by Jeff Sims
Bline said, “I am so glad to see that you were able to tear yourself away from your duties long enough to attend the celebration.”
Frank replied, “You as well. I suppose that you have seen the press conference?”
Bline: “Yes. At least now I understand why the officials in Influenla didn’t contact me. There was little point I suppose.”
Frank: “Yes. I am sorry that so many beings lost their lives in the rescue mission. I want you to know that the mission was not sanctioned by the Alliance Senate. Further, we were surprised by the sheer brutality of the attack. The Senate does not condone that type of warfare.”
Bline: “That is certainly a relief. It makes me feel much better knowing that the captain responsible for the attack was promoted.”
Frank chuckled for a moment. He responded, “Yes. I see how that appears. However, he was promoted on the condition that he retires.”
Bline: “Thank you. I also watched Senator Korno’s part of the press conference.”
“Yes. We brought back a few Humans for further evaluation and potential development,” said Frank.
Bline asked, “I have a strange question for you. What exactly are they called?”
Frank said, “Called? You mean the name of the race?”
Bline nodded affirmatively. Frank said, “Well. The race is from the Solar System, so technically they should be referred to as Solarians.”
Bline responded, “I don’t think that will work. The name is already in use.”
Frank said, “Correct. Their home planet is called Earth, so we could refer to them as Earthians or possibly even Earthlings.”
“But…”
Frank said, “But they don’t particularly like either of those names. They prefer to be called Humans.”
Bline asked, “Back to the original subject. What are the initial results of the navy’s evaluation? Are they really too violent to be of any use to the Alliance?” Bline doubted that Frank would actually answer the question, but he thought it would fun to ask.
Frank replied, “Certainly not what we had hoped. In the first month here they made blood threats, acted well outside of their orders, and destroyed equipment. They even got in a fight during diversity training. These Humans have made considerable progress, but I fear there is no place for them in the Navy. I doubt there is any place for them in the Alliance.”
After Influenla, Frank knew that Bline knew that the Alliance knew that there were Neto’s in the Hiriculan Navy. Therefore, he wanted Bline to believe that the Alliance Navy experimented with humans in response.
Frank also wanted Bline to believe the experiment was a failure. That was a significant part of the reasoning behind publicly announcing that the Alliance had humans. He wanted Bline (and everyone else for that matter) to believe that the ‘real’ reason they were now being introduced to the galaxy was that the Navy was essentially done with them.
Frank studied Bline closely. His ear stalks weren’t actively moving and he seemed to be nodding in agreement. Frank was relatively sure that Bline believed the falsehood.
Bline smiled inwardly. He asked, “I sincerely doubt that the Solarians will accept the Humans when your evaluation has concluded. What are you going to do with them now that the hyperspace lane is closed?”
Frank replied, “I’m sure we will be able to find them a home on Solaria. The worst case scenario is that they will be placed on the uninhabited 4th continent”
…………………………
Frank awoke and checked his communication pad. It was still relatively early. He yawned and laid his head back onto his pillow. The pillow’s smart fabric re-formed around his head and neck and provided his head the optimum amount of support and cushion. It’s amazing that beings ever get out of bed anymore, he thought.
He knew that he had a big day today, possibly the biggest of his life. There was very little chance he would stay in bed today. Frank briefly reflected on the first three days of the celebration. They had been a whirlwind of parties and social gatherings. Every power player imaginable had attended at least one of the soirees.
At one gala in particular, Frank met and quickly befriended Baxter Bunnyhop, a freshman senator in Solaria’s world legislature. Baxter was very popular despite his relative youth and political inexperience. Baxter was very polite and seemed genuinely interested in pleasing others and truly helping his constituents.
Further, Baxter was the only Solarian with any chance to unseat Amanda during the next election. Frank assured Baxter that should he ever be elected to the Alliance Senate, Frank would be thrilled to show him all of the political climbing devices.
Day 4, however, signaled the lessening of planned activities. There were only three events planned for the evening. There were fewer still for the next 8 days. Most of the local citizens had had enough celebrating and were returning back to their usual schedules.
Nearly every dignitary was planning on leaving tomorrow or at the latest the day after tomorrow. He briefly wondered if there was a single word for ‘the day after tomorrow’. He thought for a moment and said, “Today, tomorrow, overmorrow, doublemorrow?”
Frank knew that if he was going to act, it would have to be today. He wouldn’t get another chance on Solaria. Frank said, “Computer, what is Senator Figur’s calendar for today?”
…Ambassador Figur plans to work in his temporary office for the majority of the day. He is going to attend two social gatherings this evening...
“Where is his temporary office?”
…It is on the executive level of the Sol City Hotel…
Frank was mildly upset. He was staying at the Sunshine Paradise Hotel and they didn’t have executive offices. They did a really nice indoor pool though, so he supposed that made it somewhat better.
Frank said, “Schedule a ½ hour meeting for Figur and me at 10:30 am. Make the subject Beam Weapon Research.”
Figur was the head of the military sub-committee, so the subject wasn’t that out of line.
…Completed…
Frank paced back and forth several times. He practiced smiling. He paced a few more times. He checked his hair and eyebrows in the mirror. He paced some more. He walked by his luggage, stopped, and kept pacing. He rehearsed a couple of speeches. Frank couldn’t believe how nervous he was. He really didn’t know if he could actually follow through with his plan.
It was almost time to leave his hotel room. Frank unpacked his luggage and pulled a large item from the back of the case. He immediately tucked it in his jacket. He didn’t even look at it.
Franked left his hotel, walked past the Spaceport Hotel and Resort, and entered the Sol City Hotel. He sauntered over to the desk clerk and gave one of his secondary smiles. He said, “I have an appointment with Senator Figur in a few minutes. How do I get to the executive floor?”
The clerk smiled and said, “Senator Frank. It is truly an honor to meet you. I try to watch your speeches whenever I am able.”
Frank responded by giving his award winning smile. He said, “Thank you. I appreciate your interest in politics. We public servants try our hardest to make the galaxy a better place for everyone. Now, do I need a special pass to reach Figur’s office? I don’t want to be late for my 10:30 appointment.”
The clerk replied, “Yes, you do. But first I have to verify your credentials. I’m sorry, but it is a hotel policy.”
Frank offered his palm and his identification card. The clerk quickly checked the badge and scanned his fingerprints. The computer blinked that verification was complete and approved.
The clerk said, “You are now authorized to enter the executive level. Just enter the electro lift to your right, place your palm on the scanner and tell the computer to take you to the 4th floor.”
Frank replied, “Thank you. What room is he in?”
The clerk responded, “He is in the 6th office on the right. Well, there are no offices on the left, just a large conference room. Oh, and the first office is a waiting area.”
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The clerk checked her monitor and added, “Senator Figur is the only one working there this morning so you don’t have to worry about disturbing anyone.”
“Perfect,” Frank replied.
Frank rode the electro-lift and exited on the fourth floor. He could see that Figur’s office at the far end of the corridor. Although Figur’s office was only two dozen paces from where he was standing, it felt seemed like it was a mile away.
Frank felt a surge of panic induced nausea. He truly didn’t know whether he could really end another being’s life. It was easy to make plans, but he was now discovering that it was far more difficult to actually carry them out.
He needed a quick moment to collect himself; so he ducked into the waiting area. It was nice, he thought. He could see himself waiting here if the need ever arose.
Frank checked the time on his com pad. His scheduled meeting was due to start in 20 minutes. He still had some time, but not much. He needed to move soon if he was going to go through with it.
Frank reviewed his plan. It was simple really – arrive early, shoot the Senator, then wait in Figur’s office for his appointment time and ‘discover’ the body. This served two purposes. First, he didn’t have to worry about escaping the scene and second he would be in the perfect position to give an impromptu eulogy.
Frank practiced his latest ‘I am terribly upset, but have a steely resolve to lead’ smile. He was down to 16 minutes. It was time for action. Frank set his communication pad down on one of the tables. He wanted his hands free.
Frank took 20 steps forward. He was now standing in the hallway a few steps away from Senator Figur’s office.
Frank took the beam weapon out of his jacket and removed the loose, protective wrapping. He held it in his hands for a few minutes, turning it over and over. Inside was a light crystal surrounded by a very powerful emitter. The material surrounding the innards was a blue polymer that curved to fit the palm of his hand. Frank thought that the weapon was beautiful in its own way.
The design was elegant in its simplicity. There were no extraneous features such as a targeting apparatus or a laser spotter. There were only two buttons. The first would fire a beam powerful enough to disintegrate a significant portion of a being’s chest. The second button would cause the weapon to self-destruct; completely burning itself to powder and leaving no identifiable trace.
Frank turned it over in his hands again. It was simple really, just point the business end at the intended target and shoot. Then press the second button and destroy the murder weapon.
Frank recalled the conversation he had had with the mystery man. The man had said that the beam weapon was powerful, but had a very short range. The preferred distance was 2 meters away; 3 at the most.
Frank thought about what he was about to do. No Advranki had killed another in a millennium or two, possibly three. Or at least that was what he seemed to recall. He hadn’t actually looked up the statistic for fear that his search could be traced and used as evidence.
He supposed that it really didn’t matter because if everything went well, the Hiriculans would be blamed and the statistic would remain unchanged.
Frank took another step toward the office door. He was close now, close enough to reach the communication button. He reached out his hand, but suddenly withdrew it. Instead, his mind filled with regret and turned and started walking away from the door.
He had gone six steps when he stopped again. He mentally forced the fear and anxiety to leave his mind and took another step back toward the door, then another. His feet were getting very heavy and he forced himself to take another step toward the door.
He didn’t have his communication pad, but he knew that he was running out of time. It was almost time for his appointment. Frank sighed loudly and thrust the weapon back into his pocket. He easily walked the three paces to Figur’s door and touched the communication pad.
Figur recognized him and opened the door. Figur stood in greeting, but remained behind his desk. Frank entered and walked directly over to the other side of Figur’s desk and stood facing him.
Frank estimated that Figur’s desk only a meter wide, so they were approximately 2 ½ meters apart from one another.
Figur said, “Welcome, I see that you are as punctual as ever. In fact, you are 9 minutes early.
Frank smiled and said, “Well, we have important business to discuss.”
Figur responded, “Yes. I saw the meeting was beam weapon technology. Can you enlighten me on the particulars of request?”
Figur paused for a micro-second and continued talking. He didn’t give Frank a chance to respond. Figur said, “We have been investing heavily in research for new beam weapon technology, but there are several drawbacks…”
Frank slid his right hand under his cloak, firmly grasped the weapon, and pulled it out of his coat. He aimed the weapon directly at Figur’s mid-section and pressed the button. A beautiful beam of blue light burst from the weapon and struck Figur directly in middle of his chest.
Frank absent-mindedly noted the diffraction of the beam. His mystery man was correct. If he had fired from much further away its strength would have significantly dissipated. Frank thought that it still would have been helpful to have test fired it at least once before this.
Frank watched as a giant hole suddenly appeared in the center of Figur’s body. Like the space battle simulations, the effect was nearly instantaneous. Figur was talking one moment, the next he was literally dead on his feet.
That only lasted for a few seconds though. Figur’s body slumped, fell backwards, and hit the floor. Frank walked around the desk and inspected the body. There was no blood or guts or mess. The beam had vaporized everything it hit and cauterized the wound.
Frank was slightly upset at the result. He had rehearsed a small speech to give Figur as he was dying. He had even practiced a ‘goodbye, you’ll be dead in a few minutes smile’. Both were apparently wasted since Figur had the audacity to die immediately after the shot.
Frank dropped the weapon in the disposal bag and pressed the second button. He quickly pulled his hand out and sealed the bag. The mystery man had neglected to tell him exactly how long the overload took to destroy the weapon and more importantly, how long it took for the reaction to start.
The answer, Frank discovered, was not long. The bag started getting very warm to the touch seconds later, so Frank dropped it on Figur. Frank reasoned that any burning caused by the disintegration would just look like scorch marks on his body.
Okay, now to work. Frank stepped beside Figur’s desk where Figur’s communication pad was lying. He said, “Computer, delete all recorded information from time 10:20 to now. Begin normal monitoring again at time mark 10:30. Further, delete the request to delete the files using Alliance Senator Code clearance.”
It was a straightforward request. The computer in Figur’s (and everyone else in the Alliance for that matter) communication pad was amazingly fast and contained thousands of artfully crafted programs to make it extremely helpful and efficient. However, it wasn’t truly intelligent.
Therefore, it accepted Frank’s command because he was an Alliance Senator, helpfully filled in Figur’s Senator Code, and executed the command. However, if Frank had given the command and tried to use his security code, Figur’s com pad would have rejected it.
Frank checked the time. It was 10:28. Perfect. Frank bent down, grabbed the bag, and hurried out of the office. He closed the door partway behind him and ensured that it wasn’t completely shut, thus keeping the automatic locking mechanism from engaging.
He turned right, took 3 steps to the end of the corridor, and used his elbow to press the button for the electro lift at the far end of the corridor. This lift ran from the guest rooms to this floor. It wasn’t accessible from the lobby. Fortunately, on this floor the electro lift was controlled only by a button. It didn’t require a palm scan to activate.
He retraced his steps down the hallway and back to the waiting area. On
ce there, he dropped the weapon bag in the waste slot. He grabbed his communication pad and checked the time. It read 10:29:30. Frank left the waiting area and confidently walked to Senator Figur’s office.
At precisely 10:30 am Frank rang the doorbell. He then waited a moment; ostensibly for Figur to answer.
Figur didn’t answer though – the primary reason being that he was lying on floor dead.
This time he knocked on the door. It swung open. He said out load, “That’s odd, the door is unlocked.” He paused for a moment and said, “Senator Figur, are you okay?”
Frank pulled a piece of dried, heavily peppered sea-moss out of his pocket and smelled it. He took three deep breaths, letting the aroma waft through his senses. Frank then walked into the room and discovered Figur’s body.
He sniffled and said, “Computer, contact emergency services and inform them that Senator Figur is unresponsive and appears to be badly injured.”
…Please specify which emergency service…
Frank sniffled again. When he spoke his voice was choked up. He said, “Make it a general broadcast to all services. I don’t know what service handles this type of thing on Solaria.”
Technically, there wasn’t a service that handled this particular issue since there hadn’t been a murder investigation in over a millennia.
However, he requested a general broadcast because it should be detected by the media. He wanted, correction he needed this to become a media circus.
Frank intentionally downplayed the extent of Figur’s injuries. He reasoned that if he simply stated Figur was dead that fewer people would come. This way there would be some drama when the medical team rushed in. Frank sat on the couch in the room and waited for the unscheduled party to start.
He didn’t have to wait long.
The first responders only took 9 minutes to arrive. They were a news crew from a nearby television station. Frank wisely said, “Set up on both sides of the room for a panoramic view. Leave the center aisle clear for the authorities.”