Chapter 15 PH Decker

 Chapter 15



 Phil Decker had his feet up on the desk and leaned back, his arms crossed before his chest and his hat, they all now knew was called a fedora pulled into his face and it appeared as if he was sleeping. Everyone in the small Union Police precinct by now knew who he was.

 Almost everyone had checked GalNet on him. Some were intimidated; others had a hard time to understand what or who he was, but that all had changed fast. They accepted him as one of their own and that he happened to be a living legend was just something in the background.

 His experience however and his incredible sense for details was truly amazing.

 The young Saresii Officer was standing by the Serv-Matic half across the room, holding a cup of Saresii tea. With one eye she watched a field screen that showed the action a floor below where four men and a woman where booked and processed. Two would be assassins and two conspirators with the possibility of an interstellar mystery that pointed to enemies of the Union. Murder, spies and conspiracies now that was something different than checking on mining claims and fining freighters for taking NonCits to other places.

 Phil Decker disguised as the corrupt Warden made contact with a man who officially worked for a Slide Belt Supply company and just as he predicted, the man made contact with two local heavies and asked them to kill the Warden.

 Hulth Mahn and Wilrow Matsuki were two criminals with a long record petty crimes, the local policed was never able to pin anything big on them.

 While Recksnostal was clean, and overall friendly little Colony with a very little crime rate, it did have, like every other place its share of criminal activity.

 The two criminals walked straight into the park and tried to persuade their intended victim to come along by flashing a Neuro-Ripper.

 They were still holding their illegal weapon when the park virtually became alive with policemen and arrested them without incident.

 None of the bigger Intergalactic operating crime syndicates was really active here, mostly because there wasn’t much of interest for them and there was a Union Police Precinct, but the two crooks were two bigger fish of the local underworld.

 She wondered how Mister Tithon, the manager of the Slide Belt Supply company was fitting into all this.

 Her PDD flashed with a new message. It was from the Forensic lab and she walked over to the seemingly sleeping ancient detective. “Mr. Decker?”

 Without so much moving a muscle he said. “I told you to call me Phil, didn’t I, Kiddo?”

 She smiled.” Guess what the crime lab found?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “That the landing strut imprints belonged to a Bombardier One Fifty.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> She stopped dead in her tracks and her chin actually dropped to her chest. “I didn’t know you are a mind reader? Are you?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “No I am not and I don’t have any superhuman abilities as far as I know.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “But how did you know?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “Your Tin heads collected the data and I asked them to make aerial shots of the area. I superimposed the spots where they found the landing strut imprints with every landing strut configuration that fitted the size. There is a data base for that on GalNet by the way.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> She had to admit that he could have done the same thing, but that did not lessen her respect and wonder. “Alright you got me there, but the Forensics turned out more than that. Care to hear?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “Of course, every little puzzle piece helps to complete the big picture.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “What is a puzzle?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Now he moved his head back. “Don’t tell me they don’t make Puzzles anymore.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “I do not know what a Puzzle is.” “Never Mind. I get you one and then you know, but now tell me what your lab boys found?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “They found micro fragments that belonged to a mini rocket fired most likely from an H&K Raketen waffe. They did find some minute lubricant LS 5 that is not consistent with the standard lubricant used by Bombardier.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “That’s it?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> She looked like a deflated balloon. “But the presence of a Raketen Waffe excludes the Shiss, does it not?” He took his feet down. “Shiss Raiders use anything they can find, but you are right, H&K’s are not their first choice as they have a hard time getting ammo and they rather sell them as they bring good money, but we already know it wasn’t the Shiss.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “Well we can check who services Bombardiers with LS 5 Lubricant? As a Matter of fact I have Snooper run a GalNet Search right now. ”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “The Bombardier was rented from Lux yacht at Kenrif Dockyards. They have business branches at several Class A space ports. They rent luxury yachts to affluent clientele of the low Lux class. I eat my Fedora if the Bombadier wasn’t rented at Blue Moon Seven and the person renting it paid by Credit Box and not Credit Strip. I am also certain that the Call trace will point us to Blue Moon as well.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> She sat down on the desk and put the cup of tea next to her and said. “How many Fedoras did you actually eat in your life?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> He grinned. “I actually took a big bite out of one a long time ago when I lost a wager against Richard Stahl, but that is a different story.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “One day I really want to hear it, I mean you even know the Eternal Warrior! For now I am satisfied however if you explain to me what you just said.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “Once I determined it was a Bombadier it was clear it was a rented one. You can’t steal one without raising alarm bells from here to Distant Shore Station and our customers didn’t want that. Everyone actually owning one would never use it to commit a crime with it. That leaves rentals and leases. There are only three companies in the entire Union who actually rent Bombardiers and only Kenrif rents them without reference and to pretty much everyone who has the necessary cash to put down a hefty Security deposit. Whoever rented the Bombadier wanted to remain as anonymous as possible and untraced. There is no place in the known Galaxy with more traffic than Blue moon. It also happens that Kenrif has a facility on Blue Moon Seven right next to the largest L5 Silicone grease factory this side of Mars. Why go and have the stuff shipped from somewhere else when you can get it wholesale next door?” So our next stop will be Blue Moon, I hope you pack fast, we are leaving within the hour.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Just at this moment someone handed Celyciia a print out. “This came from SII – GalCom, they traced the call to Blue Moon. Here are the details.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> She glared at him and then smiled. “You really do live up to that legend of yours.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Phil shrugged. “It’s either that or getting made fun of. “

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> To Celyciia surprise Sergeant Ruddick appeared with a small suitcase and out of breath. “Can I come too?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> --“”—

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Martha had not forgotten about Roy or Green Hell or anything like that but standing here on the bridge of a Union Explorer Ship with the finest lab and science equipment the combines cultures of the Union could come up with and with 1800 top notch scientists all under her direct command was more than just a little intoxicating. While there was a captain and he was in charge of the actual ship operations, she was the Expedition leader and unless the ship was in mortal peril she was in charge of it all.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Captain Ritzh was a massive Petharian and she secretly wondered to find one of these warrior brutes as the commanding officer of a Union explorer of all things.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> The four armed Petharian had welcomed her as she and Paul came aboard, but hasn’t said much to her since.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> The layout of a Union Explorer bridge was different from a regular ship of the fleet. It had no tactical and no security station. The ship was almost unarmed and shields and ship security was handled by the OPS position. There was only Helm, Navigation and Ops. These three Ship operations stations where grouped around the Command Chair and called the Ship Ops Island. Before it was the seat of the Mission Ops Commander, her seat and twelve different Science stations.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Paul and her had left Green Hell twelve days ago and boarded the UES Zheng He, an 800 meter sphere with large ISAH pods. Purpose builds for its scientific mission and not a decommissioned repurposed Fleet ship as some other Explorers were. The Zengh He lifted off from Harper’s Junction and was on its way to a planet in the Downward Sector of the Galaxy, far beyond Union borders in space that was almost completely unexplored.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> The reason for the expedition was a life form that existed inside active volcanoes and if the initial reports were true, bathed in magma. Now as curious this was, it alone was not the reason to mount a second expedition to a world so far away, but the Union Fleet Mission report was certain the life form was sentient and eager for contact.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Her mission was to establish contact and find a way to communicate with the Volcano beings if they were indeed sentient and then should they wish it establish a permanent research base on Planet Pele. Of course all this was the official reason for the expedition, but she also received a sealed set of orders as to find out if the Lava beings are the same beings as the legendary Children of the Deep, or if they knew about them and their origin.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> While she was thinking about this legendary menace, very few even knew about. Paul Masters came onto the bridge. He was officially her second in command and while it all seemed a good idea back on Green Hell when she was offered the posting, the recent events had opened her eyes that her husband was a nice person and a brilliant researcher but also a big coward. Her new perception had extinguished the last real feelings she had for that man. Now she still liked Paul and she would not divorce him or anything like that, but she would never be close to him again. He had lost her respect as he left her standing at Sam Brown’s ranch and put his own safety over the needs of his son and wife.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> He was very happy as it seemed and did not know or suspect anything had changed. While they were on their way to that distant planet, a journey that would take almost two years he had no real task as he was a Micro Biologist and his expertise would be needed only if they found microorganisms at Pele, but he had the run of a fine micro biology lab and was conducting experiments and observations on a colony of Green Hell Mites, he had brought along.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Dr. Aaabee, another Biologist was currently manning the Life sensor station and Paul went over to him and they began to talk. Martha watched it for a moment with little interest and was about to return to her thoughts about her mission, when the Petharian Captain got up from his seat and said. “OPS we are about to enter the strip and I want more eyes on the sensors.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Even though the voice of the Petharian sounded like if someone chewed a mouthful of rocks she was almost certain there was hint of concern in it as well. So she turned. “We are still in Union space right?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> He looked at her from his six bright yellow slanted eyes and then said. “Technically only for another ten light years. The strip is a thin region of space between Union and Kermac Space; it is sort of a buffer zone, not really claimed by side, no planets or star systems in it, but by us using it we shorten our trip by almost 5000 light years.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Paul seemed to remember that he was second in command and came over. “Aren’t you supposed to discuss any Course changes with us?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> The Petharian actually laughed. “Mr. Masters, there wasn’t a course change. We going across the strip is part of the course plan filed with Science Central.” He used one of his four arms and pointed to the 3D Nav tank behind him and said. “Go ahead Mr. Masters show us our current position or point out any Nav marks we changed.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> The Nav Tank was a three dimensional representation of Real Space showing the entire quadrant and every contact within  sensor range along with transponder data, Nav markers and comm points. A trained person could get a wealth of information from looking at it; to Paul it was a confusing mass of colorful dots, moving lines and data symbols. He glared at the Captain knowing he was just scolded and insulted before everyone.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Martha felt a little sorry for him and said. “Are there any…”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Whatever else she wanted to say was drowned by the sudden wailing of sirens and then she was lifted off her feet by and invisible fist. Something had hit the ship hard.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> The Captain plopped into his seat. Someone yelled, “We have been pulled out of Quasi Space.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Someone else screamed. “We’re under attack.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> --“”—

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Thanks to the course and flight plans the Green Snake and her crew knew exactly when the Explorer Cruiser would be here.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> The Ship was known as the Green Snake; Captain Coldblood commanding her was feared and known as a ruthless pirate. That he was sponsored by the Kermac was a careful kept secret, not even his crew knew about. Taking on a Union Explorer ship was actually a number too big for even him, and he knew it would stir up the Union Hornets like nothing else, but he had his orders and there were two Kermac T Cruisers hiding in the only star system in the strip, to assist him.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> His orders were to be the face of the attack, so if the Explorer used it’s cursed faster than light Communication to call for help, the Union would blame pirates and not the Kermac.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> His gunner turned. “The Package pulled her out of Quasi and disabled her shields but she is still under full power…”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “Don’t squawk your Frutni, Singe her helpless! I want those scientists aboard the sooner the better.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Captain Coldblood didn’t feel all too cool and confident. All intelligence confirmed that there was no Union Fleet ship close by, a large Kermac Maneuver was keeping the Union Fleet attention a thousand light years away, but that didn’t mean he wanted to stick around when a Union Destroyer or even a Battleship responded to the certain help calls of the Explorer.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> He could not understand why his superiors were risking so much, just to get a few Union Scientists. Everyone in the Galaxy knew it was better to leave Union Explorers alone. Nothing really made them angrier than attacking one of their “unarmed peaceful explorers”, perhaps with the exception of firing on one of their hospital ships the union supposedly had.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Thanks to their intelligence they knew when the Explorer would be here and they set a trap. Ten Kermac Gravo Mines, set in dual configuration. Both the gravo mines and the technique of using them in tandem were directly copied from the Nul. The only technique known that could disrupt those excellent Union Shields, long enough to bring weapons to bear.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> He heard his Scanner operator curse and say. “Damn they are flying directly into the rest of the Mines! “

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Cooldblood could not stop it; no human reaction was fast enough. The last volley of Ship to ship missiles and FTL Blasts of his ships weapons were already on their way, and the Union ship hit more mines before he could send the deactivation command.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> The Union Ship was tough but the simultaneous explosion of several Gravo Mines and the impact of the shots triggered some sort of cataclysm. The entire lower half of the ship was instantly vaporized in a violent explosion, leaving only a fragmented piece of scrap and of the other half. The Union explorer ship Zeng He was destroyed! Their plan to board her and abduct her crew of scientists was a mute one now, nothing could have survived that.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> His Scanner operator tried to pick up life signs but then shook his head. “Nothing is alive out there Captain.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> --“”—

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Roy had spent the last two weeks almost like in a dream state. The woman he had met by the Waterfall was clearly exposed too much to Fire Nettle Dust and was a little nuts. Roy humored her and let her believe what she wanted. If she wanted to be called by that old name that was fine with him. She was like other girls, always answering a question with another question instead of simply saying something. She wasn’t there every day; sometimes she didn’t show for days. He had given up asking who she was or where she lived. He was pretty certain she lived in town and was just like him someone who had discovered the Jungles from early on.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> She was good though, the only person he ever met on Green Hell who could go to places he could and she was real good at disappearing, just in a moment when he didn’t pay much attention. He kept his word though and did not tell anyone of her.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> He had only two more days before he had to leave and he felt depressed and I he was in a somber mood as he went to the Waterfall, hoping to see her one last time to say good bye.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Partner trotted next to him and also hung his head, not that Partner was really sad about anything but when Roy was in a bad mood then so was Partner.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> He was still a good kilometer away from the waterfall when he climbed high into a Tantalus oak to evade the very active strangle veins and the Mortar Toads in this area. Partner would follow or teleport after him, there was nothing they encountered able to stop his black furred friend, but a strangle vein could easily pluck him right off Partner’s back.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Just as he was about to leap to the next branch, he noticed a movement to his side. His hand darted to his new TKU.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Qaroniel, the green haired enigma was crouching on the same branch and she stared right into the frightening muzzle with her big eyes. “You don’t need that. Qaroniel will not harm you.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> He relaxed, put the blaster away and smiled at her. “Sorry Qaro didn’t mean to frighten you but you startled me as usual.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> He still could not tell how old she was, other than she was an adult and older than him. She sat down right between the sharp thorns of the Tantalus Oak branch and said. “You came to say good bye, so I came.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> He made sure nothing dangerous was nearby and then said. “Yes I must be on the shuttle tomorrow afternoon.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “It is good for the young to leave the nest. You will learn much out there.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “I know and I also know it is necessary, but that doesn’t mean I need to like it.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> For the first time she actually touched him, putting her hand on his shoulder.” You are afraid of the future and changes, but no matter how far you go you are connected to me, to this world and it will be always your home.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “You still insist on that you are the Planet?” He said with a sad face as he had hoped she would tell him her real name and maybe share her PDD code.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “This world and I are one, Roy. When you were very young you accidently opened the Air Lock of your fortress home and you were out here, yet nothing harmed you, because I was there.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> He suddenly remembered the day when he was just five years old; the memory was vivid and clear.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> His parents had left to the Institute and left him behind in his Robo-Crib, not knowing that the used Crib someone had given them had a faulty Sleep Inducer and its Child Safety protocols had been turned off by the previous family. Martha was way too busy to really care about her own child and never checked. Roy always waited till they were gone and then got up and played by himself, he always had been curious about what lay beyond that thick Airlock door.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> That day he had watched his mother punch in the simple manual code. Getting the heavy wooden chair from father’s study was more difficult than using it to reach the air lock controls.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Roy remembered how he stumbled outside for the first time. Simply standing there and taking deep breaths and falling in love with this world for the first time.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Now as he remembered her words made sense and at the same time alarmed him. From all the things he knew now about Green Hell, he should have never been able to survive the first times he went out, yet he did. Even though he had his strange sense of impeding danger from the first time he was out, back then he had no idea what to do or how to avoid the many thousand dangers.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> He blinked the memories away and looked at her and some understanding begun to trickle into his mind. “How did I survive?” I was there Roy, I called you outside. Your parents are knowledge seekers but they seek with blind eyes and with ignorance. I wanted you to become my child, just like your friends, but you became more Roy. You embraced me like no other before; you loved me from the first time you came out.” He completely forgot everything around him and almost fell of the branch. “You are Green Hell, you are Qaroniel. But how can a woman be a Planet?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “Your People collect much knowledge every day and one day they will find the science and the explanation for what I am. One day you will understand who I am when I reveal myself to you.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Roy gasped and wiped his dry lips, he was filled with pure amazement. His mind reeled trying to find an explanation that fit with his Union School science knowledge and he could not make it fit. “Are you a God or something like that? I am not that good with the Religious stuff.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “Do not put labels on me; I am not a supernatural imagination of your mind. No, Roy. I am Qaroniel and this world and I am are one. I promise you the day when you understand what I am and how I came to be.” There where thousand things he wanted to ask her and then he remembered what a Union Citizen would have to do. “If you are a sentient life form and this planet is yours then we must go to the Assembly and you must tell them if you want us here and all that.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> She laughed. “You are as much a Child of Qaroniel as you are a son of that magnificent Union of yours. but no Roy no one but you will know of me.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “I can stay with you!” “No you must learn much and you must learn to become a Warrior because I will need you soon. All the Children of Qaroniel are not strong enough to defeat your Technology and there are some who want to take me from this world.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Roy’s hand fell on the butt of his blaster. “Who?” “You will forget about me for now and you will go and learn and when the day comes I will call you and no matter where you are, you will hear.” “I won’t forget you and what will happen if I am too far away to come in time?” “You will find a way. I know.” He took her hand. “You can always go to Uncle Sam, he will protect you too and he has Cerberus Robots and he was a Marine.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> She laughed again. “You know that might not be a bad thought, he is not a Child of mine but I do like him and I let him be. He is strong and he is truthful in all he does.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> She then put her hand on his head. “Good bye Child of Qaroniel. Return to me when you became the warrior I know is within you.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> --“” –

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> He had spent most of the day simply roaming through the jungles, trying to see as much as he could take as much of it along. He tried to remember what he actually wanted at the hidden water fall and the pond, but when he saw it the beauty of it made him completely forget.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> It was late when he finally went home.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> The house that had been his home as long as he could remember was like a strange alien place. His parent’s things were all packed and gone, place in storage somewhere.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Charles was already back with Uncle Sam. All seemed so final and unavoidable.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> His parents and especially his mother did try to mend things before they left, but it was not enough and they still had felt nothing tearing down their home. To them it was only a place to live; to him it was the only home he knew.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> He had not slept well even though he did find comfort by snuggling up to Partner.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> His first stop on this morning was the Boat house.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">"So you are really leaving us, Roy?" asked Ma Swanson leaning over the counter, chewing something.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Roy sighed. “I sure don't want to go but I guess I have to."

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">"You be missed, that's for sure. I went off world once myself, but I didn't like it and we went straight back home."

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">"Where did you go?" Roy wanted to know.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> "Harper's Junction, was there two days and nothing there I wanted so we went back home." She turned to look towards her husband. “You didn’t like it much neither, didn’t you?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Clarion was sorting things into a shelf said. “Didn’t like it one bit, too much people and too much commotion for my taste.” He put down and came to the counter, “You can always come back. I am sure Ma wouldn't mind hiring help."

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">To Roy's surprise Ma Swanson nodded. "Sure would not. We're getting old, and someone might have to run this store one day."

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Roy felt better already, somehow the idea he could come back and have a job at and maybe even run it one day appealed to him and made the whole idea of leaving a little less harsh and not as final as it appeared to him.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Ma Swanson placed a sealed plastic box on the counter. "This was hard to get I tell you. My supplier had to contact SII – Armory Division and it just came in yesterday."

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Roy looked at his Cred strip and hoped he had enough to pay for it. "How much is it?" Ma Swenson grinned. "These are on the house, besides Uncle Sam ordered some too. God knows you two are probably the only ones carrying SII Type 12’s between here and Blue Moon. Clarion look at the size of those E Mags.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Clarion picked up the box. “Enough Energy to power a small space ship. “ Then he took Roy’s hand. “You take care of yourself out there.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“I will Mr. Swanson. Thank you.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Ma Swenson simply pulled Roy halfway across the counter and gave him a hug. “You are going to be missed.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">He tried hard not to cry and said. “I miss you all already.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“I am keeping your H&K too in case you change your mind and don't want to carry that antique artillery piece.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Roy said. “I am not sure if I can afford to pay the rest, as I can’t work here anymore.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">She sighed. “Roy it is yours and it will here when you come back. Call once in a while and if you can send us one of those souvenir cards from where ever you will end up.” She pointed at her collection of 34 cards, she had glued to the side of a Shelf behind her. “. I love those old fashioned post cards. You know the ones you actually have to write yourself and show some nice Two-Dee pictures from other places At least six, to make it an even 40”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“I will send some of these, I promise.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Bob had left three days ago, to visit an Aunt of his and then to start College on Harper’s Junction. Norm was gone for over a week now.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Maria had surprised everyone as she left for Arsenal Gate to apply at the United Stars Fleet Academy to become an Engineer. Three days ago she had called all excited and telling everyone that she had been accepted. Roy was certain she would become the best Engineer the Fleet ever had.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">He had returned to the house one last time to get his things. A surprisingly small back pack held all he called his own, other than the things he was wearing. A second BioSeal suit, a Colgate Body Hygiene Kit –Human Male-. It was called Jungle Warrior and was a present from his mother, Not that the scent had anything to do with Jungle, it smelled fresh. A handful of mementos and that was already it,

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">He took a deep sigh; the house didn’t even smell like home anymore.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">He was a little surprised when the House System announced a visitor. It was Melissa the only one of his friends still here and it surprised him to see her coming to the house with her father's floater. He greeted her at the main door, Silver as usual perched on her shoulders, somehow she had become even prettier over the last weeks, or maybe Roy was seeing her with the eyes of a young man instead those of a boy. Her two tone bio suit was much tighter than Roy’s. Green Hell Girls loved to wear them that way. Hers had two green stripes from her shoulders following her silhouette down her side into the boots she wore, contrasting with the white of the middle and underlining quite effectively the feminine curves she had developed. She looked around and sighed. "It looks so deserted and so empty." He nodded. "Sure does! I grew up here and now it doesn’t feel like a place I even know"

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">She petted Partner who was sitting right behind Roy and then she looked at Roy with her big green eyes. "I am going to miss you."

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">"Me too! I already miss Norm, Bob and Maria and I am going to miss you!"

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">She lowered her eyes and said. "I think I am going to miss you much more than the others!"

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Roy missed the thinly veiled hidden meaning of her reply and asked. "I think I never asked where you are going to be."

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">She answered. "My parents sending me to Roedean that’s a girl's college on New Sussex"

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Roy tried to visualize Union Space in his mind and place New Sussex, but he failed. “I think I heard of New Sussex, wasn’t that the school our teacher Ms. Hardworth went?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">She nodded.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">He then asked her. “Will you come back to Green Hell? “

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">She answered with a question of her own. "Will you?"

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">"Of course! My parents make me go! I'm a Greenie and this is where I belong!"

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">"Yes then I will be back as well," she then said.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">She was the same age as Roy, and they had known each other since kindergarten. Like most girls she had matured a little faster and hoped Roy would remember their conversation and understand what she tried to say between the lines.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">She then sighed silently and wondered if boys would ever change. She decided he needed more to remember her by and there in the hall of the former Masters residence she pulled him close, hushed at Silver who protested startled; then she embraced him and gave him a kiss. It turned out to be a little more passionate than a simple good bye kiss.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">She suddenly embarrassed about her own action turned and stormed out.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Baffled and overwhelmed Roy still stood there when her Flyer shot into the sky.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">-“”-

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Green Hell didn't have a Space port, just a Shuttle pad on top of Merchants Tower, the highest building of Ant Hill. A daily shuttle service connected to Harper’s Junction.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">He felt a little forlorn as he stood there on that platform from where he had a breathtaking view over the shimmering lake and the Jungles lining its shores in the distance.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Partner nudged him in the side and a feeling of warmth spread in his mind. At least he was not alone, he had Partner.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">According to the woman behind the Shuttle service counter, a level below the Shuttle was on time and would arrive in about an hour

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">He could have waited below in the waiting room but he had chosen to wait up here. From the looks of it, he was the only passenger.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">The Passenger Elevator shaft rose from the otherwise smooth surface and a big black man and a huge robot appeared.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">The big man embraced Roy with a rib crushing bear hug. He lifted him off the ground and said. "We could not let you go without seeing you one more time!"

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">As it was proper for a machine, Charles stood a few steps back, but Roy was not too old to embrace the huge war machine and as usual the grim machine, designed to strike fear into an enemy just by appearance managed to look just a little less threatening and Sam noticed the Robots hand on Roy’s head in a most tender motion.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Roy said. "I am so glad you came, Uncle Roy and thank you for bringing Charles along.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Sam chuckled. “I am not entirely sure I would have had the courage to tell Charles he could not come along.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Full knowing the answer, Roy said. “I really don't want to go!" He lowered his voice and looked to the ground. "I am a scared."

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Sam said. “It is perfectly normal to be afraid of the Unknown, but it will be good for you. It will widen your horizon and you might even find something or someone out there, that changes your mind and you never come back."

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">“I know, I must go, but I will be back as soon as I can.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">The shuttle arrived and slid through the force-field membrane of the landing pad. Four S-10 robots appeared and hosed the shuttle down with high pressure steaming water. A Vampire Fly had attached itself to the shuttles outside during its descent was caught by the superheated steam. Almost instantly killed and washed away. Other robots pushed the water and whatever had been washed down into gutters on the floor. Only after the robots had completed a decontamination scan and cleared the pad, the hatch opened and four passengers debarked.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Roy knew one of them from sight, he was a technician for the Xeno Institute but I could not recall his name.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Sam hugged Roy a last time and Charles did the same while Sam padded Partner and then the big man said. "Take cares Roy! I am going to buy myself a GalNet terminal after all, so you can call!"

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Roy waved once more and went aboard. There was a human attendant and he checked his ticket and the permits and scanned Roy’s CITI Implant." Alright Mr. Masters. Booking confirmed for you and Partner. We will depart shortly and arrive at Harper's Junction in eight hours." He ushered them to the front of the Shuttle and lowered two seats into the floor, so Partner could find room. "Mr. Brown has upgraded your tickets to First Class, Sir. We will serve refreshments shortly after departure."

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Roy whispered a thank you and then looked out the viewport to see Uncle Sam and Charles. In the back by the Elevator he could see a Green Haired woman in a fluttery green dress. Somehow she looked very familiar but he was not sure where he had seen her before.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">He then tried to wave to Charles and Uncle Sam, but the Viewport was mirrored from the outside with no chance of them to see him. He forgot that the Machine did not rely on visuals alone but had a wide range of sensors. To anyone else it would have looked completely strange to see a Cerberus Robot wave; to Roy it was perfectly normal.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Just out of a notion he could not explain he looked into the direction of the elevator but the woman was gone.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Instead of her a thin looking man tumbled out the elevator on unsteady feet. Roy thought it was a late passenger who had too much to drink, but the man collapsed only a few feet out of the elevator.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">The air pressure changed and the air became cooler. Then a slight vibration and the shuttle took off. Sam waved.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">While the Shuttle rose on its ArtiGrav Cushions he watched Uncle Sam and Sam rushing to the fallen man.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">The Shuttle passed through the force field and a swarm of Arrow wasps peppered the side of the shuttle. These dangerous insects did not leave as much as a scratch on the tough carbon-ceramic armor of the shuttle. In moments he could see the entire big lake. Roy wondered what had happened to the man who collapsed at the elevator, but down there that little spot that was Ma Swanson’s Boathouse and only little to the south of it would be the rocks; way to small of course to be seen from this high up. The shuttle passed through the first layers of clouds with a humming sound the vibration became more intense as the shuttle added its main Engines to the Arti grav.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">The clouds fell fast behind the shuttle’s aft and the bright blue sky turned black a few seconds later. Roy could see the White Mountains and then Green Hell in its entirety. The voice of the attendant said:" Sir, we are serving refreshments now. What can I bring you?"

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">Roy turned and said." Nothing at the moment, thank you." As he turned back to the viewport, Green Hell was a sphere of greens, whites and blues and became smaller by the moment.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt">As the planet shrank to a small bright spot there was a nagging question deep down. Would he really be allowed to return?

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">--“”—

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Ranger Salomon stood next to the now covered body. Dr. Herbs the Shaill Medic said. “Nothing mysterious about his death, Buzzsaws went through his ears into his brain, however I never seen such aggressive Buzzsaws, not even here on Green Hell. These little critters caused this gentleman quite some pain before he died.”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Ranger Salomon said. “How he got them is a mystery though. He had just arrived with the Shuttle, and there are no Buzzsaws anywhere in the city or on the island for that matter. “

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> The Shuttle Service Manager had come up and held up a booking PDD. “He was a strange one. He had just arrived from Harper’s. His ticket shows he came all the way from Blue Moon. He came to me at the counter and asked me who the young man was, and then he purchased a ticket back to Harpers.” Salomon scratched his chin. “Maybe he has forgotten something,”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Sam who was still there as he was interviewed as an eye witness however asked. “Say why did he ask about Roy and what did you tell him?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> The Attendant shrugged. “He asked me who that young man was hugging a Cerberus Robot. So I told him that it was Roy Masters.” The Rangers PDD beeped and he said. “Ah looks like our dead passengers identity check got somethi…”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Solomon looked at the read out and stopped speaking.

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> Sam said. “What is it?”

<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> “It is strange, the Scanner detected two CITI. One is for an Adam Smythe, Slide Belt lubricant sales man and the other is for Leo Swarthi, on the Federal Police wanted list for Kidnapping and Assassinations. This Swarthi is a Killer for Hire.”

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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt"> --“”—

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