The guards around the ship hadn’t been a problem, although Tanner had seen one of them speak into a communicator.
At the moment, Acton and he moved through a crowded bazaar. The centurion carried the suitcase Lacy had carted earlier. It was heavy. No doubt, it held triton bars. The asteroid half-reminded Tanner of Calisto Grandee. It had the feel of heightened capitalism but lacked the luxury habitat’s polish. Here, beggars cooked kabobs while slick operators beside them in booths sold jewelry or high-tech gadgets.
Several times, cutpurses bumped against Tanner as they hurried through the area. He chopped one youth on the wrist, grabbed a woman’s hand trying to slip into a pocket—she began to shriek—so he let go and disappeared into the crowd. The centurion kept his hand firmly on his gun-butt after that.
Few tried to steal from Acton. The one who did sucked on his knuckles. The alien had rapped the man’s hand with his cane.
They passed under a man-sized scanner, walking into a different area. Hard-eyed guards in body armor stood everywhere. They held heavy combat rifles, watching the various people. The crowds had thinned, but they wore fancier garments and bought expensive items.
Finally, Acton and Tanner entered an elevator with two guards.
“Weapons room,” Acton said.
The elevator went up. Soon, they strolled in a quieter atmosphere. No beggars lined the passageways here. No booths stood anywhere. All the sellers had shops. Most of those showed weaponry: rifles, mortars, combat vests, grenades and portable plasma cannons among others.
“We could have used some of these weapons in the space-strike service back on Remus,” Tanner said.
The alien didn’t respond.
Tanner noticed a lack of guards, which seemed strange. This place should need them more than others. He pointed out the lack to Acton.
“The explanation is simple,” the alien said. “Everyone up here is armed.”
They passed shop after shop, the wares becoming increasingly more interesting.
“Is there any place in particular you have in mind?” Tanner asked.
Acton pointed at the second to last shop. The sign read, BELTER’S SUPPLIES. The shop only had a small, dingy entrance.
“The place doesn’t look like much compared to its neighbors,” Tanner said.
“Agreed,” Acton said. “It doesn’t have to be gaudy, though. His reputation draws in the customers.”
“You’ve heard of Belter?”
“It is why we’re here.” Acton paused and looked back at Tanner. “I suggest you let me do the talking. I have a specific item in mind. If you talk…it could ruin everything.”
“Mums the word,” Tanner said.
“Make sure you remember that.”
The store looked just as unappealing inside. A small old man with rheumy, sad eyes watched them as he sat on a three-legged stool. He wore a brown smock and had stubby little fingers. Glass cases held various plasma rifles and neat little heaters like those Lacy had used against the pirates. They were costly, high-tech items, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Acton gazed upon the various items. Once, he snapped his fingers, staring fixedly at Tanner and pointing at the ground behind him. The centurion finally complied, moving until he stood in the exact spot.
“He reacts as if he’s been mind-chopped,” the small man said in a high-pitched voice.
Acton nodded.
“Interesting,” the clerk said. “There’s a mulish look on his face. Is he stubborn?”
“At times,” Acton said.
The small man considered the information. “Does he still have his sex organs?”
“He does,” Acton said.
“Ah,” the clerk said. “Therein is your problem. You should have him gelded. It will gentle him considerably.”
Tanner almost went for his gun. Who was this little creep?
“I find that a gelding lacks combat aggressiveness,” Acton was saying.
“Yes,” the clerk agreed. “There is that to think about.”
The two glanced at each other, and something seemed to pass between them. It made Tanner’s hackles rise. He let his gun hand drop onto the butt of his weapon.
“He understands me,” the small man said.
“True,” Acton said.
“You are daring indeed.”
Acton shrugged.
It began to don on Tanner that the little man on the stool might actually be another Shand. The desire to draw and fire grew stronger.
“He has become agitated,” the small man said.
“Heel,” Acton said, snapping his fingers.
Tanner forced himself to look down and step to where Acton pointed. Maybe he could learn more by acting dumb. If the little clerk thought of him as an animal, the man would likely say more than he should. Convinced of that, Tanner strove to act as the Lithians usually did.
Acton spoke again, but rapid-fire and in a language Tanner had never heard before. Maybe it was Shand cant. Whatever the case, the two spoke faster yet to each other. He wasn’t learning anything now.
Finally, the little man hopped off his stool. He sauntered behind a case and pressed something on it.
“This way,” the little man said.
Acton led the way and Tanner followed. A trapdoor had appeared at the spot. The two followed the little alien down a spiral staircase into a cool chamber. Lights brightened, revealing more glass cases. These held strange looking weapons.
Acton spoke more of the alien cant. The little man studied him. Acton spoke faster. The alien in the brown smock seemed troubled. Finally, with a start, he led the way through some curtains, into a smaller area.
Acton gave Tanner a significant glance before leading the way. They entered an alcove with a single stand. On it was a display case with a thick, rather longish gun inside.
“I would see your wares,” the small alien said in Basic.
Acton snapped his fingers at Tanner, indicating a table.
Surprisingly, Tanner understood what Acton meant. He set the suitcase on it and stepped back. Acton handed Tanner his cane. The centurion took it in a reverent manner.
The small alien chuckled at that. “He’s better trained than I realized. He instinctively recognizes a relic.”
Acton didn’t respond. Instead, he clicked open the suitcase, opening it, extracting three bars of gleaming triton.
The small alien’s eyes shined with avarice as a lizard-like tongue darted between his parted lips. “I may touch?”
“One,” Acton said.
The small man waddled near, picking up a triton bar, running it against his cheek.
“The gun is a genuine Innoo Flaam?” Acton asked.
“From the Third Period during their ascendancy,” the small “man” said.
“It still self-charges?”
“It isn’t a museum piece but a functional weapon. I would have you field test it, but…”
“I understand,” Acton said. “I do intend to turn it on, though.”
The small alien looked up in alarm. “Is that wise?”
Acton smiled. So did the small “man” after a moment.
“Yes,” the small alien said. “I suppose it is wise. Please, turn it on.”
“I won’t,” Acton said. “I’ll let my man have the honor.”
The small alien shook his head. “That is rash and to me seems unnecessarily trusting. Remember, he still has his balls. What if a testosterone rush causes him to go kill-crazy?”
“I have a murder switch in place,” Acton said.
“Ah. I should have realized. In that case, yes. Let the human hold the blaster.”
Acton turned to Tanner. The small alien waddled to the display case, inserting a key, turning it. The display case whirred with sound as the protective cover slid into the stand.
Tanner hesitated.
“He knows it’s highly lethal,” the small alien said. “How very remarkable that is.”
“Some of them are sensitive to power,” Acton said.
/> “I’ve noticed,” the small alien said. “Heed me, Acton Indomitable, geld him or you will have trouble with the human in the future.”
“I doubt that,” Acton said. “But your concern is noted. Go on, Tanner, pick up the gun and do exactly as I tell you.”
Tanner found that his hand trembled as he reached for the Innoo Flaam blaster. Stop that, he told himself. He let his hand drop onto the cool metal. Gripping the big, over-longish gun, finding it a perfect fit for his hand, he took it off the special cloth. The blaster was heavy. He looked to the right and left on it—
“The switch is to your right,” Acton said. “Flick it with your thumb but do not pull the trigger.”
Tanner flicked the switch.
Immediately, the blaster purred with power, vibrating in his hand. The end of the barrel glowed with a sinister red color. A sense of potent destructive force filled Tanner’s being. He wondered what kind of damage this thing could do.
“Keep it aimed it at the floor,” Acton said.
“That won’t matter if he pulls the trigger,” the small alien said. “We’d all die in the blast. It takes half a minute to recharge after each shot. You could take down some spacecraft with that and every terrain vehicle I know. It’s a monster gun. No one makes weapons like that anymore.”
“How do I disarm it?” Acton said.
“Two flicks of the same switch.”
“Did you hear that?” Acton asked Tanner.
The centurion nodded.
“Then click it twice at once,” Acton said in a commanding voice.
Tanner did so. The vibration immediately ceased. Ten seconds later, the red color deepened to black and then altogether disappeared from the end of the barrel.
“It’s seems fully functional,” Acton said.
“Yes,” the small alien said. “It’s worth five triton bars—”
Acton turned abruptly to the other and spoke in their fast, Shand cant. The two haggled. Finally, Acton won the Third Period Innoo Flaam blaster and several other weapons upstairs. He left behind all three triton bars.
As they exited through the small door onto the main corridor, Tanner turned to Acton.
“I can’t believe you gave him three bars,” the centurion said.
“We have the bargain,” Acton said. “Do you know what you’re carrying?”
“An Innoo Flaam special,” Tanner said.
Acton shook his head. “It’s sad to witness such profound ignorance among your species, Captain. The weapon you’re carrying is over twenty thousand years old.”
“What?” Tanner said. “No way is that true.”
“The Innoo Flaam were aliens in the truest sense.”
“Shands aren’t aliens?” Tanner asked.
“They cracked sciences beyond our understanding,” Acton said, ignoring the question. “As far as we know, the Innoo Flaam fought a series of wars against an energy race of beings. These energy creatures destroyed entire worlds, and they were immune to any form of attack while traveling through space. Finally, the Innoo Flaam invented these special blasters. The records indicated they could slay the energy creatures with several direct shots.” Acton shook his head. “No one knows what happened in the end. It would seem likely that the energy creatures perished, but it is also possible that they emigrated out of our galaxy. One thing we do know is that they destroyed the Innoo Flaam. Yet, such was the science needed for these weapons that they outlasted their creators. Such a blaster as you possess is difficult to find anywhere. I had heard there was one in the hideaway.”
“That man was a Shand?” Tanner asked.
“What does it matter to you? We have the blaster, and we have several other potent weapons. Now it is time to make sure Magnus Shelly doesn’t cheat us as she upgrades your wretched raider.”
“How is one gun going to do that?”
Acton smiled, and for once it seemed genuine. “That little gun could probably destroy the entire asteroid. Once it’s armed, people pay attention.”
“Big deal, I draw a super-gun. All this Magnus Shelly needs is a sniper to blow me away. Bam. That’s the end of the threat”
“I’m sure she’ll try that. At that point, she’ll realize that she has to deal fairly with us after all.”
“What does that mean?” Tanner asked. “I don’t like the sound of this.”
“You will,” Acton said. “Of that, I assure you.”
-33-
The meeting with Magnus Shelly proved uneventful except for one pregnant moment. Acton and Tanner stood in a sealed room, facing the orange-skinned lady as she stood behind protective glass.
“You will notice,” she said, “that I have sniper guns pointed at you.”
“I saw them immediately,” the Shand said.
“How fortunate for you,” the woman sneered. “I’m disappointed in you. I thought you were better than this, Lord Acton. I find—”
The Shand raised a hand. “Please, Notable, before you say something you might regret later. Let me show you something.” He nodded to Tanner.
Tanner flicked the switch on the Innoo Flaam holstered at his side. At the same moment, Acton took a step nearer him.
“What’s that?” Magnus Shelly asked. She stared at something on her side of the glass. “These readings just went off the chart.”
“He has a nuclear weapon,” a man said on her side.
“Are you insane?” Shelly asked Acton.
“On the contrary,” the Shand said. “I am the most fully sane person on the asteroid save perhaps for one other individual. We do not have nuclear weapons. My associate has an Innoo Flaam blaster.”
“Those are myths, old wives tales,” Magnus Shelly said.
“No,” Acton said. “They are quite real if very rare. If I ask my associate to draw and fire, you in the other room will all perish.”
“You’ll die with us,” the woman said.
“You are misled in thinking so,” Acton said. “As I said, this is an Innoo Flaam blaster. The guns were constructed to survive dangerous energy creatures of potent offensive capability. If you think I’m lying, fire your sniper guns at us. However, if you do so, our deal is suspended.”
“Make your meaning clear,” she said.
“My associate will kill you.”
Tanner shot Acton a sharp glance. What in the heck was the Shand talking about? He had an old energy blaster. That didn’t make him invincible. Why would anyone think so?
Magnus Shelly seemed undecided. Finally, her shoulders sagged just a little. “We will proceed with the deal.”
“Excellent,” Acton said. “One of the reasons I chose you was that you seemed rational.”
“I despise gloating,” she said.
“A small flaw, I assure you. It doesn’t bother me.”
Her manner became flinty as her lower jaw moved from side to side.
“Let us meet in person,” Acton suggested. “I find this higher threat level taxing. Why should we interact this way, eh?”
“Yes,” she said finally. “Let us talk in person. Just have your gunman turn off his weapon. I don’t like it.”
“No one does,” Acton said just loud enough for Tanner to hear.
***
The work on the Dark Star began several hours after the meeting.
Everyone exited the raider, including Vulpus and the two Lithians. Everyone carried a gun or a weapon of some kind. The Lithians wore body armor and carried huge iron bars.
“Why do I have to wear this?” Greco complained. He had one of the new guns belted around his hairy waist.
“Vigilance is the requirement for safety in a place like this,” Acton told the apeman. “We will remain together. I suggest none of us leaves except in the company of another. Truthfully, no one should stray from the captain. The notable fears the blaster, and for good reason.”
“Why would Tanner destroy the asteroid?” Greco asked. “He dies too then.”
“Possibly,” Acton said.
They
were in a hotel room overlooking the small shipyard. Acton had tested the room for listening devices, having found a dozen already.
“How could he survive the asteroid?” Greco asked.
Acton smiled coolly.
“What does that even mean?” Greco said. “A grin isn’t an answer.”
“No,” Acton said. “But it leaves a question in your mind. That’s all I need.”
“Need for what?” Greco asked.
“To mold Notable Shelly’s thinking,” Acton said. “They believe the captain will act with revenge if something happens to me or stops our deal.”
“Mind games,” Greco said, shaking his head.
“Psychological manipulation,” Acton corrected. “It is something I excel in. And that is good for all of us.”
Greco glanced at Tanner. “I think you should ask him.”
“Ask me what?” Acton said, becoming alert.
Tanner faced the Shand. The alien’s actions in the asteroid had surprised him. Could Lord Acton be one of the good guys? It seemed hard to believe.
“We’re worried about you,” Tanner finally said.
“That is my lot in life,” Acton replied.
“How can we trust you?”
“You wear the Innoo Flaam. Doesn’t that count for something?”
Tanner nodded. “What do you hope to achieve on Planet Zero? You have a cyborg—”
“I’ve already told you why I had her,” Acton said. “She was a key.”
“Can’t you see how having a cyborg would make us nervous?” Tanner said.
“Yes. It’s why I’ve armed you with the blaster.”
“Fair enough,” Tanner said. “We’d still like to know what you hope to achieve there.”
“The same as you,” Acton said. “I want to throttle the cyborgs in their crib. If we fail, there will be ruinous war.”
“Why should that bother you?”
Acton looked away. Finally, he said, “I cannot tell you my exact wish, for that would expose the essence of the Shands. We’re not ready to reveal that secret yet.” He turned to the others. “I have acted in good faith, I assure you.”
“You’ve acted peremptorily at times,” Marcus said.
“Yes. That’s true. My heightened intellect and ultra-rational nature causes me to act before slow-witted creatures such as yourselves can think to do so. It is a burden knowing so much and having such resources. I am on the same side as right-thinking humanity. All I ask is that you do not get in my way when you fail to understand my higher goals.”
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