by Clay Moore
“Is that of help, Luna?”
“Yes, but it does not make sense.”
“That’s because I am not a military officer. In this situation, I have 5 people who have never served before. Have you?”
“Infantry. Squad corporal.”
“Wish I would have known that earlier. OK, you have the others. Our defense is in your hands. Can you do?”
“Can do.”
“The next guard mount is the perfect time to announce.”
“You might have trouble with Luanna.”
“Why have trouble with her.”
“She doesn’t like what is being said by Ofana. She thinks Eridani will be like the other groups that took over and raped my world.”
“All Eridani’s interest will be an equal position. We want to compete for things, not have it handed to us.”
“You sell it well.”
“That is my cover.”
“A what?”
“My cover is something I hide behind. People think I am a salesman. Most of the time, I try to keep a low profile.”
“With Ofana you can’t keep anything but a high profile. Are you and Ofana making love together.”
“What gave me away?”
“Your pants do not cover up a boner the way you think.”
“Sorry about that.”
“Don’t worry about it. I like men, and everything that is attached to a man.”
“Guess, I’ll have to do another one of my naked guard mounts. OK, you’re second in command. This makes it a little bit easier for me.”
Brian walked up to Ofana, who was speaking with a group of librarians. He waited until everyone had a chance to talk to her. Then she turned to him and smiled.
“Well, has there been a consensus?” Brian asked.
Better than that. Unanimity has been achieved. Thank you for keeping our troops under cover.”
“I wish I could take credit for it. “Luna took charge of the others. She seems to have them under orders. I made her Second in command. If you could say something to the troops. Thank them for what they did this morning, and mention Luna being Second-in-command.”
“OK, My first speech is in Bootsin. That is next on the list. Is it OK if I thank them in the car?”
“Actually, be better. The car will hide the sound enough.”
They packed the car for the next trip, and The five guards were jabbering more than ever. They were coming together as a unit. The timid man was able to touch Luana as he pressed forward. Luana did nothing other than sending some chat Trevor’s way.
Brian thought about it. Trevor and Luana often took a room together, and neither of them was getting any. Brian wondered how he could help them break the ice. He had some ideas, but kind old Mother Nature built things into the human being. Using these resources might work better.
Brian slipped into the blue grav-car. The next spot was Bootsin, and this city was actually worth the name of the town. There were stores, and he wanted to get Ofana something special.
Bootsin was a word that was miner’s slang. It meant mine was begun and the boots were in.
Apparently, some of the older mines were located here. That’s why this city was actually a city with stores and other services.
“This seems like a Miner’s guild type place. Why are we talking to them?”
“This place has the only two mines which are not part of the miner’s guild. Wages under their rule was decent. Also, stores popped up to sell people things they did not really need. This is about as near to Eridani. The problem is, how do I grab them.”
“Time for a change. Number of years under miner’s guild. Sold out by the miner’s guild. Want good business. Things like that.”
“Keep the sentences simple and loud,” Ofana said.
“They may ask you questions.”
“Tell them the truth, so I won’t have to remember the lies I’ve told before.”
‘What are going to do when all of this is all over?”
‘Probably do some nude swimming in the nude pools my father put into the family pools just for me.”
“That doesn’t sound like the repressive father as I pictured him.”
“He tried to work within each child. I was the most sensual.”
“That is an understatement. Remember, missy, I’ve made love with you several times.”
“I guess, then you know me.”
“Know about you, yes. Know you, no. At least not yet. Do you want to stop in Bootsin for the night?”
Do you think we can stop in a higher class hotel.”
“Yeah, my starship has pointed out a hotel. The ship got us our rooms. I also allowed them all room service for dinner and breakfast.”
“You’re so nice. You might want to limit the Team. Real food is expensive, and our guards might try to overeat.”
“I’ll deal with it.”
Brian left everyone alone. Ofana was wrapped in her thoughts, which is what she should be doing. The guards were also wrapped up in their own thing. Luna sat next to Trevor, who looked like he was in absolute terror. Brian shifted his wheel quickly, which caused the backend to fishtail. Trevor bumped into Luna. He saw her face, Trevor. Brian fishtailed the blue grav-car one more time, and Trevor ended up kissing Luna. Luna gave Brian the OK sign with her left hands.
It was coming in the afternoon, as they entered Bootsin. He found signs that took them to the Hertler Hotel. They stopped at the kiosk. They all got a band. The band was set to allow entry to the rooms by anyone. Then they went up to their floor. Brian claimed the one bedroom with a king-sized bed for Ofana. The other places were settled. Brian left the Hotel and went over to what appeared to be a couture store. He bought her a white caftan made of obviously expensive fabric, and Her Turban was of the same material. He arrived back at the Hotel. Ofana had on the dust-stained Caftan. Brian showed her the white Caftan, and She looked at the Turban. From her dwindling supply of jewelry, Ofana found a spider pendant. She put it on her Turban. She examined it.
“I like it.”
“The cloth is treated with something that won’t show you through the caftan.”
“Why this color?”
“Everyone will try to use color to differentiate themselves. You will be different by being just plain white.”
“I like it. Let me get into it. It’s almost time.”
Brian grabbed his Athro. He called the rooms, and they all came out carrying their Athro.”
Brian followed Ofana. Then they came out into a public speaking forum. Someone had just completed a speech. No one has any feedback for the last speaker. Brian could see Ofana getting her courage built up.
Brian had the team walking in a dispersed pattern. The Hotel was right on the periphery of the Moot. The last speaker had been booed off the stage, and The moot was empty. Ofana raised her hand and was recognized.
As she walked a large miner appeared to try and block her way. Brian stepped between Ofana and her attempted blocker. The man would not back down, and Brian used a Hindjitsu takedown on the man. Brian may have dumped the man a little too hard. The man understood and shook his hand in acknowledgment of his goof. Brian continued Escorting Ofana to the moot, which the speakers’ pavilion was called.
Ofana gracefully climbed the steps, and She stood for a moment, stock still and silent. It had the effect of achieving silence.
“I see that most of you have our simple leaflet. It is time for a change, and that is the truth. We’ve had enough of a malignant and greedy government. We need a government that will work for the people. The coalition of parties I represent wants what’s best for the people.” A banner was raised with the name of all of the Parties. She had spoken, and now she came down off the Moot. Something like Awe spread over the crowd. Everyone tried to get a touch of Ofana. Some were too strident, and Brian shooed them away. Some were reverent, and Brian let them get a touch of her caftan. Brian did bring in his team. They understood what Brian was doing. When they left the moot an
d entered their Hotel, they went up to their rooms to rest from pushing against the humanity that was there.
An Hour later, Luna knocked on their door. Brien got up and opened the door. “Brian, sir, we were wondering if you could teach us what you did with the People in the Moot.”
“People management or the martial art I used.”
“The martial art, sir.”
“To master it is years. I can give you the rudiments of it in an hour.”
“Could you do that?”
“I don’t want to leave Ofana that long. I’ll see if she want to go do something like that.”
Brian turned to ask Ofana if she wanted to see Hindjitsu when Luna tried to knock him out with a single blow. Brian was disoriented for a moment. He was blocking the attack by reflex. Then his mind snapped to. He started taking the attack to Luna. Finally, Luna made a rookie mistake. She held her arm up too long. Brian took the proffered handle, and he twisted the arm bringing down Luna slowly to the floor. Brian took out his cuffs and cuffed her. He lifted her and sat her in the chair behind the desk.
Then he went to the other rooms. All of the other guards were okay. He invited them to the Ofana’s Room. They saw Luna sitting behind the desk with her wrists cuffed.
“A few days ago I thought Luna a woman of trust, and I got hit with several good blows for my stupidity. I managed to hold her down and get my cuffs on her. Now I need to interrogate her, and I am going to use chemical means to extract information from her. Anyone objection?”
“We know she’s guilty kill her.”
“I need the information to get a better handle on what I am up against. I can make it with beating Luna. Artificial means is easiest, and she can’t have any kind of immunity to my drugs. Any other objections? Ofana?”
“As you said, we need information.”
“Very good.” Brian reached into a zipper bag, and He pulled out His collection of needles. Brian took one out. He opened the plastic. He pushed the needle cover back and tapped her on the arm.
Luna was actively trying to resist the drug, which was the wrong strategy. The drug seemed to follow these resistant thoughts and attack the brain she was using to resist.
Finally, Luna’s head lolled to one side. That was Brian’s cue to start the interrogation. “What is your name?”
“Merkyl Williams.”
There was a murmuring among the guards and even Ofana. Brian held up a finger to his lips, and they gave him silence. He turned back to Merkyl.
“Merkyl who hired you to penetrate Ofana’s entourage.”
“Anton Hecton.”
“Anton Hecton encouraged you to join the Ofana’s entourage and damage her chances.”
“That is correct.”
“How Did you communicate with Mister Hecton.”
“I was to mark a north facing wall and bury my paper.”
“Where is that paper now.”
“My stuff in my room.”
“Did you use a code?”
“No, it was felt that there was no need for a code because of the obfuscation of location.
“Were you to kill Ofana?”
“No, I was to interfere all that I could. And then you showed up with those eyes that see everything.”
“We’re going to need to kill her. We have to do it outside the city.”
“Why not inside,” said Ofana. The Hotel is mostly empty. Take her to a room. Put a dart in her head. I’m sure these people will help you.”
Brian looked at them. They all nodded their heads. Brian grabbed her, and the two people picked helped restrain their prisoner’s escape attempts. Brian used his computer on his ship. She was able to find the hotels computer. She told Brian that five doors down the Room would not be rented for five days. He used his datastick picklocks. Within a second, his picklocks had the door open. They carried the woman into the Room. Brian drew his pistol, and He attached the silencer. He took aim and fired a dart into her head, and Brian removed the silencer. Brian put that and the pistol back into his holster. He removed the cuffs from Luna. Then they all walked out of the Room. They entered Ofana’s Room.
“Is she finished?”
“In this life.”
“We need to leave here in the morning early,” said Ofana.
“I gave your rooms some credit so that you can have room service,” said Brian.
“What’s room service?”: questioned Luana?
Something so familiar to his life was not common in these kids lives. Room service was foreign to them when they did not rent hotel rooms regularly.
Brian went over to the menu on the table lamp on Ofana’s side of the bed. He showed it to them and how to use it.
They went back to their rooms. They ordered food that sounded great to them. It would be information that might be interesting to know. Ofana ordered a fruit plate while Brian ordered a steak.
The night fell fast for Ofana. This next contact was something of a criminal boss. She heard that he liked to stylize himself as a gambler. You earned his respect by beating him as Casino. What she knew of gambling it was horribly against the player.
“Brian, what do you know of casino gambling.”
“I do pretty well. Why do you ask?”
“I was wondering if you can win a game at will.”
“The games are played with items of chance. Dice, cards, ball, and wheel. Why do you need information?”
“My next contact is a supposed Criminal leader. He has Things and likes to play casino games. If you beat him, he is all helpful. I could use that.”
“I’ll need to get some money from my account card in the morning.”
“There was a cash machine in the lobby.”
“How much do you suspect he plays with?”
“The rumor is no more than twenty thousand scrips. I’ve heard much less.”
“I’ll give myself a little bit of edge. I’ll have a bank a little larger than the Boss. If I defeat him, you need to have something where he wins along with you.”
“I have the pitch, Mister salesperson.”
“Good.” Brian attacked his steak.
After the meal, Ofana hung up her white caftan. She ran her hand over it. Then she looked at the man capable of such violence, but also capable of such poetry. The White Caftan said a lot of things to the Giesling. It symbolized purity. Ofana was saying she was pure in the political marketplace. The White Caftan expressed new ideas and thoughts. It also made her very visible. Giesling’s like a riot of color on their clothes. To see someone in monochrome was surprising.
She looked at Brian again. She doubted that she could have gotten this far without him. She suddenly got the urge. She sidled along with him. Then she reached into his pants and got ahold of his tool. They spent the rest of the evening getting to know one another.
Anton looked across a sea of green grass at the Starport. The city of Giesling City was as close to idyllic as anyplace on Giesling. Here was the place that the Miner’s guild came to establish their congress. As the center of government, all of the diplomats were centered here as well.
Everyone wanted to be here instead of the traditional center of the Parliament at Parmar City. Parmar City was in a desert location. That meant dryness, and sand and dust.
Anton knew that he was about to pull off the biggest land grab. The entire Planet of Giesling was going to be owned by Planetary Interests. This would be the first purchase that had a built-in way to pour money back into the planet to make even more money.
To do this, he would use the synthetic workers, and He would spend nothing on the population. Giesling would be a money cow for Planetary Interests. Giesling citizens would be sold into slavery. Alphacent would not lift a finger as Planetary Interests made many Marks from the sale.
Then the last thing he wanted to hear came from his warrior-temptress. “Sir, there is a problem. We could not finish off the Eridani Whore.”
“What? I hired the very best warriors. Are you telling me that they could not
kill a Twenty-one-year old woman and 5 unskilled people.”
There were six people. During our firefight, a sixth man suddenly showed. He had a military weapon.”
“What kind of weapon was it.”
“It looked an Athro to me. 40 caliber assault weapon.”
“Athro is Eridani.”
“Yes, sir.”
“What did he wear. “
“He wore a grey suit.”
“They sent one of those to get her out of trouble. Why?”
“If this woman is really the Emir’s daughter, and she called him about being in trouble, he could get here in three days.”
“Did she get in his ship and go?”
“No, sir. She got in his grav-car with her guards, and they took off.”
Eridani and their Special Agents thought Anton.
This development required that he let Andrea know about it. He hated that. He had a reputation of being smooth, of getting in and not being noticed. Eridani gets these new Special Agents, and Anton can’t seem to do anything. He considered eliminating these super agents. The problem was that they were good enough to go underground and eliminate his crew, some of whom have worked with Anton for over fifteen years. He could not treat them like that.
Maybe now was the time to suggest a little bit of the war with the Eridani Secret Service. He knew that they were on a collision course. Right now Planetary Interests knew very little about the Eridani Secret Service. There was no telling how much the Eridani Secret Service knew about them. He could launch the beginnings of that war. The main problem was that he did not know what their response could be. They had government resources and so could win the spending war. The Eridani Secret Service also showed themselves quite able to take money away from criminal organizations.
He sat down at his desk. He was in his suite at the Shangri’la Hotel, and His suite included a pretty good office set up. It did not take him very long to establish his organization here. The Mining guild was delightfully corrupt. It was easy to buy his way into the freedom of action. Now a single Special Agent from Eridani Secret Service threatens all that he built here.
He brought out his Hypercom unit, and He dialed the number for Andrea’s Hypercom. He sent a request for visual communications. Then he jammed the send button.
