in vehicles and parked beside the main fleet supply depot. The general in charge tried to stall us and I smiled as I touched colonel Winston, “excuse me sir.”

I stepped in front of the general, “Sir, if you do not move I will request your relief and reassignment to the smallest most miserable place in fleet and if you think I can not do it take a look at what I am wearing. Our orders come straight from the emperor. Now move or I will move you.”

He stared at me before glancing at all the medals and snorting, “They do not impress...”