by Rick Graham
The elderly mayor’s face lit up brightly as he responded, “Oh that would be over at the Gorj’s inn just up the road. It is quaint, but the alcohol is good, and the beds are clean!” Varius squinted slightly at the emphasis of “clean”. He nodded to the mayor who stepped aside to allow the inquisitor to exit the Sheriff’s office.
Varius closed the creaky door behind him and walked down to his car. As he approached, the car unlocked itself. The inquisitor slid in, and once again a cloud of dust blew out from under the hovercar as the fans lifted it off the ground.
He pulled up to the Gorj’s inn and parked next to an old faded green wheeled truck. As the hovercar came to a rest on the dust covered stonecrete parking lot the trunk hatch opened. Varius stepped out of his vehicle and went to the trunk to grab a large black duffle bag. He slung it over his shoulder and approaches the front of the inn.
Before he even reached the porch the door swung open causing him to stop in surprise. A homely looking woman in a red checkered dress stood in the doorway with the biggest smile he had ever seen extending from ear to ear. “Welcome to the Dust Devil Inn!” she exclaimed. “Nice to meet you Inquisitor Varius I am Misses Deborah Gorj. The mayor called us up and said you might be heading over.”
As Varius approached, Mrs. Gorj extended her hand but the inquisitor walked right passed her and entered the inn. Trying not to look insulted Deborah pressed her hand tightly against her dress and closed the door behind her.
Varius stopped several steps into the inn and looked around. A large wooden bar counter, several tables and chairs took up most of the large open area. The stairs to the second floor were in front of him across the room, and the main counter was to his immediate right. He noticed an assortment of knickknacks and other country decorations all about the walls and shelves. It definitely had a rustic feel to it even though the capital was much wealthier and far more modern. Varius felt like he had taken a step back in time the moment he drove into Alachua, and the inn certainly continued this feeling.
Mrs. Gorj began to walk around Varius and motioned with her left hand to the other side of the large room. “We have our own bar downstairs here, got some real good local liquors if you are interested.” She walked behind the front counter before continuing. “We don’t have any food here, but the beds are clean”
Again, Varius squinted at the use of the word “clean” to describe a bed.
A tall gentleman was coming down the stairs as Varius continued to inspect the foyer. “Ah, you must be Inquisitor Varius! Mayor White just called me. I’m Jonnt Gorj the owner here. Sorry I couldn’t have introduced myself earlier, I was getting your room ready.” The inn keeper made his way across the room and extended his hand. It hung there for a moment before Mrs. Gorj leaned over from behind the inquisitor and shook her head. Jonnt lowered his arm awkwardly.
“I’m sure you are mighty tired from your long trip in from the capital. But as I’m sure my lovely misses mentioned we have an a-mazing liquor that will help you sleep like a baby. And if you are up for it…” Jonnt leaned in closer to his guest and lowered his voice. “I can arrange for a “special guest” to meet you in your room later on.”
Varius tilted his head slightly to the right. “I don’t think that will be necessary. I just want to get some sleep this evening.”
Jonnt clapped his hands together and smiled widely. “Then you have come to the right inn my friend!” The inn keeper took a step to the side and motioned to the stairs. “After you.”
After taking several steps towards the staircase Varius noticed a hollow sound in the floor under his boot. He tapped the floor with his boot and looked at Jonnt.
“Oh, that’s our cellar down there. We don’t really use it a whole lot since the drought set in. Been a real shame, a lot of people around here can’t grow anything on their farms.”
Varius continued back towards the stairs and the two men made their way to the second floor.
“Your room will be the second one on the left.” Jonnt said as he squeezed by to open the door for his visitor. “I hope you find it to your liking.”
As Varius got his first look into the room he tried to not show the disappointment on his face. Especially since Jonnt had a very large grin on his.
“I am sure it will meet my needs” Varius said as he stepped into the bedroom. The room continued the same rustic feel of the downstairs foyer. A single-sized bed was dressed neatly with tan sheets and a blue blanket folded at the foot of the mattress. Looking around the inquisitor saw a small table positioned up against the windowsill with two small wooden chairs, a dresser to his right and then a larger cushioned chair in the left corner. He set his bag down on the small table.
“Let us know if you need anything.” Jonnt said as he began to close the door.
“I will. Thank you” replied Varius as he continued looking around the small room.
Just before the door closed the inn keeper stuck his head back in the room. “If you happen to be hungry you can head over to the diner. The menu is a lot smaller because of the drought, but the burgers down there are something special. In fact, I’d say they are to die for”
Varius remained silent and Jonnt got the hint. The door closed, and the inquisitor walked over and locked the door. Moving back over to the table he opened the bag and pulled out a protein bar. After pulling the wrapping apart he took a large bite out of it.
Cycles ago, he learned to always bring food with you on a mission. Being an inquisitor for the Corre Republic meant you would naturally make a lot of enemies as you dispensed judgement in the field. Revenge could take the form of many things, including poison in your food.
Typically, an inquisitor was only sent out once a situation became worse than the local authorities could handle. They were trained in a variety of ranged and close combat techniques, information gathering, negotiating, how to pilot a WarMech, and were taught extensively about the law. Some citizens had come to view the inquisitors as tyrants dispensing their own form of law and order throughout the Republic’s worlds, but that wasn’t how Varius saw it. If someone didn’t maintain order than chaos would reign supreme. Yes, because of his oath to the Republic, his word was law. Many had died because of his judgements against them. Yet, he didn’t wield this power loosely. The law was the law.
He took another bite out of his protein bar and peered out the window. Several wheeled vehicles pass one another on the dusty street below his window as they went about their business.
Varius turned to look at the bed and shook his head. Instead, he decided to rest in the cushioned chair in the corner. As he lowered himself down into the chair he was pleasantly surprised to notice the chair was incredibly comfortable.
“Hmm” he said aloud to no one. Leaning back in the chair he rested his head on the cushioned neck support. Within moments he drifted off to sleep.
“Daddy!” a tiny voice called out in the darkness.
Varius opened his eyes to find himself in bed in a much larger bedroom. The walls were a clean white and the whole room felt like something familiar.
Suddenly the door burst open and a small pigtailed girl ran into the room. She hopped up on the bed and did her best to crawl over to Varius.
She propped herself up on her knees and smiled. “Daddy! Daddy! Look what I made for you”.
Varius reached out and took the handmade multi-colored bracelet. A small purple heart shaped charm hung off it in the center. “Thank you honey. You did such a good job.” Varius said admiring his gift.
The smile on his daughter’s face seemed to literally light the room up even more. “I know you have to leave for work again, and I wanted you to remember me.”
Taken aback by the heartfelt comment Varius said, “Baby, I could never forget you. I love you too much.”
Just then, a dark shaped figure stood in the doorway. Varius saw the threat but couldn’t move his body. The man was dressed in Republic fatigues and had his face covered by a black mask.
“K
eyla, run!” Varius shouted out in anger. But she didn’t, instead she pointed at the bracelet.
“Do you like the pretty colors daddy? Mommy helped me pick them out.”
“Keyla! Run, go now!” The man walked into the room and raised a gun.
Trying with all his might Varius fought to move his body, but it simply could not respond.
“Raaaaah!” the inquisitor screamed out in rage as the man fired his weapon.
Varius awakened to find himself back in the dingy bedroom at the inn, but it was now nighttime. Standing before him were two hooded figures, the front one holding a knife. The two attackers froze in place by the inquisitor waking up at such an inopportune time unsure of whether they should run or press the attack.
With his training taking over his body, Varius instinctively kicked out with his right boot into the front attacker’s shin causing a nasty crunching sound. The man cried out in pain and fell to the ground. As Varius stood up the other attacker tried to hit him with some kind of blunt object. Instead, the inquisitor used his right elbow to catch the attacker’s arm at the forearm preventing the strike. Tightening his left hand into a fist, Varius’ glove hardened at the knuckles. Lashing out with his own attack, the inquisitor punched with his left arm four times into the attacker’s ribcage.
Backing into the wall behind him, the second attacker held his ribcage from the pain. After regaining his courage, the first attacker got back up.
Taking a step back, Varius spots the knife in the right hand of the first man and readies himself for the coming attack. The first man tried to ignore the pain in his leg as he lashed out with the knife. Varius twisted to the right and caught the attacker’s arm with his own, locking it tight. He chopped the attacker in the throat with his right hand.
The man dropped the knife and limped backwards slightly, both hands on his throat. Varius stepped forward, flicked his wrist activating a hidden blade under his right forearm to pop out. It locked in place just as the inquisitor struck the other man’s chest five times. The hooded attacker fell to the ground gurgling on his own blood.
Watching his partner get quickly dispatched by the inquisitor, the second man decided to run out the door and down the stairs. Varius switched the blade back into hiding and pursued the fleeing attacker.
As he stormed down the stairs Varius heard Mrs. Gorj call out from behind the bar, “Hey, is everything okay up there?” Getting to the bottom of the stairs Varius saw the front door wide open and attacker running down the driveway. He runs full speed forward and followed the other man down the street.
The attacker looked behind him as he is ran to see the inquisitor in pursuit. With renewed energy he continued down the road for another block before turning down an alley. Varius ran up to the alley and drew his pistol. He cautiously peaked around the corner.
The building’s siding exploded in front of Varius’ face as the fleeing man shot a pistol several times at his pursuer. Varius replied in kind as he fired his own pistol. The bullets narrowly missing his target. Deciding he has had enough the hooded man ran behind a building to his left. Varius carefully moved down the alley, ready to respond with his weapon. As he rounded the corner of the building Varius watches a red hovercar drive up at the end of the alley ahead of the fleeing man. Varius sprints after the vehicle but the attacker hops in the hovercar. It speeds off sending trash and dirt into the air.
“Raaaawh!” In his anger Varius kicked a trashcan over spilling out old smelly produce. With no trace to follow of his attacker Varius made his way back to the inn.
The sheriff’s wheeled cruiser sat out front of the old inn, lights flashing. A small group had gathered out front, some gossiping others recording with various communication devices. Varius shook his head as he ducked beneath the warning tape surrounding the front porch of the inn.
Sheriff Tome spotted the approaching man from inside through a window and made his way to the door to intercept him.
Varius didn’t get three feet in the door before the Sheriff started yelling. “Can you tell me just what the blast happened here?”
Not appreciating the accusing tone, Varius glared at the sheriff. “I was attacked in my room by two hooded men.”
Mrs. Gorj was behind the front counter holding a tissue, her makeup around her eyes smeared from her crying.
“This here is a quiet town. We haven’t had a murder in these streets in over 30 cycles!” exclaimed the Sheriff as he angrily put his hands on his hips as if scolding a small child.
The inquisitor looked at the older man with a deep stare that weakened the Sheriff’s face some. “Do you doubt my word?” Varius inquires.
“Look, I know you inquisitor types are all about law and order. But all I know is that I saw the one guy you took care of upstairs. He looks like a fricking piece of meat with how many times you stabbed him” The sheriff points angrily up towards the stairs.
“Tell me Sheriff, what is really going on around here?”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Tome asks as he crosses his arms in defiance.
“Inquisitor Kopen was here 7 rotations ago and has now gone missing. Within hours of being in my room I was attacked by two men. As I pursued the second a getaway hovercar drove up and helped the second flee the scene.” Varius looks deeply into the other man’s eyes with an inner anger burning inside of him. “You tell me this is a quiet town, but it sure seems like there are assassins here!”
Tome looks away and bit his lower lip. “You big capital guys sure think you know what it’s like out here in the wasteland don’t ya?”
Now it was Varius’ turn to be confused. He shakes his head as if he doesn’t understand the pointless conversation. “Sheriff, we don’t have time for your socio-economic problems. Have you ID’ed the man upstairs?”
“He is going to the town morgue right now and we will figure things out.”
“Call me when you hear something then.” Varius reached into his pocket, pulled out his card and flicked it at the Sheriff as he walked away. The card floated to the ground as Tome’s face turned beat red in anger.
The last few hours of darkness passed without any more disturbances. As the system’s star rose into the sky, the small bedroom began to light up. Varius slowly raised himself up from the bed. The lights from Sheriff Tome’s cruiser disappeared about an hour ago. A cloth covered the pool of blood where the dead man had laid.
Mrs. Gorj had offered to give the inquisitor a different room but he declined the offer. He had been attacked and had no lead of who might be responsible. Maybe if he waited long enough someone would try again and this time he could get some answers. If nothing else, this particular room was probably safe since the attackers had to come into the room to get him. If it had been rigged with explosives they would have already used them.
He reached over to the small nightstand and picked up a bottle of water he had brought along with him and took a swig. While he figured nothing would happen again with so many witnesses out front he didn’t want to take a chance and had stayed awake straight through the night.
He stretched his arms up over his head while walking over to the window by the small table and opened the old blinds. The sun streaks came through the blinds revealing thousands of dust particles dancing in the air. His eyes squinted slightly at the extra light coming through the dirty glass.
From his vantage point the inquisitor watched for a moment as the townspeople went about their daily business. It never ceased to amaze him watching ordinary people live their lives. The vast majority of the population on any world go about their day as if nothing big is going on elsewhere in the Republic.
Wars were raging across a dozen worlds since the Prefect Major who fancies himself an emperor announced the reformation of the Corre Republic and all of her lost worlds. The Republic had war groups either invading or were being positioned for invasion of various bordering nations to retake the worlds that succeeded nearly 400 cycles ago.
Ironically, the biggest battle
in hundreds of cycles was unfolding at this very moment and a high-ranking inquisitor had been attacked in some rinky-dink area of Assembly. These farmers and townsfolk went about their day clueless of the death and destruction unfolding across the stars.
Varius shook his head at the cosmic irony. He unzipped his duffle bag and rummaged around. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed his boots were extremely dirty from last night’s pursuit. He leaned down to wipe a smudge of mud off his boot just then the glass where his head had been exploded inward. Reacting instinctively, Varius dove to the ground and rolled away from the window. Several more shots burst through the wall. The inquisitor crawled over behind the bed knowing that the attacker wouldn’t be able to see him there.
Ever so carefully Varius poked his head up to attempt to see the shooter. Across the road a large red building had a perfect vantage point to his window. He spotted an open window but couldn’t really see inside. It certainly had good conditions for a sniper to attack from. A bright flash lit up the windowsill across the street. Varius ducked down just in time as puffs of material from his bed shot into the air.
His face now turning bright red from rage that he found himself at the center of another attack, Varius drew his pistol and fired five shots at the window across the street. It was difficult to see, but it seemed as if a shape of a man threw their hands into the air as if they had been hit by the return shots. Varius ducked back just in case waiting for a response from his attacker. His heart beat loudly in his ears as he forced himself to calm down.
After a few moments of silence Varius decided to crawl over to the door. He threw the door open and rolled out into the hall. As he got up and make for the stairs he could hear several people down in the foyer shouting to one another trying to figure things out.
“Did he get him?” Mrs. Gorj screamed. Her eyes became very wide for just a split second when she saw the inquisitor with gun drawn coming down the stairs. Something about her face seemed odd to Varius, and he made a mental note to speak with her when he came back for his bag.
