The War of Pawns (The Human Chronicles -- Book Three)

by T. R. Harris

  “Tell him the Juireans are looking for you, and you would be arrested if you appeared at his office. He will know what happened the last time a Fringe Pirate showed up at his doorstep. How soon can you be on Silea?”

  “Five days. I will contact Kroekus immediately and arrange for the purchase. But, General, I must be assured you will have the credits, not only for me, but for the purchase of the ships.”

  “Leave that to me. I have vastly more resources than I had before.” Riyad handed him a data chip. “This is encoded. Contact me here with the details of the meeting. At the time of purchase, I will transmit the coordinates where the ships are to be delivered. And do not mention my name to Kroekus. That is of paramount importance. ” Then Riyad grinned again. “It’s good to be working with you again, Captain Angar.”

  Angar grinned back. “It’s General Angar now.”

  Chapter Fifty-Three

  Adam and Riyad returned to the battlecruiser and immediately set off for Silea. The cruiser was much swifter than Angar’s ship, so would arrive there two days before the Nimorian, which would give Adam time to transport his team of SEALs to the surface and prepare them for the operation. The cruiser would hide in the gaseous upper atmosphere of the Silean system’s largest planet, in a delicate balancing act between its own gravity well and that of the huge planet.

  Adam had briefed the SEALs on what they would expect to find on Silea. This world was completely different from Calamore; this one was inhabited by a whole menagerie of alien creatures. Beside Kaylor and Jym, the SEALs had never seen another alien, and Adam knew they were in for the shock of their lives.

  As with the last time Adam was on the free-wheeling planet, he set the landing craft down in one of the minor spaceports. The landing craft was not as noticeable as the Cassie 1 had been, so no one paid it much attention. But once on the surface, they ran into the same problem Riyad had when he arrived in the Juirean shuttle – they had no money.

  Adam left that problem up to Riyad, who scurried off with a smile on his face. He returned two hours later, with the smile still on his face, but now with a stack of credits in his hand.

  “It’s like taking candy from…from an alien!” he said with a smile.

  Tom Johnson, one of the SEALs in the team, cast him a quizzical look. “Don’t ask,” was all Riyad said.

  With the credits, Adam rented two transports, placing Riyad at the controls of one, and Adam in the other. Adam took four of the SEALs with him, and sent the other two with Riyad. All the SEALs, including Adam, were decked out in full combat gear, with two of them now carrying .300 mag sniper rifles.

  When Riyad’s datapad lit up, he learned that the meeting was scheduled to take place at the north end of Grunnel Park, a large greenbelt area adjacent to the main open-air market in Dargor, the capital city of Silea. The time was set for Day16, which placed it well after sunset. That would help with their plans. The SEALs were all fitted with nightvision goggles.

  Riyad placed his transport on a side street along the main road to the meeting place. Kroekus would have no reason to suspect anything out of the ordinary, but he would still be cautious. Riyad would slip in behind the crime lord, and relay the course he was taking to Adam, just in case there were any last minute changes. Adam’s SEALs would already be in position overlooking the rendezvous point.

  There was a parking area just off the grass where the meeting would take place, so Adam sent three of his men across the street to the nearest building next to the parking lot. He stood in the darkness next to the car, and watched as the men easily scaled the exterior of the four-story building and took up positions on the roof. Through his comm unit, he could hear his men laughing among themselves at the thrill of the .70 gravity. He almost felt guilty when he told them to cut the chatter. He could still remember his first experience, and how strong and powerful he’d felt.

  Adam and Chip Upton moved into the park and stationed themselves in the cover of some low-lying bushes. This end of the park was deserted, and they could see further on to where most of the booths in the market had already closed up for the night. Kroekus would have chosen this location for its privacy.

  A transport approached and pulled into the parking lot. It was Angar, and he had come alone, as he’d been instructed to do. He stood outside the transport, and removed the jacket that covered his green tunic. It was warm at this time of night, and the fur covering most of his body made the jacket unnecessary. The pirate stood in the darkness, looking around nervously. Riyad had not told him there would be others at the meeting, only that the money would be arriving sometime soon.

  Adam’s communicator squawked. It was Johnson, who was with Riyad. “Moving into position now, east side of the parking lot.”

  “Roger that,” Adam said.

  Then Riyad was speaking in his ear. “Three vehicles, Kroekus in the middle. I counted four guards in each car, front and rear, plus how many are in with Kroekus.”

  “Alpha Team, multiple target scenario,” Adam said. “When they arrive, rotate clockwise from subject and identify with numbers. Each man designate their targets.”

  A series of ‘rogers’ came over the comm. All they had to do now was to wait for Kroekus to show up.

  Two minutes later, a parade of white light flooded the parking lot, as the three cars in Kroekus’s caravan entered. The middle car pulled up next to Angar’s transport, while the other two flanked it, with their lights pointing inward, illuminating the other two cars.

  Adam flipped up his nightvision goggles, and sighted along the barrel of his M4. He could clearly see the fat crime boss as he struggled to climb out of the backseat of his transport. Immediately, eight Sileans encircled Kroekus and Angar, armed with flash rifles and scanning the surrounding area for any movement. Two more guards stood to either side of Kroekus, their eyes fixed on Angar.

  “Johnson, one and two,” came a voice through Adam’s comm. “Kendall, three and four…” and so forth the count went around, until the six SEALs had each identified which targets they would take.

  “Riyad, you set?”

  “Roger. At the tree to Angar’s six.”

  “We go on my command,” Adam said. Through his scope, he watched as Kroekus waddled up to Angar, who seemed to shift nervously as the much taller and bulkier creature approached. Adam was too far away to hear the initial conversation, but he knew it couldn’t continue very long. Riyad had communicated to Angar that the money would be coming along just as the meeting started, and Angar’s nervous glances toward the road appeared to be making Kroekus nervous as well.

  “Ready,” Adam said. “Go, go, go.”

  In the still quiet of the night, Adam could hear the muted puffs of the weapons as bullets were sent toward their targets. The 5.56 millimeter rounds, which were not known for their long range stopping power on Earth, nevertheless exploded into the soft bodies of the Silean guards, literally ripping them apart where contact was made. Even though a few of the SEALs had multiple targets to take out, it was almost as if every guard was hit simultaneously. They all dropped into piles of shattered and bloody alien flesh.

  Adam was immediately on the go, sprinting over the grass with superhuman speed. In a second, he was standing next to Angar, his own weapon leveled at the wide-eyed crime lord. With slower alien reactions, Kroekus simply blinked several times, as he glanced around to see all his guards lying dead around him. Then his gaze focused on Adam, and his eyes grew even wider.

  “You! Do you know what serious trouble you are in?” Even though his words were defiant, his voice trembled as he spoke.

  “It is you, Kroekus, who are in trouble.” Riyad appeared out of the darkness.

  Kroekus at first displayed additional shock at seeing the former pirate leader, but then it shifted quickly to one of resignation. He looked at Riyad, then over at Adam, whom he eyed up and down, taking in the black and gunmetal gray gear he now displayed. Then two of the others SEALs moved in to cover him, their faces marked with black and
green grease. The other SEALs remained on station.

  Adam and Riyad let Kroekus take in the scene at his own pace. It was important that he realize the hopelessness of his situation.

  Angar stood next to Riyad, a look of pure anger on his face. “What are you doing, Riyad?” he shouted, not bothering with his customary “General’ before addressing him. “You never said anything about this.”

  “Just a way of getting his attention,” Riyad said without taking his eyes off Kroekus. Riyad allowed himself a wide, toothy grin.

  “I’m back,” he said.

  “I can see that, and you’re with Adam Cain. This cannot be good.”

  “That all depends on you, Kroekus. I’m a fair man. We are about to open negotiations, and depending on how they go, you could come out of this okay.”

  “Explain yourself. I did not know you were back with the Pirates.”

  “He’s not!” Angar said loudly.

  “No, I’m here representing a much more powerful force. But first, I would like to conclude a transaction we started well over a year ago, one that was rudely interrupted. It has to do with the credits I have on deposit with you.”

  Adam could see Kroekus display a look of frustration on his alien face. The shock of the situation had passed, and from his life-long position of absolute power, Kroekus could not conceive of the danger he was in. After all, how could anyone honestly threaten Kroekus, especially here on Silea?

  “If you have gone through all this trouble for your five million credits, then take them. I will waive my holding fee.”

  Riyad continued to smile as he shook his head. “I appreciate that, Kroekus, but I believe I have another offer for you. Seeing that you have had the use of my credits all this time, I believe you owe me interest for their use.”

  Even now, the Silean felt he could bargain. “I find this highly unusual, but I can see where a fair amount of interest would be acceptable. What did you have in mind?”

  “Oh I think a fair return for the use of my credits would be in the range of…one-hundred million credits.”

  Both Kroekus and Angar let out audible gasps. “That’s not reasonable!” the crime boss shouted into the night, his words disturbing the silence of the park. “I will not pay you that much. I will not!”

  Riyad nodded. “Okay, I said this was a negotiation. So let’s negotiate. I know that even one-hundred million is not beyond your ability to pay. In fact, it is still a small part of your assets. So I will make you a deal.”

  Riyad stopped speaking and continued to stare at Kroekus with the full-tooth grin.

  After a few moments, Kroekus finally spoke. “So, what is this deal?”

  “It’s very simple. One-hundred million credits…or I kill you right here,” Riyad lifted the MK-17 and placed its barrel against the forehead of the stunned alien.

  “You…you can’t be serious? What good would it do to kill me? You would not get your credits.”

  Riyad lowered the weapon. “You are correct. But killing you is something I have always desired. It would bring me much pleasure to do so.”

  Kroekus began to stammer, and spittle drained from his open mouth.

  “But let me further sweeten the deal,” Riyad said quickly. “You were brought here so that Angar could purchase three Exitor’s from you. That transaction can still go forward. With the one-hundred million credits you now owe me, I will pay you fifty million for the ships.”

  “But they are worth 25 each!”

  “So I get them at a discount. Isn’t that fair, considering how I was treated at our last negotiation?”

  “So I only have to pay you fifty-million…for my life?”

  “Correct. But you can also consider the fifty-million as an initial investment in our new partnership.”

  “What partnership?”

  Riyad took time to look around at Adam and at the other SEALs surrounding them. He made sure that Kroekus did so as well. “You are a very well-connected and powerful being in The Fringe. As such, you are probably already aware of the attack on my homeworld of Earth by the Juirean fleet.”

  “Yes, I am aware. The Juireans appear to be in a panic in this part of The Expansion.”

  “What I’m offering you, Kroekus, is an opportunity to join the winning side in the coming conflict between the Juireans and the Humans. As you can see from our encounter tonight, plus the annihilation of the Juirean fleet, it will be the Humans who come out on top.”

  “I don’t understand what you mean.”

  “I know that you will be making a hefty profit from the coming war. Most creatures like you usually do, and usually from both sides. But I want you to work for us. Go ahead and make your profit off the Juireans – as I know you will. But we need you to relay any and all information regarding the Juireans and their allies to us.”

  Kroekus blinked several times. “You just want me to send you information – to spy for you – that’s all?”

  “That’s all. And for that, I will pay you twenty-five million credits.”

  “Out of the credits that you say I owe you?”

  “Now you’re catching on.”

  Kroekus managed a thin grin of his own. He had now reached a point where he knew he would survive the evening. “Is there anything else you need to negotiate for tonight, with the credits I owe you?”

  “No, that will do it for now. I just need you to release the ownership of the three starships to General Angar’s pilots, and to make arrangements for the delivery of twenty-five million credits to one of the ships.”

  “And I suppose you want me to do this now, before we part ways tonight?”

  “Of course.”

  Riyad led Kroekus to his transport, where the bloated alien squeezed into the backseat. He took a communicator, and after a few moments of conversation – with Riyad and Adam listening to every word – the transaction was complete.

  “It will take about half an hour for the credits to arrive at the ships.” Kroekus had returned to his old, cocky self. He looked at Adam.

  “I once remarked that there was a whole world of your kind out there somewhere, while thinking what a formidable force that would be. It seems my instincts were correct.”

  Adam nodded. “One thing you will learn about my kind, Kroekus, is that we may not go out looking for a fight, but we certainly will finish it once it starts. Humans are made for fighting, and this conflict that’s coming will be like nothing the galaxy has ever seen before.”

  “That I am sure, Adam Cain.”

  Adam leaned in closer to the alien. “Then keep that in mind when the time comes to betray us. No matter how long it takes, we will get our revenge.”

  Adam could see the mighty crime boss swallow hard, as a look of fear flashed in his eyes. Hopefully, Adam thought, Kroekus got the message.

  Riyad stepped up to the open door of the transport. “Just confirmed delivery of the money, and the ships are lifting off. Angar, I’ll have your credits at the rendezvous point.”

  He then leaned into the doorway and smiled at Kroekus. “So long, and thanks for all the ships!”

  Chapter Fifty-Four

  Adam and his crew were to rendezvous with Angar’s pirates at their burned out base on Dimloe. Angar hadn’t been too happy about that, not with the surface gravity on that planet being so damned oppressive for his kind. But a payday of 10-million credits was worth a little discomfort.

  The Exitor-class spaceships were some of the largest ships that could comfortably land upon a planetary surface, and when Adam and his men got a good look at them from ground level, they were truly impressed. Long and sleek, the ships measured approximately 100 meters in length with a beam covering 35 meters. There was a wide forward view port where the bridge was located, and the Humans could see no fewer than four forward bolt turrets, two on each side of the bridge. There was a long, low dorsal-like fin running almost the entire length of the vessel, which housed the electronics and scanning arrays. A full one-third of the rear section of th
e ship was comprised of the gravity generators, separated by the landing bay right at the rear of the ship.

  These ships were fresh off the line, and their surface hulls shimmered with the sparkle of pristine silver paint. Adam’s SEALs were so new to the reality of space travel that they walked around the mean-looking ships with expressions of awe and wonder. Even the concept artists at some Hollywood special effects company could not have designed more impressive spaceships.

  And now they belonged to Adam and his raiders.

  Angar landed a few hours later in his own Exitor-class ship, albeit in less pristine condition. His had been acquired several years before Riyad joined the pirate ranks, during a merchant ambush in the Void. Since then, it had been through numerous raids and battles and was showing the signs of wear. It had been from this ship that the first bolts had been fired that disabled the Klin ship Adam had been on, allowing him to escape and live another day. If Adam had continued to Dimloe aboard the Klin ship, as a prisoner-abductee, there was no telling where he would be today.

  Angar approached Riyad and Adam through the blackened and debris strewn landing field of the base, a look of anger still drawn across his hairy face.

  “I hope you’re satisfied,” he barked out at Riyad. “I doubt if Kroekus will ever trust me again – for anything!”

  Riyad just grinned back at the Nimorian. “Relax, Angar. With 10-million credits, you no longer need to lead the life of a pirate, and can retire to a paradise of your choosing.”

  “I don’t want to retire. I like what I do.”

  Riyad easily lifted the box that contained the credits and set it in front of his former associate. In his rush to leave the presence of the Humans, Angar reached forward and grasped the box. But it slipped out of his hands and fell back to the floor. The weight of the credits, coupled with the added gravity of Dimloe had made the box heavier than the tiny alien could lift. He looked embarrassingly up at Riyad. “Could you help me out with this?”