Marta Read online

  "You're beautiful. You know that, don't you?"

  "Mom...You think so?"

  I nodded. "Come on," I said as I took her arm. "Let's go stop some hearts."

  We stepped through the door and all sound stopped.

  "I told you," I said to my mortified daughter.

  Her eyes just got big. Then the applause began, led by my husband and two grandchildren. Soon, the whole room was clapping as we were led to the center of the room by the Commissioner of the Suit Fighting League. After being joined by Bobby and Trent, the Commissioner presented the team with a check for one million credits. The kids looked at it, unsure what to do with it since they were doing all this for more than just money. The three of them asked me what to do with it. I suggested the Plant-Thing Collector's Association.

  Plant-things are creatures that cross the line between plant and animal. They range in size from baseballs to busses and are found naturally on one and only one planet in the League--Aldro. Plant-things come in many varieties. Some breath fire, many are mobile, and all of them are thought to be sentient, possibly sapient, which make them prized by both legitimate collectors and smugglers. The people who watch over them—nature protectors--are understaffed, underpaid, and usually overwhelmed as they try to protect the little buggers from natural and off-world predators. Ciara was both a collector and a member of the Plant-Thing Collectors Association and her husband, Clint Simms, is a former nature protector.

  The three smiled and nodded. "Sir," Christa said to the head, "We'd like to donate our winnings to the Plant-Thing Collectors Association." She handed the check to him while the crowd went berserk. Must be a lot of collectors in the crowd. I looked over at Harm and saw him showing the twins something on his ever-present datapad. The looks on their faces told the story. He must be showing them pictures of plant-things. Good, they're not omnipotent like I first thought. Cool.

  When the League Commissioner finished with us, we joined the family who were completely out of their depth with this crowd. I looked at Trent and saw him standing there, alone, unsure how to proceed. "Hey," I said as I walked over and took his arm. "Did you ever wonder how Lucien and I first met, him being a member of the elf royal family and all?"

  He nodded.

  "Back then, he didn't know he was royalty. He was just a hustler-hacker-freighter captain who stopped at the restaurant I was eating at and sat down next to me. I looked at him, he looked at me, and that's all she wrote. It’s an elf thing. Something about elves, humans, and our mixed history."

  He nodded again.

  I walked Trent over to where Christa was standing. I took his arm and put it in hers. Her head snapped around. "You two need to talk," I said as I stepped away to join my guy a short distance away. Looking back, I saw the two walk off, talking to each other. I wonder if Losira will let me use the castle's main banquet room for the reception.

  "Hey, big guy, did you miss me?" I asked Harm as I walked up and took his arm.

  "Naw, just the usual adoration," he said while giving me a kiss on the top of my head. "Good job out there. The twins are beside themselves knowing their grandma is a sports legend."

  I saw the two of them talking with a couple of people just a little older than them. "Who are the twins talking to? They look familiar."

  "Vid stars and starlets. The Alturan starred in 'Kraken Wars,' while the elf co-starred in 'Song of the Enchanted Planet.' I think Ashley and Grayson may have careers in acting."

  Shenda and Chasm joined us while their crew worked the crowd. "Nice work, Mom. You really handed Murk his head. Did Uncle Royce teach you that move?"

  "Royce would have just torn Gretchen in half and thrown the pieces into the crowd. I was going for a little more finesse."

  Shenda laughed while Chasm smiled and watched his offspring. Even now, Chasm was still an enigma to me. Like his children, he had skipped childhood having been born at a physical age of thirty standard years. Though he, Shenda, and the crew of the Marta had saved EMEF Team One, and nominally the very League itself, from a pair of ancient non-corporeals with a grudge, if you asked him who he was, he would say 'Chasm, just Chasm." For me, what was important was he made my daughter happy. The rest was just gravy.

  "Nice job, McMurphy, but now you get to face a real challenger."

  Frasier. He stood there flanked by his two 'Friends' from the corridor. The two of them kept glancing at the twins. The room went silent as a circle formed around us, as if to give us room to duke it out.

  "Frasier, congrats on winning your last bout. Too bad it'll be your last," I replied as I unconsciously prepared for battle. This jerk was getting on my nerves.

  "Look, why don't we make your life easy. Just take your freak show out of here before you get hurt."

  The world around me went red as my mind filled with images of me ripping his heart out. I was about to hurt him when I saw an elegant hand gently grasp his shoulder while four intricately painted claws extend, embedding themselves in his flesh. I have to give him credit; he barely flinched.

  "Sir, Lady Sienna would like to speak to you in private," Linka said from behind Frasier, her words slightly lisped by her extended fangs, her eyes glowing bright gold as she went into full Tyen battle mode.

  "Yes, milady," Frasier whispered. She released him and he walked off without further comment.

  "On behalf of the SFL and the people of Tralaska, I offer my sincerest apologies," Linka said while wiping off her claw tips with a handkerchief, her lisp all but disappeared as her fangs returned to normal. "Mr. Frasier has, unfortunately, been celebrating a little too much. His comments were uncalled for, none the less."

  I looked around and saw my grandkids were nonplussed by the remark, probably too engrossed in their conversations, while the adults, especially Chasm and Harm, were visibly calming. "Apologies accepted," I said. "I'll just kick his ass in the final match."

  Linka smiled and nodded before leaving us, presumably to join Frasier and the Lady Sienna. Meanwhile, the crowd returned to talking, perhaps a little disappointed that a smack down was avoided.

  We didn't see Frasier again that night.

  ###

  Linka stood off to the side of the room and watched Sienna talk to her wayward driver, while his two companions--actually, his bodyguards--watched with fear and trepidation.

  "What in the seven hells do you think you were doing? Not only do you threaten General McMurphy and her daughter, Princess Christa, you found it necessary to insult her and the Ventosian Royal Family during a reception attended by some of the most important people in the League?"

  "Mistress, I..."

  "Silence!" Sienna said as she paced the room like a caged wombat. She stopped in front of the driver and leaned over so her nose was millimeters away from his. "No more, understand me? No more. I don't care if she helped get you drummed out of the EMEF. I don't care if she is foiling your plan to fix the championship. What I do care about is the trade relationship that exists between Tralaska, Earth, and Ventos Prime. Regardless of how it came about, Earth and Ventos Prime are Tralaska's biggest trade partners, and I will not let you endanger that relationship with your racist stupidity. I promise you, Frasier, if your actions lead to any decrease in trade, I will personally make you disappear. Do you understand me?"

  "Yes, milady," Frasier said as he focused his eyes on a speck of dust on one of his boots.

  "Now, get out of here. I don't want to see you again until you've sobered up!"

  "Yes, milady." Frasier got up and headed to the door with his entourage close behind.

  Sienna turned to Linka as the door shut behind Frasier. "Thank you for not killing him," she said. "Your self-control is admirable. What the hell is he up to?"

  "I don't know, milady, but I have my people working on finding out. It may just be a simple case of the ethanol talking."

  "Did we make a mistake assigning him as driver, knowing full well that the odds were on him facing General McMurphy?"

  "I don't think so. We
just have to keep a lid on him for the next five days or so. Anyway, the whole damn League is betting on the final, and House Cadiz is getting a cut of the action."

  "There is that, and controversy only spurs sales. Linka, how are you feeling about Frasier and his remarks?"

  "The fact he still lives should tell you how I feel. I may be half elf, but I am all Tyen. I live to protect Tralaska and her people from threats both internal and external."

  "Good. Let me know if Frasier has any more outbursts."

  "Yes, milady," Linka said as she rose from her seat and bowed before exiting the room, leaving Sienna alone with her thoughts.

  Chapter 21 - The Day After

  Harm ran a scanner over Brenda while we waited for the kids to show up. Shenda, Chasm, the twins, and the crew of the Marta McMurphy had left last night after the reception, promising to return to be here during the final match. Shenda felt bad having to leave, but she had a priority run to make. I made it clear that I understood life aboard a merchant freighter. My only regret—worry--was not knowing how old the twins would be when I next saw them. At least Aerith and her husband would be here. After the Marta left, I got word that Aerith’s ship, the Spindrift, would be docking here the night before the match. All we need, now, was my other daughter, Sana, and we’d have the whole family in attendance.

  "So how's the old girl fairing?" I asked Harm as he finished his survey.

  "A few actuators need replaced along with a couple of control nodes, but her bones are fine," he said, patting her arm.

  Bones. Like all fighting suits, Brenda had an adamantine steel skeleton, making it virtually impossible for her to damage a "bone." The joints were another thing, something I showed when I tore Gretchen's head off.

  "Christa and the boys will need to perform a post-fight survey to figure out what went wrong with your left side." He looked at me. "How are you feeling?" he asked as his brow wrinkled.

  Okay, my left side is a little sore. I never told Harm about the round I took while he was having a meet-and-greet with Shenda and her siblings. Team One had been sent to stop a virus-induced robot riot and one of the robots found a weak spot in my armor. Thank God the ship we were on--the Septar, captained by my cousin, Liz--has one of the best sick bays in the fleet. "I'm fine. Is there any way Bobby and Trent can shore up that side?"

  Harm nodded, though he wasn't happy with my answer. I swear that elf can read minds, at least mine. "Anything you want to tell me?" he asked.

  "No, dammit. I'm fine. Where the hell are the kids?"

  The door opened and my three wayward teammates walked in, each wearing pale skin and sunglasses. They found chairs and sat down in a manner which screamed, "Hangover!" When I saw they were comfortable, I sat down in a backwards chair and yelled, "Glad you could make it!"

  I swear, Christa almost moved, almost. "Mommmmmm!" she said while the other two just groaned.

  Harm brought four mugs of coffee and a bottle of analgesics. I sipped my coffee while the other three gulped theirs like thirsty camels at an oasis, washing down the pills. Soon, the sunglasses came off as the meds and caffeine took effect. After a few minutes of recovery, they got up and headed to work, dragging their tails--both literally and figuratively--behind them.

  ###

  Harm, the kids, and I worked past lunch to get Brenda back into fighting form. Around us were half-drank cups of coffee and tea, plates of food, and packing boxes filled with worn parts--a scene from a post-apocalyptic wedding reception. Brenda, on the other hand, looked great, with all her new parts glinting in the fluorescent lights of the stall.

  "How are we on spares?" I asked. The worn parts in the boxes were too numerous to count.

  Trent tapped a datapad on the table. "We still have enough inventory left to build another Brenda," he explained. "Though it would take a week to fabricate the basic frame and tune her."

  That scenario would only occur in the event of a catastrophe, thank God. It would mean the end of our try at the championship.

  Harm's comm beeped. "Excuse me," he said while stepping away. Even the Prince of Ventos Prime had to take an occasional call.

  While Harm was off doing his thing, the kids and I continued with ours. Soon, we had Brenda reassembled and powered up. Bobby and Christa ran her through her self-test paces while Trent and I watched. "Roberto, how's her left side?" I asked. I didn't see any sign of weakness, but I had to be sure.

  "Better than before," he said while tapping a read-out. He walked over and asked, quietly. "How's your side doing?"

  I looked at him in shock. "How the hell..."

  "We scanned you during the fight," Christa said as she joined us.

  "Actually, I scanned you. They were busy," Trent said, correcting her. "You were telegraphing your injury rather well. Thank the gods Murk is a moron or else he would have noticed. He thought he had damaged Brenda."

  "Mom, what the hell happened?"

  "It's an old injury. Nothing to worry about."

  Christa frowned as she pulled out her damned scanpad and ran it over my left side. "Hmmm, a few pulled muscles. Nothing too bad. I think an hour in a medbed should fix things right up."

  "Who are you and what have you done with Christa?" I asked.

  She put her fists on her hips and gave me what the kids called the "Mom" look. "Don't you remember that year I spent in pre-med working with Aunt Losi?"

  "Sorry, forgot. If we use a station medbed, won't it raise questions?"

  "Someone say medbed?" Harm asked as he walked into the room. He stopped when he saw the scanpad aimed at my side. "Are you alright?"

  I explained.

  "And you only now thought to tell me?" he asked while looking at the scanpad display. I took it from him.

  "Are you a doctor too?"

  "All freighter captains are required to be certified med techs," he reminded me, "so, yes I am. Today is your lucky day."

  "How's that?" I asked.

  "The Algonquin has a medbed and my mother is due to arrive in another two hours, so we have plenty of time to fix you up."

  "Mother? Which one? Mavis or Lenora?"

  "Mavis wouldn't be caught dead here. You know she refuses to leave Cora now that Losira made her ambassador. Nope, it's Lenora. Dowager Queen Mother Lenora of Ventos Prime will be arriving aboard her brand-spanking new battle shuttle, the Jasper Rising. With her will be EMEF Teams One and Two."

  I heard of the Jasper. She was one of the new heavy battle shuttles. Size-wise, she was smaller than a corvette but a smidgen bigger than the Algonquin. She could house five-five man teams, and she carried double the armament of a normal battle shuttle. "Why both Teams?"

  Harm shrugged. "She's bored? Dad's away at a conference. They're redecorating her wing of the castle. Who knows? All I do know is she and her entourage will be arriving soon, so I need to get you back to the Algonquin."

  "I should go..." Christa started to say, but I stopped her. "Fix Brenda and Harm will fix me." I looked over at Trent and saw him looking at us with eyes as wide as saucers. "Spit it out!"

  "The real Queen Lenora? I heard she was so tough, she could stare down a wombat!?

  "More like make it soil itself," Harm muttered.

  "Harm!" I said. "She's not that bad."

  "You're thinking of my sister, Losira. Lenora is the scary one."

  I cuffed him as he waved to the others and led me out into the hallway. "She's not that bad," I said.

  "Ever wonder what happened to Muntz?" he asked.

  OK, I'll give him that. Rumor was she took care of the ex-Director of OffSec Special Projects in the old elf way with involved her sword. I wouldn't put it past her. She was almost as protective of her offspring as I was of mine.

  Almost.

  We walked up the ramp into the Algonquin and the lights immediately came on as a medbed emerged from the wall of the area behind the galley. "You've got a Mark III on a freighter?"

  "I'm testing it for the Cube's Medical Corps. It usually runs tests in the ba
ckground, but you're a special case so we go live." He pressed a button and the bed opened while the screens flashed "Start."

  "Harm, whatever happened to that alien bed that saved you on Maranta Five?"

  "Your cousin, Capt. Liz Benson, had it disassembled for study. The bed and the ship it was in have been studied extensively over the last few years. Part of it is in this bed and every Mark III and IV currently in use."

  I got in and lay down, hating every moment. I keep imagining things crawling over me. "What was it like, dying that is?"

  "Don't know. I remember talking to Xura and her husbands, but the dying part?" He shrugged. "It was like when I blew up Nochmar. Explosion, then nothing, then I'm back." The lid closed and he switched to the internal intercom. "Now just relax; this won't take long."

  I lay there, thinking, which is never a good thing. "Why did you come back? Why didn't you find someone and move on after you got better?"

  "Where is this coming from?" he asked as he watched the readouts.

  "I don't know. You're the Prince of Ventos Prime, and I'm just a girl from Earth."

  "Marta, I wasn't Prince of Ventos Prime until I met Losi after the operation on Venecia. Up until then, I was just Harmon Aymar, screw-up freighter pilot and hacker. You, on the other hand, were Marta McMurphy, officer in the elite Elf Marine Expeditionary Force. As I told you, I couldn't leave you. I loved you then, and I love you now, so stop worrying."

  I looked out the lid window and saw him smiling at me. God, I could see the love in his eyes. I hate self-doubt more than I hated being in this cigar can.

  There was a beep followed by the lid raising up. "Done," Harm said as he checked me over a final time.

  "I thought it would take longer?"

  He read something on the screen. "It looks like the unit has been loaded with the physiological records of the entire EMEF in preparation for phase two testing. It would have taken longer otherwise." He helped me out of the bed. "How's it feel?"

  I twisted and turned. "Much better. You're good; I think I'll keep you." He handed me a lollipop. I gave him big doe eyes while I ripped the wrapper off and sucked on it. "Strawberry! My favorite!"