The Fifth Foreign Legion Omnibus by Andrew Keith & William H. Keith Jr

Author:Andrew Keith & William H. Keith, Jr. [Jr., Andrew Keith and William H. Keith,]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science fiction, alien, revolt, rebellion, Foreign Legion, survival
Publisher: Word Fire Press
Published: 2016-05-02T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Getting bounced from the Legion? They don’t bounce people from Hell.

—attributed to an unknown legionnaire of the French Foreign Legion

The nomad scout was better after more regen therapy, and DuValier found him sitting up and looking alert, even restless. Aside from the steridressings on his chest and side, Oomour looked almost fully recovered.

“You I thank for bringing me back?” the scout asked DuValier as the lieutenant entered the ward.

He nodded, then remembered that among the natives it was a side-to-side movement that indicated assent. “I found you,” he told Oomour. “It was luck, mostly.”

“Then to you my life I owe,” the nomad said. “To you a debt I would repay.”

DuValier shrugged. “We don’t abandon our own,” he told the wog, wondering if the native would understand.

“Yes … yes, your Clan is mine now.” Oomour seemed more grateful at being accepted as part of the Legion than at having his life saved.

“Well, your Clan is going to need you, Oomour,” DuValier said. “When Dr. Ramirez discharges you tomorrow, see me. I want you to help me with a little project I have in mind.”

“Project?”

He smiled. “Yeah. I’m going to make a Voice for the Legion Clan that’ll give Choor!’s bastards a headache.”

A footfall behind him made DuValier turn. Edward Barnett was standing just inside the door. “Lieutenant, I need to see you,” the civilian said. He shot a look of distaste at Oomour. “When you’re done here.”

DuValier finished with the native quickly and joined Barnett. The civilian wouldn’t speak until they were out of the medical center and out in the open. When he finally did talk, it was in hushed, conspiratorial tones.

“Lieutenant, you’ve struck me as the only voice of reason in this entire unit,” Barnett began. “Between that incompetent Hawley and your boss Fraser, they’ve flouted everything Seafarms has tried to do on this planet, damn it, and neither of them seems to realize the damage they’ve done.”

DuValier studied the civilian with distaste. He knew how Barnett felt about the Legion. He wouldn’t be here, talking to a Legion officer, without some ulterior motive. “It isn’t for me to criticize my superiors,” he said guardedly. Not to the likes of you, he added to himself.

“You heard about the nomad peace offer yesterday, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. A sham.”

“So your Captain Fraser claims. But what if it isn’t? The nomads may be giving us a way out. With negotiation, Seafarms might even find a way to deal with this warlord, Choor! or whatever his name is. But Fraser won’t even think of exploring a peaceful settlement, and of course Hawley backs him up.”

“The nomads, by themselves, could be offering terms, Citizen. But whoever’s backing them, human or ale, knows enough about the Commonwealth to know Terra won’t back down that easily. I can’t see them letting the wogs arrange a peace that’s liable to break down in a few months anyway. They’ll want a solid victory, something to prove this place is too expensive to try and civilize.”

“You seem to forget, Lieutenant, that Seafarms is the government here.

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