Black Guard, The (11 page)

"With religion involved, would you
be surprised?"

"No. Prince Badal’s death would be
an easy solution for the followers of Azaria, since Meric would vote with
them."

"As the Guard are always
outsiders, we are naturally paranoid." I grinned, thinking of the many
after-action-reports I had studied while in training—conclusion, trust no
one. "We often appear foolish but are seldom surprised."

"What would you suggest?"

"What if you send a decoy party
ten minutes or so ahead of the real party. I and one of my teams will accompany
it to make it look real. If nothing happens, they can return home after Prince
Badal crosses the border into Hezuo."

"Why not," Jarde said, eyes
cast down in thought. "Come, let’s work out the details."

* * *

Back at the house I explained what
would happen and decided Sergeant Wahle’s team would accompany the decoy party
with me, since Jovana would be riding along with her mother. After an update
from each team, I decided to update Badal. Checking my Mfi, I found he was in
his office in the main building—the one connecting the two wings. As I
opened the door, Dara was standing behind Sergeant Catz with a Shard gun pointing
at her head, and his buddy had a multifunctional gun pointing at her chest.

"Just in time, Captain. Sergeant
Catz was going to demonstrate what the Guard women are really good at,"
Dara said loudly, probably for Badal’s benefit as I noticed he could see the
reception area through the open door from his desk where he sat. He looked
amused.

"Sergeant Catz, you are in
dereliction of duty," I had barely finished saying when she spun left. Her
left forearm struck Dara’s gun arm, knocking it to the right. As she spun, she
drew her Mfw weapon with her right hand, and her momentum carried her behind
him. Her arm with the weapon came around in an arc and smashed into Dara’s
temple and simultaneously fired a blast of shards into his companion’s chest.
The impact of the tightly focused beam of shards lifted him backward, and his multifunctional
weapon discharged in Dara’s chest. The impact caused Catz to take several steps
backward and she released Dara to drop to the floor.

"She killed them. They were just
having a little fun!" Badal shouted as he rose from his desk and stalked
into the room.

"I warned you and them, Prince
Badal. The Black Guard does not do demonstrations or play games. Your life and
your family’s lives are too important for such distractions. I would demote
Sergeant Catz except it’s my fault. I should have given orders to shoot anyone
interfering with their duties, which includes harassing them, since that is a
distraction." I nodded to Catz. "When you are relieved from your duties,
Sergeant Catz, you will brief every Guard member on what happened, and that it’s
not to happen again."

"Yes, Captain Sapir. It will not
happen again."

Badal stood silent for a long time
looking between Catz and me. "I didn’t believe you… I should have… The
Black Guard is well named." He walked head down back into his office,
poured himself something to drink, and sat staring out the window.

* * *

"How is everything going?" I
asked Zinn. She was doing her rounds and standing with Corporal Haber, who was
currently guarding Princess Sophia, who was busy monitoring the packing for the
trip tomorrow. Before she could answer, Sophia approached.

"Captain Sapir, why did you order
my husband’s bodyguards murdered?" She asked quietly, but the tension in
her face showed she was angry.

"I didn’t order Prince Badal’s
bodyguards killed. They had guns pointing at the Guard assigned to your husband
and intended to debase her. I simply reminded her she was not doing her
duty."

"Duty?"

"Yes, Princess Sophia. Her duty
like all of ours is to protect Prince Badal, Princess Jovana, and yourself. If
we let ourselves get distracted while we are on duty, we are being negligent
and increasing the risk to your lives. Besides, they pointed guns in her direction.
Guns are not toys, and we are not here to play games. If you point a gun at a
member of the Black Guard, we assume you intend to kill us and will respond appropriately."

"She killed them…"

"It’s your culture, Princess
Sophia. If those guards had drawn guns on a man, everyone would have thought it
acceptable to kill them—self-defense. But because they drew their guns on
a woman they thought it was alright. Conclusion, men have a right to abuse
women," I said.

"No… Perhaps you’re right,
Captain. But that will cause others to… retaliate."

"No. Not to retaliate but to prove
women are inferior. That men are superior. Their actions will not be noble or
out of loyalty but to maintain the status quo," I said, voicing my
thoughts.

"Do you believe in God, Captain
Sapir? That maybe he helped you to become what you are?" Sophia asked.
"And has a plan for you… like here on Molova?"

I laughed. "If God did, then I
know her name. Hada Attali." I bowed and left smiling. Hada was the reason
I had worked so hard. The reason I made the Guard and Captain. The reason I had
overcome rejection by my family. The reason I was finally at peace. I didn’t
know about God. Several religions were prevalent on Jax. The Guard neither
encouraged or discouraged religion and didn’t care which, if any, a person
chose so long as it didn’t interfere with their duties. Hada’s father was a
Toaist. I’d have to ask Hada about religion when I saw her next, wondering if
that were in any way part of the dream.

I had briefed Prince Badal on our decoy plan so he would understand
why Wahle’s team and I would be leaving before his party started. He gave me a
strange look but didn’t comment. When it looked like the Prince and his family
would be ready to leave within the hour, I signaled Wahle, and we sped off on
the military motorcycles Colonel Jarde had loaned us. It only took a few
minutes to reach the camp, where Jarde and the decoy caravan were waiting. Wahle
and his team took up positions surrounding the limousine which should be
carrying the Prince and his family, while I caught up with the car Jarde stood
next to.

"Good morning, Captain Sapir. I
understand one of your women Guards didn’t like Dara’s jokes," he said as
I neared.

"She had tolerated their crude
jokes, but when he and his partner drew their weapons and threatened her, she
defended herself like you or I would under similar circumstances."

"Pointed guns at her? I’m
impressed. Dara was a nasty piece of work, and his partner eager to follow his
lead. Was she hurt?"

"Only her pride. They had the drop
on her when I walked in."

"Well that’s understandable. How was
she to know … Oh, I see. It’s her responsibility to know." He nodded as he
studied me for several seconds. "I’m glad you’re here, Captain Sapir. The
Prince is a good man and the planet Molova needs him." He gave a bow and
entered his vehicle, then signaled for the party to begin moving.

* * *

The road was well maintained and the
ride smooth. The terrain varied from flat farm land to rolling hills suitable
for grazing cattle, to dense forests. We were less than an hour from the border
with Hezuo when I heard gunfire from automatic weapons somewhere in front of
us. It sounded like it was coming from the front of the column and off to the
left. The road was wide enough for several vehicles, but we were presently in a
heavily treed area containing very old and large oaks.

"Guard the forest to our
right," I said into my Mfi while waving to the limo to move forward.
Instead the driver began backing up. I shrugged as I left the road and entered
the forest, scanning for movement. Since there was no reason for an
assassination attempt to attack the front of the column, it had to be a
diversion. If it were, the opposite side seemed the best bet. I had just
cleared the first few trees when I heard sounds of automatic weapons and
seconds later shards were pelting the cycle’s windshield. Then twenty meters
ahead, a man stepped out holding a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, hurriedly
fired in the direction of the limo, and jumped back behind the massive tree he
had been hiding behind. Smiling to myself, I pressed the cycle’s gun switch and
headed in his direction. No talent required. The cycle’s two guns sprayed
pellets in a two-meter path, stripping the bark from the tree he had jumped
behind. He was either a lousy shot or I had caused him to fire before he was
ready because the explosive shell hit the front wheel of the limo, demolishing
the front end and killing the driver. If Prince Badal had been in the limo, he
might have survived; however, if the driver had followed my directions, the vehicle
wouldn’t have been hit.

As I approached the tree he had ducked
behind, no one was shooting at me. From the level of gun fire, I suspected my
team had everyone busy, and the man behind the tree didn’t have the nerve to
show himself. I couldn’t blame him. The cycle’s guns had shredded the bark and hand-sized
chunks out of the tree he was hiding behind. I released the firing mechanism as
I slid the cycle to a stop in front of the tree and released my whip. I lashed
it around to the left and heard nothing. Then back around my head and to the
right. A man screamed and his weapon discharged, sending a missile a hundred
meters into the forest and eventually a large oak. The explosion cut the tree
in half, and it came crashing to the ground, taking several smaller ones with
it. Silence followed. I dove past the tree with my laser ready as I flew
through the air. I hit the ground several meters from the shooter. He lay dead,
blood spurting from his severed arm and chest where his clothing and skin had
been cut through to the bone. I rose and clicked on my Mfi.

"Sergeant Wahle, what is your team’s
status?"

 
"A couple of minor wounds, nothing
serious. Between the cycle’s shields, our body armor, and the speed of these
cycles, it wasn’t much of a fight. We killed ten. I suspect they were here only
to protect the man with the missile launcher." As Wahle talked, Colonel
Jarde’s car pulled up next to the limo. I mounted my cycle and joined him.

"This was a good training
exercise." He pursed his lips. "My troops were pulled out of position
by the diversion. Only the Guard seemed to understand what was happening."

"A natural reaction. The army has
a tendency to think in terms of engagements, and therefore would respond to the
attack. The Guard think in terms of their contract’s safety. The limo had to be
the target so it was obvious the attack up front a diversion. I waved to the
limo driver to proceed forward. If he had, he would be alive."

"Interesting observations. Yes,
they stayed only long enough to get our attention, then retreated. We might
have killed a couple, but if we did, they took the bodies with them. How many
attacked you?"

"Eleven. You may want to inspect
them to see if you can identify anyone."

"None escaped?" He shook his
head in disbelief.

"We wouldn’t want killers running
loose on the Prince’s land, would we?" I asked rhetorically. I accompanied
him as he examined each body.

"Thank God," he said as he
finished his inspection. "I don’t recognize any of these men. I’d hate to
think that Prince Badal’s brother would be involved, but when religion is
involved, you never know. I’ll have the bodies collected and verify that none
of them are from Meric’s estate, but I’m pretty sure they aren’t."

* * *

Prince Badal’s party arrived an hour
later. He stopped to inspect the damaged limo and the eleven dead men Jarde had
recovered and laid out on the side of the road before approaching the Colonel
and me.

"The Guard?" he asked nodding
to the dead men. I nodded. "But if I had been in the limo…"

"A good example of what happens
when the Guard are not in sole command. I waved for the driver to move forward.
If he had, he would be alive and the limo undamaged. It was the problem with
your bodyguards. They would have interfered with unknown consequences."

"The… Black Guard doesn’t make
mistakes?"

"Of course we can make mistakes.
We’re not perfect, but we react based on our years of training and not with our
emotions."

Badal stood silent for several minutes,
surveying the area, Jarde, and me. "Colonel Jarde?"

"Sir, I feel perfectly capable of
defending you against an attacking force, but I believe Captain Sapir
understands assassins better than me. I shudder to think of you and your family
in that vehicle." He nodded towards the limo. "If the driver had
recognized Captain Sapir as being in authority, I imagine he would be alive
today. He reacted reflexively to the danger. However, if he had seen her as in
command, it would have over ridden his fear, and he would have moved forward.
We cannot have multiple people in command."

Badal nodded slowly as Jarde talked.
"Thank you, Colonel Jarde. I value your loyalty and wisdom. Most men would
have been concerned with their ego rather than my safety, especially when the
leader of the Black Guard is a woman." Badal’s eyes bore into mine.
"Captain Sapir, you and the Black Guard are in charge until this matter is
resolved."

I nodded to Badal and gave Jarde a low
bow, although my eyes never left him. Badal was right. Jarde was loyal and
wise.

* * *

Colonel Jarde quickly organized the
thirty militia who would accompany Badal into Hezuo, and after a short meeting
to ensure everyone understood the Guard was in command, we were on our way. The
transition from Surat into Hezuo was dramatic as the forest thinned out and
opened onto farmland dotted with houses and barns. Two hours later, the number
of houses increased and before long we were in a modern city, if somewhat old
fashioned. The buildings were made from brick or other natural material, and
most of the people were using ground vehicles, although there were a few small
skimmers in the air. The real strangeness was diversity in the clothing the
people were wearing—like a collision of worlds.

We exited the main road into an area of
manicured real-estate and a massive three-story stone structure called the
House of Princes, which Jarde had explained was seven independent buildings
joined to form a seven-sided polygon that created a domed enclosure they used
as the meeting room. A kilometer to the north looked to be a military
installation with modern combat shuttles and jet aircraft. Several kilometers
beyond was the ocean. From my contract literature, Molova had only one
inhabitable continent.

We circled the structure until we
reached an elaborate arched entrance with Prince Badal’s coat of arms—a
white shield with a red cross dividing it into four quarters. In the middle of
the cross an open book, with what looked like writing. In the upper left
quarter a sword. The symbolism implying the Badal line was the protector of
Xintoism. Of course, since the creation of that crest, Xintoism had split into
two Sects, so it could mean either, but the Badal line had always supported the
teachings of the Prophet Nomiko.

Inside, the building was split into
two: troops and servants had quarters on the left and Badal and his family had
quarters on the right. Badal had a permanent staff that maintained the
building, and everything had been prepared in anticipation of his arrival.

"Captain?" Badal asked when
he stepped out of this limo.

"I’d like a tour of your wing with
the Guards and Colonel Jarde."

"Everyone?"

"Yes. We need to see the layout,
check entrances, meet the persons authorized in your wing, and understand
Colonel Jarde’s normal security." It took several hours to tour the family’s
wing, which had twelve rooms: on the first floor, dining, reception, drawing,
kitchen, and storage rooms; on the second floor, five bedrooms, a study, and a
drawing room.

The soldiers and servants’ wing also
had twelve rooms: on the first floor, a kitchen, laundry, maintenance, storage,
and recreation rooms; on the second floor, a barrack for fifty troops, servants’
sleeping area for twelve, and five separate bedrooms for senior personnel.
Together the building stretched over a hundred and fifty meters and was fifty
meters wide.

The good news was that there was only
one entrance into Badal’s building from outside and one from the center enclosure.
Colonel Jarde would provide security at both those points, and the Guard would
provide security along with Colonel Jarde’s troops inside the family wing. The
Guard at the entrance was equipped with a retina-scan device which he used to
check anyone entering the family wing.

"You Guard are really
paranoid," Jarde said, laughing when Wahle’s team began taking a retina
scan of each individual Jarde confirmed had authorization to be in the family’s
wing.

"We are contracted to many planets
and although the inhabitants are all human, they don’t all look alike. It would
take us months to be able to differentiate one person from another and then
only if we saw that person on a regular basis. This is safer."

"I guess you’re right. I would
probably have trouble identifying each of your detail by name even after having
met them. Several do look alike." He laughed. "If someone killed one
of my troops and put on his uniform, I could see how he could be mistaken for
one of mine. I’m afraid we tend to think in terms of forcible entry by armed
individuals and not by individual assassins."

"Forcible entrants are easier to
identify," I said, grinning.