Mitch had just gotten to the home when the crash happened.
The landing craft had rolled when it crashed. Rolled right into the back of the home she was trying to enter. When she saw through one of the windows that part of the back of the house had collapsed. She didn’t need any further incentive. She opened the door and went into the house to find the older couple in it. She found all them, including the little guy, all lying on the floor of the kitchen passed out. She quickly found that they were okay, just dazed. She decided that the little guy should go first. She picked him up putting him into a fireman’s carry and took him out of the house. Once the kid was safe, she went back in and pulled the woman to safety. She laid the still dazed woman next to the little guy, and went back to get her husband. As she tried to get the husband to safety, he began to fight her. As she struggled with him part of the kitchen ceiling collapsed on her, knocking them both to floor. She brushed off the debris as she stood. Her right shoulder hurt like hell. She saw where the old man was. He was half buried under some of the ceiling debris. She quickly removed some of the debris and began to drag him out. Her shoulder wasn’t cooperating. She couldn’t put the old man into a fireman’s carry as it was too painful. Instead she dragged him out of the house. She had almost got him to where the others were when she passed out from the pain. This is where one of the off duty Trojack fire fighter’s found her with a piece of wood sticking out of her back. The next thing she knew she was in the school’s infirmary with a worried Sergeant Green sitting beside her.
###
The landing craft landed aboard the Valliant about an hour after it lifted from the Palace pad. They were met by the ship’s captain.
“Sir Mike,” the captain greeted Marshal Wilson, “I wish you were coming aboard under different circumstances.”
“So do I captain,” Mike Wilson responded, “any news about Mom?”
“Admiral Wilson is still in surgery,” The captain answered, “the chief surgeon is operating on her. It’ll be a couple of hours before we know any more than she took a round in her arm and lost a lot of blood. She’s critical but stable.”
“Critical but stable,” Mike replied. He knew that was not good news; but it was not bad news either. His mother was alive and in surgery. She wouldn’t be in surgery if she wasn’t stable. All he could do was find somewhere to wait until there was news about his mother.
“Marshal if you will come this way,” The captain pointed to a hatch, “we have conference room set aside for your use.”
“Thank you,” Marshal Wilson replied.
They trooped to a conference room where a young ensign was assigned to stay with them. Liz, her father’s secretary, captured a computer terminal and handled the com traffic that was still bombarding her father.
Hours later a softly spoken voice woke Jill up. “Marshal Wilson.” “Keep your voice down please,” Mike asked.
“Stephen?” She saw the young bioboy that caused so much excitement at the end of their run earlier that day.
“Hi colonel,” The bioboy responded. “Kellogg sent me up to be with you.” “Kellogg sent you up?” the marshal asked.
“Yes sir,” The young gamma clone said, “He has some information for you. That he didn’t want to discuss on the com. He didn’t think the Evac would let him on the
Valliant; but thought I could get aboard.”
“So he sent you,” Her father stated, “instead.”
“Yes, it’s a message,” the bioboy answered. “It was Hozenbur, Marshal,” Her father nodded gravely at Stephan.
“She hasn’t made contact yet; but as she didn’t leave Lady Wilson behind, Mr. Kellogg has some hope that she won’t be killed outright.” Stephan concluded his message.
Her father gently got up and left. Jill could see the furry in her father’s face. She had never seen her father that furious. She turned to the young clone.
“I hope I didn’t make him angry at me?” Stephan turned to Jill.
“No,” Jill returned, “You just confirmed what he suspected. He’s mad at the situation. He’s also very concerned about Mom. If we lose Mom I don’t know if we won’t lose Dad too.”
“Oh,” The young man said sitting down. “I am so sorry to hear about your mother. The Freedom association is trying to find her; but the witch who has got her, has gone to ground. But we’ll find her Miss Wilson.”
“Thank you,” Jill said, “Would you give a message to Mr. Kellogg for me.” “Sure!” Stephan replied.
“Please keep me informed of the progress you guys make. I want to be kept in the loop.” Jill said.
“I’ll let him know.” Stephan said.
A few minutes later her father came in with the Chief Surgeon. “We have some news.”
“Okay,” Jill replied a little upbeat praying that being up beat matched her hopes for her grandmother.
“Your grandmother took hits in her right arm. The hits were through and through. One did hit bone and an artery. It bled a bit and that was what caused your grandmother pass out. She lost quite a bit of blood. But we have it under control and have cloned enough of her own blood to get her volume up. We have given her some nanobots. They will repair most of the damage that was done.”
“How long do you think she will be here?” Her father asked.
“A week,” the surgeon said, “We’re going to keep her under while the ‘bots are in. She is stable and she should recover 100%. She shouldn’t have the problems she had twenty years ago. The damage is different and we’ve improved about tenfold.” “Can we see her?” Jill asked.
“We have her in isolation Colonel Wilson,” The Surgeon replied. “You’ll be able to see her in a couple of days. We have quarters ready for you…”
“That’s fine, but we’ll be returning to the palace. You folks don’t need me up here, and I have an evacuation to run.” Her father said, “Ensign would you ask flight ops to lay on a bird to get us back home?”
“Uh Marshal,” the ensign said, “The Elsy you came up in is ready to dock and take you aboard.”
Her father asked, “Would you please tell the pilot we’re ready to go home.” “Will do sir,” the ensign said.
Jill turned to Stephan and asked, “Do you need a ride?” “Yes,” Stephan stated.
“Come along them,” Marshal Wilson said as they walked to the flight deck.
###
It was the next day and Jill had stayed home from the academy hoping that they would find her step mother soon. She had been allowed to sit in on a briefing that Lord James held for her father, Queen Aggie, and Mylea. She could see the frustration on all of their faces. They were without a doubt at their wits end trying to find Hozenbur and recover her step mother. Now the next night she was sitting in the study trying to work on some school work so she wouldn’t get behind when she was distracted by her father and her step sister.
“Dad, are you all right,” Jill asked watching her father, where he was distractedly coloring with Abby. Normally he tried to sit with the child before she was put to bed, as often as he could. Sometimes he got home too late to do more than kiss the child good night after she had been in bed for a couple of hours. Sometimes the two of them went for a walk, or played some game. In some respects he was trying to make up from when Jill was growing up and he had to spend so much time away from her. Normally it was one of the best parts of his day. Tonight, the night after Lisa’s abduction, she could tell he was getting little joy out of it. He looked up to his daughter not sure what to say.
He looked back to his youngest and then to the young protective agent who was sitting quietly by the study door ready to be of assistance to the family. “Sally would you see to Abby’s bath?”
“Come on Little Bear,” Sally said, “Let’s get your bath.”
“Will you tell me a story Aunt Sally,” The little girl asked as they left.
“What would you like to hear?” Sally asked leading the child away.
r />
Abby knew something was going on; but not what. They had told Abby that her mother was visiting a client on the other side of the planet, and she would be gone a couple of days. That would work in the short term, but not over time, Abby was a smart child for her age, and they would have to tell her. When her father had discussed the situation with Sally, Sally had agreed to the charade. Thinking the child wouldn’t understand had happened to her mother.
“Let’s take a walk Jill,” Michael said standing up. “We need to talk.” “Sure,” Jill answered closing the book she was unsuccessfully trying to study.
They left the residence, and walked to the gardens. The gardens took up thirty or so acres in the center of the palace grounds. They were some of the most secluded areas in the palace, yet fully secure. Jenny walked a few feet behind them as they walked. As did Mac, her father’s agent. Jill waited for her father to start, knowing he would have to do it his way.
“Jill, no I am not all right.” Her father had turned and took both of her hands in his, “but there isn’t a lot I can do about it. It is almost impossible for me to not join the search for Lisa. This may be the second and last time that I have lost her and I can’t face that.”
Jill said nothing, she had seen how close her father and step mother were. After her grandmother had chilled out and was talking to her again, she remarked on it to her. Her grandmother had nodded, not saying much only that her father had found that one special someone who had made it work for him. When she asked about her mother, her grandmother had said that her father had been in love with Killeen; but it was never the bond that Lisa and her father shared.
“Yet I must,” her father continued, interrupting her thoughts after a few minutes, “face the fact that I might have lost her and that I have to go on. Hozenbur is one mean vicious witch. She is dangerous. I can’t figure out what is going on with this. It makes no sense what she did. Lisa and Hozenbur have a history. Lisa has been associated with several of Hozenbur’s failures. Hozenbur tried to kill Lisa a couple of times, and Lisa just survived, by out witting her. Dumped her into a life boat, and left her to die. For that and others Hozenbur wants her dead. When Lisa was seen on the holo with me that first night it told Hozenbur where to find her. I broke a promise baby. I promised never to put her or Abby in harm’s way. And that’s just what I’ve done. Put them into harm’s way, and now you!”
“Dad,” Jill spoke softly, just above a whisper, “Lisa and me talked about the danger. It was one of those nights when you were out with the troops and it was just me, mom, grand mom, and Lamile. She was so worried about you. Worried about all of us! She knew the danger she was in. Mom was afraid you were doing things to keep us safe, and not taking care of the business you needed to. She knew that this was the job that you were born to do. She was willing to take the risk so that the people of Trena got to safety!
“She knew that you had to do that and if she let you take her to safety she couldn’t live with her self.” Jill continued. “We just prayed that Kellogg would find Hozenbur before she could strike.”
“Now what do I do?” Mike asked.
“Dad,” Jill said sharply, “Lisa would say it maybe a little more politely; but she would, and you know she would say, Worry about me but get your ass in gear, you have a world to save now hustle your ass mister.”
They walked for a while in quiet finally leaving the gardens, as they did Wilson turned to his daughter, “Yes, you are your grandmother’s granddaughter. And Lisa would have my ass if I didn’t finish this job. I can see that she is rubbing off on you.”
Jill waked in silence for a bit and then said, “Dad I have had all types messages from the guys at school. They want to help.”
“Jill it’s too dangerous.” he said as they began walking back towards the residence, “There is going to be death when Hozenbur’s captured. She won’t go down without a fight.
I can’t and won’t let your crew help.”
“Dad some of my older cadets can ride along with the MPs and Mounties, we can do some of the jobs that are safe and will let some of your cops help with the search. My guys can direct traffic and walk security beats near the landing zones. Simple stuff that a handful kids can do with a little adult supervision,” Jill pleaded. “Why can’t we help out? My guys want to help. They know it’s dangerous; but not as dangerous as the Long March that Lamile led. But Dad if they can relieve one Mounty or MP or Companion to help find mom then it is worth doing.”
Her father walked in silence.
“Dad my guys want to help.” Jill said, “We need to be of help and this is what the Queen had in mind when she created the corps.”
“Lieutenant,” Wilson turned to his aid, who had been walking with Jenny and Mac a discreet distance away.
“Yes Marshal,” The young man said.
“I know I am supposed to be on leave; but would you get a message to the XO for me?”
The young man nodded.
“I want The Queen’s Own Corps of Cadets to be assigned such tasks as befit young people with the Mounted Patrol, and the Companions. Tell her that some of these guys could be of use to General Langtree and that might put a few more bodies on the street. Under no circumstances are they to be put in the search for Hozenbur.” Michael ordered.
“Aye-aye,” the young militia officer replied. He noticed a change in his commander.
“And LT,” the marshal said ruffling his daughters hair, “Be careful how you raise your children. If they are smart, they may argue you into logical positions you can’t back out of!”
“Aye sir,” the Lieutenant chuckled. Jenny locked eyes with her charge and nodded. Jill didn’t know if Jenny was approving the way she had cooled her father out, or because of her suggestion. Whatever it was she knew that Jenny approved of her, and for some reason even with the grief she was feeling, that was enough. She had to help find her step mother. Her father wouldn’t let her kids go hunting; but there was no reason they couldn’t help out where her kids were not in danger.
###
“I have never seen Dad that furious,” Princess Lisa was reading from the diaries again, “If the Princess and later Aunt Mylea had not cooled him out I think he would have left the business of the evacuation and began the hunt for mom all on his own.
“Later as he tried to be with us, I could tell his mind was not on what he was doing. I guess I wasn’t either. I am so worried about mom,” the diary went on, “I haven’t been told the whole story about Hozenbur; but everything I have heard of her makes me very concerned if we’ll get Mom back. If we lose Mom I am not sure that we’ll be able to keep Dad glued together.
“He seems barely glued together.” Jill had written, “Our walk together seemed to help a bit; but I have been starting to read him. He is deeply in love with Lisa, Mom. I hope when I finally find that person we are as close as Mom and Dad are.
“I was so relieved to hear grand mom is going to be okay,” Jill wrote. “At first I didn’t want to believe the surgeon on the Valiant; but later the palace surgeon made a point of sitting with me and Aggie for a special private briefing. He convinced us both that she would be okay. I realize that I can’t lose mom, or grand mom. I wish I had told Mom how special I thought she was before she was kidnapped. I will make sure that grand mom and Mom know what special women they are in my life.
“I didn’t know it at the time,” the Princess continued to read her grandmother’s diary, “but that explosion we witnessed near the school, was an effort to cause as much chaos as possible. That explosion almost cost me another person dear to me. Mitch had been injured in the aftermath of the explosion as she rescued one of the little guys, who had wandered away from the school, and the people who owned the home the landing craft had crashed into. Thankfully she wasn’t seriously injured; but she was almost taken from me too. Almost three in one day. God I hope I never have to go through another day like today!”
Princess Lisa close the
diary wondering how she would deal with her mother, grandmother and one of her friends being harmed or kidnapped the same way.
Chapter 25: With the Cadets
“Considering how adamant Marshal Wilson was about not wanting the cadets in harm’s way,” the general began her class, “to this day I am amazed that he relented and let the cadets help out. But he did. I wish I would have seen the first part of their deployment.” “Where were you General,” The princess asked.
“I was in orbit.” The general said, “I had finally got a lead as to where the AI was that I was trying to find was. So I wasn’t on world when Lady Wilson was abducted. So I didn’t see when the cadets were deployed, but I sure heard about it.”
###
“What do you think Millie,” Lady Hawthorne asked walking into the office that Millie usually worked out of. The sergeant had become her principle advisor when it came to the Cadets. The older woman had the ability to tell Lady Hawthorne the way it was without seeming to scold or berate the younger woman. Delores didn’t know how she did it. After working all night, as the night watch sergeant, she showed up bright and early at the academy to help Delores. She was connecting with the kids like few of the other NCOs had. Most, even the Black Guard soon were deferring to her as the academy’s top sergeant. Several of the retired NCOs had been grateful when Millie had taken some of their duties.
“Major Atomi has talked to me about it.” Millie responded, “I think we can do it, and we should. The kids need something to do after class, and this will keep them from chaffing at the bit, and keep their minds off the evacuation. I think it’s a good blend.”
“I’ll tell Major Atomi that she should have her cadets ready to go in the morning.” Delores replied. She looked at the pile of clothing Millie had handed her and the two gold oak leaves sitting on top of them.