Audacious

22

In the stories and the vids, the grizzled sergeant shouts freeze and all the troops do just that. Possibly, if you're moving carefully through a battlefield, you can do it.

Kris had tried it, once, moving across a minefield, and done a passably good job of freezing.

But who takes the same care walking through an art show?

Kris was fast learning that she could end up just as dead either place.

Even as Kris ordered those around her not to move, she knew she was in no position to take her own advice. One foot was up and way too far out for her to keep from finishing the step.

Everything depended on what sensors the auto-gun had.

If it had motion sensors, the last one to move just might get away with it…assuming the magazine had run empty on those that moved first.

If it had Kris's picture in its brain, nothing much mattered.

If it was under the remote control of some assassin, again, nothing much mattered.

Or it might just aim for sound. In which case, Kris was again in trouble. She did have to issue an order. Jack didn't need any. As for the girl…

It turned out she couldn't take them.

First the college docent screamed as she recognized the barrel of a gun. Then she bolted.

And the gun homed on her.

Jack, God bless him, kicked the girl's knees out from under her before she could take a second step. Then, he threw himself on top of her.

Kris could understand the male desire to do something like that. Samatha was certainly strategically well-padded enough that neither of them should be hurt. Kris hoped Jack lived long enough to enjoy it.

It also put the back of his armored dress blues to the gun. When the gun spat a long stream of darts, most of them finished sticking out of his blouse. Still, that had to hurt.

Someone was going to be black-and-blue tomorrow.

And grumpy.

But Kris had her own problems. Gravity was having its inevitable effect. She turned her fall into a tumble to the left, and went for her automatic at the same time.

And brought her weapon up as the pea brain controlling the auto-gun swept it toward her.

Kris aimed her automatic at the rock. It kicked in her hand on full auto, full power, armor-piercing magazine.

Let's see which of us can take it the longest, Kris thought.

It was a close run thing.

Kris felt the impact of darts, starting at her right foot and coming up her leg. It was purely an information dump to the brain. In the heat of battle, pain didn't arrive—yet.

She kept her aim on the rock. Sparks flew along with small parts of things. No way to tell what she was hitting. The hologram's illusion hid whatever damage her slugs were doing.

She felt the darts hitting her hip, and climbing up her belly. Here, the ceramic slats in her girdle earned their pay.

Kris let her fire wander, a bit down, a bit up. Maybe if she hit the auto-gun in the right place…?

Two Marines rushed into the scene, machine pistols held up before their eyes, tracking for the sound of the fire.

They put long bursts into the auto-gun even as it turned toward them.

Now Kris had a broadside view of the gun. She aimed for the arming bolt's slot. Mess that up and it had to do bad things to the gun. Why else were Gunny's all the time saying you had to keep the slot clean.

Jack took a few more hits as the auto-gun swept past him.

Even as Kris fired at the arming bolt, another part of her brain was processing the trajectories of the rounds that didn't connect with her or Jack's armor.

Outside this hologram must be a slaughter.

The chatter of the gun hicupped. Regained its rhythm, then slowed down to nothing.

A hush went over the scene.

Then the lights went out.

Now Kris heard people screaming, crying, moaning, and weeping throughout the huge ballroom.

''Somebody's cut power to the whole show,'' Jack said.

The two Marines showed that they took the business of being ever ready, or was that the Coasties motto. Anyway, they produced lights and a moment later, two beams were searching around the room.

''Somebody hit the goddamn lights'' echoed through the room in a voice only a Gunny Sergeant could manage.

And there was light.

Proving that God truly is spelled G-U-N-N-Y.

The harsh glare of the newly reborn lights showed carnage. Kris, Jack, and the Marines were the only ones who had felt the need to wear armor to an art show. Scores of bleeding people now suffered the full effects of their civilian optimism.

Across this gory scene, a dozen men and women moved with purpose toward Kris, their machine pistols out.

If anyone wished to take up arms against Kris now, there would be hell to pay.

Scattered in with the fallen were other hologram generators, now off.

Were any of them rigged with auto-guns?

Kris wasn't the only one mulling that thought. One or two Marines paused to eye rocks, tree stumps, what have you. As per their training, they eyed the things over weapon sights.

''Don't shoot the gear,'' Kris said, taking responsibility for several million dollars of equipment that struggling artists would have a hard time explaining to their rental agents why it came back in shot-up pieces.

Hopefully, she would not have to pay for this good deed.

''If any of them start shooting, nail ‘em,'' Gunny added.

Once at Kris's side, the Marines formed a wall around their princess. In the distance sirens began to sound. But the bleeding people in the ballroom needed help now. ''Any of you have lifesaving gear?'' Kris asked.

Most of the Marines nodded.

''Gunny, please select your best shooters to stay with me. Detach the rest of your team to help these people.''

''If you wish it, Your Highness.'' The statement clearly reflected what Gunny thought of that idea.

''Of course she does, Gunny,'' Jack drawled as he rolled off the docent. ''She's a Longknife. They always want to take more risks than any sane person would.'' Then Jack groaned.

At the entrance to the ballroom, two Marines rushed in, no weapons out, but instead loaded with medical emergency kits. They immediately fell to, working with the bleeding. ''Those Marines from the truck park? The ones Nelly called for?''

''Yes, ma'am,'' Gunny agreed. And with a nod from him, all but two of the Marines around Kris joined in lifesaving.

Over the next several minutes, civilians straggled in. Apparently, some owners of the limos parked outside also traveled with medical emergency kits. Several EMTs rushed to where someone was down, either relieving a Marine or starting initial care. Others stood around until a Marine yelled at them, and got them helping where they were needed.

''Jack, you okay?'' Kris asked.

''Shouldn't I be asking you that question, Your Highness?''

''I'm fine,'' Kris said.

''You're bleeding.''

''If I am, I'll have Abby write a very nasty letter to some lingerie manufacturer.''

''Check your leg, ma'am,'' Gunny said.

Kris did. Trickles of blood showed where several darts stuck out of her spider-silk stocking.

''I think the darts were small enough to work their way through the weave of the thing,'' Jack said.

''What about you?'' Kris demanded again.

''I'm okay,'' Jack said, but then groaned.

''Check him out, Gunny,'' Kris said, and took an offered hand from a woman Marine to get herself up. The leg was definitely starting to smart. And the hang of her gown was now all wrong, as darts imbedded in her ceramic understuff held its fall.

''Anybody see a Vicky Peterwald?'' Kris asked.

Just as the source of her query exited the ladies' room, surrounded by a mass of hulking security. They made for the exit without looking back.

''Lucky timing,'' Jack muttered.

''Or informed timing,'' Kris added.

''Sir,'' Gunny said, ''you have darts sticking out of your skull. I know Marine officers are supposed to be hardheaded, sir, but this goes beyond my usual experience of the Corps.''

Jack chuckled, or at least tried to. He also pulled a wig off his scalp.

''I thought you looked terribly shaggy on formal occasions,'' Gunny muttered, examining the armored toupee. On the inside of the hairpiece, where its outside had stopped a dart, was now a lump. The armor had both stopped the slug and tried to spread or absorb the impact.

''Looks like it done good,'' Gunny said.

''How is your neck, Jack?'' Kris demanded. ''All that force had to go somewhere. You took, what, three slugs?''

''I'm fine, Kris,'' Jack said, squinting at her. ''And you are as beautiful as ever. Both of you.''

''He's concussed,'' Gunny said.

''Let's get out of here. Is there a hospital close?''

''My orders are to transport you to the embassy's clinic, Your Highness,'' Gunny said. ''Captain is about one minute out with the reaction team. I am instructed to await his arrival before moving you. Either of you, sirs.''

''Then by all means let's do what the captain ordered,'' Kris said, and, suddenly feeling the need, plopped back down.

''Bad idea,'' she muttered through gritted teeth. ''Blasted leg isn't happy with me standing, and doesn't much like me sitting, either.''

''Captain, we'll need two stretchers, here. Yes, sir, the princess is bleeding a mite bit, and the lieutenant is going to have one whale of a headache in the morning.''

''Who said anything about the morning,'' Jack groaned and put his head gently down.

Samatha was shaking like a twig in a tornado. ''You saved my life,'' she managed to get out through chattering teeth, as she reached out to caress Jack's face.

''I wouldn't do that, ma'am,'' Gunny said. ''We don't know what all is busted there.''

And then the reinforcements arrived.