Tabitha strutted down the ramp and headed straight into the crowd. “You guys can deal with all this,” she called back with a wave at the ship. “I’m going to find us somewhere good to eat.”
By the time Hirotoshi and Ryu caught up with Tabitha, she was on her second plate of something somewhere between nachos and putty, and was still no more comfortable with Scroat’s declaration than she had been when they’d left Zaphod. She indicated the plates at the empty spaces, which contained more of the same food. “I ordered for you both. You know, I never get tired of alien food.”
Ryu eyed his plate suspiciously as he sat down. “They didn’t have any human food?”
Tabitha winked. “Of course they did. Eat up, Ryu.”
Hirotoshi gingerly tried a bite. “Hmm. It isn’t completely unpalatable once you get past the flavor. And the texture.”
“And the way your brain screams at you not to eat it?”
Tabitha shrugged and picked up her glass. “You can’t have everything. So I know you kept your eyes open on your way here. What are your impressions? Hirotoshi first. What did you see?”
Hirotoshi picked his glass up and took a sip. “Advertising. Everywhere. This show, this fight, this restaurant. It’s never-ending.”
Ryu nodded. “This place is all about comfort and entertainment. It’s as if they’re partying extra hard up here to make up for the simplicity of life on the planet below.”
Hirotoshi pointed at Ryu. “Exactly.”
Tabitha poked at the remains of her food with a finger. “I didn’t get the impression that the Order knows how fast and loose it is here. Or that they would approve, either. I mean, have you ever seen a bald Torcellan before? Those guys are ascetics, for sure. Not one of them checked me out. That takes restraint.”
Ryu grinned. “And now we get to the heart of the matter.”
Tabitha shrugged. “Not really.”
“Scroat?” Hirotoshi asked.
“I just can’t work out his game,” she confessed. “What is he gaining by pretending to care?”
“Have you considered that the Skaine is not playing any game?” Hirotoshi asked. “I believe we should begin our inquiries a little closer to home.”
“Cuthbert?” Tabitha laughed. “He’s obviously harmless. I’m telling you the Skaine is our culprit, and I’m going to prove it. Come on, I feel like I can deal with another meeting now that my stomach isn’t complaining.”
“It might still complain.” Ryu snickered. “You keep eating weird-ass food, and someday your nanos aren’t going to save you.”
They found the station offices easily. “I miss Achronyx,” Tabitha bitched as they approached the reception window. “Don’t tell him I said so, though. I don’t want his ego getting too big.”
The receptionist, a Torcellan, stood up in mild alarm and shut the window when he saw Tabitha and the Tontos coming toward him. Tabitha pulled her badge out on its chain and held it against the glass. “It’s okay. We’re expected. Tell your bosses that Ranger Two is here.”
The receptionist picked up the phone and spoke briefly, then pressed a button to buzz them through to the offices. He eyed them nervously as they walked away.
Tabitha wiggled her fingers at the receptionist as she walked through. “Toodles!”
The meeting room beyond contained a huge window which showed a panoramic view of the planet below. The dozen or so people around the table ceased their hushed argument as soon as the door opened, but Tabitha had already heard the not-so-magic word—trafficking.
She didn’t wait for an explanation.
She strode over to the table at vampiric speed, turned the head chair around, and straddled it. “So, what are we trafficking? Do tell. I’m dying to know.”
Hirotoshi and Ryu glided in and shut the door. The group around the table, mostly humans and Torcellans with a few others sprinkled in, gaped at her sudden appearance. The humans recognized her straight away and fell silent.
Tabitha fixed them all with a hard look. “Well? What is it? Weapons? Drugs? People?”
“You had best tell her,” Ryu called from his spot by the door.
“I hope it is not people, for your sakes,” Hirotoshi warned.
“Or ours,” Ryu added. “It always generates so much paperwork when we have to execute slavers.”
Tabitha glanced at the door. “There’s paperwork involved?”
“Achronyx does yours,” Hirotoshi informed her.
Tabitha tilted her head. “I didn’t know that. Anyway,” she turned her attention back to the table, “you were about to tell me what it is you’re involved with.”
The lone Noel-ni at the table bared his teeth at them. “We don’t have to tell you humans anything. How did you even get in here?”
Tabitha tapped her badge, which was still hanging loose over her shirt. “You obviously don’t understand how this works.” She reached into her coat pocket and withdrew the sphere given to her by the Order. It twinkled as she held it up to the light, and the Noel-ni got even angrier.
“Where did you get that?” he demanded. “Only the Order can issue… Oh. You are here about the missing people.”
“Nice of you to catch on finally.” Tabitha placed the hand holding her JD Special on the table. “Now, if I have your complete attention? I am an Empress’ Ranger, and you are all in a world of shit if you don’t start talking.”
Tabitha was almost disappointed by the relief that washed over the cooperative. Half of them jumped up and began speaking over each other, and the others leaned in to whisper to each other. Tabitha couldn’t keep track, but she knew Hirotoshi and Ryu were paying attention. “Sit down.” She flashed red eyes at the Noel-ni from earlier, who was screaming at them all to keep quiet, then pointed at one of the more assertive-looking humans. “You be quiet. You, explain why I heard you all talking about trafficking before I decide to arrest every single one of your asses and drag you in front of the Empress.”
Her threat had the desired effect. The group all took their seats again, a couple of them still grumbling under their breath at being forced to comply.
The human Tabitha had singled out looked more embarrassed than anything. “We apologize for our lack of hospitality, Ranger.” He squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. “I assure you that none of us are involved in any illegal activities. We were merely speculating as to the root of our issue. It is our responsibility to raise income for the Order, one we all take extremely seriously.”
Tabitha leaned on the back of the chair. “So all this is approved by the Order?”
He nodded. “Of course. Not all of the weary are in need of tranquility. We deal in most marketable services here. The wealthy pay a premium to access the station’s services, and the Order is pragmatic about where their funding comes from.”
One of the others, a Torcellan, spoke up. “We pride ourselves on our ability to meet the needs of almost any visitor to the station, which means we allow a certain amount of less family-oriented activity on the upper levels.”
Tabitha raised an eyebrow. “What kind of ‘activity?’”
“The kind that makes us nervous you are here, Ranger,” the Torcellan answered. She was dressed in a flowing semi-diaphanous robe. It was the traditional bland color that Torcellan females wore but was cut to flatter.
Tabitha waved her concern away. “If you mean the fights, I already know about them. What I’m interested in is getting to the bottom of this, so how about you rewind back to when people started going missing?”
The Torcellan shook her head. “The fights are not the main issue, although that revenue stream has also dried up a little recently. The revenue drop is a direct result of the adult entertainment workers’ union calling a strike. Of course, the Order doesn’t want to hear about the ins and outs of the industry, just that it is regulated and profitable.”
The human rubbed his forehead with a hand. “Business has ground to a halt because the union is refusing to lift the strike until the cause of the
missing courtesans is determined.”
Tabitha nodded. “So you need me to find out what happened to the missing people. Do you have any idea at all what happened to them?”
The Torcellan female nodded. “That was what we were discussing when you…arrived so suddenly. The issue is not confined to the upper levels, Ranger. There have been a few other worker disappearances across the station, and even the odd tourist, but we have been unable to link them to the missing courtesans, and we can find no trace of the missing. Thus we conclude the missing are being stolen and sold into slavery.”
“I’m going to need to see everything you have on all of the disappearances.” Tabitha wished Achronyx was there to dig through the station’s security archives. “Then I want to speak to the workers, as well as anyone else who may have been involved.”
“Of course, Ranger,” the human replied. “Although I do not think you will find anything of use. The fights are strictly regulated, but as you can imagine we cannot possibly monitor the adult entertainment areas closely.” His face was a deep shade of pink as he spoke. “We have to safeguard our better-known patrons’ personal comfort.”
“Personal comfort—that’s a new one.” Tabitha holstered her JD Special and stood to leave. “You can make up for your rude reception by giving me what you have, and directions to the admin offices. It’s the one thing I haven’t seen advertised in this place and I cannot be bothered to hack you.”
The elevator opened onto an ordinary, if tastefully decorated, atrium. Hirotoshi and Ryu followed Tabitha to the reception desk next to the elevator, where a human woman greeted them with a smile.
“Hi. I’m afraid we’re not taking bookings at the moment.” She looked Tabitha up and down appreciatively. “More’s the pity.”
Tabitha grinned and showed the woman her Ranger ID. “I’m here to talk about the disappearances,” she glanced at the woman’s nametag, “Stacy.”
Stacy wasn’t quite listening. “Mmm-hmm?” She raised an interested eyebrow at Hirotoshi and Ryu, who flanked the elevator. “What are they here for?”
Tabitha snapped her fingers to draw Stacy’s attention to her badge. “They are my guards. Focus, Stacy. You can drool over them later. Right now I need to speak to whoever runs things here.”
Stacy dragged her eyes away reluctantly. “That would be me.”
Tabitha nodded. “Were you listening? I’m here about the disappearances.”
Stacy’s eyes widened when Tabitha’s words finally sunk in. “You are? Oh, at last! I’ll go and get the book. Wait here a minute, please.”
Tabitha watched Stacy dash through a door behind the desk, presumably into an administration office. She glanced over her shoulder at Hirotoshi and Ryu. Please tell me I’m not that easily distracted.
Oh, no, Ryu replied.
That would be lying, Kemosabe, Hirotoshi finished.
I’m standing on both your backs while you do your push-ups, you pair of smart-asses.
I didn’t have any push-ups, Hirotoshi pointed out.
The key word there is “didn’t.” Now you do, and I’m going to stand on your backs just like Bethany Anne would. In fact, I’m going to stand with one foot on each of you, and you can do them in sync until I’m satisfied.
The men groaned. Stacy returned just as they made the noise and glanced at them with a small smirk just touching the corner of her mouth. “They are wasted on guard duty,” she told Tabitha. “Here.” She passed Tabitha a ledger. “This is the visitor log for the level.”
“I’m going to need to take this with me,” Tabitha told her.
Stacy nodded. “Okay, since you’re a Ranger. But please take care of it. If some of our patrons were aware we even kept this much…let’s just say we’d be out of business faster than you can say ‘lickety-split.’” Stacy clapped a hand over her mouth when she realized what she’d said. “I’m so sorry!”
Tabitha snorted. “Don’t be. You’re wasted behind a desk, Stacy.”
Stacy twinkled at Tabitha. “I’m happy here, Ranger. Or at least I will be when I know what happened to my friends and colleagues. You’re going to find out, right?”
Tabitha nodded. “That’s why I’m here. You can help by telling me everything you know.” She leafed through the first few pages of the ledger and frowned until she saw the key written out painstakingly on the inside back cover. “Starting with who went missing and when.”
Stacy smiled again and motioned for Tabitha to come around the desk to the room beyond. “I was about to take a break. Have you eaten yet? You’re welcome to join me.”
Tabitha grinned. “It would be rude to refuse.” She turned to Hirotoshi and Ryu. “She’s right, you guys are wasted on guard duty. I’ll be fine here with Stacy. Go explore the station and have some fun. Just keep your eyes open for anything suspicious. I’ll meet you back on the ship later.”
Hirotoshi and Ryu nodded and left. Tabitha made her way around the desk and followed Stacy into what turned out to be a tidy little office with a couch and a small food preparation area off to one side. Stacy headed over to the fridge and took out a stack of tubs. “Take a seat, Ranger. I hope you don’t mind sandwiches?”
“That’s great,” Tabitha replied. “And you can call me Tabitha.”
“I could never, Ranger.” Stacy brought two plates over and handed one to Tabitha. They ate as Stacy answered Tabitha’s questions.
“I can’t tell you how glad I am that you’re here,” she told Tabitha. “At first when Lucia and Bardoc went missing, we thought they might have eloped. It happens from time to time when people fall in love and decide to start fresh. But then it happened again, and that’s when we started to get worried. We all knew the Loren wouldn’t leave.”
Tabitha tilted her head in question. “I’ve never seen a Loren. What’s so special about them?”
“You would have to meet one to understand. Let’s just say tentacles in all the right places and leave it at that. When the Loren vanished, we all got so scared we got together with our rep and demanded she do something. The strike hasn’t kept us safe, though. There have been three more disappearances since it went into effect.” She bowed her head, her voice quiet. “None of us feels safe. How can we?”
Tabitha sighed. “The Order didn’t mention any of this. Neither did the station leaders.”
Stacy frowned. “That surprises me. The people down there on the planet rely on the income this station generates.” She shrugged. “I don’t want to make a big deal out of it, but a big chunk of that is earned by the sex workers. It’s a point of pride among the courtesans that we do so much good all around. We need to work to earn a living, but we can’t work in fear. It kind of spoils the mood for most, you know?”
Tabitha could imagine. She patted Stacy’s hand and stood to leave. “We’re going to get to the bottom of this. You can relax, knowing you helped, and I can start building a list of suspects using the ledger. Contact me if you think of anything else, okay?”
Stacy nodded sincerely as she picked up their empty plates. “I will. Thank you, Ranger.”
Tabitha tucked the ledger under her arm and took her leave of Stacy. She spent another hour chatting with a few of the courtesans before she made her way back to the ship. The consensus was clear; they were all afraid, and none of them had a clue who was behind the disappearances. This had not turned out to be anything like the assignment she’d imagined when Bethany Anne had sent them out here.
Hirotoshi and Ryu were nowhere to be seen aboard the Achronyx. She decided to give them a little longer. “Achronyx,” she called as she entered the bridge. There was no reply. “C’mon, quit sulking, Achronyx. I know you’re not switched off, I can feel you at the back of my brain.” She dropped into her captain’s chair and opened the ledger. “I’ve got a mystery for you.”
Well, I suppose they can’t find me here.
“Achronyx, are you scared? The dampening field doesn’t affect you. You’re safe.”
Of course not. I do n
ot have the capacity to feel fear. However, my algorithms for self-preservation are working overtime in this place. The absolute opposite of safeguarding my continued existence would be to announce my presence in a system where I am an illegal entity. I examined the defense system the Empress provided. She wants these people safe, and while the planet’s field cannot harm me, some of the other features in the network can. I will remain here, thank you, Ranger Tabitha.
Tabitha screwed up her nose. “Yeah, well, it’s discrimination, and it sucks. We need to get out of here for a while.” She closed the ledger with a clap and opened a mental link to Hirotoshi and Ryu. Hirotoshi, where are you guys?
We are currently engaged in competition, Kemosabe. Do you need us?
No. I’m going to leave the system to call Bethany Anne. Will you guys be okay for a few hours or do you want me to wait for you to get back here?
Go ahead. We will be fine, Ryu told her.
Okay. You two play nice, now. She closed the mental link. “Okay, Achronyx, let’s get our asses out of here so you can breathe easy and I can call Bethany Anne.”
Achronyx came out of hiding the moment they reached the boundary of the defense system. “Thank you. I know this was not strictly necessary.”
“Couldn’t have you getting cabin fever,” Tabitha teased. “We can’t stay out here too long, though. I don’t want to leave Hirotoshi and Ryu alone on the station any longer than we have to. Open a secure link to Bethany Anne, please.”
“Very well,” Achronyx acceded.
The Empress was somewhat surprised to see her. “I wasn’t expecting to hear from you just yet. Did you find out what the issue is?”
Tabitha threw her hands up. “Which one?”
Bethany Anne sat forward, instantly concerned. “That bad? Do you need backup?”
Tabitha shook her head. “No, it’s nothing the three of us—”
“Four of us. You always forget me,” Achronyx complained.
Tabitha would have snarked him into submission, but she was still sore about the treatment he’d received on Zaphod. “Four. Sorry, Achronyx. The four of us have got it under control. But Bethany Anne?”
Deuces Wild Boxed Set Page 44
