Belinea

by Andrew Mack

Argo interjected, “Illuminating. However, I do not propose problems without providing solutions.”

  Tempest gave a quick sarcastic interjection “If only you had the same dedication with all your faults….”

  Argo took a breath and said, “ What if we just killed Ambassador Bird?”

  There was an awkward silence in the room. After about six seconds, Tempest finally responded, “Are you serious?”

  Argo responded, “Yes.”

  The Chairman responded, “I appreciate the fear you put in people, my son, no father could be prouder. But that kind of behavior leads to riots and civil wars when the people turn on you for being a masochistic prick.”

  Argo responded, “ You know I would slit his throat in front of a hundred cameras and not care about the ramifications, but I was referring to someone else. What if Bird was assassinated through a controlled terrorist attack?”

  Tempest said, “You mean Taz?”

  Argo nodded in affirmative. “We have kept him under wraps for weeks. I can arrange a situation where my Earth spy gives information to Taz regarding Ambassador Bird’s travel schedule. Taz finds the perfect time to assassinate Ambassador Bird. That’s the spin we use as evidence that we need to increase the budgets of the BRG and AuFa.”

  Malovex asked, “What if any of the older Ambassador’s see it as ‘someone spoke, and someone got executed’?”

  Argo answered quickly, “Is that a bad thing?”

  There was another silence in the room. After a few seconds, The Chairman looked at Malovex and asked, “What do you think?”

  Malovex leaned back in his chair and waited a few seconds before speaking. Finally, after taking a sip of his drink, he said, “As much as I would like to disagree with my cousin, I do not. If this is done right, we could pin this on the DAG watch, avoiding any BRG criticism. How does Taz communicate with this spy of your’s?”

  Argo wiggled his finger while sipping on his drink and said, “Good one, cousin. You almost got me to bite.”

  Malovex replied, “I was referring to the fact that Taz is a man of very few words.”

  Argo half smiled and said, “Let’s just say Taz gets the information from either me or Verkato, his first officer.”

  Malovex continued, “As long as the information is reliable. You do not need this blowing back up in Taz’s face. This would also mean we call their bluff. Privately, we let the DAG know, even if the Ambassadors do not know, this is what happens if they even think about building a military.”

  Tempest asked, “You can get a message to them, discreetly?”

  Malovex smiled. “Apparently, Argo can get a message through his trusted spy.”

  Argo, wiggling his finger again, sarcastically replied, “My cock sucker knows how to get straight to the top.”

  The Chairman asked, “Their DAG Director, what is his name, Kamaka?”

  Malovex answered, “Kimakawa. We do not go through the spies, but I can arrange a face-to-face meeting disguised as something else entirely.”

  The Chairman turned to Tempest and said, “Tempest….?”

  Tempest replied, “It’s ambitious, and I do not know if it is enough spin to get the increased budget for the AuFa and BRG, but it certainly helps if it is done correctly.”

  The Chairman stood up. “Alright, Argo, make it happen. Tell Malovex when to deliver the message. Malovex, confirm with your source what they are doing.”

  Everyone stood up and began walking out when the Chairman said one final thing. “Oh, and Argo. I am getting you an officer to help with your punctuality.”

  Argo replied, “Is that necessary?”

  Tempest replied, “Not if you could tell time.”

  Belinea 8.2

  Northeast Japan (Six Weeks Later...)

  Vice Director Franklin Meyers walked into Kimakawa’s office. Annella Devanoe sat in front of Kimakawa’s desk while the Director sat behind it. As Meyers walked up, he asked, “You wanted to see me, Director?”

  Kimakawa opened his hand and said, “Please sit down, Meyers.”

  Meyers sat in the chair opposite Annella. Kimakawa then got up and walked over to the bar. He politely asked, “Would you care for a drink?”

  Meyers said, “I am good, sir.”

  Kimakawa poured himself some scotch. He then walked back over, around the chairs, and got right behind Meyers. In Kimakawa’s left hand was his scotch. With his right hand, he pulled out the small pistol hidden behind his waist. He pointed it right behind the back of Meyers’ head and gently tapped it. Kimakawa said, “You know what this is?”

  Meyers felt his head go slightly forward. He moved his arms slightly up and said, “Director?”

  Annella Devanoe got up and sat back down in Kimakawa’s chair behind the desk. She reached into a drawer and pulled out a pistol, pointing it at Meyers. Kimakawa, still holding his gun as well, said, “Over twelve years ago, when this Guard group was in its infancy stages, we knew the only way it would have merit is if it had its own intelligence agency. Under the camouflage of being a Delegate Guard, we worked tirelessly training operatives, like yourself, to gain access and knowledge of all the planets we were suddenly working with. Trusting one person’s viewpoint is never a good idea when deliberating between ally or foe.”

  Kimakawa took a sip of his scotch and put it down on the front of his desk. Keeping his pistol in one hand, he used his other to pull up a chair next to Meyers. He continued. “One of my first operatives was Miss Devanoe’s daughter, Alexis. What better way to gain knowledge on your new ally then be educated by them. We sent her off at ten years old, to a school on Belinea. She learned everything about their history and culture.”

  Annella thought back to that precocious ten-year-old girl, in school attire, learning next to Belinean children. As Kimakawa had his flashback of reading to Alexis when she was young, he continued. “Alexis barely knew her father, so in many ways, I have accepted that role for her. I trust her more than anyone in this universe, perhaps even more than her mother. So when I got this note from her, it was not as shocking as it would have been months ago. She had become the operative I always knew she could be.”

  Annella held her tablet up with the hand that wasn’t holding the pistol. She said, “Would you like me to read it?”

  Meyers was nervous. He said, “Director, I really do not know what this is about?”

  Annella began reading the note, not caring what Meyer’s answer was. “This came over on my son Nickalis’ account, making sure it was not read by anyone here. It says, ‘Alexis said she will be home for Christmas this year, she is bringing Willa and Jonna to meet the family. Hopefully, K can come too, once he figures out who in his office would keep him from going.’”

  Meyers was painfully nervous and was beginning to sweat. “Miss Devanoe, I do not understand what that message means. Should I?”

  Annella threw the tablet down and said, “How dare you put my daughter at risk so that you could seek some personal gain?”

  Meyers repeated, “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

  Kimakawa calmly said, “Alexis is referring to who in my office has been spying on the DAG. I wanted you to know she already figured it out but did not want to risk it in a communication.”

  Meyers looked at both of them, practically pleading while he said, “Certainly not me. That note could apply to anyone.”

  Kimakawa said, “I have known for over forty-eight hours that it was you, Meyers. Tell me who you work for, and you may just walk out of here.”

  Meyers looked at both of them. “Willits and Jones sent the message through your son, and it was not her message at all.”

  Kimakawa got up and walked over to the library shelves of books. He continued. “I had surveillance on you. We monitored your office and found the C-bar transmission hidden in the wall. It is very advanced. It seems to work without a loca
tor. The engineers will undoubtedly be looking at it closer once they can take it apart. Now, tell me who you work for?”

  Meyers began to sweat. He said in a panic, “I never sent any classified documents.”

  Annella grew angry. Raising her voice, she said, “What documents did you send and to whom?”

  Meyers grew jittery. He was gripping his armrests tightly. He continued, “I was never told where or who would get the information, I swear!!!”

  Annella replied, “Lying to me will not get you out of here alive. We monitored the last two transmissions. You were given the location of Ambassador Bird and letting someone know he is not dead, but alive. Why?”

  Meyers yelled back. “I know nothing about the Ambassador, I swear.”

  Kimakawa broke his silence. He put down the pistol and grabbed the sword from the shelf. Turning around, he said, “This is a Samurai sword from the Edo period that has remained in my family for many generations. The Samurai were a proud and loyal group of dedicated warriors that I have often tried to model this guard on. Do you know what they did to traitors?”

  Meyers yelled back, “Willits and Jones knew where the Ambassador was. I just verified for them. They performed the crime. The Belineans, along with Willits and Jones, tried to kill Ambassador Bird. Not me!!!”

  Kimakawa continued, “They were given a choice of punishment. The Samurai would allow the guilty soldiers to commit seppuku, a form of suicide in which the warrior stabs himself.”

  Meyers spoke again, this time more calmly. “Please, Taichi, you do not understand….”

  Kimakawa walked closer and pulled the blade out of its case. He got face-to-face with Meyers and calmly continued. “Otherwise, there would be a public decapitation at Kozukappara, next to the Emmeiji Temple, so all could see what happens to the disloyal. You swore an oath, Franklin. So, one last time, who are you working for?”

  Meyers began to cry. He said, “Please, Taichi, I never knew they were going to kill Bird.”

  Kimakawa answered, “Yes, you did, and you gave them the information to do it.”

  Kimakawa then took one giant swing with the sword and cut Meyer’s hand off. Blood went everywhere, splattering all over the desk and onto Annella. Meyers was waving his arm with no hand, blood spewing out of it. He tried to move, but Kimakawa turned the sword onto his throat and held it there.

  Kimakawa returned to talking. “We were the only ones that knew Willits and Jones got Ambassador Bird off his transport at Torsalli. We were the only ones who knew they were keeping Bird at Vi Kapoor’s guest house. And then it got bombed. Who did you tell?”

  Meyers was screaming in pain. “It was Willits and Jones….”

  Kimakawa continued, “No, it was you! Because Willits and Jones never had Bird at the guest house. They never even had him near Torsalli. They smuggled him out of Braccus undetected, where he has been with the cadets the whole time!”

  Meyers grew white. Kimakawa saw the betrayal in his eyes. Annella then read another piece off her tablet. “This was from Alexis over two days ago from Molar. ‘The Crowe and I are with cadets. W/J whereabouts unknown, but they smuggled us out of Braccus separately and have kept us alive. Beginning to think we are barking up the wrong tree.”

  Kimakawa continued, “You were always going to blame it on Willits and Jones. The execution would have worked perfectly had they used the pilots you picked, and they left Earth at the right time. But Willits changed the departure time and used the cadets as pilots instead. They would have ambushed Bird in Corvalis when you gave them the manifest, but Willits changed their course direction to Braccus instead. And they would be as dead as the ten billion people that lost their lives in the pandemic if they were in that guest house on Torsalli…….”

  Meyers cried. He held his severed arm with his other hand, blood still coming out of his wrist. With snot coming out of his nose and mouth, he muttered, “Taichi, I never knew….”

  Kimakawa screamed with the blade now directly in Meyer’s face. “WHO THE FUCK DID YOU TELL!”

  Meyers, in a barely audible voice. “A man approached me. I think he was Belinean.”

  Kimakawa replied, “How long ago?”

  Meyers answered, “Six, seven months ago. He offered me money, lots. Get me out and far away from here with just a little bit of information. It was small, useless stuff like how big DAG was, how we were training operatives, and looking to expand. I lied mostly.”

  Kimakawa asked, “Did he ask you about the DAG looking for Vait?”

  Meyers, still in a lot of pain, nodded. He continued, “Yes. I told him we were looking for Vait to build security ships. I was done, he said one more job before getting me out. He needed the travel information for Ambassador Bird. He threatened me. Said he would turn me in.”

  Kimakawa asked, “Turn you in to whom?”

  Meyers, still whaling in pain, said, “Another spy on the inside. I thought he might be working for Willits and Jones, looking for Vait. Then the assassination attempt happened with Bird on Space Port Earth. I realized I had given the information. I refused to help, but they insisted Bird was dead either way. They would get me out and give me the money only if I helped.”

  Kimakawa replied, “And you trusted them?”

  Meyers grew hysterical. He continued, “It was better than trusting Bird! You heard his speeches! The Belineans saved us! They are our ally in fighting terrorists, not the enemy.”

  Kimakawa continued as Meyers was fading from so much blood loss. “How did it work?”

  Meyers answered, “They gave me the C-Bar. Somehow it can send a message to a ship, not a designated C-Bar portal on a planet. It has an encryption key, so I never knew who I was sending or receiving information.”

  Kimakawa said, “Did you ever think it was Taz you were sending the information to?”

  Meyers shook his head and said, “I never spoke to Taz, I swear!”

  Kimakawa replied, “Yet he always knew where Ambassador Bird would be.”

  Kimakawa swung the blade back, preparing to strike. Meyers said, “Please, Taichi, I never meant to kill anyone!”

  Annella finally interrupted and said, “But what you would have gladly killed my daughter. May God have mercy on your soul.”

  With those final words, Kimakawa struck his sword across Meyer’s neck and instantly decapitated him. His head went rolling off and onto the floor. Meyer’s body was still in the chair, slightly reclined. Kimakawa put his sword down on the desk. He went over, picked up Meyer’s head, and took a picture with his wrist device.

  Annella, still wiping blood off her face, softly asked, “What are you doing that for?”

  Kimakawa calmly replied, “Letting Alexis know mission accomplished.”

  Annella answered, “Alexis is not who you need to worry about it. What are you going to say to Willits and Jones?”

  Kimakawa just stared at Annella, pondering that question.

  Belinea 8.3

  Belinea, Capital City

  Ambassador Landing Facility, Ambassador Compound

  Willits and Jones walked out of the Belinean D-21 Sirralo, escorting a young girl in robes. Two armed BRG officers greeted them. One was walking slightly ahead of the other and said, “You have no manifest, you are in violation of Belinean travel code. Please identify.”

  Willits smiled and said, “There is no manifest.”

  Jones grabbed the young lady’s arm and said, “Right this way, my Lady.”

  Jones rushed her through the two security guards who now looked perplexed. Willits continued, “This is from Captain Kimmel of the AuFa. We were told to check her into the Hotel Lavender and await instruction from an Ambassador Vollach of Braccus.”

  The first officer said, “No manifest? Captain Kimmel didn’t use the BRG?”

  Willits continued, “The lady is a personal friend of the Ambassador, but one that
cannot travel with him publicly if you catch my meaning. So Vollach had Kimmel take care of travel for the lady.”

  The second officer tapped his wristwatch and spoke clearly into it. “Tower, can you please confirm a Captain Kimmel in the AuFa, possibly somewhere near Braccus.”

  The BRG officer looked at Willits and said, “And who do you work for?”

  Willits just flicked his head up and said, “Private security for Ambassador Vollach. I do not wear a uniform like you guys.”

  The BRG officer said, “And you do not travel like us either. That’s a D-21 Sirralo, correct.”

  Willits said, “Perks of the job.”

  The message came across from the wristwatch. “Captain Kimmel’s whereabouts are unknown at this time. His ship’s current assignment is transportation from Torsalli to Braccus, and await further orders.”

  The second officer spoke into the wristwatch and said, “Alright, thanks.”

  The first officer said, ”I need you to sign in for the Sirralo.”

  Willits looked around and grimaced a bit. He continued, “Look, the more I keep this on the hush-hush, the better. The Lady has some friends that she is getting for us. What time do you guys get off?”

  The second officer said “In about two hours.”

  Willits responded, “Alright, once we get the Lady checked in, meet us back here. We will take the Sirralo for a little joy ride party with the other ladies.”

  The first officer said “Are you serious?”

  Willits said “The very least I could do for you guys looking the other way for a few hours. Just make sure no one else boards it, alright?

  The second officer replied “Not a problem. Do you know where you are going?”

  Willits smiled and said “Not my first time to the Hotel Lavender gentlemen.”

  The first officer then asked “Hey. This is my last week here, the BRG is transferring me to an assignment on Braccus. Is Vandabri everything that I hear it is?”

  Willits nodded as he walked off and said “Absolutely. Best time in the galaxy. Go find a place run by Madam Rouselle. Tell her Vi Kapoor sent you.”