Chapter Five
An Offer Hard to Refuse
Morse had worry lines etched into his forehead as he chucked Thad his clothes so he could hurriedly dress.
When the barkeep pointed to the two men, Buckskin intensely studied Thad. “Now I remember. I saw him fight in a Balo years ago in Confederation space. He’s Thad Cochran.” His gaze cut to Numbot, still lying motionless. “He’s Thieves Guild! I think he killed Numbot. Put him in some kind of choke hold, he did. Just look how big the hole is poor Numbot made when he fell. How are we going to get him out of there?”
Thad glared at Buckskin. “You owe me. I beat him fair and square.”
The crowd pressed in, and Buckskin smiled. “It’ll be hard to spend your money when you’re dead. What did you do with Nassi Foke?”
Slurring, Nassi answered, “Who wants me?”
Buckskin’s eyes narrowed.
Thad slipped his hand into a pocket, yanking it out and slinging a stun grenade in the direction of Buckskin and the crowd behind him. The device went off, resembling canned lightning as it flashed and flickered. The barn filled with shrieks and confusion.
He lobbed another toward the door and white arcs of energy knocked men to the ground…including the barkeep, clearing a path for them. Thad hurled several smoke grenades, and an acrid, black haze filled the place, burning his eyes.
Through the smoke, he spotted the silhouette of Buckskin, arm outstretched and a weapon in his hand. Grabbing Nassi by the arm, with Morse holding the other, they stumbled through the doorway as a laser shot flashed near Thad’s head. The barkeep was stunned, but alert. Lying on his back he grabbed Thad by the cuff of the trousers as he stepped through the doorway.
Morse kicked him in the head. The barkeep groaned and let go, and they took off at a gallop.
Thirty feet into the alley they’d used to cross to the barn, Thad turned and threw more smoke grenades.
Morning Toill hovered on her top step as if she’d been waiting for their return. She pointed a crooked finger in the direction they’d come. “Not everyone here is afraid of the curses of an old witch.” She shrank back into her doorway. “You best hurry. The rest are taking the long way around. But you’ll need this.” She threw a rawhide pouch. “The daughter of Geth has no need of your dream money, Thieves Guild pilot.” She farted and slammed the door.
He caught it and realized his money had been rolled up and stuffed inside.
Footsteps echoed behind them. Buckskin had followed them into the alley. Thad grabbed Nassi by the arm and dragged him. “Move it, Lemaru. He’s the one who shot at us in the barn. I think we’ve found a Confederali.” He flipped his last stun grenade behind them, and they bolted.
They reached the clearing near the river and located the particle rider. Thad stood guard, watching the path behind them.
Nassi huffed and puffed from the exertion, and his gaze shifted side-to-side, blinking and trying to focus. He twisted his lips. “Where are we?”
“We’re going for a ride and you’re coming along,” Morse said.
“A ride? Sounds nice.”
Thad looked back. A lone figure ran toward them. Morse threw the tarp aside and opened the dome of the particle rider. A laser shot exploded nearby, filling the air with white smoke. Thad returned fire. “Get us out of here, Lieutenant. You said you wanted a turn at the helm.”
“Yes, sir,” Morse said, circling the craft and jumping in behind the controls.
Thad grabbed Nassi, dumped him in the back seat, then he hopped in and fired off another shot. “Now, Lieutenant.”
Morse engaged the engines, and the dome began to shut. As the vessel lifted off in a cloud of dirt and dried leaves—an instant before the dome closed—a white bolt of energy flashed through the cockpit, singing the hair on the back of Thad’s neck. Morse throttled the engines, the dome locked, and the vessel roared off. They had yet to clear the tree line when Thad spotted Buckskin standing at the mouth of the clearing, a grin on his Gethite face. The craft zipped vertical, and in a moment they split the clouds.
With a knot in his gut, Thad stared into the back seat. The laser shot had burned a hole through the temple of their prisoner. The Gethite slouched against the dome, head cocked back, mouth open, and his eyes glazed and staring. A small wisp of white smoke still drifted from the hole in his head. The smell of burnt flesh and singed hair filled the cabin.
Once the vessel broke through the Gethite atmosphere, Morse chanced a look behind him. “The captain’s going to kill us. And they got all our money. There goes your ranch, Commander. And I was hoping to buy a new rocket bike when we got back to Daggon.”
Thad eyed the dead man in the back seat. “That was an intentional assassination.” He held up the rawhide pouch. “We’ve still got half of what we started out with. It could have been worse.”
“I got him killed,” Morse said, his lips thin. “I was too slow taking off.”
Thad shook his head. “It wasn’t your fault, Lieutenant. Anyway, we got plenty of images.”
“Yes, sir.”
Morse banked the small vessel toward the massive eagle-shaped cruiser. The ship’s silver hull reflected the yellow light of the dwarf star at the center of this system. Thad blinked and looked away.
“So we did our job. Let me have your com, and I’ll give it to the captain.” Thad lifted his chin. “How do I look?”
Morse handed him his com. “Your lip’s swollen, not much else. You beat them all, Commander. No one beats you at Balo…ever. You’re the greatest Balo fighter in the galaxy. And you’re the greatest pilot too.”
Thad’s brow furrowed. “I got tired. That didn’t use to happen. Captain Thorn is right; I need to get into shape.” He licked the sore spot on his lip and touched it with a probing finger
“How’m I doing now, Commander?”
The Independence loomed before them and docking lights flashed along the lower belly of the ship, pointing them toward a particular bay port.
“You’re as good a pilot as I am, Lieutenant.”
Morse grinned and straightened at the helm.
The Guild computer said, “You are free to land, Commander Cochran.”
“Actually, I’m driving this vessel,” the lieutenant said.
The hangar bay door slid aside, and he slowed the rider. The craft drifted into the ship, and when the airlock closed behind them, the inner door opened. He steered the rider inside, with lower thrusters firing, and then set the thing down in a small curl of orange fire.
Wearing Guild khakis, the baby-faced lieutenant, and communications officer, Gome Learn, trotted across the hangar bay toward them. He eyed their Gethite attire as they dropped out of the rider. “Did you get him? Why won’t Captain Thorn let me go on these kind of missions?”
“She’s probably afraid I’ll corrupt you like I’ve done Lemaru.” Thad motioned toward the rider with his chin. “What’s left of him is inside.”
Gome stood on tip-toes and gasped. He looked at Thad. “I’m pretty sure the captain said he had to be alive if you were to cash in on the finder’s fee.”
“Get Doc Branch down here,” Thad said. “We’ll need something official on the manner of death. He’s been torched by a laser, if that isn’t already obvious.”
“Captain Thorn wants to see you…by yourself.” Learn glanced at Morse. “Lemaru, she said to get your fat butt up to the bridge and get us back to Daggon.”
Morse scowled. “Don’t call me fat, toothpick.”
Thad swatted Morse on the back, then took a deep breath and walked to the personnel elevator. Once inside he eyed his reflection in the metallic walls. He touched his lip gingerly and stuffed the pouch of money in his pocket.
The computer asked, “Where to, Commander?”
“Third level.”
The door closed, and the thing hummed for a few moments. A small jolt followed then the door opened. Thad paced the corridor he had strode earlier in the day. The door to the rea
dy room stood open, so he knocked on the metal bulkhead.
“Come in, Commander.”
She had the portal wall open and stared out at Geth. “How did it go?” She didn’t turn around, but she looked up, as if staring at his reflection in the glass.
“The Gethite’s dead, but we got photos, like you asked.” He lifted Morse’s com. She turned, and he tossed it to her.
She caught it and crossed to her desk. “Confederation encroachment is on the rise on these neutral worlds. The signs are all around us—we’ll be at war soon. Guild blood will be spilled here if the Confederalis flip this planet in order to get at Daggon.”
“You think it’s that bad?”
“Take it to the bank, Cochran. Fleet has eyes and ears everywhere.” She glanced at him as she sat. “How’d he die?”
“They were chasing us. The Gethite that ran the Balo burned him through.”
She popped the com into a portal on her desk. “Computer, let’s have a look at the pictures Mister Lemaru took.” She chewed on her lip as images appeared in a holographic array on the opposite side of the ready room. “Did you get any info out of him, Cochran?”
He nodded. “His contact on Daggon was a Daggonite…no name. He wore a ring with the Weller Crest on it. That’s about all he knew.”
She eyed the floating, green holographic image. Thad walked to it and pointed at the first three-dimensional photo. “This guy’s the barkeep where Nassi worked.”
Maggie squinted. “What do we have on this one?”
The male voice of the Guild computer answered. “I’m afraid we have no information, dear heart. You seem to be having problems seeing from there; shall I dim the lights?”
“That won’t be necessary.”
Thad grinned. “It seems the computer is smitten.”
She hit a button on her desk, and agitation rose in her tone when she said, “Lieutenant Learn?”
“Ma’am?”
“The computer is being forward with me again. I thought I told you to fix it.”
“I did, Captain. I can’t figure out why it only does this with you. I’ll try something else.”
“See that you do.” She killed the link and glared at Thad. “Wipe that leer off your face, or I’ll make you spar with me.”
He felt his smile vanish.
After several images of various spectators at the Balo, Thad stopped on Buckskin. “That’s the one who ran the Balo. He killed Nassi. I believe he went after him intentionally.”
The computer said, “Name, Ober Kile. He’s a general in Confederation intelligence. I have also discovered a match for one other individual from our wanted files. Would you like to see the image, Captain?”
“Please.”
Numbot appeared in the array, only he wore a dress blue Confederation uniform. Maggie pulled at her ear. “Captain Demetial Numbot. Was an army intelligence goon.”
“Was?”
She nodded. “Word’s already out you killed him. Just add this to the list of planets you’re no longer welcome on. That’s enough for now, computer.” The hologram vanished, and Maggie’s hands went to her hips. She glared at him. “I told you when I showed you that move not to push with your forearm for too long.”
“I thought he was still alive. Honest. He was so fat I couldn’t tell if he was breathing or not. How did you know I’d be fighting him?”
“You were supposed to drop out before the final fight,” she said, clenching her jaw. “But I knew that would never happen. You’re a hard head, Cochran. If you were serving under some other command, you’d be tossed out of the Guild by now.” She left her desk and returned to the portal with her hands clasped behind her back. “Fleet thinks some of our own people were involved in sharing secrets through Nassi Foke. I hoped to interrogate him myself.”
“Guild officers?”
“That’s right.”
Thad touched his swollen lip. “I’m tired. I think I’ll head to my quarters if it’s all right.”
“One of these days you’re going to have to grow up, Cochran. You could be so much more if you put your mind to it. The Guild needs leaders. I hate this finder’s fee business. I hate the way Fleet uses you on these covert missions. You realize you won’t be paid?”
He stopped in the doorway, suddenly weary and aching, and turned. “My mother and sister are buried in a little valley on Beta Prime. That’s the land I’m going to buy. It’s what I care about.” He hesitated. “It would be lonely if I did it by myself.”
Her expression softened. “You can’t live your entire life dreaming. Living in the here-and-now is important too. This is my ship. My ship is my life. When you get to your quarters you’ve got a message from Thandimone waiting for you.”
He frowned. “There was an old woman living near the barn. You saw her pictures there. Is she a Guild agent? A Confederali, maybe?”
“She’s not known to intelligence. Why?”
“She seemed to know things about me. Does the name Lazarus mean anything to you? The crazy old hag called me that name.”
“Haven’t you ever read the Bible, Cochran? Christ raised Lazarus from the dead. How much did you lose?”
His lips thinned. “Just about half. But I won the match.”
She faced her portal. “Winning or losing depends on one’s perspective. Like I said, you’ve got a message from Fleet waiting on your private computer.”
In his quarters, Thad stripped off the Gethite fur, changed and checked his messages as he sat on his bunk. A zip link from the frontier council flashed in the array near his bunk. “Let the admiral know I’m available, computer.”
“Very well, Commander.” A far wall flickered and sprang to life. “I have an active link now.”
An image appeared on the wall. Rear Admiral Jonedess leaned back in his chair at his desk. A corpulent, irritable man with hanging jowls and drooping eyes, he wore dress whites, and his hat sat on his long, mahogany desk.
He didn’t bother hiding his distaste. “Commander Cochran. I have an offer for you. Believe me, if I knew of someone else who could pull this off, I wouldn’t be talking to you.”
“What kind of offer?”
“I understand you are in need of money, and I have a way for you to earn quite a bit of it.” He leaned on his desk and his lips thinned. “There’s a particular item on Timmerus. The Guild has need of it. It’s a dangerous undertaking, and you’ll have to go it alone.”
“I can’t stand the yazz,” Thad said. “And I hate that planet, Admiral. I think I’ll pass.”
“There will be more than enough for you to buy your ranch.”
Thad frowned.
“It’s not exactly a closely guarded Guild secret you want land on Beta Prime. You’ll even have enough for ample livestock and building supplies.”
“What do I have to do?”
“Steal something very valuable.”
“What is it?”
“You’ll learn more later. Do we have a deal?”
Rubbing his jaw, Thad drew up his mouth. “The yazz stink, Admiral. They’re just plain weird.”
“Four million Guild dollars. The finder’s fee Fleet is offering.”
Thad’s mouth dropped open. “Do I have to kill somebody, because I’m pretty sure I’d do it for that kind of money.”
“Then we have a deal?”
Thad jerked his chin upward.
“I’ll pass along subsequent orders through Captain Thorn for now, but there will be a time when you will hear from this council directly.”
“You mean keep her out of the loop, sir?”
He nodded. “I’ll expect you to keep all information to yourself unless we share it with Thorn first.” Reaching for his com, the admiral hesitated with a stubby finger hovering above the device. His brow furrowed. “You could have gone far in the Guild, son. You could have worked hard and ended up on Daggon running Fleet at some point in your career. You think I don’t like you. You’re wrong. I don’t like that you’ve wasted your li
fe. You’re a born leader, but you prefer to fistfight for a few bucks instead of leading the next generation into the future.” Shaking his head slowly he said, “What a waste.” And killed the link.
The computer spoke. “Captain Thorn is at the door and wishes to enter.”
“Let her in.”
Maggie didn’t cross the threshold. She stood there with her hands on her hips. “You know about me. I told you things no one else knows.”
“I know.”
“I earned this ship at Coomrun. I watched brave soldiers die one by one and it changed me. It made me Guild through and through. You’re not Guild. You’re not Confederation. You’re not anything. I won’t walk away from the Guild.”
He looked at his feet then back up. “Let someone else bear the burden.”
She jabbed an accusing finger at him. “That’s your problem. Responsibility for the lives of others is no burden. People look up to you, like Lieutenant Lemaru. He worships the ground you walk on. I said it earlier…war is coming. People are going to look to you. They’ll look to the great star pilot, but they won’t find him because he’s raising cattle in the wilderness, or fist fighting for a few bucks on some godforsaken hole-in-the-wall planet.”
“I never asked anyone to look to me. I’m going to buy that land.”
“Then you’ll do it alone. And by the way…” Her eyes burned with fury. “…if Jonedess messes with my ship and her crew, there’ll be hell to pay. I might even forget we’re friends.” She turned and marched off with her chin up.
Thad trotted to the door. “Thorn, what do you mean, mess with this ship? Why would Jonedess do that?”
She didn’t answer. “Grow up, Cochran, and think about someone other than yourself for a change.”
He returned to his bunk and sat. She’ll change her mind one day. There’s more to life than the Guild…there has to be. He stretched out on his bunk. Why does it have to be Timmerus? I hate that planet. The old woman came to mind, and he sat up, restlessly. Whoever heard of a farting witch? In a moment, he pulled himself out of bed and slogged to the portal.
Looking down at the small, purplish world, a knot of conscience formed in his gut. The engines hummed through the metal floor, and the ship came about. Morse is taking us out of orbit. Thad gazed at the small planet until it vanished. He remembered how the old woman called to him when they left the alley, and he wondered if the buckskin-clad Gethite heard her and maybe saw her toss him the pouch of money.
Buckskin might have seen her talking to me. He might think she was helping us. Thad got on the com.
“What is it, Cochran?”
“Captain, the old woman tried to help us. I figure we’ve got eyes down there and that’s why we know what we know. Anyone there we could send to keep an eye on her? Her name is Morning Toill, and she lives near the barn where the Balo was held.”
“Maybe you can think about someone other than yourself, after all, Cochran. I’m impressed.”
“Will you?”
“A friend of mine, from back in my days in special operations, contacted me a couple weeks ago with the news the Confederalis were up to something there. He’s a widower and lives with his daughter in the eastern city. He’s not Guild, but he went to school on Daggon and that’s how we met. He loves Geth and wants to see it modernized, and he owns a shop in the market, near where the old woman lives. I’ll send him to look in on her.”
“Thank you.” Thad paused.
“What?”
“What kind of friend was he?”
“Just a friend. Are you jealous, Cochran?”
“Maybe.”
“Get some rest. You’re getting delirious.”
Thad couldn’t sleep, so he sat on the edge of his bunk thinking about the old woman and the name, Lazarus.
Why didn’t she tell me she had a boyfriend when she was in special ops? Wait…am I jealous?
The Daughter of Geth, A Prequel to The Guild Series Page 6
