Victor seemed willing to be distracted by Lewis. “Two months ago. The academy is in Fort Wutanna. My father retired as a major, so it was pretty much a given that I would be an officer.”
“How did you land this duty?” Lewis inquired, noticing that Wilsey was trying too hard to look casual.
“I volunteered for it, anything to leave my home port as soon as I could,” Victor chuckled. “They said it would be easy and it was just like we practiced until you came along anyway, then we went on alert on the way down here, and there was that battle, and now this.”
“Does City Alpha have an academy for officers?” Lewis asked Wilsey.
“I think that’s classified,” Wilsey growled. “Why do you ask questions like that?”
“Hey, relax, I’m not trying to steal state secrets from you, Lance,” Lewis snorted. “Just trying to not be bored to death.”
“What about you?” Victor wanted to know. “What’s your alma mater?”
“I didn’t go to an academy, I was promoted from master sergeant to second lieutenant during a time of war,” Lewis told him.
“What’s your chain of command?” Victor leaned forward with interest.
“You’re looking at it,” Lewis laughed, thinking that he didn’t know if it was funny or not.
“Did you just come from space?” Wilsey asked sarcastically.
Lewis smiled. “Pretty much.”
“What?” Victor exploded. “Are you serious?”
Lewis nodded. “Yup.”
They both stared at Lewis for a long time, so he leaned back on the wall and returned their gazes. After a while Wilsey leaned over and slapped Victor on the shoulder.
“He’s lying,” Wilsey said quietly, and then turned to Lewis. “You’re a merc, nothing more or less. You’re not a spacer, and I should beat you for lying to us,” he stood menacingly.
Lewis didn’t move. “I never said I was a spacer. I was a soldier, nothing more or less. As for beating me you might be able to, maybe. Win or lose, life would be a whole lot less pleasant in here. Besides, as far as I know your still under my command,” he suddenly raised his voice. “Sit down!”
Wilsey dropped onto the cot, his bulk causing Victor to wobble at the other end.
Lewis pushed himself up and off the cot and stretched out on the concrete floor near the door. He had slept for two and a half hours when food arrived. The man with the bowls didn’t speak, even when Lewis tried to ask him questions, just handed three bowls of porridge in through a small hatch in the wall by the door. Lewis woke up his companions and they ate in silence. After they ate, Wilsey lay down where Lewis had been.
“I don’t like that bed,” he said. “You try it.”
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Before Lewis went back to sleep, the door that they had come into the hallway through opened up. They heard voices and sat up.
“This way, it’s the fourth door on the left. You have fifteen minutes,” the voice was that of the woman who had processed them.
Roquette, Nora, and a middle aged woman in a submariner uniform came down the hallway.
“Good evening sirs,” Roquette said, looking them all up and down.
“Good evening Master Sergeant,” Lewis raised one eyebrow.
“Nora, would you please explain what’s going on?” Roquette asked, stepping aside.
“OK,” Nora agreed, pulling a piece of paper from her pocket and unfolding it. “The charges against you are numerous and mostly irrelevant, however they must be answered individually. We are fairly certain that all the charges will be dropped.”
The submariner stepped forward. “My name is Lieutenant Losi, legal assistance. It looks like we can resolve this in less than two days, three at the most. Captain Inu has refused to offload cargo until it is settled; however, Commander Flagg says that his task is too time sensitive to be delayed. The defender’s brass has put a time limit of sixty days on Lieutenant Junior Grade Victor’s incarceration, after which they will consider legal action and sanctions. I don’t think the Port Mist authorities want to deal with the ramifications, since they are very busy investigating the situation. As for our people, they are also pushing for a speedy resolution. Releasing all of you would be the preferable solution, but if there are charges our brass would like to see them adjudicated. I think they are curious as to what the outcome will be.”
Wilsey looked shocked. “Are you telling me that his command is fighting for his release,” he nodded at Victor. “But my command thinks that it would be a fascinating experiment to observe the effects of being locked up in a lander’s prison?”
“Your training should be sufficient to see you through this, whatever the outcome,” Losi said with a smirk.
“Do you have instructions for Romeo, sir?” Roquette asked.
“Yeah, get on Flagg’s ship and go. Don’t wait more than four days for me in Landee, our mission is somewhat time sensitive as well,” Lewis answered.
“Yes sir,” she said.
“Wait a minute,” Victor complained. “You just sent my ride away.”
Lewis instructed Roquette to leave his bundle of paperwork and backpack with Rollins, and to try to keep Blair out of trouble.
The next day they received a visit from the NCO who was on the beach with Victor. Irwin and two sailors looked in at the door and saluted Victor.
“Commander Flagg sent me to see if you were alright,” Irwin said.
“I’d be better if I were leaving with the ship,” Victor informed him.
“I asked for authorization to blow your cell door, but the commander said somebody might wind up hurt,” Irwin answered.
“Did he send instructions?” Victor asked.
“Yes sir, he wants you to see that Lieutenant Lewis makes it to Landee as quickly as possible. Then you should rejoin the crew,” Irwin told Victor, then turned to the other two. “Commander Flagg sends his best wishes and hopes this progresses as smoothly as possible.”
“Please tell Commander Flagg I said thank you for all the help,” Lewis said sincerely, Wilsey nodded at Irwin.
That afternoon Wilsey led some exercises, which made Victor collapse. Lewis’ sides burned, but he kept up for a long time. Wilsey quit when Lewis did, saying that most of the people in his navy did not do any better than Victor.
In the middle of the night the guard opened the door. Lewis sat up and looked around. Wilsey opened his eyes, dropped his leg off the cot and lightly kicked Victor where he lay on the floor between the cots. Victor sat bolt upright.
‘What the…” Victor started to say until he saw that Wilsey was holding one finger up to his lips. Lewis swung his feet down and in two quiet steps, reached the door. The man opening the door was clearly startled to see Lewis standing there; he took a step back as two men crowded in behind him.