Bakun accepted the news that his Corporation was being shut down. The security forces had already occupied his buildings in Lewista and would eventually do so throughout the empire. “Thank you” he hailed and terminated the call.
He walked to the big window and watched out over Cheklin’s second city. The apartment he was in was not registered in the Likta Corporation’s assets or under his personal or family accounts. But it was his nonetheless. He rested his hand on the nearby lounge chair. Somehow he needed its support. It wasn’t physical, though he would be the first to admit he was no spring chicken. No, it was the emotional upheaval at seeing a lifetime of effort, nay generations of effort, being flushed down the toilet.
He knew it was necessary but the emotions lagged behind the logic. He rubbed his eyes and it wasn’t because of the glare from the strong sunlight. ‘Tis the grieving’ he said to himself. ‘Don’t give yourself a hard time over this. You knew it would come.’
In half annoyance he wiped his eyes with a tissue. He tried not to think of all the people in his corporation who would soon be out of a job. He knew they would appoint an administrator, who would run the corporation as a state enterprise. But he also knew they would purge the staff of anyone they suspected as being too close to him. ‘I am sorry’ he said to himself.
But a weak smile came to his face when he thought that his deceased wife would have been pleased for him. ‘If only I had listened to you a lot sooner.’ He picked up his communicator, keen to see the picture of her, but then cursed as he realised he had this new phone. ‘I didn’t plan that one well my dear.’
He slunk down into the lounge chair, closed his eyes and let the warm bright light bathe him. Thoughts, faces and images from his past flashed across his inner eye for several minutes, leading him on a roller coaster ride of emotion. Finally he sighed and dabbed his eyes once more. Then he opened them, stood up, took a quick look out over the tops of the city’s skyline and said in a strong definite voice “There’s a lot to do today!”
In the adjacent apartment, Felis was nominally on guard duty. He had taken over from Erkum two hours ago. Erkum’s snoring could be heard quite clearly out in the living area. Felis was sitting at the table on which his pistol rested within easy reach. The small device next to it still shone a bright purple colour. This was comforting for it meant no one was moving in the corridor outside the apartment.
Felis realised in that moment that he would probably be spending a good proportion of his time for the foreseeable future observing this device. ‘It’s the price to be paid’ he said to himself. He glanced over to where Meelanda sat in one of the lounge chairs. She was writing her speech for tonight’s rally. Evie was doing likewise in the adjacent lounge chair.
A slight smile appeared on his face as he observed Evie. There was no doubt she was attractive. Few rogan males would disagree with his assessment of her physical beauty. But that was not why he was smiling. It was her change in attitude towards him this last week. While he still resented their use of the truth serum on him there was no denying that it had allowed Evie to trust him.
His demeanour changed to a more neutral state as he pondered further. What he was still unsure about was how he should interpret her more recent behaviour. It was more than civility. It was at least friendly. ‘But is it more than that?’ he asked himself.
As if attuned, Evie turned her head sideways in his direction. It caught him by surprise as did her warm smile. He smiled back.
“Want to hear what I’ve written?” she asked.
“Sure” he replied.
Meelanda cast Evie an expression which said ‘please I’m trying to work here.’
“Perhaps we can rehearse in the bedroom” said Evie to Meelanda.
“Perfect” responded Meelanda.
“Actually I need to stay here and keep an eye on this” advised Felis as he looked at the purple light.
“Alright, I’ll go to the bedroom” said Meelanda.
She shut the door behind her. The sound proofing was excellent. She couldn’t hear Evie as she launched into her speech. Not even Erkum’s loud snoring penetrated. She sat up on the bed with her console. But before getting stuck back in she glanced out at the city. The hopper traffic was very busy. Streams of craft plied their way down the skyways between the big buildings.
They reminded her of her brother and niece. Apart from Erkum, they were the only direct family she had. She hoped they got out of Lewista last night. She checked the time and realised that it was only an hour ago she had tried calling her brother to check on their safety. It had rung out. She picked up her communicator and tried again.
As the dial tone played she reflected on the fact that her not having a partner or kids was a real blessing right now. She had lain awake last night asking would she have committed to do this if she had a partner or kids. ‘Perhaps not’ had been the conclusion then. The dial tone changed with the call not responding.
‘Please be safe’ she prayed. Frustrated she focussed on the console screen and began reviewing what she had written so far.
Chapter 14. Slidwon 0920, 22 August
Angina finished watching the report from Lewista. She knew of Bakun Likta, who hadn’t. But who was this Meelanda Orocash. She quickly did a search on her terminal. ‘Interesting’ she said to herself. ‘She’s his R&D director and yet she’s doing the front running.” The thought that he was using her crossed her mind but she dismissed it. There was something about her delivery. ‘Impressive and with real conviction.’
She started reading the scant notes they had on her. ‘Ah Daddy’s girl’ she said triumphantly. She leaned back in her chair. ‘Mmm…maybe.’
“Jebna” she hailed “come in!”
Jebna entered a minute later. He nodded and took a seat opposite her.
“Find out all you can on this Meelanda Orocash” directed Angina. “Who do we have on Lewista that we can trust and who can be discreet?”
“Discreet for what?”
“I want her found and put under surveillance but not contacted. I don’t want our local people to know.”
Jebna raised an eyebrow, which was his way of saying ‘Oh yes pray tell!’ But Angina did not feel like confiding in her deputy just yet. “Have them contact you alone and keep me posted. That’s all. Thanks Jebna.”
Jebna realised he was not going to get an explanation but their years of working together had generated a certain amount of trust and good will in each other. He nodded, rose and left.
Angina leant back in her chair. ‘Yes we’ll keep a keen eye on you Meelanda.’
Chapter 15. Chikita, Slemros 1100, 22 August
Adrian Yohansen smiled as he walked up the long open aired walkway to the gelk parliament. Officially he was annoyed with the gelk for being tardy in their support against the rogan but as his eyes took in the architectural splendour of the great parliament building he felt like being bathed in artistic wonder. It was a magnificent building from the spiral columns, faced in shimmering shakiri stone, to the gob smacking lustre of the domes that capped each chamber.
‘Oh how I would trade my position of power for the talent to design such wonder’ he said to himself. For a moment, and by no means the first, he questioned the wisdom of his earlier decision to go into politics rather than pursue his first career in architecture. ‘But that bird has flown’ he reminded himself.
“Wonderful isn’t it Minister” said Fegelk Moranigh, his gelk counterpart.
“Oh indeed it is Minister” replied Adrian “A real splendour.” After a few more paces Adrian added “Please call me Adrian. We are friends are we not?”
Fegelk nodded and replied “Of course we are Adrian and please call me Fegelk.”
As they closed to the front entrance the honour guard presented arms and Adrian returned the salute by tapping his right temple and waving his hand down in a sweeping motion. Part of him wanted to linger, to take in the vast murals on the entrance walls but that would have to wait. Matters of state
beckoned.
Fegelk pointed with his open hand to one of the huge concourse across from the main lobby and said “This way” as he quickened his pace a little. Fegelk’s almost pixie like features took on a serious demeanour as they crossed the large open area of the lobby.
The sunlight was redirected by a series of light tubes that flooded the lobby with daylight. Being the seat of government there were figures moving in all directions across the lobby, heading for offices distributed throughout the huge building. Somehow they managed to give the two foreign ministers a wide berth.
The same occurred on the concourse. Finally Fegelk indicated a left turn into a corridor where a sign on the wall indicated that he was heading towards the President’s office.
One of the two guards at the entrance to the President’s suite checked a hand held device and then waved the pair through. Adrian was introduced to several of the President’s staff in the outer chamber of his office and then led into meet the President.
Wollon Tegoola was tall by gelk standards but still had to look up into Adrian’s eyes. His pale blue eyes bulged a little out of his wide face. They smiled along with his wide grinning mouth as he stepped forward and shook Adrian’s hand. “Welcome Foreign Minister. I am truly honoured.”
‘The charm offensive has begun’ thought Adrian.
Chapter 16. Rowisus 2200, 22 August
Evie was laughing as she accepted Felis’ hand to board the hopper. Oscren was airborne as soon as she sat down. His focus was on making a clean get away from Cheklin’s second city. He eased out of the bay and banked into the mid-level flyway. A security hopper was just arriving over the rally space, coming in from the east. Oscren was heading west.
“You enjoyed that, didn’t you?” asked Felis with a smile on his face.
“Nice speech” interjected Meelanda.
“It was, wasn’t it” said Evie. The adrenalin of the occasion had completely flushed away her normal reserve. If the truth be known she had never felt more alive. “What a roar at the end hey?” she added with a big grin.
“I think a little excitement becomes you” said Felis. He was taken aback by the intensity of her gaze and felt the need for a diversion. “So off to Muntikis then.”
“I reckon it was a much bigger crowd here than in Lewista” said Erkum.
“The word is spreading” said Meelanda.
Oscren banked and accelerated and then climbed up over the buildings. His route path would take them out north of the city and then they would drop low to hug the tree tops. They would arrive in Muntikis in just under two hours.
Bakun had already arranged the accommodation. He was now at a destination only Oscren knew. ‘It’s best this way’ he had told Meelanda.
As the hopper hugged the nap of the ground, Oscren’s passengers sat back into their seats content to be quiet as they gazed out the windows and reflected on the night’s events and their situation.
Felis reflected that a few months ago he would never have imagined finding himself doing what he was now doing. ‘I have been liberated’ he thought to himself. ‘For the first time in years I have hope of a better future.’
Evie in the seat opposite took off her shoes, adjusted the seat into a semi recline and placed her feet up on his knees. She smiled cheekily as she did so. He gave them a little pat and they both pretended to close their eyes and doze off. Meelanda smiled at Erkum, in the seat opposite her, accompanied by a nod towards Evie. Erkum smiled back.
Meelanda looked out the window content. There were a few small lights way off on the western sky. Otherwise it was a dark night. But she wasn’t going to let the overcast sky rob her of this good feeling. ‘Yes we have got off to a good start.’
Chapter 17. Chikita 2230, 22 August
It had been a long day for Adrian Yohansen. He read his draft message again. He drummed his fingers on the table as he did so. He knew it wasn’t enough. The cash was welcome but it was military muscle that was really needed and Tegoola had not been willing to commit that. He knew Malissa and the rest of the cabinet would be disappointed.
He stood up and paced to the big window of his hotel suite. ‘I have failed’ he chastised himself. He knew it was pointless delaying sending the message. It had been waiting there ready to send for the last hour. Finally he sat back down and launched his secure communications software. It took a few moments to fire up.
Then he heard the tone indicating he had received messages. There were dozens filling up his inbox. But one was sorted automatically to the top because it was marked priority FLASH. He opened it and read the report that would change everything.
He knew it was late but he hailed Fegelk anyway.
“Yes Adrian is everything all right?” said Fegelk.
“I have just received news that we have secured a base within the rogan systems. Surely that is proof enough of our commitment and our capacity to win this fight. Are you going to continue sitting on the sidelines?”
There was a period of silence. Then Fegelk said “Send me your report. I will take this up again with the President and the whole cabinet tomorrow.”
“Thank you Fegelk.”
Chapter 18. Rollinium 0900, 23 August
Art read the message a second time. He had mixed reactions. On the one hand he agreed that Sallusam must not get access to the device and that he should be apprehended or taken down but he had grave misgivings about trying to pull this off on Dyritka.
He would have felt more comfortable if they had a stealth shuttle. He had no intel on the likely detection and intercept capabilities on Dyritka but if it was like this place he assessed their chance of a free unmolested run in as next to none. “What were they thinking?” he asked out loud.
“Who?” asked Sue, as she came into the room at the spaceport that had been assigned to them as their office. She had just come back from her rounds, checking on the status of the droids. She liked to get it over first thing, so she could have the rest of the day off.
“Here check this out” said Art.
She read the message. “Who will look after the droids?” she asked.
“Is that the first thing you thought of?” asked Art.
“Well yeah! I mean no one else here knows how to.”
Art shook his head. “You’re like a mother hen with those droids. You do know honey that these metal boxes of yours have no flesh and blood and are self-maintaining. They don’t need mothering.”
“You can be a patronising bastard at times Art.”
“Sorry honey but I just think that a mission as dangerous as this one would rank higher in your priority list.”
“What’s so dangerous? We go in, we lure him to some deserted wilderness, we plug him and we come back. No dramas, piece of cake.”
“You missed the bit about ‘apprehend’.”
Sue tilted her head and gave him a look which said ‘really?’ Art turned his hands, palms up, as if to say ‘well yeah!’
“That isn’t going to happen. He’s not worth the risk” she countered.
Art waved his hands in front palms out to stop her. “OK, let’s leave that aside for now…”
“No, there’s not going to be any apprehending, full stop, end of story.”
“As you say” said Art not being deterred. “Have you given any thought as to how we may get there….undetected….unmolested?”
“Mmm…no warthog.” Art gave her an expression which said ‘yes…’ “Bummer!” she added. “What if we came on a craft carrying refugees from this place?”
Art raised his arm with his hand horizontal till it went past her head and then up to the top of his.
“Mmm…bummer. I never thought I would want to be shorter” and she gave him a smile.
“Not to mention the angled eyes and a …” said Art and he moved both hands downwards in a curving wave.
“Well I’m certain I’m not going to want to flatten these” she said as she cupped her hands under her breasts and gave them a little lift.
> “Me neither” said Art with a smile.
“And I’m not going to make them any bigger either” she added.
“It’ll probably happen when you have kids you know” said Art playfully.
“Dream on big fella. Mmm, we could stow away on the craft.”
“Thermal scanners.”
“Oh yeah…another bummer!...heat shielding?”
“Maybe…yeah might work. You’re not just a pretty face.”
“And you’re still a misogynist, darling. What am I going to do with you?”
“Gotta love me” he said with a big grin.
She leant forward and gave him a light tap, tap, tap on his cheek with her open hand. “I think I did that last night didn’t I?”
He took advantage of her position and pulled her towards him. She kissed him on contact. He kicked the door shut with his long leg, while continuing to pull her into him with his hand on her buttocks.
It was a small chair designed for a much shorter rogan body and not two tall and much heavier human bodies. It succumbed in spectacular manner. Thankfully with its short legs (relative to those on a normal human chair) Art had only a short distance to fall before he hit the floor. Sue collapsed on top of him. Both began laughing out loudly.
Art looked up at the face of his lover and felt a wave of gratitude wash over him. She kissed him lightly on the lips. “At least it’s bigger than a broom closet” she quipped, referring to the location where he had proposed to her.
“Ooh I remember that broom closet” he replied as he pulled out her blouse from her pants.
She pulled her torso up and he unbuttoned the blouse. “You do this so proficiently…better than me” she said.
“Years of practice” he replied and the blouse was pulled off entirely. Art struggled, though, with the fastener at the back of Sue’s bra. “Well that’s a bit of a worry” she teased “and I thought practice makes perfect.”
He finally succeeded. “Obviously I still need a lot more” he said with a wicked smile and pulled her voluptuous form to him.
Audacity (Warner's World Book 5) Page 29