Ultimate Duty

By Marva Dasef

A military officer must choose between her sworn duty or her rebellious blood ties.
Remy Belieux, a woman born into a life of servitude on a repressive factory planet, is desperate for a different life. When she's accepted into the Space Service Academy, run by the organization that enslaved her planet, she discovers the truth behind generations of rebellion.
As her heart pulls her toward Phillip, the leader of the rebel group, she finds herself questioning where her loyalties truly lie. Now she must choose, fighting for her life against impossible odds.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marva Dasef
• Release date: Jan 31, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311101082

Marva Dasef

Born in Eugene, OR and a grad of the UofO, I still made a success of my life by constantly changing jobs and cashing in miserable 401K earnings. Finally, I decided to hell with it. If I'm going to be poor, I might as well be a writer.

Book preview

Chapter 1 - Kata

Remy ignored the loose strands of sweat-darkened hair tickling her neck. She concentrated on her nonexistent sparring partner. Standing ramrod straight, she bowed to her imaginary opponent and performed the kata again...and again. Kick, jab, shuffle, kick, lunge, jab.

When she had completed it to her own satisfaction she approached her teacher, watching silently while he worked with a younger student on technique. When Kiru, her Sensei, glanced her way, a slight smile crossed his stern lips, then quickly disappeared. She wondered how he kept his judogi, the traditional wear for martial artists, as white as his close-cropped hair. Grime built up fast in the gym the martial arts classes used in place of a real dojo. She looked down at her own zubon’s grubby knees, and decided tonight she’d have to scrub it by hand to get the dirt out. She didn’t want to look like a slob in her Sensei’s eyes.

May I demonstrate, Master?

At last, Kiru looked at her. "Hai."

She bowed, then began the kata, her kiai sound of power punctuating each sharp move. Completing the form, she faced her Sensei and again bowed to him, hands formally pressed together, palm to palm.

"Better, Kōohai, almost acceptable, but your wheel kick is still too low. If your foot is not at the proper angle when you connect with your opponent’s jaw, you will only graze his head. Kiru struck the palm of his left hand with his right fist. You want to connect firmly, with force." The Sensei turned and walked away.

Remy’s shoulders slumped. Determined to get it right, she repeated the kata, watching herself in the mirrored wall to make sure her foot would connect firmly, with force, on her opponent’s jaw just like Master Kiru wanted. She practiced for another hour, then approached the Sensei again.

Since he stood alone observing students practicing, she walked quietly as he had taught her, trying to take him by surprise. He turned toward her before she reached his side, a flicker of amusement in his dark eyes. Damn! I’m never going to sneak up on him. She bowed. May I demonstrate, Master.

"Proceed, Kōohai," he answered in his always soft and steady voice.

Once more, she performed the kata, but, this time when she finished, her Sensei only nodded and walked away. Relief washed through her. She’d finally gotten it right. Now, she need only pass the rest of her final exams, and she would be ready for the next stage of her life.

* * * *

First light came, the dim Acadian sun transforming the sky above the dome into its usual dismal polluted gray. Hurrying, Remy wanted to reach the recruiting office well ahead of the other applicants. Stepping off the slidewalk at the proper ramp, a turn of the corner showed, sure enough, the building stood dark, its doors locked.

An hour later, when the doors opened, she stood at the front of the line with the dozen or so others waiting with her. Many rocked impatiently from foot to foot, each holding the infopad containing the record of their lives. She stood quietly, not because she felt calm, but because she wanted to appear that way to the ever-present surveillance system. Looks and actions—every one of them at every moment—mattered.

Everyone standing in the queue with her desired the exact same thing. Each of them shared a preferred career path. Each competed for less than a handful of chances, and they all knew only a few would make it. Remy had a visceral conviction she would be one of those few.

After graduation, she’d chosen the one life plan nearly everybody who wanted off Acadia selected—the military arm of SemCorp.

Created when the Semyon-Bratva Cartel merged with Canopis Corporation, SemCorp evolved into the de facto government. Eventually, twenty-three inhabited worlds merged into a massive commercial enterprise. At first, the individual planets maintained separate governments, but over the years, they became superfluous and all but disappeared.

Remy’s own home world, Acadia, was one of the last holdouts against assimilation. Combining the planets under a single government made a certain amount of sense. Subsidiaries handled all trade among the member worlds. It didn’t take long for the planets to hand over the rest of the governmental functions. Now SemCorp controlled it all—education, entertainment, business, the security forces, the Space Service...everything.

The military arm kept the peace, tracked down contraband and smugglers, and made the Einstein-Rosen Bridge system of navigating between worlds safe for legitimate traders. With the recent resurgence of a rebel group disrupting interstellar trade, the Space Service also monitored insurgent activities and arrested the terrorists when they could find them.

Her parents had encouraged her to do anything except remain in the factories of Acadia. They pressed her to apply to the merchant fleet, but she thought it no better than a factory job. She didn’t want to move freighters back and forth on milk runs between planets. Where was the adventure in chugging through wormholes in a freighter?

When the door to the recruiting office opened, she tucked her infopad under her arm and walked to the nearest application console. She had completed the entrance exams weeks before, but had to wait until she graduated to apply formally to the Academy.

She held her left wrist near the reader, which scanned and confirmed her identification. Like every other citizen of the SemCorp worlds, Remy had received the ultrahigh-frequency chip, UFID, implanted in her ulna bone, shortly after her birth.

She only needed to tweak some of the outdated information in the databases. Her public records appeared on the screen. Remy put her infopad by the reader and updated the database. She scanned her current profile to check what might need an update. To the right of her current holophoto, her life appeared in a few brief lines.

Remy Caroline Belieux

Born: Tenth month, twenty-second day, Std. 2722 CD. Evangeline, Acadia

Height: 180 c. Weight: 65 k. Eyes: Hazel Hair: Red

Graduated Std. 2740 CD, Evangeline Normal School, Honors Student

Sports: Track, Basketball, Martial Arts at Black Belt Level

Space Service Academy entrance exams: Passed, 95th percentile

It went on with her biometric data, describing her down to her DNA structure.

Remy Belieux, Cadet. It sounded good, she thought. All she needed was the Academy for four years’ studies in military sciences, navigation, and flight school. She could hardly wait to get going, get on with her life away from the choking atmosphere of Acadia. Such a lovely name for a hellish existence. SemCorp converted the entire planet to manufacturing and mining, with no concern about air pollution or preservation. Everyone wore rebreather-type air filters when forced to leave the protective dome that covered the city, but most people didn’t venture outside. It was certainly not the place she wanted to spend her life. She always wondered why her parents didn’t go off-world themselves.

She voiced the last corrections and waited anxiously for the application to approve her for the Academy or tell her she didn’t make the cut.

...Please wait...Unable to complete processing

Now what? Assist. The screen displayed the help entry form.

...Information System

...Please select a topic

Remy scrolled through the list, but saw nothing about incomplete processing, so she selected Other.

...Voice entry: Description

She spoke to the computer. Application held. Unable to complete processing. Please advise. She waited with her breath held for the system to respond. Finally, it flashed on the console.

...Proceed to Fifth Floor, Room 542

Damn it! Remy shut her mouth abruptly as if she expected her mother to hop out of the console to scold her. She grabbed her infopad and looked for the lifts. Finding them through a set of doors at the back of the building, she entered the chute, then announced her destination. The antigrav lift deposited her on what must be the fifth floor, although she didn’t see a designator anywhere. She walked down a long hallway. On the right side of the hall, she saw a long string of doors—502, 504, 506. It took a few minutes to reach Room 542. She straightened her shoulders, cleared her throat, then tapped the announcer.

...Name

She said her name. Even though she knew the robo-lock had already scanned her, she didn’t quite see the point.

...Please enter

Remy heard the click of the lock, then the door slid open. On the far side of the room, a man wearing the midnight-blue uniform of the Space Service sat at a data console. The rank insignia on his shoulder tabs told her he was a commander. The four rows of tiny pips across the right side of his uniform tunic proclaimed his entire military career to anyone with the knowledge to read them. It pleased her he wore the pips instead of the miniature medals favored by some. The pips, the streaks of gray in his hair, and the tired lines around his eyes all said this wasn’t some vain peacock of an officer. She wondered what he had done or who he had crossed to wind up as a recruiting officer on a backward planet like Acadia.

She walked to the desk and waited for him to look up from the display. Her stomach roiled, but she kept her face still, expressionless. Her martial arts discipline taught her to leave emotion inside and never show it on the surface.

Please sit, Citizen Belieux. We’ll see if we can get this straightened out for you.

Remy lowered herself into the uncomfortable plastic guest chair. What’s the problem? All my information is correct.

Ignoring her question, the commander asked, Your parents are Jesse Hutchings and Michelle Belieux? A fourteen-year-old brother, Gabriel Hutchings?

Yes, that’s right on the application, so... She bit her tongue to hold back an angry outburst. Why was this man asking about her family? Was there something to disqualify her?

One moment. The man studied the console for a while, occasionally tapping the screen or sub-vocalizing commands. Remy stretched her neck trying to see the display, but couldn’t make it out.

Ah, here it is. The officer gave her a sidelong glance, then touched the screen, dragging off something she couldn’t read before it disappeared. He worked for a few moments, updating who knows what information. Finally, he looked at her.

What? she asked, then, after a beat, added, Sir.

Nothing important. Just a glitch, and I’ve corrected it. You’re all set. We will deliver your orders to your home console in the next day or so. It’ll provide all the information needed. Welcome to the Space Service, Cadet Belieux.

She let out the breath she’d been holding. I’m in! She fought back the tears welling in her eyes. This isn’t the way for a cadet to behave.

The man stuck his hand out. Remy looked at it for a moment before she recalled it was a custom used on many worlds to greet or congratulate. She grasped the man’s hand hard, hoping she was doing it right. The commander pulled away with a grimace.

Sorry, Remy said as she felt her cheeks redden. She realized she needed to learn how to shake hands, a greeting not practiced on Acadia.

Not a problem. You’re a strong girl. I’m sure you’ll do fine at the Academy.

She saluted awkwardly. That was another thing she’d have to get the hang of. Being on the first rung of the ladder again scared her a little, but she was determined to be the best cadet the Academy ever saw. Even if it killed her.

Chapter 2 - Leaving Home

Within two days, Remy’s orders arrived at the home console as promised. She downloaded them to her personal infopad, but she’d memorized them to the letter anyway. The only important part was the spaceport zone and departure time.

Uncertainty overwhelmed her as she sorted through her few belongings. Waves of combined apprehension, sadness, and excitement washed through her. Acadia was not a kind planet but it was all she knew. It was her home. Now, she wouldn’t see home or family for four years, maybe more. Her family didn’t have the credits to pay for any visits and the Service scholarship only supplied her room, board, and training.

Sorting through her clothing, Remy tossed aside her old school uniforms. She wouldn’t need those anymore. She packed both of her dogi—the lightweight karategi and the heavier judogi—and three zubon, chuckling at her idea of fashion. Neatly folding her three black belts, she tucked them into a pocket by themselves.

Examining her few other pieces of clothing, she ended up shoving them all into the recycling pile. She’d wear her one comfortable jumpsuit. They’d issue uniforms at the Academy. Adding her few toiletries to her bag, she closed it. Remy took one last look around the room she had occupied her entire life and realized, except for her family, she wouldn’t miss it or Acadia at all.

Remy called the shipping service to schedule the pickup for her duffle bag early the next morning. The shuttle to the spaceport, a separate dome several kilometers from Evangeline, ran hourly. The service would load her stuff onto her assigned ship.

Soon her parents and brother arrived home from work and school, and Remy walked to the dining hall with them for her farewell meal. While they all laughed and talked about her future, tears stung her eyes but she blinked them back.

She studied the kind faces of her family, wanting to remember every detail—Gabe’s dark good looks taking after their father, her mother’s red hair matching her own, and her father’s graying hair and solid features. The table talk was lighthearted, her parents telling her for the fifteenth time how proud they were of her, Gabe babbling on and on about space battles and maybe finding some aliens.

Just think! You’ll get to visit planets where you can walk around without a rebreather.

Not so sure about that, Gabe. I’ll spend most of my time on board a ship. I hope they’ll assign me to a cruiser.

That’d be so—!

Sweetheart. Her mother interrupted Gabe’s excited prattle. Make sure you always let us know where you are.

Of course, Mom.

Her father put his hand over hers. Obey orders. That’s important. You don’t want to… Her father paused, looking grimmer than she’d ever seen him.

Don’t want to what? Is something wrong?

Oh, you know, you’ll get assigned scut duty. Cleaning latrines and all. Her father smiled and patted her hand. Don’t complain...too much.

Remy tilted her head and studied her father’s face. What’s up, Dad?

He shook his head. Margeaux, you remember her, don’t you? Anyway, Security grabbed her right off the line today. They took her away in handcuffs.

Wow. I wonder what she did. Remy recalled the middle-aged woman who had known her family forever. She couldn’t imagine Marg doing anything to get herself arrested.

Who knows? Maybe she stole something. I just don’t know. She’s the fifth person I know who they arrested or just disappeared this month. It just seems to me, well, too many good folks are going missing for no reason.

Remy’s mother glanced between father and daughter. Jesse, you shouldn’t be upsetting Remy like this. She’s going away and we don’t want her to worry.

Jesse looked at his wife, then smiled. Of course not. You’re right.

Remy examined her parents. They rarely talked about work or anything outside of their own family. The conversation bothered her. She wondered if her parents might get caught up in some SemCorp housecleaning, ridding itself of any malcontents. But she knew her parents never talked about the insurgency. They said they didn’t want to cause trouble. What kind of trouble could they possibly cause? When her parents studiously returned to eating, she let it go. This was her farewell, dinner and she wanted it to be happy.

When the meal period ended Remy said, I’d like to say good-bye to my Sensei. Without him, I wouldn’t have made it into the Academy. I’ll be home in an hour or so.

Of course, Remy’s father said. Kiru has been like a second father to you. You’re right to wish him good-bye.

The family split up, her parents and brother returning to the small apartment they shared, while Remy headed toward the dojo where Kiru lived as well as worked.

* * * *

A tender hand with rough calluses stroked Remy’s side from shoulder to hip. Her eyes fluttered open as she rolled to face her lover. She purred deep in her throat when Kiru pulled her close and kissed her neck. She felt her carotid artery pulsing under his touch. He whispered, The smallest pressure here, if held a few seconds, will render your opponent unconscious.

Yes, Sensei, but I hope that’s not your intent, Remy replied with a wink.

He smoothed her still-damp red hair. "Not at all, chan. It is difficult to leave my teaching self outside the bedroom door."

Remy inhaled his scent, musky with a hint of cinnamon. My student self appreciates all the education you are willing to give. Remy touched her forehead to his. Whether the art be battle or love.

Kiru enfolded Remy in his arms, pulled her close, then lifted her in one smooth motion on top of his body. He entered her, and she snapped upright, throwing her head back with a gasp. She reveled in his delicate touch, as he caressed her breasts, belly, thighs. Sighing, she leaned down to kiss him.

An hour later, Kiru kissed her nose and moved to disentangle himself from sheets and girl. I’ll miss you, but I have taught you everything I can. It is up to you to hone your skills.

Remy pulled him back. Perhaps one more lesson?

Her Sensei settled back on the bed. I suppose there’s one more move I can teach you before we say good-bye.

* * * *

The next morning, her infopad told her the shipping service had arrived. She hauled her duffle bag out of her room and shut the door on her old life forever.

Her mother and father held her until she