Keltan's Gambit: Chronicles of the Orion Spur Book 2

by Michael Formichelli

  “Nice to meet you, Miss Tauthe.”

  “Call me Giselle,” she said with a broad smile.

  “Nice to meet you, Giselle.”

  A mischievous look appeared on her face. “Doctor Rega is out right now, but how would you like to see his lab?”

  A thrill ran through her body, but she restrained herself. “I wouldn’t miss a chance to see it, but I’ve got some things to do right now. I mean it though, I would love to go.”

  Giselle’s smile tightened, but she nodded her head. “Okay, that’s too bad. The offer remains open whenever you’d like to take advantage.”

  “Thank you,” she smiled. She really did want to see the lab, but the data from the spy-grain on Boa was calling out to her, and she didn’t think she could concentrate on what Giselle had to show her right now, anyway.

  “I really am a big fan of yours. When you did that piece on Minlea, it must have taken a lot of bravery and willpower. How did you manage that? I mean, how did you get through taking on an Orgnan slave cartel?”

  Cygni suppressed the urge to sigh. People always said that to her, and she hated it. This woman could get her access to valuable information, though, so she needed to keep this channel open. It could be the way into Doctor Rega’s private records—this woman was a fan, and she could use that.

  “I actually had to pose as a captured slave. Not fun.”

  “I can’t imagine.”

  “To tell you the truth, it was scary, but so is trying to get into a baron’s office.” She was thinking of being blocked by Baron Keltan’s personal artificial, Ben.

  “Do you do that often?”

  “Recently.” She laughed.

  A hungry look formed on Giselle’s face. “Would you be willing to tell me about it?”

  “Maybe. You know, I got this job from being on the Queen Gaia during the Keltan engagement cruise.”

  Giselle nodded.

  “I had an interesting time on board.”

  “Who were you investigating?” Giselle moved in closer.

  Cygni smiled, thinking through just how much information would get Giselle on the hook. If she gave away too much before she was sure of where the woman’s intentions lay, she could land herself in a lot of trouble. If she gave too little, she would seem boring, and unable to play to Giselle’s fame-worship.

  “We’ll have to save that for another time, I’m afraid. I really do have a lot of work to do.” There, that was perfect. The woman would be on the hook.

  They stood staring at each other for several uncomfortable moments before Giselle spoke again. “Well, welcome to the company. I would love to hear about your recent adventures, but I understand. I’ll leave you to your important work.”

  “Thank you again, Giselle. Come by later if that chance you spoke of presents itself again.”

  “I will, and it was a real treat to meet you.” She winked and strode out of the office.

  Alone again, Cygni returned to the couch and leaned back into its soft embrace. Her first new acquaintance in the office was an interesting prospect. If she could get access to more information on this Fast Mercury, maybe she could figure out how it might all tie into everything else, but right now she had another priority. She dove back into her cerebral computer and opened a new window with a blinking, red border in the dark space before her. She took herself through the series of mental images she used to encrypt the data: a gray pyramid, an old-Earth tabby cat, a clock with the time 11:40 displayed, and finally, her favorite bit of Shkur’s alien anatomy. She figured that last one would be virtually hack-proof, and it made her smile.

  The red window turned blue and the data streamed in through it. The high-rise apartment towers of the Solan ghetto surrounded the massive, lattice-work structure of the Kosfantari Biodome before her. She saw herself watch Boadicea walk away and enter the dome as though she were a drone hovering beside her friend’s shoulder.

  Cygni put the playback into fast-forward. Boa’s accelerated steps carried her through the sweltering air and down trails that were barely visible among the giant leaves of the underbrush. Something that she thought might be a giant snake coiled on a low branch whizzed by, and she shrieked despite knowing it was just a recorded image. She slowed the record back to normal speed once Boa headed into one of the larger stone structures with a gabled wooden roof and wood-slat windows at the center of a small settlement. She entered a room with a wooden floor and stone walls adorned with decorations made from trees, sinew, and feathers. Seated at a round table by a stone fireplace was an older woman with graying, seashell-adorned dreadlocks hanging like a curtain over her exposed, deeply tanned midriff. She wore a beaded halter, identical to Boa’s own, above a skirt made of strips of dark, cracked leather. Her well-weathered skin was covered in faded black tattoos depicting the thorny vine-like designs of the Kosfantari tribe. She smiled at Boa with eyes framed by crow’s feet above the same strong, high-set cheekbones that they shared.

  “Daughter, it is good to see you well,” Lalande Euphrati, Mother-Priestess of the Kosfantari Gaians said.

  Boa moved in close and kissed her mother on the cheeks. “Cygni’s left. I didn’t tell her anything, but she ran into Biren before I could get there.”

  “Did he tell her anything?”

  “Not that I know of, but I doubt it.”

  “That boy is led by his balls more than his head. These two have history, don’t they?” Lalande tapped a bony finger to her thick lips.

  “A few years ago he used her to get information for the Minlea-IV mission. It was hard on her when he left,” Boa said.

  “Does he have feelings for her?”

  “No more than usual, but as you said, he thinks with his balls more than his brain.” Boa sighed.

  “Keep an eye on it. We cannot let him go astray while he’s infiltrating the albino’s operation. With our ally dead, we are alone in our struggle.”

  “Alone? Don’t we have allies beneath the dome right now? What about Mitsugawa Ichiro and that Abyssian?”

  “No one has seen the new Baron Mitsugawa since he left Kosfanter. Until we are able to make direct contact with him, there is no telling what side he will fall on. His step-cousin certainly surprised us with that defection, and I do not intend to let us fall into some kind of trap if the new Mitsugawa has done the same.

  “As for those other allies you speak of. They are aliens. They seem willing to be of service, but we know little about how they think and feel.”

  “Their leader says they will help us out of obligation to the dead Mitsugawa, and Setha—”

  “—is no longer human, if she ever was.” Lalande drummed her fingers against the wooden table.

  Cygni opened a window and started a trace on the name, “Setha.” Boa had never spoken of him before. Hopefully the search would turn up whatever aliens Lalande was referring to so she could start figuring out with whom, aside from Mitsugawa and Keltan, the Gaians were involved.

  “Setha was human, and Biren likes her.”

  Her, got it, Cygni corrected her search terms.

  “Biren likes anything with a cunt.”

  “Mother!”

  “Well, he does.” Lalande folded her arms on the table. “It means nothing. If they are true to their word we’ll accept their help, but until they prove themselves we can’t trust them.”

  “You don’t trust anyone who isn’t a Gaian, mother.”

  “It’s a sound policy you should follow. Had we trusted Cylus as we did his father look where we would be today.”

  Cylus was Baron Keltan’s first name. It shocked Cygni to hear the older woman use it so casually.

  “That’s not fair, mother. We still don’t know if he was brainwashed, or under the albino’s influence, or—”

  Brainwashed. The word sent a shiver down Cygni’s spine. The image of Baron Keltan’s body flopping on the floor of the Queen Gaia flickered through her mind.

  “You’re so determined to see the good in people, aren’t you?” L
alande’s nostrils flared.

  “I am determined to see what’s really there, mother.”

  “Don’t delude yourself.” She sighed. “Focus on what must be done. We must know what the albino is doing. Biren says he can get a contact developed in Elthroa, but I don’t think he will be as successful as he thinks. I’m still not sure he realizes that Isinari have both down there.”

  Boadicea giggled. “I’d pay anything to see his face the first time he gets one into bed.”

  Lalande laughed. “Either way, he better come through. Something is going on. Since the albino took over Elthroa the number of agents being assigned to our enemy’s company has tripled. I can’t imagine Baron Revenant hasn’t noticed, but he’s allowing it to happen. Why? And what is she up to? We have to know in order to plot our next move. It can’t be long before Baron Revenant starts targeting Mitsugawa’s old allies. We can’t be caught unprepared.”

  “What makes you think he’ll come after us? Does he even know we were involved?”

  “Thanks to that hussy daughter of Baroness Altair’s, yes, he does.” Lalande scowled.

  Again she comes up. Cygni hoped that Pawqlan could help her. Knowing who this mysterious daughter of the baroness was could be the key to unlocking what was going on—not just with the Gaians, but with the whole conspiracy. She had to wonder if this daughter knew about the VoQuana involvement. She hoped she did, the memory of that monster sent a cold shiver down her back. She was determined to keep an eye out for any references or signs of the VoQuana at Cosmos Corp, but she doubted she would find any. It wasn’t like she could search the company directory for “Agent, VoQuana” and expect to find anything—or escape the same fate as Baron Keltan after she did. As far as she could tell, neither the VoQuana nor the conspirators had figured out she had spy-grains in Baroness Altair’s suite on the Queen Gaia, and she intended to keep it that way.

  “What do you think Baron Revenant will do?” Boa asked.

  “History is a grim indicator, but take heart. I do not think he will do anything too rash. The election is next year, and he won’t want to alienate the Solans in Ikuzlu before it. We must be careful, though. Baron Revenant may not come after the biodome itself, but individuals could still be targeted.”

  “I understand,” Boa said.

  It was a sage reminder to Cygni to be careful as well. It would be easy to make her disappear, and she had no doubt Baron Revenant would if he knew she was aware of what happened to Baron Keltan and the mysterious “Siren” that wiped out Calemni.

  Mother and daughter lapsed into casual conversation and she fast-forwarded with her implant, scanning the dialog for certain keywords, but gave up after Boa left her mother’s domicile. She decided she had enough to go on for now and shifted her consciousness back to her body.

  Only a few minutes passed since she dove into her own cerebral computer, but the mental fatigue made her feel like she’d been concentrating for too long. She took a deep breath and sat up, blinking several times. She wondered what secrets the grain she had at Elthroa might reveal in relation to the strange and obvious infiltration of Cosmos Corp in which Baroness Sophiathena Cronus was engaged. Baron Revenant must know about it since he ordered her to hire only from Elthroa. What was his game? Was he pulling the new baroness into a trap?

  A chime sounded in her ear accompanied by a window opening in her vision. Her search was complete. The window displayed a number of links to information regarding this “Setha” person Boa mentioned. She activated her implant’s multitasking function, and went through them, watching video files in one window while scanning text statements in the other. With her implant’s assistance, her brain was able to assimilate multiple sources of information simultaneously and blend them in her mind as though she had read or seen each item individually and committed it to memory. Once she was finished, she knew that Setha, or more properly, Eckortaan Setha, was the recognized and adopted daughter of Irin, Chief of the Savorchan tribes, but there wasn’t much more information available on her. It seemed that she lived off the grid, which was an impressive achievement in modern society. There wasn’t even a record of her birth anywhere in the Confederate database.

  She licked her lips. The Savorchans shared the consulate building with the Nyangari. She passed them each time she visited Shkur. Now that she knew their leader was working with the Gaians against Baron Revenant it was an easy connection to make. It was Baron Mitsugawa Yoji that sponsored the Savorchan membership in the Confederation, and he had started the Orgnan Conflict on their behalf. She’d have to figure out a way to find the younger Baron Mitsugawa sometime, but not now. Her staff would be in soon, and she still hadn’t familiarized herself with her new responsibilities.

  With a sigh, she moved to her desk and accessed her personal terminal. It was going to be a long morning.

  Her inner ear chimed again about an hour later.

  Yes, what is it Haem Ila’Anaeriae? she answered. Niur spectral image appeared standing a meter in front of Cygni, dressed in Cosmos Corporation’s black and silver uniform but wearing the Elthroa pin on niur left lapel.

  “I’m sorry to disturb you, Haem Aragón, but there is an urgent message for you in your inbox.”

  Huh? What are you doing in my inbox?

  Haem Ila’Anaeriae looked down and away. “I apologize, Haem Aragón, but one of my duties as your assistant is to ensure you receive all important messages. I did not mean to intrude on your solitude. I was only trying to make a good impression—”

  It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.

  “Yes, Haem Aragón,” Haem Ila’Anaeriae responded.

  She smiled. This Isinari work ethic was going to take some getting used to. She linked to her company message inbox with a thought and just as her assistant said there was an encrypted message from Baron Revenant waiting for her.

  Thank you for making sure I got this, Haem Ila’Anaeriae. Please get yourself something to drink.

  “Would Haem Aragón enjoy something this morning?”

  Coffee, hot and sweet, she responded. It was the first time in her life she was asking someone she wasn’t sleeping with to get her coffee.

  “Right away, Haem Aragón.” Her assistant vanished from her vision.

  She transmitted her biometric information to the server and the message downloaded itself into her implant, decrypted, and opened. Baron Revenant’s translucent image dressed in a formal black suit materialized in the same spot where Haem Ila’Anaeriae’s was moments before. He pierced her with his blue eyes and a half-smile appeared on his thin lips.

  “Miss Aragón, I trust you are enjoying your first day at Cosmos Corp. I know you probably want time to settle in, but something has come up and I need you to meet with me today. Waiting downstairs is an air-car that will take you to me. Please make use of the attire in your closet before you head down. I will see you in one hour. A countdown clock started when you opened this message.” Baron Revenant’s image faded from the room.

  A countdown clock? Really? She rolled her eyes but got to her feet and looked around the room again. Closet? She didn’t see anything that remotely resembled a closet. Puzzled, she opened her office door and stuck her head out. To her surprise, all the cubicles of her staff were occupied. Haem Ila’Anaeriae’s desk was closest to her office door. The green skinned Isinari turned to look at her.

  “Yes, Haem Aragón?” She said in her strong but pleasant voice.

  “Did everyone on my team come in early?”

  “Yes, of course, though the Rega team beat us today.”

  “Oh, um, okay.” She shook her head. “I know it’s your first day and all, but would you happen to know where my closet is?” She felt stupid asking, but she had no idea where to begin looking.

  “Pardon me for saying so, Haem Aragón, but did you query your desk computer?”

  She smiled, more to cover her embarrassment than out of any pleasure. “I will, thank you.”

  “A pleasure to serve, Haem Aragón.”


  “Sure thing.” She retreated into her office and signaled the door to slide shut behind her. The moment the hiss of hydraulics stopped, she accessed the computer terminal hidden within her new desk and thought “closet” at it. A thunk-thunk noise sounded to her left. A section of the wall opposite the couch moved forward and swung to the side; a mirror on its inner face flashed in the light. Within, a half-meter-wide alcove contained a set of black and silver suits with the Cosmos Corporation’s comet on their shoulders. An equal number of formal jackets hung beside them, and below those a like-numbered set of women’s shoes with low heels and rounded tips rested.

  “There we go.” She headed over to it, stripped out of her own clothes and threw them on the floor behind her.

  The cool air of the office kissed her skin, sending a shiver down her spine to the tips of her toes. She realized she was standing naked, save for a set of very revealing green panties, in front of a wide office window that she forgot to dim before undressing. The thought set goose bumps across her dark-almond skin. She twisted her body and looked over her shoulder at the field of office towers beyond the poly-glass.

  “Hello out there, like what you see?” She laughed at the thought of the double-takes she may have just drawn from the workers in the other towers before quickly sliding a set of company clothes on. The processors in the smartfabric queried her implant, and after she granted them permission, cinched themselves comfortably to her form.

  Thank the Matre for smartfabric, she thought and headed for the door.

  Haem Ila’Anaeriae was on her feet holding a cup of coffee towards her the moment Cygni walked out of her office.

  “Thank you for this. I’ll be back later.” She accepted the biodegradable plastic cup and started for the lifts.

  “Pardon, Haem Aragón, but I must accompany you.” Niu grabbed a white jacket from beneath niur desk and fell into step beside Cygni.

  “What?”

  “Baron Revenant sent me instructions that I was to prepare you for your meeting on the way. Here.” Niu handed her a wafer of crystal shaped like a parallelogram two-centimeters wide by five long and as thin as paper.