“Arrrrr!” he screamed reviving. “Get off me!” Then he realized Taki—or the creature that was Taki—wasn’t holding him in a death grip.
Cassie pulled his thrashing translucent arms down. “You’re safe Flint. Calm down.”
“But how? Where am I?”
“Rev saved you and we’re on our way to the transport ship.”
“What happened to Magnus? That lowdown, good for nothing . . . ”
“Rev took care of him too,” she said.
“I missed everything,” said the little automaton.
The doors to the elevator opened and they raced out onto the landing pad when the pinging in Rev’s ear stopped. “Shit!” said Rev pulling the ear communicator out and tossing it aside.
Cassie rushed everyone into the transport as Rev counted down from ten. Rev threw himself into the cockpit seat and didn’t wait for the hatch to close before he gunned the craft and shot the ship into the air.
Cassie was still securing Regency Tuloff into a seat and tried to locate an open chair for herself. Rev shouted. “Close the fucking hatch before it’s too late!”
Cassie tripped over the feet of the Tsunamian that was between her and the hatch button. She braced herself for the fall and slid dangerously close to the open hatch as she grabbed the leg of the last chair between her and falling to her death.
Rev continued to blurt out the count down. He got to two before she pressed the button and the hatch closed.
“One . . . zero,” said Rev.
The transport pivoted vertically tossing Cassie into the lap of the Tsunamian in the last chair as the thrusters pressed her down in a bone crushing ascent.
Rev watched on the monitors as the Alliance ships in close orbit annihilated the surface of Tsunam. Streams of energy flowed down and scorched the beautiful cities. The concussion of the assault rippled through the buildings crumbling them to dust. The parks and roadways vaporized. The oceans bubbled and steamed, sterilized by the non-discriminating force the weapons contained. Nothing survived.
The transport heaved and jostled, struggling to gain altitude. The plasma followed the heat trail of the small craft and Rev thought this time he might not make it. The g-forces raked across Rev’s chest and pinned his arms to his side. He still wedged himself to the pedals of the transport but he needed more power. The plasma was still rising, threatening to consume the shuttle with each passing moment.
Rev reached up with all his strength, trembling to reach the thrust controls. He bore down, forcing his arms to reach further. The struggle of Rev versus gravity seemed to take a lifetime until finally he won the battle. He slid the override switch and forced the output past the danger limit, deep into the red zone. The engines roared even louder and the craft started to shake violently. Then it groaned as the plating reached its limits of endurance, squealing and popping.
The temperature inside the transport rose uncomfortably and the air in the cabin rippled with heat. Like breaking the surface of a pond, the transport plunged out, up, and away from the destruction.
Rev pulled back on the power output, calming the abused craft to normal. He then engaged the artificial gravity.
“Looks like we made it,” said Flint.
Everyone on board cheered.
Epilogue
REV SAT IN WHAT LOOKED like the same chair as when he met Regency Tuloff nearly a week ago. He looked around the stylish room filled with statues and odd works of art. Tuloff’s new office was completely replicated right down to the same papers scattered on his desk. He didn’t know what was coming but he was sure his involvement in this affair wasn’t going to be over. Too many unaccountable deaths were on the books which always meant someone had to take the blame. He just hoped he would get a room with a view if they were going to prosecute him for allowing Magnus to escape.
The door opened and Tuloff and various other alien dignitaries could be seen deep in conversation. Then Tuloff nodded and the others departed as the Regency made his way to his desk. He settled in his chair and fiddled with various objects on the desk before he spoke.
Tuloff rubbed a bruised knot on his chin. “Before I tell you the Alliance’s decision on the charges against you of aiding and abetting a felon, I’d like to say something. I’m very grateful to you for saving my life on numerous occasions this week.”
“It was my privilege,” said Rev.
Tuloff nodded. “But I’m going to be careful of your right cross from now on.”
“Sorry.”
Tuloff continued. “But as far as the mess you leave us with I can only say—”
Flint flew in through the open door and interrupted. “I’m to blame too.”
“Yes you are,” said Tuloff sternly.
“Quiet Flint,” said Rev pulling him back. “You don’t need to stick up for me this time.”
Flint looked hurt. “I’m your partner. Who else should stick up for you?”
“Both of you shut the hell up,” demanded Tuloff. “I was going to say you’ve been acquitted of all charges on Tsunam as well as on Earth. The Alliance has reviewed all the facts and feel you conducted yourselves admirably. They would’ve liked to close the case on Director Blackheart, but realize there were mitigating circumstances.”
“And how do you feel about the outcome?” asked Rev.
Tuloff sat back and gave Rev a deep stare. Finally he smiled. “I also agreed and therefore, you’re free to go.”
“What about Magnus?” asked Rev.
“He’s a wanted felon and I suspect we haven’t heard the last of him.”
“And the Charrel?” asked Flint.
“That’s another matter entirely,” began Tuloff. “The Alliance feels some remorse at the near genocide of the Charrel and therefore they will coexist here on Tsunam as regular citizens. We will provide unprocessed bodies for them to inhabit as long as they remain a peaceful race. We will not allow them to infect already animated Tsunamian bodies. Also, you’ll like to know that any Tsunamian who exhibits the distasteful trait of love will also be allowed to remain free to practice their emotions as long as they are of a peaceful nature.”
“So Willa and Braz can stay?” asked Rev.
“Yes.”
“That’s great news.” Rev smiled then noticed Tuloff shrugging. “It’s not exactly ideal for you is it?”
“No,” said Tuloff. “I’m a purist and these Deviants still bother me. But I’m now in charge of the whole planet and that means I will govern them equally and with fairness.”
“Sounds almost emotional,” said Rev.
“I see no reason why you should imply that,” said Tuloff. “All leaders must be tolerant and learn to adapt for the betterment of society.”
“You’ll be a great leader,” assured Rev.
“I hope so,” said Tuloff. “I have my doubts.”
“What about me?” asked Flint.
“What about you? Oh, you mean what’s to become of you?” Flint nodded. “We can’t repair you without irreparably damaging you further. Besides, I gave you to Rev. He’ll have to decide when you’re no longer of any use to him. If I were him, I’d have you destroyed before you truly go berserk.”
Rev patted the little automaton affectionately. “Not on your life. Flint’s going to come stay with me, go through some EIA training and . . . ”
“Hmm,” Tuloff clearing his throat. “About the EIA . . . ”
Rev turned and intently waited. “You’ve been deactivated and classified unfit. It appears Magnus never put the paperwork in for you to be a consulting agent. Since you’ve repeatedly violated EIA policy they’ve revoked your pension and suspended your investigator license.”
“They can’t do that. Can they?” Rev was not surprised, but felt a little overwhelmed at finding out he would soon be destitute.
“It seems they did,” said Tuloff.
“Great, broke and without a job.”
Flint looked apologetic.
“I wouldn’t say yo
u’re either,” said Tuloff. “The Tsunamians wish to show you their appreciation for your services.” He slid a credit slip to Rev which he picked up and gawked at.
“That’s very generous.”
“Not at all,” said Tuloff. “You’ll find we will be making monthly installments to your banking institution for as long as you live.” Rev looked stunned. “You earned it. I believe you could be of service to the Alliance from time to time so I expect you to reinstate your investigator license, continue your private investigator business and assist others less fortunate and in need. Wouldn’t you think that’s a job you were engineered to perform?”
“I could see it in my heart to be available for the underdog as long as it’s not too difficult.”
Tuloff looked him in the eyes. “Believe me it will always be difficult and dangerous, but worth the adventure. Don’t let me down you two.”
“No sir,” said Flint and Rev together.
“Now go say your goodbyes and take Cassie and Reese home.”
Rev and Flint shook Tuloff’s hand and headed down the corridor to the transmat station. Flint set the controls and in the wink of an eye they walked into the intergalactic transmat station where Willa, Braz, Cassie and Reese waited.
“I guess this is goodbye Willa,” said Rev bending down and kissing her cheek. “Hope you two have a good life here on Tsunam.”
“We will,” said Braz shaking Rev’s hand.
Cassie hugged Braz goodbye. “You sure about this?” she asked her partner.
“Sure as I’m ever going to be,” said Braz. “Willa wants to start a family and I’m getting too old for the EIA. Besides, I’ve got to clean up the mess Magnus left behind now that they’ve given me a job as ambassador.”
“Really?” asked Rev.
“I haven’t actually accepted yet, but I think I might try.”
“Congratulations,” said Flint.
“Sounds like everyone’s benefited from their experiences except me,” said Reese. “I’ve been told I’m no longer needed at my old job.”
“I know where you can get a job,” said Rev. “Want to work for me?”
“Of course I would,” she said enthusiastically. “What do I have to do?”
“Think you can run the front office of a small-time private investigator service?”
“Piece of cake,” she said smiling.
Cassie gave Rev a dirty look. “She’s not going to do any personal services is she?”
“Maybe,” he said sheepishly.
“Not if I can help it,” Cassie said and planted a big kiss on his lips. “This guy’s taken so keep you mitts off of him.”
“We’ll see,” said Reese with a flirtatious grin.
“Ladies please,” said Rev. “We can settle this later. Let’s get home first before you fight over me.”
Cassie pinched Rev’s rear. “Remember, you gave me a rain check, mister.”
The End
Sneak Preview
Coming Winter 2016
Mom Be Lost
A Rev Smalley,
Galactic P.I. Adventure
Prologue
NERVE GAS ROLLED ALONG the intricately inlaid tiled floor of the Royal Palace that depicted the rich and varied history of the Mantodeans. The particular scene that the drone dropped dead on showed legions of Mantodean soldiers marching off to war in some distant past—a past before technology—shrouded in mythology. The queen was an iridescent green figure shimmering with cut emeralds flying up into the heavens and away from the chaos while the armies of the Mantodeans covered the surface of the planet destroying the cities of the surface dwellers. All-in-all it was a very lovely mosaic design, except for the drone who had inhaled the toxic gas and died as his internal organs liquified—which now ran out from every orifice of its body.
“Mom,” said the Mantodean guard through his breathing mask. He listened for signs of the intruders through the closed inner chamber doors.
“Yes,” she said stumbling out of her hiding place feeling the effects of some of the gas she inhaled before her guard slipped the breather into her mouth. The poison seemed to inhibit her ability to reach out with her mind. All she could sense were men behind her doors busying themselves for the attack. “I’m here.”
“Be prepared to run when I tell you to,” he instructed her, extending the ceremonial pike used as a symbol for the protection of the queen. Once, long ago, it might have actually protected the royal family but he highly doubted it would stand up against poison gas and pulse weapons. He held it deftly poised against anyone who might challenge him. His mandibles chittered nervously as he listened to the battling beyond the inner chamber.
The queen stroked the guard behind the head in endearment. “You’re very brave my son,” she said.
“Thank you Mom,” he said, “but I know I’m not brave. I cower when I should be strong. Look at me, a royal guard, shaking like a hatchling being scolded.”
“And yet you’re very brave,” she reassured him again with another touch of her hand. “You’ve stayed with me when all the others ran.”
He calmed his chittering and thrust the pike menacingly towards the door.
“You will fight valiantly,” she continued, “protecting me with the ancient Pike of Theilia. May it plunge through our enemies.”
The guard repeated her words. “May it plunge through our enemies.” And he stabbed the pike at an imaginary foe.
He was smaller than she, at just a little less than five meters and he was showing a little age around his thorax. The queen stood nearly six meters with an exoskeleton exquisitely tapered and very bright green. She could camouflage her coloring and blend in, changing to various earth tones but she highly doubted anyone finding her in these inner chambers would mistake her for anything but the queen.
They both knelt and prayed as the door to the inner chambers began to ring out from many hands thumping its surface. She rose and nudged the guard gently. He set his posture and turned one of his eyes to his queen and the other on the door.
“Be wise. Live long. Nurture the young,” he said as the door began to buckle.
“I promise,” she said.
The door swung in, men in armored environmental suits carrying heavy weapons forced their way into the chamber. The Mantodean guard leapt up onto the opening door and pierced one of the intruders through the helmet. The body jerked violently and the weapon he held slid out from dead hands and skittered across the floor stopping at the feet of the queen. She tried to lift the weapon but her physiology couldn’t grasp it effectively. So she dropped it and stepped back.
More armor plated men poured through the door and another man received a pike, jabbed completely through his chest. The guard scurried up until he clung from the ceiling and brandished the pike in defiance. He cursed the men who grabbed their fallen dead and pulled the bodies back. He doubted these aliens understood Mantodean but he clicked his mandibles and roared the war chant stabbing another intruder a mortal blow with his pike.
Armored men advanced in and tried to surround the queen. She was startled, standing up on her hind legs and expanding her thorax cavity with wings spread menacingly. The royal guard, seeing her distress, lunged himself into the foray racking his thorny limbs across the plated bodies. His defenses only scratched the protective coverings of the armor but it did make the men step back from him long enough to allow the queen to fall behind him, protected for the moment.
The armored men raised their weapons taking careful aim and fired. An explosion of viscous fluid sprayed the room as the guard’s body erupted severing his head from the rest of him. The head began to roll away, the queen lifted the disembodied guard’s head to her breast. The remaining part of the guard still held the pike defensively like some grotesque statue.
She turned the head over in her hands and it spoke to her in a nearly inaudible voice. “Mom run,” it pleaded.
“It’s too late my son,” she said. “You fought magnificently—”
&nb
sp; The head choked and the spark of life in its eyes faded. She dropped the dead head of her son and attacked. The first man found she was much stronger than she appeared to be when she slipped her hand into a seam of his armor and ripped the protective gear completely away along with his arm and most of his upper body. The man fell in a shower of blood. She knew she had to act quickly and surprise the attacking men as she latched hold of a helmet of one man and removed it so quickly it stunned him. She bent down and bit the exposed head cleanly away from the body leaving a fountain of blood gushing from the torn neck. She used the helmet as if it was a weapon swinging it with enough force to pound another man senseless as she ran through the startled troop.
Wild yells of panic came from the armored soldiers as they tried to follow the rampaging queen. One man used his pulse weapon which flared a burst nearly hitting her until a tall man who appeared to be in charge shot the crazed shooter in the back. A deep flaming hole appeared and the shooter dropped dead. Orders were barked that the queen was to be taken alive and the men reformed into a line.
The queen ran up the wall in great haste to escape. The men had a clear line of sight; she felt the tug of nets being deployed around her slender body. She snagged her legs in the netting and stumbled along the ceiling where she desperately clung and then fell in a heap on the tiled floor.
The leader of the men quickly ran to her, snatched her breather away and stretched an elastic mask around her head. She held her breath, struggling for as long as she could until she took a deep breath and smelt the sweet odor of a tranquilizer.
PART 1: OLLY OLLY OXEN FREE
Chapter 1
THE NAME ON THE THICK GLASS of new double doors read:
REV SMALLEY
Galactic Private Investigations, LLC
The Beast of Tsunam (Rev Smalley: Galactic P.I. Book 1) Page 34