Metamorph: The Outbounder Chronicles
Page 30
She hurried toward them and wasn’t surprised when Mitcher moved away upon spotting her. “Director,” she called loud enough for the others to hear.
He turned back with reluctance. “Agent Ash,” he said in greeting.
“Why are those Kalons detained? I was assured his group would not be harmed.”
“And they won’t be, Agent,” Mitcher said. “We decided it would be best to remove all of them from the station for now. They will be sent to Ophet, now that Pendra is shifting its resources to the new planet you discovered.”
“Of course they’ll be harmed,” she said. “Especially Toji. Those Kalons will rip him to pieces for helping us.”
He looked confused for a moment and turned to an elegant woman standing near him. Alana Vercy headed Pendra’s security division although Laryn doubted she had ever wielded a gun. “We… we can keep them apart, if you like,” he said as if asking her to confirm the offer.
“You know that’s not going to happen,” Laryn said, furious. “They need to stay here.”
“They can return once we have cleared them,” the woman said with a judgmental eye on Laryn’s rather ordinary attire. “The investigation is ongoing.” Her scrutiny moved to Ryle who had come to stand behind Laryn. “I advise you not to obstruct this process,” she said. “The residents of this station will not tolerate Kalons aboard after what happened. We must consider the community.”
“This community would be floating in space right now if it weren’t for Toji,” Laryn snapped. “Of course you haven’t shared that fact with the community, have you?”
“Agent, I must ask you to moderate your tone,” Mitcher said. “This is unbecoming. We have two thousand migrants on our doorstep that need to be processed. This is not the time for dealing with the Kalon problem.”
The director’s pinched face showed surprise when someone else approached the gate. Laryn turned to see Corlan Shelody, elegantly garbed in a dove gray suit and silk cravat, accompanied by his daughter. She beamed a wide grin at the assembly and then winked at Laryn.
“Corlan,” Vercy said, looking uncomfortable. “I’m surprised to see you down here.”
He flashed a pleasant smile. “Indeed. I was alerted that some of my crew might have met with some misfortune.”
She blinked rapidly. “Your crew?”
“Yes,” he said, stooping to lift his impeccable trouser cuff higher to avoid some liquid on the hangar floor. “That Kalon over there is in my employ,” he said without pointing at any of them. “There may be some confusion about his role in this unpleasantness.”
“Perhaps so, but we are temporarily clearing the station of all Kalons.”
He smiled indulgently and took her elbow to lead her to a less damp location of the hanger. The two wandered away, and their conversation faded.
“This is outside your mandate, Agent,” Mitcher said to Laryn, looking less than pleased to be excluded from whatever Shelody had to say to the director. “You are a mediary. An observer.”
She regarded him thoughtfully for a moment. He seemed smaller today than the last time she had seen him. “Yes, I’ve observed a lot these past few days,” she reminded him.
His eyes narrowed above the sudden flush of his well-padded cheeks.
Ryle took her arm and tugged her away from the irate director. “I wouldn’t push it, Agent,” he said. “He looks like he’s got a temper.”
“You have no idea. What are those two talking about?”
He had turned his head to let Jex amplify the conversation between Shelody and the director. “He’s reminding her that the Kalons are worth a whole lot more alive than dead to Pendra. She’s pushing for a bribe, I think.” He winced. “That’s going to cost me, in the end, just watch. He’s fond of his money.”
Azah and Nolan now waited near Toji and his people, as uncertain as everyone else about what was going on. More station residents had wandered into the space, alerted by their friends to the spectacle. Perhaps the past few days hadn’t been sufficiently interesting, Laryn thought.
“Watch daddy do his magic,” Azah said.
Nolan rolled his eyes. “What Azah wants, daddy provides.”
“I didn’t think you were that fond of Toji,” Ryle said.
She shrugged and looked up at the Kalon. “He kinda grows on you, doesn’t he?”
Toji was still watching the hostile Kalons, his agitation clear in his stance. Laryn took his hand and felt his fingers close around her own. She smiled at his companions with what she hoped was perceived as encouragement.
“Here they come,” Azah said.
Director Vercy and Corlan Shelody strolled companionably toward them, still chatting, possibly about the weather, judging by their expressions. Behind them walked Director Mitcher, still looking sidelined and angry about it.
“We will amend our plans,” Vercy said to Laryn. She did not speak loud enough to be heard in other parts of the hangar. “You are correct to assume that these Kalons may be in danger among our attackers if we deport them to Ophet. We owe… Toji? Right, Toji. We owe Toji our gratitude. And of course we have a mandate to establish peaceful and equitable relations with non-Human species. The Kalons will receive due judicial process, like any other resident here is entitled to. We will make a case about these individuals to the Consortium. In the meantime, they will make themselves available to help us understand their Br’ll progenitors.”
It didn’t take much experience with Pendra’s methods to guess that a few Kalons were already incarcerated, somewhere here on the station, and waiting for specialists to arrive from Earth to understand them. Laryn started to speak but then felt Ryle’s hand on her shoulder, just firm enough to make a point.
“We may find a home for them on Terrica but for now they will remain as guests aboard the station. Their collaboration with our research team has been of value and they will be housed in the Annex. Will that be acceptable to them?” She did not address Toji directly.
Laryn nodded. “Another news item this evening might be helpful to the community,” she said. “In which his… his people’s role during the attack is highlighted. To clear up any confusion.”
The director inclined her head in agreement. “That may be of value.”
Shelody checked his time piece. “And there you have it,” he said, another business transaction complete. He glanced at Ryle. “See me when you’re done here, Tanner. I have an assignment for you.” He offered a stiff little bow to the director, ignored Mitcher, and turned to kiss his daughter’s forehead before hurrying away.
Vercy motioned toward the nearby guards. “Escort this group to the Annex. I will send instructions to the section head on duty.”
The guards, not quite sure if these orders ought to be followed with weapons aimed, shuffled around Toji’s friends. The Kalons paid little attention to them but began to walk toward the hangar exit, as eager to quit this place as Shelody had been.
“Toji!” Ryle called.
The Kalon turned.
“Where are you going?”
Toji glanced at his companions and then pointed to the exit.
Ryle shook his head. “No time for lazing around. You’re needed in the engine room. You heard Shelody. We’re heading out and Nolan left a mess in the repair bay.” He waved to the others. “Get to work, everyone.”
* * *
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Dear Reader:
I hope you enjoyed Metamorph, the first book of a new series called The Outbounder Chronicles. If you did, please take a moment to leave a review to help others find this book, too.
My web site at www.chrisreher.com includes some additional information as well as links discussing the technology and scientific inspiration used in this story.
Click here if you would like to be notified about new releases.
Meanwhile, please check out my other Space Opera titles, available at Amazon and other retailers. Although part of a series called The Targon Tales, each title is a complete
stand-alone story.
Quantum Tangle, Seth 1
Pursued by two sides of an old war, a deep-cover agent heads into rebel-controlled territory to keep a dangerous, newly evolved alien species from falling into the wrong hands. Things get personal when the visitor begins to transform his mind and his life, turning the rescue mission into a fight for survival for all of them.
Terminus Shift, Seth 2
Seth Kada joins forces with an Arawaj rebel whose unique gift for navigating subspace is pivotal to the balance of power in the sector. Caught up in a violent clash between rebel factions, Seth and Ciela's divergent loyalties must be put aside to prevent the destruction of a peaceful civilization - and find her people before their ultimate destiny is realized.
Entropy’s End, Seth 3
Seth pursues a Dyad who has infiltrated a key research complex where he discovers that far more than a single planet is at stake. Failure to halt the inexorable subspace peril will mean the end of interstellar travel and the end of their Commonwealth.
Sky Hunter, a prequel, taking place before The Catalyst
Air Command pilot Nova Whiteside is assigned to a remote outpost to guard the construction of a new sky tether against rebel sabotage. The difference between the well-ordered Union air fields and this dusty garrison is made painfully clear when she runs afoul a brutal commander of ground troops. When she uncovers the treacherous and illicit schemes taking place, it seems that local riots are the least of their troubles.
The Catalyst, Book 1
Lieutenant Nova Whiteside, on an apparently routine, finds herself the target of an assassination attempt. Her escape leaves her with no option but to rely on Seth, a former lover and possibly rebel agent, for help.
In trying to find who is threatening her life, they discover a plot to destroy a distant planet - a world inhabited by creatures that are the key to Nova's survival - and a conspiracy that threatens the stability of the Union Commonwealth.
Only Human, Book 2
Captain Nova Whiteside is teamed up with Tychon, a straight-laced Vanguard commander. In their pursuit of a ruthless rebel leader to recover a dangerous, living weapon, the line between their personal lives and their mission quickly begins to blur.
Rebel Alliances, Book 3
Captain Nova Whiteside receives new technology designed to change the dynamics of the Commonwealth wars. Enemy factions conspire and so Nova finds herself aboard a rebel ship where her value as hostage isn't nearly as great as her value as a defector.
Also suspected of collaboration, her Delphian Vanguard partner Tychon sets out to track her down. He discovers a puzzling piece of Nova's past when a motley alliance of strangers comes to his aid and their search leads him deep into rebel territory.
Delphi Promised, Book 4
An immense asteroid field is on its way to deliver a torrent of pathogens into this galactic sector, guaranteeing the destruction of any civilization in its path. Cyann, astrobiologist and Human-Delphian hybrid, is eager to join the research expedition dispatched to investigate. She is not prepared when they are stranded among an alien species whose motivations are enigmatic at best.
Check out all Targon Tales titles at chrisreher.com
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen - Epilogue