Barbarians

There's a little black spot on the sun today

It's the same old thing as yesterday

There's a black hat caught in the high tree top

There's a flag pole rag and the wind won't stop

I have stood here before inside the pouring rain

With the world turning circles running 'round my brain

I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign

But it's my destiny to be the king of pain

Police - “King of Pain”

“So that’s it then. Questions?”

The team stared at the sparse map, then looked at one another. “We always knew it might come to this,” Graybird said.

Musashi nodded in agreement. “Well, we had a good run.”

Tango sighed. “Morbid enough yet? Jesus, what the hell is wrong with you guys?”

“That mission’s a one-way trip and you know it, Tango,” Graybird fired back. “Get real.”

She started to refute him and then shrugged. “Ok...yeah. I’ll admit the odds aren’t great.” She turned to Whisper. “What about you? You’ve been awful quiet.”

“You know me,” Whisper smirked. “I’m always in.”

“...Christ...” Musashi swore, jerking his head. “Incoming.”

Tango looked over her shoulder and grimaced. “I’ll handle it,” she told the others, moving to intercept the twins as they entered the compartment.

“Training’s canceled,” she said. “Go home.”

The pair came to a halt, a look of confusion appearing on their faces. “Is something wrong?” Taichist asked.

“It’s...complicated,” she told them. “Just leave it at that.”

“How can we?” Chechla asked. “Have we not worked hard enough? Have we failed some test?”

“Look, it doesn’t matter,” Tango snapped. “This whole thing was a mistake. You don’t belong here. You never did.”

The young Saurotaurs were taken aback, their expressions wounded when Taichist’s eyes narrowed. “Something has changed, hasn’t it?” he speculated. “That’s why you are pushing us away like this.”

The human groaned. “...anyone ever tell you you’re too damn smart for your own good?”

Chechla leaned forward, peering at Tango. “That’s it, isn’t it?” she blurted, “You’re afraid for us.”

Tango looked from one to the other and sighed. “Damn it all to hell,” she whispered. “Ok, yes...we got a mission brief. It’s sketchy at the moment, but...kids, this one is gonna be bloody. You don’t want any part of this.”

The twins shared a brief look before Taichist turned to her. “If we were human, if our father were not the famous General Nassat...would you still say this to us?”

Tango nodded without hesitation. “I would. Let us old farts take this one.”

“Why?” Chechla pressed. “Have we not earned your respect? Have we not earned a place among you, if only as trainees?”

“This has nothing to do with respect,” Tango snarled. “I am not taking you two on a fucking suicide mission. I’m not doing it! You’ve got your whole lives ahead of you, and you want to just piss that away?” She stabbed her finger at the rest of the team, watching the exchange. “We’ve lived our lives. You haven’t. So no...you’re not going. End of discussion.” She spun on her heel and stormed away from them, back towards the others.

The twins shared another look before trotting to catch up. Taichist reached out to take the human’s arm...when she whirled about and wrapped her hand around his throat, squeezing his windpipe.

“Feel that?” she hissed, as Chechla stared wide-eyed. “I close my fingers, and you’re dead. Not even your sister the Healer could save you.” Taichist twitched beneath her grasp, as she leaned in. “That’s how precious life is...and how quickly it can be snatched away,” she said in low menacing tones.

Tango froze, as she felt the tip of a dagger press against her carotid artery. “Let my brother go,” Chechla ordered.

The human considered her options, tensing for a moment to disarm the young Saurotaur...when she felt the blade break her skin. “Don’t,” she said. “As you said, I am a Healer...which means I know where I can do the most damage, and just how long it will take you to die.”

She relaxed her hand, releasing the young male, as Chechla withdrew the dagger. Tango dabbed at her throat and felt droplets of blood. “Would you have gone through with it?” she asked. “If I hadn’t let go?”

“He is my brother,” Chechla replied, still clutching the knife. “What do you think?”

Tango looked back at her team, who were all watching the scene with interest. “I wasn’t kidding,” she said at last. “The mission...it’s a kamikaze run. Barring a miracle...no one’s coming back from this one.” She sighed as Chechla slipped the blade back in her clothing. “So now you know. That’s why I don’t want you on it.”

Once again, the twins did their pseudo-telepathy bit before facing the human. “Is it important?” Taichist asked.

“It is,” she admitted. “It could end the war.”

The pair nodded. “Then we wish to be a part of it,” he said, as Chechla stood beside him.

“...fuck,” she swore, “do you have any idea what this will do to your father if you both get killed? You’ll destroy him.”

“We do not wish to hurt our father,” Chechla admitted, “but...Tango, he is one being. Weighed against the trillions of other lives...how do we ignore that?”

“Did he not do much the same thing on Ghakh, leading a Forlorn Hope?” Taichist pointed out.

“Kid...don’t mention Ghakh to your dad,” Tango warned. “He never forgave himself for sneaking away without saying goodbye to your mom...and he’s still convinced that got her killed.”

“Tango…” Chechla began before the human waved her off.

“All right, I get it,” she sighed. “I swear, you two are the damndest little Saurotaurs I’ve ever met. Half the time you sound like humans.”

“Humans raised us,” Taichist reminded her. “You and Sergeant Lin before that. I doubt any other of our race could say the same, so is it any wonder we are different?”

“You couldn’t be accountants or something?” she asked, before waving off their objections. “Never mind. Have Musashi brief you...you suicidal freaking lizards.”

The pair shared a moment of satisfaction as Tango walked away. “Where are you going?” Chechla asked.

Tango came to a halt. “...where do you think?” she replied as the hatch closed behind her.

Nassat didn’t so much as raise an eyebrow when she entered his office, making a beeline for the bar and pouring herself a stiff one.

“So...they came to you then,” he said quietly.

“They did,” she sighed, as she found a chair and fell into it. “Like they had a built-in radar.”

“I take it you attempted to dissuade them,” he continued.

“I did,” Tango nodded, taking a stiff belt, “right up to the point when your daughter jabbed a blade into my throat.” She tilted her head, pointing to the small scab. “I was making a point with her brother...when she made one of her own.”

Nassat blinked. “Chechla did that?”

“She sure as hell did,” the human chuckled. “I won’t lie. I was damned proud of her.”

The Saurotaur sighed and rose to his feet. “Stubborn...just like their mother.” He moved to the sideboard and poured himself a drink of his own. Tango raised an eyebrow at that...Nassat rarely drank, and when he did it was almost never a good sign. He sat down across from her and took a cautious sip, lost in his thoughts.

“Look, you just say the word, and I’ll handle it,” Tango told him. “Probably have to lock ‘em up or something til we depart...but I’ll do it if you order me to.” She took another long drink. “Or you could ask.”

“And what do I tell them then?” he whispered. “How do I justify preventing them from doing their duty?”

“Their duty? By all rights those two should be guarding a storage depot somewhere...not haring off on some crazy mission with the Wrecking Crew,” she replied. “Nassat, you indulged their little fantasy, but playtime’s over. Time to bring this to an end, before they get hurt.”

The General took another small sip. “..are they qualified?” he asked.

“No,” Tango answered, “...but they’re closer than most.”

He nodded, taking that in. “Whatever you decide, I will support,” he said at last. “I leave the decision in your capable hands.”

“You want to maybe give me a hint here?” she pressed. “Maybe point me in the right direction?”

He shook his head. “I will not interfere, Tango...not on this. Begin your preparations and keep me posted.”

Tango shook her head, muttering something under her breath. She finished her drink in a single gulp and set it aside, rising to her feet and departing the compartment without another word.

Nassat watched her leave...and then pulled up the proposed mission plans, giving them a renewed look.