Sufic major stepped forward, removed the hood of his cloak and came to attention. He was followed by the Sergeant Major.
Piehl found himself on his feet in front of them with the hair on his neck standing and a chill running through his body. It took a moment before he could speak.
"Identify yourself, please."
"Sir. I am Tsusurup Tsusurus Ing, former Battle Major, Senior Astrogator, 12th Altair Flight Wing. We did not retreat! We did not surrender!" His voice boomed through the small room.
"I see thee, Battle Major Ing." Piehl returned the salute. From a cold and distant place he came back to the present. His group and Piehl's had been the only ones who stayed behind at the end.
"Stand easy, everyone. Gentlemen, join me at the bar." Piehl was shaken. "Flex, five large ones." When it was done he passed them around. The Sufic looked doubtful.
"Religious scruples?" Piehl asked.
"No, sir." He spoke for the first time. "I have never taken spirit with a general, sir."
"Well, I'm not a general now and haven't been for a long time. I request it."
They took the tall metal mugs in hand. "Raise them, gentleman." They drank the fiery liquid down and slammed the mugs hard on the bar.
"Absent companions." The others repeated the toast after him. There was a long silence after the ancient warriors toast.
"Alright, let's get back to business. First, Mister Ing, do you want in on our little party? The trip will be long, and more to the point, into the Dark Worlds."
"Gen...sir, I'd sign with you on a one way trip to the Great Inversion."
"Thank you, Mister Ing. I've already been,” Piehl said. "I'll not go that way again if I can help it. Here's a micro-core of the ship we're using. Get with Flex about the transfer of my ship's comp. Do it gently. IMP lives and he doesn't like ‘between ship’. Get familiar with the whole layout. I want to up-ship in a week. If you have any personal things that need to be handled, get it done quickly. And, Mister Ing, thank you again, I didn't get a chance at Vincent's."
His eye stalks extended further as he spoke, "I see thee, General."
"Hah! Hah!" A high pitched voice, all too familiar. "Well, I want to hear all about this! The infamous Sir Aubrey Piehl, here." There followed bubbles of laughter. "Mister Ing, please tell us all about you and Sir Aubrey. He's on my history disks."
"There will be none of that! It is a closed subject, not to be opened by anyone. Understand me, Princess, I won't say it twice."
The Princess grumbled.
"Sir, may the Sergeant have permission to address the Gen...the Captain, sir?"
"Rest, Sergeant Major. We're all civilians here, except the Sufic Major. Speak. You've done me service. What's your name, what do they call you?"
"When I was in the Imperial Marines, I was called `The Fist’ as my given name is Elroy Hand, sir." He grinned easily. "There were other reasons, sir."
Piehl laughed. "I imagine there were. What's on your mind, Sergeant?"
"Sir, you'll be going out on a bit of a journey soon and the dice are in the other man's hand. You're short on crew and have no one to look after you, personal. You'll need someone to cover your a...pardon me, ladies…back." he blushed and glanced toward the women, "someone who's been there before.
"I know what you're wondering; an old, crapped out, spice-gut marine might not be much use to you. Sir, when I cross ship's steel, I know what to do. I'm not as bad as I look. After I've walked the steel for a week I'll be prime."
His voice was as close to pleading as a marine ever gets. Piehl knew he had another crew member. Well, if it came down to it, he was right. I do need an experienced...Hand.
"Can you run a ship's weapons console, Sergeant Major?"
"Aye, Captain."
"Get your gear, Sergeant. Two shots of Un-spin. You'll need to be very fit. Bring your full kit if you still have it."
The Sergeant Major came crashing to attention again and began to salute then, dropped his arm to his side.
"I'm obliged, Captain, very obliged. Yes, sir," I have my ‘full kit’.”
"You'll have to knock off the military crap, Sergeant. It makes me nervous. I keep waiting for Grand Admiral Bozeman-Keller to come through the door, fangs aimed at my delinquent…back."
The sergeant chuckled. "You remember, sir."
"Aye, I do. You go with Flex. He'll need help getting the refit underway. There's also a couple of special items on the list you can help with."
"Aye, aye, General." He left with Flex.
Oh well, Piehl thought, one can't re-educate an old line sergeant overnight, and I'm not sure I want to.
Piehl turned to the Sufic. "I'm going to need to know what to call you. We're going to be under each other's feet for some time."
"I am called Carn Tenn'ek. I hold the rank of Guards Major in the Imperial Guards. I think you should know I fought with the Imperials against you at Vincent's, sir, in the late 'troubles'."
"Thank you, Major Tenn'ek. We'll get along. A warrior does his duty. If you will, take the ladies to the ship, then get started on the other items I mentioned."
"Certainly, Captain." He escorted the ladies to the door.
"Your Highness, Lady Lociranou, I will see you on the ship in a few days."
"General," the Princess answered with a giggle.
"Sir Aubrey, until then." The Lady Lociranou made it sound worth waiting for.
Piehl sighed. Give me strength. Two women on a small cruiser, one of them a willful child and the other, I don't know what, but it looks as if I'm going to find out.
Chapter 4
After his peculiar crew had left, Piehl filled his glass and drank slowly. There was a lot to consider and talk of the Legion had given him a case of the miseries. He tried to be practical about that part of his life but it was hard. Too much passion, the blood of friends, lives gone into the dark.
No point in moaning about it, he thought. Time to get on with it.
The next few days went by quickly. A thousand things to do, information to be acquired. He had no intention of going to the Dark Worlds without intelligence. Seasoned soldiers, like all close-knit groups usually have a network of friends, and he would tap his for all it was worth.
He was sure the King's security would be broached, it always was to some degree. Much safer to take that assumption. He went about fully armed. He spent a lot of time thinking about the crew. There were three requisites to success
