Walking Tall
A Velorian Legion
Story
By Jordan Taylor
Finally some peace!
Patricia sighed, washing herself under the heavy falls of the Rio
Branco. She emerged from the wash naked and shimmering in the bright, noon sun
over Novo Recife.
She gathered her hair over her
shoulder, squeezing out the water, to finally let it rest along the curve of
her breast. A long time had passed since any of the enhancees were allowed any
leave from their duties.
Working with Cristina and
Rochelle at the bridge site had made it more bearable for Patricia. She
reflected on the antics those two would get up to while the engineers did their
work. It wasnt an uncommon sight to see the two sliding their muddy bodies
against each other. By the reaction of the other soldiers, it didnt go
unnoticed.
Rochelle was the worst, not
having any problem using her power out in the open, naked. In one instance, she
emerged covered to her neck in mud after spending the last couple of hours
holding a bridge strut in place. The strut had been too heavy for the
engineers' crude machinery to bear, so real muscle was needed.
She stripped the tiny
uniforms shorts from her body to hang out leaving her sex completely exposed.
She hardly wore the top, despite the leaderships disapproval. The men, and
some women, gawked shamelessly. She was no doubt one of the more beautiful
enhancees, if it was possible to compare.
Rochelle smirked at Patricia,
then her face changed to a mischievous grin. Putting two-and-two together,
Cristina and Patricia blurred out of view under cover of the brush. Not a
moment too soon, as Rochelle began to shake herself, flinging mud everywhere to
cover the now thinning group around her. She laughed, as did everyone else.
However, she was now clean and dry. That was followed the next day with a
tickling attack they played on Patricia while she was holding another section
in place.
Patricia giggled to herself at
the last one. It was fun, but she
missed home so much. She had spent many nights looking up at the sky to see her
home. But even its sun was nothing more than a faint point of light, and she
had to know just where to look. Still it was enough to comfort her.
She missed her uncle. Her
uncle who had raised her after her parents were lost in an accident when she was
a little girl. He was a sweet, burly man. Always kind to every living soul he
met. He did have his vices, however. He was known in her hometown as something
of a womanizer. Patricia had never thought of uncle as a sexual being. The
whole notion of sex was something she had been nave about. At least until the
Velorians showed up.
Her uncle had hated the idea,
but Patricia had volunteered for service at the youngest age they would take
her, eighteen. He had said that she knew nothing of war and thought the
Velorians should fight on their own, away from Alguna Parte. Patricia knew it
would only be a matter of time until the enemy made its way to her own soil and
she wanted nothing more than to keep that from happening.
The thought of losing another
of her family was more than enough to push her to join the military. But she
would never have guessed that her bioscan would tag her at a Latent, still less
that among the Latents she would be the only one selected as one of the girls
of the Velorian Legion
itself. Bidu Braga must have seen something in her she didnt see
herself.
Its such a wonderful gift,
Bidu, she thought. I
feel so powerful and free. So uninhibited! It seems so unnatural that one girl,
ME of all girls, can decimate an armor platoon bare-handed. I mean, did you see
that?
Patricia remembered how Bidu
had smiled at her then. So many people looked up to her. It was a good feeling
when she approved of you.
Patricia swam to the shore and emerged at a shallow bank on the river. She let the warm sun press against her as she stretched her arms out to welcome it. She had put in her request weeks ago. She had seen a few others go ahead of her and come back already. Though no one might have guessed it, she was anxious. Still, she felt it was hard to complain when youre a supercharged fighting machine.
Cristina had been watching
Patricia for a time. Though she knew Patricia was aware, neither bothered the
other. Patricia removed the shells draped around her waist and shoulders and
set them next to her clothes. Without dressing herself she turned to Cristina
finally.
Hey Cristi! Hows things?
I could complain, but it
wouldnt do any good. She smiled. So, whats this I hear about a bent gun
barrel?
Patricia face reddened as
embarrassment rushed to her face. It then contorted to annoyance.
He hit ME! Not the other way
around! Patricia waved her arms about. She had been doing a live fire exercise
with the heavy armor companies as a forward observer. Not that she would ever be doing that, but it broke monotony
and she could bone up on her perishable skills. It was what they recruited her
for in the first place.
I understand that,
but—
But nothing! Hes lucky I
wasnt one of the usual FOs! Geez, he knocked me right into the berm!
Thats exactly the point,
youre not normal. You cant let a little embarrassment get to you like that.
As powerful as we are, we could hurt someone if we dont control ourselves.
I knowIm sorry, its just
that
You want to go home.
Cristina helped Patricia out of the water and held her, as a friend. Pack your
bags, soldier. Your uncle is waiting to see you.
Patricia smiled. She gathered
Cristina into the circle of her own arms and hugged her.
Whoa, ease up, I think my top
is burning!
Oh sorry. Thank you, Cris.
Patricia wasted no time getting her things together -- she was a blur all the to the housing area.
When she had arrived on Novo
Recife for her first tour of duty after recruitment and enhancement, it had
soon been over but the shouting as far as the Fernandista rebels were
concerned. Her only part had been to protect kinspeople of the native
Legionnaires while they moved in
on the newly-discovered rebel command center.
She almost regretted that.
She'd signed up to fight, dammit, and there hadn't been any fighting left but
mopping up. Well, she'd had to deal with garden variety common criminals on
occasion, but that was hardly the same thing. Training exercises weren't the
same thing, either.
If it hadn't been for public
works projects like the Rio Branco bridge, she'd have been bored out of her
gourd. Xuxa Sayo, who'd been in charge of the Legionnaires here in Bidu
Braga's absence and had since been rotated off-world herself, hadnt approved
of that sort of thing.
But this was a little bridge,
not like the huge span across the Rio Amado. It was a project the enhancees
could take on easily, even without being able to fly, and spared the Novo
Recife authorities the necessity of bringing the really heavy cranes hundreds
of miles into the back country to work on a single link of a farm-to-market
road.
***
Most of the year on Alguna
Parte it was sweltering hot. This
was especially the case during the long summers. Humidity wasnt uncommon and
certainly unwelcome, as it made the heat nearly unbearable for the field
workers of her small town.
Patricia could remember
smelling the orchid on her uncle Teos shirts that he left for the wash, which
was her duty while he was away at work. She remembers her uncle walking through
the door of their small home with a weary smile on his face. He would hang his hat beside the door
on the rack that hed made with his own hands, like much of the furniture in
the house. Patricia always came running to him to have him lift her up in his
arms as she welcomed him home. His rough hands would almost swallow hers when
he took it to lead her to the kitchen where he would make homemade lechon, or
asado, and listen to his little niece fill her in on her adventures throughout
the day.
As the years passed, as she
grew into a woman, as her uncle became less able to lift her up, she was made
to work. Patricia never minded working, however. Between the two of them, and whatever help from his little
brother they got, they did well. Working in the fields made her strong. Even
then, men were always complimenting her on how beautiful she was. They never
dared go further than that for fear of her uncles reprimand.
Imagine when he sees me
now! she smiled.
***
Are you carrying any illegal
substances on your person?
No, seor.
Do you wish to declare any
items?
No, seor.
Finally looking up, the
customs official paused.
Are you sure youre not
concealing anything, he smirked. It wasnt a friendly smirk. Creepy came to
Patricias mind. The last time this happened she had to throw eight men off
Legion grounds. It was a short trip over the outer perimeter fence, fifty
meters or so. Patricia wanted to avoid any needless displays here, however. The
last thing she wanted was unwanted attention while visiting her family.
Patricia looked down at her
tight, brief shorts and her midriff baring tank top. Im quite sure, seor.
Youre Legion, no? Your travel orders say so. Would you mind stepping over here, por
favor?
Not at all, Patricia sighed.
The next few minutes seemed an
eternity as Patricia allowed four customs officers to search what was available
to search. She stood, hands on her head, as one took his time searching her
skin-tight clothing. When hed slipped his hand between her breasts she crushed
his fingers. The others began barking at her to strip naked. Apparently, shed
had a concealed weapon. Patricia smiled as she stripped.
Maybe an obvious use of
power isnt necessary, she
mused.
Three more joined the search
for concealed weapons. Upon closer inspection of her breasts, another officer
received a broken jaw when she Patricia feigned a cold shiver. Moments later,
the other five gave up. All of them were in various states of injury when their
commander arrived. She looked about the floor where broken riot clubs, spent
stun guns, and even a bent set of brass knuckles were strew over the room.
What in Gods name is going
on in here?
A familiar voice. A familiar
face.
A strip search! Patricia
smiled.
I knew youd cause trouble,
Carla laughed as they hugged.
Bunch of pervs, I told them this would happen one day.
Patricia playfully scolded the
others, You should listen when a woman tells you things.
Did they hurt? Wait, never mind.
Well, my dignity is a little
bruised, but I think Ive been properly adjudicated.
Let me take you to Tio
Teos. Its a short hover over.
Thanks.
Chapter 2
Patricia leapt from the hover before Carla
was able to bring it to a stop. Her old friend
watched in amazement as she cleared the two-meter high front gate with a hop
that brought her to the front porch. Carla stood in her seat. She returned Patricias wave, drove
off, and said to herself, Welcome home, freak.
Patricia looked over her shoulder at the
hover speeding away into town. Freak?
As I live and breathe, Patricia you look wonderful! her uncle Teo greeted her. My goodness how you have grown. I remember when you were such a little girl. Come, come in. Your cousins are inside as well. We have so much to talk about. You must show us this new power of yours!
I have several, uncle, Patricia said,
coyly, and Id be happy to show you all of them. Oh, its so wonderful to home again!
Patricia followed her uncle
into her old home. Memories
flooded into minds eye. Remembering
she and her cousins running through the house hiding from uncle when he arrived
home, only to jump out at him before he was settled to his chair. She thought
now that he may have faking it all those years. She remembered the arguments
and shouting matches between she and her uncle just before she left to pursue
her career as a Legion soldier. She also remembered sneaking through her window
after a late night with her then sweetheart Reynaldo. Ill need to look him
up while Im home. She
giggled to herself.
After all the usual hellos and hugs, she
asked, Wheres Rick?
Hes downstairs practicing.
Really? Finally found himself a hobby, huh? Its got to be better than hover
racing. How silly that was!
Her uncle laughed. Well, hes been at this since youve
been gone. Im not sure what he
calls it, but I imagine its some sort of martial arts. Patricia, hes got the same idea as you
do. He wants to join the Legion like his cousin. Youre a hero to him, you
know.
Oh, Im not a hero. Lieutenant Braga is a real hero. Watching her in
action is so amazing, even if that was just taking care of rebel stragglers I
wish Id seen the street fight she staged in Santo Antnio during the
Revoluo. Cristina said that was the most fun ever. Patricia smiled.
Well, Ricardos not like you anymore,
little one. He figures one way he can compete in some way is to be a great hand
combatant. Her uncle sighed. Anyway, go say hello and tell him to
get is ass up here.
Okay, Patricia smiled.
Patricia padded downstairs quickly as her
uncle turned to finish setting the table.
It didnt seem all that long ago that Patricia
had been training for her time in the Legion. Her uncle used to tell her, Stop all
that nonsense and get to your chores! The Legion isnt doing my laundry!
The memory actually made her smile. Those were more innocent days. She
would never die by any weapon she knew of, but plenty of her friends did.
Feeling projectiles and energy weapons pepper and lance at her body, it was
hard to remember how afraid she used to be of them.
By the time shed encountered armored
vehicles and heavy weapons, it had just been practice. She had come under fire
from the Fernandistas whod gone after the safe house for Legion relatives, but
shed been too busy to really enjoy it. To stand in the open before tanks and
machine guns and grenade launchers, taking all they offered that sent a shiver
of delight though her spine, quite apart from the sensual feeling of the
impacts on her breasts and... down below.
Power like that was hard to get used to
but very seductive. Only, there wasnt much point to it. There werent going to
be any more heavy artillery attacks on Novo Recife. The practice had been a
matter of morale – and training legionnaires for future rotation to
planets where they might encounter heavy weapons in actual combat, perhaps
wielded by Aureans. Only that wasnt going to be the case here on Alguna Parte
In the dim light Patricia watched as her
cousin sparred with a heavy bag. His body
sweaty and lean from the effort.
He never seemed to notice as Patricia approached him from behind. She
watched him for a moment. She was impressed by his skill. Her accelerated eyes
could watch the twitch in his muscles as he struck the hanging weight in front
of him.
Not much of an opponent, Rico, she
finally said.
Neither were you, little one.
Care to try me now?
Rick stopped in mid punch. His head hung and his arms finally
rested at his sides. He turned on
Patricia quickly to strike at empty air. Patricia whistled her approval from
beside the hanging bag.
Not too shabby, cousin. A bit slow, but not bad.
Slow?!
I didnt stutter, she winked.
Rick smirked at her remark. Welcome home, Patricia. We missed you.
I missed you too. She smiled at him brightly. She did miss him. They stared at one another for a
moment. They had history together. He used to protect her. Now they both wondered whose role it
was to protect.
So, did you just come home to
gloat? He chided her with an
quick jab to her shoulder.
Dont hurt yourself, Rick.
I doubt I would, little one. You still look pretty soft to me.
Well, I know of one way to find out,
wimp.
No.
No, I couldnt. He shook
his head at the floor and chuckled.
Why no? Never stopped you before, she teased. Ill make it easy for you. I wont even move. Patricia made her way into an open
space on the floor.
I dont want to hurt you, Patricia.
You cant.