by W H Beswick
“Lady Venusun,” Optio Zana said sounding equally shocked and angry. I could accept this. The Prime Centurion had been a close friend. “I can’t allow this. This was a decorated war hero. A warrior of honor and courage. The idea of some Earthling even touching his body.”
I noted the Earthling had moved closer to the door. Captain Fross stood with his hands behind his back. He glanced at the Earthling and shook his head. The Earthling let out a sigh that could be heard across the room. Everyone looked at him.
“Ah, ah, I assure you that I have no interest in getting involved with this for obvious reasons.” The Earthling moved closer to the body and seemed to study it for a moment. “Ah, I was just wondering, was the Prime Centurion’s skin tone always this pink?”
“No, proceed.” Lady Venusun said with a colder tone but still seemed amused.
“Ah, if you insist, Lady Venusun.” The Earthling said kneeling down beside the body. He opened his case. Inside were small trays that pulled out in tiers. Very much like one of my jewelry boxes. There were three rows of trays. The bottom of the case had other objects I didn’t recognize, except for the magnifying glass. He took out some blue plastic gloves and pulled them onto his hands.
“You are a detective!” I said with more admiration than I should have. Then I recalled the conversation about the Earthling who solved crimes.
“Yes, your highness, back on Earth I was a detective. I worked in homicide.”
“Homicide? What is a homicide?”
“Murder, Princess Deela,” Lady Venusun said from above. “The Earthling specializes in murder. He has been useful in other ways but it is in murder where he shines.”
The Earthling ignored the comment and leaded over the Prime Centurion’s face. He seemed to sniff. Then moved even closer to the dead man’s face almost touching it. After a few sniffs he fell back on his knees and did the ear pulling thing again. His gaze moved back to the poker table. He muttered something and went back to his case. From one of the trays he took out a small round container. Inside were thin white strips. He took one out and went to the poker table, then made a big deal of studying the glass before putting the white strip inside. It instantly turned bright blue. Then he sniffed the glass. The Earthling seemed to like sniffing things. After this he took the bottle of whiskey and once again sniffed it. He looked confused. Then looked at Captain Fross. “Captain Fross, could you get me a clean glass from the bar?”
“I’ll get it.” I said. I was moving before anyone could object. My favorite bartender was already holding out a glass. I took the glass back to the Earthling. He thanked me and then poured a small dash of whiskey into the glass. Then, he obtained another white strip from his case. This he dipped into the whiskey but this time it stayed white. He studied the strip while pulling on his ear again. Then, he rubbed the side of his face and lips, sighing like someone who was about to deliver bad news. He looked up. “I am sorry doctor but I have to disagree with you. The Prime Centurion seems to have been poisoned. Mostly likely with some form of cyanide.”
CHAPTER 22
THE GAME IS AFOOT
You can imagine the reaction of everyone in the room, even myself. An Earthling was accusing someone in this room of murder. Obviously not myself. I am above reproach. Still just coming out and saying it was the height of bad manners. I had always assumed everyone, even Earthlings, knew about social decorum. One does not blurt out someone has been murdered. The others were just as shocked as I. They were soon pointing their fingers at the Earthling, even accusing him of the murder.
Which was utterly ludicrous. The Earthling wasn’t even in the room. How could he have done it? Yes, I was shocked too. That aside, the man was bolder than he looked. I suddenly wanted to know more about him.
A loud horn went off, along with the lights flashing on and off. Then Lady Venusun’s voice once again filled the room. “ENOUGH!”
This put a stop to all the finger pointing and accusations.
“Explain.” Lady Venusun asked in a very polite tone.
“Ah, ah, well the color of the skin is pink. A sign of poisoning.” The Earthling said, rubbing his hands together. “Then there was the smell of almonds on his breath. A good sign that it was cyanide poisoning. This was confirmed by my test on the whiskey in the Prime Centurion’s glass. If there was no poison in the glass, the strip would have stayed white, but it turned blue. There is cyanide in that glass.”
“But none in the bottle.” I exclaimed. “The only poison is in the Prime Centurion’s glass.”
“Exactly, your highness.” The Earthling said with a small grin. “Unfortunately this doesn’t help tell us who poisoned the Prime Centurion. Since there is no poison in the bottle it means someone put the cyanide into his glass.”
“That is impossible.” Zana snapped. “He took the glass out of the case, poured his drink, drank and died.”
“Ah, ah, did the general leave his case unattended at any time?”
“Yes.” A small voice squeaked.
Everyone looked over at the ensign who had just stepped back into the room.
“While I was getting the table ready.” She said, sounding and looking ever so guilty. “When he came into the parlor he placed the case on the small side table. He told me not to touch it.”
“Did you?” Zana growled with the look of a hunter moving in for the kill.
“Of course not!” She gasped, looking shocked and offended. “I did not touch it. I had other things to do. The Prime Centurion left the case and joined you at the bar.”
“Did you leave the case at any time?” The Earthling asked with very friendly tone, but he seemed to be studying her face. A smile came to his lips, followed by the ear tug.
“Yes, I tried to tell the general I had to go get fresh decks for the game. The players liked to see the unopened pack of cards. Then everyone watches while I carefully open it. I was only gone for a few minutes.”
“But long enough for someone to open the case.” The Earthling said with a nod. “Now Lady Venusun, I suggest you put the body somewhere cold and seal off this room. I am sure the medical examiner will be able to tell you more.”
“An autopsy!” Zana gasped looking horrified at the prospect of Bacco’s body being cut open. “This was a warrior of our world. A Prime Centurion. His body will not be touched. He will be taken home and placed upon a hero’s pyre.”
“Ah, is that the custom? I am unfamiliar with the customs of your world. So the body will be burned upon arrival?”
“Yes.” Optio Zana said, snapping to attention with a smug arrogant look on his face.
“Not if I divert the Golden Halo to my home planet.” Lady Venusun said in a cool voice. “A murder has been committed on my ship. I have my own reputation to consider. What will people say? A Prime Centurion murdered on the Golden Halo. I can hear the gossip now. Lady Venusun not only allowed someone to get away with murder but allowed evidence to be burned, making it impossible to find said murderer. No, that won’t do. Before you threaten me with Queen Rexannis, I have already spoken to Her Majesty. She agrees with me. The murderer must be found.”
“Do you plan on letting this Earthling walk around the ship asking highly personal questions?” Crag said, sounding like this was just as bad as murder.
“He solves murders. This is a murder.”
“Ah, ah, Lady Venusun…this is not like the murder on Kalis.” The Earthling said, looking nervous, not for the first time. “That was the butler murdering the maid to cover up their affair. This is…ah…involves a queen…”
“Oh shush! I know you. You already have some ideas banging around in your head. You are like that little detective who talked about using the little gray cells. Well my friend. The game is afoot.”
“Ah, actually Sherlock Holmes would have said that to his friend Dr. Watson.”
“I knew that. I was just…oh what is that Earth saying? Oh yes, I was pulling your chain.” Lady Venusun said. “Captain Fross, you will inform the crew a
nd passengers that they will all cooperate with the Earthling. Anyone who doesn’t, you quickly inform me. If it is a crew member, tell them they will be terminated at once if they hinder him in any way. Optio Zana, I feel I should tell you that if you interfere with the investigation I will divert this ship to my home world. Am I clear?”
“You have made that quite clear.” Beta Chief Zana said in cold tone, looking at the Earthling with disgust.
I, for one, had changed my opinion of this small Earthling in the nicely pressed suit. Suddenly a wonderful idea popped into my head. “Oh please, Lady Venusun could I possibly assist the Earthling. I have always wanted to write a book. I suspect this may turn out to be a great story to tell.”
“I am not sure.” She said, but I could almost tell she was smiling.
“Ah, ah, the princess might be helpful when talking to the Queen and other guests, cconsidering she is a princess. She could take notes. I doubt she is involved in the murder. As far as I can tell she has no motive to kill the Prime Centurion.”
“The investigation as always is yours. But you are right. Princess Deela has no motive. Oh princess, I love the outfit. You certainly have the figure for it.”
CHAPTER 23
PRIME MINISTER LEY APPEARS
“A little too bright for my taste.”
Annoyed I spun around to find a tall woman with curly green hair and light green skin stepping into the parlor. She was very attractive in very garish fashion. The black and gold dress fell to her knees but was quite tight around her full figure. The V-neck was deep enough to give more than a hint of her well-endowed breasts.
I would have rolled my eyes, but since I have displayed my bosom in a similar manner from time to time who am I to judge?
But on the other hand she was a public figure who should know better.
I noted her cheekbones were perfectly shaped, as was her nose and full lips. The powers that be had been very good to her, or perhaps a very gifted surgeon. I raised one of my eyebrows and coolly said. “Prime minister, it may be bright but I wear it so well.”
“You always do, Princess Deela.” Prime Minster Tunga said with tone that could almost be considered rude. I was tempted to remind her she was nothing more than an elected official and I would be a princess forever, but she turned her attention to the Earthling. She studied him with a critical eye and then said. “I have heard of you. I thought you would be taller.”
“Ah, ah, yes my lack of height has already been pointed out to me by Princess Deela and many others. I have learned to live with it.” He said giving the newcomer a look over but seemed to avoid looking at those quite amazing breasts. Instead his eyes drifted up and until he looked her in the face. “So you must be Prime Minister Ley Tunga. I have also heard about you. Unlike me, you appear to live up to your reputation.”
“I may not be of royal blood, but watch your tone little man.” She said with a hiss.
“Ah, ah, I meant no disrespect.” He said still in his neutral tone.
I should now tell you I do not like anyone to use their position of power to threaten a person with no power. It is one of the reasons I left my world. I couldn’t stand how some of my brothers and sisters ordered the servants. I mean, they are people too. I stepped forward and said in my coolest voice. “He was not being rude or disrespectful. You on the other hand…”
“Ah, ah, princess…” The Earthling said. “I really…”
“Princess Deela is right.” Lady Venusun’s voice filling the room. “You were being rude. Considering this Earthling has been given the authority to investigate this murder by myself and Queen Rexannis, perhaps I shall have a word with your queen.”
“That won’t be necessary, Lady Venusun.” Tunga said actually looking a little afraid. She stepped back and almost smiled. “You must understand. This is the first Earthling I have met face to face. I see now I was being overly sensitive. I do apologize.”
I should like to note her apology seemed to be directed at Lady Venusun and not the Earthling. He didn’t seem mad or annoyed but amused. It like he was watching a scene in a movie being played out. Then being ever so polite he said. “That is all right prime minister. No harm done.”
Tunga almost said something but thought better of it. She simply smiled before looking down at the body. Her green eyes studied for a long while. For some reason I wondered what was going through her head. Then she looked up at the Earthling. Another smile before she asked. “So you investigated murders before, Earthling?”
“Ah, ah, yes I have. As Lady Venusun pointed out. Back on Earth, murder was my speciality.” He said, looking right into her face. “Before Lady Venusun hired me, it had been awhile, but it is kind of like riding a bike. You never forget.”
Prime Minister Tunga was about to reply but I quickly asked. “What is a bike and what does it have to do with murder?”
Both the Earthling and prime minister looked at me. He just smiled. “It is an old Earth saying. It has nothing to do with murder. A bike is a two wheeled thing that takes some time to learn to ride but once you do, you never forget.”
“Oh, I see. How clever.” I said, now understanding. “You were saying you still know how to solve a murder. Quite good. I will have to remember that.”
“Well, Earthling I will leave you to your…murder.” Tunga said glancing down at the body. “Please let me know if I can be of any service to you. The Prime Centurion was an important man on my world.”
“Yes, prime minister.” He said. “I am sure we will be talking again.”
The prime minister didn’t even reply. She walked out of the room. I moved beside the Earthling and said. “I don’t think she likes you.”
“I’m not worried about that.” He said pulling on his ear. “I am just wondering why she was so mad.”
“She wasn’t mad.”
“Yes, she was. She is a politician. They learn to mask their emotions but I could see it in her eyes. I am not sure if she is mad because I am here or at the fact the Prime Centurion is dead.”
CHAPTER 24
GETTING TO KNOW THE EARTHLING
The Earthling asked Captain Fross to clear the room. Once this was done he shut and locked the door. He came back to me and pulled out a small pad with a leather cover from his jacket pocket. A gold pen was attached to the binding. He held this out with a smile. “Ah, notes for your book.”
“Oh yes, thank you.” I said, taking the book and making myself ready to take notes. Still, I asked a question. “Do you smoke cigars?”
“No princess I don’t.” He said, going back to the poker table. He took a small round container and a small brush from his case. Inside the container was ink powder as bright as my hair. He began to carefully brush the powder on the Prime Centurion’s case. Then the bottle. Finally the glass. “I once smoked a pipe but my wife didn’t like the smell.”
“You have a wife?”
“Had a wife. She was on Earth…well she was on Earth.”
“Oh,” I gasped and suddenly felt bad for the small man. His wife had been on Earth when it had been happening. I knew what we had done was wrong, but somehow knowing the Earthling had a wife that had been killed made it more real. “I am sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
“No need to apologize, your highness.” He said using another brush to sweep some of the powder away. Then he took out the magnifying glass and studied the pink marks on the bottle. Then while continuing to talk he used clear tape to take the marks off the bottle, glass and case. “It wasn’t your fault. My only regret was I wasn’t there for her.”
“Oh yes, that must have been very frightening for her.” I said watching him. “Are those fingerprints?”
“Yes, your highness. Ah, ah, I understand that it all happened so fast there wasn’t time to be afraid. Still one can’t help but imagine things.” He said without looking up. Then turned and held up two of the many fingerprints he had taken. “Perfect, don’t you think? Before the war we had a device that could copy fingerprints b
y just scanning the surface. Fortunately I took some classes.”
“Yes, yes, very pretty.” I said, feeling very sad for some reason.
“Ah, don’t forget to make a note of that. It will add some color to your story.”
I actually giggled at his small joke. Then he knelt down by the body and carefully unbuttoned the Prime Centurion’s shirt. We both looked at the hairless pink chest. The Earthling studied it for a moment, rubbing his chin. The magnifying glass was used to study the body’s chest again. Then, he seemed to think for a second. Back to the magnifying glass. This time he examined the Prime Centurion’s face and chin. More thinking and pulling on his ear. He took a small camera out of the case and took pictures of Bacco’s face and neck. He checked to make sure the images were to his liking. “I could be wrong. Need to check.”
“Check what?” I asked.
He glanced at me, then very quickly undid the cuff of the Prime Centurion’s sleeve and rolled it up. There were needle marks all up and down the arm. I gasped. “Bacco was a drug addict!”
“Ah, ah. No, I don’t think so. He was being ejected with something but I don’t think it was a narcotic.” He pointed at one of the marks with his gloved hand. “You see he was injected with a very thin needle with two points. Addicts don’t use that kind of needle. No, this was done for medical purposes. Hmmm, I have no idea what it could be.”
“Maybe you could look it up on the computer.” I said making some notes. Then I had an idea. “Can’t we just take the fingerprints of everyone and compare them. The murderer’s prints might be on the glass or case.”
