Dynasty of Rogues Page 3
Rangers stood sentry on the wall. Riki could hear their voices. They would have marked her since her arrival at the stable. Riki spared a glance for the cairn on the valley floor and grimaced. She did not envy the Guards who had been sent to attack Westernfort.
From the top of the pathway, Riki had a clear view over the broad floodplain below. Herds of sheep and cows were grazing on the water meadows while pigs rutted through the mud. Loose pine groves crowned the tops of scattered tumuli. Sunlight sparkled on loops in the river. Several kilometers away, another parallel escarpment rose on the northern edge of the plain, and beyond it, the serried ranks of mountains faded into the distance. Spray from the waterfall misted past. Riki spent a moment longer, taking in the panorama, then she turned and marched through the gateway.
On the other side of the wall, Riki found herself at the entrance to a valley surrounded by mountains, a kilometer wide at its broadest and several kilometers long. This valley held forests and farmlands, and also the town of Westernfort itself. It was the older and larger of the heretic settlements, with close to a thousand inhabitants. Riki and her mother had lived there briefly after they fled the Homelands, but she had not been back since they moved to Ginasberg.
Faced with the unfamiliar layout, Riki hesitated, wondering where to go next. However, the sentries were not going to let an unrecognized face slip by unchallenged. A woman with a sergeant’s badge on her sleeve trotted down a flight of stairs inside the wall.
“Do you need help?” Despite a frown at the sight of a stranger dressed in a Ranger uniform, the words were delivered in a friendly fashion.
“Ah, yes, ma’am. Leading Ranger Sadiq, from Ginasberg. I have a letter from Lieutenant O’Neil. Where can I find Captain Coppelli?”
The information sufficed and the frown changed to a welcoming smile. “She should be in the headquarters.” The sergeant pointed to a group of brick buildings on the edge of the town. “If you go there, someone will escort you to her.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
As Riki marched along the road, an unexpected feeling of tension in her stomach grew. Whatever O’Neil had written about in the letter was unlikely to be flattering, and Riki was not looking forward to the forthcoming meeting. Would Captain Coppelli really give her a clean start, rather than decide that further disciplinary action was needed?
Riki slapped her leg with the palm of her hand. Did it matter? Riki knew that she would not keep out of trouble for long. Nor did she want to. Life was too short to waste, busting your ass about senseless regulations. Yet with each new incident, Riki was finding it harder to shrug off the ensuing reprimand and punishment. Was it because she was older? Or was it just that she no longer deliberately sought the notoriety? Now the notoriety came hunting her.
Within minutes of reaching the buildings, Riki had found an orderly and passed on her request to meet Captain Coppelli. She also handed over the sealed letter from O’Neil. On balance, Riki felt she would rather not be present when it was read.
The orderly nodded, took the letter, and directed Riki to a stool in a corner. Riki sat down to wait, reminding herself of all the reasons why she did not care about how the meeting went.
*
Captain Coppelli was in her early fifties. Her hair was cropped short, soldier style, and graying at the temples. She had a solid, muscular build. Her eyes were sharp, radiating a fierce intelligence. Laughter lines creased around her mouth, although no trace of a smile was currently visible. She tossed O’Neil’s letter onto the desk and fixed a withering gaze on Riki. “That is the most dismal report I’ve ever read about any Ranger. You’re a disgrace to your uniform. Are you proud of your record?”
Riki stood to attention a few feet away. “No, ma’am.”
“You’re lucky I trust Lieutenant O’Neil’s judgment better than I trust my own. Because if it was my call, you’d be on a trip back to the Homelands, with a warning that if ever you were seen west of the Blackstone Mountains again, you’d be shot on sight. We’ve got enough problems with the Sisterhood and the Guards. We don’t need shitheads like you stirring up trouble in our midst.”
Coppelli paced to within an arm’s length of Riki. She jerked her thumb back over her shoulder, indicating the desk. “That’s not the first report I’ve read about you. You’ve been nothing but trouble since the day you arrived. Is it five or six times you’ve been found guilty of theft?”
“Five times, ma’am.” Riki knew there was no point adding that the last time had been three years ago, when she had taken a bag of apples from the stores and used them for target practice.
“Yet for some reason, O’Neil thinks you should get one more chance. So okay. You get your chance. But if you step a millimeter out of line, you’ll be out of the Rangers, out of Westernfort, and lucky if you’ve still got your skin intact. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Coppelli marched to the door of her office. She called to the orderly outside, “Can you tell Geraldine Baptiste I want to see her. I’ve got a new recruit for her patrol.” She returned her attention to Riki. “You’ll be in 2B Patrol. Sergeant Baptiste is short of a woman. If you cause her trouble, you’ll regret it. And while we’re waiting for her to get here...”
Captain Coppelli went behind her desk and removed the trail knife from the service belt hanging there, then came to Riki’s side. With the tip of the knife she unpicked the stitching that attached the badge of rank to Riki’s jacket sleeve. Once the corner was loose enough to provide a grip, she ripped it off and then went to Riki’s other arm.
Riki stood stock still, outwardly impassive, although her guts were churning. The demotion was expected. She had thought she was prepared for it. She was wrong. The rank of leading ranger had been hers for less than two months. Getting there had taken so long, and already she was busted to private again. Riki pressed her lips together tightly, summoning anger as a defense. She was used to everyone thinking of her as bad. That she could live with. Incompetent was another matter.
It was unfair. If she had stayed at her post and Beth had been killed, would they still have found some way to make it her fault? Who were they going to blame for everything back in Ginasberg, now that she was gone? Was it worth suggesting that Coppelli invent a new rank for her of squadron scapegoat? Perhaps the badge should be an ass with a target on it and the words “Kick here.”
Coppelli dropped the two badges, with their single bar, on top of O’Neil’s letter. “When Sergeant Baptiste has finished showing you around, your first task is to get some new blank badges and sew them on your uniform, Private Sadiq.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
A knock sounded on the door.
“Enter,” Coppelli called out.
The woman who came in was about thirty-five, square-faced and square-shouldered. She snapped to attention. “You wanted to see me, ma’am.”
“Bad news, I’m afraid, Sergeant Baptiste. I’ve got a new recruit for your patrol.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Riki saw the sergeant’s expression shift to confusion.
“Ma’am?”
“I know you’re short-handed, but I don’t think Private Sadiq is going to be an asset to your patrol. I’m sorry, but someone has to have her. She’s been sent here from Ginasberg because Lieutenant O’Neil is sick of the sight of her. I’d tell you to keep a strict eye on her, but I think you need to keep two, and maybe a guard dog as well. At the first sign of trouble, let me know, because I’m just itching for an excuse to kick her out of Westernfort.”
Sergeant Baptiste drew in a sharp breath. “Yes, ma’am.”
Captain Coppelli stood in front of Riki one more time. “Okay, Sadiq. You’ve heard the briefing I’ve given your sergeant. No secrets. No excuses. You know where you stand. And if you want to keep standing in the Rangers, you get your ass into line.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Dismissed.” Coppelli turned away. “And sorry again, Gerry.”
*
So much for the clean start. The words slunk bitterly through Riki’s head. However, it was not quite as bad as Ginasberg. She would not be liked or trusted, but nobody would have any real personal hatred toward her. And it might take as long as three days before they all get to feel that way about me.
Riki knew that the Rangers at Westernfort were formed into six patrols, each with eight women. These would include a sergeant and a corporal. She also thought that the patrols were divided into two rotations, so presumably 2B was the middle patrol in the second rotation. She could ask Baptiste, although she doubted if a display of enthusiasm for the job would be the slightest help in counteracting Captain Coppelli’s introduction.
Their route ended at a long building that had the unmistakable air of a barrack block. When Baptiste opened the door, light and heat spilled out. Riki took a second to gather herself and then followed the sergeant in to meet her new patrol comrades. How would Baptiste portray her arrival? Not that it mattered much. Everyone would see the cut stitching on her shoulders, learn her rank was private, and work out for themselves that she was recently demoted.
The room Riki entered had the traditional barracks layout. In three corners were double bunks; in the fourth was a single bunk for the corporal. The door at one end would lead to the sergeant’s room. Lockers took up the remaining wall space. The building would be as much a spiritual home for the women as anything. Many would also have a family home in town, with parents or partner. However, the barrack room symbolized the tight bonding of the patrol. In a crisis, the women would literally depend on each other for their lives.
Currently, all the remaining patrol members were there. Four sat playing cards on the corporal’s bunk, while two more were chatting by the iron stove.
“We’ve got a new patrol member.” Baptiste claimed everyone’s attention. “She’s transferred here from Ginasberg. She’s Private Sadiq. Private...” She turned to Riki, clearly wanting her first name.
“Rikako Sadiq. Riki.” She tacked on the shortened version of her name for good measure, although her mother was the only one who ever used it now.
“Right. Well, it’s too late to sort out everything tonight. Dinner’s soon. We’ll get you settled in tomorrow.” Baptiste pointed to the lower bunk opposite the card players. “That’s the free bed. And the second locker from the right is yours. I’ll just introduce you to everyone.”
The card players scrambled off the bed and formed an uneven line, joined by the two from the stove. Riki ran her eyes along the row. The women of the patrol looked to be a fairly typical cross section of Rangers, until Riki got to the last in the line.
She was of average height, lightly built, in her early twenties; certainly no more than a couple of years older than Riki. Her face was finely formed, with firm lips, a small nose, and large eyes—a face that would have earned a second look from anyone. However, what caught Riki’s attention was the badge on her shoulder, which held the twin bars of a corporal.
How did anyone get to be corporal so young? Riki turned her head slightly so that she could just catch sight of a trailing thread where her leading ranger badge had been ripped off. Not only was she back at private, but she was going to be saying, “Yes, ma’am. No, ma’am,” to someone the same age as herself.
Sergeant Baptiste worked her way down the line, naming each Ranger in turn. She reached the end of the row. “And this is Corporal Tanya Coppelli.”
Riki fought to control her expression as she muttered a quick “ma’am,” but now it all made sense. That was how you got promoted so quickly.
“Right. Dinnertime. We don’t want to be late at the mess.” Baptiste addressed the room.
With the sergeant in the lead, the patrol filed out of the barrack room. Riki opened the door of the locker she had been told was hers, threw her pack in, and then hurried to catch up. She ended up at the rear, walking beside a woman whose name she thought she remembered.
“It was Stevenson, right? Loke Stevenson?”
The woman looked down at Riki. Something about her expression made it clear that this was not just a question of height. She must have been in her early thirties, tall and thin, with a gaunt face. Her hair was longer than normal for a Ranger, enough to reveal a tendency to frizz. Eventually she condescended to give a half nod of acknowledgement
“Yes, Leading Ranger Stevenson. And Loke. Short for Lokelani.”
“Right.”
They walked in silence for a few more steps. Then Riki indicated the woman in front and dropped her voice so she would not be overheard. “The corporal. Tanya Coppelli. She has to be some relation of the captain’s.”
“Her daughter.”
“Oh.”
Riki chewed her lip and glanced again at Loke. The leading ranger had to be at least ten years older than Tanya Coppelli. Surely it must rankle to be overstepped like that, with such blatant favoritism.
“Easy to get promoted when your mother’s the captain.” Riki made her voice a conspiratorial whisper.
“Chip Coppelli would never be biased.”
“Oh, I’m sure.” Riki made no attempt to keep the scorn from her voice.
The only response was a sharp glare.
Riki rolled her eyes. Judging by Loke’s reaction, the captain had her absolute trust and loyalty. Loke also felt enough affection to refer to her commanding officer by nickname. However, Riki could not stop herself from saying derisively, “And you reckon Tanya deserves to be corporal? It’s not that someone wanted to please her mom? Her name didn’t help just a little bit?”
“You don’t—” Loke broke off sharply and increased her pace. She slowed only when she had drawn level with the woman in question. Riki saw Loke duck her head and whisper something to Tanya, who glanced back, offended anger plain on her face. Clearly Loke had just repeated the doubts cast on her fitness for her rank.
Riki could not believe it. Just my luck. I pick the patrol ass kisser to talk to.
Tanya opened her mouth as if she was about to speak, but then turned away and continued walking beside Loke. Riki tagged on alone at the rear, considering their backs and wondering which of the two she disliked the more.
*
“Private Sadiq.” Baptiste summoned Riki straight after breakfast the next morning.
The sergeant was standing by the door to the barrack room. Riki hastened to join her. “Yes, ma’am?”
“I want you assessed to see what you’re good at.” If anything. Baptiste’s tone and expression made the last two words as clear as if they had been spoken. “We’ve got two new applicants for the Rangers. Corporal Coppelli is going to be testing them today to see if they’re up to standard. I’ve told her to check you out at the same time. Get your full kit and meet her by the gates in ten minutes.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Riki hurried away, making sure her face revealed no dissent, but alone in the barrack room she stood, hands on hips, glaring at the door to her locker. She was being treated worse than a raw recruit—put on a par with a couple of wide-eyed kids. Demeaning did not begin to describe it. And just how competent was Tanya-frigging-Coppelli to judge her abilities anyway?
Riki grabbed her equipment, then slammed the locker door to vent some of her indignation and stomped out of the room. She was prepared to bet that she knew far more about being a Ranger than the captain’s damned daughter.
*
Two sets of hoofprints scuffed through the leaf litter, becoming clearer atop a slight mound where the wind had blown the loose covering away. The sandy soil held the clear imprint of the animals’ feet.
Tanya called the small g
roup to gather round. “Right. What can you tell me from these tracks?”
“They’re spadehorns,” one of the sixteen-year-old applicants piped up.
Riki kept her eyes on her feet, working to hide her grin. Not that the girl was wrong, but she sounded so pleased with herself. What other animal could have made the huge tracks? An adult spadehorn was two meters high at the shoulder and nearly four meters long.
“What else can you tell me?” Tanya asked.
“One’s bigger than the other, and the only time you get spadehorns together are mothers and their babies. So this must be what these are.” The youngster sounded less sure of herself.
“Timing? Any idea of when these were made?”
“Um...they’re fairly fresh, but we haven’t seen the animals.” The girl looked around to emphasize her point. “So they probably came through yesterday sometime.”
“Anything else?”
The teenagers exchanged nervous looks. Both were clearly desperate to impress. Riki could almost see the cogs going round in their heads as they tried to think of anything intelligent to say. She yawned and looked back to Westernfort several kilometers away. The appraisal was proving every bit as tedious as she had feared, and Tanya was being decidedly patronizing. Admittedly, anyone might have a hard time taking the two applicants seriously, but Tanya was making it plain that she considered Riki to be no different.
“Private Sadiq. What should you do if there’s a mother spadehorn around, with offspring?” Tanya asked, possibly noticing Riki’s wandering attention.
“If?” Riki said it as a question. “You should go very carefully and make sure you don’t end up between them. Spadehorns are normally no problem, but the mothers get very protective. One of them charging you is nasty.”
“Very good. Right. We’ll move on.” Tanya’s tone and smile were reminiscent of someone talking to a baby making slow progress at potty training.