Judge, Jury, & Executioner Boxed Set

by Craig Martelle

  “What did you do that for?”

  “That guy doesn’t need to know jack shit about you, Magistrate.”

  “That guy may be our key to getting treated like decent human beings in this place. You never know which person is the one you need to impress. Now open the screen.” Red hesitated. “I’m not fucking around, Red.”

  The screen disappeared.

  “Yup, first time. Any recommendations?”

  “Bet the mins at BSB, then go to Better Sports Betting, or as we like to call it, BSB Lite. You’ll do better there. I could take you there right now if you’d like.”

  “No. I won’t be gambling.”

  “Then what are you here for, and with a bodyguard to boot?”

  “Meet with some of the key business owners and leaders of S’Korr. The Federation needs information, and I’m here to get it.”

  “What are you, some kind of accountant?”

  “Lawyer,” Rivka said proudly.

  “Shit, lady, they’re going to have fun with you!”

  Red turned to reach through the opening, but Rivka grabbed his arm. “Wait until he stops. I don’t want to be in an accident. On second thought, just let him go.” She pointed to the privacy button. The electronic screen materialized, muting the driver’s peals of laughter.

  Rivka chuckled. “I guess Chaz left out some important details.” She accessed her pad. “Chaz, is this a male-dominated society, and what do they have against lawyers?”

  “Yes, it is male-dominated, and the legal profession is outlawed. The people who handle the contract work for S’Korr are called ‘contractors.’”

  “Next time, Chaz, don’t leave that part out.”

  Red smiled. “Men are in charge, and lawyers are illegal. I like this place.”

  “What am I going to do with you, Red?” Rivka shook her head slowly as she smirked at her bodyguard.

  “I recommend you don’t tell anyone you’re a lawyer.”

  “And we would not have had that tidbit of knowledge had we not engaged with the driver. Thank the Queen that women are in charge!”

  Red smiled. “Thank the Queen indeed that I get a job like this. Thanks, boss, for carrying me out of Pretaria and saving my life. Who else would do that for their bodyguard? We are expendable, if you haven’t figured that out.”

  “You’re not expendable, for the simple reason that I don’t have time to train a new one. At least you’re housebroken. Mostly.”

  “Save the bullshit for someone who doesn’t know you. Loyalty goes both ways. You’re the only boss I’ve ever had who understood that. So, can I punch Happy Driver in his face when we stop, or maybe I’ll jack him upside his ghoulies?”

  “Just tell him to wait for us. I know he’ll run the meter, but that’s the cost of doing business. We’ll take it out of the criminal’s ill-gotten booty if we find a criminal. A gambling place with only private security and no lawyers? It’s going to be hell trying to figure out if a crime has been committed. I would expect crime to permeate every orifice of this shithole.”

  Red nodded, but his attention was outside the vehicle where the gaudy lights and massive structures drew the hopeful. Best Sports Book was ahead. It was the biggest and gaudiest, with an oversized entrance where vehicles could drop their passengers.

  S’Korr was a cool planet, on the far edge of the Goldilocks zone. The buildings’ heated interiors drew customers inside, and the cold alcohol helped to separate those customers from their hard-earned credits.

  Betting is a scam, but it’s legal. Unless it’s not. Rivka thought, blowing out a breath between clenched teeth. How do I find evidence of wrongdoing? It’s like looking for shit in a cesspool. Dammit, Nathan, I almost miss Pretaria and Keome and their mindless animosity toward each other.

  The limousine driver angled up to the doorway, forcing his way through to give the Magistrate the shortest walk to the entrance. Red jumped out before the driver could open the door. The bodyguard blocked the smaller man while efficiently scanning the area for threats. Security stood on either side of the door. Red stuffed his shotgun into its case over his left shoulder.

  Rivka climbed out and thanked the driver, realizing for the first time that he wasn’t human. Humans made up only a small percentage of the galaxy’s population, but humanoids as a whole were dominant. He was one of the latter. She turned toward the doors, where Security was already moving to block her way, their eyes on her bodyguard. Red strode briskly forward, all thoughts of the driver forgotten.

  “Wait for us,” Rivka told the humanoid, giving Red more time to work with the BSB’s security. “We could be a while.”

  “You might be leaving sooner than you think,” the driver shot back, still holding the passenger door as if she would turn around and get in.

  Red had reached the two security men. He towered over them.

  “I am Vered, and this is the Magistrate. She has an appointment with Mister K’Leptus.” Red waited for his words to register. The men remained where they were. “You fuckers need to do something, or this will get real ugly real fast. Call your boss, or get the fuck out of the way.” Red inched closer until he could stop them from using their weapons.

  A crowd started to form behind them.

  A comm system crackled, and a strange word was spoken. “You have clearance to pass. Take the escalator to the second floor and then the elevator to the fifth. Someone will meet you there.” The two men moved aside, and Red brushed past them.

  “Thank you so much,” Rivka said pleasantly, staying within arm’s reach of the man-mountain before her. He blocked her view, but she was okay with that. It didn’t make her feel important. It made her feel safe.

  Red pushed through the doors and made a beeline for the escalator. Speed was his favorite tactic to reduce exposure to potential enemies. He bulled his way through the crowd and assumed a position on the escalator. The main floor of the sports book was also a casino, and filled with people and noise. Red was uncomfortable. Too many eyes watching.

  Too many unknowns. He pulled Rivka close to him, his gaze darting around, never resting on any one person. When they reached the top, he hurried them toward the elevators on the other side of another crowded area.

  “Look at all the people!” Rivka exclaimed.

  “How can I not?” Red replied after mashing the button for the elevator and positioning Rivka between him and the wall. A ding signaled the elevator’s arrival, and he checked quickly to make sure it was empty before boarding. A couple of patrons tried to get in, but Red blocked them. “Take the next one.”

  The door closed, and the elevator smoothly rose toward the fifth floor. “You’re in a mood today,” Rivka started, “but I get it. I hate this place, too, and I’m sure you’re worried about Jay and Lindy. They’ll be fine.”

  “How can you be sure?” Red asked, watching the door carefully from the side for when it opened. He always expected an ambush when riding an elevator.

  “I can’t be sure, but we’re close, and they’re tough. If Lindy and Jay are going to be on the team, they have to be able to work alone. You know they can, and from my perspective, if you try too hard to shield Lindy from hard realities, you’ll lose her. She isn’t one to be put on a pedestal and pampered. None of us are.”

  Red nodded and flashed a close-lipped smile. “Hamlet is.”

  “That little fucker is on his own program. He keeps peeing on my pillow. I have to have a litter box in my room. Now he takes his dumps in there. I may have to banish him.”

  “Chaz won’t let you.”

  “Who is in charge?” Rivka countered.

  “Exactly,” Red replied before adding, “Be sharp.” The doors opened. He stepped in front to block anyone’s view of Rivka. There was a casual open area outside the elevator, with a receptionist at a desk placed to intercept visitors. Red walked ahead, and once he was satisfied the way was clear, he moved to the side and watched the elevator doors close with Rivka still inside. Even with his enhanced speed, he
wasn’t able to shove a hand through the gap and stop the elevator. He furiously mashed the button on the wall.

  The doors slid soundlessly open, and Rivka smiled. “Just messing with you.” A vein throbbed in Red’s forehead, and his face started to turn purple. Rivka strolled to the desk.

  “I’m Magistrate Rivka Anoa, and I have an appointment with K’Leptus.”

  “He’s expecting you, but his previous appointment has not yet finished. Can I get you something to drink?”

  “Yes, please. What are you trying to get rid of? I’ll take that.”

  The receptionist looked confused. “Do you like fruit?” Rivka nodded, and the receptionist disappeared into a small room in the center of the larger space. To the side, past a wall of desks and people trying not to look at the Magistrate and her bodyguard was the only other enclosed space on the floor. Rivka guessed it was K’Leptus’ office.

  The receptionist, a young humanoid of the same race as the driver, brought two glasses. Red politely declined. Rivka took a sip of what the All Guns Blazing would have called a Long Island Iced Tea, complete with alcohol. She mumbled her approval. The young woman was stocky with short legs, but long arms, like the others in the office.

  “Are you a native of this planet?” Rivka wondered.

  “There are no sentient species native to S’Korr. We come from the planet you may know as Show Low. We were brought here because Show Low has embraced gambling as its primary source of revenue, but it is nowhere near as big as S’Korr. We came where the work is, and it is good work.”

  Rivka touched the woman’s arm in a friendly gesture while thanking her for the drink. She saw the truth behind the words—a woman with a simple life who couldn’t wait to get back to Rashveil, the native name for what outsiders called Show Low, the planet that was won on a bet of who could show the lowest card. It had been rejuvenated from its decay and became a thriving recreational planet, nearly the entirety of its economy was based on gambling.

  “How much does tourism account for S’Korr’s revenue?” Rivka asked.

  “I was just thinking about that!” the woman exclaimed. “I think it’s close to one hundred percent, but with a pseudo-transient workforce, there are services that cater to us and not the tourists.”

  “Pseudo-transient. Interesting. How long is your contract for?”

  “We do two years in place, but most of us sign on for an extra two years because it’s a nice pay raise. I’m on my third two-year gig,” she said proudly.

  “Have you been able to get back home?”

  “Not yet, but soon.” A forlorn tone crept into her voice, and she started to fidget. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to work.”

  Rivka touched her arm again. The receptionist kept losing what she made. Bosses on S’Korr never extended lines of credit, preferring to keep their employees perpetually broke but never in debt. Rivka tried to smile but saw exploitation where the naive saw bad luck. The lawyer in her didn’t see a crime, though.

  Not yet. She would have to dig.

  A human walked out and shook hands with a red alien who was round, multi-limbed, and spoke through a voice synthesizer. The receptionist appeared at Rivka’s elbow and motioned her toward the man called K’Leptus.

  Rivka focused her attention on him. He was wearing a suit that looked high-end but out of place, and had brown hair and brown eyes. He smiled easily and looked welcoming as he walked toward the Magistrate. She prepared herself by mirroring him, a technique used to disarm people and make them like a person who used the same body language. She held out her hand and approached him.

  She reciprocated his grip, and he squeezed harder in response. She matched his strength until it was time to put him in his place. She’d also seen what she needed within his mind in order to ask better questions.

  Rivka was ready to get started. K’Leptus’ smile disappeared when he lost the handshake battle, but it reappeared when he regained his composure.

  “What a strong grip you have.” K’Leptus rubbed the feeling into his hand. “Join me for a private conversation.” He looked purposefully at Red.

  “My bodyguard will be joining us, and I guarantee that our conversation will remain private.”

  K’Leptus’ lip twitched before the well-practiced smile came back to the fore. He motioned for her to follow. Red looked at the people working the desks, noting that K’Leptus had his own security at those closest to his office. Their desks were clear, and they wore loose clothing. Red pointed to each of them and shook his head as he passed. In the security game, intimidation played a key role in keeping situations from escalating. He could see the looks on their faces—professionals all, but inexperienced. The scars on Red’s shaved head told a different tale.

  He backed into the room and closed the door, taking a position to the side and against the wall where he could see everything that happened.

  Chapter Six

  Lindy and Jay hopped out of their taxi after paying with the credit chip Rivka had given them. The driver nodded, feasting his eyes on the two women. They hurried out and slammed the door.

  “How much credit do you think is on this thing?” Jay whispered.

  “Enough to do what we need to do, I would guess,” Lindy replied, wrapping her arm through Jay’s as they flounced through the main doors and into the Best Sports Book. The noise pressed in on them like a physical being. They worked their way through the teeming masses, picking a side area where a contact sport with a ball and hoops at either end was being shown. “Ever seen it before?”

  “Nope.” Jay shrugged. “We’ll watch it and try to figure out what the deal is, but I don’t know how we’ll be able to guess whether it’s rigged or not.”

  “From this view? No. We need to be in there to get that perspective.” Lindy pointed with her chin toward the betting windows.

  “You’re saying we should apply for jobs? Would they hire us on the spot?” Jay leaned close and whispered conspiratorially, “I’m an intergalactic criminal.”

  Lindy rolled her eyes and shrugged. They saw two places in a section of stadium seating, tolerating the pinches and touching as they worked their way down the row to them. Jay slapped an alien’s tentacle. Lindy stomped on another’s foot. When they reached the seats, they found that they were reserved.

  Lindy turned around and forced her way out of the row. Jay caught up, but the men were treating it like a game.

  “If you didn’t like it, baby, how come you came back for more?” someone called. Lindy jumped from the row, and Jay slapped the final man’s hands before escaping.

  They took a more critical look at the patrons. The only women were attached to the men in one way or another, under a protective arm or clinging tightly to a waist.

  “This may not have been the best plan,” Lindy muttered. Her suspicions were confirmed by the next thing she heard.

  “How much, baby?”

  K’Leptus’ desk wasn’t the biggest Rivka had seen, but it was close. He sat on a small dais, and the desk rose up around him. Vertical cabinets were integrated at the ends of the U shape. The doors were closed, and Rivka couldn’t imagine what was in there. The desktop was clean, bearing only a few gadgets and a holographic screen that would have projected in front of K’Leptus had it been on.

  Rivka waited. She wanted him to make the first statement, to draw him out. She had seen too many things in his mind for her to focus on any one of them. Depravities. Exploitation. Wheeling and dealing. But what was illegal, and if illegal, had it been it ordered by an enterprise or another group to raise it to the level of racketeering?

  “What brings you to our humble planet, Magistrate?”

  Cards on the table? she thought. No.

  “There has been a complaint that the Federation took seriously. I’m here to investigate and adjudicate if possible. Before you ask, I can’t tell you what the complaint was.”

  “Let me guess. Someone lost a bunch of money so we must be rigged? Or maybe someone got their
feelings hurt when we threw them out?”

  “We don’t investigate local crime,” she replied simply. “But if you have something you’d like to share, I’m sure I can coordinate with local authority.”

  “Nothing at all,” the man replied smoothly with a smile. He steepled his fingers before him and didn’t offer anything else.

  They sat like that for a full minute before Rivka took the initiative. “Where are you supplied from?”

  “The warehouse.”

  “How do you order your supplies?”

  “I don’t. I have people for that.”

  “I’m going to need to see your books.”

  “I don’t think so.” K’Leptus rocked back in his chair and crossed his arms in front of him. He offered no further explanation until he saw the look on Rivka’s face. “You can order your Federation super-geeks to hack in, but the books aren’t connected to the net in any way. There’s nothing to hack into. You’ll just have to guess how much money we make, how much we spend, and what we spend it on.”

  “I don’t guess,” Rivka replied coldly. She sorted through the images from K’Leptus’ mind and picked one. “For example, you watched two of your thugs beat a man nearly unconscious. That’s no way to run a business.”

  “I admit to nothing,” K’Leptus replied, although his voice quavered for a moment until he regained his composure. “How I run my business is really none of your concern.”

  Rivka sighed and hung her head. “What I’m looking for is who is pulling your strings? Who from off-planet is taking a cut that they shouldn’t get because of threats, whether blackmail, extortion, or violence? I need to know.”

  “And you think you would find this mythical creature in my books?” K’Leptus asked, grinning anew. He twiddled his thumbs and waited.

  He knew Rivka was fishing.

  “You know you’ll be under their thumb until they don’t need you anymore, and then you’re expendable?”

  “Under whose thumb?” The smirk remained on his face. Rivka wanted to punch him right in his smugness.