Len Braxton, Protector

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Please remain in your seats. I know you have the StarBright Tourist Agency apologies, and I would like to add mine.
I am Master-Grade Protector Len Braxton. This is my associate Junior-Grade Protector Tige Minton.
No, Tige, you do not need to brandish you weapon to emphasize that you are a Protector.
A-Hem, well, yes, back to what I was saying. I am Len Braxton. You may address me as Protector Braxton. I am here to interview you about the criminal Morgan Taj Zephyrain. Since you were all in the Arena at the time of the attempted capture and her subsequent escape, my associate and I will interview you about what you saw or heard. Perhaps something you were witness to, no matter how trivial, will give us an idea of where she is headed.
Tige, I said interview. That means with your mouth and a recorder. I did not say for you to invade anyone's mind. --- Yes, I understand the Protector Training Manual says that interviewing is best handled by psychic invasion. However, I am in charge in the field on this particular mission and I determine how the interviews will be handled. Now release the tour guide from your Command. No, there is no need to strip search her and there will be no rape on my watch.
Please, Ladies and Gentlemen, I realize you are from other systems and even though you are under the governing body, the Galactic Council, you may not have dealt with Protectors before. My associate is a bit overly zealous. There is no reason to fear.
Yes, Tige, you are right, no reason to fear if you are innocent. No you may not probe for guilt. Besides, probing is only done by Psys.
(I have to speak to my father about another assignment. One with no partner.)
Each interview will be recorded. Please remain in your seats. We will come to you.
Passenger Interview Alpha 435 Beta one:
My name is Hugh Trent. Yeah, I was the one she was fighting with when you Prots, uh, excuse me officer, Protectors came crashing in and interrupted our tour. Man, I would have had her if you ... Yes, sir, I will keep to the subject. No, Protector Braxton, I wasn't really fighting with her. We were in the ring using sonic weapons. The setting was on 3 so no one would get hurt.
How, the hell should I know how the setting on her sonic broadsword got to 17. I assume she switched it. No, I didn't see her switch it.
Look, Morgan is one hot broad. I don't know if she is a criminal or not. All I know is that you and that freak ... yeah, sure, I'll be respectful of the office. Your partner sure doesn't deserve my respect. Hell, look at him.
Yes sir, I was there when the other Prots, er, Protectors tried to capture Morgan. You should have been there. I thought for sure they had her dead to rights. They came in there phasers locked on kill. I figured I was dead and she was history.
You know what? She pushed me - look at me I'm a body builder. I bench 500 pounds. Seh pushed me out of the way. Well, yeah, push is the wrong term. She dropped down into a crouch and swept her leg out and BAM down I went. Then I see her swing the flattened side of the sonic broadsword over her head. Must have activated some kind of energy system in the club, cause all the audience around the ring ... yeah us tourists and everyone else ... were suddenly outside of a force field. the only ones inside were the Prots and her. They started shooting at her. She used the broadsword to block the shots. Well, I don't guess a regular sword could do that, but a sonic sword at setting 17 could. I don't know. I'm not an engineer. Anyway, she did. I have no idea how.
She blocked this one shot. Then she ran and slid on the floor toward the Prots. You should have seen their faces. It was worth a thousand creds to see their faces. She jumps up and drops the sword. Morgan knoced the phasers out of their hands and landed some good punches. I know one really stupid Prot. Well, he had to be stupid to do what he done.
He grabs her and is trying to hold her while his associates try to restrain her. Man, if I live to be 100 I will never forget that sound. What sound? Why the sound of her breaking that Prot's arm. She moved in ways I never saw before. Some kind of really slick martial arts. Anyway, I hear this sickening crack and the Prot go all green. The other Prots call for back up.
All of a sudden, she looks up and sees us. Everyone standing outside of the field. Her face goes all concerned. Like she doesn't care about the fight at all. She is more concerned about us than fighting for her life. Wierd, huh?
That's when she shouts. She hollars to some guy named Billy. She yells one word. "Jungle."
She raised her wrist to her mouth and evidently spoke into some com-link. All of a sudden a sklight opens in the roof. A ladder comes from someplace. No, I told you I was outside of the force field. If I had been inside, I would have kicked some Prot butt. You got no right treating people the way you do.
No. I think I suddenly got a case of amnesia.
End Interview.


Be sure to read Prophecy of Vithan by Charlene Leatherman. Available at Cerridwen Press.