The Formation Code

by T. R. Harris

  “No, thank you,” Panur said, his mouth dripping with blood from the still-warm carcass on which he was munching. He’d been given no utensils, so his fingers were also covered in the red stain.

  “Perhaps … information then,” the alien said cryptically. Panur didn’t stop eating, but he did lock his eyes on the tall creature.

  The mutant swallowed hard, downing his latest bite. “Yes, information would be helpful … and richly rewarded. What information do you have?”

  “You seek Kalicar. I can direct you.”

  The Humans hung on every word but let Panur do the talking.

  “How much for this information?”

  “A thousand. He has heard you are asking about him. He also seeks an audience, especially with TeraDon of the Gradis.”

  A sour look clouded Panur’s face. He wanted to keep a low profile during the mission; he never imagined TeraDon Fief would be known this far outside the normal range of the Gradis Cartel. But this was a criminal world. Of course, the Cartel would be active here.

  “Very well; pay him, servant,” Panur said to Adam.

  The Human pursed his lips at the mutant, but then pulled out two yellow chips and passed them to the waiter.

  “The end of this pathway, turn left. At the end, a building with a red circle outside. He is there, waiting for you.”

  The alien slinked away.

  Panur grinned, his lips stained red, his teeth covered in blood and sinew. “Progress!”

  Adam nearly puked.

  Chapter 6

  The walk to the meeting place was uneventful, if not wet, sloppy and longer than expected. The location was just outside the boundary of the Consortium, in one of the first semi-permanent structures along the road. The symbol on the wall was a red circle with a starburst in the center. It appeared to be a logo of some kind. No printing accompanied the icon.

  Panur led the way; Adam let him. An immortal mutant genius was a good shield against anything bad that might be waiting for them inside.

  The interior was dark, as was everything on Werznor, and the room smelled of curry. Adam didn’t like curry. They were in a room lined with crushed and stained sofa pads shoved up against the walls, with three aliens of different species splayed out on them, their assorted of yellow and blue eyes glassed over as if in a trance. A thin haze drifted in the air, the source of the smell. It was an intoxicant of some kind, and Adam hoped they wouldn’t have to stay in here for long. As a general rule, alien drugs had much the same effect on Humans as they did on everyone else.

  Another alien emerged from behind a curtain of thin, decorated cloth and motioned for them to follow. None of the creatures on the pads gave any indication they even knew they were there.

  After a short walk down an impossibly narrow hallway, the team was directed into a large office where a pencil-thin alien with brilliant red skin sat behind a table. Two other aliens of a hardier breed stood stoically along the wall cradling Xan-fi rifles in their thick arms.

  The red-skinned alien peered at the team with unblinking silver eyes. The contrast was incredible, making the orbs glow with a fiery intensity.

  “You seek an audience with me, TeraDon Fief.” The voice was deeper than Adam expected and with a slight vibrato. “Why is the Gradis so interested?”

  “I come not representing the Gradis, but on a more personal mission.”

  Rather than setting the alien’s mind at ease, the statement made him tense.

  “I seek not to offend the Cartel. Is this visit sanctioned, or are you running an independent operation of which your superiors may not approve?”

  “This has nothing to do with the Cartel,” Panur said impatiently. “I’m only looking for information.”

  “What information?”

  “About where you acquired a supply of Aris artifacts which you eventually sold to the Gracilians.”

  Kalicar leaned back in his chair and stretched out a thin grin. “You are looking for my supplier, wondering how it is that I can acquire such rare and expensive items. You should know I will not tell you. The secret is how I maintain my inventory.”

  “We’re not looking to go into business against you,” Panur said. “We’re simply tracking what became of another item from the original find. This has nothing to do with competition.”

  Kalicar eyed the three Humans standing behind Panur. He nodded imperceptibly, and the guards aimed their weapons at Adam and the others.

  “Your partners are Humans,” Kalicar announced. “Three of them. That is a formidable entourage when seeking merely information.” He then narrowed his silver eyes at Adam. “And although I admit to very infrequent contact with Humans to the point where they all look alike to me, this one does seem to look familiar. Who is he?”

  “He is of no importance,” Panur stated firmly. “I seek information, and I am willing to pay for it, many times over its market value.”

  Kalicar returned his attention to Panur, his interest piqued by the mention of credits.

  “How much are you willing to pay?”

  “That would depend on the value.”

  Kalicar nodded again. “Very well, what is this information you seek?”

  “Nine standard years ago, you—”

  “Nine years!” Kalicar interrupted. “You seek information about a transaction I did nine years ago?” He laughed and looked at his guards. “I can barely remember what I sold nine days ago, let alone nine years in the past.”

  “You don’t have records?”

  “Yes, I have records, in a manner.” He motioned at the room. “But they are in various locations. Even this building was not here nine years ago. I have had many head stations. You seek the impossible; however, I will still exact a fee from you simply for taking my time.”

  “It was a cache of nine brown boxes and a supply of deteriorated text parchment, nothing like a service module or living utensil.”

  Kalicar frowned, his forehead creating stark white lines in the red skin.

  “You remember the transaction,” Panur said, reading the alien’s body language.

  “I may.”

  “Why? What was unusual about this transaction?”

  “Five thousand credits before I say more.”

  Panur was taken aback by the demand. He glared at the black marketeer before speaking over his shoulder to Adam. “Give it to him.”

  Adam glanced at the guards. He’d already disarmed the firing circuits in the weapons with his ATD, so he had no fear of them. He was wondering why Panur didn’t just grab the uppity alien by the neck and pulled him across the table. But then Adam obliged, pulling the credits from a satchel and stepping around Panur to lay them on the table. Again, Kalicar’s hypnotic eyes remained glued on Adam.

  The alien took the chips and placed them in a box on the tabletop.

  “Yes, I remember the transaction. It was one of the highest amounts paid for such small items.”

  “We know who you sold them to,” Panur began. “What we need to know is whether or not there were other items you sold from the Lot and who you got them from.”

  “I will say there were no other items sold. That was all included in this particular shipment. But I will not tell you where I got them.”

  “I told you we’re not looking to compete by stealing your supplier. We just need to know what became of the other items in the Lot.”

  “Other items? How would you know there were other items?”

  “We know how many units should have been in the Lot. We are looking for one in particular.”

  “Which one?”

  Now it was Panur’s turn to grin, keeping the bulk of his teeth covered else Kalicar see the expression as a death challenge.

  “That I will not tell you. I’m content to know that you did not sell it. All I want to learn is who bought this missing item. And for that, I need to ask your supplier. Nothing else.”

  Kalicar’s head bobbed side to side. “I still cannot tell you, except to say it was not from
a common source. For another ten thousand, I would consider telling you, although I cannot guarantee I will.”

  “This is stupid,” Sherri suddenly blurted. “We’re not going to give you ten thousand credits without knowing if you’ll tell us or not. Let’s stop screwing around. He knows. Just get it out of him.”

  The guards lifted their weapons higher and took a step closer, the barrels of the Xan-fis now aimed more at Sherri than the others.

  “So, they are more than just guards,” Kalicar said through an amused grin. “And now I begin to recall. Your associates, TeraDon Fief, are famous Humans. I cannot recall how I know them, just that I do, particularly that one.” He pointed a boney finger at Adam. “Now, I believe our business is concluded. You will not provide additional funds, and I will not provide additional information. Even though you say you are not on Cartel business, I still do not want to suffer the potential wrath of the Gradis by letting the situation escalate further. Leave, TeraDon Fief. Leave now.”

  Panur shrugged and let out a deep sigh.

  “Unfortunately, that will not happen. We tried to be diplomatic, but that did not work. Now, I must insist you tell us where you got the Aris artifacts. And I insist you tell us now.”

  Adam and Riyad stepped closer to the guards, almost to the point where the rifle barrels pressed against their chests. The steely eyes of the sentries met those of the Humans.

  Kalicar bobbed his head again. “So, it must be. Guards, dispose of this nuisance.

  Adam enjoyed that priceless moment of discovery when aliens realized they were in some deep shit. This time was no different. Even though they knew they would be showered in alien blood at this distance, the guards still pulled their triggers. When nothing happened, they pulled again, and again, before reality struck. Reality came in the form of two right crosses to the thin alien cheekbones. One was dead before he hit the floor, the other soon to join him with a shattered skull and broken neck.

  Panur reached across the desk and grabbed Kalicar by the neck. Using his mutant strength, now manifested in the body of TeraDon Fief, Panur effortlessly lifted the alien from his chair and pulled him across the tabletop before forcing him to his knees in front of the mutant.

  “We tried nicely,” Panur said with a lilt in his voice. “Now, it won’t be so nice.”

  “I cannot tell you!” Kalicar yelled.

  “Why not? It’s just a supplier of Aris remains. What’s so secret about that? There are thousands of scavengers and miners doing the same thing.”

  “This is different.”

  Adam stepped up beside Panur. “Different enough to die for?”

  Groveling before Panur, the alien looked again at Adam, this time his expression displaying shock.

  “I know now. You are Adam Cain! I recognize you from the broadcasts. I thought you were a myth.”

  “Not hardly,” Adam said. “Now, tell us. Where did you get the items that you sold to the Gracilians?”

  “Vo’lash Brill. I got them from Vo’lash Brill.”

  “Who is he?” Panur asked.

  “He … he is a Cadonic official, one of those who oversee the Zaniff Field and the Cardonic collection of artifacts.”

  “I didn’t know the Cadonic had a collection,” Adam said.

  The Cadonic star system was the location of the Zaniff Asteroid Field, the site of the richest Aris find in history. At first, the natives kept the artifacts to themselves, selling off a few items to the Incus for study. But when news got out about the Aris and who they were, the system was overrun by treasure hunters. Eventually, they conceded and instituted a system of licensing and recordation of the finds. These days, they served more as a clearinghouse for the recovered artifacts rather than a police force. But because of this, they seldom retained any of artifacts for themselves.

  “Explain,” Sherri demanded.

  Kalicar nodded. “Occasionally, odd finds come through that defy classification. When they do, the Cadonic record the items before bringing in experts to determine which category to assign the salvage fee. Vo’lash has been isolating rare finds for me for a long time, and for a handsome profit. But what he is doing is illegal on Cadon. That is the reason I did not tell you. It was not because I did not want to. It was to protect Vo’lash.”

  “I’m sure it was,” Riyad said from the doorway where he stood guard. “You’re such a compassionate being. I can see that in you.”

  Kalicar firmed his jaw. “He provides me with the inventory I need to survive. He is my primary source. That is why I do not grovel with the others in the Consortium. My products are of the rarest quality.”

  “Where does Vo’lash work?” Panur asked.

  “At the Recovery Center in Hi-dor, on Cadon. He is a First Level Inspector.”

  “Anything else you want to tell us?”

  “No, except that I will say nothing of this visit. Vo’lash need not—”

  Panur reached down, and with a lightning-quick snap of his fingers, crushed the neck of the alien.

  Adam was shocked at the suddenness of the assassination. He was about to say something but then changed his mind. Kalicar had to die. They couldn’t take the chance of his linking with Vo’lash.

  “We can go now,” Panur announced nonchalantly as he spun on his heel and headed for the door,

  Sherri raced forward and removed the credits they’d paid Kalicar from the box on his table, along with a sizable additional stack.

  “A little profit never hurt anyone,” she grinned at Adam.

  Chapter 7

  The cold, icy rain hit them like a sobering slap to the face. The team had a long, soggy walk ahead of them, and it seemed darker outside than before. The star of Werznor may be setting, but Adam couldn’t tell through the thick, grey overcast.

  Adam was blinded suddenly by a brilliant flash from across the street; several other bolts followed the first. Every member of the team was hit, including Panur. Adam saw the raw burn on the mutant’s arm and the pure anger on his face. Even though the flesh of the TeraDon body was scorched, most of the energy was absorbed by Panur’s inner system. His eyes were a brighter blue than before.

  Everyone dove unceremoniously into the muddy muck of the street seeking cover. Adam scanned the area with his ATD, searching for the source of the ambush. It was hard to tell. Between the intermittence signal caused by the planet’s core and the plethora of additional weapons in the area, it was hard to tell which were shooting. Then he checked the battery readings. Most carried full charges, but some didn’t, the ones that had just fired. He set out disarming those.

  Riyad and Sherri had their MKs out, returning fire in the general direction of the attack. They drained their first battery packs and slipped in more. Their basic ATD’s could detect energy signals, but they couldn’t disarm the weapons. Adam’s was the only ATD that could do that. Even so, Riyad and Sherri knew who was firing, and they made the most of their shots.

  “See, Panur!” Riyad yelled. “This is why we need full ATDs!”

  Enemy fire was down significantly, which was both good and bad. Dozens of energy sources were moving, but now the bad guys merged with the rest of the population and disappeared.

  Panur grabbed Sherri and Riyad by their clothing and pulled them out of the muck. Adam was on his feet a moment later. They ran back into the Consortium, knowing that was the only way to the spaceport. They were the only ones running, which meant everyone else was in their way. Kiosks exploded as bodies were thrown into the displays. Three stampeding Humans could do a lot of damage on their own. But add in an immortal mutant trapped inside the body of a six-and-a-half-foot-tall alien, and it became exponentially worse.

  Even so, it took thirty minutes of all-out sprinting for the team to make it back to the ship. Although they’d run through a torrential downpour, each of them was still covered in mud when they arrived. Riyad was at the controls a moment after entering and firing up the gravity generators while charging the chem engines for liftoff. It was a five-minute
warm-up procedure, which during that time Adam and Sherri stood guard near the airlock with two of the BAR super-rifles they’d brought from Navarus. The craft wasn’t a warship, so it’s exterior plating was vulnerable should a concerted assault be launched. A strategic hit to a critical component and they would be stranded on Werznor.

  “Was that Kalicar’s people shooting at us?” Sherri asked anyone within earshot.

  “They didn’t have time to organize,” Adam answered. “I disabled twelve weapons. That’s a pretty big force.”

  “They were there to stop us from learning the secret of the artifact’s origins,” Panur said. “This indicates we are on the right trail.”

  “And they were living beings and not service modules,” Adam said. “That tells me Kanan doesn’t know what we’re doing.”

  “That is not necessarily true,” Panur corrected. “Who would want to stop us from acquiring the Code if not Kanan? Whoever has it cannot possibly know what it is, not without a translation of the corrupted documents. And only Lila and I know the full extent of their meaning.”

  “Unless the Gracilians do, too.”

  “They do not have the originals. Even with copies, they could not read the underlying layers. They would have only a portion of the puzzle.”

  “Yeah, that’s all well and good,” Sherri said. “Someone is still trying to kill us.” As evidence, she showed the perfectly round burned-out section of her shirt. “This hurts like a bitch. It’s been a while since I’ve hit with a Level-2 bolt.”

  “And look at me!” Panur said proudly. He’d taken a hit directly to the chest. Even though the raw, red skin was already healing, he still reveled in the idea that he’d been shot. In all the time Adam had known him, he couldn’t remember a time when Panur took a bolt and felt it. All the other times he’d been shot, it was more like a sexual experience as he absorbed the energy into his body, soaking it in and glowing white-hot. Adam had no doubt his current injury didn’t hurt, not a bit. But it was the idea that his body was damaged that was such a thrill for the mutant.