BORN OF HEROES

— by Jeff Karamales

Chapter 62
 

“We’re clear for descent to Palimar Starport,” Cerise informed the rest of the bridge. “Laxan Robotics has been informed of our arrival and will have their cargo picked up at oh-five twenty tomorrow morning.”

  “Sounds good,” Elias said as he reduced velocity, bleeding off even more speed using the atmosphere of the planet below them to further slow down their descent in an economic braking maneuver. Within moments the forward viewports darkened to compensate for the glow of the thickening air heating up around the bubble of the shields of the vessel. “Once they take possession of the cargo I think a little leave is in order. I never really got a chance to explore Tanthe. I hear the resort at Castle Zamor is a rather romantic place.” He cast a look over his shoulder at his wife and saw her smile at him before licking her lips flirtatiously.

  “Sounds perfect,” the vixen cooed in a warm voice.

  Palimar was in the northern hemisphere of the planet and boasted a town close by that had a wealth of old castles and ruins for the crew to explore, along with several hotels and resorts that were historically themed. Elias smiled as he shut the various systems down once they were on the tarmac and thought about spending time with Cerise and the kits and seeing some of the sights when Lena’s exclamation of surprise caused him to look up and out of the forward viewports.

  “Did we tick someone off?” the doe inquired as two military vehicles pulled up in front of the Ascendant Angel and Tanthean Expeditionary troopers began to pile out. Following the armored trucks was a repulsor car that floated silently off the ground, obviously of Alexandrian design, with two very ornate flags flapping from the forward guide posts.

  “I don’t think we irritated anyone,” Elias muttered, one ear drooping in curiosity. “I better go see what this is about.”

  Sonja started to get up to follow her Captain, automatically checking her pistol when Elias waved her down.

  “Let’s all stay calm until we find out what’s going on. At least I know we have enough in our account to post bail in case I get arrested,” the fox said half jokingly as he stepped off the bridge.

  Randal was waiting by the personnel airlock and had donned soft body armor that was mostly hidden by his light jacket. He gave the fox a look that Elias drew comfort from as he stepped to the hatch and waited for it to cycle open. If anything happened he knew he could trust the wolf to do the right thing.

  The cool air washed over him and he took a moment to calm himself from the adrenaline that was coursing through his body. When Elias stepped out the Marines didn’t point their weapons at him as he was half expecting. Instead they formed two lines on either side of the ramp with the combat rifles at the salute position. At the far end of the ersatz honor guard was Marquis Nurian and his wife, a small grey coyote female, a wide smile on his muzzle.

  “Welcome to Tanthe, Captain Tivnan!” the male coyote called out before striding forward.

  This was certainly wasn’t what the fox had been expecting and he shifted mental gears, bowing hastily. “Thank you, Your Grace,” Elias replied.

  “No, no. That won’t do, my friend! Call me Kessus. We’re comrades-in-arms after all!” the coyote said jovially. “And I hope my little honor guard didn’t startle you too much, but I can’t have the hero of Operation Hammer Stroke coming to visit without showing proper respect, now can I?”

  Elias smiled, the knots in his stomach unwinding, and stepped forward to take the other’s hand in greeting, Kessus meeting him half-way. “I don’t know about being a hero,” the fox commented, tilting his head respectfully to the Marquise. “Your Grace.”

  “Captain Tivnan,” the small female said with a return nod and a polite half-curtsey. “My husband has been lauding your exploits since his return. I must say that if you are half of the individual he claims, you are remarkable, indeed.”

  “Arya has been most anxious to meet your wife since we discovered you were coming to Tanthe,” Kessus informed the fox as they moved slowly towards the Ascendant Angel. “One of the benefits of being attached to the Navy is I get to pry into the records to learn when friends are coming.”

  “I was wondering about that,” Elias admitted. “I’m not keeping my movements a secret, but I’m not really advertising them, either.” While he’d been greeting the Marquis, Randal had signaled to the rest of the crew that things were fine and the others started to arrive at the hatch as they completed their duties. “I don’t suppose you’d care for a tour of the Angel, would you?”

  Before Kessus could speak, Arya laughed in a high voice. “My dear Captain Tivnan! My husband is a Navy man through and through! It’s all he can do not to charge up the boarding ramp to look over your fine ship!”

  “I’m afraid my lovely wife is correct,” the Marquis admitted with a grin. “Especially as I know this used to be one of those fabulous Q-ships! The first of that fleet if I’m not mistaken.”

  “You’re very well informed,” Elias said neutrally, though he shouldn’t have been surprised. Tanthean Intelligence Services was one of the more impressive spy groups in the PA and very, very thorough. “I see the TIS is alive and well,” the fox commented dryly.

  Kessus had the good grace to look a little chagrined. “My cousin does have a most thorough group for gathering information,” the Marquis conceded. He cleared his throat before they made the hatch of the freighter. “Do you have plans while you’re on Tanthe? Arya and I would be honored if you and your crew were to take your leave with us at Mistwatch Keep.”

  “I was going to release my crew for two weeks shore leave,” Elias admitted. “I never really had the chance to spend much time on this world.”

  “Oh! Then you must stay with us and let us show you proper Tanthean hospitality!” Arya all but gushed. “Oh, please!”

  The Marquis and Marquise were introduced the rest of the crew and Kessus got a full tour of the ship while Arya and Cerise found common ground in the kits as the grey coyote was a new mother herself. While the two mothers struck up an instant friendship, Kessus marveled at the Ascendant Angel, the tour ending on the recreation deck and the Wall of Glory.

  “You engaged all of these ships in the span of a year?” the noble asked in admiration as he eyed the names and relevant information.

  “A little more than a year,” Elias informed the Marquis. “But that’s essentially our tally sheet.”

  Kessus Nurian grinned almost maniacally. “I think I should mention this to my cousin. I’m sure Aris could be persuaded to grant you a title and estate were you to agree to join our Navy!”

  “I’ll pass, thanks,” Elias replied with a chuckle. “I’ve spent enough time in uniform, I think.”

  Kessus stood and shook his head before glancing appreciatively at the decorated bulkhead again. “Well, it’s getting late. I’ll have an air car here in the morning to convey your family and crew to Mistwatch. I believe I can be as bold as to guarantee a most pleasant stay as my guests. In fact, I have a hunt scheduled in three days. I think you and the other males will enjoy that. Are any of you familiar with saurapine?”

  “Aren’t those the things that look like Terran rhinoceros with the meter long quills?” Olin asked with a curious expression. “I’ve cooked some of the better cuts from them, but I always thought they were raised for their meat, not hunted.”

  Kessus laughed richly. “You’d need a fortified holding pen if you tried to grow them! Most saurapine grow to be almost half a ton and keeping them penned in is nigh impossible. I’ve never heard of a domesticated one. The hunt I’d like the rest of you to go on is for a smallish animal. Only five hundred pounds, or so.”

  “Sounds like fun!” Baxter said with a grin starting to spread across his black muzzle. “After our time at the range I feel I’m a pretty good shot.”

  “Oh, we don’t use firearms, unless it’s an emergency,” Kessus said with another laugh. “We hunt these the old fashioned way of spear and sword. Of course you’ll have armor as well. The tusks sometimes grow to almost two feet in length. Don’t worry! We haven’t had a death from a saurapine hunt in almost three years, but someone almost always gets a broken bone or two. It’s all great fun, though!”

***

   The group from Laxan Robotics made their pick-up at precisely oh-five-twenty, with the crates containing the latest in cybernetic circuitry loaded onto a secure van and the delivery order signed less than six minutes later. As Elias and Randal stepped back aboard, the air of anticipation from the rest of the crew was almost a palpable thing with everyone looking forward to their invitation to Mistwatch Keep.

  “I’m still not sure about this hunt,” Lem said as he and Keena carried bags of clothing and his ever-present medical kit that seemed a little more full than normal to the cargo hatch. “Taking on a quarter ton omnivore isn’t my idea of relaxation.”

  “I can’t wait!” Olin exclaimed with a grin as he stood with his arm around Sonja’s waist.

  The Spaniel made an indelicate sound and tried to assume a pout. “I just wish they let females on their hunts. I think it would be fun, too, but oh-no, proper females don’t do that kind of thing!”

  “Well, you are kind of intimidating,” the wolf-Chow said with a kiss to the side of her head. “And I don’t think it would do for you to up-stage the Marquis. We both know the saurapine wouldn’t stand a chance with you out there.”

  Apparently it was the right thing to say as Sonja mellowed a little and snuggled closer to her male. “You always say the sweetest things.” She fussed with the collar of his loose shirt for a moment before looking Olin square in the eyes. “Just do me a favor and be careful. I’d be rather irate if you came back in pieces and there are some parts I’m really rather fond of.”

  The canine mix ducked his head as his ears turned a bright pink in embarrassment causing the female to giggle wickedly, though both of their tails were wagging happily.

  Elias leaned close to his wife to whisper in her ear. “Were we that bad when we were first married?” he asked her with a smile.

  “Probably,” the vixen whispered back with a wink.

  The last to join the group was Randal, Lena and Sabine. The three had become incredibly close over the past several weeks, but the arrangement the three had was odd in that the wolf and two females seemed to fit together almost as if they had been a family unit for far longer. As it was the situation hadn’t caused any friction between the trio, and if anything it had caused the red squirrel to work harder to pull what she considered her fair share.

  The vehicle that showed up to collect the crew of the Ascendant Angel was a multi-passenger air car with ample room for everyone and all of their belongings. Elias was the last one to board, sealing and code-locking the ship, though the pair of Expeditionary Troopers on duty in front of the hatch, a courtesy from the Marquis, was enough to deter potential intruders. The trip wasn’t that long, lasting maybe twenty minutes or so, and the kits followed what was standard procedure and promptly fell asleep as soon as the vehicle was moving.

  “I think it’s because I got pregnant when we were out in space,” Cerise said as she looked at her children with a smile, her head resting against her mate’s shoulder.

  “They’re definitely happier when they’re moving,” Keena agreed. “When all of you were away on the operation we had to drive them around Joplin on a tram to quiet them down to sleep. The Maker knows nothing else we tried worked.”

  “I didn’t know that,” the white fox said.

  Keena laughed. “They wore momma and I to exhaustion more than they did themselves when we tried to play them out. I know I slept well afterwards.”

  Conversation turned into anecdotes about the kits for the duration of the trip until Sabine looked up, her mouth falling open as her eyes grew wide. “Is that where we’re going?” the squirrel breathed.

  The entire crew looked in the direction Sabine was, the air car body comprised mostly of large panes of glassteel, granting an unobstructed view of the land and sky in all directions.

  “Wow!” Lena husked. “I sure hope so! It’s beautiful!”

  A mile away nestled on the top of one of the low foothills that loomed over a wide, verdant valley was a castle that looked like it could have been plucked directly from the pages of a fairytale. A high wall surrounded a collection of buildings that continued upwards, forming tall spires and towers, the entire keep having been built out of stone that seemed to glow with a pearlescent sheen. As the air car continued each of them could see the extensive platform and terrace gardens. The land past the moat and beyond that the fields of green that were separated from cultivated fields by thin ribbons of dense trees looked lush and rich.

  The morning mist still clung to the hilltop, adding to the overall effect. Between the upper portions of the different structures were little gardens, pools, terraces for lounging and fountains aplenty. Despite the artistic appeal, there was no doubting that the structure had begun its life as a fortification as the walls were almost fifty feet thick with very defensible gates that saw a steady flow of ground traffic coming and going between the keep and the village a few miles away in the crook of the valley.

  “Welcome to Mistwatch Keep,” the pilot of the air car said, the dun colored coyote dressed in the Marquis’ livery of pearl grey and purple grinned at her passengers’ reaction. “This is the ancestral home of the Marquis Nurian’s family and is one of the oldest fortifications on the planet. It was in this valley that the Nurian clan stopped the invasion of the northern tribes and cemented the alliance with the Royal Family centuries ago.

  “Even among the locals it’s a favorite place to visit, though the areas where the Marquis and Marquise reside are strictly off limits, as are the quarters you’ll be staying in. Despite its age the castle is fully stocked with every imaginable modern convenience.”

  As the pilot brought the air car in for a landing, Elias and the others saw Kessus and Arya waiting at the edge of the landing pad, a platoon of servants with them, and the Marquise’s own kits in a tram with their nanny and her assistants. As soon as the vehicle settled and the door opened the servants bustled forward to relieve the passengers of their burdens while Kessus and his wife stepped forward with welcoming smiles.

  “I hope the flight over from the starport was comfortable,” the Marquis began. “The servants will show you to your suites in the southern wing and help you with everything you may need. I’d see to your needs personally but I’m afraid that I have duties that I must tend to, though to make up for it I’ve scheduled a late luncheon. Does fourteen hundred suit everyone?”

  “That should be fine, Kessus,” Elias said with a grin. “And thank you for having us. This truly is quite the treat.”

  The coyote smiled. “Nothing but the best for my friends!” He gestured to the nanny for his own children and her staff. “Now, I know it’s hard to entrust strangers with your young, but Shisa was my own nanny when I was a pup, and you have my word that she’ll take very good care of your children if you’d like to relax until we get together later this afternoon.”

  “Would it be alright if I went with them?” Pala inquired with a slight bow. “I’m sure that Shisa would understand one’s need to properly dispense their duty.”

  The nanny, an aged German Shepard nodded with a smile. “Indeed I do.”

  “Well, that’s settled then,” Kessus said with a smile of his own. “Now, let’s show you to your suites.”

— NEXT CHAPTER —

Unless otherwise noted, all material © Ted R. Blasingame. All rights reserved.