Duty, Honour, Love
Chapter 50

Dareia was already waiting on the steps as the ground car pulled up in front of the Security building. Karasena had commed her on the way.

“You will be ok,” Dareia assured her as she got into the ground car as Karasena exited. “I’ve my link to Jane so I’ll be ok she will always be with me.” She gave Karasena a nod. “He needs you as much as you need him.”

“Thanks,” Karasena said. “You’ve been a good friend.”

“I am a good friend,” Dareia told her.

Karasena watched as the ground car pulled away. She turned and walked into the building. As soon as she was through the door a Security Officer hurried up to her. The chief in waiting for you in the conference room. The reception area was full of Militia in the dark green uniforms. A clothing company had supplied those free of charge. They were armed mostly with shotguns another of those gifts. The weapons were cheaply made and were crude. It was the best they could do in such a short time. She wished that they had more, Security Officers were better armed but like the Militia even they carried a variety of weapons. They only thing that differentiated them were that they had Security body armour. Not as effective as combat armour but better than nothing. She threaded her way through the crowds and into the conference room. The stressed sergeant behind the reception desk had let her through without checking her ID. She halted at the door to the conference room surprised by the change. The Chief had transformed it into an Ops centre. Gone was the table and chairs and replacing them was a set of desks with holo terminals on people Human. T’Arni and Ezaran sat at each desk alert and ready for action. In the centre of the room was a large 3D map of Erikino. Jane stood by it her eyes on the map.

The Chief was at the back of the room talking to a T’Arni woman in civilian clothes. He walked over to her. “Welcome to Chaos Central,” he said to her. “I’m assigning you to the defence of Hawthorn General if that’s ok?”

“That will be fine,” Karasena replied. She rather be at Mark’s side but things didn’t work like that she had her duty as did Mark.

The Chief’s next words were interrupted by a voice over the comms.

“We surrender, we surrender. Take what you want and leave us be,” Mayor Guy’s voice blasted over the comms system.

“Shit,” the Chief swore. He turned and pointed to one of his comms operators. Send a team to the Mayor’s residence. I want that idiot arrested! I’d like to know how the Hell he got access to the emergency comms system. I want him blocked. “ He turned again speaking to the operators raising his voice for dramatic import. “Oh yes they’ll take what they want. Rape, murder theft just another day to them. They’ll strip this world bare and leave us nothing but to count our dead or those lucky enough to survive!”

Karasena guessed that he was saying that to his teams strengthening their moral. “We have to hold of for five days. A Confederacy fleet is on its way. Five days that is all I am asking.” Karasena said. “We’ve got the weapons from the Terran ship. And it is ready and able to destroy any raider ship that comes too close.” In the weeks since Katares warning she immersed herself in studying raider tactics. They’d come in close touching the atmosphere and bombard a settlement in to submission. Quick in an out and long gone before any warship could be sent. They were about to get a very nasty surprise in the Orinoco. It might not be able to fly but it was fully capable of launching an attack if any ship came too close to the planet’s surface.

She glanced to Jane intently studying the holo map. “The Orinoco ready?” She asked her.

“As ready as she can be.” Jane replied. “Jaye is itching to take out the enemy ships. We’ve got the three nuclear torpedoes we had and then there’s the seven conventional torpedoes the Ezaran built.” She grimaced her face expressing doubts that the Ezaran weapons would be up to the task but what she said was different. Karasena guessed it was Jane’s link to Dareia. “More than enough to make them go play elsewhere.”

Karasena felt better with that. She saluted the Chief. “I’ll head out to my assigned position.”

“Stay alert, stay frosty!”

“Frosty?”

The Chief laughed. I’ll let Mark explain that one.” He turned away to spoke to this team. “I want full reports when our forces are in position. I don’t want any of those bastards to think we are easy pickings!”

Karasena hurried out aware that time was running out.

It wasn’t far to the hospital. A mixed team of her soldiers, Militia and Security waited from her outside. She noted that they had built barricades and were ready. She hoped that it wouldn’t get the far but she had to be a realistic.

“The crew from the Orinoco?” she asked a Human Security Officer with sergeant stripes on his black tunic. His name badge stated Michael Fisher.

“Ma’am,” Fisher saluted if wasn’t as concise as her soldiers it was an acknowledgement she was in charge. “We got one of the roof with the railgun. I’ve placed one of our best shots up there with her as back up. We’re secure as we can be.”

“Thank you Sergeant Fisher.” She regarded the rest of the team. “I won’t lie to you. If the raiders hit anywhere it will be here?”

“Why?” someone asked.

“Because of the Cell Stitchers,” Fisher replied before Karasena could. “They’re worth more than their weight in credits. Think of it logically. Without a Cell Stitcher a wounded raider is just dead weight. A Cell Stitcher would repair those injuries so they can fight again.”

“So it’s vital we don’t let them have them. They’re for the use of our people,” A new voice from the back said out loud.

Karasena and her team turned to see Kathleen standing at the entrance to the hospital. She was dressed in hospital scrubs but belted to her waist was a holster. “I don’t want any of that scum to even enter the hospital am I clear!”

“Yes ma’am!” the team roared even Karasena followed suit.

Kathleen turned abruptly and went back inside.

Karasena broke the moment. “Right everyone to your assigned positions!”

“Yes ma’am!” her team chorused.

Karasena turned Fisher. “Where do you want me assigned?”

“Wherever you think is best ma’am.”

She stood by the entrance watching as Fisher placed her team. Hawthorn General has three entrances four if you included the enclosed shuttle bay. Which was a high walled courtyard open to the sky. The hospital like all Hawthorn buildings had small windows that could be shuttered and the doors also could be shuttered. But because it was a hospital it had to remain open. Karasena made her circuit of the building checking the entrances reassuring her team and making sure they were ready, Karasena knew time was running out. They had to be ready. It was in moments like this that her thoughts turned to Mark. He was somewhere out there she hoped he’d be safe, hoped that they could hold. Only time would tell if she was right.