by JOSEPH RAY
“No,” he replied. “Was here about five years ago. Similar case as this one, just different victim.”
As the transport made its way over a hill, the full view of the capital unfolded before him. It was a remarkable site as the street broadened to reveal a wide square, stretching on for as far as he could see in all directions. The buildings grew taller, the windows clustered together to form enormous bay views, and a large town center revealed itself between rows of flowers and trimmed shrubbery. Everything he knew of history told him that the city had not stolen any one particular style, such as other planets had, but the view felt historic nonetheless.
The roofs of the taller buildings extended far from the face, each with multiple pillars stretching the entire height of the structure. The pillars were cream colored, each with a strip of clay-colored tile running down them. The buildings themselves were rather dull, in Calloway’s opinion, as none of them was distinct from the next. The same could not be said for the capital building, though. It was a dome, using the same outer surfacing as the surrounding buildings, but with rings of windows circling around it. A quick count of the rings told him that the building was seven stories tall before giving way to the clay tile roof with multiple skylights.
“So tell me,” Agent Calloway started to the lone guard in the back of the transport. “Why the big issue with Cybers? I don’t remember that being on the codex the last time I came here.”
The guard looked uneasily towards MA Joseph, who chose to sit next to Agent Calloway. His eyes turned towards Nathan, taking the man in. Calloway had a long, blue duster, stretching down to his knees. His pants were gray though darker than Joseph’s with a black stripe circling each thigh. A darker gray, button up shirt, folded loosely over the man’s torso, making it difficult to judge the man’s physique. His hair was dark, much more so than the Cyber’s sitting next to him. It was parted to one side, the sides and back trimmed neatly as the MA’s. The agent’s face was slightly plump, with an average size nose and dark blue eyes.
“Nothing personal,” the guard replied. “It’s just the law is all.”
Agent Calloway wasn’t prepared to settle for such a brief answer.
“It wasn’t the law the last time I was here,” he replied. “What changed? I know it wasn’t your King. It is still Monasaul Isom, I presume?”
“It is,” the guard nodded. “But, after the Queen passed, everything changed.”
Agent Calloway pulled his tablet out from under his coat, bringing it to life by tapping upon the upper right corner of the buttonless device. It lit up as he asked it for Parasus laws adopted in the last five years. His eyes shot open as a long list spewed onto the illuminated touch-screen. He read each one, in turn, his lips moving slightly as he did. Some of the laws seemed reasonable enough, such as the capital being a no-fly zone. With older style cities, such as this, the owners often didn’t care for newer technology buzzing past the windows every second of the day. Some of the other new laws, however, were concerning. He had just reached the section on Cybers when the transport came to a stop in front of the capital building.
“Listen,” the guard said, leaning forward in his seat. “Don’t worry about most of it. I will warn you about the new marriage laws, though.”
“New marriage laws?” Nathan stammered, scrolling down the screen with his finger. “What about them?”
The guard turned around, checking to see if the driver and other guard were listening. Confident that he would not be heard, he turned back to the agent and leaned as far as the seat would allow for him.
“It isn’t right,” the guard whispered. “Just so you’re warned.”
Agent Calloway was about to inquire what the man meant when the guard suddenly sprang from the cream cushioned bench and opened the half-door to the topless vehicle. The two investigators followed suit, each stepping through the opening and down to the bricked road below. The flooring to the entrance of the capital building was nothing like Nathan had remembered. The simple clay tiles had been replaced with some sort of reddened glass, almost allowing one to see all the way to the pavement below. The mid-day sun glared off the tiles, reflecting a red shadow upon the walls and door. The door itself was doublewide, light wood frame with the same red glass in the center. A crest was etched into the glass, a mountain with a sun rising behind it.
Before Nathan could take in all the changes, the doors swung open. Two men, each taking one door, pushed them all the way open, resting their backs against them as they turned to face forward. Unlike the boring attire of the platform guards, the capital guardsmen wore dark red armor, hints of black mixed in with marbled swirls. Their hair was black, slicked backward over their necks and trimmed just shy of where their armor began. Muscles were molded into the armor, giving them a menacing appearance. Each had a firearm holstered at the waist, bright silver in color. The tips of the silver barrels protruded through holes in the holsters, extending another seven inches down the guard’s leg. Agent Calloway didn’t need to inspect the weapons to know what they were. The firearms fired a fragmenting bullet, illegal on Earth and several other planets as well. The bullets would break apart upon impact, scattering through the target's insides. The length of the barrel was due to the length of each bullet needing time to release from the chamber. They were powerful and accurate but seldom left a living target.
The investigators entered the open doorway, taking in the view from the entranceway. The access way raised as high as the top of the building, one red-glassed skylight tinting the entire room in a dark red. One blossoming tree stood in the center of the room, the white pedals turned red as blood through the filtered light. Water ran at the base of the tree through a channel of tiles, which ran to the walls on each side before disappearing from view. Something about the red made Nathan uncomfortable, bloodlust almost pouring throughout the entire entrance. This was not the same bright and sterile view the streets had offered from the outside. This was a means to intimidate one’s guest into cooperation.
The trip to Lord Elsmere’s dwelling was long, requiring the use of the spiraling tiled stairway in the center of the domed building. The investigators traveled relentlessly, taking a moment to glance down each hall as they passed every landing. Finally, upon reaching the sixth floor, the two took the turn. There were four directions from which to choose, but the couple knew where they were heading. One of the advantages of having a Cyber with you was that you never had to ask for directions.
The hallway ended at double wooden doors with blue and red stain glass windows. Unlike the front doors, the pair had to let themselves into the room that opened to an impossible large space, seemingly holding everything the Lord owned within this one confine. A fountain cascaded water down a crystal formation in the center of the room, the stone piece looking out of place amongst the entire clay tile. Sporadically around the room, colorful tiles offered a new perspective to the attire from the hallway. The tiles had different textures, one almost causing Calloway to trip over it when he stepped on it.
“Are you dense?” a high-pitched voice squealed. “Stay to the clay. It even rhymes, just for your Neanderthal brain to remember it. Say it with me, stay to the clay.”
Calloway turned towards the annoying voice, his casual stare melting away in anger. He always preferred to remain calm and cool in all situations, but he wouldn’t stand for anyone questioning his intelligence. The tenured agent hadn’t been on the planet long, but the arrogance of its people was clawing at a nerve.
“Excuse me?” Calloway snarled, stalking towards the man. “Would you care to repeat that? My Neanderthal brain didn’t comprehend the first time.”
The short, thinning haired man took a step back as Nathan closed in. The small man wore red-tinted glasses, void of any frame. Since poor vision was easily correct with minor surgery on most planets, Calloway knew that the glasses were for decoration only. He wore a silk robe, dark red with swirling black, same as the guards at the front entrance.
“Stay
to the clay?” the man repeated though all the confidence had long left his lungs.
Calloway looked down at him, making it a point to lean in and invade the man’s personal space. One hand reached for the blue coat, pulling it back over his hip to expose the black pistol the lie holstered one his belt. The little man’s gray eyes locked onto the weapon, his thin rosy lips trembling as he tried to speak.
“Perhaps I’ll make a phrase for you,” Nathan snarled. “Don’t piss off the guy with the gun. How does that sound to you?”
“It…..it sounds quite proper,” the little man whimpered.
“Are you sure?” Nathan asked, his finger unsnapping the strap over the holster. “It doesn’t rhyme. Think you can still remember it if it doesn’t rhyme?”
“Enough!” a baritone voice filled the room. “Terrance, will you please offer my guest something to drink? They are on duty, so I wouldn’t bother with the wine.”
Calloway snapped the strap back to the holster and slowly turned away from the man he now knew to be Terrance. His eyes stayed with the man, watching him scurry across the floor, his silk robes rippling behind him. He made for a tiny table, white with little roses etched on the sides, and poured two glasses of water with fruits that Nathan had never seen before. Terrance filled the second, then quickly turned and shuffled to the investigators. Nathan waited until the man swerved around the ‘special’ tiles before he waved him away with a sweeping hand.
“No thank you,” he replied. “We’ll be just fine.”
“Are you certain?” the baritone voice asked. “Kimyana fruit isn’t available on Earth. You’re passing on an opportunity to try something new Agent Calloway.”
Nathan turned to face his host. Like Terrance, the man wore similar silk robes, but with thin golden strands trimming the edges. Unlike the man scurrying away from Nathan, Lord Elsmere was not tiny. He was tall, six foot four by Nathan’s estimate, though terribly thin. He was an older man, the once blonde hair turning white. His whitening hair was long, framing around one side of his face, furthest from the parting. A small patch of hair hung from the man’s chin, tied in a jeweled crest. His skin was smooth, lacking any visible wrinkles or blemishes, though slightly dark from the sun. His robe hung open, exposing a tightly muscled chest, void of any hair.
“No thank you Lord Elsmere,” Nathan responded. “Either I’ll love it and always miss it, or I’ll quickly discover that I’m allergic. Always seems to be the case.”
Lord Elsmere laughed, his muscled, thin chest heaving in and out as the robe spread with each exhale. The crest hanging from the man’s ‘beard’ waved back and forth as he moved, displaying how heavy the metal accessory was.
“You make an excellent point Agent,” Elsmere replied. “Since we do not export the Kimyana fruit, I’m afraid you would have to come back for a second taste. It must be difficult, traveling from planet to planet, all while avoiding the tiny treasures each has to offer.”
The man sat on a massive chair, wide enough to seat four people. Unlike the bench to the transport, the seat was red plush, the frame seemingly made from the same red glass as some of the windows. The frame was curled, twisting in natural shapes like a vine. Nathan wondered how long it took the craftsman to blow such magnificent work. As the agent returned to the Cyber’s side, he could see tiny jewels mixed in with the glass which were dark blue, uncut and raw. The light coming from an untinted skylight above shone through the entire frame, casting red and purple shadows upon the tiled floor.
“Speaking of tiny treasures,” Elsmere continued. “Where are my manners?”
The man clapped two long, thin hands. The claps echoed off the walls as a door opened to the investigators right. Three figures entered the rooms, each shorter than the previous. They wore the same red, silk robes, but with hoods pulled up over their heads. Blue-jeweled veils covered their faces, keeping Calloway from discovering their identities. They walked in single-file, the lower half of their robes hanging open, exposing toned legs with every stride. The robes opened and closed, the furthest leg showing high to the inner thigh. The first was quite pleasing to look at, but something foul-filled Nathan’s mind as he glanced to the shorter two. Something about the exposed legs and the height of the trailing procession made him feel uneasy with himself as if he’d thought something, he’d been taught not to.
“Allow for me to introduce my mates,” Elsmere bellowed, his long hand stretching out towards the three.
The robbed figures all turned, facing towards the investigators. Two elegant, dark hands slipped out from the sleeves of the tallest robed figure, reaching upwards towards the veil. With delicate movements, the hands unclasped the veil that hooked to the hood. Blue jewels clanged together as the veil was wound around the long fingers, revealing a thin featured woman. Her cheeks and chin were sleek, forming a near perfect ‘v.’ Her red, plump lips formed a smile, gleaming white teeth showing between the well-balanced mouth. A tiny, pointed nose with a slight upturn spread to a wide brow with two perfectly trimmed, long eyebrows hanging over dark brown eyes. The elegant fingers grasped the edges of the red silk hood, slowly pulling it over a sea of black hair, swept backward over a narrow, long neck. The hair fell to the young woman’s right shoulder, a jewel tying the hair together towards the back.
“This is my first mate, Lura,” Elsmere continued.
Lura’s smile wavered, her eyes turning towards Elsmere as her hands slid down her silk robe. She paused for a moment, waiting until the man nodded his head. Gaining her orders, she lowered her head and untied the front of her robe. Each silky side fell away, revealing a long, slender body. A tiny, black bikini left little to Nathan’s imagination, showing there were no straps to it as the robe slid off her bony shoulders and fell in a thin heap upon the tiled floor.
“Uhmmmm,” Nathan started.
“My second mate, Ira,” Elsmere continued, ignoring Nathan’s discomfort.
The middle robed figure’s hands slid out, performing the same act as Lura had a moment earlier. The jeweled veil was removed, though lacking the same delicate manner in which the older woman had mastered. The veil unhooked and the hood was slid back in the same manner. The younger woman named Ira appeared to be almost identical to Lura, though far younger in age and features. Nathan turned away as the younger girl untied her robe, the same black bikini covering less ample features, fell to the floor behind her.
“And finally, my third mate Zulanna,” he bellowed.
It was all Agent Calloway could do not to become ill. The third, far shorter figure unveiled and disrobed, though with much finer elegance than Ira had used. The black bikini lay flat against a formless body as the tiny robe crumbled to the tiled floor. Nathan tried to face forward, but the tiny girl’s practiced smile kept driving his gaze to anywhere but forward.
MA Joseph had not flinched during the presentation, his eyes slowly watching over each move of the display before him. After the final girl had disrobed, he returned his attention to Lord Elsmere. Calloway gave his companion a glance, searching for some sign that the Cyber was, at least, a tenth as uncomfortable as he was at the moment.
Searching: Common Law: Earth, present status………
“Are they not precious?” Lord Elsmere asked, his hungry eyes staring over each of the young women in turn. “My garden of flowers, if you will.”
Agent Calloway closed his eyes as every horrid memory of each twisted planet demanded his full attention. It wasn’t uncommon to see such things this far from Earth. In his younger days, he’d tried fruitlessly to bring such sickened beast to justice, only to find that his superiors would never back his actions. Eight years ago, he’d found himself on the wrong end of a four-month suspension as he tried to drag a member of the Hierarchy to prison for his lust for small boys. The Council made a quick decision, making a clear point that Nathan was only to investigate the matters that they had ordered him. The laws of Earth seemed to disappear with each passing Gabriel Ring.
“Lord Elsmere,” Call
oway stated, his eyes looking straight to the man. “Perhaps we should discuss the crime at hand now?”
The smile faded from the man’s face, his outstretched hand slowly falling to his side. His brows furrowed, his eyes squinted as he looked from one investigator to the next. Each of the girls sensed his displeasure, dropping their gaze to the floor.
“You do not like my flowers?” he asked judgment in his voice. “You come to my home and disgrace my mates before my very eyes? You are a man, are you not? The women are lovely, and their bodies are almost as exquisite as their attire. Tell me, Agent Calloway, why the judgmental eyes?”
“Oh man,” Nathan muttered, trying to look anywhere but towards the mostly naked, underage girls before him. “Just a difference in upbringing Lord Elsmere, no judgment here.”
The light haired lord allowed the smile to form, showing the cards he played. The grim man knew that the site of the disrobed girls would bring the investigator to an uncomfortable state, thus giving him the advantage over the ordeal. True, he had no need for the upper hand, but it was a practice he seldom broke from.
Downloading file: Article 47: Paragraph 4:
“No person shall be forced into servitude, nor slavery, under the practices of Common Law. The buying, selling, or owning of any persons deemed, by definition of the law, to be a slave, is forbidden,” MA Joseph repeated as the file loaded to his memory.
The plain haired MA looked at the girls, one by one. Lord Elsmere fixed on the Cyber’s eyes, watching the white and pupil wave away to a mirror finish. The mirrored eyes continued to scan the girls for several seconds, as he also did the entire room before they returned to their normal appearance.
