“I just got started, Krys, though this isn’t much of a challenge. Kind of strange the way the weight on the bottom of my legs makes my shoulders work, too. I’m more accustomed to a backpack.”
“All the more reason to not over work muscles that aren’t used to it. Let’s try something else.” She removed the plates and showed him how to buckle himself into a complex harness that attached to his torso, knees, and feet. “Try this for a while.”
He started pumping his legs, and she could see it took no effort. She dialed up the tension and a look of bliss came to his face. “Ah. Much better!” It wasn’t long before a sheen of sweat covered his face. “Better than doing squats with weights, and with this arrangement, I can do one leg at a time,” he said with a grin.
She called Tom over to the equipment and belted him into another contraption. “Start running,” she ordered.
He did, and he was surprised. “Just like the real thing.”
“But it avoids impact damage to your joints, and it works more of your muscles than just running or jogging. That’s why proper stretches are so important. You might find that some of your muscles aren’t used to it. Let me know if that happens.”
“Sure, Krys. Why are you going to Earth, if I might ask?”
“I’m just a passenger. We’re going to Earth and changing ships.”
“We?”
“Me, Tarn, and a few others.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m not certain yet. She looked over her shoulder at Tarn. “Do we have a list?”
He nodded. “Chandrajuski is on his way to Orion III. It’s the first battle. He gave us a list of district headquarters. We’ll be focusing on Korban’s districts initially. Our job is to distract the Rebels while Chandrajuski does his best to take back sector headquarters.” He shrugged, then positioned himself for the meditations that Krys always insisted on.
She wanted to join him, but she had to keep an eye on the men. This equipment was all new to them, and she didn’t want anyone to get hurt.
“What do you do if you don’t even know where you’re going?” Tom asked, jogging easily. It looked to her like he could keep it up for hours.
“I’m just a courier.”
“A courier, and you get your very own ship?”
“Well, it’s an important message I carry.”
“You’re just a young woman. Surely there are others.”
“There are, many others. I wish I didn’t have to go. It’s been terrible, but it’s necessary.”
“Oh, so you’ve already done it. What’s so bad about it?”
She looked at him, then at Washburn and Jacobs. “You’re all warriors, but I’m not, and none of my crew is immune to the Chessori mind weapon. We’ve had some close calls, and that’s part of the reason I’m getting a new ship. Our old ship didn’t have the latest upgrades. The new one probably will.”
Washburn, still pumping away with his legs, asked, “How do you deal with the Chessori if you’re not immune?”
“We suffer. How familiar are you with the Great Cats?”
“Pretty familiar.”
“Oh, that’s right. You’re a Protector. You know how strong they are. My crew includes three Great Cats. They draw on inner reserves of strength and are able to fight the scree. They keep functioning, but they have limitations. With their skills and some good luck, we’ve managed to take out a few Chessori. We’ve also had a number of occasions when we were severely outnumbered. We had to jump early, dangerously early. So far our luck has held. Our new ship will be more capable, but we’re still going to have to deal with the scree. We don’t have a good solution for it except to avoid it.”
“Sounds to me like you need some Terrans,” Tom said.
“If you’re truly immune to the scree, you’re right. I wish there were more of you. I think you’re all spoken for. Your job is more essential than mine. You’re going to see lots of action, and soon.”
“That’s what they tell us. Sounds like you’ve already seen plenty of it.”
“Too much, and the Chessori influence is spreading, getting worse. Quite frankly, I’m terrified, but I have a wonderful crew, the very best.”
“Why do you have to go out if it’s so frightening?” Washburn asked. “Surely there are others who can carry your message.”
She looked away from him, then down at the floor. The decision she’d made so long ago to accept Chandrajuski’s assignment still surprised her, and in many ways, it disturbed her. She wished she’d had more of a choice in the matter, but no one else could help her mother the way she could.
“A strong sense of duty runs in my family,” she said, looking back up to Washburn. “What I do for the war effort cannot be done by anyone else. What my crew and I have done has had a direct influence on Earth, as well. It would be fair to say that we’re Chandrajuski’s principal intelligence gathering unit.”
She paused to consider what she knew and decided she was not out of line speaking of it in general terms to Protectors. “Some of the intelligence my crew has gathered is of critical importance to Earth’s survival.”
Three more men came into the room, and from their loose pants, short shirts, and bulging muscles, she knew instantly that they, too, were from Earth. They chose spots near Sergeant Jacobs and started warming up. She kept an eye on them, but there wasn’t much she was needed for. One man started doing push-ups, and after a while, he started doing them with one arm. Another started with sit-ups and looked like he could keep going all day long. She brought pads to him and slid one under his knees and one under his head without asking. He winked at her and kept going.
“Critical to Earth’s survival?” Washburn asked.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not free to discuss the details, Terry. How much do you know about the First Knight’s trip to Earth?”
“We’re soldiers. We do what we’re told, and we don’t always get explanations. I, personally, have no idea what the First Knight is up to.”
“You will, in time. The threat to Earth is serious, but it’s still some time in the future, and he’s taking the appropriate steps to deal with it.”
A look of alarm came into Washburn’s eyes. He locked gazes with Tom O’Brien, then moved his gaze to take in the rest of the men. Exercise stopped. The men all focused on her and Washburn.
He looked into her eyes. “We’re from Earth. If there’s a direct threat, you should share what you know with us.”
Her lips pursed. “I know, Terry, but I cannot. I’m sorry.”
“This is the first we’ve ever heard of any direct threat to Earth. How certain are you?”
“Pretty certain. My crew and I will continue gathering information of this nature, you can be certain. Anything of importance pertaining to Earth will be provided immediately to the First Knight and the Queen. That’s why we’re going back out, Terry, despite the risk.”
Washburn looked around at the men again, clearly upset. “You speak of direct threats to Earth, and you’re looking for more intelligence. Are you likely to uncover anything of significance?”
“Probably. The hard part is staying alive long enough to get the information home. I can’t give you details, but I can tell you that the First Knight is on his way to Earth because of what my crew and I have learned. Protect him well. The future of your world hangs in the balance.”
Washburn started removing the harness she’d put him into. She came over to help him, and he stared into her eyes from inches away. “You’re practically a kid. Surely, you’re joking.”
“I’m not. I wish I was. Know that the right people know, and steps are being taken as a consequence of what we’ve learned. We’re going to protect you, but your people and your planet are going to go through some changes in the next few years. Maybe sooner. If they want to survive, they’re going to have to emerge, because they have to help us to help themselves.”
Washburn looked angry. She left him and went to Tarn’s side. She kneeled down and touched his shoulder. He must not have been very far into his meditation, because his eyes opened instantly.