Duty, Honour, Love

Daisy stared at the finger length strip of green plastic she been handed. She had spent the last week working for an accounting firm and had enjoyed it. “What’s this Mr Johnson?” she asked the boss of the firm.

Abe Johnson was short man with what seemed a permanent smile on his face and threadbare hair. Daisy liked working for him. It had been a dream job for her or one she had trained for before she got drafted.

“A credit chit,” Abe replied. “Redeemable in any store in Hawthorn. I’ve already deducted income tax and employment insurance so no need to worry about that?” He paused then continued. “Go out and buy yourself some clothes.” He looked at Daisy she was wearing her Empire issued Navy jumpsuit in pale green. “I’m not sure what young ladies wear these days but I’m sure you’ll find something.” He paused again rearranging his thoughts. “You done an exemplary job more than I could have ever expected.” He gave a shudder. “Some of those I’ve hired in the past, well I’m lucky to have you.” He sighed the smile fading from his face. “I wish I could pay you more and you could stay permanently. But once the war is over you’ll be going home.”

Daisy thought it was heartfelt she could see he was telling her the truth. She wished it different but she still had another year of service to go. Allie Brock and Tupper had another three years to serve. She felt sorry for those never going home; at least thanks to Captain Stillway she had that chance.

Abe continued speaking. “Go home have a bit of fun. I expect you early Monday morning we’ve got a lot of work to finish.”

“Of course Mr Johnson,” Daisy replied putting the credit chit in the pocket of her jumpsuit. She’d have to get permission but it would be nice to go shopping and buy something not pale green in colour.

“Abe please. Jenny is always telling me off for being too formal with customers and staff which you are.”

Daisy left the building feeling happy it didn’t last long she felt her humour evaporate. She should have had Security with her. But there was no one she didn’t believe there wouldn’t be Security. Someone always accompanied back and forth between the Festival Hall and the firm. Captain Stillway had Captain Karasena accompany him. She was sure something more was going on there but it wasn’t for her to comment on it. The thought of pastries he always seemed to bring back diverted her thoughts from the way they were going and into more pleasant territory. She knew part of what she doing was to help the people of Erikino. They didn’t know about the impending attack they just weren’t ready.

She stood on the sidewalk looking in all directions. Security was not in sight. Daisy debated whether to wait or to head to the Hall it wasn’t that far. She knew the route besides Security didn’t like you to deviate from that route. Making a decision she headed down the road past deserted warehouses. It was Friday and most businesses in the area closed early on a Friday. Daisy walked on noting as all the others times she had done so the odd shapes of the warehouses. She walked on only hearing the sound of her feet on the sidewalk there wasn’t any vehicles on the road. Something made her look back her blood froze for a moment seeing three men following her. She assumed they were following her. She unfroze and picked up the pace she wasn’t going to panic but it was a lie she was telling herself. She hurried on her heart beating like a drum threatening to burst from her chest. Then from ahead of her another two men appeared and were walking towards her. Daisy started to panic she was alone with no protection, no one to come to her aid. Her eye darted around trying to find an exit she could take to escape there was nowhere. Suddenly she spotted a ramp leading to a sheltered roller door. She hurried down the ramp desperately hoping they’d walk past her. It was a vain hope the two groups met and proceed to walk slowly down the ramp in an attempt to clearly intimidate her. Daisy shook with fear all thoughts of self-defence fading from her mind. She just wanted to run. She pressed herself against the roller door feeling the ridges in the metal against her back. It was pointless to scream but she did putting all her fear into the scream. All it did was to make her tormentors laugh.

“No one can hear you Terran bitch, you’ll get what’s coming to you!” One said groping his crouch suggestively.

Daisy screamed again in sheer desperation fear making her thoughts incoherent. As a hand reached out to grab her she almost wet herself in terror.

Suddenly from behind her attackers a voice boomed out sounding child like.

“Auntie says you shouldn’t hit girls!” a huge hand grabbed one of her attackers and pulled him backwards literately flinging him away from her.

“Fuck Billy,” another of her attackers shouted turning away from her.

“Stay out of this Billy!” a third yelled fear clear in his voice.

“Bad boys shouldn’t hurt girls!” the child like voice said. The huge hand reached out and pulled another of the gang.

“Bad!” the child like voice admonished him.

Daisy was too busy trembling with fear to see clearly. She heard someone shriek. What she did see was a knife in the hands of one of the gang.

“Get him!” the knife wielder yelled.

“Bad boys, bad knife!”

For once Daisy was concerned about someone other than herself. She looked up to see a huge mountain of a man with a podgy face and close cropped hair wearing a checked shirt and dungarees. A massive fist punched the knife holder. The power of it lifted the knife holder off his feet.

“Enough Billy!” A feminine voice called out behind the mountain of a man.

Daisy peered around the one called Billy to see a T’Arni woman in a Security uniform. She looked tiny compared with the bulk of Billy she was even shorter than Daisy but she carried the voice of command. Behind her were several other Security officers mostly Humans with their guns drawn.

The T’Arni woman spoke again. “We’ll take it from here Billy you go home Auntie is worried about you.”

Billy looked chastened. “Miss Cloiytie these are bad boys, boys shouldn’t hurt girls?”

Cloiytie waved her hands slowly shaking them up and down. “Ok Billy its over these ‘boys’ won’t be hurting anyone anymore.” She turned to the remaining members of the gang. “We won’t be doing that will we ‘boys’?” she used the word ’boys contemptuously. She nodded to her fellow Security officers. “Take them to processing.” Cloiytie edged her way around Billy and the now surrendered gang members over to where Daisy pressed herself into a corner between the roller door and the wall.

“It will be ok, we’re here now!” Cloiytie said to Daisy in a gentle voice.

With that Daisy burst into tears again. Cloiytie held her close while Daisy cried on the shorter woman’s shoulder. Cloiytie patted Daisy’s back in sympathy.

“It will be alright. I won’t let it happen again.” Cloiytie told her. “That I do promise,” she said to herself.

Daisy cried for the third time her tears soaking into Cloiytie’s tunic. Cloiytie gently led Daisy to the Security ground cruiser and sat beside her and they drove away from the warehouse.