Friction

by R S Penney

  Lifting the small e-book reader that she had brought with her, she pressed a button on the side and brought up the latest page of the Moons of Myria. The novel was the story of a teenage girl who traveled to the various moons over her planet by means of a magic portal. Each one had a different environment – forest, desert, tundra – complete with the fantasy creatures who lived there.

  Her auto would drive itself to the appropriate address; right now, the best thing she could do was keep her mind off what might happen next. Psyching herself out would not do her any good. Besides, she had faced Pennfield; she could handle a few smugglers.

  “Lenai, you there?”

  Anna winced, pressing the back of her head to the seat cushion. “Yes, I'm here,” she said with a little too much exasperation in her voice. “You don't have to check in on me every five minutes, Harlan.”

  “Hey, you're my youngest Keeper.”

  “The baby of the family.”

  “Right.”

  Rubbing her mouth with the back of her hand, Anna stared down into her lap. “I appreciate the concern,” she said. “But honestly, I've been on tougher missions than this. Just have back-up waiting.”

  “Okay.”

  The trees on her left zipped by as her auto drove up the hillside, giving her brief glimpses of a forest floor littered with dried brown leaves. The odd squirrel hopped from exposed root to exposed root. Fascinating, that. Her people hadn't brought squirrels to this world; the Overseers must have done it.

  So far as anyone could tell, there had been no human settlements on this planet before the Leyrians had arrived. So had the Overseers created an Earth-like world only to decide they didn't actually need it? Ancient holograms of Overseer design said that her people had been taken to Leyria so that they could live in peace. Most Leyrians believed the Overseers had beneficent intentions.

  Indeed, they had left a series of “commandments” that struck a chord with even the most secular-minded people. The list covered all the basics, of course – do not kill, do not steal, do not mislead or deceive – but some of those commandments were oddly specific. “Men and women shall respect each other as equals,” and “Honor the land that was given unto you.”

  During her world's industrial revolution, belief in the Overseers as godly beings faded away to be replaced with the monotheistic faith of the Companion. Some people still saw them as divine, but most Leyrians began to think of them as mortal travelers who traversed the stars. Whether mortal or divine, however, the consensus that the Overseers were benign was almost universal.

  So why was it that when her people finally made contact with humans from other worlds, they were shocked to learn that the Overseers had left an entirely different set of commandments on each planet?

  The Antaurans had worshiped the Overseers as gods who had taken the “most pure” of humankind and given them a new home of their own. They actually saw themselves as genetically superior to all other human beings, which should be no surprise considering that the Overseers told them as much. The fact that they were the only group of humans to breed a race of telepaths didn't help matters.

  Her auto turned left onto a narrow side road. Trees on either side provided shade, their branches stretching toward one another to form arches. She could just make out the house in the distance.

  It was a small, dome-shaped building with a metallic roof that glinted in the light of the afternoon sun. That sheen came from photovoltaic paint that would harness the sun's energy. A house like this was too far from any city to be part of the power grid. It likely had its own geothermal generator inside.

  Anna placed her palm on the dashboard scanner, a green line reading her handprint. “Lock system,” she ordered. “Remain here until I return. Do not accept any passengers without my permission.”

  She got out of the car.

  Dressed in brown pants and a dark blue t-shirt with flowers embroidered along the neckline, Anna shut the door and made her way to the house. Doesn't look like a cliché smuggling outfit, she noted. But then that's probably the point.

  A woman stepped out from the forest with a rifle in hand. Tall and thin with tanned skin and glossy black hair, she wore a pair of gray pants and a white coat. “Stay where you are,” she ordered.

  Anna put her hands up.

  Clenching her teeth, she winced and let her head hang. “Not the best start to our relationship,” she said, taking a step backward. “I came here to do business, not endure threats on my life.”

  “Don't mind Talina.”

  That came from a man who emerged from the arch-shaped overhang that shaded the house's front door. He was a compact fellow in black pants and a brown jacket, his head crowned by short gray hair. “She's the muscle,” he went on. “And when you're the muscle, you tend to be a bit eager to pull a trigger.”

  “My name is Marc,” he said, striding carefully through the house's front lawn. The whole time, he never took his eyes off her. “I believe you came here looking to procure some weapons.”

  “I did.”

  Marc stood in the grass with his hands at his sides, bowing his head to her. “You should know that I was against meeting you,” he said softly. “But Karl convinced me it would be a lucrative opportunity.

  Another man stepped out of the house, the same one that she had met at the supply depot. The lascivious grin he sent her way said that he hadn't forgotten their arrangement, and that he would expect payment when this transaction was complete. A little surge of amusement went through her when she contemplated the fact that the only way she'd be touching him was her fist connecting with his face.

  Anna crossed her arms, smiling down at herself. “Yes, I'm sure he did,” she said, approaching Marc. “So while we're on the subject, what exactly do I need to give you to make this worth your while?”

  Marc looked her up and down with a tight frown, squinting as though he expected horns to sprout from her head. “Straight to the point, hmm?” he muttered. “All right. Let me start by asking you one question. What does a little girl like you want with Overseer technology?”

  Craning her neck to smile up at him, Anna batted her eyes. “That really isn't your concern,” she said, shaking her head. “Suffice it to say the opportunity to acquire some has presented itself, and I intend to take it.”

  “Very well.”

  He turned around, gesturing to the house with a wave of his hand. “Perhaps you'd like to continue this conversation somewhere a little more private. I would be happy to provide refreshment.”

  She accepted the offer with no intention of eating or drinking anything that this man put in front of her. As it stood, she already had grounds to arrest him and his crew, but it was highly unlikely that he would be storing military-grade weapons in his house. She wanted to find out where his supplies were stored so the Keepers could confiscate them and ship them back to Leyria.

  The house's interior was spacious and brightly lit by large windows along the walls. A set of wide steps led down to a living room where black couches sat in the middle of a gray carpet, and a bar along the back wall was stocked with liquor bottles of just about every imaginable colour.

  On the far side of the room, another set of steps led up to a kitchen with a door that looked out on the back porch. Sunlight made the place seem almost cheerful. Not at all what she would have expected from a smuggler.

  She was as cognizant of the two flunkies as she was of her host. With the aid of her Nassai, she was able to keep an eye on them without having to directly observe them. A very handy skill.

  Talina chose a spot by the wall and stood with hands in her pockets, watching them like a hawk. That one would be trouble if things got out of hand. She had abandoned her rifle by the front door, but the woman wore a stun baton on her left hip. A shock from that would leave even a Keeper dazed and helpless.

  Karl, the young man who couldn't wait to get in her pants, chose a barstool and sat quietly, waiting for things to get underway. Of course, he would pick the mi
ddle stool, forcing her to sit next to him no matter what she did.

  She very carefully chose the spot on his right.

  Marc stood behind the bar, pouring whiskey from a blue bottle into a glass. “Now then,” he began. “Before I make a deal with you, I'd like to learn a thing or two about the people who will be supplying this Overseer tech.”

  Anna crossed her arms over the counter, biting her lip as she stared into her glass. “They're terran,” she said. “Those primitives have managed to unearth some Overseer artifacts, but they can't make them work.”

  Setting his jaw, Marc narrowed his eyes to slits. “Which terrans in particular?” he asked in guarded tones. “Most of the major players on Earth already have contracts with other suppliers.”

  Anna looked up, blinking in surprise. “You mean they already have contracts with you?” she asked, deep creases forming in her brow. “I didn't realize you had dealings in that region of space.”

  He went red, then glanced over his shoulder so that she was forced to study his profile. “Yes, well…” he muttered. “There's always somebody looking to get their hands on weapons.”

  “Where do you get yours?”

  He flashed a toothy grin, a predatory smile that made her think of a wolf cornering a small rabbit. “Aren't we the curious little kitten?” he said. “No offense, love, but I think I'll keep that to myself.”

  Her faint reflection rippled in the surface of her whiskey. What were the odds it was poisoned? By this point, it was clear that Marc didn't trust her, and she was beginning to think it might be time to wrap things up. It didn't seem like she would have much luck getting him to talk.

  Discreetly, she tapped a small button on the disk of her multi-tool, a button that she had coded to send a request for backup. Now all she had to do was keep them chatting for a few more minutes.

  “So, you're willing to give me a sample of the Overseer tech.” Marc lifted his own glass to his lips, threw his head back and downed it all in one shot. “Even if it's the real deal, what exactly would I do with it?”

  “What do you want in return?”

  He gave her a withering glare, shaking his head in disgust. “The weapons I ship go to the Fringe Worlds,” he said. “Those bloody Antaurans would walk right over us if we let them, and Leyria isn't willing to do anything about it.”

  “So you're politically motivated.”

  “The government would prefer to just pull us back to the homeworld and let those bastards claim every habitable planet on our side of the border. Alios has been my home for twenty years; I'm not giving it up. You show me something that can help me advance those goals, and I might be willing to-”

  A beep cut him off.

  The sound came from Talina, who stood by the wall, checking her multi-tool with a scowl. “She's transmitting a signal!” the woman bellowed. “The little bitch is a rat for the damn Keepers.”

  “Correction,” Anna said. “I am a Keeper.”

  She hopped off the stool in time to see Karl get to his feet. The man drew a pistol from a holster on his belt, then pointed it at her.

  Crouching down, Anna reached up to seize the man's wrist in both hands. She pointed the gun up at the ceiling just before it went off, chunks of plaster raining down upon her head.

  She punched him in the stomach.

  The impact sent her opponent flying back to land on his ass a few feet away. Dazed by the pain, he let his head hang and groaned. Now, she only had to deal with the other two criminals.

  In her mind's eye, the silhouette of Talina drew a stun-baton from her belt and lifted it high in the air. A soft buzzing filled her ears. Talina tried to rush her from behind. Think fast, Lenai.

  Anna grabbed a bar stool.

  She lifted it above her head in time to intercept the stun-baton, the electric current absorbed by the wood. That was only part of her problem. Karl had regained his wits and was now fumbling with his pistol.

  Anna threw the stool and watched it strike the man hard across the face, wooden legs breaking apart from the impact. Her opponent fell backward, stunned by the hit and bleeding profusely.

  Anna fell forward.

  Slapping her hands down on the carpet, she kicked out behind herself to slam both feet into Talina's chest. The other woman went stumbling back as though hoofed by a horse, crashing into the wall.

  “You're good.”

  When she turned, Marc was still sitting on his stool at the corner of the bar. Not a drop of sweat on his face. The man was as cool as autumn rain. “It's a shame. I could use a talented girl like you.”

  Lifting her chin, Anna stared down her nose at him. “To do what?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “Transport weapons to people who will only get themselves killed in pointless conflicts?”

  Marc frowned, bowing his head to peer into his lap. “Yes, I can see you're afflicted with the typical Leyrian sanctimoniousness,” he grumbled. “The people out here are in danger of losing their homes.”

  “We will provide protection.”

  Marc lifted his forearm, rolled up his sleeve and tapped at his multi-tool. A scowl twisted his features. “I'm not interested in arguing with you,” he said. “It's such a shame to waste your skills.”

  A high-pitched whine came through the speakers positioned at various points in the living room, and nausea flared up in Anna's belly. Through the haze of dizziness, she was dimly aware of Talina and Karl writhing in pain.

  Covering her ears with both hands, Anna shut her eyes tight. Tears streamed over her cheeks. “Hypersonic pulse,” she squeaked. “Okay, I'll admit it. I'm feeling just a little bit impressed.”

  Karl reached for his gun.

  Anna turned and ran for the window, keeping her hands over her ears. Every step brought with it the urge to fall flat on her face, and she had to struggle to stay upright. If she fell, she'd die.

  Anna leaped.

  She crashed through the window in a shower of glass, landing hard on the mucky ground outside the house. Ducking low, she kept her head down to avoid gunfire. The sound wasn't quite so bad out here.

  She moved aside.

  Anna shut her eyes, tossing her head about and tried to clear the fog out of her brain. “Clever bastard,” she whispered. “Who in Bleakness gave him his implants?”

  The only countermeasure to hypersonic technology was a tiny implant placed in both ears, one that neutralized the abrasive frequencies. That an arms dealer had gotten his hands on crowd-suppression technology was of no surprise to her, but the fact that he had convinced a surgeon to perform the operation…

  So long as that pulse was active, she would be unable to enter the house. She was going to have to think her way through this. Solitary homes like this one were designed to use multiple power sources. The entire dome-shaped structure was coated in photovoltaic paint, making the whole house one big solar panel. There would also be a geothermal array beneath the basement. The best way to disable the hypersonic pulse was to cut the power, but…

  Of course!

  Power was regulated by a master control unit that was kept separate from the main computer. They were usually located in the basement. With any luck, she'd be able to spot one through a window.

  Anna made her way around the small building, ignoring the glint of sunlight off the house's metal surface. The trees that surrounded the property were swaying, green leaves fluttering in the breeze.

  In the backyard, she found wooden deck chairs beneath a large umbrella. She was careful to keep her senses sharp, but with any luck, Talina and Karl would still be feeling sick from the pulse, and Marc would prefer to stay inside where she couldn't get to him. Still, Anna didn't trust luck; it was rarely on her side.

  Near the back of the house, she found a window that looked in on the basement. It was dark, but she could make out a few shapes. The house's fabrication room was across from the window. Next to that… Was that a panel on the wall?

  Only one way to find out.

  Anna drew her weapon.
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  Lifting the gun up in front of her face, she pointed the muzzle at the sky. “EMP,” she said, listening for the beep that indicated the weapon's confirmation. “Why do my escapades always end with destruction of property?”

  Her senses picked up movement, and she focused on the spatial awareness that came with a Nassai bond. The foggy image of Marc came around the circumference of the house, lifting a gun when he saw her.

  Bending her knees, Anna jumped.

  She back-flipped through the air, passing through the space between two trees, and took refuge inside the forest. Dropping to the ground, she landed crouched upon a mucky hillside that was covered with leaves.

  She spun around, pressing her back to a tree trunk just before bullets hit the other side with enough force to send chunks of wood flying. “You won't find safety in there!” Marc called out. “Those woods are so thick, you'll be lost in an hour.”

  “Where is she?” Karl shouted.

  “In the forest!”

  Closing her eyes, Anna rested her head against the tree trunk. She breathed deeply to calm her nerves. You're pretty observant, she thought at her Nassai. What if we called you Seth after Seth the Scout from Moons of Myria?

  The symbiont approved.

  Great.

  Anna lifted the pistol up in front of her face. “Stun rounds,” she said, watching as the LEDs on the barrel changed from white to blue. Transferring the gun to her left hand, she noted that Marc's silhouette was not visible in her mind's eye.

  That meant he was in the blind spot created by the tree. A good Keeper learned to rely on abilities that didn't tax her Nassai before she brought out the flashy stuff. There were other methods.

  Anna spun around the tree trunk.

  She dove and somersaulted through the grass, coming up about six paces from the edge of the forest. Without looking, she flung her arm out to the side and fired.

  A bullet hit Marc in the chest, causing his body to spasm with a surge of electric current. He dropped his weapon, then fell to his knees in the grass, toppling over to land face-down.