“We’re not military.”
“I have the authority to commandeer what I need for the mission.”
“So do I. I also have an unlimited license to kill people.”
The captain furrowed his brow. “Is that a threat?”
“Yes.”
Elke was moving around behind him. If this got ugly, it would be loud and violent.
Highland snapped, “Oh, don’t be ridiculous. You’re not taking my guards’ ammo, like some Social Democratic activist.”
Apparently it was true the different arms of the statists didn’t get along. She was fine taking assets from others. If she needed those assets, though, or thought of a better place for them…
What an elitist bitch.
Luckily, she was their elitist bitch for now.
Rowe looked around, making his own summation.
“They told me to stick with Highland. They say they don’t trust you.”
“Hah. Don’t trust us to let her conveniently die. I think they’re actually willing to take us out to get to her.”
Cady said, “They can still use her as a martyr. Massive uprising. If I can figure out how to exploit that, so can they.”
Alex said, “Of course. That lets them play the rebellion against the UN card and move in in force.”
Rowe asked, “But what’s here?”
“Settling room, distraction, factions to play off against each other endlessly. When was the last time the government tried to solve a problem?”
“That’s not true, you know,” Highland said.
He looked at her. “Oh, really?”
“The problem is no one wants to pay the cost of solving the problems. I wanted to make a difference when I started. Then I realized that the only way to get elected was to lie my face off, then juggle things until the next election, betting on short memories to save me. Now that I’m appointed it’s much more dangerous. I have to do what Chief Fuckup wants, regardless of what it might do to my career. In between, occasionally someone gets something done for one of their power blocs, and the whole mess restabilizes like collapsing rubble.”
“You really think that’s what people want?”
“They keep voting for it, so yes.”
He would really have to consider that.
Jason said, “Why do you think anyone with the assets moves to the far colonies? Hell, that’s the whole reason my adopted colony was created.”
“That was one of the huge readjustments,” she said. “Your founding corporations have a lot of assets. They’re now increasingly off Earth and harder to manipulate.”
Jason almost smiled. “Pardon me for liking that, ma’am.”
“Eventually the General Assembly is going to make you share all that wealth.”
He didn’t want to argue politics, though she did need distracted.
“Yeah, well we need to move and fast. We have the military vehicles. I’m taking them.” He looked at Rowe, who shrugged.
“They’ll argue it out afterward. My safest response is to agree to an allied civilian force with the Minister here.”
“And I’ll need whatever ammo you have, and your troops’ guns.”
Rowe gaped.
“I don’t fucking think so.”
Alex snickered. “Interesting turnabout. So, are we going to work together here, or do we leave you sitting? I can move faster than you. Unless you plan to fight us-the locals will love that.”
“We’re going.”
“Your troops must drop their lethal weapons. Now.”
Rowe seethed openly, but he seemed to understand the rule. Frankly, Alex didn’t need them except as bullet stoppers. He turned and pointed. His troops very clearly did not like it at all, but complied. They clutched their nonlethal weapons and looked ready to use them.
“Aramis, where do we go?”
“There’s a substantial bazaar three kilometers west.”
Rowe said, “Yes, we patrol there.”
Alex looked around. “Good place for a handoff?”
Aramis said, “It’s public. Start with that.”
Cady said, “There’ll be lots of witnesses, if we can avoid scaring them. Keep Ms. Highland masked until we’re ready? Then we have instant video attention.”
“I like it. Let’s move. Captain, I would like troops in the rear.” He started walking, and signed for the others to fall in to formation.
“In the rear?” Rowe seemed surprised but gratified.
“This is executive protection. We want not to get in a fight if we can avoid it, and to be discreet.”
“I do not believe that you are lecturing me on discretion.”
Alex didn’t either.
“There are different levels of discretion. But we may need backup.”
“With nonlethal weapons,” Rowe clarified. Or was he complaining?
He shrugged. “Yeah, it’s fucked up.”
“I never thought I’d say this, but you guys don’t get paid enough.”
“Remember that in three thousand meters.”
Ahead, Bart and Aramis broke trail, Lionel and Marlin flanked, Jason did overwatch, Alex and Cady brought up the rear. Alex could see all that, and Elke helping the two women scarve their faces as they moved. Shaman was nearby and ready. Behind, twenty angry young men were ready to shoot anything that annoyed them, including Alex.
The sporadic fire dropped behind, encouraged to do so by Jason and Cady. Cady was one hell of a marksman, possibly almost as good as Jason.
However, the horrifically bright uniforms marked the unit clearly, and even without that, a platoon-sized group of armed adults was clearly a platoon-sized group of armed adults. It dissuaded random potshots, but it meant they were certainly being tracked. That was fine for now.
It was hazy and hot. Slightly lower gravity didn’t help much. There was an increasing amount of dust and other pollutants clogging the air, then the nostrils. Alex’s straps cut into him, and his feet were sweating lumps. He pushed on.
The streets resumed habitation in this area. There were little shops and some larger businesses in random assortment, with two large apartment blocks ahead. Small dwellings were above the shops, some with laundry out to dry, dosses and cooking grills on small balconies. The vehicles varied from average to scrap, with some obviously mobile lodging.
Still, no one wanted a fight, or perhaps the following uniforms actually helped. They strode briskly along, crossing an intersection in bunches at a jog, then waiting, weapons low ready, for the rest.
That was when they were attacked. Bunching couldn’t be helped, and in fact, offered offensive advantage. But they started taking fire from one of the blocks, and from across the street.
There was little cover, so four mercs clutched around Highland and ducked behind a car. The rest swarmed around and returned fire.
Jason said, “LMG in the building, fourth floor, second window west. Got him distracted.”
“Pin them down, Elke, make them scared.”
She already had a grenadelike thing in hand and arced it up and out. It flashed into howling, screaming, spinning pyrotechnics that tumbled down nice and pretty, then cracked out neural tingles and, apparently, light frag. The group of young males departed in several directions.
“Mudslimes are Satan’s whores!” one of them shouted.
