“Being taken into custody” by Doctrine zombies was an experience Kyle could have done without. All his life, he’d lived according to the rule to leave a place where he saw Doctrine, avoid places where the Doctrine already was, leave any place where the Doctrine arrived, and generally give the Doctrine the widest berth possible. He’d never worked for them, either. He had a certain level of ideological flexibility, but it was widely known that the zombies took their “join us or die” mantra very serious.
Grimm had called for him, however, and so he’d given up his safe place in the forest. He’d only stuck back because Grimm had told him he was better equipped to deal with what they’d find in the village. Stepping out into the village, that proved true. The Doctrine had unleashed fucking killer robots to kill the Tamenean warriors. That one was new.
A unit of Doctrine paratroopers was surrounding a pale figure in a gray uniform, each one of the elite soldiers towering over the man, who was armed with nothing but a pistol. Kyle half-ironically raised his hands and stepped next to Grimm.
To the side, a team of medics was rushing toward Arkady.
He’s unconscious, not dead, Grimm assisted.
But gods, the state of him. The uniform had been stripped off him, and he’d been beaten black, blue and purple. He was coated in blood and clearly still bleeding. Bruising and swelling disfigured his face. If not for the movement of his chest and the medics’ quick, professional work, he could have been a corpse. Many of the dead Tamenean warriors looked a whole lot better than Arkady.
Kyle swallowed painfully. They’d struggled just following along, and Sturm and his friends hadn’t given them an opportunity to move in and snatch Arkady. He was never unguarded, and they kept him on the move. They simply hadn’t had the firepower to break him out. Plus Sturm, the one guy they could possibly hope to successfully replace, never left the line of sight of his warriors. At the same time, abandoning Arkady hadn’t occurred to either Grimm or him. Knowing he was in Sturm’s hands had been torture, though looking at the abused body being lifted on a stretcher, he’d use that word less lightly.
The functionary glanced over at Arkady, who was now being rushed toward the shuttle, and then he looked at Grimm. Everybody always addressed Grimm first. “I’m curious, why didn’t the drones kill you?”
“Mixed blood,” Grimm said. “They’re DNA scanners, aren’t they?”
The Revisionist quirked an eyebrow in surprise. “Yes. You’re ... civilized?”
“In a manner of speaking,” Grimm said, copying the Revisionist’s polite tone.
“Can you account for what happened here?”
“He was claimed under the customs of war. What are you going to do to him?”
“I’m not answering your questions,” the Doctrine functionary said. “You’re answering mine.”
“Somebody who instigates war is called a warbringer in this culture. The aggrieved party has a right to claim them and put them to death or do to him whatever they choose. It’s ... a custom to prevent infighting of the scale that almost wiped out Tameneans that last time.” Grimm lowered his hands. “Kyle and I spoke for him during the negotiations. We’re friends.”
“Friends? And why would that be?” The functionary glanced pointedly at Grimm’s hands, and then holstered his pistol, seemingly begrudgingly. He wasn’t easy to read, his emotions dulled and dense, much like Arkady’s had been at times. Well, seeing his commanding officer reduced to ground-up meat probably required some emotional reserve. Kyle glanced at the shuttle. They were loading Arkady in now and this might be the last time they ever saw him. He only wished they’d had a proper goodbye.
“He’s been very impressive during the negotiations,” Grimm said smoothly. “That’s why most of Tamene’s tribes will be joining you instead of fighting you to the death.”
The functionary seemed to bite back a retort, but maybe he thought better of it. Even in a situation like this, Doctrine zombies simply didn’t like showing emotions. “That was a wise choice,” he said blandly. “Then we thank you for the assistance you’ve lent one of ours. You can go.”
“We don’t intend to leave the colonel,” Grimm said.
The functionary looked him up and down. “Unless you’re planning to join us now, which you will in due course once the requisite specialists arrive, we have no use for you. Doctrine officers don’t keep native pets.”
Grimm laughed, which made the functionary actually take a step back. “Bear with me, please. The colonel said we’re under his protection. We’ve accepted his aid and protection and pledged the same.”
“Listen, you half-civilized monkey,” the functionary stepped right into Grimm’s face, who didn’t budge, despite the paras eyeing him for any hostile action. “The colonel has been tortured to within an inch of his life by your people, and you’re making demands?”
Grimm never changed from his mild and gentle demeanor. Kyle was only glad that the zombie didn’t try those tactics on him. He was in a state to punch his lights out. “It’s a simple request, officer. Will you honor the colonel’s words or send us away despite his wishes?”
The functionary seemed unhappy, a slight curl to his upper lip showed his disgust. And yeah, if anybody had told Kyle just a few weeks ago that he’d be begging the fucking Doctrine to take them along to where they took a lover, he’d definitely have punched somebody. But Arkady had changed everything. And maybe he was powerful enough to protect them. Maybe if they kept up that “friends” ruse, maybe then the Doctrine would be a bit more generous than he’d dared to hope.
“Well, then. His aide will look after you for the time being. But there will be questions.” His throat moved silently and he half-turned away from them. “You’ll be picked up and shuttled to the fleet, until the brother colonel makes a decision regarding your fate.”
“Thank you, officer,” Grimm said softly.
And if they don’t let us leave again?
I haven’t shown you all the tricks that are available to you now. Grimm gave him a smile and touched his arm. You’ll see. It’s a risk, but Arkady might be onto something.
I sure fucking hope so. I’m not going to join the fucking zombies.
Another shuttle arrived, and the functionary nodded toward it. His throat moved again, and two paras stepped out and wordlessly escorted Grimm and Kyle toward the shuttle.
What about picking up Winter?
She can track us. She’s checking in with the higher-ups about this.
The Doctrine personnel were entirely neutral as they indicated for them where to sit. There were a few curious glances at Grimm’s tattoos, but nobody commented. There were also no more threats, because in turn Grimm’s demeanor was neutral, friendly, and even obedient. If that was the price for seeing Arkady again, maybe that was worth it.