20 Serina – Captain Tsgerr (1/2)
Lance was draped tastefully over Tiny's shoulder. The Duke walked in from the direction of the living room and nodded to me when saw that his orders had been carried out to the letter.
Sir James stepped up to a disguised terminal and placed his palm on the sensor pad while he spoke into the hush field. He had time to take one long leisurely step back before I felt the familiar sensation of the transporter effect.
I discovered that the entire foyer was the plate of a Port when I suddenly found myself poised high on a platform overlooking an arena. A colossal gas giant hung in the sky dominating the scene. I stared fascinated by the brilliant red, orange, and yellow colors swirling in distinct bands across its surface. The sun was only a fiercely brilliant white speck high in the sky, even though it was far enough away not to show a disk, it was way too bright to look at.
Slowly I noticed that the arena currently was filled by at least a hundred men and women all dressed in black including black hoods which also covered their mouths and noses, only their eyes showed. They all came to attention as we appeared. Although I saw the familiar motion of the stomp of the foot, that gave the impressive sound of a platoon of Marines coming to attention, not a sound was heard from this group. The Duke was well to the front of my group. He saluted them with a peculiar salute, his arm at a forty-five-degree angle straight out in front of his body, his clenched hand slowly opening, as bud opens into a flower, into an open hand. The Platoons in the arena responded in kind—again without a sound.
”Lieutenant T'gerr,” the Duke's amplified voice boomed out over the masses gathered below. ”Front and Center.” I stomped forward my heels clicking to attention in front of the Duke—the sound abnormally loud after the silence of the group in the arena. ”Lieutenant T'gerr, you are hereby promoted to the rank of Captain.” The Duke stated as he pinned on my Captain's bars. ”I present you to your company, the 'Ninjas,'” his voice still booming out over the arena ”My Ninjas; it is almost time for you to go into action. I am indeed pleased indeed with your progress. T'gerr is the one who will show you the final way, the way to a new universe.” Again, they performed the silent stomp to attention, and again their arms flashed out in that peculiar salute which I now echoed in kind. Then without a sound, at a gesture from the Duke, they vanished—as if blown away on the wind.
”Have him taken down to the infirmary and make sure he is OK—then lock him up, I have plans for him, I think he will make a splendid 'Mook Joong.'” An evil grin flickered across Sir James' face as he spoke, his gesture making clear that he meant Lance. I gestured to Tiny to comply. Sir James then took me by the elbow and started to walk with me. ”Well Captain I don't know if there has ever been such a meteoric rise in rank before, but I doubt that it has happened often. I liked the way the ocean just quietly absorbed those two spies, you realize that they were a test?”
”Yes Sir,” I replied.
”Good, I allowed them to get as far as they did just to see what you would do.” We had walked into the command center, as we talked. ”The plans that you will need for the coup will be released to you now.” He placed his palm over the sensor and again spoke into the hush field. He stepped back and motioned me to the terminal.
I placed my palm over the sensor and spoke my password into the hush field. The entire base was now under my direct control.
The display lit up with the symbol of the Imperial Marines and the word ”Confirmed” flashing across it. ”Very good,” said the Duke, ”I want to brief you on what is going to happen. The details are in the system here in this file.” He pointed to an Icon displaying the royal seal of Paldonia. ”Your people are to be the heroes of the day and protect the Senators from the horrible assassins. The current Marines on duty as Senatorial Guards are the real assassins although Cynthia thinks that your men are the assassins. When the signal is given, they will kill those Senators who are not on our side.
Your people will kill the Marines who were guarding those Senators. Only if necessary will they take a hand at taking out the Senators. They will stay on duty afterwards as Senatorial Guards. This way at a word from me, if anyone gets cold feet, they can be removed. I already have their replacements picked out; you will find dossiers on each one if you need to know about them. Now the current guards have no knowledge that they have been set up, and they think that your Marines will help them so they will fight for their lives unless your people can attack just as they kill their assigned Senator. Realize that not all the guards will be assassins and you will not have the element of surprise, they are real Marines and don't have the slightest idea of what we have planned. They will have to be killed so that there is no suspicion that only certain Senators were selected. I want it to look as if everyone had been targeted.”