Destiny Abounds (Starlight Saga Book 1) (39 page)

So far she’d had a couple of vaguely uncomfortable hours of waiting during their trip to think it over, and the only reasonable explanation she could think of was that she felt enclosed, cut off from the freedom of the sky and space. But then again, she never felt this way while shut up and enveloped in a ship or a space station, or inside a building. She wondered if this was how Branwen had felt when she first came to space, and if she ever felt that way still.

Her mind wandered a myriad of topics while her Captain stared out the window, pointing at every interesting thing they passed like a teenaged tourist. Ever since Branwen had brought up Merlo’s lack of education, she’d seen more and more evidence of it in her everyday life. She didn’t feel embarrassed, exactly, but damn, how had she never noticed this before?

She knew she couldn’t tell anyone who asked what half the things she saw out the window were, and not just because they were some weird alien plant or something. She even knew most of the names of things, but not what they were. The more she analyzed it, the stranger it felt. She didn’t even know why those huge stone teeth hung everywhere from the roof of the cavern. Did people make them, or were they natural, and why did most of them have a little one rising from the cold stone floor to meet it? But she knew what to call them: stalactites.

She tried not thinking about it, since that was what she usually did, but she wasn’t having as much success as usual. She supposed what really bugged her was what her discussion with Branwen highlighted: she might not know what a stalactite was or why wheeled transports were more efficient than anti grav outside of cities, but she knew the formulas for atmospheric deferential and how to calculate a slipjump so well, it was almost an instinct.

Branwen thumped her on the shoulder, and she jumped, realizing that they’d come to a stop. “Hey, sorry. This it?” She asked, trying to catch her bearings.

Her Captain nodded her head. “According to Mr. Leonard, this is where Stone’s business is located, and it is where he agreed to meet us.” Branwen slid her door upward and stepped out.

There was no one to bother them for a tip this time, since the Captain had made a point of finding one of the auto-driving transports for every trip after the first. Merlo didn’t mind. She was quickly getting tired of all the Urzrans attempting to small talk her to death, and didn’t get why it was just her; they hardly bothered the Captain at all, except for the occasional paranoid glance.

They found themselves in front of a multi-story building, this one seeming much more, well, ordinary than most of Kharvid’s structures. It was a tall, rectangular prism of a building, with plenty of glass or glasteel windows and no real adornment. Save for the dark stone it was built from, which was the exact same construction material as pretty much everything else she saw, it might have almost looked at home on Altair or one of the many other developed worlds.

That fact made it easy to find their way around; maybe that was the point. They went inside, saw the front desk receptionist, got on an elevator, and found themselves on one of the top floors awaiting their appointment with Mr. Stone. Merlo had just settled into one of the lobby’s stiff-backed chairs for another long wait, thinking of what kind of conversation to strike up with Branwen, when the door opened and they were invited in. They were early, but it seemed Mr. Stone didn’t like to keep people waiting. Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all.

He turned out to be a tall man, for an Urzran anyway, and also thinner than typical for his homeworld. Maybe he had some mixed blood or something in there, though Merlo had no way to know. His skin had the typical darker undertone that was the Urzran standard, with short, neatly trimmed black hair and dark brown eyes that looked almost black in the dim of his office. He was well dressed, with a long, black suit coat that came to his knees. The coat was trimmed with a thin line of rich burgundy that matched the small silken cloth in his front coat pocket.

He seated himself across from them at a table, much like Governor Medlava had, gesturing meanwhile for them to sit if they desired, though Branwen made no move to do so. “Greetings, Captain Branwen. I understand through my secretary that you are here on a matter of import, so let’s not waste each others’ time. You value yours as much as I do mine, I’m sure.” He didn’t seem unfriendly, exactly, just businesslike. His smile, though, was one of those that seemed genuine enough, but it didn’t touch the eyes; even Merlo noticed the disconnect.

Merlo found she didn’t
like
the expression in his eyes.

She was glad she didn’t have to do all of this talking to people and discerning their motives. Maybe Prisoner 286 was rubbing off on her a little, but she had been hoping things would have been a little more exciting than standing around in offices and sitting in waiting rooms. Still, it was only partway through the first day, so there was still hope.

“We are here on behalf of the Kalaset.” Branwen stepped forward as she had done before, and Merlo was glad to have any scrutiny taken off of her. She was thoroughly content to stand back and watch from behind the Captain.

Jori tilted his head at the Captain’s declaration. “Then, I am confused, Captain. I can’t imagine my business ventures would be of any interest to the Kalaset. Perhaps you could enlighten me further?” His face was calm, an unreadable mask to Merlo. But then, the Governor’s had been as well, until near the end.

Branwen paused for a moment, seeming to hesitate. “We are investigating the whereabouts of Kala Tiala, who has been reported missing, and we believe you may have seen her most recently.” Merlo watched Branwen’s eyes bore into Mr. Stone’s face as she stepped over and handed him one of her datapads, already prepared with Sirrah’s insignia-thing visible on it.

She wondered why Branwen chose a somewhat more confrontational approach with him than she had with the Governor, but she shrugged mentally to herself, figuring the Captain knew best. She kept her eyes on Stone’s face, for all the good her abilities of deduction would do them, and otherwise just kept her eyes and ears open for any other sign of trouble.

Stone took the pad from Branwen and glanced at it for a moment, nowhere near the long several seconds of study Forona Medlava had taken to scrutinize it. “I’m afraid I don’t know a Kala by that name, Captain, and therefore I’m not sure if I can help you. Are you sure that it was myself who was supposed to have seen her?”

Instead of immediately answering, Branwen took her datapad from him, then tapped it a few times and handed it back. “This is what she looks like. Are you certain that you do not know her?”

Stone seemed to study it for several long seconds, nearly a half minute, while stroking his chin thoughtfully. Then he shook his head. “This whole situation seems like a misunderstanding, Captain.” He offered the pad back to Branwen.

Branwen nodded as she leaned across the desk and retrieved her datapad, tucking it away. “We have information describing you as one of her clients, and we know that she was on Urzra visiting old clients. You name was therefore mentioned as a possible stop on her journey while here.”

Jori Stone sighed. “I hate to disappoint you, Captain, but if I were a client of the Kala’s, it was likely long ago. Perhaps I should not share this fact, but I hire many of the Kalaset. Perhaps the one you seek was simply… not one of the ones who stood out.”

That was the first indication Merlo picked up that anything might be amiss here. His face didn’t give anything away to her, but weren’t all of the Kalaset supposed to to be unforgettable, or something? Then again, this guy was apparently rich enough to have hired quite a few of them, so maybe those standards worked differently for the exorbitantly wealthy.

Branwen, however, just nodded to him again as if it made complete sense. “Understandable, Mr. Stone. Unfortunately, this means you cannot assist us in locating her, then.”

He shook his head. “I’m afraid not, as much as I would gladly help the Kalaset, I didn’t even know she was on Urzra. If she is indeed missing, I simply wouldn’t know where to start.” He frowned, seeming to think for a moment. “But, if you find I can be of some assistance, please, contact me again, and I will make time for it.”

“Of course, Mr. Stone. And we appreciate your offer.”

He nodded, donning his false smile once again like an ill-fitting costume. Merlo could see why Governor Medlava found him unsettling. If she had to be smiled at like that all the time, she’d start punching people. And good luck smiling at her after that.

Meanwhile, Stone rose from his seat, his oily smile taking on a veneer of graciousness. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I have another meeting very soon, and unfortunately must prepare for it.” He gestured towards the door, which opened for them on its own, folding outward.

Branwen nodded to Merlo, and they began to move toward the door. “Of course. Thank you for seeing us, Mr. Stone.” He came around his desk, seeing them out.

As Merlo stepped into the threshold, she paused, seeing Stone catch Branwen’s arm and stop her. She stepped back, getting close enough to hear him speak. “One more thing, Captain.” Branwen nodded to him, and leaned in and down to hear him better. “If someone as well known as a member of the Kalaset has disappeared, assuming it wasn’t merely some freak accident, I would be very careful.”

Merlo noticed Branwen’s eyes narrow, ever so slightly, but right now Branwen was as hard to read as Stone was. It was freaky. “Oh?” The Captain replied.

“Indeed. Anyone on Urzra with that kind of power wouldn’t be someone to be taken lightly. And if someone did make her disappear? They likely wouldn’t keep her around long. In fact, it might already be too late.” He released his grip on Branwen’s arm, easing back from her again. “Good luck, Captain. I imagine you’re going to need it.”

14.6
- Sirrah

“I don’t like the sound of it, Captain.” Sirrah said calmly. Once more, they met in the
Destiny’s
dining area, and this time more than ever before, her insides roiled and knotted with the force of the anxiety that she couldn’t show. “But since I could not be there, I will defer to your opinion, of course.”

Beside her she felt Prisoner 286 shift. In her mind’s eye, she could almost feel the woman rolling her eyes. “You were the one that chose not to go.” the Prisoner commented dryly.

“I know that, 286.” She would have given anything to have gone, but she was literally tethered to 286. If the Prisoner got too far away, the collar would detonate on its own, a fact no one here but Sirrah knew yet. And the range of wireless connections was more limited on Urzra than in many places, due to the periodic interference of its star. And that was perhaps secondary to the fact that she wasn’t completely sure that 286 wouldn’t attempt to do something, like hijack the
Destiny
, if left to her own devices. Finally, she worried that her appearance in public would be certain to cause a stir that would easily make it back to any kidnappers.

Zimi cleared her throat hesitantly. “So how do we know he ain’t involved? He sounds mighty suspicious to me. Who forgets a Kala?” She sounded incredulous.

Branwen frowned, and opened her mouth to speak, but Sirrah chose to interrupt her, shining an appreciative smile toward Zimi as she did so. “She has a point, Captain. I know you’re not as familiar with our practices, but we train our whole lives to make sure that anyone who contracts us finds us unforgettable, among other things. What Jori Stone said simply isn’t reasonable.”

Branwen started to open her mouth, but closed it again as Prisoner 286 interrupted her too. “What if she just sucked? Or maybe they didn’t like each other, or something.”

Sirrah couldn’t let that one slide, even though she fully suspected it was just another jab of 286’s. “Tiala was my mentor, and an excellent Kala. There is no way he would find her ‘forgettable.’ It is not possible.” Try as she might, she knew she sounded the slightest bit defensive, and she turned her head to find 286 grinning at her.

“Regardless,” Branwen spoke again, likely trying to ground the conversation once more, “We have no real evidence incriminating Jori Stone of anything. We would have to investigate him further in some manner. Mr. Leonard, did you discover anything while we were gone?”

The young man sighed, fidgeting absently and nervously. “Not as much as I’d like, Captain.” He looked down at his datapad, and Sirrah could see information scrolling past on it rapidly. “Urzran record keeping is what I would refer to as sub par, likely by anyone’s standards. Private companies and organizations hold a majority of that information confidential on Urzra, in the areas that are regularly documented at all.”

Mr. Leonard swept some of his feathery blond hair from his eyes, and paused the scrolling feed on his small metallic datapad. “There are a couple of things I found, though. She did visit and leave Governor Medlava’s estate within a couple of days of her arrival, taking a private transport away from the area.”

“How’d you figure that, Mister Leonard?” Zimi asked him, leaning close and peering at his pad.

“I um, well, looked perhaps in some places that are otherwise secure. Like the Governor’s perimeter security feeds and personal location tracking.” The majority of the words tumbled out of his mouth and over one another in a jumble as he shifted around anxiously, and Sirrah had to suppress a smile despite the severity of the circumstances.

“Wow, that’s really amazing, Mister Leonard!” Zimi didn’t sound as shocked as Sirrah might have suspected she would.