Edge World

by Michael Guinn

  “Which of your team killed Dr. Pierson,” Liam asked,

  “Oh, No, no one of our team killed him. We didn’t like him but no one would kill him. We were pretty sure that Vera or one of her ‘assassins’ killed him. When I started make arrangements to find that plant and get it off world, Vera somehow became part of the whole thing. People started telling me what to do and who to go see until I was about ready to leave this place, bonus or no bonus. But then we started finding those plants and harvesting them. I decided it wasn’t the money but a chance at long life.”

  “Why did you go into hiding after Dr. Pierson’s death,” Amanda asked?

  “That is what I was told to do. People were telling us to do this and go there…I just don’t know. They kept us in a big building for days till Ja’Haal said she had had enough and was going to the authorities. That’s about when they took us to the jungle and we never saw Ja’Haal again.”

  “Who is that we you keep talking about Professor,” asked Liam.

  “Let’s see,” Professor Blake seem to be almost in another world, as if it wasn’t Janice Blake talking but someone else.

  “There was Vera, and her people, and someone name Jacob and a couple of people in a sort of uniform. I didn’t recognize. I don’t think I did. But I did bring a couple of pounds of that plant for me so I can live forever now. Can I go home now? I will be good!”

  “Liam said to Amanda, “she is in a disassociate state where real and unreal switch back and forth. Have a couple of officers take her over to that new Mental Health Clinic. This planet is finally going to join the rest of the worlds and cure mental problems so these people can be useful to the society. The Clinic is to be advised she is under Federation Control.”

  “What will the Federation do to her Liam,” Amanda asked.

  “If it is really true that she has serious mental problems, they may well just turn jurisdiction to the planet here.”

  “And the rest of them?”

  “The Federation Judicial Team will be here tomorrow or the next day. They will examine everyone that I indicate could know about that plant and how it could be used. Those determined to have too much information about the LL plant will be given the choice of going through complete rehabilitation or being sent to the prison planet. The Federation does not euthanize people for crimes committed against the Federation, but some people might prefer to die to any of the other options.”

  “What about the girls and me? While I don’t know exactly what it looks like I could find it easy enough plus I know what it is for. The girls both know what it looks like from working with Charlie and what it does.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I am the Federation Agent in Charge here and I determine who will be questioned and it won’t be you three. The plant will be destroyed, and that will be an enormous job. Now if Charlie was still alive I would have more of a problem. Now let’s go talk to the Manager of Security out at the spaceport.

  It was chaos out at the spaceport. Thousands of tons of materials, primarily ingots of many types of metals, were piling up daily since Agent Smithe had shut down any exports until further notice. There were still plenty of imports, but those would be drying up as ships weren’t being routed to the Edge World when there was nothing to pick up. There were only a few individuals trying to talk or bribe their way off planet. There were plenty of signs before and on the way to the spaceport announcing no off-planet flights till further notice. The few spaceport company employees still needed were getting the blunt of the anger from frustrated travelers. After standing for several minutes and with a dozen or more people trying to get a flight off-planet, Liam and Amanda walked to a door at the far end of the room As Liam went to open it one of the frazzled clerks started towards them.

  “Please Sir and Madam, you can’t go in there and no one else can get a flight for you,” the clerk said heatedly.

  Liam didn’t slow down but when he got to the door he just ran his identification over the door scanner and opened it. The clerk stopped abruptly in surprise and even Amanda didn’t know what happen. A long hallway stretched away from the door and at the end there appeared a large office.

  While they walked down the hall Amanda asked “can you open any lock, Liam?”

  “Not any lock,” replied Liam. There is a regulation through-out the Federation that all locks used by any type of government service must include a code that Federation Agents can open.”

  “That must be interesting. I can think of a lot of times pursuing criminals that could have come in handy.”

  The Office door was not locked, disappointing Amanda who want to see Liam repeat that trick again.

  Liam knocked briefly on the door frame as he walked in. Behind a large and clutter desk sat a middle-aged woman with short black hair and a fair complexion. She didn’t bother to get up or introduce herself. Rather she just sat there silently as if she knew the trouble she was in.

  “You are Ariel Johnson, Manager of the Spaceport Control Company,” Liam said to her. Neither he nor Amanda sat down in the chairs positioned for visitors.

  “I am Ariel Johnson, but I am only the Assistant Manager. Douglas Roth is the Manager.”

  “Then where can we find this Douglas Roth,” Liam asked.

  “He is on vacation.” Johnson replied.

  Liam was getting frustrated but didn’t show it. “Do you know when he will be back?”

  “Nope. He has been gone for six months now. He will be back sooner or later.”

  “So, if he is gone on vacation that long he must be off planet and you must be in charge,” Liam stated. Then you are the one that allowed Miguel Carlos to leave the planet when there was an absolute hold on anyone trying to leave the planet. Didn’t you see that order?”

  “Yes, I saw that order. But Miguel is the Captain of Militia. I don’t tell him where to go he tells me where to go.”

  A little monetary inducement probably helped, thought Amanda.

  Liam stood there for a minute wondering if the woman was not playing with a full deck. In any case… “Ariel Johnson, you are under arrest by Federation orders for allowing a criminal to escape custody after being under orders to maintain a total blockage here at the Spaceport.”

  “What does that mean? I didn’t do anything wrong?

  Then OSI and Militia Officers arrived with a younger and prettier woman. The officers were well are of this woman’s looks and there was some jostling to be the officers right next to her.

  “Sergeant Evans, Atlanta City Militia Sir,” he said to Liam. He then nodded and smiled at Captain Santos. “You are looking like you have recovered from you experiences Captain. Every one of us at Militia Headquarters were hoping that would recover real soon.”

  Amanda nodded back with a big smile.

  “Well, down to business said Liam, a little miffed. “Sergeant Evans, if you would escort Ms. Johnson to the Militia Retention Center. Her charges will be handled in the Planetary Judicial System. Speaking to the young woman, Liam asked “your name is…”

  “Oh, I am sorry, Sir. This is Deborah Haines. She is the Assistant Operations Manager for bulk shipping, mostly refined metals.”

  “Do you think you can keep the operation running for the time being Ms. Haines?”

  “I am sure I can Sir. After all, with the station shut down, there isn’t a lot to do.”

  “In that case I am appointing you as Acting Spaceport Manager under my authority as a Federation Agent. Do you have any questions?”

  “Yes, Sir. Do you have any information regarding when we can open up the Spaceport again? It isn’t just the money that the company is losing but also all of the plans which no one can make right now.”

  “The Federation Judicial Team should be here late today or tomorrow morning. They will set up a screening post right away so people and materials will be able to start moving tomorrow evening at the latest.”

  “That’s fine as long as we can give out a tentative time line it will take some of the pres
sure of us.”

  “Captain Santos,” Liam said, “let us get out of the way of these people and back to Headquarters.”

  As they walked to the aircar, Amanda asked quietly. “Are we really going back to Headquarters? I am beat.”

  “Actually, I am too,” Liam replied. “I thought we would go home and sleep until tomorrow.”

  “Oh, and what kind of sleeping did you have in mind? You know I have two teenage daughters at home,” Amanda said as they got into the aircar.”

  “The way I feel just sleeping is all I have the energy for…at least right now. But that does bring up a question. What are you going to tell Tamara and Kristina?”

  “What are WE going to tell them you mean,” said Amanda.

  ”Yah…I guess that is what I mean.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Me neither.”

  As they were approaching Amanda’s house she received a comm from her headquarters.

  “Lt. Adams is reporting that one of the bodies outside the warehouse explosion has positively been identified as Jacob Ericson. The other body has not been identified, other than bits material not totally destroyed appear to be part of an OSI uniform. But preliminary autopsy indicates the body is of someone living in the jungles recently.”

  “Stranger and stranger,” Liam said.

  “Think we will ever figure it all out?”

  “Never.”

  *****

  Edge Worlds sun was just setting when Liam and Amanda walked into Amanda’ house. The two girls were finishing up a meal but both looked wore out.

  “Hi Mom,” Tamara and Kristina said as they jumped up and hugged their mother until they saw Liam walking in behind her. “Err, Hi Professor Smithe,” said Tamara. “He is a Federal Agent, not a Professor, idiot,” Kristina said as she jabbed her sister in the shoulder.

  “Actually, I am a Professor as well as a Federal Agent, girls, but I would prefer you just call me Liam.

  The two girls looked at each other for a minute with a strange expression on their faces, then Tamara said “Ok, L…Liam.

  “What did you girls fix to eat and is there any left for us or do I need to make more for Liam and myself,” asked Amanda.

  “I thought we were making plenty for leftovers but we were very hungry and …well, there really isn’t enough left for one person much less than for two,” Kristina said.

  “That’s all right I am sure I can rustle up enough”…The door announcer chimed and said there were three people at the front door.

  Four stunners were drawn simultaneously. “You girls step into the other room,” Amanda said as she told the door to open.

  Two young villagers were admitted followed by two OSI officers with their stunners drawn.

  “George and Ethan,” the two girls yelled together. “How did you get here?”

  “I guess you boys were telling the truth, after all,” said the Sgt. Sorry to bother you Captain but these two boys were found in the village during the attack sitting under a tree with their hands on their heads. They kept insisting they weren’t part of the villagers we were rounding up but had been trying to help Captain Santos’ daughters to escape. Sounded like a story to me but if they have been helping the girls we wanted to find out about it. So, you have it.”

  “Mom, this is George and Ethan,” said Tamara. “They are the ones who gave us those stunners. One of which I used to shoot that Ericson person with.”

  “Captain, if you would take charge of these two boys we are really needed elsewhere,” pleaded the Sgt., Otherwise we will have to take them to the Detention Center and it could be a couple of days before we got back to them.”

  “Please, Mom, we really owe them a lot,” said Tamara.

  “Yah, we never did finish that kiss,” George said and then turned when he realized what he had just said in front of their parent. And Tamara blushed.

  “Ok, Captain see you later at Headquarters,” said the Sgt. as he and the other officer left.

  “Liam has finally authority on this planet, so you girls are going to have to ask him to get your boyfriends pardoned,” said Amanda.

  Now both girls were blushing. “They are not our boyfriends, or not exactly, Agent Smithe,” Tamara said, while Kristina tried to sink into the floor.

  “No Agent Smithe here,” Liam said.

  “Oh…ah…Liam can you pardon our very good friends George and Ethan,” Tamara got out.

  “I think from what I heard that I can pardon both of you,” said Liam. “Would you like to stay and have something to eat with us?”

  “I don’t think we had better, Sir, we both need to check in with our families so they don’t worry about us.

  It was Amanda that responded to this one. “Just so you know, boys, Tamara and Kristina won’t be sixteen for a couple of months.”

  “Oh Mom,” the girls said in unison.

  “Just making sure the boys know. And yes, you two can come back and see them if you want.”

  “That’s is great. Then we had better go now,” Ethan said nudging George.

  “Just a minute,” said Tamara, “we have to finish something. Mom, Liam, please turn your backs for a minute.”

  With a look at each other, Liam and Amanda turned their backs.

  After a couple of minutes Tamara said, “give us a comm when you get home so we know you made it alright.”

  The boys mumbled a good by, but Ethan managed to run into the door frame on his way out and George stumbled going down the steps.

  “Let us see what you have in your cupboards, wench,” said Liam as he and Amanda walked into the kitchen, hand in hand. I will have you know I am considered a pretty good cook in some circles.

  “I don’t think I have anything that could be used to make circles in my kitchen,” Amanda said laughing.

  An hour later all four of them were still at the kitchen table polishing off the last of wild berry omelets, sausage, and fruit juice. Tamara and Kristina, although they said they had eaten, polished off their share. They were frequently looking at each other the way twins do and then at Liam and Amanda. Tamara was the first to say, “I am surprised, Mom that you didn’t make more of a fuss about Kristina and I, kissing George and Ethan. You have been pretty strict with us before today.”

  “Finally, I realized that you two are growing up. While I think you are way too young to start experimenting with sex, other than kissing and hugging, you are not my babies anymore and I remember what I did when I was your age.

  “Oh, no experimenting with sex like you and Liam have been doing,” Tamara said looking totally innocent?

  “Just watch it young lady,” Amanda said to Tamara, we haven’t discussed a certain trip into the wilds of the jungle without permission or letting anyone know where you were going to.”

  “I think you two girls need to go back to your rooms and get some more sleep,” said Liam. “I am sure you didn’t get much sleep on your adventure.”

  Kristina was ready drop all the arguments and go back to sleep, but unfortunately Tamara wasn’t. “And just when did you become our father and having us call you Liam. “I don’t think so.”

  Amanda was set off by this. “Tamara, Liam is going to be living here until further notice and no he is not your father but you can treat him politely.” It was not until the words were out of her mouth that Amanda realized what she had said.

  “Oh Shit, Amanda,” said quietly to herself

  Tamara threw a disgusted look as she fled up the stairs. Kristina followed, looking more confused than anything else. Liam stood up with Amanda and they put their arms around each other.

  When Liam could feel Amanda softening a little he walked her over to the main couch and they both sat down. “You know your girls a lot better than I did.” Amanda laughed a little. “No parent knows their fifteen-year-old daughters. You just try to keep your head above water.’

  They sat together for a little while with their arms around each other.

  “I didn’t k
now you had daughters, Liam,” Amanda finally said.

  “As in, I didn’t know you were married, Liam.” No, I think too much of you to do anything like that, Amanda. I love you too much to pull that. I didn’t mention being married because I’m not. I married young while still in college. She was in college too. But she knew where she was going and I didn’t. Two girls and a boy. Jennett want to have the kids and get it over with while still in school. I worked a couple or three part-time jobs to help support us. She began harping on me to quite school and get a full-time job so she could live the way she wanted to. Finally she got tired and dropped out of school with just one semester left. Left me too. Quickly married an older man with inherited wealth. Don’t know if they had been screwing around behind my back. Doubt it, Charles wasn’t that kind of man.”

  “The day the papers were signed I walked into the Federation recruiting office. “boy are those tests rough. Don’t know I could have stuck it out except I had nowhere else to go. Finally they said they had a job for me as a Federation Agent. I don’t remember much of the next year. The Federation doesn’t like to give away it’s secretes so after training is over most of what you can remember is that it had been difficult.

  “I have told you all of my secretes, Liam. Sounds like we are a matched pair.”

  “Most likely…most likely. The question is, what comes next?”

  “What do you mean, Liam? oh…will it be hard for you to get out of being an Agent? Or, am I moving too fast?” I thought you would…” Amanda looked like she was close to tears. When you said you loved me, just now, I thought, maybe I didn’t think that you would want to keep on with your job and…

  “It is time for me to retire and do something else,” he said and gave her a deep satisfying kiss.

  “I do love you, Liam, but didn’t want to put any pressure on you.”

  “Speaking of pressure, I think it is about time we moved this show upstairs, don’t you?”

  Does not mean I can’t get started, Amanda murmured as she was unbuttoning Liam’s shirt as they awkwardly stumbled up the stairs. She knocked on the girl’s door as they went pass. “I have reset the security system so don’t go anywhere without checking with us.”