Wanted

by Terry Compton

An hour after they finished eating, Josh had Belle underway to Orlowa. Josh and Lemmy went to their quarters to sleep for a few hours as they flew. Cherry busied himself in the cockpit, studying the databases from the slavers ships. He loaded the newest star charts from them into Belle's memory.

  When the spaceport started calling them, Cherry woke Josh. A different Orlowan sat in the inspector's office. Josh answered her hail, "Howdy, what can I do for you? Where's Inspector Dawalth?"

  She sniffed, "He no longer works here. Why are you in our space?"

  "We're here to see an old friend and do some business."

  "You realize you'll have to pay a landing fee and get a permit."

  Cherry said, "Get a permit to see our friend? That seems a little harsh. Things have changed in just a few days."

  The woman glared at him, "No, you don't need a permit to see your friend. We've had a big shakeup in our government. We had spaceships shooting at us and it didn't set well with the people."

  Cherry growled, "How would the people like it if we started spreading the word that you don't want any more space trade? Should we tell our buddies to spread the word you don't want any visitors?"

  The alien woman paled and her hands started shaking. "I – uh – that's not what I mean. We welcome visitors and traders."

  "Just not us?"

  "No, you're welcome."

  Josh asked, "How much is the landing fee now? How much for a permit?"

  She told him and Cherry whistled. "Prices have doubled in three days. Next time, Josh, we let the slavers have this planet. They can bomb them with asteroids —"

  "You're that ship? I didn't realize."

  Josh said, "You didn't realize a lot of things. You'd better get your President or King or whoever your leader is. We won't deal with you. We're going to land, talk to our friend and go check out the wrecked spaceship. If anyone has any objections, have the top dog get in touch with us. I left instructions the last time I left here. I hope someone has some answers for me or else…"

  The woman had trouble swallowing and couldn't speak. Josh cut the connection. Cherry chuckled, "You've got her running scared now. What do you want? A brass band to meet you?"

  "No, I just don't like surly civil servants. They get my dander up, especially this early in the morning."

  "My, my, someone didn't get their beauty sleep. You want to go back to bed and have me take Belle in?"

  "No, I'm too wired to go back to sleep. Let's go in with weapons hot and the shield up. I want them to know I'm not messing around."

  Cherry's eyes narrowed, "You could be stirring up trouble. What if someone from the Imperium —"

  "They don't have an Imperium here. I think we're as much of a police force as they have in this neighborhood – us and the Nagini."

  "Just don't let your temper go. We still have a hideout here and I'd like to stay friendly with the natives."

  "Then tell them to get some very polite people to make their calls to spaceships."

  Josh spread his hands to shoulder width to gesture up and down. A scowl crossed his face. He asked, "You don't suppose they locked up the Captain, do you? I'd really be upset then."

  "Just cool it. I'll call him to see what's going on."

  After several minutes of trying, Cherry finally reached the Captain. Plugging into the comm with his finger, he had a private conversation so he wouldn't break Josh's concentration. The Captain told him that he knew nothing of the new regime now in control. He had landed the shuttle at a friend's place and had flown with a crew to the big spaceship. They talked for several more minutes as Josh maneuvered Belle into position for reentry into the atmosphere.

  Cherry cut the connection and said, "The Captain doesn't know anything about the new government. Seems he landed in the boonies to hide the shuttle. He wants to meet us at the same tavern in six hours. Lemmy, he has a surprise for you."

  "What is it?"

  "I don't know. You'll have to wait until we see him to find out."

  An hour later Belle sat on the ground. The three went to their quarters to change. All three heavily armed themselves. As they moved through the cargo bay to the airlock, Belle's alarm went off.

  She announced, "There is a large gathering outside. Several have weapons and others have instruments."

  Josh said, "Show us."

  Belle projected a 3D image of aliens in uniform carrying weapons standing next to the rear airlock. Behind them a larger group carried musical instruments. Three males led the uniformed procession. A growing crowd without uniforms could be seen outside the fence of the spaceport.

  Cherry snickered, "Looks like you get your brass band to meet you. Have you got a speech ready?"

  "That's your department. I just want to talk to the Captain and get out of here."

  "I'm no good at speeches. How about you, Lemmy? Or maybe Demmy could do it?"

  Lemmy's ears flattened on her head and her eyes widened in shock. She stammered, "Speech – in front of all those people? I'd rather face all the Nagini at the asteroid with no weapons."

  Cherry grinned, "It's easy. You just get up there and tell them what you feel. Think of all of them with a big flower growing out of their heads."

  She hung back as they entered the airlock, "Not me. If I have to make a speech, I'll stay here."

  "What if the Captain won't give us your present? It might be something really special."

  Her head swiveled from Josh to Cherry and back again trying to make a decision. At last she slowly stepped into the airlock. She asked, "What if they're not here to cheer for you as a hero, but to arrest you?"

  Cherry's eyes narrowed as he looked at her. He said, "Belle, keep the shield up. I'll designate targets if they don't want to play nice. Launch six remote sensors. Put three of them around this bunch of idiots with weapons. Send the others over close to the fence."

  Josh pulled his weapon from his holster and held it next to his leg. Lemmy did the same. Cherry pulled his and moved to the left. He jammed his little finger into a terminal in the airlock. Josh took a deep breath to steady himself as the airlock cycled. The sound of the air being equalized to the atmosphere outside sounded ominously loud.

  At last the sound of the air moving stopped and the outer door started to lift. Josh moved to the right as Cherry stood, still plugged in. Lemmy pressed against the back wall of the airlock. Her weapon shaking as she waited.

  When the outer door opened, an officious-looking alien stepped forward. The band started to play with screeches and discordant toots. The male turned to wave them farther away. One of the men with weapons directed them closer to the fence where the volume of their playing increased.

  The officious male stepped closer until he felt the shield. Josh and Cherry just stared at him. He said, "You can't have a shield up while you're at the spaceport."

  Josh and Cherry didn't say a word, they just continued to stare. The male moved his weight from foot to foot, then twisted his hands together. After a few seconds, he said, "I'm Klaren, mayor of Canbethia here. I must ask what your business here is."

  A baleful stare was his only answer. His hands moved to his clothes, picking at invisible lint and arranging things. He asked, "Why won't you answer? What do you want? You really have to drop that shield."

  Josh's jaw tightened. Cherry said, "Josh, remember your temper."

  Josh said, "Why are you really here, you pompous little twit? Who sent you? I said I wanted to talk to the head man and obviously you aren't him."

  "I'll have you know I'm the…"

  A shot hit the shield in front of Josh. One of Belle's cannons fired, vaporizing a section of a building outside the spaceport. The band fell silent as they dropped instruments and scattered in different directions.

  Josh's face turned red from anger. He stepped through the shield to grab the alien by the front of his jacket. Lifting him off the ground, he brought his face within inch
es of his. The two other civilians stepped forward.

  His swinging weapon caught the first in the face, dropping him to the ground. Josh pivoted slightly off his right foot and kicked the second in the gut. Air whooshed out of him as he flew through the air. He crashed into the front row of the uniformed aliens.

  Josh said, "Cherry, if one of those turkeys moves a weapon, have Belle blow the entire bunch into next week. Any more shots coming from anywhere, take down the whole building."

  Cherry said, "Josh, don't do anything we'll regret later."

  "No one will regret if I take this slugs' head off. He's most likely the ring leader who's been selling these people's friends and family to the slavers and Bugs. I may just carve him up and use him for Nagini bait."

  The alien's feet kicked in the air as his eyes bugged out. He wriggled franticly but Josh held him firmly. One weapon amongst the uniforms started to shift up. Cherry blasted him and shouted. "Drop them and move away or you'll find yourselves ashes in a hole."

  The uniforms quickly did as he said. Josh shook the one in his hand. He said, "I'll bet you've got some of the captives still here, haven't you?"

  "Not me. I don't have anything to do with capturing people. It's El Kahuna. He and his goons do it all."

  "I'll bet you get some of the money though."

  The little alien tried to shake his head no. Josh yelled, "Don't lie to me or I'll start carving pieces off of you. Don't you get a cut and anyone crossing you disappears?"

  The answer came as a whisper, "Yes."

  Josh's fist tightened, causing the alien's mouth to gape for breath. Cherry said, "Josh, don't change history."

  Josh dropped the alien and spun him around. Booting him in the rear, he sent him sprawling. He muttered, "Maybe it's time to change history. It hasn't worked out so well the way it is."

  Angry shouts came from the crowd. One male started climbing the fence and soon there were dozens. Others behind pushed to be next in line and soon the fence slowly toppled to the ground. Hundreds of people crowded over the gap.

  Josh looked at Cherry, "What did you do?"

  "I just sent them a 3D view of your conversation with that jerk."

  The mayor had been moaning on the ground until he heard the rush of footsteps. He looked up, then leaped to his feet. Before he could run, two of the crowd caught him. They drug the mayor in front of Josh.

  The man to the right asked, "Is it true what you said?"

  "You mean about your leaders selling people to the slavers and Bugs?"

  The man nodded. Josh answered, "I don't have proof, but you have a partial confession from him. We interrogated six shills from the pleasure palace that just left and they all sang the same song. If I lived on this planet, I'd want a longer time to talk to this slug and then have a long talk with others he'd reveal."

  The man said, "I – don't know if we can or should. They are the government. What if the slavers come back?"

  Josh's face reddened again, "This may be your only chance to clean up your government. I can't tell you what to do. You're going to have to decide for yourselves. If you want to stop your friends and families from disappearing, there are some weapons to help you get started."

  "But we might get hurt – or killed."

  Josh nodded, "Yes, some of you will be killed, but if you ever want a different future, someone has to step over there and pick up a weapon. You have some help out in space keeping the Zlata, those ships that attacked the planet, but you have to straighten out your own mess here on the planet."

  The crowd stared at him for a long minute then one walked to the pile of weapons. She bent down, moved a couple of them before she selected one to pick up. As she stood, she said, "I'll do it. I want to know my children have a chance to stay here and prosper. I don't want them to be – be – slaves or worse on those ships. What do we need to do?"

  A roar came from the crowd as others pressed in to pick up the remaining weapons. Some even picked up the discarded musical instruments. They all turned expectantly to Josh.

  He looked at the faces for several moments before he said, "A few of you need to question that slime. Others need to call your friends to tell them what he's done. As soon as you get answers, go get the other guilty parties. Question them to find every piece of filth involved in this slave trade. Elect some honest leaders, get someone polite and respectful as a greeter for space traffic —"

  With a roar, the crowd started to move. In minutes they had the mayor on his way to be questioned as the others lifted their comm units. Anger radiated off the crowd as they dispersed. Groups clung together for support as they waited to see who they should find next.

  Cherry said, "Oh, Josh. Why did you do that? I can't think of a bigger time line disruption."

  "Did you ever think that we were supposed to? Come on. We need to see about a few more parts and some supplies while we can. We still have a few hours until we meet the Captain."

  When Josh led the way through the tavern door, the patrons gave them a strange look but didn't say anything. Cherry ordered drinks for them as they sat down. Josh and Cherry both drew their weapons and laid them on their laps.

  They sipped on the drinks for the next fifteen minutes. Josh looked at Cherry, "Do you think he ran into problems?"

  "What problems would he have with the mess out there? Josh, there's some serious trouble brewing out there."

  "I couldn't help it. It had to be done."

  Lemmy looked at them, then asked, "What are you two talking about? Josh just sent the people out to do what they should have done years ago."

  Josh said, "See. Even she knows what's right."

  Cherry snorted, "But does she realize the consequences?"

  Before their discussion could get really heated, the Captain walked in. He nodded at the bartender and motioned his head at their table. The bartender followed him to the table with a drink.

  After he left, the Captain said, "I've never seen anyone start a revolution single-handedly. How is it that I leave you guys alone for just a few hours and you get into so much trouble?"

  Josh said, "We're not in trouble. It's the thieving, lying, underhanded scum who are trading with the slavers. They're the ones in big trouble."

  The Captain stared at him, "It's the entire planet. People out in the bush are after government people who pushed their bribes too high. We're going to lose ninety percent of our bureaucrats. Who'll run the government?"

  "You might find that you don't need them. Help the people here find honest leaders. They have a chance to start over on this planet."

  "How are we going to stop Exurbiu Entertainment or the Zlata or the next spaceship load of slime from coming to take over Orlowa?"

  Josh said, "The Nagini will stop them."

  "You don't know that. Will they stop all space traffic? We need what little traffic we get for the trade goods they bring and the credits we get for our goods."

  "I don't know what the Nagini will allow through, but I think they'll allow responsible traders. If there are some ships due in the next few days, we'll help them get through, but…"

  The Captain looked from Josh to Cherry to Lemmy. His eyes flicked back to Josh. "You're going after another Alcantaran ship, aren't you? Or are you going after the Exurbiu Entertainment people?"

  Josh grinned, "Yes."

  "You're going after both? How are you going to do that? They won't be in the same place. What are you going to do for credits?"

  Josh said, "Easy, one question at a time. We won't try to get to both of them at the same time. For a few days we'll help get space traffic to here, if we're needed. Then we have to go to Vidar for parts. We must get Belle back into shape before we try much of anything. We found some account numbers from Cynesy and two from those ships out in the asteroids. Between them we'll have a little money to operate on for awhile, besides we have trade goods we can sell."

  "Maybe I can help.
I have some contacts on Vidar. Does that old Alcantaran ship have a credit registry? You'll need one. You can't keep paying for everything by barter. Sooner or later you'll need to use credits."

  Cherry said, "Belle doesn't have a credit registry. Our old ship's registry was damaged in the crash. We'll need a new one. That'll make it easier to transfer the credits from those other accounts."

  "My contacts can help with that. I don't think you want to walk into a bank and try to draw them out. You realize drawing those credits out will enrage the Zlata and the Exurbiu Entertainment group."

  Josh smiled, "That's what we hope. If they're angry, they'll make a mistake. We have one more request for you."

  "What's that?"

  "We have a few more questions for Cynesy, then we don't know what to do with him. We'd like to keep him alive for farther questioning later but…"

  "Did you get a chance to ask him about the Bugs and their contacts?"

  Cherry said, "Some, but if you want to have a go at him, go ahead. Just keep him alive."

  "How have you softened him up? How are you checking his answers?"

  Cherry explained what they had done with him and what his reaction had been. The Captain said, "I've had some experience with Hanami computers. They're built using organic brains. I might get more answers out of him than you did. Where's he at now?"

  "In orbit. I'll give you the coordinates and you can take the shuttle up to check on him."

  The Captain said, "I'll take care of him alright. I'll milk some answers out of him, too. Let me know if you have more questions and I'll have him singing like a bird."

  Josh said, "Don't spend too much time with him. You need to guide these people. You have a much better feel for their culture than we do. Don't let them go back to the old ways."

  "I won't. I'm not going to become a leader but I'll give a little push here and there."

  He pulled an envelope out of an inside pocket. Staring at Josh's face, he asked, "Since you're going to Vidar, would you like to make a little money while you're there?"

  Josh's eyes narrowed, "Doing what?"

  "A friend of a friend's daughter ran away with a youngster from here. They're supposed to be there. Could you find them and see if she wants to come home? The father will pay 10,000 credits. Half now and the other half when you find her."

  Josh glanced at Cherry who gave a slight nod. He said, "We'll find her and see if she's alright, but we won't tell the father where she's at unless she wants to be found."

  "Fair enough. The credit transfer is here in the envelope along with pictures and all the information we have. I also listed a couple of my contacts who might be able to help you."

  "Thanks, Captain. What do we owe you for this?"

  "I'll keep ten percent when the client pays the final bill."

  Lemmy asked, "What happened to the shills?"

  "I have them with friends way in the outback. I'm starting to trace their families' whereabouts. If we find them, I'll try to get them back home if they want to go. The medics here gave the injured one a new prosthesis. In a few weeks she should be as good as new."

  He reached into another pocket to pull out a computer storage device. Sliding it across the table, he kept his hand on it as he said, "Here's the location of one of your Alcantaran ships. Don't try to land next to it. The sun will cook you before you can do anything. Promise me you won't try."

  Josh said, "We'll find another way to get it into space before we try to salvage anything. We won't land unless we find a way to do it safely."

  "Good enough. I don't want to lose you three. Lemmy, I have my surprise for you out in my vehicle. I found fifteen new shield modules on that wrecked ship. They're yours if you want them."

  "Yes. That may give us better protection. You can put them in our vehicle out there."

  Cherry slid a comm unit to him. He said, "Here's an Alcantaran comm unit. I think it will work better with our ship. You can keep in touch with us now."

  "Thanks." He stood up, "I've got to get going. I most likely won't see you when you take off. We're going to get that big ship flying again. It will give us a little protection along with the two on the moon. Also, I've got to get started on that job you left me with. Birthing a new government will be a big pain I'm sure."

  He saluted them before turning for the door. A few minutes later the three stood. They walked to the door to head back to Belle. They had a lot of things to do before they could fly to Vidar and their next adventure.

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