Curse of the Legion (33 page)

Finally there was a great calm that lasted for a long time. The flames of Hell seemed to fade away, leaving me cool and relaxed. It was wonderful. Heaven, I thought. I was tired. I slept.

"Thinker? Do you hear me?" The voice, again. Who was that? Light, blinding me. I blinked my eyes. A face came into focus. It was Snow Leopard, gazing at me with some concern.

"Snow Leopard!" I croaked. "They got you, too?"

"Nobody got me, Thinker. You're the one who got hit." He sounded puzzled.

"You're not dead?" I asked.

"No, I'm not dead." He gave me a delighted smile. "Neither are you! Welcome back, Thinker. You're going to be fine!"

I just lay there for awhile, trying to understand it.
You're going to be fine.
Deadman, I'm not dead!

I went back to sleep immediately.

###

"Thinker? How are you feeling now?" Snow Leopard asked me. This time I was fully conscious.

"I've felt better." Most of my face was encased in bandages, although my eyes and mouth were clear. I had a good view of a metal ceiling festooned with pipes and dangling medical gear.

"It's great you're talking! Your wounds were extensive, but not serious. Shrapnel, mostly—fourteen hits. Also minor burns to your face from the blast. You're one lucky guy!"

"I don't feel lucky. Where am I?"

"You are in the Body Shop of the Confederate Battlestar Atom's Will, in combat orbit around Zequord 3."

"I see. What happened?"

"Well, it seems your vac round deflected that Tacscyth from its designated target, which we believe was Coordinator Luides of the Revolutionary Council. Of course the vac didn't harm it, but kicked it off course at the last possible instant, so it activated when it ran into the top floor of the government center. It must have been programmed to activate if it failed to hit the target but hit an obstacle in the vicinity instead. Damned good shooting, Thinker."

"All I had was the vac gun."

"Had it burst on the designated target, everyone in the parking lot would have been killed by the blast. And since most of the people there were high ranking biogen revolutionary government officials, it would have been spectacularly successful for the Systies. As it is, there were only a few deaths. Most of the people in the lot survived the blast. There were plenty of shrapnel wounds, but your vac hit deflected the thing out of the kill radius."

"Sister Luides?"

"Shrapnel. She's downside in a local body shop. She's fine."

"Remind me to thank Tara for another memorable TDY. What is Atom's Will doing here?"

"The exhaust trail of the device led the biogens to a passing aircar that in turn led them to the hit team and their contacts. Interrogation of one Orman and several other former Hyades Systie officials revealed they were reporting information to the System. There was a simultaneous quantum attack on the starport's orbitguard cybernet. It failed. We viewed this as a possible prelude to the planned Systie attack on Zequord 3. We feared they might be moving it up, although we couldn't confirm it. ConFree sent the Atom's Will battlegroup here to defend Zequord 3, we announced that an attack on Zequord would be considered an attack on ConFree, and we're scrambling to get the 22nd Legion here to deploy them downside to react to any invasion attempt. That's why I'm here, actually."

"Deadman. I doubt they'll attack under those circumstances."

"That's what we're hoping."

"Tell me. You mentioned an Orman. Was it a fellow named Wellmore?"

"That's it! How did you know?"

"Just a hunch. He made my skin crawl."

Snow Leopard gazed at me with a faint smile. "The biogens appear to worship you like a God, Thinker. I got that strong impression. You saved everybody in that lot with your little vac gun. They say you're going to be part of biogen mythology. Future generations of biogens will all learn the story of Wester and the Tacscyth."

"I don't feel too mythical right now. Just glad to be alive."

"As soon as your wounds stabilize, you'll be heading for Veltros. That's the plan."

"It's fine with me."

"All right. Good. Get some rest."

"The Constitutional Convention. What happened?"

"It was postponed. They're hoping to do it next week."

"Good. That's good." I closed my eyes. Sleep—I needed more sleep.

Chapter 23
Facing our Ancestors

"More dox, Sir?" LiLo poured fresh dox into my cup without waiting for a response. She was looking absolutely adorable. We were out on the roof terrace, Priestess and Millie and Lester and Andrea and LiLo and I, sitting around a little table, totally relaxed, as Veltros's sun sank behind the forest in a soft, scarlet conclusion to the day. Andrea and Lester were in my arms as I lay on the deck chair. They were dozing off, warm and happy.

"Call me Thinker, LiLo," I said.

"Yes Sir. It's hard to do, Sir. I thank you again for the holo from Sister Luides. Signed in her own hand, and addressed to me! According to the news, you saved her from assassination, and the rest of the government too. Sir, I can't call you Thinker. You saved the biogen nation. You'll always be Sir to me!" She gazed at me in adoration.

Priestess laughed. "LiLo, you'd better get the kids to bed."

"Yes, Ma'am." She gently unpeeled the kids from my body and we kissed them goodnight before she led them off.

"She did a terrific job taking care of the kids," Millie said. "They love her, that's for sure."

"She's quite a…person," Priestess said. "Her Certificate of ConFree Nationality is up on her wall, right next to that holo from Luides. These biogens are quite formidable. If they decide to do something, it gets done. And if you gain their loyalty, they'll stand by you."

"To the death," I said.

"How are your wounds doing?" Millie asked.

"Fine. I'm going back to work next week," I said.

"Don't rush it," Priestess said. "You deserve a break."

"So does everybody else. But the Systies aren't taking a break." The latest BT was in mid-course, full of the flower of ConFree youth. The situation in the Hyades and Pleiades was tense, although open warfare had not yet broken out. We had a battle group there, and an entire Legion downside on Zequord 3. The future was unclear, and we all had to do our part.

"I spent a lot of time here thinking," Priestess said, "after Millie left for the Andrion Front. It was blood and life and death for me all day, in the Body Shop. Straight adrenalin, and lots of tears. But I got to see what ConFree is, and who our people are. I volunteered for whatever I could, just to keep busy. I spent a lot of time at the Legion Recruiting Center, helping sign people up. You know what happened, when the word came out about the Battle of Andrion Deep, and ConFree put out that plea for assistance? The midschools emptied. The lines went around the block. Boys and girls—all determined to sign up, and a lot of them underage, without parental permission. Kids just into midschool. Some of them were white hot for revenge. I asked one of them why he was so anxious to go to war. He just said, 'They killed my brother.' And he cried when we had to turn him away. I didn't ask any more after that." She paused, and sipped calmly at her dox. "It was inspiring," she added. "You can tell Tara to stop worrying about ConFree youth."

I glanced up from my copy of the
Providence Volunteer
, glowing from the flex-screen perched on my arm rest. "According to the news, ConFree needs more people," I said. "It says here the Reunification process is a big hit on both Zequord 3 and the Pleiades. Those are the first two places we've tried it. A resounding success, according to the Ministry of Interstellar Affairs. Lots of enthusiastic new settlers for the Outvac."

"I hope we're keeping the standards high," Priestess said.

"Yes, we are. According to this." The sunset had faded. We were enveloped in a velvet dusk, warm and quiet. I could hear the faint rustle of the forest all around us. I felt so damned good, just lying there reading the
Providence Volunteer
. It was my newspaper—
our
newspaper, ConFree's newspaper. I could remember all the way back to my exile on Nimbos, when I had been a Systie slave, a cipher, psyched and hopeless, not knowing even who I was. The Eye glared down from every wall, and a lot of them were live, and nothing you heard or read or saw could be believed. It was all a lie, the whole society, and if you ever spoke the truth they would snatch you right off the street for PsyMed and Directed Service. Nobody believed the news, or the government, or anything else. Even the dimmest among them knew they were all slaves, on Nimbos.

And now here I was, in my own nation, reading the truth in a newspaper that was dedicated to keeping the whole society informed about subjects of vital interest to the nation as well as the individual. And we were all united, strong and free and prosperous and determined to keep it that way. I knew this was a very unusual historical situation. A government run by the people—imagine that!

"Anything new from Moontouch?" Millie asked. She appeared very, very relaxed, gently stirring her tea.

"Last news from her, she said she and Stormdawn were very busy rebuilding the Taka nation," I replied. "The battle flags of the Golden Sword again fly victoriously over the Sunmarch, she said, and our people are strong and united once again. I bless you, she said, in the name of the Dead. And the Taka nation blesses the ConFree nation. We are united in blood. That's what she said."

"She's really got a way with words," Millie said.

"She invites all three of us—and the kids—to visit her any time we want, and stay as long as we want."

"I kind of like it here for now," Priestess said.

"We've got another invitation, gang," I said. "I have a standing invitation to visit Zequord 3, any time, me and any guests I care to name. The biogens will pay full cost for the round trip star transport, and we'll be guests of the government for as long as we care to stay. And that includes LiLo. All expenses will be paid by the government of Zequord 3."

"Wow!" Millie said. "That's quite an offer!"

"There's not too many people get a chance like that," I said.

"That's amazing!" Priestess said. "Maybe we should put that one on our Things We'd Like To Do Today list."

"There will probably be a Legion or ConFree reg against it. Accepting gifts from foreign governments, something like that. But it's a nice offer, right?"

"Certainly is," Millie said.

"But for now," I said, "we stay here. My Legion enlistment expires in a little under two years. So does yours, Priestess. That's the time to make a decision about the future."

"You know I love it here, Thinker. And I know you want to return to Andrion 2 to join Moontouch and Storm. Remember what I said. We both retire from the Legion, and I'll happily accompany you back to Andrion 2 or anywhere else. The Legion will pay for a one-way star hop to whatever your declared home planet is—and we've both declared it to be Andrion 2. But we both quit the Legion! I want to live to see our grandchildren."

"Fair enough. We can't read the future, but we've all certainly earned our retirement. Assuming there are no further nasty interruptions, that sounds good to me. Two years here, then retirement and Andrion. Millie? You know we want you to join us."

"Two years here sounds fine to me. I can't quit the Legion. I don't want to quit the Legion. But I can always ask for a transfer when the time comes. I'll do all I can to join you, Westo. And you, Priestess."

A faint breeze touched us, with a hint of moisture scented with forest musk. It was very dark overhead—an overcast night, black clouds covering the stars. How many Legion vacheads and boots had died in the Battle of Andrion Deep, fighting for the future? They never made it to witness this lovely night. They were now just names on the Legion Monument to the Dead. And we owed them—we all owed them—to seize the present and the future for ourselves and our children, so that the Outworlder people would live on, strong and free and unafraid.

After I was seriously burnt on Andrion, I had a vision where my ancestors were watching me. Just watching me, silently. It was terrifying. I knew I'd face them when I died. I knew there was nothing at all I could do about that, except to do what was right in this world.

###

That night I built a giant fire in our stone fireplace and we all lay there together on pillows facing those huge fake logs roaring and crackling and smoking and spitting sparks. We huddled together just like lovers, hypnotized by the fire, Priestess and Millie and LiLo and I. Priestess was on my left, her head on my shoulder, and Millie was on my right, snuggled up in my arms, and LiLo was heart to heart with Priestess. The kids were asleep in their beds.

We didn't say a word; there was no need. My mind was swirling with images of all our brothers and sisters who had gone before us—Ironman and Warhound and Coolhand and Boudicca and Sassin and Flash and Millina, and a lot more—the Holy Dead. Priestess was a little misty-eyed and Millie was stunned and silent. LiLo appeared peaceful and happy.

I could see Moontouch and Stormdawn in the flames, and I knew I'd return to them. I could feel the Legion Cross, cut right into my heart. It felt like it was bleeding. Perhaps I should have it lasered onto my forehead, like so many others had done. But no—maybe not. I didn't want to die anymore. I wanted to live!

Never before had I been so completely content. But I could still feel that Legion Cross, throbbing with my heartbeat just like some malevolent, sleeping beast of war. It was the Curse of the Legion. I knew if it came to life again I could not resist it. My fate was to die for the Legion. I knew it. But in the meantime I was going to love my family, and make them happy. I couldn't think of a thing more important than that. And I'd not be afraid to face my ancestors with credentials like that.

We fell asleep right there—all four of us. And I slept like a baby.

THE END of the Soldier of the Legion series.

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