Milor!

by Thomas DePrima

  "That's all we wish for, Captain."

  * * *

  The terror attacks had slowed on Arrosa, but they didn't stop. It was as if the terrorists were warning Arrosa not to stall or delay the talks on Stewart. With hundreds of people dead, and thousands wounded, all over the planet, Prime Minister Marueck continued to promise that they would find the perpetrators and bring them to justice. But after a full year, they were no closer to finding the guilty parties than they had been at the beginning.

  The hundreds of people arrested, had to be released as their alibis were verified. Travel restrictions, imposed in an effort to reduce the terrorist activity, only seemed to be infuriating the general populace. Checkpoints throughout the major cities caused massive traffic bottlenecks, and tempers were constantly flaring. It was not an easy time for citizens or politicians. If it weren't for Space Command's regular presence in his solar system, Marueck would have already declared war on Selax, if for no other reason than to divert attention from his administration's failure to find the terrorists.

  Selax, on the other hand, was as calm as any inhabited planet ever became. Arrosa's intents had gradually leaked from government sources and the newspapers had inundated the planet with sensational headlines for a few weeks. When no attack materialized, and the government didn't activate reserve forces or issue warnings to be prepared, the issue quickly became a non-issue. The people went about their lives with the comfortable feeling that Space Command would protect them from outside attack.

  The complacent attitude on Selax infuriated Marueck all the more. His planet was practically operating under martial law, while those responsible were going about their lives as if nothing was wrong. His only consolation was that Deruuw continued to infiltrate agents into Selaxian population centers.

  * * *

  Chapter Seven

  ~ May 29th, 2275 ~

  Of the twenty-six moons in the Rhoitter solar system, Vyx, Byers, and Nelligen were able to narrow the search to one, quickly. Only one planet appeared as purple, and that planet only had two moons. Further, only one of the moons made two full revolutions each day. If the information from the construction foreman was accurate, the base had to be located somewhere on its surface, and the information would be worth every credit that Vyx had paid for it.

  They first made several quick passes through the entire solar system, looking for any signs of orbiting ships. Finding none, Vyx had the ship's computer begin a search for a narrow canyon that opened towards three peaks, as drawn by the foreman. Then it was just a matter of sitting back and waiting, while the ship's computer mapped the surface of the moon from high orbit.

  The computer signaled when it had completed mapping the entire moon. It was nothing like the incredibly detailed mapping work that survey teams perform, since the agents were only trying to locate very prominent features. Of three possible locations, Vyx picked the one that most closely resembled the map drawn by the construction foreman.

  "This is a very likely candidate for the canyon we're looking for," he said to Byers and Nelligen, "but the only way to find out for sure is to go down and take a look. Nels, you'll take the copilot chair. Get out fast if I can't handle whatever we find."

  "Right. We'll zip out if we lose contact, or if you tell us to git."

  After plotting a descent path with the navigation computer, Vyx engaged the system and sat back. The small freighter began dropping from orbit upon reaching the designated start point. Vyx would allow the ship to handle the approach, unless something unexpected happened, but he'd take manual control for the final hundred meters of descent.

  Vyx set the small freighter down about five-hundred meters from the wall at the end of the chasm. The hundred-meter high roof, anchored to the rim walls on each side of the long dry canyon, was just as Darrigo described it. Viewed from above, the camouflaged roof looked like the surface of the moon. Any ships parked beneath the cover, because they were too large to fit inside the flight bay, would be invisible from above the mountainous terrain. Vyx donned an EVA suit and stepped into an airlock after double checking the signal from the com system with Nelligen.

  Byers and Nelligen watched Vyx's bouncing progress across the surface of the two-fifths-gravity moon. Reaching the flight bay wall, Vyx entered an outer airlock door immediately next to the flight bay door. Both Nelligen and Byers tensed as he disappeared from view.

  Vyx waited until the airlock completed its cycle and then stepped into the flight bay. The surprisingly large area contained neither tugs nor shuttles, giving Vyx hope that the base was deserted. Although there was atmosphere in the bay, he remained in his suit. If there was someone hiding, the individual could open the flight bay doors at any time, and Vyx would find himself out on the moon's airless surface.

  Crossing the bay, he cautiously entered the airlock that led to the main corridor. He hadn't gone more than a dozen paces in the corridor before two Tsgardis stepped out from a doorway with lattice pistols leveled at his midsection. He immediately froze, remembering an almost identical scenario in Rivemwilth's old base. At that time, he'd been one of the defenders as Tsgardis tried to enter the base. The Tsgardis hadn't survived the encounter, and he knew that his own current chances in the bulky EVA suit were somewhere between slim and none.

  Lattice weapons had long ago been outlawed by the Galactic Alliance, but they remained the favored personal weapon of Raiders and other criminals because they could be fired aboard ship with the certain knowledge that they wouldn't puncture a titanium hull. Like laser pistols, they used energy in place of chemical propellants, but they fired an actual projectile rather than an energy beam. Each six-centimeter long projectile, consisting of four narrow pieces of flat spring-steel, appeared like a circular latticework tube. Loaded under great pressure into hundred-round magazines, projectiles were stored in compressed form. When pulled into the chamber, it instantly expanded to its full twelve-millimeter diameter. The leading edge was as sharp as any straight edge razor. Spun by a rifled chamber, the fired projectile bored through whatever it struck, like a drill bit. Since it wasn't attempting to push its way through the material, as a lead projectile would, it didn't require nearly the mass or velocity. Rather it cut its way through, like the narrow blade of a filleting knife. Where a laser pistol sealed the wound as quickly as it made it, the lattice pistol left large gaping holes that allowed a person's life force to bleed out in minutes from wounds in what should be non-vital areas.

  Vyx bent slowly and put his laser rifle on the deck. This was no time for foolish bravado. Straightening back up, he removed his helmet. The Tsgardi facing him weren't wearing protective suits, and with the airlock door sealed behind him, there wasn't any danger that he would suddenly find himself sucking vacuum.

  The Tsgardi, a warlike race from a planet a thousand light-years beyond the new Galactic Alliance frontier, more closely resemble tall, skinny, upright Terran baboons with dark grey fur, than humans. Most often found in the employ of the Raiders or other criminal types, they enjoy free movement in Galactic Alliance space unless a specific individual is guilty of committing a crime. Even so, they are only rarely seen anywhere except in the Frontier. Operating in the circles that he did, Vyx had had run-ins with them before.

  "I didn't know that Shev Rivemwilth had left anyone here," Vyx said smiling. Byers and Nelligen could hear his every word because he was wearing the headset.

  "I remember you," the closest one said. "You're Trader Vyx. You should have died on Gollasko."

  "Perhaps. But Recozzi's cousin wasn't fast enough."

  "Bresozzi wasn't his cousin. He was his brother."

  "Ah, that clears up the question of the family resemblance."

  "Shev Rivemwilth ordered us not to kill you or you'd be dead already. What are you doing here, Terran?"

  It was obvious that they were unaware of Rivemwilth's death. If he let on, they'd probably open fire immediately. "Shev Rivemwilth didn't tell you? I'm the one who contracted to move all the ordnance from t
he old base to this one."

  "We haven't heard from him in almost a GST year. He told us that he was expecting a freighter and would be leaving soon. He doesn't like to transmit messages because he's afraid that Space Command can track the signals."

  "The Shev has always been extra cautious. Space Command can't follow a signal if there isn't one to follow."

  "You still haven't told us what you're doing here."

  "I'm here to wrap up my deal with the Shev."

  "I've seen your ship. You couldn't get one percent of our stockpile into it."

  "The Scorpion? That's true; the Scorpion is far too small. I sent the Maid of Mephad."

  "That's a Raider ship."

  "Was a Raider ship. Space Command took possession when they seized Raider Eight and it became Stewart SC Base property. I stole the Maid from Stewart during the first few months when everything was in total confusion there, so it's my ship now, and I contracted with Shev to use it to move his ordnance."

  "What was the contract amount?"

  "Five-hundred-thousand credits, through Ker Blasperra on Scruscotto."

  The two Tsgardis lowered their weapons slightly and Vyx took his first real breath since walking in. The place reeked of Tsgardi. He hadn't noticed it before then.

  "The Shev hasn't arrived yet. Come back in a month."

  "A month? It took me four months to get here. This is the date that I arranged with the Shev. He should be here at any time."

  "If he's supposed to be here, than he must be in the Frontier Zone. Why don't you try calling him?"

  "He said that he was changing his frequency and scramble code after we completed our arrangements. He said that he'd call me after he arrived here if I wasn't here waiting for him."

  "That's another thing," the leading Tsgardi said, raising his lattice pistol again. "The Shev hasn't trusted anyone with the location of his base before."

  "We have a unique arrangement. I trusted him with my new ship, worth fifty million credits anywhere in the Frontier, and he trusted me with the location of his new base. Anyway, he considers people that contract with him, to be his employees. It's not like Space Command would come here, even if they knew exactly where it was."

  The Tsgardis thought for minute and then lowered their pistols all the way. They were ferocious fighters, but not great thinkers.

  "You can stay, if you brought your own food. We're running low and can't feed you from our supplies."

  "No problem. We have plenty on our ship. I'll be happy to share it with you."

  The pistols came up again.

  "We? I thought you worked alone?" one of the Tsgardi said.

  "I used to. But new opportunities have required that I take on associates and employees. I couldn't have stolen the Maid and piloted both it and the Scorpion, could I? I have two of my people with me and I sent another half dozen with the Maid to help in loading the ordnance."

  The Tsgardi were completely confused and off guard now. "Tell them to bring some food in with them," one of them said. "Anything real. I'm sick of synthesized food."

  Vyx made a big deal of appearing to turn on his headset. "Hello Scorpion, this is Vyx. Do you read me?"

  "I hear you," Nelligen said.

  "I've encountered some of Rivemwilth's men in here, and they've invited us to stay until he arrives, but they're low on food. Move the ship in beneath the camouflaged roof so it can't be spotted from above and bring enough food supplies for––" Vyx looked over at the Tsgardi that had done all the talking. "How many are you?"

  "Just us two."

  Into the headphone mike, Vyx said, "Bring enough food supplies for us and two Tsgardis for a week. Vyx out." Vyx made a movement that would make it appear as if he was turning off the headphone, although he didn't. He wanted Nelligen and Byers to hear everything that went on in case the Tsgardi had lied.

  "Open up the flight bay and my men will come in with a freight sled full of food supplies," Vyx said.

  The Tsgardi who appeared to be in charge nodded to the other one, who then moved to the flight bay control room. Vyx followed him and watched through the control room window as the flight bay's two doors opened wide. They looked on as the Scorpion, visible in the canyon outside the base, lifted off slightly and moved closer. Vyx cringed as the ship wobbled slowly on its cushion of 'oh-gee' waves, and came within a whisper of brushing the canyon walls a couple of times. He let out a loud exhale when it at last came to a rest just outside the doors. The ship was too large to enter the base, but there was still adequate room for a shuttle or tug to squeeze past and enter because Nelligen had landed it very close to one side of the canyon. Vyx wondered if that was intentional or inadvertent.

  It was another hour before Byers and Nelligen finished loading a freight sled with food, donned their EVA suits, and left the Scorpion. By then Vyx had pretty much confirmed that there weren't any other Tsgardi in the base. He'd asked to use the bathroom, been escorted to the living quarters area, and then, surprisingly, been left alone. After removing his suit, he used the facility, and then exited into the corridor. He'd left his EVA suit in the bathroom, but strapped on his laser pistol. There wasn't any sign of the Tsgardi that had escorted him to the bathroom, so he used the opportunity to look around. He found the crew quarters and saw that only two beds were unmade, although the room stunk as if ten thousand Tsgardi were staying there. Quickly searching each of the other rooms in the area, he didn't find any evidence of additional minions. This was going to be easier than he'd anticipated after first stepping from the airlock.

  Vyx walked back to the flight bay, where the two Tsgardi were watching Byers and Nelligen moving towards the bay through the bay's control room window. Vyx assumed that the second Tsgardi had left him alone so that he could verify they weren't about to be overrun by men from Vyx's ship. He couldn't both watch Vyx and cover the base entrance with his companion.

  The flight bay doors closed as Byers and Nelligen moved inside. As the bay was re-pressurized, the Tsgardi opened the cargo door airlock to allow the opposed-gravity sled easy access to the mess hall corridor. Crossing over the threshold of the flight bay, the sled dropped almost to the floor before the auto adjust controls managed to raise it to the proper height again. With the entire base surfaced with gravity plating, any area was adjustable from three G's, all the way down to weightlessness. It was currently set to one G, except in the flight bay where moon-normal gravity was in effect.

  Vyx waited until everyone was in the mess hall and Byers and Nelligen were out of the line of fire before he made his move. The Tsgardi were at the freight sled pawing greedily through the fresh food supplies.

  Pulling his laser pistol, he said to the two Tsgardi, "Okay boys, put your hands up. Nobody has to get hurt today."

  Tsgardis are frequently too dumb to surrender, even in the face of insurmountable odds, and these two were no exception. Both reached for their lattice pistols and tried to pull them. Vyx, left with no other choice, fired his laser pistol into the chest of each. He was close enough to wound them, but if they tried to pull their weapons with a laser pistol already pointed directly at their midsections, they would have continued to fight until they were dead.

  As the two Tsgardi crumpled to the ground, Byers, still in his EVA suit, screamed, "Dammit Vyx, give us some warning next time."

  Even without the headset, Vyx would have heard Byers. He screamed so loudly that his voice passed through his helmet. Thankfully, the headset electronics prevented volumes high enough to damage hearing, and Byers voice came through at just higher than normal speaking levels.

  "I didn't have a chance. I wanted to take them alive. With their arms full of food, I thought this would be my best opportunity. There's just no predicting what Tsgardis will do. They should have just surrendered. I had them covered."

  "No Tsgardi is ever going to be a Nobel Laureate," Nelligen said.

  "What I can't figure out," Byers said calmly, having removed his helmet, "is how they ever could have developed fas
ter than light speed spacecraft, or even solar system spacecraft."

  "They didn't," Vyx said. "They captured a group of peaceful explorers that visited their planet. After learning how to operate the spacecraft, they imprisoned the travelers; then used the ship to invade the Flordaryns' home planet and enslave the people. The Flordaryn world is only thirty-six light-years from the Tsgardi world, and was within the borders of the first territory that the Tsgardi established. The enslaved Flordaryns are now forced to build ships and weapons for the Tsgardi."

  "Where'd you hear that?"

  "From a Tsgardi named Recozzi that I arrested a few years ago. He felt like bragging while I was transporting him, so he told me the whole story. They're proud of the fact that they don't have to do any scientific work or learn any science; they just steal everything they need or want. They stole lattice technology from another race that they conquered once they had interstellar travel capability. We're lucky their world is a thousand light-years away from our outer border. They're a very family oriented society, despite their brutality, and we're too far away for them to mount a concerted attack against our territory. They only have Light Six capability so it would take five years for a battle group to reach GA space, and they'd have to be gone from their families for at least ten years, not counting the years that the war would take. The ones that do come here are mostly criminals, or outcasts who can never return home, but we also see a few die hard warriors that come on 'a mission.'"

  "I'm going to put my helmet back on if I have to stand near these Tsgardi much longer," Byers said, wrinkling his nose. "My eyes are starting to tear up."

  "It's not just in here; their smell has permeated throughout the base. But you should put your helmet on, anyway. You and Nels take the bodies outside the base and cover them with some loose rocks near the canyon wall. I'll see if I can get the air filtration system cranked up a notch or two higher, and I'll take their bedding and stuff to the laundry."