Shoshone Station: The Galactic Consortium season 2

Episode Six: Africa #8

"They live better than we do," Nara groused as they walked the length of the bunker. There was no rancor in hir voice.

"They aren't a sisterhood," Fox replied. "I doubt you'd want to be quite so cozy with any of these guys."

"True. And none of them have Jagda's biotech," zie joked. Fox shot hir a look, and zie laughed. "Don't worry. When it comes to sex, I'm more of a naturalist anyway. Biological equipment is best."

"That's better," he replied.

This bunker was indeed more spacious then the Kurgara one he'd seen on their first day. It was a long, wide bunker. But he wasn't kidding about the company. This was penal bunker 24-C and most of the men were either former child soldiers from Uganda or Congolese rebels, captured in some Consortium action. Fox wasn't sure which he felt more: sadness for what the child soldiers had been through or terrified by what they'd been turned into.

The fact that most of the guards were built like Chief Kellii and went armed with stun sticks and kinetic shields showed that their rehabilitation into peaceful civilians wasn't without bumps. That and the fact they'd added a full battalion of Kurgara to help pacify this region spoke volumes.

Most of the bunker was divided into cubicles, four men to each. It was their off day, and dark, suspicious faces followed them as they paced the length of the bunker.

At the far end they found a small cubicle, just big enough for two. Klempke was all smiles as he ushered them in. "You came," he said, taking Fox's hand.

"I did," Fox replied, not sure what else to say.

"I just miss the old days so much sometimes," Klempke admitted as he found a seat at a desk. Nara and Fox sat together on his bunk. "Aboard the Cambridge."

They talked for a long time about that, telling stories of the old days. Fox found he missed it as well, in some ways. He loved his new life too. But they'd all had some good times. He and Klempke hadn't been friends then, but they'd shared a number of missions and knew a lot of the same stories.

Klempke was in the middle of telling Nara a story about when Martens, the cook, got hold of some Indian peppers. Assuming they couldn't be that much hotter than jalapeños, he'd made poppers out of them. "Damn, they were hot," he said, grinning.

"I recall Whitman eating two and then puking," Fox said.

"And Kleppie. You could talk that boy into trying just about anything. Didn't puke, but, man, you should have seen his face. I've never seen anyone so red—"

Their conversation was interrupted by Green's arrival. He gave Fox and Nara a dark look and then threw himself on his bunk.

"It's Fox, Green," Klempke said. "He came."

"Hurrah for Fox, the hero." The sarcasm dripped from Green's voice.

Klempke rolled his eyes and shrugged helplessly. They talked a while longer, but Green's stony silence, his clear anger at them being there, soured the mood. "Well, if you guys behave yourselves, you'll earn privileges eventually. Get to go home for visits and stuff," Fox offered, wanting to end the visit and get back to his vacation.

"Yeah," Klempke agreed. "Keep our heads down. Do our time. That sort of thing."

"Fuck that." It was the first thing Green had offered to the conversation. He looked at them. "What's the point? We going back to the good ole USA?"

"If you want, it ain't moved," Fox retorted.

Green snorted. "Fucking Consortium now, or might as well be. See the news. We're all buddied up with them."

Fox snorted right back at him. "Is that so? I think you've overestimated the pace of change. What's your beef, really?"

"They've fucking taken over our planet," Green yelled, coming to his feet. "And no one even raised a goddamn finger to stop them. Applauded it even. We aren't free! We're their colony. And no one seems to care."

"They still protest the CIA Six," Fox replied, coming to his feet as well. He was referring to the six Naval Seals captured as part of a CIA assassination attempt shortly after the Consortium arrived. "In conservative circles back home. That's not the problem. The problem is that even they don't give a shit about two would-be rapists rotting in a penal colony in Africa."

They were nose to nose, and Fox could see he'd hit the nail on the head. Green's fists clenched and unclenched, and his nostrils flared. Green wanted to hit him, badly, Fox could tell. And Fox wanted that too. He wanted the excuse.

"Easy, boys," Nara said, moving to Fox's side. He let his breath go and stepped back. One of the guards was in the hall, watching the scene closely.

Fox turned to Klempke, trusting Nara or the guard to move if Green tried something. "I think it's time for us to go. Keep your head down, okay? Do your time. I wish you the best with that."

Klempke nodded and mouthed an apology. Fox turned and strode out, Nara on his heels. The guard nodded and let them pass, but didn't follow. Instead he stood and watched.

"Why you got be an ass?" Klempke hissed at Green. Then Fox and Nara were out of earshot, and Fox didn't hear Green's reply.

"I think Klempke wants to be a better person," Nara commented. Fox scoffed at that but didn't answer. "Green, not so much."