Chronicles of a Space Mercenary 3: Vengeance (13 page)

Chapter 30

I almost couldn’t believe our nerve as our ship exited jump and there on far scan was the monstrous blip representing the Kievor Trade Station. “There it is.”  I said, feeling insignificant against the weight of our task but bluffing my way through as usual. I had done some foolish things in my time but I was sure this had to be at the very top of the list. The only thing crazier possibly would have been to come as a Kievor itself, but there was no known copy of the Kievor's genetics on any file I was aware of. Just another of their closely held secrets and what a terrific blunder on the part of the two we had replaced to put themselves in Kievor clutches- at least with the knowledge they had possessed. We had no such knowledge to give this time and if we were lost the Alartaw would be free to go out in that last blaze of glory so that they might never be forgotten. The Alartaw in the end were much like humanity in their ability to both be able to do great things as well as fuck things up royally.

“It wouldn't work without the Kievor database we’re here to get in the first place.” Tanya said. “We had
our
implants removed before our mission aboard the Kievor Trade Station the first time, if you recall.” I was already becoming tired of the pair airing every thought I didn't speak aloud. They were almost as bad as a fake psychic’s constant stream of questions to find one little thing to grasp to, except accurate right down to my exact thoughts and emotions on every little thing and every time. Having and now understanding these unbelievable abilities made me wonder how any reptile could lose in combat to a mammal.

“It’s the mind behind it.” Tanya said, not catching the whole thought but catching his admiration of his new self and deducing somewhat of it.

“I really hate it when you do that.” I said.

“It will be an invaluable tool later on.” Melanie said. “Being able to communicate without speaking- at least to some extent.”

“Why don’t we talk about our names instead.” I said before they had thoroughly plumbed my depths- they would not be able to carry on in this vein once we had reached our destination. Ask a deeply personal question and smell the answer- it was a game I wasn’t going to be the inventor of.

“My name is Serrath.” Tanya said. “Pretty isn’t it. Just like me.”

“Yes it is.” I said, feeling her amusement but not trying to delve too deeply into her hidden innuendo.

“I was actually thinking how atrocious I look,” Serrath corrected, “while thinking about something else at the same time.” She gave me a once over and I was pretty sure by that point I understood her meaning- how she had been able to be amused while thinking another entirely different thought.

“Exude amusement while plotting murder.” I said. “I suppose that might work against one of us.”

“Or other reptiles.” Tanya said. “More than half of my jewels are still missing and I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t do a little shopping while I’m here.”

“I like shopping.” Melanie commented then turned my way; “My name is Leethea by the way, if you care. Would you like to know your name?”

“I kinda thought I’d choose…” I began but immediately smelled both their amusement and came to a halt.

“You’re name is Marcrune. It’s actually a common enough Fsyth name. It’s being broadcast as the owner of this ship at this very moment.” Serrath said. “Unless you’d like to explain to the Kievor why suddenly you are changing your name.”

“That’s really funny!” I said smelling their amusement strongly.

“It means
weak one
in Fsyth.” Serrath added with a smile that conveyed no warmth, but that was only because the only muscles in our faces were built up around our jaws. Our facial muscles had two tasks and two tasks only- open the mouth/close the mouth- and hang on to whatever was caught in the bite.

“You should have participated
when we were doing our research,” Leethea said, “instead of spending your time trying to get intoxicated. If you had you would have known the proper way to go about it.”

“Say what?” I said. I didn’t believe them for a moment about my name meaning
weak one
, I could clearly smell she was lying, but at the same time I could clearly smell that Leethea was telling the truth that I had missed-out on learning of some potent Fsyth intoxicant.

“And being that we’re now within range of the Kievor’s scan I wouldn’t go trying to access such information- it would seem a little odd for a Fsyth not to know such a fact.” Serrath said.

“A well-known fact.” Leethea added.

“You bitches.” I said. “Are you aware that the Fsyth male is dominant?”

“Come and dominate me.” Serrath offered.

“It appears we’ve been cleared for docking.” I said rather than allowing the girls to bait me. “The joy of playing with your new abilities will unfortunately have to come to an end.”

“We’ll have plenty of time to play on the Station and establish our reputation as rogues.” Serrath said.

“I won’t have to establish that,” I said, “it comes naturally. Why do we need to be thought of as rogues?”

“Successful rogues.” Leethea said.

“Why do we need to be seen as successful rogues?” I asked then added as I saw the theatrical pause coming; “Before we get any closer...” We were nearing the edge of the Kievor’s Protected Zone and I didn’t want to test the theoretical possibilities of Kievor technology. We should still be far outside the range of such eavesdropping but should is
not
is
and this was when and where we would step into our roles.

“Maybe we’ll get another job offer.” Serrath said wi
th another of her toothy smiles and then silence descended as each of us pondered our Fates. We all knew what time it was. It was time to deal the cards and hope for that good hand- bluffing would get us nowhere in this game.

Chapter 31

“Welcome to Kievor Trade Station Four-Oh-Eight-Seven-Five.” The expected Kievor voice announced in midair as the tractor beam set us gently on the deck of the dock. Inside the Station. Somehow our scientists had done their job. When it was equal technologies at play it wasn’t quite such a one-sided affair. I wondered if this was the very first time ever that anybeing had snuck anything aboard one of their ships without their knowing. The game would have been up by now if they had detected the devices, because if they possessed the technology to detect them they would have instantly deduced their origins. They would not have let an Alartaw ship dock with them, no matter how it might be disguised. The Alartaw and Kievor were still the two most technological races so if they had detected them I would no longer be sitting here thinking these thoughts. Disparate atoms are incapable of random thought.

I felt Serrath’s agreement with my relief at still being alive and hoped like hell the Kievor wouldn’t be able to deduce them as well. The Alartaw had no programs whatsoever designed to read reptile thought and emotion through their pheromones but the Kievor weren’t the Alartaw and one never knew. It was the Kievor’s business to be able to read their patrons and traders so I wasn’t at all confident they wouldn’t be weighing and sifting every emotion I exuded. She felt my change of emotion as I changed my pheromone release by thinking of our peril if somehow the Kievor
could
read these physiological releases. I gave her a toothy smile as she realized I had misled her by altering what I was thinking about. Though not said aloud, my message was clear; two could play this game.

“Fsyth ship
Warmonger
reading you.” Leethea replied. “We’re aware of your fees and accept. We have a few odds and ends in the hold, precious metals... I have your offer here on my screen… we accept. Is there anything else?” Her surprise was clear in the air, why she was the one doing it. I normally tried to keep my bargaining with the Kievor private so this was a new experience for her. I just simply hadn’t been sure I would be able to exude surprise at the proper moment and so Leethea would be doing all or any bargaining which came up with the Kievor, at least for the time being.

“Welcome aboard the Kievor Trade Station. Shall we divide these Credits among your three accounts?”

“Divide them equally.” I said. I was the registered owner of Warmonger, after all.

“Excellent. Enjoy your stay.” The Kievor voice said then vanished.

“I hate mammals.” I hissed. Data taken from the Fsyth ship had given us a pretty good picture of the Fsyth as individuals and like most reptiles they despised mammals, but like any other race of
intelligent
beings there were individuals among each who hated just a little more.
I
hated the Kievor at least though normally considered any such emotion and the time wasted upon it as pointless, I thought, and let them read that hatred in my pheromones and guess its at-odds meaning to what my own toothy mouth was saying. I was beginning to like this actually.

“I think I’m ready to see this place.” Serrath said as she armed up. Her clothing amounted to a pair of tan field-shorts- the kind with lots of pockets and compartments for hiding small tools and other things- two blasters in crossed belts over her hips and absolutely nothing else. Many Fsyth and reptiles in general went entirely without clothing. When you were born with a semi-armored hide clothing could simply seem redundant
. Add the fact that our bodies produced no heat so there was no need for clothing to trap it next to the body. Most reptilian races only wore any clothing at all for proprieties sake and to look better than the next reptile. Vanity was the reptilian races worst failing. In some cases it was so bad that I could tell a reptile how astounding a card player he was over and over again, hand after hand, and the reptile would go away
smiling
at how great he was even while I walked away with the loot. Then again sometimes they figured it out before I’d had the chance to walk far enough. Usually by the time they got to the bar and figured out they didn’t have enough for a drink much less the day’s rent or docking fees. Through such adventures I had become an astute judge of when a lizard was about to lose it.

Leethea was wearing a thong and fanny pack and armed with a Fsyth blaster and that was all. Reptiles, nor either of these girls, were particularly worried about public nudity- no matter what body they happened to be wearing at the time. I had chosen armor gear- cool when it’s hot, warm when it was
cold and impervious to much but a direct blaster attack- and was bedecked neck to ankle. A Fsyth would never wear footwear unless it was part of a spacesuit. I had two blasters and a fresh deck of playing cards- human’s most notable contribution to the Cosmic society and already spread throughout the Universe undoubtedly. I was about as ready as I would ever be. “Let’s go see this place.” I said.

Chapter 32

This wasn’t the Station near human space so I wasn’t sure what type of races would predominate in this section of the Universe but wasn’t particularly surprised when we stepped out of Warmonger into a world that might as well have been the Station near human space, except minus humans. And there was no guarantee of that either. Humans were spreading just about everywhere and that thought brought to mind the seriousness of this mission for more than just one race. It was especially serious now that the Alartaw were secretly arming the human race- all but the Katons, of course. I wouldn’t arm my enemies and they were on their own as far as I was concerned. Did I have a second thought for the billions of innocents on Katon who were likely to suffer and die without that technology? Not one. People allow governments to do the things they do by blindly turning their faces from the truth even when it is glaringly obvious. How much guilt should be assigned those who turn a blind eye to what they know is evil? In my opinion as much as those who perpetuate those evils and so upon their heads fall the same consequences. Enemies are easy to make but friends far and few between. The Katons had made no friend of me.

“Mammals.” Serrath hissed
and it was only half performance as we were assaulted by the closeness of so many of our instinctual enemies. I felt it too, the ancient hatred of the reptile for mammals stirred within my breast among the throngs of every variety and stripe of warm-blooded beings imaginable and as my new instincts screamed at me of danger. There were a lot of mammals present here but this was probably just an enclave. The Kievor could sometimes have their quirks that way, especially when every ship suddenly without an owner became the property of the Kievor. I had to admit I was looking at the Kievor in a whole new way as the revelations unfolded. They had shown me the very depths to which treachery could stoop. The Kievor were the ultimate politicians, in my opinion, playing everybeing against themselves.

“Furred mammals.” Leethea said. You didn’t need to be a reptile to be glad you hadn’t been born a furred mammal. “Disgus
ting.” The stench was nearly overwhelming.

In fact the smell was almost an assault, a definite drawback to enhanced olfactory abilities, I noted as we slowly moved out into the corridor. Ostensibly to be window-shopping for whatever vice we were seeking
. Few entered the trade warrens looking for anything else and which brought to mind the vice I was seeking. I scowled at the girls for withholding that- no matter how great a point they had earned. The way several sheepish looking mammals passing us shied back as I scowled I supposed I must have overdone it a bit. No facial muscles meant move my lips and rows of sharp teeth were showing.

“You are a handsome reptile.” Serrath told me as I spotted an intriguing sign. I couldn’t read the alien script but the tankard flashing in brilliant lights was Universal. Without saying a word I just turned in that direction and went in without waiting to see if they had followed me. They were big girls and weren’t we supposed to be making a reputation for ourselves?

There wasn’t a single lizard in the bar at all and everything simply came to a silent halt when I walked in. It went from roaring party to instant silence before I had gotten two steps into the place. Everybeing in the place was looking in my direction and hands, tentacles and other such appendages were surreptitiously moving closer to weapons- but most not so surreptiously. In no position to fight fifty at once I quickly turned around and ran right into Serrath and Leethea as they followed me in. “Looks cozy.” Serrath said as she coldly looked over the sea of hostile faces.

“Let’s go in.” Leethea said. Together they were blocking my exit. The silence behind me seemed to be growing deeper though how absolute silence could get quieter was a que
stion I couldn’t rightly answer at that moment. Maybe Bren could explain it, if I survived to see him again.

“Just checking to make sure you were behind me.” I said as I turned back around and began making my way to the bar. Serrath and Leethea were right there behind me and suddenly I could smell the fear and confusion of the mammals. They had expected me to leave and now that I hadn
’t I had struck the cord of uncertainty within them. Now within their midst I felt much more confident- that old conundrum of how I was the most confident while under the most extreme of stresses. If they attacked us now, in their midst, at the very least we’d take a pile of them with us and leave a bloodbath behind us- if we survived- and a good start to making our reputation. Reputations weren’t made by cowering in the shadows.

The Druella bartender- probably the owner- who came to serve us only did so grudgingly, but credits were credits and if we made a bloodbath of the place it would be twice as full tomorrow. Blood draws the flies. The hairy vermin-infested Druella held up an idento-reader for my eye which immediately beeped in the affirmative- which meant I could afford to buy a drink. “I’ll have whatever she’s having.” I said nodding at Serrath. The idento-reader translated for the Druella and he moved on to Tanya.