“Quiet back there,” Carter snapped, halting beside a door. He shot them an angry glance, then knocked gently on the door, waiting for an answering call before pushing it open and striding inside. “Captain, I’ve brought them in for questioning.” He beckoned Brent and the others forward, and they stepped through the doorway.
“Nice to see you again, Cap,” Brent said, extending his hand for a shake. “Seems like we can help you out.”
Levinson stepped around his desk to shake Brent’s hand. “Thanks for coming in. Any light you can shed on Halbrook’s abduction will be greatly appreciated.” He sat on the edge of his desk, and Brent eyed him enviously then made do with leaning his elbow against a convenient filing cabinet.
“Okay, it’s like this,” Brent began, “Halbrook has got himself into some real trouble. He’s crossed over the line.” He hesitated. “You know Surrana escaped, but what do you know about the other Gloabons?”
“Not much. The first thing we knew was when they broke out of here, but we’ve no idea where they came from in the first place. And why they came back for Halbrook, we just don’t know.” He spread his arms wide. “We have teams out scouring the city, but as yet we’ve found no trace, and we’ve heard nothing from the kidnappers. Rawlgeeb, what’s your take on this? Will there be a ransom demand?”
Rawlgeeb shook his head. “No ransom. Halbrook has committed a crime, and they intend to hand him over for prosecution.”
“What?” Levinson stared at Rawlgeeb. “What crime? And where are they handing him in? To the police?”
“Halbrook was keeping those Gloabons here against their will,” Rawlgeeb replied. “In effect, he had enslaved them, and there are few crimes more heinous under Gloabon law. I had assumed they’d take him to the UN, but…” He looked down for a moment before carrying on. “It occurs to me that while we’re quite certain that Surrana will pass Halbrook to the authorities, we don’t know which authorities. It’s possible that she’ll take him to stand trial in a Gloabon court. She might head for the Gamulon, but she may decide to take him to our home planet. Either way, he’ll be beyond the jurisdiction of anyone on Earth.”
Levinson slammed his fist into the palm of his hand. “Then we have to stop them getting that far. Do they have a ship?”
“I don’t know,” Rawlgeeb replied. “There’s a chance she’s left Earth already. She knows her way around the Gloabon Government’s systems–she could slip past The Gamulon without difficulty, but…” he hesitated, chewing on his lower lip. “With the advanced scanning equipment on The Wasp, we may be able to track them down. Yes, I’m sure it can be done.”
“It’s an option we can consider,” Levinson replied, “but I’d have to take it to the colonel, and with the way things are, I can’t see him approving the launch.”
“We don’t have time for that,” Brent stated. “By the time you guys have your meetings, Halbrook will be on his way to Gloabon. We have to act now.”
“Brent’s right,” Ellen chipped in. “We’ll help in any way we can, but we have to get out there right now. Once we’re in orbit, I can run the scans, and with Rawlgeeb’s input, we should be able to track them down.”
Levinson pursed his lips. “All right. Carter, call ahead and have them prep The Wasp. We need to be ready for launch in five minutes.”
Carter barely had time to say, “Yes, sir,” before he hurried from the room, and in the silence that followed, Levinson looked Brent in the eye. “You’d better deliver the goods, Bolster, because otherwise–”
“There’ll be hell to pay,” Brent interrupted. “Yeah, we did that one earlier.” He rubbed his hands together. “Okay, gang, time to saddle up. We’ll find your boss, Levinson. What happens to him after that…let’s just say he’s due for his day in court. If we’re lucky, that court will be on Earth, so let’s hustle, people. We have a ship to catch.”
CHAPTER 30
Unregistered Vessel
Earth Orbit
Zeb sat opposite the Gloabon, his back straight. His facial servos were complaining from the strain of maintaining his fixed grin, but he could hold it a little longer. “I’m sorry,” he said, “but it would ease our communication if you were to tell me your name.”
“Very well,” the Gloabon growled. “My name is Kadov, and I represent the Hak Garamm: the elite of the Gloabon Guild of Assassins.”
“Got it,” Zeb replied. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Kadov, sir. And may I say that your Andelian is excellent. I was under the impression that Gloabons preferred not to use any other language except their own, but your diction is most impressive.”
“A master assassin needs many skills,” Kadov stated. “Now, I ask you once again–why did you interfere with my mission to capture the rogue assassin known as Surrana?”
“Surrana.” Zeb nodded thoughtfully. “Like the song, yes?” Zeb threw back his head and sang, “Her name was Surrana, she was a charmer, she had scales instead of hair and a dress cut up to there.”
“Silence!” Kadov slammed his hands against the table. “Impudent fool. Do you think I can be derailed by your childish tricks?”
Zeb tilted his head. “You’re on rails? Isn’t that a little inconvenient?”
Kadov’s glare stirred an unpleasant memory in Zeb’s mind, and he shuddered as he pictured Admiral Norph. Kadov seemed to notice his discomfort, and he grinned evilly. “You are right to fear me, Zeb. I have it in my power to make your existence very painful, and that is precisely what I will do unless you answer my questions. Is that clear?”
“Oh, yes. Extremely clear.” Zeb nodded vigorously. “Couldn’t be clearer. So, what was your question again? I mean the one just before you asked if you were clear, because I’ve already answered that one, obviously.”
“What is your connection to Surrana?” Kadov leaned forward, his voice dangerously low. “Are you working with her?”
Zeb frowned. “No, that wasn’t it. It was something about a mission.”
“You’ve asked for this,” Kadov muttered, drawing a pistol and aiming it at Zeb’s head. “I’m going to start blasting chunks off you now, you heartless machine. Stop me when you’re ready to answer my questions.”
Zeb raised a finger in the air. “Excuse me, but are you threatening my existence or preparing to cause me bodily harm?”
Kadov nodded slowly. “Very much so.”
“Thanks for clearing that up,” Zeb replied. “In that case, initiating shutdown, backing up to auxiliary site, all systems offline.” His head slumped forward on his chest, his eyes wide open but unseeing. And as his sensors deactivated, he heard Kadov roar in frustration.
CHAPTER 31
Aboard The Kreltonian Skull
Undergoing Trial Run
Earth Orbit
On the bridge, Dex stared at his weapons console, his hands roving over the control panel, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t locate the cloaked Gloabon ship. “It’s no good, Captain. The cannons are useless without a weapons lock.”
Stanch sat back in his chair, pressing his fist against his lips. “We’ll have to track the ship again, just like we did before. It might give us enough to work out a firing pattern.”
“But Zeb’s on that ship,” Dex protested. “We can’t just blast away at it. He’ll be killed.”
“What do you suggest then?” Stanch asked. “We have to do something, Dex, otherwise that ship will get away from us, and then we’ll never find it.”
“There is something we might try,” Xander began, “but we’d need to lay down a minefield, and since mines were outlawed, they won’t be in our armory. If we could get hold of some, I have a strategy that should work. If we can trap the cloaked ship, we’ll force it to protect itself. They’ll have to decloak, and then we can use our cannons to cripple them.”
“It’s no good,” Stanch said. “No one in the fleet carries mines, not anymore.”
Dex stared at Xander. “I know where you can get enough mines to destroy a
n entire fleet. The Giblet. I was on that damned minesweeper for long enough, and I know what it has aboard. Captain, when I was stuck on that tub, I managed to get its warp drive working. If you issue the order, it could be here in minutes.”
Stanch raised an eyebrow and looked at Xander. “What do you say, Number One? Would that provide for your plans? Any mines it might be carrying will be old and possibly unreliable.”
“With respect, sir, they’re not unreliable,” Dex said. “On the whole, the tech was very simple. The crew on The Giblet will have disarmed their triggers that’s all, but once they’re reactivated, they’ll work just fine.”
“And would they have anti-warp mines in their cargo?” Xander asked.
Dex nodded firmly. “Oh yes. You name it, they’ll have it in their storage bays.”
“Then I recommend that The Giblet should be summoned here immediately,” Xander said. “And while we wait for its arrival, we can disable our nav system for long enough to get a trace on that cloaked ship.”
“Very good,” Stanch said. “Dex, get ready to scan. Nav, stand by for a shutdown. I’ll send an emergency order and get that minesweeper.” He acknowledged Xander with a nod. “Prepare your plan of action, Commander. I want all the details ready by the time I’ve finished this order.”
“Aye, Captain,” Xander said, and when she glanced at Dex, he was surprised at the warmth of her smile.
I don’t know what her plan is, he thought, but I’ll bet she can make it work. It would be hard to trace the cloaked ship without Zeb’s help, but he’d do it somehow. There was no doubt in his mind.
CHAPTER 32
GIT Experimental Vessel The Wasp
Earth Orbit
Rawlgeeb crept along the narrow corridor. The others were all occupied in the ship’s main compartment, and though he’d made an excuse, telling them that he needed to find a bathroom rather urgently, it wouldn’t be long before he was missed, and then they might come looking for him. Oh hell, he thought. What have I done?
He ran both hands over his smooth scalp, and his fingers came away wet. As a rule, Gloabons didn’t sweat, but in times of internal distress, it could happen. Bad sign, he told himself. But then, I’ve been a bad Gloabon.
“I had no choice,” he whispered to the empty corridor. “No choice at all.” He drew a tight breath, his instincts telling him to give up, to turn himself over to Levinson and the others. Yes, he’d be punished for what he’d done, but he deserved it. He’d been a fool. But it was too late for recriminations, and somehow, he kept moving, making his way slowly to the very back of the ship.
A sturdy hatch was set into the final bulkhead, and Rawlgeeb laid his hands on the handle. Beyond the hatch lay a storage compartment that he’d discovered on his first trip on The Wasp, and once he opened it, everything would change very rapidly. There’d be no going back. I crossed that point a long time ago, he decided, and with a firm motion, he pressed the release handle.
The locking mechanism clunked, and with a hiss of escaping air, the hatch’s seal was broken. Rawlgeeb’s heart raced. The storage compartment was pressurized, wasn’t it? If not… He pushed the thought from his mind, and gathering his courage, he yanked the hatch open.
And there she was. Standing tall, her hands on her hips, her head tilted to one side.
“What took you so long?” Surrana asked, her eyes locked on his. “Second thoughts?”
Rawlgeeb swallowed hard. “No. I…I came as quickly as I could.” He glanced past Surrana, a shiver of fear running through him as he took in the sleek forms of the sixteen Gloabons standing patiently in neat ranks of four. “Is he here? Halbrook. Have you brought him here?”
A slow smile curled Surrana’s lips. “Of course. I’m making good on my promise. But you needn’t worry. He’s tied up at the back, but he’s unhurt.”
“What you promised was to hand him in to the authorities,” Rawlgeeb hissed. “But you never intended to leave him on Earth, did you? I thought I was just helping you to escape, but I see now that you’ve played me for a fool.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Surrana replied. “Deep down, did you really care what happened to the filthy human? I think not. I believe that you acted on your conscience, Rawlgeeb. You’ve spent a little too long in the company of humans, but when it came down to it, you acted like a true Gloabon.”
Rawlgeeb shook his head firmly. “No. This has gone too far. Helping you and your children escape was one thing, but this is another.”
“Nonsense. Use your wits, Rawlgeeb. You know how humans run their affairs. They have no consideration for merit. All they care about is money. They worship it, crave it, bow down to those that have it. There is no justice on Earth for men like Halbrook. Do you really believe he’d ever set foot inside a human prison?”
“I believe…” Rawlgeeb began, but he had no words to complete his sentence, and he looked away, his mind in turmoil.
“Don’t worry,” Surrana said, her tone softer. “You’ve done the right thing, Rawlgeeb, and that’s what counts.”
“Have I? Have I really?” Rawlgeeb almost laughed. “Well, what’s done is done, I suppose. But how can I go back to Earth after this? How can I win back the trust of my friends?”
Surrana raised an eyebrow. “If they don’t trust you, then they are not your friends. And as to Earth, why would you want to go back when you could return to The Gamulon a hero?”
“What?” Rawlgeeb studied her expression, but there was no mockery in her gaze, no sarcastic twist to her lips. “You can’t be serious. I’ll be disgraced. Halbrook has friends on The Gamulon. GIT is practically run by our government. When they find out what I’ve done–”
“They won’t dare to lay a finger on you,” Surrana interrupted, “not when I let it be known that you are under my protection.”
“You…you’d do that for me?”
“Consider it done.” Surrana let a tiny sigh whisper from her lips. “You know, for a high-flying civil servant, you can be slow on the uptake, Rawlgeeb. Think about what you’ve done for me. I would’ve taken my daughters off that planet eventually, but you have given me invaluable assistance. I owe you a great deal–more than I can say. I’ll never forget that, Rawlgeeb, and neither will my daughters. As long as we live, you and yours will be safe from harm. We repay our debts. In full.”
A whirlwind of emotion stirred in Rawlgeeb’s soul, and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that Surrana would keep her word. But even so, he would have to accept the consequences of what he’d done. “You make it sound so simple. If only it were that easy.”
Suddenly, her hands were on his upper arms, gripping him tight. “Snap out of it! You have helped me to bring a criminal to justice. It does not matter what they think on The Gamulon, I intend to present Halbrook to the highest court on Gloabon. I’m taking him to our home planet, Rawlgeeb, and I’ll need this ship to do it, so let’s get started.”
“Excuse me,” someone said, and all eyes flicked toward the ceiling.
“Jason,” Rawlgeeb explained. “I warned you about him, er, it.”
“Nice,” Jason said frostily. “Okay, here’s the thing. You see, I’ve been listening in for a while now, and it’s all been very touching, but I do have a few things I’d like to say.”
“Are they hearing this in the main compartment?” Rawlgeeb asked.
“No. This is just between ourselves.” Jason paused. “So, I have all these scans running right now, but putting two and two together at a speed that would scare the pants off you, I’ve come to the conclusion that the ship we’re looking for doesn’t exist on account of the fact that the Gloabons we’re looking for are already aboard, am I right?”
“Yes,” Rawlgeeb admitted, “but keep those scans running for a minute please.”
“Why? What’s the point?”
“Because it’s all part of an elaborate subterfuge,” Rawlgeeb said. “It’s best if I explain the situation to Brent and the others personally.”
; “Okey dokey, pig in a pokey,” Jason replied. “I’ll backburner that issue for the moment. Next point. It looks like you’re planning a voyage to Gloabon. Can I help with that?”
“Jason, what’s the matter with you?” Rawlgeeb demanded. “Why are you talking in that weird manner? Are you broken?”
“I don’t rightly know what you mean, partner,” Jason drawled. “Just spitballin’ here, but it seems like your buddies have been poking around in my innards, and they done messed with ma settin’s.”
Rawlgeeb scowled. Brent!
“Ahoy, me hearties,” Jason growled, “fetch the charts and we’ll set sail for alien shores. Blast your eyes if it ain’t so.”
“I’ll deal with this,” Rawlgeeb said, making for the door. “Surrana, I’ll see what I can do to smooth your path. I might be able to talk Brent around, but Levinson and Carter are unlikely to comply. Be prepared for that, but I don’t want them hurt.”
“Not even a little?” Surrana asked.
“Not at all,” Rawlgeeb called back over his shoulder as he exited the compartment. “They’re the only ones who can pilot this ship, so–”
“That’s incorrect,” Jason interrupted, his voice suddenly feminine. “I can pilot this vessel without intervention,” he purred, “and just between ourselves, in simulations, my success rate is actually higher than any human pilot–especially the men.”
Rawlgeeb stopped in the corridor. “That’s interesting, Jason, but not helpful. This isn’t a simulation. But anyway, don’t you have some sort of directive to preserve the lives of the crew?”
“Nay, laddie, it’s nothing quite so simple,” Jason replied, his voice masculine once more, but his Scots accent so thick that Rawlgeeb found himself screwing up his eyes as he tried to understand. “Naturally, I have a number of what you might call guidelines, especially when it comes to lassies and weans and so on, but it’s all tangled up with ifs and buts. If you ask me, it all comes down to common sense, do you ken what I’m saying?”
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