“Oh, I’m sure we’ll cross paths again. Thanks for the information.”
“Hero status, I tell you. You are her favorite agent, Bob.”
“I’m no more a hero than you, Diamond. And besides, she knows that Abor and I have a history together at her company. A long one with an unsettled score,” I said, gritting my teeth.
“Well, just remember, Bob, you don’t have to do things all by yourself anymore. And this Abor is very dangerous,” said Diamond. I knew Abor was dangerous. But I wasn’t the same person that I was way back then. I, too, was more dangerous. Would I shout this from the rooftops? No, but honestly, if someone nailed his ugly, tentacled head as a figurehead on the prow of the Phoenix, I wasn't gonna shed any tears over it.
Not that I would actually mention such villainous thoughts out loud.
I checked for messages as Diamond piloted us back to Vepaja. Someone had gotten back to me rather quickly, someone named Femi. I listened to the message.
“This is Femi Diallo from the Trans-African Artisanal Alliance. I’m the mining instruction techniques department coordinator. You have an intriguing request here. How can I help you?”
“I’m contacting you on behalf of a small colony of people on the Venusian satellite Cupid’s Bow, who have found a diamond mine and they need to learn proper help, techniques and tools for mining them. Right now their methods are primitive and dangerous. There is also the added danger there as other special interest groups with unsavory intent have tried to seize upon it and steal their property from them because of the value of the mine.”
“Ah. Pirates and a much bigger mining company, no doubt?”
“Exactly. Can you help them?”
“Are you representing them? We would have to have the express permission of the owners of the mine in order for a representative to visit and assess the situation before we make a decision, especially for safety reasons. It sounds like the first order of business will be for us to send an activist and a legal representative to assess the legal situation and their rights.”
“I must warn you that the attacks from the smugglers have increased in intensity.”
“This doesn’t surprise me. I’ve seen it many times and it’s an old story. What we do is dangerous work, Mr. Astor. We are an alliance of unions, human rights activists, legal firms and mining businesses and experts after all, and not all powerful groups out there who are aware of our presence appreciate what we do for the powerless. Tell me, do they actually own the mine?”
“To my knowledge, yes. I saw the title to the property and the mine.”
“Our representatives would have to see the document to know for sure and then proceed. Get me in contact with the leaders of this community who are involved in the issue so that I can at least get a document trail and the process started. Who would I be speaking with? Do you know?”
“His name is Gerard Crawford.”
“Thank you. Yes, we have dealt with such situations, more than I would like to admit. Small companies and individual artisanal miners are bullied and intimidated out of mining, even on their own land such as this case when the law is not made sufficiently aware of the issue. Sometimes, if they fight back they are murdered. When I get their location, comlink numbers and web address I will contact them and get the process started.”
“Thank you so much, Mr. Diallo.”
“You’re welcome.”
I felt that at least some small victory was won.
But in all this, would they triumph only to lose everything when the alien juggernaut finally arrived? The future was now a narrow road leading through a wall of fog that I couldn’t see beyond. Will the sun still be shining after I passed through the other side?
10
“I hope you did a lot of butt-kicking with that brand, spanking new arm of yours. Those people are going to need a lot of defense help if they’ve been caught in the cross-hairs of The Collector and his gang of thieves,” said Diamond. “Magnum is powerful but his bare bones team won’t be nearly enough in the long run. They’ll just wait until the security mechs leave.”
“I know. I’m hoping the Boss can help out with that. I don’t know whether she’s willing to get involved but I think I can persuade her.” I glanced at my arm. I was still trying to get a handle on things with it. It scared me in the beginning. But not as much now. It seemed it came at the right time, even if the cost I paid was high.
“She probably won’t be very enthusiastic about it but she might make an exception for this gift you’ve found for her. If she hasn’t found it herself already.”
“You think she has?” I asked. Diamond shook his head.”No. She would have said something about it at the meeting.”
“Meeting?”
“Oh, right. We were all in Langrenus a few weeks ago for our first official U-net meeting. Everyone’s looking forward to seeing you there next time.”
“What was discussed?”
“Possible battle strategies and finding more allies, of which I managed to get Genevieve interested as an ally.” That was certainly good news!
“Speaking of Genevieve, what news from the Martian front?”
“Well, she couldn’t stay long in conversation as the comlink connection was weak, but it’s bad. Things are ramping up. There are serious conflagrations between the alien camps. Certain places in Syzygy you can’t even go if you’re a human being or an alien who has human friends, from what she was saying. The political rhetoric has turned ugly, there’s rioting in the streets, wanton destruction of businesses and dwellings, even mass killings. She and Rychik had discovered a mass grave a few weeks ago on the eastern outskirts of the city. The bodies were only just starting to decompose. Loyalists have infiltrated the city and are targeting food and water production for bombings.” I felt sick hearing all this. I sighed heavily.
“Did she mention anything about hive ship attacks?”
“No, thankfully. But who knows what’s on the horizon? So far, I couldn’t get any news of what the loyalists near the outer rim planets are up to. She said that she was going to travel to Ophir to contact the Allied Martian Powers as soon as it was safe to do so.”
“What’s happening on Ophir? Are they having the same problems?”
“Genevieve said that she didn’t think so, but she said that Ophir has closed its borders to alien newcomers that don’t already live there or are unknown to its authorities. Humans can come and go, as long as they submit to a thorough, full body examination before entering the city. Genevieve said it ain’t a pleasant experience.”
“No doubt.”
“Maybe your dreams can help us pick out a strategy.” He gave me a hopeful glance.
“Well, I can give you a broad idea of what might happen. As far as building a strategy, we need concrete information. Genevieve, Rychik, and Tulos are our best hope for that on Mars. I wonder, though. There might be another good source somewhere out here.”
There was Gunner’s Run. If Genevieve’s hands were full with the strife and violence in Syzygy someone on Gunner’s Run must have heard something. It was worth checking out. Diamond grinned.
“What?” I asked.
“I think I know where your mind is turning. By the way, someone is visiting Venus, someone that may have some good information.”
“I hope you’re not talking about Livilla!”
“Nah. I just heard through the grapevine last night that a certain short-statured person is visiting Vepaja. He’s staying at the Rameses Hotel under the name “Gabe”. Oh, and by the way, Livilla says “hi”, if that means anything to you.”
I made a sour face. If I’d never heard from Livilla again it would be too soon. She used me and for what purpose, I had no idea. I’m sure it was a dark one. But before I jumped on my high horse I had to admit that I had no legitimate complaints in this particular situation. I let her do it to gain what I thought would be an important benefit. I was still alive and I’d gotten something extremely valuable out of the deal, whether or not she meant for
me to survive it, plus, I got the chance to do some good in the universe. All’s well that ends well. So far, anyway.
When we reached the Vepaja City spaceport I was off to see this mystery man. I tried to drag Diamond along but he claimed he had a date.
“We’re on the edge of war and you’re thinking of romance, Diamond?”
“Hey, a man has needs! You’ve got your wife. I’ll see you in Langrenus.” Diamond dropped me off at the port. I took a cab to the Rameses Hotel to meet this mystery man. But I had the feeling that I already knew who he was.
. . .
The Rameses was even swankier and more exotic looking than the Queen of the Night. But its luxury was subtle. On the outside, it was rather modest looking, elegant but not ostentatious. It looked like a small temple. It was certainly no skyscraper. I passed under a gold and copper and stone pylon gateway and entered through a starry night themed lobby with massive coniform-style pillars carved at their tops to resemble conifer trees growing up through the floors along a wide crystal clear stream full of colorful fish that emptied into a large lake under the brushed gold burnished lobby. On the walls were painted hieroglyphics of gods and goddesses, priests and priestesses engaged in all sorts of erotic acts. Somehow, I wasn’t surprised that he chose this hotel.
At the desk, I asked for Gabe. I told her my name. The concierge made a call. I noticed a few recording mechs discreetly floating through the lobby above, near the ceiling. The woman gazed hard at me, nodding to whoever was on the other end of the connection and then she disconnected the link.
“Floor seven, suite seven, sir.” I was nervous. I had no idea if he would receive me or not, what the reception would be. More than that, it was a sobering thought that the little man had left his station in the first place, where he was its de facto king. It was hard for me to imagine him doing so for any good reason. I was both excited and afraid of what I might expect.
Passing through towards the lift lobby there was an impressive, wall-length fish tank full of tropical fish and a giant octopus. The ceiling and walls were lit with a soft, luminescent material and the halls and rooms were decorated with desert plants and the slim black stone statues of Egyptian deities. I wondered at such a decision. Beings once worshiped were now mere background decoration and I pondered at the implications of such a vast fall for the human race in the future.
I rode the lift to the top floor to reach the suite and upon doing so I pushed the door chime.
The door slid open and a slender, pretty woman in a nurse costume answered the door.
Oh, lord!
“It’s okay, Leila, let him in. He’s expected.” Indeed. I grinned, despite my nervousness. I was rather pleased to hear that. It was Jinkx, who was lounging in a plush, oversized armchair, wearing a tailored smoking jacket and holding a drink in his hand. He dismissed the woman, who disappeared into a bedroom.
“Still alive? I see you’re a lot tougher than you look, Astor.”
“So far. I hope not to jinx my luck.” His eyes twinkled and an upturned smile formed at the corner of his mouth at my pun. Ivan, his long-haired tuxedo cat, was lazily watching us through half-closed green eyes and resting on a wide, silk, fringed pillow near the chair. There was fresh fish roe mounded on a lead crystal saucer by the pillow. Purring loudly, Ivan began needling the front of the pillow, shredding the fringed edges with his claws. Then tiring of that, he stretched himself luxuriously, curled up and went to sleep, ignoring the roe. And us.
“I can see you both are enjoying yourselves here immensely. Nice suite.” I could see that Jinkx appreciated good taste and luxury, as well as Ivan.
“That darn cat.” Jinkx waved his hand at him. “Spoiled rotten like a barrel of forgotten apples. But we both use each other. I use him as a valuable source of information and he uses me as an expensive meal ticket. It’s what I call a very good relationship. Ivan excels at sourcing out well-hidden valuable goods, electronic bugs and detecting suspicious entities hidden in human form. Earns his keep. Anyway, it’s the planet of love, and I deal with a lot of stress on the station. I have to relax myself every once in a while. So, Astor, what brings you here to see me?”
“I need information.”
“Doesn’t everyone?” he said, smiling. Speaking of information a sudden and alarming thought occurred to me.
“Is it safe to talk here?” After all, I was meeting with a man who was an unapologetic denizen of the underworld, no matter how friendly he seemed. You never knew who wanted to spy on him, legal authority or otherwise. Jinkx chuckled at my suspicion.
“Getting to be just as careful as the smugglers and pirates I know. Relax, Astor. I’m friends with the hotel owner. If the cops arrive I’ll get notice before they get here. Ivan’s checked for bugs and I’ve placed a few sound dampeners around the suite. We can talk.”
“Well, I admit,” I said, feeling more relaxed and a little guilty, “I’m surprised to find you all the way out here but I’m glad you decided to see me, Jinkx. It’s been a long time.”
“It has. But I do have a good reason for being here. Sit down and relax yourself. Want a drink?”
“Oh no. I’ll pass. Need to keep alert.” The dwarf shrugged, got up from the chair and went to an ornate footstool and lifted the seat, apparently where he kept his liquor and tobacco accoutrements, and poured himself another glass of scotch.
“So, I’ve seen some very interesting things and I’ve heard things on the station. So, I might have information you would find useful.”
“How much?”
“We’ll talk about price later. What do you want to know?”
“Anything you have on Mars and loyalist aliens and their movements would be grand.”
“I’m glad you asked. Rumor has it that Mars is on fire with war, now in Syzygy and later it will spread. From what I was told and from what I’ve heard there were two massive alien warships seen near Pluto weeks ago. Hive ships, someone called them.” I felt the blood drain from my face but I remained quiet, listening intently. Jinkx paused. “I trust you’ve heard about these ships?”
“I’ve definitely heard of hive ships. I’ve been in one.” I thought I saw the color drain slightly from his face. But he went on.
“They were seen three months ago and then these ships just disappeared. A captain of a privateering ship was tracking their location, taking holo-images of them and passing on the intelligence to a source of mine. But his ship and crew disappeared without a trace ten days ago. No one has any idea how these ships were moved without anyone knowing or where they went. No trajectory path to track, no matter left behind to trace, nothing. Just disappeared into thin air.”
“An extremely powerful ghosting shield?” I offered, doubtfully.
“That pirates, thieves and other scoundrels in space don’t have access to? Or can’t track? I sure as hell hope not.”
“But, nothing truly disappears without a trace.”
“I know. The problem is do we have the technology and know-how to keep up with them? Technologically, they are more advanced than the human race. Our advantage is that they do not have the vast resources and the institutions they once had on their home world to rely on to create new systems, new weapons, and new technologies, to do their work efficiently and to grow, or that’s my theory anyway. We still have ours intact. Eyes are watching now, even from Earth, especially from Earth. No one has seen those ships since. How such ships could hide and disappear without being seen or traced is a mystery and has everyone stirring.” Jinkx had learned much about the aliens since our last meeting.
“What was the name of the captain who disappeared, do you know?”
“I can’t remember his name now but I do remember the name of his ship. It was called the Bright Star. Disappeared, along with its crew and captain. And that’s not all. Some pirates and travelers on the station were talking about something called the storm maker, an invisible weapon or a network of weapons installations that stretch from Jupiter to one of its moons, Io,
and that there is a base hidden on that moon connected to this so-called storm maker. It’s said that it might be the end of all humankind if these aliens can achieve what we think they’re trying to achieve.” He paused to take a sip. My mind was reeling. “By the way, a few people are starting to recognize your face. People have seen the footage at Sci-Tech Con last year. Not everyone thinks it’s a hoax.”
“That’s comforting,” I said, squirming at the thought. I tended to do things first and think about them later. How long I would get away with this? I think the jury was still out on that one.
“The storm maker,” I said quietly. “Does anyone have images of this thing?”
“None that I could get my hands on before I left. The general consensus is that it’s a weapon we haven’t seen or encountered before. I’m going by cantina and station gossip that I’ve gathered about this. But it was serious enough that I decided to go hunting for more evidence on my own. That’s one reason why I’m not on Gunner’s Run.”
“You say there might be another base? Just one?”
“Only one from what I’ve heard, though the conflict in Syzygy tells me that perhaps they want to wipe out their enemies and take over that city as well. That’s too close for comfort for me.”
“Any loyalist base anywhere in the solar system is too close for comfort.”
“I won’t argue with that. What do you and your people plan to do about this? I’m gathering and buying the most powerful weapons that I can afford to protect Gunner’s Run.”
“The governments on the home planet have to know. Until I get to Langrenus, I can only guess at how we plan to handle the governments and the media. As for a defense against the loyalists, we have weapons and we are planning a much more powerful one but we need more on-the-ground information to finalize a strategy.” Syzygy was up in flames. My concern on Mars now was Ophir. And more importantly, Earth.
“I can tell you one more thing I’ve heard.” He drained his glass set it on the table and gave me a level gaze, “I heard this latest rumor once and only once, but it disturbed me for some reason. Why? I don’t know why. Some splinter group of aliens calling themselves the Andazeh, are savage and fanatical. You’d think we were seeing the Wars of the Roses out in space for all their butchery and they don’t just target humans but also aliens who are friendly to humans. I have heard that they are partly responsible for the recent conflagrations on Mars.”
Mission: A Venus Affair Page 12
