Chapter 21
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After pulling off my helmet, I sat in the pilot’s chair. “We can’t leave.”
“What? Why?”
I pointed back to the bays. “We can’t let those blaster tips reach Cardello. They could raise an army big enough to take over this sector. The security forces probably only have three or four million weapons in total. With the help of a few ships from the outside, this whole sector would fall hard. I can’t see the Orwallians doing this on their own. One or more of the other families have to be behind it.”
Joni fired a pair of bolts, keeping our new enemy at bay. “Well, what are we supposed to do about it?”
I looked at her and replied, “We have to take this ship. If we can’t, we have to destroy it.”
Joni said, “So, we're declaring war on the Orwallians?”
I shook my head. “I think war was declared when this shipment left their space. Check your comm logs. I would bet they've already called for help.”
Joni pulled up the recordings from recent transmissions. The Murwall had sent out a distress call to Orwall that would be reaching there at any moment. Some type of assistance would be coming to the aid of the Murwall’s crew.
I stood and pulled my helmet back over my head.
“Where are you going now?”
I pointed toward the bridge hallway. “I’m going down that hall. Wait for my signal and then come in behind me.”
Joni replied, “Are you crazy? There are at least half a dozen crewmen out there with blasters!”
I nodded. “That there is, but how many times have they hit this ship since this all started? Two, three times tops?”
Joni pulled up a strike counter. “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean they were actually aiming at it.”
I stepped over to the ramp-way and looked back. “I’m counting on it that they were. When I reach that far corner, get your helmet on and wait for my signal. They only have one way down here from that bridge, and it’s that hall you have them trapped in. This freighter normally has a crew of six plus the captain. If you counted six, that means the captain has sent everyone down to fight. We take that hall and we take this ship.”
I hopped down the ramp-way and sprinted along the near wall as Joni let loose a barrage of cover fire. When I reached the far corner, I pointed to my helmet and then back toward her. I then peeked around the corner with my blaster raised. Two crewmen were caught off guard. My blaster aim was spot on.
I called Joni. “Scratch two of the crew; get over here, and let’s take this ship while we can.”
Repeated fire emerged from the hallway, striking the floor in front of my position. Each attempt to fire around the corner was met with a flurry of fire from our new enemy.
I again called back to Joni. “I need you out here. What are you doing back there?”
“I’m clearing the way.”
The Daunte swung in behind me, lined up with the hallway. Four powerful bursts from the Daunte’s ion cannons had the remaining crewmen surrendering their weapons. I sprinted down the hall and herded the four back to our ship and up the ramp-way. After a quick internment of our prisoners in the Daunte’s holding cells, I was off to take control of the bridge. Joni followed close behind.
The archway doors leading onto the bridge were open. I moved slowly, checking possible ambush positions as I went.
I yelled out, “Captain! Give up now, and I can promise you safe passage!”
A voice came from the other side of the bridge. “I can’t let you take this ship. It’s too important to my people!”
“I count more that thirty million blaster tips in your hold, Captain. That’s enough firepower to take control of this whole sector. I would bet your people already have enough blasters for your entire population. Moving weapons to another colony only has one purpose: revolution!”
“Revolution is inevitable. The Saltons are weak. It was only a question of when it would begin. We were only trying to ensure that any such revolution was not being fought on Orwall. We won’t be subjugated ever again!”
I took two giant steps and dove behind a control console. The captain fired his weapon a full second too late. Joni was ready with return fire, striking a panel beside the captain and spraying him with debris. His blaster was disabled.
The captain quickly stood and dove against a far wall before rolling onto his back, flipping, and diving over the console onto my position. I was soon in a savage fistfight with a species that was almost a meter shorter than myself, but all muscle. The captain managed two strong punches to my jaw before I was able to take control with a return punch to his rib cage.
As the captain doubled over, favoring his right side, I raised my fist and brought it down hard on the top of his skull. The captain scowled and returned an equally hard blow. I was next kicked with a powerful leg, sending me sprawling backward. Separation was a mistake the captain should not have made. Joni Salton was waiting, and a blaster bolt quickly tore through his chest. The remains of the Murwall’s captain slumped to the floor.
Joni said, “Are you OK?”
I nodded as I stood. “He was only able to strike me in the head. I'm fine.”
Joni half laughed. “Only in the head? Well, I’m glad it was nothing vital.”
I walked to the nav console. “We have to get this ship heading back into our space.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a shadowy figure slip into a nearby room.
I said, “Set a course to Adicus. I have something to take care of.”
I walked toward the room with my blaster raised.
Joni set the course in the nav computer while looking over her shoulder. “Where are you going?”
I stood by the doorway with my finger raised up in front of my lips as Joni looked on. With a quick move, I reached around the doorway and grabbed for whoever was there. An ion bolt fired at the floor as a stunned Garrett Rourke was pulled out into the bridge room by the head. A slap by my hand sent the weapon to the floor. I pulled back my fist only to stop myself before landing a devastating blow to my new captive.
I lowered my hand and released his head. “Hello, Garrett.”
Garrett Rourke leaned over for a moment, placing his hands on his knees as he regained his composure. “I had no idea you Gruntas were so fast.”
Joni stood behind me with her blaster raised. “Who is this?”
I waved my hand for her to lower her weapon. “This is Garrett Rourke. He’s your shadow.”
Garrett said, “I came in when she left the ship. You two are making my life miserable, I hope you know. What am I supposed to put in my report for this?”
Joni replied, “So, you're the stalker my father hired. I suppose I should thank you for your help back on the cesium freighter. Knog said it was you who enabled a rescue.”
Garrett stood. “I've been sworn to protect you, Miss Salton. And I have to say you are making that task increasingly difficult.”
Joni laughed. “A girl’s gotta live, right? Well, at least I finally get to meet the man that has been following me around for the last few years.”
Joni held out her hand. Garrett looked at it, took it in his own, and raised it up for a kiss as he lowered his head.
Joni jerked her hand back. “What are you doing? I’m not a princess!”
Garrett turned red with embarrassment. “I’m sorry, I thought that was protocol. I have seen your cousins greeted in that manner a hundred times.”
Joni offered a half scowl as she showed anger in her face. “My cousins are conceited, selfish, arrogant idiots. They treat others like they are property. I treat others with dignity and respect.”
I said, “Dignity and respect? Like what you are showing Mr. Rourke right now?”
Joni offered a frustrated frown at my comment. “Well, no. I mean… OK, I’m sorry, Mr. Rourke. All that pompous behavior just gets my blood boiling.”
Garrett laughed. “It’s perfectly OK, Miss Salton. That
spunk is one of the things I have admired about you for some time.”
I could see in Joni’s eyes a spark of interest as she contemplated whether or not the comment warranted an outburst or a smile. As Garrett Rourke reached down to retrieve his weapon, I could see Joni Salton looking him over. She turned in time to notice the raised muscle over my right eye socket. Her cheeks flushed red as she turned away.
Our capture of the freighter proved a devastating blow to the congress that was meeting on Orwall. A vote to secede was postponed, as a major ally could not be armed. As we pulled into the space around Adicus, two destroyers came out to meet us. The cargo was turned over to Salton security forces, and the Daunte, with Joni and me aboard, was swept back to a waiting reception on SS5.
As we walked down the ramp-way, a crowd of forty security personnel from various positions were gathered in Bay-17, with Chief Jamia standing in front.
The chief said, “Mr. Beutcher, I just wanted to offer my personal thanks as well as the thanks of everyone in the office today. You have been invited to attend a gala in your name at the Salton compound on Alpha Prime. This is big, Knog! Our funding has been increased by 5 percent for next year and possibly more for the year after. I will of course be attending with the two of you.”
Joni rolled her eyes.
I replied, “That's a nice offer, Chief, but we have a lot of work to do. This whole sector is bulging at the seams and may burst open into full revolt at any moment.”
The chief stepped forward with a frozen smile and soft voice. “This isn’t an option, Mr. Beutcher. And please don’t make references to the state of the sector in front of the others. Some pieces of information have not been released to the public yet.”
I shook my head. “My apologies, Chief. However, I don’t think you or anyone else here has any idea about what's going on out there.”
The chief continued her smile. “You can fill me in later. For now, I need the two of you to get cleaned up for our visit to Alpha.”
After only three hours back on SS5, we were whisked through a portal to Caliphus, then on to Beta Campus and SS1, before stepping through a final portal onto Alpha Prime. I had been in orbit around the capital planet several times, but never on its surface.
When we emerged from the portal station, I was in awe of the gleaming white, sleek architecture of the buildings. They were definitely not designed with function over form. Alpha Prime was a city of high minds and artistic touches. The tall white spires of the buildings reached up toward a deep blue sky. The gravity on Alpha Prime was at 96 percent of standard. I felt as though I had an extra hop to my step.
Joni pointed. “It always cracks me up how you can always tell the locals from the visitors. The locals all walk flat footed, while the visitors bob up and down.”
“I guess that definitely makes me a visitor.”
Joni laughed. “Your brain figures it out and adjusts after about a week. It will also make you a little uncomfortable for a day or two when you return to standard grav.”
Rounded white transports soon pulled up with a Human attendant to escort us aboard.
As I sat in a plush white leather seat, the attendant presented himself. “My name is Garsee. I will be your host for the ride to Salton City. Can I offer anyone a beverage?”
I raised my hand. “Do you have anything that is frozen and fruity?”
Garsee shook his head. “I am sorry, sir, I have a variety of liquors, beers, and other common beverages. Can I interest you in one of those?”
“No thanks. If it’s not frozen, I’m not interested.”
Garsee offered a pursed smile. “My apologies, sir. Had I known, I would have made preparations.”
The attendant then turned and whispered into his arm pad.
I turned toward Joni, who was giggling. “What?”
“Sometimes you crack me up, that’s all.”
When we arrived at the Salton compound, I was surprised by the modern green panels and reflective glass windows that made up the building exteriors. Green was the national color of the Gruntas. The buildings were interspersed between marble and stone water features, and beautifully manicured gardens flowed throughout. I almost felt at home in the surroundings.
We were dropped at an alcove and escorted into the building where we would be spending the day. The hallways were decorated with green-and-white marble, while the floors were highly polished wooden planks. Earth lilies and various other flora adorned baskets that hung from the ceilings.
As we walked, I said, “I like your family’s taste in color and design. It reminds me of some of the nicer buildings back home.”
“That was mostly my aunt’s doing. She loves green and white, and anything that has a naturally clean look to it. I didn’t miss it when I left, but I kind of like the feeling it’s bringing back now.”
We turned the corner into an open room where Joni’s cousins and her father were waiting to greet us. Joni’s father stood tall over the petite girls, whose dresses were opulent and frilly. Her father wore traditional Human business attire, a dark gray suit with a green-and-white handkerchief in the pocket. Her brothers stood to either side of their father.
Joni stepped up for a hug from her father as her brothers and cousins looked at her security uniform and scowled.
Joseph Salton said, “I keep hearing about the things you're accomplishing out there. You're making your father and uncle proud. You're out there doing what we cannot, and we're grateful for it.”
Joseph Salton turned toward me and extended his hand. “And this must be your partner. I want to personally thank you for your contributions, Mr. Beutcher. The capture of those blaster parts was a move that probably prevented a rebellion and revolution. You were invited here because I just wanted to say ‘thank you’ in person.”
“You're welcome, sir. And I would like to add that I could not have done it without your daughter. She has accomplished more in a few short months than most inspection detectives accomplish in their lifetimes. I would guess she gets much of that from you?”
Joseph Salton shook his head. “No, she would get that from her late mother. She was not one to sit around and be waited upon. She would go out and do things herself if she felt they needed doing. That’s the same spirit this one has. And I couldn’t be prouder of her.”
Joni rolled her eyes as she looked at her scowling siblings. “Knog, I would like to introduce you to my brothers, Doff and Crand, and my cousins, Priscilla, Biffiny, and Sosia.”
I bowed as I gently took each of their hands. “I am certain your family is proud of you as well.”
The cousins’ false smiles faded as it became apparent they couldn’t decide if my comment was genuine or dubious. I looked back to a grinning Joni, knowing I had accomplished what I intended.
The gala in our honor was full of stuffed shirts and overdressed Humans. It was a full showing of the pomp and circumstance that Joni detested. I was given a two-line speech to recite after my introduction, and was then paraded around the room for the shaking of a thousand hands. No mention of the actual incident that was cause for the gala was made before the crowd. Only passing references were made to my gloried past as a four-star inspection detective.