Rex said."Are you done now with the Marines?"
"Never Dad, once a marine always a marine but I will be discharged officially in a few days. Well I promised my Angel to go shopping with her. Partner likes your new friend so I leave him here if that's okay Dad."
"Sure is, have fun you two."
Wetmouth felt jealous of the two. They had everything and a loving father!
Rex sat back down." I am sorry I had to interrupt but I had not seen either of them in a year. That is the reason I came to this place in the first place."
She said." I am just a stranger they are family. I understand!"
The woman Yvonne stepped closer and Wetmouth realized she was there the whole time, and she looked at a PDD. "I just checked with legal, Sir. It isn't as easy to make the young lady a citizen. According to her visa she is a minor and needs a legal guardian. Technically she is an orphan of non Union origin and would need to report to Social. "
He said." I don't care if it is easy or difficult I want it done!"
"There is this alternative…" She held the PDD before his eyes.
Rex glanced at it and then said." Wetmouth, I am Rex Schwartz. I don't know if you have heard of me on Sin 4 but I am considered the richest man in the Galaxy and while I must abide by the law like everyone else I usually get things done. I am an Immortal and older than a little over 3000 years old, I am happily married for almost as long and I assure you I could hire every Sojonit there is for a decade and would not have to cut down on sugar for my coffee. I am telling you all this to assure you I am no threat. I won't harm you but even if the press says otherwise. I got a heart and I am a man, I can't help it but I am touched by a girl crying and your life story has touched me deeply! So let me help you but I can do so only if you trust me!"
He paused to let it sink in.
Wetmouth of course had heard of Schwartz Industries as they maintained a Call Center and a bank on Sin 4. Not even the Syndicates dared to mess with them. Her analytical mind realized how incredibly powerful that man was and she believed every word he had said. She shivered involuntarily and then said with a weak voice." Yes I trust you."
He smiled. "Splendid, we will call your mother superior and make sure she is okay with that and then I will adopt you, if that is okay with you. As my daughter you can become a citizen in no time and then we find you the finest tutors and your University of choice."
Chapter 5: Crystal Suite
I came to my senses and realized even before I opened my eyes I was naked and my hands were tied to my back. I opened my eyes and looked into the face of a blue skinned Thauran teen with coppery metallic hair. "Hey Exa, your rich benefactor is awake." Then he turned back to me." Now listen carefully, Rich Citizen Kid. We are the Port Roaches, the most bad ass gang on all of Twilight and I am the Roach King. You caused one of my roaches to be arrested. I don't like that. You interfere with my business and I don't like that either. But little useless Exa here, tells me you like little girls and pay for food and you got money. You can improve your situation by letting me see how much money you got on your credit chip and then I want you to transfer every micro cent into my credit strip and I let you live, release you, naked but alive up in the port and you can go back to whatever dirt ball you came from, poorer but alive!"
"I don't believe you. You can't let me go after I handed you my money. Union Police would tear this planet apart if they hear of a kidnapping, I am sure you know what the penalty for everyone involved is."
There were twelve others similar dressed and dirty as the Roach king and Exa who was the smallest and most fragile looking of them all. One of them said." He is right King! This ain't stealing anymore! We're in deep trouble; they will hang us for this."
Another squeaked." I seen a public hanging and I sure do not want to go like that! It was horrible, the guy was charged with murder and he kicked his feet for almost five minutes before he died. Roach king let's cut our losses and let the guy go!"
"You all shut up! I am in charge here! This guy is rich! That is our ticket out of here! We all will have money and eat and sleep in real beds!"
"You are elected by us to be our leader!" The other yelled." We have a right to vote on that!"
I added to stoke the fire." You can't leave this planet without CIT's and no money will buy you those. Where do you want to go? I sent a distress call with my PDD just before that lying brat send me dreaming. I am sure if Port security can't find me they call in Union Police. To kidnap a Union Fleet member is real bad."
Exa almost cried as she said." He did tell me he was on his way to Arsenal. That's Fleet HQ!"
Another boy said." Union Fleet, King are you crazy? I am out of here! They bring in the PSI Corps to find him or anyone responsible for his death! There is no place we can hide from them!"
"I quit! I go to the Filth Flies. They may not have a nice cave as we do but they stick with stealing!"
The Roach King screamed in a fit! "Alright let us discuss this but not before that rich boy! I kill him myself so no one is going to be hanged other than me if it ever comes to that!" He herded them out and closed the rusty door.
Now I had time to check my surroundings. I was in a small utility room. There were big pipes and hand wheels on one side. The walls were made out of natural rock and I assumed this was some sort of maintenance chamber along the pipes, Exa had talked about. Across the other side was a railing about hip high and a sign read Fresh water holding tank 12. Pre-treatment holding. I could see the water reflecting of the rock ceiling beyond. The door busted open again and the Rat king came back." You will tell me the access code to your PDD and transfer the money!"
"No!"
"You still think you have a choice, rich kid!"
Two of his friends came in." What we are going to do?"
"We toss that piece of shit in the water like we did with Serg and make him talk or he drowns! They all talk after that!"
They dragged me to my feet, and over to the railing, now I could see a big and very deep water tank fed by a pipe on one end and some sort of grading at least ten meters below the surface.
The Rat king came close to my ear." You see that Rich boy? That is real cold river water and it is deep."
I had to bite my lips to make me sound terrified." I can't swim!"
"Swimming isn't going to be your problem, shit! Getting air to breath however is!"
Someone kicked me in the knee pits and I dropped rather painful with my naked knees on the steel grading and two of them pushed me head first into the water, holding my legs. After only one minute or so they pulled me back up! "The PDD code, now!"
I knew I was acting real badly and as if I was out of breath and terrified." No!"
They dunked me again and not much longer then the first time.
One of them whispered." We are not really going to kill him are we?"
"Shut up you pansy!"
Then he leaned forward." The next time I dunk you it be two minutes. That's twice as long as before! The Access code now!"
I shook my head." No if I do you kill me!"
"I do if you don't!"
He dunked me again. I kicked them harder this time and I slipped out of their grip. I expelled all the air form the lungs kicked little for show and then let myself float. I could not help but grin to myself but my own stupidity brought me into this situation in the first place and that was no reason to smile.
After about ten or fifteen minutes, they used a pole to get me and then fished me out. I kept playing dead. I heard them say." If his body clogs the intake the engineers come down and find him they going to investigate! We got to throw him in the river. Now get his clothing and the PDD so if did make that call they think he fell in the water or something and hopefully the river will drag him halfway around the planet before that."
"Now everyone knows I am not afraid of killing!" At least something good came out of it." Don't forget to cut his ties. If they suspect a murder the investigate even harder."
I risked a peek and
the king came back with my things and the PPD and the other cut my bonds. The King said." Go dress him!"
"I'm not touching a dead naked body eeew!"
"You do or you going to be the next naked dead body!"
The Rat king laughed and went out the door. The one left behind cursed and turned me on his back. I kicked him as hard as I could directly under the chin, his head flung back and he actually lifted off the ground smashed backwards into the metal armatures behind him and slipped to the floor leaving a bloody smear on the pipes, he did not move. I dressed as fast as I could, took his knife and wanted to activate my PDD but someone had pried of the energy pack, probably to sell the pack as a part. I opened the steel door a crack and peaked through. There was a dimly lit corridor with two big pipes running along in the middle. I could see the feet of someone behind the two pipes and risked opening the door a little wider. The corridor carved into natural rock, ran seemingly endless into one direction, but ended at an elevator door in the other direction, only about fifty meters from where I was.
Now all I had to do was sneak up to that Elevator door and disapear and take the next possible space bus, but somehow I could not let this attempted murder on me go unpunished. I wanted to explain to that Roach King that I did not enjoy his kind of hospitality and had the strong urge to repay him with a typical Nilfeheim answer to such things. This overwhelmed my better judgment and I hoped my aunt Freydis was right and following the heart was sometimes better than following the mind. Of course it was a pile of Nubhir poop, following my instincts rather than what was the sensible thing to do was the reason I was down here in the first place." I wondered how many million passengers passed through Twilight and the worst thing ever happening to them was perhaps an overpriced meal or a stolen shopping bag, but I had to slide headlong into trouble on the very first stop on my journey. I wondered what would have happened if I had stopped at Holstein?
I sneaked out, the soles of the all terrains adjusted from metal floor to rock floor and I was able to walk silently. I climbed a short ladder and laid myself flat on the incredibly dusty and dirty top of the metal pipeline. I could smell the metal paint in my nose as I inched myself forward. There on the other side of this corridor dividing pipeline was a crack in the tunnel wall about forty centimeters wide and I guessed perhaps 100 centimeters likley the entrance to the Nest of the Roaches Exa had described to me. Not the rat king but one of the older boys stood right next to it. I recognized him being the other guy form the pair of Roaches I had first seen up in the space port lobby after I had grabbed Exa. Some sort of homemade looking gun leaned next to him against the wall. I figured he was supposed to be a guard or look out, but he was a very bad one. He played with some sort of hand held game that made cartoonish noises. A good guard would be right here on top of the pipes able to see in both directions on both sides of the pipes. Obviously neither strategy nor tactical planning went into choosing guard or guard position. I got into a crouching position and jumped pushing the guy hard to the ground, my knee pushing deep into his stomach as he hit back first to the floor and me on top. He gargled and went limb, I looked left and right dragged him under the pipe and then checked his weapon. It was some sort of pressure cylinder that released pressured air or some other gas, driving a piston and it in turn would expell a ten-centimeter-long round steel spike out of a long barrel. It was a one shot deal and I had no idea how accurate or how strong it would be. Peaking inside the crack I saw a natural cave of about twenty meters circumference. I could see three rats and the King. He was sitting on an elevated office swivel chair. The cave was lid by two light elements very rudimentary wired into the lights of the corridor outside. What I saw next disgusted me so much I was about to throw up. One of the rat boys shoved Exa towards the King and I heard him say." It was all your fault the things went bad.
It was you that could not run fast enough and you got caught. And thanks to that drowned friend of yours, my best man Benjamin got sent to the Dust Mines. I got five of the Roaches, others left to go to the Flies and all because you could not do even do a little thing right and use the Lights Out-stinger before he had a chance to use his PDD."
She cried." He didn't use his PDD. Please don't make me do it again!"
"Oh but you will. My blue pecker needs cleaning! it will teach you a valuable lesson to obey and do what I tell you to do!"
She cried knelt before him and he opened his pants…
I fired the crude weapon and the bolt nailed him through the left shoulder into the back rest of his chair. I squeezed myself inside the crack rushed up and used the empty weapon like a club, hammered it over the head of the tallest and buried its dull end with force into the stomach pit of the other. I managed to hit each of them three or four times with the long metal thing, until both were on the floor. I looked around but did not see any other and then jumped up readied for a swing and said. "Your reign ends today Roach king! I take your filthy head of!"
"Stop it right there Citizen!" Bright light filled the cave and the edges of the crack in the wall began to glow white hot and a heart beat later four armored Police men with blasters stomped in the room." Citizen drop that Air rifle and let me scan your CIT!"
I complied.
One of the Roaches I had seen when I first regained conciousness, it was the one who challenged the Roach King for a vote, appeared behind the cops." I told you they abducted a Citizen. Do I get my reward now?"
"Wait outside Non –Cit and we will deal with that later."
The policeman in front of me wore a bulky looking Ultronit segmented armor with Police stenciled across his chest. Two bright lights mounted to each side of his helmet made my eyes water and I could barely see a thing." You are Eric Olafson, legal Citizen of Nilfeheim?"
"Yes Officer."
"Please tell us exactly what happened. Be as detail specific as possible."
So I told him pretty much everything that happened since I landed.
One of his colleagues looked at a hand held device." The Poly Analyzer gives his story a 99. 21 percent truth level. Cyber Legal shows all green. Citizen has acted in clear self defense and self preservation. No laws have been violated by Citizen."
I said angrily." What I said was all true not just 99 percent!"
He turned off the glaring lights and said." Citizen, we would accept 75 percent. The machine can never give 100 percent out of sampling errors, adjustments and calibration errors. I never have seen anything close to that. So I assure you we do not question one word you said."
His closest partner scratched his chin." You sure cleaned house down here. Three dead, two wounded and that after being almost drowned to death!"
"Three?"
"The guy in Fresh Water Tank access room 5, basilar skull fracture. The one you stuffed under the fresh water pipeline crushed rib cage, and this guy right here blunt trauma to the temple, that cut his lights for good."
I wasn't very proud of my sad record."What do I have to next?"
"Whatever you like you are free to go. "
"What will happen with them?"
"The two guys are old enough and will be charged with kidnapping and attempted murder. I doubt the judge and the Jury will take long to come to a verdict. We got 3 witness accounts, Poly Verified and physical evidence. I figure they will be hanged in a week or so. The girl, well she is according to my Bio scanner 12 years old and a minor, but there is no family or verifiable place of origin. No worries she will go back to Mother Moore and then be on her way to Slammer Moon. She will be a real good citizen by the time she is eighteen."
Exa starred with a hollow expression on her small face at the floor.
"Officer is there any way to prevent that?"
He tapped his PDD."Well she is a Non Citizen and technically if she paid her fines for this and her long string of theft charges, she could be released. But who would want to pay the 16,000 credits for something as worthless as her?"
"She is a sentient being and she should be priceless instead of
worthless just for that reason. I guess the shiny and good Union has a dark and dirty Underside after all!"
"Nothing is perfect Citizen, besides we have places and institutions to deal with such, like Mother Moore and the Social Bureau."
"I am going to pay her fines!"
He shrugged."It's your money Citizen, but she will be out in the Port Concourse tomorrow and steal and beg as soon as you are gone."
"Not if I can help it, Officer."
I put my hand on Exa's shoulder and said."Let's go girl."
On our way to the elevator she said." You are not angry with me? Do you want to kill me now that you bought me?"
"The idea had crossed my mind when you sent me to dream land, but you are a child and you did what others told you to do. I didn't buy either."
"Do you want me to clean your pecker?"
I shivered in disgust." Of course not Exa and I am promising you I find a way so you never have to do that again!"
A Police man stood by the Elevator." Press nine and it gets you to Sub-Level Nine Sir. From there you can find an Inter Port Transport to get you all the way up."
"Thank you Officer."
"Great work , Sir. Word will spread like wild fire and keep the ruts in line for a while. Teaches them to mess with a Viking Pirate"
"They still call us Pirates after all that time?"
He shrugged." I guess it was the only thing your planet really did to stand out for a while. No worries Citizen a little bad-ass rep goes a long way these days."
I sighed and shrugged and pushed Exa in the Elevator. Then I said to her."We still have a deal, right? You show me around and will be my tour guide and in return I pay you to take a bath and then we find you something better to wear as well."
She looked up to me."I will keep my bargain this time, I promise."
"Good enough for me!"
"How did you survive the drowning?"
"It's hard to drown someone who can breathe water."
"Like a fish?"
"Well I was told more like a Sea turtle but basically yes."
***
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series) Page 216