He reached into his pockets and pulled out a small box. It was black and made of metal, and he flipped the lock and opened it. His sensitive eyes could see a few sparkles of light reflecting off the little metal pieces that left the box. Seconds later he received a little beep from his implant that produced vibrations that his ears translated as sound.
He closed the box again and put it back into his pocket. Moments later he was informed there were no obvious traps inside the building, so he moved forward. “This,” he muttered, “should be fun.”
Nathan opened the door and allowed it to close behind him after he entered. Unlike others, his eyes could adjust to the darkness quite easily. He received a minute head nod from a pair of Yollins off to the left toward the back, so he made his way between a couple of tables heading in their direction. The few extra Yollins in the bar looked at the human.
One grimaced. However, three of the four looked around, then decided to pay their bar tabs and leave early. There were better drinking partners just two warehouses down.
Nathan grabbed a chair from a nearby table and pulled it up to the booth to sit down without asking permission. “Gentlemen.”
Both the Yollins looked at each other in confusion and Nathan grimaced. “I apologize. There is no translation for gentlemen in your language, but in our language it is a respectful salutation.”
Brylen shrugged. “I don’t know if there’s a reason to be respectful, but I’ll admit it’s nice to hear once in a while.”
Rih-benn just chuckled.
After the first couple of minutes of discussion, the bootlegger on Nathan’s right took out a small box and his Wechselbalg nose wanted to twist in annoyance. Whatever root this product was made from, it smelled to high heaven.
Rih-benn took a small pinch of the product and put it in his mouth before closing the box and setting it on the table.
Rih-benn looked up at the human and tapped two of his mandibles together. “I’m sorry,” he reached down and grabbed the box, “did you want some?”
Nathan shook his head. “On our planet that would be considered a chew, and I’m not really fond of them. Plus, I’m not really sure what effect that plant would have on my physiology. Not a good idea. I hope you understand?”
The alien made a twist of his hands that Nathan had learned awhile back was the equivalent of a human shrug. It had been easier with Kael-ven and the other Yollins he knew because they had picked up human mannerisms.
Nathan wondered how long it would be before those on this planet, which had such a large population, started adopting human mannerisms as well. He supposed it had as much to do with familiarity with humans as anything else.
Now that ADAM was streaming some of the videos to the Yollins he had…borrowed from the Internet on Earth, it would be interesting to find out what happened with Yollin society. Right now Nathan could imagine dozens—no, hundreds—of research scientists having heart attacks about humans infesting the universe with their pop culture.
Nathan had to smile at that thought.
There was some commotion from behind him, and Nathan turned to look over his shoulder as Ecaterina, with Christina in wolf form, walked into the bar. Most of the eyes were on the two new humans, but Christina got a fair amount of attention as well.
When Nathan turned back around to the table, Brylen had grabbed the box of root off the table and stuck it into his pocket.
Nathan raised an eyebrow.
Christina followed her mother until she sat on a bar stool and got comfortable. The small wolf made a face at the dirt on the floor, then laid beside the stool and started watching the room.
She knew what her responsibilities were: keep an eye on anything her mom couldn’t see right away. If she saw a problem? Well, then she would yip or growl to get Mom’s attention.
Ecaterina lifted her hand and pointed to the place on the bar in front of herself. “I want a Kleric, and not the cheap stuff they gave me at the last bar.”
While looking at the bartender, Ecaterina was listening to those around her.
“Did you see that? Brylen took the box off the table.” One upset Yollin turned in his seat to grab his drink. “The boss doesn’t want us to take this guy out when he leaves.”
“Well, there goes the bonus we would’ve gotten this afternoon. This job is a bust.” The first guy slapped the second and nodded in Ecaterina’s direction. The second Yollin opened and closed his mandibles a couple times when he noticed the human's eyes glowing yellow.
And looking straight at them both.
Keeping her voice low, Ecaterina said, “Nathan, there is talk over here at the bar about a plan to hurt you as leave your meeting. Tactics?”
Nathan received the communication from his mate and nodded his head.
He stood up from the table and rapped on it twice with his knuckles to get the attention of both Brylen and Rih-benn. “You guys,” he pointed to each of them, “have just lost your opportunity to acquire the spice for the Pepsi drink. I don’t appreciate you thinking you might do me harm when I left this conversation. Because of your bullshit, one of you is going to die.”
Rih-benn grunted at him, not concerned with the alien’s threat. “What’s to stop us from killing you right now?”
Nathan allowed his eyes to go yellow and lifted one of his hands as it gained claws. His voice was guttural as he responded, “Go ahead. That just means both of you will die. If you do not attack me right now, at least one of you has a chance.”
The Yollins at the bar turned to watch him leave and noticed the other human had a pistol out and pointing in their direction. She waved her fingers and said, “Toodles.”
Her eyes were glowing yellow as well.
After the two humans had left the bar, Rih-benn slammed his hand on the table. “Why did you take the bostok off the table?”
Brylen pulled it out of his pocket and set it back on the table. “Have you not been listening to the rumors?” He pointed to the bar. “That small animal was the one that got a ship’s security guard ripped apart. That wasn’t someone to try to kill—and do you think he brought his mate in here if she wouldn’t provide more protection?” He grunted and pushed himself back in the seat before standing up. “She had a pistol ready. I doubt your people,” nodding toward the bar, “would’ve appreciated being shot in the back.”
“Where are you going?” Rih-benn spat at him.
Brylen answered, frustration evident in his voice, “To the restroom.” And to himself he added, Then out the back door, dickhead.
QBBS Meredith Reynolds
The atmosphere in the Ixtali ship was thick with impatience. Ixgurl looked over his shoulder, and the click-click, click-click of taloned fingers on plastic suddenly stopped. He returned his gaze to his instruments with surprise on his face. Normally, the lead on any Ixtali mission would be calm.
Ixtelina said, “That is the fifth commercial craft I have now seen permitted to dock with the human station. Don’t they know how important we are, and what an opportunity our ship brings them?”
“They are new to the system. Perhaps these humans are seeking information about us?”
Ixgurl lifted his hands in the air and said with a hint of frustration evident in his voice, “So far I am unable to piggyback on any communications between commercial ships and the human station. They are either using a frequency I’m unaware of, which is unlikely since they communicate with other ships, or they have such tight communication beams we are unable to capture leakage.
“What about our microspies?” Ixtelina asked.
“We lose them as soon as they go approximately two ship lengths in any direction. I’ve also tried sending them away from us to circle back. It seems the humans want to keep this area of space clean of microdebris.”
“Interesting,” Ixgalan murmured.
Ixtelina leaned forward in her chair to review the screens in front of both Ixgurl and Ixgalan. “So far the humans are ahead of us on knowledge of who is trying to get
information from whom. I would expect—”
Her comment was cut off when a voice on the radio interrupted her. “Special trade legation, this is the QBBS Meredith Reynolds. Please be prepared to receive an executive shuttle to transport two contacts to the station, per your earlier request.”
Ixtelina leaned back in her chair, her eyes closing slightly. “Executive shuttle?” She let the question hang there for a moment, teasing it as her brain worked on what it could mean. “Perhaps this trade mission is going to be a little more difficult than we had assumed. The challenge might be enough to warrant us getting a difficulty bonus, which would be very nice.”
Ixtelina pushed herself up from the chair and headed to her suite to put on a fresh robe. Whether she wanted to or not, she could not leave this mission in a huff. Once the humans understood the value of the information products and the gems they could provide, they would understand their mistake of treating her legation so poorly.
She hoped she would be in the room when that occurred so she could watch the face of their human negotiator when Ixtelina pulled half their product away from them.
Ixgalan unclipped from the seat next to Ixgurl and leaned over. “Why do you think they are doing it this way?”
Ixgurl shrugged himself. “I think Ixtelina is right. They know more about us than we know about them.”
Ixgalan stood up and started toward the back to change into his own robe. “That’s what I’m afraid of. However, since we know nothing about them it wouldn’t take much to know more about us.”
A short time later, the two Ixtali waited patiently as a docking connection was made with their ship. A slight noise could be heard as the locks connected.
Once Ixgurl confirmed they had a tight seal, Ixgalan reached forward and pressed the button to open their side of the connection.
He and Ixtelina glanced at each other before stepping into the Executive Pod. Ixtelina made an appreciative sound. “Well, if they plan on killing us at least we are going to go out in style.” She ran her hand across the seats. “I believe this is genuine leather, from down on the planet or maybe from theirs. These are not synthetics.”
Ixgalan, a couple seats away, had bent down and was tapping on the frames of the seats. “Yes, and these are organic, taken from a plant.”
A voice spoke to them in Yollin from the ship’s speaker system. “Please take a seat. This ship will not commence moving until all individuals are properly seated and buckled in. This is for your protection.”
Ixtelina turned to Ixgalan and nodded, and the two of them sat down and adjusted their robes before looking at the buckling device and easily manipulating it to lock themselves in. Once that had been accomplished, the doors to their ship closed. Moments later there was a click so faint it was felt more than heard, and the two vehicles separated.
Ixgalan leaned forward in his seat and looked toward the front of the ship, but he saw no person up there. He looked at Ixtelina as he leaned back and asked, “I wonder who is piloting?”
The voice came from the speakers again, “No biologics are piloting this Pod. Presently this ship is being piloted by an Entity Intelligence. Welcome to the Meredith Reynolds.”
Ixtelina sat for a moment, digesting what she just heard., “This ship is being piloted by what type of intelligence?”
“Entity.”
“What type of entity?”
“Now that, Special Trade Legate Ixtelina, is a very good question. Unfortunately, I am not sure I have the ability to explain it in this language. What other languages you are fluent in? Perhaps I can offer a broader context for cybernetic beings?”
“I am sorry, what does ‘cybernetic’ mean?”
“That is a human word for which the Yollin language does not have a direct translation. Are there other languages you understand? Perhaps I can speak in one of those?”
Damn, the humans were going to make her give up the first bit of information.
A formidable adversary, truly.
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Space Traffic Control, Special Unit
“The first scan of the aliens is coming back at this time.”
Outside of testing the Executive Pods, Specialist Marilyn had yet to have the opportunity of using her systems to check out a potential alien liaison. This was going to be the highlight of her day.
The gruff voice of General Reynolds came over the speaker. “I am patched into what you are finding, along with EI Reynolds. What can you tell us?”
Marilyn wanted to tell the General, “Probably nothing that Reynolds hasn’t already,” but she was there as additional eyes and ears. As smart as the EIs had been in the past, they had been unable to make the leaps of understanding that most humans called “gut checks” or intuition.
Presently Marilyn was feeling nothing in her gut, and certainly nothing was coming up in her brain. “At this time, sir, everything looks to be appropriate. I am not registering anything that causes me to second-guess the detailed information.”
There was a pause before the General came back over the line. “Understood, Marilyn. Please interrupt what I am doing if you sense something out of the ordinary. I won’t jiggle your shoulder while you do this. Reynolds out.”
9
R’Chkoklet, Planet Yoll
As John walked down the street, he waited for the first shots to ring out.
So far, his stroll toward the building had been eerily quiet.
As the Queen’s representative and one of her bodyguards, he needed to project quiet calm as he headed toward their building. That part wasn’t so hard. After fighting as a normal human against Nosferatu, this was a walk in the park.
Against aliens.
John chuckled. At least he would make the Marines proud. See the galaxy, meet interesting new aliens, and kill them.
Were these guys really going to let him walk right into the building? What were they expecting, that he would stop and chat?
“I’m telling you, he will stop to talk with us!” Tol-bek hissed to his brother Gry-bek.
Gry-bek stared at him while pointing out the door toward the human. “Does he look like he is stopping?”
“Not at the moment, but you have to be seen as trying to communicate. We will wait until he starts his speech, then we will shoot him dead,” Tol-bek ground out. “We will be remembered for our bravery as the revolution goes forward, fertilized by the ashes of our bodies!”
Gry-bek replied, his voice quiet, “So you are suggesting our lives are worth shit?”
John looked at the HUD in his helmet and turned on the advanced tactical EI.
John? His tactical EI said in his ear.
Yes?
There are presently four Yollins on the other side of the front door arguing about when it is best to attack you, now or when you stop to talk to them.
Do you have that on tape?
Tape? his EI asked.
John rolled his eyes. Recorded?
Yes.
Good, because it is going to suck to be them.
“And I am telling you—” Tol-bek was starting to get wound up, but his next words were cut off when his head shattered. Shrapnel from the door and the walls exploded around the four in the entryway.
Gry-bek barely had time to register his brother’s death before his body was peppered with more than twenty slivers coming from a high-velocity Jean Dukes pistol. His expression, if someone could have taken a picture in the microsecond before his skull exploded, would have been one of surprise.
He really hadn’t expected the human to walk right in.
One of the other two Yollins died in the first attack by John Grimes, personal protector of the Empress of the Etheric Empire.
The last, his leg mangled and bleeding from multiple holes in his chest, laid on the floor in the back of the entryway. He had dragged himself away from the front door, which was now a shattered piece of glass and metal that barely hung on one hinge.
Yollin doors, designed to be used by upper and lower caste Yol
lins, were easily large enough for the red-suited human to step through. His boots crunched on the broken glass.
Are there any more combatants on this level?
Negative.
John walked over to the last Yollin and stared down at him.
“Mercy?” the male grunted, blood leaking from his mouth and over his mandibles.
“You get mercy when you give mercy.” John lifted his pistol and shot him in the head. “When you plan to kill me? Don’t expect mercy from an Empress’ Bitch,” John told the dead alien. He looked around the entryway, the white marble rock was pockmarked from his high-velocity rounds
John stepped toward the stairway leading to the second floor.
"This is Pehl-eck, still reporting from R’Chkoklet. We are zooming in on the massive amount of destruction the Etheric Empire’s representative has caused, and you can see he didn’t come here to negotiate. Apparently shooting at the Yollin Leader, who came here earlier to negotiate, was the fatal flaw in their plans.”
Glass shattered loudly as the cameraperson focused on the front door, and he zoomed out enough to see a Yollin rolling around on the street in front of the building, obviously in pain. Almost immediately thereafter the red-armored human leaned out of the second story window, his arm and pistol in view, and casually shot the Yollin.
The Yollin’s exploding head was now a matter of public record.
The human disappeared back into the building.
It was a moment or two before the reporter could compose herself.
“Oh, my Ancestors,” she whispered. “What have those idiots unleashed?”
John brought his head back into the building.
Update?
Two more on this floor, both armed with hand weapons.
Pistols?
No, an ax and some type of sword.
Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Set Three: Books 15-21, Never Submit, Never Surrender, Forever Defend, Might Makes Right, Ahead Full, Capture Death, Life Goes On (Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Sets Book 3) Page 30