Cally's War

“Sir, recommend we cut the gravity back in at Titan ambient levels when we turn on the lights. It would be unfortunate to have her fall on her head or have some other premature fatal accident.” It was difficult to tell if Senior Chief Yi Chang Ho was speaking to his lieutenant or to General Stewart himself. The lieutenant’s nod was just a fraction behind his own.

“Do it,” the general ordered. The chief was one unpleasant piece of work, and Stewart wasn’t going to give him another crack at Cally if he could help it. Cally. It suited her.

The lights flicked on and Cally and the gurney bounced gently to the floor. She immediately rolled to her feet and into a ready position.

“Holy fuck, how’d she get out?” one of the MP’s, Keally, breathed.

“I think I might be able to break her. I’d like to try before you boys get started. At best, she’ll start talking and it’ll save us all some time. At worst, it should make her more… receptive to your efforts.” Stewart looked down at her. Her being loose could make this a lot easier. If she didn’t kill him on sight on general principles.

“She was your lover, wasn’t she?” Yi said. Coming from a rate, it was gross insolence, but taking offense wasn’t in his plan.

“I was hers. It unmasked her in the end.” He shrugged. “Too bad you boys couldn’t have tried one of her blow jobs.” He grinned wickedly as the other men chuckled.

“General, I am most concerned that she would harm you. Especially with your previous injuries—” the Fleet medic began.

“Right. Good thought. Keally, Baker, come with me. No weapons — can’t take the risk she’d somehow get one away from us, can we?” He wheeled his chair around towards the service lift, “Oh, this shouldn’t take long. Either it’ll work and she’ll start talking, or it won’t. I’ll try Good Guy first, and if she doesn’t talk, I’ll play with her head as much as I can before handing her back to you.”

He stood at the door, waving off his men.

“Don’t nursemaid me, son. I’m only in the chair today to placate the damned medics. And I’ll be right back in it in a couple of minutes.” He cleared his throat, covering his mouth with one hand. “Listen up. I’m going to hang back with you when we first go in the door. I won’t walk forward unless I’m reasonably sure it’s safe, but if I do approach her, I need you men to stay back at the door.”

“General Stewart, sir, I’m very uncomfortable with this plan,” Baker said.

“Noted. If she rushes us, you can cover my retreat.” He palmed open the door, which immediately recognized the Brigade CO and slid aside obediently. Inside, as Baker and Keally spread out to flank him, Cally eyed them warily. He took two steps forward, waving the men back and suppressing a wince at the red-brown smudges that stood out so clearly against the white floor. The room smelled of sweat and rust and something vaguely chemical.

The gurney was tipped over on the floor, on the side of the room away from the observation lounge. He turned his head slightly toward it and winked one eye. Baker and Keally couldn’t have seen it. To those in the observation lounge, if they had seen it, it would have looked like a blink. Only Cally could see both eyes. If she had noticed, she gave him no sign.

“Sinda, please, honey, don’t make them do this to you. If you don’t talk, I can’t protect you. If you tell them everything, honey, I’m a major general — I can cut a deal and make your part of this all go away.” He took a step towards her.

One of her eyebrows quirked upward, skeptically, above a black eye. She stood her ground.

“Honey, they don’t want you, they just want the ringleaders. All these horrible things, they’re so unnecessary — but I can’t protect you if you won’t talk.” He closed the distance, brushing an unbruised section of cheek with one hand, and praying she didn’t blame him for what they’d already done to her. Well, she didn’t kill him outright. Good sign.

He leaned forward and kissed her, arms going around her ever so gently. None of the onlookers could see the pill he moved from his mouth to hers. She’d have to crunch it before swallowing, but Tommy had told him she’d guess that much.

“Please, sweetheart, what’s your real name?” he asked for the cameras.

She stiffened in his arms and he couldn’t tell if she’d just bitten down or not. Apparently. She swallowed hard.

“No,” she said.

He pushed her away, roughly, and strode back to the door, turning in the doorway.

“What, you thought you were a good enough lay that I’d get you out of this without you telling what you know? Sorry, sweetheart. Oh, you were enthusiastic enough, but I’ve had better.” He looked her naked and abused body up and down. “Oh, and no more fun and games with the men. When you get horny enough to talk, maybe we’ll let you have one back. But not me. I’m not a fan of damaged goods.”

Baker and Keally barely managed to yank him out and get the door shut before she bounced off the other side, swearing creatively enough to draw an appreciative whistle from the private.

If she hadn’t stood there with her mouth hanging open for a second, they never would have made it.

“I think you made her mad, sir.” The MP helped him back into the wheelchair.

“Yeah, Keally, it does sound like it. Back up to the lounge.” He wheeled off to the lift, hoping she’d understand why he’d had to say the worst things he could think of. He didn’t look back.