Greenie 0019

PHIL

Celyciia recovered enough from her ordeal to be furiously angry at Phil, who steered the freight skimmer through the night of Brown Moon with yet unknown destination. “What is going on Phil? Are we just pawns in some game of yours? Why are we fleeing, why is the largest Police precinct corrupt? Why are we running? We are not criminals!”

Phil said.” It was you who wanted to come along, that this case is big was clear from the start. Did you not wonder why you were expected to make this a shut and close case?”

Ruddick, was in a similar mood and said. “Quit being the schoolmaster for a while and simply tell us. We aren’t immortal, we don’t have 3000 years of experience and how in the world did you survive without a heart?”

Phil looked out the side window and said. “Perfect.”

He landed the skimmer in a huge scrap yard piled up with old, and derelict skimmers of every size and make and cut off the engines. “Okay kids, I tell you what I know but you were never pawns or bait or anything like that. I never thought the others would? go that far, but then our opponent is the most ruthless, coldest and deadliest individual in the known Galaxy, at least I think it is her.”

Celyciia flashed an angry gaze at Phil. “No one is interrupting you. So please go ahead.”

“When you called and told me about a Shiss raid onto a Union Prison Colony. I knew something was wrong, very wrong. Caught and convicted Shiss raiders are not sent to Union Prison Colonies, but to high security stockades, at least in General and if convicted for piracy there is only one sentence and it isn’t incarceration.”

Ruddick interrupted. “Didn’t we establish it wasn’t a Shiss raid?”

Celyciia cuffed Ruddick. “Don’t interrupt him, or we might never get the whole story out of him. I know for a fact there was a Yellow Throat among the Prisoners and at least for a while we thought he might have been the motivation for the raid.”

“Since you are with me kiddos, I have told you to think and use your own intellect.”

Celyciia wrinkled her forehead. “If there was a Shiss then he was sent there by Prison Shuttle and since he is in the system for us to find, it could never been any Shiss Raiders. Shiss Raiders have no access to Union Police Files or could generate transfer orders. They come from Corrections and the Justice Department.”

“Exactly, my pretty Saresii dame, and you need to have serious connections to pull a job like that. No foreign outside force could have done that.”

“Are you saying this is a Government conspiracy?” Ruddick gasped. “Not in the Union, we don’t have those.” He said it with a stubborn tone but it was clear he didn’t even believe his own voice.”

Celyciia reacted in a similar way and said. “I can believe in corrupt Cops and Judges but not in something like a government sanctioned murder of Inmates. Besides if they wanted to free an inmate why go through all this trouble. If they can place a Shiss as you said they did, they could also take anyone they needed, quietly.”

Phil nodded. “You start to think again and that is good.”

The Saresii woman crossed her arms. “I was beaten and tortured by what appeared to be genuine Federal Police officers and I want to believe our system works. If it all lies I quit and will use the little voice of mine to tell anyone about it.”

Ruddick said. “Maybe we need to let him talk again.”

Phil smiled in the dim light coming from a distant light element on a pole. “Those who pulled the strings hoped that the Federal Officers responding to that would be simpletons. Call it a Shiss Raid, file a report and let the Fleet handle that by stepping up patrols, case closed. You have not been transferred to Recksnostal Colony by accident. Lieutenant. They wanted an inexperienced Officer replacing a 45 year veteran, knowing that this would cause friction and none of the old cops would go out of their ways to help you or really do a good job, just to make you look bad. All this of course distracting you further from what happened. The person pulling the strings never leaves much to chance and plans things to the most minute detail.”

Both Celyciia and Ruddick said nothing but both sensed that this was indeed the truth. It wasn’t long ago Ruddick didn’t like the new Saresii Lieutenant very much and felt guilty of agitating the others against her.

Phil continued. “That person however underestimated your instincts Celyciia and that person could not foresee that I would be in the region. The second you filed reports and had that Warden checked they knew and watched our moves.”

“But why all this, to get to a man out of a Prison colony?”

Ruddick tried to think but could not come up with an explanation. “He was just a Science Assistant and convicted smuggling dangerous life forms.”

Phil said. “Where did he come from?”

“Green Hell, we established that just before we got into that Warehouse Trap.” Celyciia said also thinking.

“Yes and I called up all reports of crimes and unusual events on Green Hell.”

“I’ve seen the News story about those Teenagers. I still don’t see the connection.”

“No, but there on Green Hell is a Company registered, a Slide Way supplies company, one of their employees got killed. A few days later two Pertharians arrive, supposedly mechanics for that Company. I checked, they have neither left Green Hell or have been seen staying anywhere in town. Only weeks later a man dies still on the shuttle platform. He is the first victim of local life forms inside the city for almost 200 years and the local Authority, a Ranger could not explain how.” Phil rubbed his scared chest and added. “When they checked the dead man they found he had a fake CITI and was a high prized crook specializing in Kidnappings.”

Ruddick scratched his sod covered chin and said. “I guess the Slide Way company is the same we had on Recksnostal, the one involved in bribing the Warden.”

Phil nodded. “The same company.”

“One one hand you tell me some mysterious person is so good and does all this conspiracy stuff and then they leave those trails anyone investigating the issue would find.”

“Exactly Sergeant. There is a foreign power, I guess the Kermac who use this Company as a cover for some sort of Intelligence operation. However unbeknownst to the Foreign Spies, our Intelligence guys know about it for a long time and removed any obstacles and made it real easy for the spies to accomplish their plans.”

“But why would our guys help them?”

“It is much easier to watch a known spy and feed them whatever information they want than try to find a new one. Or maybe our side wants to find out what they are up to. The key to all is on Green Hell. I am sure there is something or someone the Kermac want real bad.”

Ruddick said. “Now this makes all sense and I guess our Intelligence guys didn’t like us to get to close to the Kermac and bust them before they have their answers or whatever. I can understand all this but why not simply tell us to back off? Why try to kill us?”

The Saresii said. “Who is that person you mentioned?”

Phil said. “Because killing Inmates is still a crime and neither one of us would have simply stopped investigating, because we already know too much and because she knows of my friend. No one knows her true name or how she looks, but she is known as Cherubim and some say she was killer and assassin even before Gilgamesh. She is an Immortal but I am not sure she belongs to the 200 that have been picked by the Guardian. Even though she claims that to be the case.”

Ruddick said. “Another Immortal, aren’t you guys supposedly to be the good guys?”

Phil again touched his chest. “I don’t belong to that group, I was not picked by the Guardian. I got my immortality and my youth back from a God and as I just found out he really made me immortal as it turned out. I had no idea I could survive something like that.”

The Saresii woman shivered, partially because she was completely naked and cold and partially of fear as she realized what Phil had said. “Gods are real?”

Phil shrugged. “I don’t know for sure but Black Cloud had abilities that I cannot explain to this day.”

Ruddick said. “What of us? Are we going to be hunted criminals?” “No the Police Precinct is not corrupt but we are not safe until my friend arrives. That Cherubim I told you does not like loose ends.”

“Then we must arrest her. Immortal or not, she sounds like the worst criminal there is.”

A new voice in the dark said. “Maybe I am indeed and Phil is right I don’t like loose ends especially with Stahl on its way.”

-””-

ROY

The woman with the stern hair knot had the alien looking weapon pointed at Roy’s temple. “Tell your beast to stop or I kill you. My Associate will kill your companion even if your beast can stop one of us it won’t prevent one of you dying,”

Partner did stop in the middle of his attack run understanding Roy’s predicament and Roy did not see any escape. One of the men held a similar weapon against Cara’s head.

Roy said, still hurting all over like he had never hurt before. “Partner, go away!” And in his thoughts he added. “Go get help!”

He didn’t know where Partner could get help but he hoped Partner would get someone of Ship security Partner vanished with a loud Pop. Roy suddenly could no longer feel Partner at all.

Before he could feel Partner even over a distance, now there was a sudden void in his mind. Partner was truly gone. Did it misunderstand his command of “Go away?”

The Woman keeping him covered with the weapon said. “Whatever your Teleport beast is, it won’t help you now, Mr. Masters.” She pressed the trigger of her weapon and the pain was so intense that Roy bit of part of his tongue and almost choked to death on his own blood before he passed out.

-””-

PHIL

There was no room for another person in the small cab of the freight skimmer, yet the new voice appeared to come from the seemingly empty front seat next to Phil.

Ruddick jumped forward and hammered his fist into the air, hoping to hit whoever was there, most likely cloaked. His fists however found nothing but thin air. Phil said. “It is some nano mechanism or projected field speaker, Riddick.” To the voice he said. “Cherubim don’t think I let you kill these kids. I have a few tricks up my sleeves too.”

The bodiless female voice said with a hinted laughter. “No doubt, just like that Colt of yours that appears to be nothing more than a simple pistol of pre-astro times and yet it never needs reloading and no known shield or armor can stop its bullets. One of these days you must tell me more about Dark Cloud, but for now I have a proposition for you.”

Phil suddenly held that strange gun in his fist neither Riddick nor Celyciia had seen him pull it. “I be damned to deal with you. You are a killer and a criminal and I never made any deals with criminals. This gun is way more than even you could imagine. I am sure it will kill even you.”

“No doubt it will, no doubt it will but I am able to vaporize the entire junk yard It be interesting to see if you would survive that.”

“Richard will hear of it and he won’t rest until he gets you.”

“Phil, you are not one of the Guardians chosen ones and you have never dealt with the demons sitting just beyond our Union’s shiny gates, but you are long enough around to know they are there. I don’t get medals or laurels, I don’t really exist but I do what I have to do to keep the moles and the vermin checked. The ones that sneak under the radar of Richard’s guns and I can only do that if I play dirtier than them.”

Phil waved his hand. “I have heard the same even before we went to the stars, unspeakable evil has been done in the name of national security.”

“Tell me another way Phil. Tell me if our knight in shiny armor, Mr. Richard Righteous is any less guilty of crimes than me. He blew up planets and exterminated civilizations.”

“Richard never lies, never hides and never fires the first shot.”

“Richard devised Operation Steamroller. What would you call our attack on the Xunx other than a first Shot?”

“I was there! We had no other choice. The Xunx would have devoured Earth.”

“We? Who is we?”

“Us Terrans, Earth’s humanity of course.”

“The Xunx were only the first, the Freons and Ferons came next. The Vril, human as us and many more. What morals, what ethcis do you use to justify these atrocities?” There was a moment of silence and the voice laughed. “I thought so, so come off your high horse and smell the roses. I am offering you three to walk away from this, alive and still able to do what you do, hunt criminals and uphold the law. More so I am offering you to finish what you have started. Find the murderers of the prisoners and bring them to justice.”

“What is the price?”

“Leave the Warrior out of it. He would only complicate things, that’s all I ask.”

“You want me to lie to Richard?”

“No I want you to tell the truth, you can’t proof it was me. By your own detective standards you can’t even proof I exist. Let him deal with the enemies he can fight with cannons and battle ships and let me deal with the ones that crawl between the cracks of our armor.”

“You are afraid of him!”

“Yes, Phil. I am afraid of Richard and what he could do. Let sleeping dogs lie.”

“What’s in it for you? You said you could kill us and I don’t doubt you. Mercy is not a word you know so what’s your gain?”

Celyciia was not superstitious but she had the feeling as if they were dealing with the devil itself.

The voice said. “The same thing you want, finding out what it is the Kermac want on Green Hell of all places.”

-””-

ROY

Roy came around and felt awful. There was a metallic taste in his mouth and his tongue felt three times as big as normal. Every muscle and every nerve ending was hurting I his body. Now he knew why Neuro Rippers were illegal. It was more a Torture device than a weapon. He found himself sitting in a reclining chair of sorts, his hands and legs wrapped with memory tape. Cara was in a similar seat, and also tied up. Including a layer of tape across her mouth and eyes. He strained his muscles, against the tap. The woman came into view, at least the person that pretended to be a Terran business woman. Still wearing the same business skirt suit and, but the face was now paper white, the head bald and something was sticking to the persons chin. He was not entirely certain if the person was male or female, but he was certain it was a Kermac. He had seen images in Xeno Class.

The person said. “Don’t struggle against the tape. It’s a Terran Quality product and could hold a Pertharian.”

Roy tried to speak but all that came out was gibberish. His tongue really was swollen and hurt badly as he tried to move it.

The person said. “Don’t you worry Roy. You see I am Kermac as you so correctly identified and I am a Telepath. I can read your thoughts. While I could fix your tongue and make you more comfortable, I like you to suffer and know who is in charge here. Any thought of escape I will know as soon as you think it and I will take measures to prevent it.”

Roy didn’t want to talk to that slime but he could not stop his own mind from thinking and the question as of why the Kermac were so interested in a simple Terran Teenager was heavy on his mind.

The disguised Kermac sat down, and the way the Alien sat, Roy was certain it was a male. No woman, at least no human woman would sit like that.

The Alien said. “How observant, I think I need to work on my mannerism, but then I am not an expert spy and since I succeeded where the Ministry of Information failed, I doubt I need to disguise myself much longer.”

The Kermac pointed at Cara. “She will suffer like no being has ever suffered if you don’t exactly do whatever I want you to do.” The Alien fiddled with the beard like thing on his chin and leaned forward. “Ah you ask yourself why you’re here. I want you to guide us to through the Jungles of Green Hell and to a region called the White Mountains. An associate of ours finally found what we are looking for.”

There was hot rage and ice cold hate inside Roy and he hated his captor and he started to hate the Kermac.

The Alien recoiled. “Oh my such strong emotions, you Terrans are all alike, primitive emotional primates that should have never been allowed off that blue planet of yours.”

He tried to remember what he had seen while he was at the White Mountains. What could there be that was so important and who was their associate?

The Kermac supplied the answers.”I am sure you remember the old Saresii living all by himself in a Research Outpost?”

Of course he did. He had seen him many times at Ma Swanson’s Boathouse. Sabari Dohr stomping in a Krauss Armor suit through the Jungles of Green Hell for almost 300 years, at least that is what he always said.

“Ah you do remember him. Well he was working for us and only a few days ago he found the location of the first Saresii ship that crash landed on Green Hell. One would think that after 300 years of experience he would know the Jungles but our mutual friend never made it back from the White Mountains, he died killed by whatever crawls in your jungles.”

To Roy the whole story became weirder by the moment. Green Hell was discovered by the Saresii during their First Age of Knowledge and that was over a million years ago. What could be left after such a long time to explain all this?

The Saresii answered. “The secret of Translocator technology.”

-””—

PHIL

Celyciia came out of the small but well equipped bathroom of Phil’s ship. She almost felt like a person again, but she still wasn’t happy. She felt as if they had sold their souls to the devil to get out. Phil and Ruddick sat at the mess table and nursed cups of coffee.

The Saresii said. “I am still pissed. I still think we need to find those double crossing bastards that worked us over, even if we can’t touch that invisible demon.”

Phil said. “Knowing her they are all dead. She never leaves loose ends.”

Ruddick didn’t look happy either. “We are still lose ends. Can we even assume she keeps her part of the bargain?”

Phil sighed. “I am trying to proof she exists, put a name and a face to her for a very long time and have not been able to do that. Kiddos I am trying to tell you that I am more or less still a simple flat foot from Pre Astro New York. I am not like Stahl with a cosmic vision and an almost mystical understanding of things. She was right, I was not selected, I have no purpose like the other Immortals. Cherubim is like a ghost, has thousand faces and deep connections in every government agency there is, but hunting her I have learned that there is one person she respects and fears and that is Stahl.”

Ruddick said. “Why is he not doing something right away then. I am sure he knows about it. My confidence and pride in our Union is severely disturbed. How can I believe that the Rule of Law applies to anyone?”

Phil sighed. “As I said there is no evidence she really exists and as long as there is no evidence there is nothing I can tell him. He is integrity incarnate because he sticks to the laws and decisions. I can’t tell you to trust the system again of course, but I seen a lot in my life and no system is perfect, but overall our Union it is the best I have seen so far.”

Celyciia suddenly smiled. “Well you sure showed them, disappearing and returning from the dead.”

“It hurt like hell, being shot like that.”

“How did you disappear like that?”

“I can teleport. I had my Psionic abilities raised in the many years I was on Sares and I was trained by Gray Cats, but it exhausts me and I can’t do it often.

Ruddick finished his coffee. “So what are we doing now. Our trail ran cold in that Warehouse.”

“We go to Green Hell. I think this is where the answer lies. If we can find out what they are after, we will be a big step closer solving this mystery.”

-””-

ROY

Roy suffered greatly. His arms hurt, his wrists were bleeding and swollen, and he was sure his tongue got worse than better, maybe it was infected or something. Despite all the physical discomforts he felt even more sorry for Cara and he really missed Partner. He could not explain why his animal would so completely disappear, but then Partner had always done what he asked it to do and he told Partner to go away. As marvelous as his animal was, it was an animal and did not have the level of understanding like a sentient person had.

How could you plan an escape if your captor was able to read your thoughts?

He was denied to go to the bath room and did not get any water or food. Not that he believed he could have swallowed anything solid. He had soiled himself and he was stinking and that made him feel even worse.

The Kermac came back every so often and kicked or hit the Saresii woman and always telling her how much he hated the Saresii and how much she and all Saresii would suffer once the Kermac had Translocator technology and then swept the Union out of existence...

There was a fire of hatred burning in Roy towards the Kermac and it became hotter by the hour. It was this hate that gave him strength to somehow bear his ordeal.

There was no real way of telling time, but finally two men supervised by the evil Kermac picked him up and stuck him into a luxury model Auto-dresser with hygiene function.

The machine told him and the men outside that medical attention would be required as well but that only resulted in laughter and the Kermac said. “If you do everything we tell you to do, I might even be persuaded to give you medical attention.”

Roy said. “I get out of this somehow and then I am going to hunt you down, you every henchman of yours and then I am going to kill every Kermac I can find.”

“You are so typical Terran, all these empty boosts. All this primitive emotion, how much better would the Universe be if you apes had never ascended. Not that you could have done that on your own anyway.”

A cold smile crept into Roy’s face. “Strange enough we upstarts kicked your arses every time, can you imagine what the Assembly is going to do if they get wind of all this?”

“They will tremble in fear, knowing we have Translocators!”

“Nope White Face, they will send Stahl. Every teenager knows that!”

Somehow invoking the Eternal Warriors name had quite an effect on the Kermac. There was a momentary expression of open fear on his usually smooth face.

Roy dug deeper and said. “Who got primitive emotions now?

The Kermac slapped him across the face. “You will sing a different tune soon. We Kermac have the means to make you simple beings do whatever we want. You call it Psionic Suggestions, we call it Kermac Dominance.”

The Kermac produced an apple sized alien device and Roy could almost see the invisible fingers that extended from the device engulfing his head. He screamed, he tried to concentrate and somehow keep the alien influence out of his mind but there was nothing keeping the soothing whispering voices out of his mind. He felt his rage and anger ebb, and while he knew it was a foreign influence he suddenly begun to accept the Kermac’s superiority. His innermost self felt like a caged animal inside his own body his own mind. His resistancee faded, but just as he was about to slip completely under psionic hypno-control if the Kermac he heard a new voice in his mind, it was a female voice and she said. “You are coming back my child, don’t despair. No psionic tricks can keep you enslaved once you are back home!”

The Kermac removed the restrains, the two men stepped back not trusting the psionic powers of the Kermac entirely. They remembered what Roy had done to them in a flash of action.

But Roy simply stood there and the Kermac said. “Give him back his equipment, Kermac powers hold him safer than any mechanical restrains ever will. If I want he will commit suicide or kill without hesitation. His mind is mine!”

Another man stepped into the bath room and said. “We are about to enter the Maxwell System and reach Desolate.”

-””-

PHIL

Phil and his two new friends landed at Harper’s Junction in the Maxwell System from where they wanted to take a shuttle to Green Hell. But since there was only one shuttle connection per day and the last one had just arrived, they needed to wait till next day.

Both Celyciia and Ruddick had recovered somewhat from the ordeal, but the carefree and friendly banter atmosphere from before had not returned. Celyciia could intellectually understand that there was the need for clandestine and subterfuge on such levels to protect the Union. She had no illusions that the Kermac and all the others that opposed the Union would play by the rules. But she had grown up to believe that the union was simply bigger and its armor was impenetrable simply because there were no weaknesses and no cracks. Of course she was a police woman long enough to know that there were always cracks and that the shiniest top side had a dark underbelly.

Knowing all this, she still felt cheated.

They sat at an Arthur’s Swine and Dine still part of the Space Port Concourse and had an early dinner. Phil had left for the bathroom and Ruddick bit in the Rib burger he had ordered and said. “You know maybe not everything is perfect, but I got to know you much better Lieutenant and I became friends with an Immortal. He hasn’t let us down and saved our lives. I don’t think any of this is his fault, you know.”

She smiled and ordered herself a burger too. “You know I think you are quite a wise man Mr. Ruddick. And I don’t even know your first name.”

He wiped some sauce off his chin and said. “Because I don’t really have a first name. I was called Ruddick because I was born in Ruddick’s tunnel in the old mine camp on our moon. My mother was a rough and tumble miner and she never told me who my father was.”

“Well so how do your friends call you then?”

“They call me Ruddick, but without the Sergeant in front of it.”

Phil came back and with him was a tall man in Union Ranger Uniform and Phil said. “Friends, this is Ranger Solomon and he is the law man on Green Hell. When I called the local Ranger Office a few days ago, he made the trip to Harper’s to meet us.”

Phil introduced his companions to the Ranger and they all sat down and Phil told the Ranger pretty much everything about the case and their assumption that there was something on Green Hell worth all the efforts.

The Ranger had listened without interrupting and then shrugged his broad shoulders. “There is Sam Brown, the only farmer on Green Hell. There are only a few who know that he raises Fire Nettles to produce Califerm, the real kind. But he is licensed and he sells strictly to two Pharmacology Companies. But all the Califerm he produces would not be worth that type of effort.”

Phil said. “Yes we came to that same conclusion, but what else could it be?”

“I am a native Greenie and so was my father. I spent most of my life there and I can’t tell you. There is just Ant Hill, a few Research Outposts and Sam’s Farm and that is all there is. The rest is dangerous Jungle. Could it be research data? I mean that is the only reason we are on Green Hell.”

Celyciia pushed her little PDD across the table. “The data is not classified, it is freely available on GalNet, all of it. From the first reports of the Sarans to the centuries of bio research done by Union scientists.”

The Ranger ordered himself a coke and said with a shrugged again. “Well technically the Sarans weren’t the first ones on Green Hell. It is more a legend than anything else, but it is said that it was your people who discovered Green Hell. Of course it happened during your first Age of Knowledge and that data is lost as I understand.”

Celyciia sighed. “Most of it is lost but some records still exist in the sacred archives on Saran One. Not that I think any old Saresii data on Green Hell would help us with the case.”

Phil however lost interest on his burger and said. “Say Mr. Solomon is there any more to that legend of the Saresii landing on Green Hell?”

The Ranger thanked the server for the Coke and said. “It’s local lore nothing more but to the Old Saresii Green Hell was known as Mrtgtha, meaning Murder All and they lost two or three survey teams and then abandoned the planet.”

Phil shook his head, “Mrtgtha means Murder All in modern Saresii, in the old Language the meaning is “Meant to Kill” and that is the credo and motto of the ancient order of the Shadow Cats.”

Ruddick interrupted. “Not that this has any bearing on our case but that term ‘Shadow Cats’ keeps popping up, can someone tell me what Shadow Cats are?”

Celyciia wanted to speak but then gestured to Phil. “I only know they exist, I seen you fight and know you are one of them.”

“It is an ancient spiritual order, somewhat akin to the Shaolin of Earth perhaps. They are the only group or organization of the First Age of Knowledge that still exists. They guard many secrets of knowledge, of almost mythical nature bordering on something I would call magic and not just Psionics, but then I am just a simple cop from Pre Astro Earth and to me most of what you take for granted is still miraculous and magic to me. The Shadow Cats consider themselves the Guardians of Sares Culture and Essence.” He leaned forward. “But this legend is very much the reason for the Kermac activities and I believe it is the key we are looking for.”

The Ranger said. “I fail to understand what a million year old legend has to do with a modern case of espionage and murder?”

“The Saresii were a Tech Level 11 society back then, with technology far advanced to anything we have. They were allied with the Celtest fighting the Dark Ones. You do know who originally built that marvelous ship of Admirals Stahl?”

Ruddick said. “Yes the Devi is supposedly an ancient Celtest Battleship.”

Celyciia became animated and said with flashing eyes. “They are looking for an old Saresii ship on Green Hell.”

Neither the Ranger nor Ruddick were convinced. The Ranger said. “After a million years on a planet like Green Hell, there isn’t anything left if there ever was something.”

The Sergeant said. “Even if there is anything like a hull or some armor it would be buried under hundreds of meters of dirt. There is no way they could dig unnoticed on a planet like Green Hell.”

The Ranger pointed across the Concourse. “I think it has nothing to do with Green Hell. We had an incident a few weeks ago. The President himself was here and there was an assassination attempt as far as I know. Now that sounds more like the things Spies and Kermac would be involved with.”

Phil said. “Never the less we would like to visit Green Hell tomorrow, I am interested in Slide Way service parts.”

The Ranger nodded. “Yes of course, I am always glad if I can help and especially such a famous Detective. There won’t be any shuttle service today, so I am going shopping for my wife and see you tomorrow at the Shuttle platform.”

With that the Ranger got up tipped his fingers to his forehead and left.

Celyciia watched after him. “He strikes me as a nice and honest man, but perhaps a bit on the simple side. That Slide Belt Company stinks and he doesn’t see it.”

A waitperson in full Pig Costume said, sitting down at their table as if invited and said. “Ranger Solomon is clean, we checked him out, but your observation is quite astute.”

Celyciia threw down her half eaten burger and cursed. “I was just getting my appetite back. I bet it is you, that Cherubim person behind that freaky pig smile.”

Ruddick also appeared as if he had bitten into something rotten. “I never going to eat at Arthur’s again!”

The Pig removed the mask and revealed a blonde Terran Human woman with no particular feature that was standing out, other than perhaps the shiny hair. Celyciia wondered if she had Saresii ancestry as her age was anything between 20 and 200. But now as she looked into the woman’s light gray eyes she knew she knew she dealt with something more than human. The eyes were cold. “I am just a little wheel in a big machine and since you didn’t have room on Phil’s ship. I had to get my own transportation. I thought I tag along for the last leg of your investigation. You deal with the criminals we encounter and I deal with the Spies.”

Phil’s hand slid under the lapel of his coat and he said. “Then we should take care of you first; you being the most ruthless killer and murderess in this our galaxy.” “On what Charges, Phil? Do you have any evidence, that the person before you is guilty of any crime? My name is Martina May and I am an officer of NAVINT.” She produced a CIT ID that was confirmed genuine by Celyciia PDD.

Phil sighed. “If I do what I wanted to do with you, I would have to break the law and become a killer like you and you have no idea how close I am to follow my impulse, but then I can never be certain if I really killed Cherubim or just a chess piece.”

“Let’s can these hostilities alright, you would not be alive if I had not seen potential in your friends. We can argue later, now let us catch the bad guys.” Ruddick grabbed the woman’s wrist and said. “I was beaten and watched my Lieutenant being tortured. Your goons shot Phil with the intent to kill him and hen you tried to kill is by blowing that building sky high. I don’t know how many beings lost their lives in that but I am tired of this game and I am placing you under arrest, Cherubim.”

The woman kept smiling. “Who is Cherubim and what have I done? Right now you are hurting me. I told you who I am and you can call or contact whomever you want to verify that. If you arrest me as a Federal Police Officer I have a right to hear the charges. Do you act upon a warrant, any crime you have seen or evidence I committed?” Ruddick let her go and growled. “You have stolen everything I ever believed in and for that I should simply break every bone in your body.”

“After this is done, you and I can duke it out, but the elimination of Kermac Foreign Operatives and their hired Union thugs is more important.”

-””-

ROY

The Shuttle was filled to the last seat, Roy and the Kermac once again disguised as Terran business woman climbed aboard behind a man wearing an old fashioned hat who was accompanied by an exceptional pretty Saresii woman and a Terran Human blonde. A strong looking human man belonging to the same group had entered the shuttle just a moment before. Even in his strange subdued state he recognized Ranger Solomon in the Shuttle but the Ranger did not react at all, as he saw the best friend of his son. The disguised Kermac giggled and whispered. “He is like you under Kermac Control. Look around you, all these passengers are Kermac and GC elite Commandos. Over the last weeks we have transported more than 200 to Green Hell and we will have no problem excavating the ship as everyone on Green Hell will be our hostages, Psionic controlled or killed. That cursed world of yours is perfect for a take over, small centralized population, virtually no contact to others except via shuttle. It will be a shame to destroy the planet after we are done, it could have been made into a nice Intelligence Outpost in the middle of the Union.”

Roy simply nodded in agreement as his mind was under the Kermac influence.

The shuttle lifted off and approached Green Hell a few hours later.

As Roy stared out the view port and he recognized the planet they approached, something happened inside his mind, the mind numbing fog that kept his true self in a trance like state stirred.

The shuttle broke through the clouds and approached Anthill City and his mind became clearer, he remembered to be under control of the Kermac and there several seats down the Isle was Ranger Solomon also under Kermac control.

The Shuttle touched down and the door opened. He could barely restrain himself and then stepped onto the landing platform and he was all himself again. The Kermac had no control over Roy anymore and a voice in him greeted him with a warm and jubilant mental voice. “Welcome back my Warrior, welcome Child of Qaroniel. No Kermac trickery has power over you here. Now my Child protect and avenge.”

Roy’s hand fell on the but of his TKU and all the rage and hatred he had felt was back and this time he was free, unbound, he was armed and he was home on Green Hell!”