Shum nodded and began his queries.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
The Station
The second the shuttle touched the deck Luke felt the increased gravity dragging him down. The station gravity was 1.25 and was a vague reminder of the acceleration they had experienced just days before on the other side of the wormhole.
A pair of Dazi customs officials met them when the shuttle door opened, to them this gravity was normal and they moved slowly and deliberately. Luke was the first one off and had to look up at the three meter tall, white, fur covered behemoths. In person they were intimidating, and they had so much fur that Luke couldn't tell what they looked like, he could barely make out the two legs and arms. It looked like they had a belt on, maybe. Four widely spaced eyes, above what must be two vertical nose slits looked down at Luke. A low rumbling issued from the chest of the second one and Luke's InnerBuddy translated it, feeding the translation to his ears. They must get along with the Bronkaw.
"Greetings Shoka," the second one rumbled.
"Hello Inspector," Luke said, assuming his speech would be translated by the Dazi.
"Do you need a reminder of the rules?" the Inspector asked.
"No thank you," Luke said. "I have them on file and I reviewed them before landing."
"Thank you, Shoka," the Inspector said, his head bouncing again. "Travel in peace."
"And you Inspector," Luke said as they turned and walked back the way they had come.
"What did they say?" Morals asked and Luke realized he didn't have a Conglomerate compatible InnerBuddy.
"Standard procedure," Luke said. "Asked me if I knew the rules and asked that I obey them. My rank of Shoka gives me and my crew liberty about carrying weapons."
Morals nodded but Luke didn't miss his scowl. Luke had not allowed Morals to carry weapons. The Jupiter Intelligence agent had yet to earn Luke's trust.
Luke checked the temperature. The air was breathable, but it was cold, not worth taking off his helmet. Not even Falla Shum took off his helmet.
Looking up at Falla Shum, Luke pointed to the entrance and motioned for Falla Shum to lead the way. Everyone but Luke was just here to sight see and Luke was just here to pay the bill that Shum would get.
The corridors were large and cold, as if to accent the cold, the walls were white or light blue. It felt almost like walking through an ice cave. The customs inspectors had disappeared and Luke wasn't sure where they had gone. Falla Shum must have interfaced with the station net and discovered their destination since he moved down the deserted corridor with confidence.
They had landed on the ring in a shuttle bay and as they walked down the corridor, Luke noticed a gradual curve. Every two hundred meters was a large blast door, designed to close off the section in case the area lost pressurization. However, none of the doors looked like they had been tested in a long time and Luke saw one so damaged it couldn't close. The damage looked old and that worried Luke.
This part of the station looked deserted. Luke boosted his reflexes and kept his hand on his sidearm. Although the chances of someone knowing him well enough to want to stage an ambush were low, there was something about the station he didn't like and he couldn't put his finger on it.
Using the sensors on his suit he brought up a camera display of behind them on his inner display and then sent a query out for Dazi social habits, if they were nocturnal, and the current station cycle was daytime. His rear facing camera flagged movement.
"Musashi?" Luke asked in a private link.
"I saw it," Musashi said. He was walking behind Luke and beside Morals. "Someone is interested. Not a threat yet though."
"Copy that," Luke said. The look had been a quick peep, not a sustained look, and that corridor had been empty when they passed it before.
"Contact front!" Luke yelled as a large Dazi stepped out of a corridor ahead of them with a massive gatling gun like weapon. Luke boosted his reflexes to max and let his body respond the way it had been trained.
Rounds from Luke's pistol were hammering it before it had even turned the weapon in their direction. Plumes of red mist appeared on the creature's head as it staggered back. Another Dazi was stepping out, already shooting. Small metal slugs ricocheted off the ceiling and walls as the Dazi sought to control the weapon and bring it to bear on Luke. Out of the corner of his eye Luke saw a glass barrier surround and cling to Falla Shum who was bracing himself and pointing his staff toward the Dazi. Ricochets bounced off the energy shield and Luke felt them slap his own armor but they didn't have enough power to penetrate.
Luke's display of the rear corridor flagged movement as Leonessa and Musashi readied their rifles, facing the Dazi to their front.
Behind them a Dazi stepped out, a massive canon like rifle coming to bear on Falla Shum. Luke didn't have time to turn and fire and instead threw himself at Falla Shum, just as the Dazi behind them fired.
Luke and Shum fell against the wall as a ball of red energy shot past where Shum had been standing. Musashi was firing on automatic behind them when Luke rolled to his feet, pulling his rifle off his back and into the ready position. The Dazi in front of them was down, a crumpled heap of red and white fur. Leonessa was still firing rounds into each of the two Dazi to the front and Musashi was aiming backwards at the crumpled body.
"Reloading," Leonessa said.
"Covering," Luke said, aiming down the hallway and covering her sector. The training to board the Tonkan ships still ingrained.
Shum stood up and looked around as Leonessa stopped firing and reloaded.
"Ready," Leonessa said a second later.
"Back to the shuttle," Luke said, noticing that Morals had a small pistol in his hands and was trying to look everywhere at once. "Musashi and Shum take point."
Musashi and Shum led the way back as Luke and Leonessa walked backward, watching the hall and the fallen Dazi. As they were passing the fallen Dazi Shum spoke.
"Hold," he said and knelt to look at the weapon the Dazi had been holding, the weapon that fired the red sphere. Luke noticed that Shum's force shield was gone.
"What?" Luke said, not liking being here in a hallway. The ambushers might have reinforcements nearby.
"This is a Tlorc weapon," Shum said.
"And?" Luke said, not recognizing the reference and too interested in covering his sector to look it up.
"It collapses a Tal's force shield and kills him," Shum said.
Luke looked at his surrounding troops.
"They are very rare," Shum continued, staring at it.
"You like it? Bring it with us, but you have to carry it," Luke said. "Move it or lose it, I want to be back on the Proud Infidel."
"Commander Kishi," Gray sent. "I'm on final approach with a shuttle full of reinforcements. We will be there in minutes."
"When seconds count, reinforcements are just minutes away," Luke muttered off link.
Shum bent down and lifted the weapon, struggling, but Musashi took it from him.
"Isn't that suit strength augmented?" Luke asked Shum.
"Why should it be?" Shum asked and Luke avoided rolling his eyes.
"We will talk later," Luke said. "Let's keep going."
Musashi carried the over-sized weapon on his shoulder while keeping his rifle pointed in the direction of travel. Smoothly, like a well drilled team they made it back to the shuttle bay in time to see the other shuttle slide into the atmospheric shield. The second it was in, the doors opened and warbots poured out, leaping to the deck. Luke noticed they had gravity chutes on and they moved without the encumbering effect of the higher gravity.
Also in the shuttle were several Luke's droid officers and in seconds the shuttle bay was crowded with warbots and droids. The shuttle settled down and Gray strode out, fully armored and carrying a 20mm auto canon.
"Do you still want to make a trip to the FTL relay center?" Gray asked and looked around him at the forces he had bought. "I can send the shuttle back for more?"
Luke looked
at Shum.
"How important is this message?" Luke asked.
Shum stared at the weapon on Musashi's shoulder and then all the surrounding troops.
Luke wished he could see Shum's face and realized his mistake. He had assumed that Falla Shum was a superior fighter because of his high-tech staff, his impressive looking armor and the fact he had been an elite and veteran Tal. The kata's that Shum had performed looked impressive and Luke had thought a race that had maintained military dominance over the Conglomerate for hundreds of thousands of years would be lethal. It was a real shock for Luke to find out that at least in ground combat the Tal were inferior fighters.
"It can wait," Shum said looking rattled. Luke nodded and pointed everyone to the shuttle.
* * * * *
Once everyone was on the shuttle and the atmosphere warmed up and restored, Luke turned to Falla Shum.
"Take off your helmet," Luke ordered, his helmet already off as he stared at Shum.
Shum did what he was told and looked at Luke.
"What is going on?" Luke asked, looking the Pral in the eyes.
"I don't know," Shum said. "I don't understand."
"Seriously?" Morals asked and caught a glare from Luke.
Both Shum and Luke looked at Morals, his pistol returned to its concealed location.
"That Tlorc weapon is only used to kill Pral right?" Morals asked. Shum looked at Luke and nodded.
"It is a very rare weapon," Shum said. "It has only a single purpose, and that is to overload a Pral's personal shield in such a way it incinerates the Pral. Had it hit my shield, I would be dead."
"Nobody else uses personal shields?" Morals asked.
"No," Shum said. "It is a Pral licensed device. Only Pral may use it."
"You are still authorized?" Morals asked.
"I may not be a Tal, or have any rank or social standing in Pral society, but I am still Pral," Shum said. "That cannot be taken from me."
"So, it was an assassination attempt," Morals said.
"What?" Luke asked, staring at Morals. Shum did not seem surprised.
"It should be obvious," Morals said. "Two Dazi up front to draw Shum's attention and make him activate his shield while the Dazi behind aimed in and killed him with his active shield."
"Shit," Luke said and looked at Shum.
"Who knew you were here and would want to kill you?" Luke asked and Shum shook his head.
"Maybe they planned to kill any Pral that came to this station," Leonessa said.
Morals smiled and shook his head, dismissing Leonessa and earning him another black mark in Luke's book.
"The attack was too sudden after our arrival," Morals said. "Unless they have hit teams all over this station, which I doubt. They had to be moving into position the minute our shuttle left the Proud Infidel, if not before."
Luke thought about it and everyone looked at him.
"You're right," Luke said.
"Did you tell anyone you were coming aboard the station?" Luke asked Shum.
"Nobody specific," Shum said. "I requested access to the FTL relay. They stated that for security reasons I would have to appear in person. This is not unusual."
"Why?" Morals asked.
Shum looked at the Jupiter Alliance Intelligence Officer and shrugged.
"It has always been that way in some areas," Shum said. "It may be for network security purposes. It has never concerned me before. A Tal cannot be denied remote access."
"Did you say you are Falla?" Morals asked.
"Yes," Shum said after a minute and Luke assumed he was checking his InnerBuddy recordings.
"But it was Topa Suresh that demoted you?" Morals asked.
"I don't know," Shum said. "He is the one who informed me."
Morals looked at Luke.
"Something seems wrong here," Morals said. "Is there any reason Topa Suresh would hate you or hire assassins to kill you?"
Shum looked shocked as he stared at Morals.
"No," Shum said and shook his head, surprised at the possibility. "He would have no reason. If he gave the command, I would be killed. The Pral do not use subterfuge and assassinations among ourselves. As a Falla he would be justified in having me put to death at his whim."
Luke knew the Topa used subterfuge with other Conglomerate races, but he had never heard of any ordering an assassination.
"There is no legal procedure to reduce you to Falla? No trial or jury?" Morals asked.
"No," Shum said. "Not when a Weave Master speaks. They are the guiding principle of the Pral and the Conglomerate. They do what is best for the majority unless it is at the expense of the minority. It is hard to explain them to non-Pral, they seek to form a greater tapestry, full of bright, vibrant colors."
Morals raised an eyebrow at Luke and Luke shrugged.
"How did they know to bring a Pral killing weapon with them and ambush a Pral?" Morals asked.
"I believe you are correct that this was an ambush," Shum said. "They may have noted my race when I identified myself on the station network."
Morals looked at Luke.
"All Conglomerate citizens can request a unique identity," Luke said. "This is like an ID badge and it is universal, identifying sentients across the Conglomerate. That identity is also used in the Conglomerate banking system. It can't be forged or changed either."
"How does it work?" Morals asked.
Luke shrugged, "it was explained to me as an aura reader. A being's unique aura can be identified, read and verified by Conglomerate systems. It uses Pral technology and cannot be faked or changed as I understand it. Quantum mechanics I think. Everyone has a unique signature. I wouldn't rule out people being tagged with it somehow when they receive their official Conglomerate identity."
"It sounds more and more like the Pral rule with an iron fist," Morals said looking at Shum. "And they use magic."
Shum shrugged. "I think a human said high technology will appear to be magic to lesser life forms."
"In ways," Luke said. "But they are benevolent and will give people enough rope to hang themselves."
"Of course," Morals said, his tone showed he believed otherwise.
Luke didn't want to argue, he had other concerns.
"Do you think they will attack the Proud Infidel?" Leonessa asked.
"We need to inform Captain Simmons," Morals said.
"I have already done so," Musashi said. "He has point defenses standing by and the shuttles are now under his defensive fire umbrella."
Luke nodded.
"Colonel Gray is also deploying warbot sentries around the Proud Infidel in case of an infantry assault," Musashi continued. "The station has weapons for protection from asteroids and other space debris. These weapons cannot turn on the Proud Infidel where she is. However, the other Conglomerate Patrol vessel has sufficient weapons."
Luke opened a link to Brita, conferencing in Leonessa, Shum and Morals.
"Major Summers here," Brita sent. "Glad to see you are okay."
"Brita," Luke sent. "I need you get on a link with station command and find out what you can about those assassins. I want names, next of kin, jobs, everything. Any details you can get I want. Get Jeremy and Amanda if you need them to make queries and hound officials. Even pull in some of Gray's officers if he will release them."
"Aye, aye Commander," Brita sent. "I'm on it."
"This makes little sense," Luke said.
"Unless the Topa wish to kill Shum," Morals said. "Is there a chance they could then pin the death of a Tal on humans?"
Luke stared at Morals. This agent was paranoid. Maybe.
"I consider that unlikely," Luke said. "I've known Topa Suresh for a long time and I've had a good working relationship with him."
"But he is still an alien," Morals said. "With an alien religion, alien world views, alien priorities and alien loyalties."
Luke rolled his eyes.
"Not everyone is a paranoid back stabbing asshole," Luke said, however, back stabbing par
anoid assholes tended to think everyone else was like them.
"Not everyone is in intelligence," Leonessa added, earning a smile from Luke and a dangerous scowl from Morals.
"You are correct," Luke said to Morals, trying to appease the agent who could make life difficult on Leonessa. "They are alien, but I have been working with them for four decades. Hostile subterfuge is not their style, trade and social subterfuge maybe, but the Conglomerate plays it differently when lives are at stake. Unlike humans, they mean it when they say they avoid killing, untraceable assassins are far too subtle for them. It's just not how they think, and I would know."
Morals nodded but Luke could tell he didn't agree or understand, the set of his shoulders the slow meaningless nod. Morals was a prick who thought he was always right and everyone else was wrong. Luke knew the type and despised them because they always seemed to get people killed when they screwed up.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Nameless Assassins
"Attention on deck!" Brita said as Luke entered the conference room.
"Sit, carry on," Luke said before people could get out of their seats, annoyed at military protocol.
People sank back down into their seats as Luke moved to take his. Amanda, Jeremy and Brita were going over their information, their displays internal, making it look like a room of crazy people gesturing to ghosts only they could see as they controlled their inner displays with their hand and body gestures.
"What have you got?" Luke asked sinking into his chair.
Brita shook her head as Shum, Leonessa, and Morals took their seat.
"Station security is denying a firefight even took place," Brita said. "They can't find the bodies."
"What?" Luke said a chill running down his spine.
"It makes me think station security is complicit or incompetent," Brita said. "That corridor does not have any surveillance so we can't get to recordings. There is no report of bodies, and when we gave them some clips from the combat footage on your helmets, they accused us of fabricating them."
"Anything in station or system history that would indicate why they would do something like this?" Luke asked. Brita glanced at Amanda.
The Darkness: The Conglomerate Trilogy (Volume 2) Page 24