The Ghalian Code: Space Assassins 3

by Scott Baron

  “I do not know his reasoning, Bud. But I hope to find out. For the moment, however, we must focus on the immediate task at hand,” Hozark said, making his way to the door. “Demelza and I will return shortly. Remain prepared to move quickly.”

  The two Wampeh took their shimmer-cloaked ships and left their friends at the far edge of the system, well out of harm’s way, once they had confirmed there were no lurking attackers as there had been at Zargota.

  Hozark and Demelza had agreed upon a rendezvous point on the surface before they had launched. While their personal, Ghalian skrees within their ships were more robust than the ones aboard the mothership, they did not wish to risk communications over them.

  It was the real reason Hozark had told Laskar the other units were damaged. They were, to a degree, but more than that, he did not want the impulsive man blurting out something that might be overheard. For if Visla Ravik was truly backing Emmik Urtzal, then the lesser caster might have been clued in to the skree system’s hidden back door, and any unexpected skree calls might draw attention.

  The two Ghalian killers landed at opposite ends of the city Emmik Urtzal called home. It was a warm planet, with an almost desert climate, but lacking the deadly heat waves and burning sands. The skies were a cozy orange hue from the twin suns, one yellow, one red, and the native architecture and paint scheme complemented it perfectly.

  The buildings were all rather low and wide, rather than tall and narrow. On this world, no one, it seemed, had bothered to develop magic-heavy towers when they could just expand laterally. Even the emmik resided in a relatively short estate, though his encompassed far more land than those who lived under his control.

  Hozark left his ship fully cloaked atop a sturdy building, the craft remaining in a low hover and ready to fly at a moment’s notice. If all went to plan, Demelza would be doing the same across the city. He wore his shimmer cloak, camouflaging himself before slipping invisibly to the streets below.

  It was a fairly bustling environment, with the usual assortment of floating conveyances and porter carts, all carried by their cushions of magic. Hozark slipped behind a small stable and adjusted his appearance to match that of one of the more common races present. Orange skin and hair replaced his own, and with that in place, he stepped out into the street once more to better interact with the locals as he gained intelligence.

  It quickly became apparent, by both the wares he saw for sale, and the stench in the air, that animal products were a strong suit of this place, whereas the marketplace was rather devoid of fresh produce. Meat was to be had readily, but greens commanded a premium. Not the sort of place he would wish to stay any length of time, but a short visit was precisely what was planned.

  He cut through a fabric dying neighborhood on the way toward Emmik Urtzal’s estate. The colors were being expertly applied to the raw fabric by casters with an impressive grasp of their particularly specialized magic.

  Any other day, Hozark would have taken a moment to enjoy their display of artisanship, but today he was on a ticking clock.

  It took nearly two hours to properly survey the area on foot, but by the time he and Demelza met up at the small square in front of Emmik Urtzal’s home, both felt it had been well worth the time.

  “A fascinating world,” Hozark said. “Did you notice the lack of control collars here?”

  “Yes. It is actually both surprising and refreshing seeing a place devoid of slaves, yet under Council control.”

  “But you realize what will happen if Emmik Urtzal is moved up in rank within their organization. The policies of the Council will trickle down, and this world will also become polluted by the taint of slavery. Look at these people. They do not realize how fortunate they are, for under different leadership, a great many would go missing, sold off to those in need of slave labor on other worlds.”

  “But if we retrieve the boy, we make Urtzal look bad. And if that happens, there will be no promotion for him,” Demelza noted.

  “If he keeps his head,” Hozark added. “Come, we must return to the others. I have a plan.”

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  “I’m sorry, you want to do what?” Laskar asked.

  “You heard him,” Bud replied.

  “Yeah, I heard him. I just can’t believe he actually said what I thought I heard him say.”

  Hozark looked the worried man in the eyes. “I understand your concerns, Laskar, but given the layout of this particular estate, as well as the rather spread-out nature of the city itself, I feel we are not presented with any better options.”

  “Hozark is right,” Demelza agreed. “And you should be pleased to be able to land so close to the target.”

  “The guards will get us.”

  “Not if you do as I say,” Hozark said. “It is a simple matter of accessibility and covering the distances required to make our escape once we have found and rescued the boy.”

  “If he’s even here, you mean,” the copilot griped.

  “What’s with you, man? You’re even bitchier than usual,” Bud asked. “We’ve got a good plan, and if all goes smoothly, we should be in and out without raising a single alarm.”

  “When does anything ever go smoothly?”

  Henni paused from her snacking and chuckled. “He’s got a point, you know.”

  Bud sighed. “Fine. But come on. These guys do this for a living.”

  “Well, technically, we do not perform rescues for hire, as a rule,” Hozark noted.

  “Yes. We are more the silent assassination types,” Demelza added.

  Laskar shook his head. “I’m telling you, this whole plan is too dangerous. All this infiltration and sneaking around? You should just grab the kid and run. There’s no telling what this emmik might have up his sleeve if he was willing to risk taking on Visla Jinnik.”

  “And we intend to do just that. To an extent, anyway,” Hozark said. “We will split up and seek out the child once we have penetrated the compound. It will be a fast pass through and an even faster exit, if we can manage it.”

  “Ugh. Fine,” Laskar griped. “So, I assume you’ll need to be ready to take off immediately?”

  “Yes. We will be up against something of a time crunch, I fear.”

  “Then I’m your man. I’m a fantastic pilot––”

  “As you keep saying,” Demelza noted.

  “Well, I am. And if this is going to be a hurry-up-and-run-away kind of situation, you’ll want someone to be with the ship, keeping it prepped and ready for takeoff.”

  “Are you seriously pussying out on us?” Bud asked. “I thought you loved this sort of thing.”

  “I’m just being realistic about the situation. Hozark said it himself. You said it yourself. The place is too spread out for multiple ship landings to be effective if we have to make a fast escape. If we’re going in with just one ship, then it should be ready at all times.”

  “He does make a valid point,” Demelza said.

  “See? She gets it. You won’t be able to run all over town trying to get out of here. You’ll need the ship close. And if you need an emergency pickup from the rooftop? I’m your man.”

  Bud and Hozark had actually been thinking about just that possibility, but had decided the probability of requiring one would likely be slim to none. But given his current state of agitation, Laskar might well prove to be more of a liability on the ground than not.

  “Very well,” Hozark said. “I think this is a reasonable suggestion. And you are a rather talented pilot. With Bud working the building from the inside, it will be good to have you covering our backs.”

  “What about me?” Henni asked.

  “You will be with Uzabud.”

  “Aww, but I’m better by myself.”

  “Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence,” Bud griped.

  “The truth hurts, don’t it, creeper?” she shot back.

  “Bud knows the plan. Once we land, we will make our entrance under cover of shimmer cloaks. This emmik is not rem
otely powerful enough to detect us. Then you will make your entrance. Are we good?”

  “All set,” Bud replied.

  “Excellent. Then, if you’d please take us down, I think it is high time we begin this operation.”

  The central most landing site in the city was quite close to Emmik Urtzal’s estate. This had been a conscious choice on his part when he came to power. Not only did it make his seat of power the same place as most higher-class travelers would arrive, but it also gave him quick and easy access to his ships should an emergency necessitate them.

  He was paranoid of attempts on his life, and having a quick escape path was one of his pet concerns. Of course, a pair of assassins would actually be in his home on this very day, but he was not the target. And if all went according to plan, he would never even know they were there.

  Bud set down the ship in a somewhat snug space between several of the emmik’s own vessels. As they landed, Demelza got a better look at the crafts’ markings, confirming without a doubt that these were from the same fleet that had attacked them at Zargota. Not the actual ships that had been part of that attack, but additional craft from the emmik’s ranks.

  “You gonna be okay here all by your lonesome?” Bud asked as he and the others headed for the door.

  “I’m golden,” Laskar replied with a cocky grin. “Ready and waiting to bail your asses out and get us as far from here as possible.”

  “Good times.”

  “Oh yeah.”

  “All right, then. I’ll see ya on the flip side,” Bud said, then stepped out to join the others.

  To all observing, the only people to exit the newly arrived craft were a man and his petite female companion. A pair who, after asking directions of one of the nearest guards, made their way toward Emmik Urtzal’s estate.

  What they did not see was the pair of shimmer-cloaked Wampeh Ghalian who stepped out directly after them, the invisible pair making quick time to the emmik’s property.

  The security at the entryway was relatively lax. There were plenty of guards, of course, but they had the demeanor of men and women who had spent far too much time with nothing exciting to do. As a result, they were not nearly as attentive as they should have been.

  A pair was randomly scanning entrants with their specialized spells, but it looked as if they were being conservative in using the magic and only actually cast the spells once in a very long while.

  It was security theater, essentially, but it was enough to deter most who might have any unsavory thoughts and sticky fingers. The display was, however, by no means enough to even slow the cloaked assassins for so much as a moment.

  In no time Hozark and Demelza had passed all of the checkpoints and were deep into the property’s grounds. They stayed close as they moved until they reached a T intersection in the hallway.

  “May fortune smile upon you, Brother,” Demelza quietly said.

  “And may your hunt be a success,” Hozark replied.

  The two shimmer-cloaked Wampeh then split up and went in opposite directions to search for Visla Jinnik’s son. So far, it was going as they had planned. If he was anywhere within those walls, they would find him. As for Bud and Henni, while their entry might be difficult, Hozark was confident their charade would be successful.

  They would be fine playing it up for the guards. What he was more worried about was the duo’s interactions with one another.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Given that neither Bud nor Henni possessed the power or skill to use a shimmer cloak, their entry into Emmik Urtzal’s property was, by necessity, going to be a different type. A far more direct approach, but one neither of them was particularly happy about.

  Dressed in some of his nicest attire, Uzabud walked through the main doors to the emmik’s compound, heading straight for the nearest member of the house staff.

  The older woman who was overseeing the workers saw them coming and cracked a knowing smile. On his arm was a stunning young woman with violet hair and sparkling eyes. The way they looked at one another, it was clear they were deeply in love. And that meant just one thing in this place.

  “Bonding?” she asked as soon as they opened their mouths to make their inquiry.

  “Why, yes,” Bud said. “How did you know?”

  “I’ve seen many young couples in love in my time, dear. And with the emmik being the highest authority on the world overseeing the sacred bonding of two beings, it has been my pleasure to be party to many such happy unions.”

  “Yep. That’s us,” Henni said. “Toootally in love, me and him. Yeah, he really is the best.”

  Where the man appeared a relatively strait-laced sort, the girl seemed a bit strange. But who was she to judge?

  “Sadly, the emmik is not available for a few days, I’m afraid. But if you wish to make an appointment, I’m sure we can fit you in for a ceremony as soon as his schedule clears. It shouldn’t be more than four or five days, I would think.”

  “That sounds lovely,” Bud said with an innocent and bright-eyed smile.

  Henni had to give him credit. The guy could act. If she didn’t know better, she’d never have guessed he was a smuggler and former rough-and-ready pirate.

  “Could you please point us in the direction of the office that handles those appointments?” he asked.

  “Of course. Just go through those doors over there, then turn left. At the end of that hallway, you take the stairs up one level and turn right. The fourth door on your right is where you need to go. Ask for Atilda. She handles all of the bonding-related issues.”

  “Thank you so much,” Henni gushed, reaching out and actually squeezing the woman’s arm warmly. “You’ve been such a help.”

  The couple headed off, following her directions. The woman caught the eye of the security detail by the entryway and waved the pair through.

  “Such a nice couple,” she said, then returned to her other duties.

  Arm in arm, Bud and Henni walked down the corridor and took the stairway, as they were instructed. Once they were out of sight, however, they promptly separated, letting go of each other with haste.

  “That went well,” Bud mused.

  “Yeah. Nice acting,” Henni replied.

  “You too. Quite convincing.”

  “Because I’m good, and people are gullible,” she said. “Not like I’d ever actually want to bond with a creeper like you.”

  “Hey, this creeper helped get you past security and into the building. And he also happens to own the ship you’re so comfortably living aboard, thank you very much.”

  “Doesn’t change a thing,” she shot back.

  “Ugh, as if I’d ever want a pain in the ass like you. Just shut up and come on. We’ve got work to do. Hozark and Demelza should already have cleared the bottom level and moved to the top. We’ll meet them in the middle.”

  “Yes, I know the plan,” she snarked. “Go on, then. Lead the way.”

  Bud shook his head and sighed, then headed off down the corridor, his ersatz bride in tow.

  Moving through the upper levels like an invisible breeze, Hozark and Demelza quickly scanned every room, cell, and hidey-hole they came across, hoping to find Jinnik’s boy. So far, they had covered much of the building at speed, avoiding the guards in their shimmer cloaks as they searched high and low.

  Hozark had something of a lead on Demelza in the searching department. His proficiency with the shimmer cloak was exceptional, and he could move at full speed without any catching sight of him. Demelza, on the other hand, was forced to slow her pace when close to bystanders.

  Hozark had shown her a few tricks to improve her shimmer cloak use after their last mission together, and she had proven quite adept at them, and was incorporating them in her current use. She was still nowhere near as good as he was, though, she hoped she might be one day.

  Both the Wampeh had opted to carry their full complement of weapons on this incursion. Given what had happened so recently, and adding the fact that they would be
cloaked by shimmers, they were free from the scrutiny that a normal disguise might face.

  As such, she wore the blades lent to her by Master Orkut, and Hozark carried his vespus blade strapped to his back.

  It was he who finally stumbled upon a young boy in an upper corner chamber. The quarters actually seemed quite comfortable, all things considered. It appeared the boy was either a well-treated prisoner, or the wrong one, in which case Hozark would have no choice but to stun the youth to protect from his presence from being discovered.

  Hozark looked at the boy closely, having entered the room without him so much as noticing the intrusion. He had a pale violet complexion, even lighter than Henni’s hair. His father did not possess these colorations, but from what Hozark had learned of the man’s deceased wife, it seemed the boy took his coloring from her side of the family.

  He couldn’t have been more than ten or eleven years old. The right age for the target. This had to be Happizano.

  “Excuse me,” Hozark said, shedding his shimmer cloak. “I do not mean to startle you, but are you Happizano Jinnik?”

  “Duh,” the boy replied.

  “Excuse me?”

  “I said, duh. Now go away.”

  “You must come with me,” Hozark commanded.

  “Screw you.”

  Hozark quickly realized that this youngster was one of those kind of kids. The kind that reinforced why he’d never wanted any of his own.

  “Your father sent me. I’ve come to bring you to him, but we must leave at once.”

  The boy looked at him curiously a moment. “How do I know you’re not lying? Everyone around here lies.”

  “I can understand your caution, and it is wise. However, I have a token to prove I am on his errand.”

  Hozark reached into a small inner pocket and removed a folded page. On it was Visla Jinnik’s seal. The boy was not impressed.

  “And? Anyone could have taken that when they broke into our home.”