“Hey Ronnie, where the hell are you going?!” I yelled at her back. She raised a hand and waved, never turning or stopping. The guards were all up and getting dressed down by some pompous ass who had shown up; his rank identified him a captain of the guard. Taz and the pretty female were standing off to the side of us talking about Genius’ data pad. He didn’t look scared, but he was definitely taking an interest in the fact that his new crush had managed to hack it. I wondered what her position was in the scheme of things. It seemed to me some else was had been learning how to hack a system. Ours.
“I am very disappointed,” Taz said, looking up suddenly and meeting my eyes.
“Me too. Your guards are so untrained, it’s pitiful. And just so you know,” I added, eyebrows raised, “we didn’t start it. One of them attacked me first.”
“Which one attacked you first?” Taz asked.
I glanced over at the guards. They were all watching our conversation. They looked scared of Taz’s scrutiny.
“I don’t remember,” I said. “It’s not important. It was just a little scuffle, and no one is so seriously hurt that they can’t work their shift.” Drinking, fighting, an all-nighter with a pretty girl—all three were good as long as you could make it to work the next day. So my squad leader told me as a green marine just out of training. I guess it stuck.
“You do realize that this makes your situation even worse?” the female officer said. “You incited a riot, even if you weren’t the first to act aggressively.”
“Oh, bullshit,” I said, anger creeping into my voice. I reached out and snatched the data pad from her hand. “You’ve had plenty of time to check this. I think you’re through now.”
“Boss, you can give it back to her,” Genius interjected. “There’s only one thing on it I didn’t want her to see, and I’m pretty sure she’s seen it already.”
Taz took the pad from me and began looking through it again. I watched her face and that of the female officer next to her. I could tell when they got to the whatever it was on the pad that Genius had mentioned, but instead of a serious question or stare Taz just smiled and looked at Genius.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I know it looks creepy. I’m not sure what made me want to do that.”
I looked at my longtime friend and the smartest guy I know. His face was beet red and the floor seemed to be very interesting to him right at the moment.
“I will deal with this later, Genius,” Taz said, “but please tell us right now how you broke into our network and stole the file.”
“Wait a minute. What are you going to deal with later?”
Genius looked up at me. “I took a couple pictures of her at the meeting.” His eyes landed on the pretty officer next to him.
“Go ahead and tell them,” I said. “If she is secret police or something she shouldn’t have been at the meeting, she could have watched from somewhere else. Just erase them. There are prettier Cjittan females out there you can take pictures of.” I smiled at him and he knew I was just picking a fight.
“I didn’t hack your system or steal a file, Your Highness,” he said slowly. “Benjamin gave it to me and asked me to put it on the holo, if it came to it. He’s no good with computers.”
“I know he’s no good with computers, and you are a master,” Taz said. “So it’s hard to believe your story.”
“Go on, show her,” I said. “It’s ok, Genius. You followed my orders.” That was all partially true. His hacking hadn’t recovered that file. I guess I should have asked him about hacking the holo projector on the table. It must have been part of a secure network.
Genius tapped his wrist com and it projected a holo-message in the air. “Enlarge,” he commanded, and it grew large enough for both Taz and her officer to read.
Genius, if it comes to it I may need you to put this file on the holo during the meeting. You know that kind of crap is beyond me.
No problem, Boss, just tell me when.
Thanks. See you there.
“Now leave us alone,” I said. “Nobody hacked your shitty network, although I’m sure if the network is anything like your guards, it’s woefully incapable.” How many bad guys pleaded innocent when they were guilty as hell? I guess I could too. I had just assumed anyone could connect to the holo. It was a meeting room.
“They can’t be all bad. I see your lip bleeding,” Taz remarked, trying to save face.
“Genius did that on accident,” I said. “I changed my location at the wrong time and he threw an elbow on instinct when he felt a presence behind him. I was somewhere I wasn’t supposed to be. It was my fault all the way for not communicating, of course. But you people know all about that, don’t you? Arresting people without a shred of evidence of any kind?”
Thirty guards were all paying close attention and their supervisor thought he would intervene in the conversation, maybe to earn some points with the queen.
“My queen, Minister Zora, are they going to the cells?” he asked. “I have thirty men, so it should be no problem depositing them there.”
“Captain, it should have been no problem with ten, and yet they could not handle the simplest of details. Believe me when I tell you these two men did not wish to hurt anyone or anything but your guards’ pride,” Taz said sharply. “I know they are capable of lethal force, that is as easy to them as breathing. They are trained killers, Captain. You will take your men and go. Prepare for me a plan and schedule for training your men to better serve me.”
Taz’s minister broke in. At least now I knew part of her title—just not what she was Minister of. “This one is called Genius, and he is free to go. You will not impede or harass him in the future unless you wish to test my wrath,” she ordered, then eyeballed me. “You, however, are not free to go and will accompany me to the interrogation room.”
“She is something special, isn’t she, minister? She inspires you to be more courageous when she is around. Out of the blue you got yourself a set of big brass balls, and you’re going to order the queen’s lover to do exactly as you say. By all means, let’s go and have some fun in the interrogation room.” I stopped, knowing I had gone too far.
“Benjamin, that’s enough,” Taz snapped. “Leave her be!”
I turned to her. “You? You are the worst, my dearest Taz. You assumed and went right along with the notion that me and mine committed some crime, and you let these flunkies take me. I would have never let anyone—anyone—take you from me,” I said.
“Benjamin, I’ve seen you just take what you want,” she said. “I’ve been there when you’ve done it. You took my shuttle. You took from the man who hurt your friend Aisling.” I did have a habit of taking things from people who tried to kill me or if I needed something to accomplish a mission.
“Oh for God’s sake, Taz, wake up. I have a rule. You try to kill me and fail, I take whatever I want from your leavings. That sawed-off runt tried to kill Aisling and the rest of us. In in the case of your shuttle, Blue Eyes had it. She and those pirates of hers tried to kill us all. Hell, you were there. Just because it once belonged to you, that doesn’t count. Although I will admit to wanting to get even with you, but what did I do, oh Tazleaha, Queen of Queens? Tell me.”
“You gave it back to me,” she said stiffly.
“Yeah, no shit. It’s clear why you are the brains of this outfit.”
“Your tone is getting dangerously close to hostile and demeaning, Benjamin.”
“You know, I could put a stop to this but I’m not going to,” I told her. “I’m gonna let you take it as far as you want to go. It’s all on you. I thought you had my back but now I know I can only trust my own people.” I stepped toward her. “Now take me wherever the hell we’re going, then get the fuck away from me.” I was getting bored and boredom must lead to anger.
“Take him, then report to me immediately,” Taz ordered her minister before turning and walking away.
****
“Come in, Zora,” Taz said. “I’ll be out in a minut
e.”
Zora looked around the queen’s room and noticed many things that belonged to Benjamin. He was an unhappy lover; he wouldn’t speak to her to defend himself or provide information. He seemed like the stubborn type. He didn’t seem guilty of anything, however, and another talk with Genius had shed no light on where the file had come from. It was not the information that was the problem and the only breach had been the tabletop holo projector that was tied into the network. She believed Genius would have told her if he knew; he said he knew his boss didn’t steal or do anything that might put a wedge between himself and the queen.
She took her time walking around the giant suite, pausing to look at the weapons on display. The battle blades, axe and long knife from Allond were a surprise and very beautiful, as was a sword of unknown origin.
Taz walked out from her bath in clothes Zora knew were not Cjittan. They were loose fitting and looked like something a peasant or slave would wear. She worked her mouth to compliment her queen but couldn’t put the words together.
“These are Benjamin’s sleeping garments,” Taz said. “They smell of him, which I have always loved in the past, but tonight I feel too ashamed to enjoy them. Zora, we have made a grave mistake and I don’t know how to correct it.”
“After the meeting, he was calm and jovial with his friend Genius, but I sensed deception in him,” Zora said. “I now believe that the deception was his plan to anger the guards and start a confrontation which would evolve into a fight. I believe displaying the wager between yourself and the human woman, as well as accusing him of stealing, made him enter him angry, as Genius explained to me. He said Benjamin was totally honest—his actual word was brutally—and that he almost always is.”
“Brutally and totally aren’t the same, Zora. What Genius said isn’t true either. I can understand why he would believe it. Benjamin is totally and brutally honest with the small group of people he loves and calls friends. His honesty varies after that.”
“Yes, I realize now. The file we took from Genius is written in Allond, if you did not notice. The translation matrix dates the style of script to be around six hundred years old. A search through the archives didn’t find any trace of it. Official or unofficial.”
“So you went and talked to Genius again, Zora? Was it strictly your duty that initiated that meeting?” Taz asked with a small smile.
“I admit that it wasn’t totally my duty. My curiosity about the file and the humans you brought to our world, the males specifically, sparked questions,” Zora said. “I hoped for some answers to at least some of my questions, even if they were more of a personal nature.”
“I also have a personal stake in what has happened today and will shoulder the blame and deflect it away from you,” Taz told her. “I think you would benefit from Benjamin’s team, but if he dislikes you it won’t matter what I feel. You will get nothing from them.”
Taz heard Benjamin’s com buzzing; she knew the sound well. Zora reached into her jacket and handed it to Taz. She activated the incoming live transmission.
Emperor Xamand was sitting at his desk in the holo. “Ah, Tazleaha, I am sorry to interrupt your evening,” he said. “I’m looking for Benjamin. Is he available?”
“I’m sorry, Emperor, he is unavailable but I can get a message to him,” Taz said.
“He asked me for some information on the Khalnalax and I wanted to see if it was sufficient. I must admit I thought it strange, him being there with you and requesting information on your people, albeit an enemy, but Benjamin is not always operating on the same level as everyone else. So why would he come to me, Tazleaha?” Suddenly a lot more made sense to Zora.
“Emperor Xamand, please forgive me, but I must ask you—where did you get the information you sent Benjamin?” Zora asked.
“It came from my archives, young one. I’m sorry, I’m unaware of your name. It has been within our files since long before you and Tazleaha were born.”
“And how did it get into your archives?” Taz asked.
“Did you read the file I sent Benjamin?” he asked.
“Not completely,” Taz answered.
“I assumed as much, or you wouldn’t be asking me questions with that accusatory tone,” the emperor said. “Do you think it was obtained through nefarious methods? Tell me, where is Benjamin? I would like to know right now.”
Zora had copied the file to her personal com and was reading as fast as she could. She decided the answer was most likely at the end and skipped to the last page. It was a handwritten letter from the Queen of Cjittan to the Emperor of Allond. She read quickly, then slid her com over to Taz and remained very quiet.
“She wrote it in our language but signed it in her own.” Xamand sounded a little farther away, at least for the moment. “Your mother was a good friend and better queen, and I hope her daughter might one day shine brighter than all the queens before her.”
“Thank you, Xamand,” Taz said. “I believe I need time to think. I hope I do not insult you further if I take my leave. I will tell Benjamin you asked for him.”
“Tazleaha, you didn’t answer my question about Benjamin,” he said. “It’s no matter. I can tell by your expression you have things on your mind. A future explanation would be nice.”
“Yes, I will make sure you are given an explanation,” she said. “Good night, Emperor.”
Chapter 2
“Are you awake?” Ronnie asked, standing just outside the cell. “Emperor Xamand was looking for you, and he and Taz had a conversation. You’re free to go.”
“Am I now?” I said, sitting up. “What are you doing here, and where are the platinum blondes? Too chicken shit to show their faces now that the mystery is cleared up? Maybe she could lock her dead mother up in a cell for giving out state secrets.”
“Isn’t someone in a mood?” Adeen said.
“I’ve had some time to think and something doesn’t add up,” I told her, ignoring the jab; she would be poking fun at me for the next few days, I knew. “At least with the info I have at hand. Ronnie, they took my com. Tell Binda I want to see her and will be there shortly.”
“Your queen is waiting on you,” Adeen said. “You should probably go see her first; it might be more fun. Binda is a little too fragile right now for incarceration sex.”
I didn’t respond to her, unwilling to let her jokes continue. I hadn’t been locked up that long and wouldn’t touch Binda like I wouldn’t touch Ronnie.
“Come on, Benjamin, get up and quit feeling sorry for yourself,” Ronnie said. “You’re not blameless in this mess. She wanted me to tell you—your bitch is waiting on you.” She said the last part with a little too much enthusiasm.
“One of you call Binda like I asked, and send a thank you message to Xamand for me,” I said, ignoring her. “Now!” Should have known that would get back to Taz.
“Damn, how did we end up with this detail? Couldn’t she send her own people to escort his grumpy ass to her room?” Adeen asked Ronnie.
“Really, Adeen?” Ronnie said. “I thought you were smarter than that. I don’t think I need to explain it to you.”
“Let’s go. You two are boring me,” I said, standing and pushing them out of my way. I knew how to get back to our rooms.
****
I knocked on Binda’s door and waited. “You let her know I was coming like I asked?”
“Yes, I sent her a message,” Ronnie answered.
“Did she acknowledge?”
“Um, no.”
I knocked on the door again, more insistently, and heard nothing. “Adeen, let me have your com,” I ordered, holding out my hand. She gave it to me, nervously watching as I spoke.
“Genius, pick up now! I need you to tell me where Binda is.”
He replied straight away. “She is in her room, Boss.”
“What’s her status? Check medical on her com.”
This time he took a few moments to respond, and when he did, he sounded rushed.
“Oh shit, Boss
, she has no vitals.” He paused. “No, wait—there is a weak heartbeat.”
“Get over here now, and bring Harry,” I ordered, turning to the others. “Ronnie, go get your bag and anything you have to treat Binda.”
I turned the com on again. “Snake, wake your ass up and wake Adam. Get to Binda’s room now, and come in locked and loaded.”
“Copy, Boss. See you in three,” Snake replied immediately and soberly.
Harry and Genius were sprinting down the hall with Nedra right behind them. They weren’t wearing a lot of clothes, but they had the right attitude on.
“Harry,” I said, “I need in Binda’s room now. She is in danger.”
“Boss, I can—”
“Don’t finish that sentence,” I yelled, giving him an instant death look. “Last resort, Genius, ok?” I didn’t need him hacking the system again so soon. Harry could probably do it just as fast only he would break some things.
“Yeah, Boss. Got it.”
Harry took a step forward and kicked the door. I saw it flex and heard the material crack, but it didn’t break. Nedra followed his lead with the same result. Harry yelled as his second effort cracked the door up the middle. He stepped forward and pushed the half of the door on its hinges out of the way.
I burst in first through the broken door. I didn’t see Binda in the common room so I ran to her bedroom. She lay on her back, eyes open and wild, her breathing shallow. A black substance left a trail down her cheek, pooling on her collarbone. Ronnie pushed me out of the way, surveyed the situation, took a sample of the substance on Binda’s cheek and inserted it into a chemical analyzer.
“She’s been poisoned, Benjamin,” she said, looking back at me. “It’s an organic mixture, plants mostly, most likely local and not specifically for killing someone of the Trillond species. Had she been Cjittan, she would have been dead in a minute.” Ronnie gave Binda a shot. “That will slow it down and ease the stress on her body until we can get her to a doctor,” she told me.
Chronicles of Benjamin Jamison 4: Empires at War (Part One) Page 3