"I'm concerned about that, too. I've searched his background, and there's nothing out of the ordinary there. His schooling and work history is on the bland side, and he was married until his wife left him because he worked too much. His evaluations say he's a hard-working asset to the company."
"What about his banking records?" I asked.
"Pay deposits, nothing else. No outrageous expenditures or anything like that."
"So there's nothing to put him on anyone's suspicions list."
"Not until you said there's something unusual about him. That's why I want you and Randl to take a look. I have a hunch currently going, and I've asked a few trusted agents to look into past scouting trips or other travel plans made by Supervisor Gaster."
"Thank you," I said and sipped my tea, which had grown cold while Kooper and I spoke. "If you have more information before the visit, I'd appreciate getting what you have."
"I'll pull you and Randl into the loop," Kooper promised. "Currently, I have research teams putting lists together of what was stolen by the lesser-known pirates in the past ten years or so. I should be getting that information in the next day or two."
"It can't have been anything important, or we'd have heard about it, wouldn't we?" I asked.
"True. It's why I've instructed the BlackWing ships to focus on the big boys who steal what they can sell for the most credits. The smaller concerns often slip through the cracks, because they avoid taking those things."
"How are they equipped, weapons-wise? They have to have something in order to stop and board ships to take their cargo," I pointed out.
"Good question. I'll look into that, too." Kooper rose from the bench he occupied and stretched, rolling his shoulders to work out kinks.
"I can help relieve that, if you want," I offered.
"No, it reminds me to keep my ass moving," Kooper grinned at me. "I only stiffen up when I'm sitting still."
"How is Jett Riffler?" I asked.
"Traveling with Teeg, and I'm grateful for that. Teeg can usually hear a pin drop and feel an attack coming from a mile away. We need Jett—he's the best at his job. I really don't want to work with anyone else in that position."
"Then I hope they stay safe," I said. "Thanks for coming. I was worried about going to Harifa Edus."
"Thank you for agreeing to go," he said. "I'm off." He disappeared while I studied the space he'd occupied moments before.
Chapter 17
Space Station, Le-Ath Veronis
Randl
I didn't expect Pap to meet us outside security at the space station, but he was there, waiting with Drake and Drew, Travis and Trent's fathers.
"Pap," I grinned at him and walked into his open arms. He patted me on the back while I hugged him tightly.
"Queen Lissa says you can stay at the beach palace with me while you're here," he said when I let him go.
"That sounds great," I told him, feeling somewhat relieved. Perhaps I could avoid seeing so much of Sabrina that way, as the vision of her could make my heart hurt at times. I knew I'd be going with her, Travis and Trent to the small manufacturing facility on the light side of the planet, but I hoped it wouldn't take long and I could spend time with Pap while they went on to the main Palace in Lissia.
The realist in me was cursing love, while I did my best to shut off that part of my brain.
"I'm going with Randl, if that's all right," David said.
"Mom won't mind, if Randl and Brandl don't," Travis nodded.
"We'd welcome company," Pap chuckled. "Good to meet you, David. Randl says you're a good friend."
"Aww, that's so nice of you," David teased. "Mostly we get together at night and have a beer or six," he told Pap.
"The best kind of friends, then," Pap laughed. "Come on, we'll grab a shuttle to the surface."
"We'll find you in a bit," Travis said. "Go with your pap and we'll show up later."
"All right," I agreed. David and I followed Pap to the shuttle stand, so we'd get transport to Sun City on the light half of Le-Ath Veronis.
Sabrina
I'd been inside a palace or two in my lifetime, but never inside the Queen's Palace in Lissia. This one made me feel small, it was so massive. The marble on floors and walls alone must have cost a fortune, it was so fine.
Travis and Trent were at my side, walking me through the grand entry to meet their mother in her private study. Jayna and Wyatt, walking together, followed us. It made me wonder if they were holding hands in public, yet.
Bekzi, Susan and the others had gone straight to the palace kitchens, to get something for lunch and plan their day. The rest of us were invited to lunch with Queen Lissa.
"There you are," Queen Lissa and three assistants waited outside her study door. "Lunch is already laid out in the arboretum, if you're hungry."
"Thanks, Mom," Travis stepped forward to hug her first. Trent was next, then came Wyatt.
"Wyatt, honey, you should visit more often," Lissa gave him an extra hug before letting him go.
"Uh, Queen Lissa?" Jayna's voice sounded tentative.
Shy.
"You want the disguise removed while you're here?" Queen Lissa smiled brightly at Jayna.
"Yes, please, if it's not too much trouble."
I turned swiftly and blinked at Jayna. Disguise? What disguise?
Lissa motioned her forward, then placed her hands on Jayna's face. The transformation was startling—breathtaking, actually.
Jayna was stunningly lovely. She'd been under my nose the whole time and there I'd thought her plain.
"Thanks, Gran," Wyatt leaned in to peck Lissa on the cheek. "Now everybody will see what I see." He turned a blinding smile on Jayna, who couldn't help but smile back at him.
"All right, then, lunch it is," Lissa clapped her hands. Someone, I have no idea who, transported us to the palace arboretum in a blink.
Sun City, Le-Ath Veronis
Randl
"You've been here before?" Pap asked David as we hefted duffels over our shoulders and left the train behind.
"Not to the train station, but Sun City, yes," David said. "Even put a few credits in the slot machines at a casino."
"The tourists do love to gamble," Pap laughed. "Not that you're a tourist," he amended.
"Oh, definitely a tourist. Brought the wife and everything. We saw the beach palace because we paid for a tour."
"Then you'll get to see the parts the tourists never see," Pap said. "Come on, we have a hover car waiting to take us in. We can even get a boat to Avii Castle if you want."
"Seriously? I'd love to see Avii Castle."
"Good. I have a suite there, if I ever need it. Quin and Justis say we can visit while you're here."
"Sounds like you're treated like family by both royal houses," I teased Pap.
"I am, actually. It's completely opposite to my treatment in New Fyris."
"Yeah. About that," I sighed.
"I know you're going back there with Mr. Winkler," Pap said. "You'll be fine with him there. Winkler doesn't take well to mistreatment, I've learned. He appreciates a good beer now and then, too."
"You've been out drinking with Winkler?" I asked.
"Don't sound so surprised. That old wolf knows a hell of a lot," Pap couldn't hold back the smile. "He told me Amlis wasn't exactly polite when you saw him last."
"That would be putting it in the mildest terms possible."
"I read in him what he wasn't saying," Pap nodded. "Here's our car." We'd walked toward the entrance of the train station, and waiting in a reserved parking space was a hover-limo.
"Fancy," David grinned as two comesuli climbed out to take our bags and make us comfortable in the back seat.
"Master Dwarf, there are beverages in the cold-keeper inside the vehicle," a comesuli bowed to David. "Lunch is waiting at the palace for all of you."
Will it do any good to ask him to stop bowing? David sent to me.
Probably not, I struggled to smother a laugh. They were told
to treat us with honor and respect, bro. I borrowed Travis and Trent's nickname—it fit, somehow.
"Well, I'm hungry," David said aloud and clambered onto the seat facing Pap and me.
"We'll be there momentarily," the comesuli driver replied and shut the door.
"Beer?" David was already digging in the cold-keeper.
"I'll have one," I said.
Sabrina
From the arboretum at the top of Lissa's palace, I could see the glittering lights of Lissia below. It looked like a fairy city at nightfall—one I'd read about when I was young.
"It's more mundane when you get to it," Lissa smiled. "The boys can take you, if you want. Have they offered a trip to Niff's, yet?"
"That's the first thing they said."
"Good."
The remnants of our lunch were all about us, and we'd talked and laughed about mostly nothing while we ate. If Lissa meant to make us feel comfortable, she'd done a fine job. Jayna had laughed more with Wyatt than I'd ever heard her laugh. I still couldn't imagine why she'd hide her beauty behind a plain façade, but what did I know?
"The manufacturing facility is waiting for you this afternoon," Lissa said. "I've instructed them to leave it in your hands while you're working, so they won't see anything they shouldn't." Her smile let me know she understood my designs were secret.
"Thank you. I appreciate that more than I can say," I acknowledged.
"You can freshen up in your suite first, then go," Lissa suggested.
"I'd like to change clothes," I agreed. "This really isn't the best outfit for working on designs." I'd dressed in a calf-length skirt, boots and a nice blouse to have lunch with the Queen.
"Lissa used to say the same thing before going out to lop heads," a smiling, dark-haired man appeared at Lissa's elbow. His sudden appearance made me smother a gasp. Travis's hand was at my back quickly, soothing away the fright.
"Merrill, stop scaring my guests," Lissa complained. I wanted to ask him about the lopping heads comment, before recalling that I'd seen Travis and Trent do it. Travis' hand went to the back of my neck to massage away the tension forming there.
"I came to issue an invitation to NorthStar," he said. "While your guests are here. They're most welcome to come with you."
"When?" Lissa asked, gazing up at the one she called Merrill.
He leaned down to kiss her. "Tomorrow good enough?" he asked.
"I'll alert the kitchen," she said dryly when he pulled away.
I knew she had many mates—this must be one of them.
"Good. I'll see all of you then." He disappeared as quickly as he'd appeared.
Damn. I wanted to do that.
"Come on, baby," Travis said. "Let's change clothes and go out."
He didn't need to ask twice—I was ready to go.
Randl
"I don't think I can move," David patted his stomach. We'd had roast chicken, a delicious vegetable casserole, fresh-baked bread and salad before dessert was brought out.
"Are you staying here while I go to the manufacturing facility?" I asked him.
"Not on your life," David grinned. "I need to walk some of this off."
"There's a walk involved?"
"From the hovercar to the door," Pap grinned.
"Anything will help," David laughed.
"I'll change clothes, first," I said.
"The car is waiting whenever you're ready," Pap said.
"Thanks, Pap."
"My suite is cavernous," David said while leaning back in his hover-limo seat half an hour later. "I could invite a circus, with elephants and a tent," he added.
"Are those still legal? With the animals?" I asked.
"Not in the Alliances," he shrugged. "Old Earth, remember?" He tapped his chest.
"I remember. Can you actually invite a tent?"
"Poor phrasing," David defended himself.
"Just to be clear," I nodded. "Your owl has plenty of room to fly, though."
"True enough."
I turned toward the window, to see we were passing through farmland. Rows of ripening fruit and vegetables stretched across the landscape.
"This is amazing," I breathed as the farms captivated me.
"Le-Ath Veronis grows most of its own produce," David said. "It only imports a few things from Kifirin and a few other places."
"Harifa Edus, too, although the werewolf farmers have a decided advantage over New Fyris, because Amlis has been backward about importing equipment and supplies."
"Maybe he'll come to his senses someday," David said.
"I'm not holding my breath."
"Wise decision."
The vehicle began to slow, indicating we were nearing our destination. The facility, once it came into view, proved to be a small, cube of a building, with little indication of what it was. Something this small could make replacement parts but little else.
Sabrina's workshop had been larger than this, but it was housed inside a massive manufacturing facility that was many times larger. This—I hoped it was good enough to create Sabrina's designs.
"I hope she's making something cool," David said when the vehicle pulled to a stop. The driver opened his door, allowing him to exit first.
"About time, bro," Trent opened my door with a grin.
"I told you to go on without me," I joked.
"Nah. No fun, dude. Come on, Sabrina's looking the place over. No idea what she's looking for, so any distraction is welcome."
We were worried, Trent sent mindspeech as we walked into the small building. Sabrina was, too, but it appears to have everything she needs, including the laser trimmers.
Every bit of space inside the small building was utilized for maximum effect, I discovered as I looked about the building.
"He can see well enough," Trent waved off a concerned comesula, who'd stepped forward to help me if necessary.
"Of course," the comesula dipped his head to Trent and backed away.
Aboard ship, I was a regular member of the crew. Here, and for those who hadn't been informed, I was still a blind man.
"I can do it here," Sabrina called out. The comesula's shoulders sagged in relief.
Has she been terrorizing the staff? I turned to Trent with a smile.
Maybe a little. They heard her last name and scattered like birds.
"We will leave now, as instructed," the comesula said. "Contact us when you are finished, or if you need help."
I could tell he was worried for his equipment, and worried about having so many unsupervised strangers—one of whom was a Kend—inside his facility.
"Do not worry," I told him. "All will be well."
"As you say," he nodded, although he remained unconvinced.
When the last comesuli employee was out the door, David and I found chairs against a wall while Sabrina connected her comp-vid to the facility's main comp and went to work.
Winkler
"She has working models?" I asked. Kooper had come for dinner at the palace, asking for a private meeting with me afterward.
"Looks that way. The one she tested blew a stack of bricks apart. Preliminary estimates show a decent range for the weapon, which could last for up to a hundred shots before it needs recharging. The solar battery can only hold so much energy in this case, because of the temporary materials involved."
We were discussing the new ranos pistols Sabrina Kend designed at the facility Lissa commandeered for her. In all, she'd manufactured twenty weapons in the time she'd had.
"We've removed all traces of the design before allowing the regular employees back in there. This means that on one of the larger ships, they could actually manufacture their own weapons if needed."
"That's something to think about," I said.
"For undercover operations, definitely," Kooper confirmed. "Equipment and supplies could be crated up unassembled, in case the ship is boarded by authorities elsewhere. This has potential."
"What are you planning to do with the prototypes?"
"They have the shield she designed built in. I'm allowing her, Travis, Trent, David and Randl to carry one, to make sure the shield holds up. We can control the situation here on Le-Ath Veronis, in case they're discovered. I can identify them as agents, and Lissa can back me up."
"Good idea. You wouldn't consider letting me carry one to the WildTree meet-and-greet in a couple of days, would you?"
"You think you need one?" Kooper eyed me curiously.
"Never know," I grinned. "Better to have a weapon than pull out power and tip your hand that way."
"Agreed," Kooper said. "I'll get one to you."
Randl
"We're invited to NorthStar tomorrow for dinner," Travis said. He, Sabrina and Trent had come back to the beach palace with David and me for dinner after Sabrina finished her designs and tested the weapons.
"Good. I'll see if the wife can come," David hauled out a comp-vid. We sat around the table after comesuli servants cleared everything away except wine glasses and beer mugs.
I felt left out in the mate department. Sabrina sat between Travis and Trent, happy and half-drunk, after a successful day designing temporary ranos weapons.
I and the others with me carried one hidden on our persons—Kooper allowed it to test the weapon's shields.
I'd also received my certification on ranos pistols and rifles; Kooper grinned when he told me the news earlier.
Pap had excused himself after dinner—said he had things to do before bed. I felt inclined to do the same, but didn't want to be the first to go after Pap.
"How about a walk on the beach?" David suggested. "We should be safe enough."
"Sounds like an excellent idea," Travis agreed.
"I'm going to bed," I said when I caught the hopeful look in Sabrina's eyes. She was watching Travis as he rose from his seat.
I had no desire to watch those three stroll along the beach while Travis and Trent stole kisses now and then.
"Weenie," David frowned at me.
"I don't under—oh. Never mind," I held up a hand as he started to explain exactly—in Old Earth terms—what weenie meant.
"Still going to bed?" David asked.
"Yes. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves. When I see you in the morning, I'll know exactly how many times you called me weenie in my absence."
MindSighted: BlackWing Pirates, Book 1 Page 24
