“No,” she repeated firmly, as if trying to convince Carol rather than herself. “No, what we need to do is find out who and then figure out why, and then find another way-
“To leverage them?” Carol offered.
Arlene considered the words for a moment and then nodded. “Sure,” she said. “And then leverage them.”
“Ok. Sounds pretty standard to me. Any idea who we’re dealing with? Any leads? Names?”
Arlene shook her head. “Only that it comes from within the H&S department in local government. We’re already pursuing legal angles, so we can send over the details involved in case there is a lead amongst the rubble.”
“Yes, that would be useful. I’ll give you the address for a secure server we can both access.”
“Ok.”
“Anything else I should know?”
“At this point? I don’t think so. We’d just really appreciate any light you can throw on it.”
“Ok. Leave it with me. No promises, but we’ll see what we can do.”
“Thanks, Carol.”
“Sure thing, Arlene. Good to see you.” Her tone had all the sincerity of an Uptarlung car salesman.
“You too,” Arlene responded as generously as she could manage.
Arlene shook the thoughts from her head and closed the remaining holoscreens at her desk. She got up from her darkened home office and ambled through to the living room, following the light, and faint sounds of movement. Ben’or sat on the sofa waiting for her. He’d opened a bottle of whiskey. He got up and handed her a glass.
“Long time since I had a good Yollin whiskey,” he told her. “One of the many things I missed since we parted ways.”
Arlene took the glass, and smiled, lightly touching the rim of her glass to Ben’or’s. “One of the many things,” she repeated.
Aboard The Empress, Agresh Quadrant
Crash’s voice sounded over the intercom in the lounge. “Okay, we’re up in thirty seconds. Molly, your presence is requested on the bridge.”
Molly stood up from her seat. “No rest for the wicked,” she muttered dryly to Joel, who was sitting on the other side of the aisle. He took that as his cue to accompany her and the pair headed up to the front of the ship.
They stepped into the room to find Crash and Pieter looking serious and deep in focus. Brock sat at the back on one of the spare console chairs. “They’re hailing us. Thought you had better take over at this point.”
Molly nodded. “Ok Oz, you’re up?”
Molly sat down next to Crash in the Navigator’s chair. Crash handed her the microphone. She took a deep breath.
“Greetings? Your Future's Divine, do you read?”
The guttural sound of Skaine came back over the audio. “They’re sending a video feed.”
“Shit. We’re not set up for that. Keep it to audio only at this end, but put them on screen.”
The screen ahead of them flashed up with a grainy, intermittent image of a lone Skaine standing in the middle of the ship’s bridge.
“This is the vessel Your Future's Divine. You’re speaking with Commander Durq. Identify!” the Skaine demanded.
Motherfuckers… They don’t mess around. I thought we were meant to be on the same side.
It’s the Skaines’ way. Even in an exchange like this, they see it as a battle. And even a negotiation is a situation where you have an opponent rather than a collaborator.
“This is the Leath contingent,” she spoke out loud. Oz worked to translate it into a native Leath tongue as he fed it through the intercom.
Too weak. You need to be more aggressive, else they’re going to catch on.
Fuck. I dunno how to do aggressive. Get Sean up here.
On it.
“I have no interest in your difficulties. Are you here to do a deal or what?”
The coarse Skaine language rang through the cockpit, only to be translated on-screen a few seconds later by Emma.
Molly’s eyes scanned the translation. “We are,” she announced more confidently. “But I’d like to see some proof of what you’re carrying.”
“By all means.” The flickering video feed jumped again. “Perhaps you’d like to send an away team over to our cargo holding.”
Molly removed her finger from the transmit trigger on the microphone and glanced at Joel. “It’s too risky.”
Joel shrugged. “I don’t see what choice we have. We need to get eyes on those weapons.”
Molly was thinking fast. “They’re going to see that we’re not Leath.”
“You can pre-empt that.”
“Shit. I’m going to regret doing this.” She lifted the microphone up to her lips again and hit the transmit button. “I’ll send a handful of human slaves. You’ll appreciate that they are expendable.”
The Skaine reacted on the video. A moment later the audio caught up. “You can send two. Any more and we’ll kill the excess. These are our terms.”
Joel rolled his lips and nodded in grim agreement to what she was doing. Sean came bounding up the steps and into the cockpit.
“What did I miss?” he hissed to Joel.
Joel whispered in his ear. “Just that Molly needs to be more forthright with her communication manner with Skaines. And that she’s about to send an away team of human slaves to check out the merchandise.”
Sean’s eyes filled with concern. “On the ship that we’re ready to go to blows with?”
“Yep,” Joel admitted. “Dunno how else to avoid it… short of opening fire here and now.”
Sean shook his head. “Fuck. I’m gonna regret this.”
Joel clamped a hand on Sean’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll come with you.”
Molly raised a finger to the pair. “I’m coming too.”
Sean shook his head. “Absolutely not. You need to stay put. You and Oz need to keep this facade going from here. You can’t do it from down there. Plus, if anything happens, someone needs to give the order to fire on the ship.”
“Not if you’re still on there.”
Sean looked at her sternly and maneuvered her into the nearest console chair. “Molly, we’ve been through this. And you’ve been through the Federation modules on this type of encounter.”
“You’ve been reading my files?”
He leaned on the armrests of the chair, commanding her full attention. “Who do you think Lance shares them with?” he grinned.
Molly scowled. “I don’t like any of this. Including your back-door relationship with my boss,” she added pointedly.
Sean straightened up. “Well, get used to it. And take it up with the boss when we get back. In the meantime, you know what needs to happen.”
Molly sighed. “So what? You and Joel?”
Sean nodded. “Yeah. Karina and Jack can stay here in case we need to do something more sophisticated. Best we’re not all committed to the situation.”
Molly slumped in the chair, deflated. “You’re right. It’s the smartest move.”
Karina appeared at the door. “Well, I think the smartest move would be letting me go down with Sean. We make a great team, and that means you can keep Joel here to run any other ops that come out of the mix.”
Molly noticed the protest in Sean’s eyes. But she also noted that Karina had a point. “Ok,” she agreed. “Sean and Karina head down and check out the weapons.”
She shrugged at Sean. “It’s the smartest move,” she added, grinning.
Aboard The Penitent Granddaughter, Agresh Quadrant
“They’re sending humans,” Nickie repeated, tapping a finger impatiently on the console she was still perched on.
“Hang on,” Grim interrupted. “I thought we were expecting Leath? What are the Leath doing working with humans?”
Nickie shrugged. “They’re saying these are human slaves. Which, honestly, would be more appropriate for a Skaine crew to enslave. But if these Leath are in with the bad boys then I wouldn’t
put anything past them. They may have picked up some bad habits.”
Grim clambered down from the console chair he had been resting on. “So, you’re not suspicious?”
“I’m always suspicious,” Nickie shot back. “But Meredith has confirmed they’re broadcasting the correct code. It could be legit. Well, as legit as an illegal arms trade can be, I guess.”
She thought for a moment, kicking her boot against the under-panel of the console. “I think we just need to see it through. Besides, what are they going to do? Take command of the whole ship? With just two humans? Against me? And the reinforced battleship cargo hold doors?”
Grim flinched at the thought of the ship coming under attack again. “Right. So you’re not worried?” he clarified.
Nickie slipped down off the pilot’s console and strode across the room. “Skeptical,” she admitted. “But not worried. Let’s make sure the bots have moved the gear into the right cargo bay so we’re ready.”
She slapped a nervous looking Durq on the arm. “Act natural, man. We don’t wanna spook them.”
Nickie disappeared out of the door, followed by Grim trotting after her. Durq took a deep breath and followed, trying to keep up with everything that was going on. This wasn’t the life he was used to, and Nickie played things far too fast and loose for his liking.
Cargo bay, Aboard The Penitent Granddaughter, Agresh Quadrant
“Okay,” Nickie grunted, shifting the last of the crates into place. “That should do it.”
She straightened up and exhaled. “We don’t want to tip our hand, Durq.” She turned to talk to him, and he wasn’t there. She spun round to see he was hanging back again by the door. “Get over here!” she yelled to him.
Durq scuttled over, his hunched over Skaine-mass moving in a way that his physiology just wasn’t designed for. Skaines were meant for aiming guns and shooting, for wreaking mayhem while laughing at their foes and calling them names. Not scuttling and easily skulking behind tiny door frames.
Nickie slammed her fists onto her hips. “Come on now. It’s really quite simple. You don’t want to be letting them know that these are the only weapons we have. These are samples.”
The Skaine nodded.
“Say it with me,” she instructed.
“Sam-ples,” she mouthed.
He copied, saying it slowly.
“Ok. And we’re going to run this con as if these other crates are all filled with the same merchandise. Ok?”
Durq nodded. “Got it.” He paused. “What if they want to check them though?” he asked, pointing at the arrangement of crates she’d been shifting around the cargo hold.
“You redirect,” she responded. Her face changed to mimic an indignant Skaine. “How dare slaves question the Skaines! Or… Do the cattle want to be ripped limb from limb for their insolence?” Her face relaxed a little. “Just hurry them along to make the deal. Whatever it takes.” She slapped his arm again, conveying a strange camaraderie. Nickie ignored Durq’s cringe at her sudden amiability so soon after she’d scared the crap out of him. “You got this D-boy!”
Durq glanced over at Grim who had been trying to help shift the boxes. He was perspiring and panting, and other than a weak smile he offered their new crew member nothing more.
“We’ll be back on the bridge,” Nickie called, stomping out toward the corridor. She turned, beckoning Grim to hurry up. Grim picked up his feet and hurried after her. She hit some keys on the door panel, concentrating for a moment while she translated them from Skaine characters in her head. “I’m locking this door down, so they can’t get access to the rest of the ship.”
Durq’s face dropped, bewildered, as he stood, shoulders slouched, in the middle of the cargo hold amongst the fake crates of weapons. “But….”
“You’ll be fine,” Nickie grinned, winking at him as the door clamped shut sealing him off and trapping him inside.
“You think he’ll be ok?” Grim asked nervously.
“He’s Skaine. This kind of dodgy dealing is in his blood. All he’s got to do is show them the weapons and get them to hand over the money. Then we’ve got them.”
“And then we rain all hell down on them?”
“See, Grim’Zee? You’re getting it,” she said, patting him on the back before striding off down the corridor back to the bridge.
Chapter 6
Bates residence, Spire, Estaria
Carol and Philip sat in their dining room eating take-out food that Carol had ordered in on her way home. Either of them finding time to cook was nigh-on impossible since Philip had come back out of retirement. Plus, the responsibilities of running an off-book spy department also meant that dinners turned into debriefings.
“I talked with Arlene today,” Carol told Philip as she took another sip of the micronutrient enhanced wine he’d bought a case of before he went back to work.
He finished chewing. “Well, that was bound to happen at some point.”
“It was,” she agreed.
“And? Everything ok?”
“Yes. Fine. She wanted me to look into something. That trouble that Molly’s been having with the university. Sounds like they’re running out of options.”
“Ahhh. And they need your help now.”
“Sounds like.”
Philip looked amused. She never could understand why he was so uninvested in the social politics that made up a big part of their role as a department, and as individual operatives. “So what did they want? The loan of a wily assassin? Intel on a shady politician?”
“Well, yes... and no,” she demurred, putting her knife and folk down. “I think they want it to be managed quietly but without killing anyone.”
Philip tutted. “Do-gooders.”
“I know,” she agreed, rolling her eyes.
“So what? You going to put an agent on it?”
“Well, I wondered if it would be a good test for your protege—”
Philip barely gave her the chance to finish her sentence. “I did have a series of exercises for him.” It sounded like a rejection, but his eyes lit up as if he himself had just been invited back into the field.
“Well, if you can spare him from your spy craft training shenanigans, you can have him back after he’s done.”
“What do you need him to do?”
“Find out where the order came from for the review on the university… and then use leverage to overturn the order.” Carol started eating again.
Philip nodded. “Any other constraints?”
She paused for a moment. “Yes. Try to make sure it doesn’t cost me an arm and a leg.”
“Ok, so no buying people. Got it.” Philip grinned. “Bribery is only effective in about forty-six percent of cases anyway,” he muttered knowingly. “There are many more ways to persuade people to change their minds.”
Carol sniggered quietly. “And no violence. This will get back to our daughter one way or another. They’re all so... friendly down there.” She made a face. “No way Arlene would keep a secret like that from her.”
“Fine,” Philip agreed nonchalantly. “No violence, no killing, no bribing. I’ll just have to tell Hans that his hands are tied.”
“Was that a misplaced torture pun?” his wife asked, one eyebrow raised.
Philip looked sheepish. “Yeah. It sounded better in my head,” he confessed as he went back to munching the remains of food on his plate.
Aboard The Empress, Agresh Quadrant
“We’re going to need weapons and suits,” Sean told her as he strode to a cabinet on the front wall. She followed. He opened the cabinet to reveal an array of weapons and gear, from protection equipment and space suits, down to gloves and accessories.
Karina whistled. “Wow. Some supply cabinet.”
Sean gave her a flirtatious look. “This is nothing. Wait till I show you round the warehouse we have on the base.”
She smiled seductively back at him. “I’ll look forward
to it.”
He caught the glint in her eye and pretended to be occupied with the mission, handing her a blast-proof vest. “Put this on,” he told her.
He moved down the row of weapons and selected out one thing after another: pistols for legs, ankles, assault blasters, laser rifles. Guided deployment scopes. One item after another they geared themselves up and in a matter of minutes, they were ready.
Joel appeared coming down the metal steps to the bay. “Hey. So we’re clear on the mission outcomes?”
Sean grinned, heading over to a pod while strapping a device onto his wrist. “Yeah. Kill anything that moves once the exchange has happened?”
Joel rolled his eyes. Karina smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep him in check,” she promised, patting Sean on a shoulder as she followed him.
The three arrived at the two pods. “No,” Joel countered, his face now serious but unemotional. “We need to do this right. We don’t want any blowback from the Federation. We need to see the weapons, verify their source, and then get them to take the money. Then we can prove that they’re trading arms illegally. Then unless they fire first, we want to bring them in.”
Karina nodded, climbing into the first pod. Sean sighed. “Man, you really know how to make this boring,” he teased.
Joel didn’t budge. “Do it right, Royale. Molly doesn’t need the heat on this one.”
Sean’s expression softened. “Yeah. Ok,” he agreed, closing the door to his pod.
Joel stepped back allowing the pair the space to take off.
Inside the Pod, Sean connected to Karina. “You heard him. We’ll do this by their book, yeah?”
Karina glanced at him through the side window. “That was the plan all along, honey.”
Sean exhaled sharply in pretend frustration. “Ok. Emma?”
“Here. Preparing to transfer,” Emma responded.
“Good. Take us out.”
The cargo doors opened, revealing the forcefield which would allow them out, but not the air or anything else in the hold.
Joel took another couple of steps back out of the way as the two pods gently lifted off and headed gently out into the nothingness of space. He waited for the doors to start closing and then started walking back up to the steps and back to the cockpit.
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