A Justice Provider's Tale 10

Chapter 10

The Gulliver freighter had not returned to space, mainly because the shipmaster had been arrested for accepting a bribe to transport a wanted criminal off-planet. While it was technically not illegal to provide transport to Shiss, as there were no open hostilities, having armed members of a civilization considered unfriendly aboard and circumvent planet controls, was a criminal act, he and his crew would have to answer quite a few questions for certain.

Riding a police cruiser I had returned to Blisterbahl Green. I was told they would take care of my Monoflash and after a shower and using the services of a Police station auto dresser. I found myself once again in the Captain’s office. He also had changed and once more was wearing an immaculately clean and damage-free uniform. The Pertharian handed me a mug of coffee, ensured me that it was Terran style and for human consumption and then motioned to Leeza to fill in the blanks for me

The Ebony Elfin forensic police scientist smiled at me and held up her official police PDD. “This is GalNet linked and will verify my identity and authority. There are no means known to Union science that can be used to fake or alter such a verified ID.”

A melodic voice chirped. CITI scan complete. Heronn, Leeza, Union citizen. Union police lieutenant and science officer, Blisterbahl-Green 988th precinct. Status: active.”

She held it before the Pertharian and the voice spoke.”Pulzier, Craak. Union Citizen. Union Police Captain, Blisterbahl-Green commandant 988th precinct. Status active”

She motioned me to remain quiet and held it against me.”Marifou, Angel T. Union Citizen. Private Fugitive Retriever and investigator, licensed. Gore II. Status: Active”

She still held the device and said.”You can do the same thing with any PDD. A police PDD, of course, will give more detailed results if needed. The data of your CITI must be the same as the data stored at CITIZEN BASE and three other back up databases. Changes to these databases can only be made by Union court order and three different, independent Data specialists.

I kept listening because she seemed to make a point with that demonstration.

She explained. “This system works remarkably well and no case of a successful forged CITI has yet to be reported.”

Still, I didn’t want to interrupt.

She acknowledged this with a nod and continued. “No access to a real CITI has always been the best deterrent against spies and foreign agents.”

She didn’t pause long enough for me to comment. “While a CITI can’t be faked as you know. A genuine one, however, could be issued to anyone with unrestricted access to a CITI machine.”

“But I always thought, that even the theft of a machine would not be enough to create a citizen identification tag implant?”

“And right you are.” She agreed, “You need the machine, the properly registered location, and two authorized operators.”

I nodded.”Yes, because these machines know where they are and become inoperable if removed. So what has all this to do with the corrupt sheriff and more so with me and the dead Andorian?” A new person entered the room just as I was asking this question and the chrome skinned man in civilian clothing, but with the unmistakable air of a military spook and with an exposed and activated ID badge identifying him as Counter Intelligence officer.”I can answer these questions, Mr. Marifou and because you performed a great service to the security and welfare of the United Stars of the Galaxies, you more than earned the right to know details about a still active and classified investigation, I am Special Agent Harrington of NAVINT.”

“That would be greatly appreciated, Mr. Harrington. I hate loose ends and this affair has more than a few.”

“Sodiban Renow, was framed. Carl Sunders, the heir of a very old, renowned ore trading business was near bankruptcy when it was rescued so to speak by the ′Invisible Color’, as the Shiss secret service is called.

A great intelligence asset indeed. Old business with contacts all across the Union and with freighters that, as ore freighters do, lumber along in slow pace, but usually completely unchecked. Especially if they do indeed haul ore and minerals while their true freight of information and intelligence assets remains undetected.”

I nodded.”It is a less known way of getting off a Union world, but the better Connectors always know a bulk freighter skipper that is willing to take on a passenger or two.”

He nodded.”Yes, especially since it is not against the law to provide transportation that way.” He then resumed his explanation. “Anyhow things started to develop for the ‘Invisible Color’ when they were able to recruit Meria Kulow, an inactive Union teacher.”

“A Union teacher is authorized to use and operate a CITI machine right?”

“Indeed, Mr. Marifou and so is a Postmaster.”

“So I hunted an innocent man?”

“Yes and no, Mr. Marifou. The man you hunted wasn’t innocent but he also wasn’t Sodiban Renow, but his brother Marigor.” The agent brushed over contact and activated a field screen, that showed a news headline.’Carbonized remains of Marigor Renow discovered in his office. Brother becoming the main suspect.’

“Some things make sense now, other’s do not,” I said and asked. “Why the stunt at Maritime?”

“The dealer was attacked to make sure Sodiban would be convicted in the absence and no longer be listed as Citizen. If we understand the details correctly, Invisible Color wanted to use a Bounty Hunter of their choosing to report Sodiban to be dead. He was then clear and free and could assume a new identity using the CITI machine. The machine and more so the system compares the presented data and will not issue a CITI that is identical to another active CITI. They didn’t count on you being on his trail and following it to Gullster’s.”

“Come to think off, the Ore freighter that took him out of the Limpo-Red system, was a Sunders & Brown freighter.”

He nodded.”There are details we are not prepared to share, but it appears the Shiss have set up shop on Gullster’s Paradise and wanted to use the School CITI machine to manufacture real IDs for agents and operatives of theirs. The postmaster and Meria Kulow being the ones authorized to use the machine.”

“So why did he die? Why was Marigor Renow shot? And why were they after his body.”

“We are still investigating and putting things together, but we are pretty certain you startled them with your visit. They did not know how you found Marigor Renow, or if there are more of you coming after him. You collecting the bounty successfully closed the Marigor and Sodiban chapter and thus ending the risk of other head hunters looking this way. His usefulness was not as important as their cover. They shot him through the head because Marigor was not a data head like his brother.”

“How did they manage to convince the police scanners that I had Sodiban?”

Leeza explained. “A dead body does not have brain wave patterns, They only checked the CITI which matched. Probably retrieved from the original body before they burned it.”

I said. “Well, that leaves only two things unexplained to me, before I blow this planet.” I held up my index finger. “One, what is the significance of the Shiss PDD?” My middle finger followed.”And two, what is going to happen with Shin Tsuro. If he is going to be hanged, I make it a point to come back.”

“Shin Tsuro?” The Special Agent asked.”I presume he is soon to be completely decomposed. As for the Nituzzuzh, we are still looking for it.”

The Pertharian said.”He was seen falling off the edge of the freighter’s deck. No one is going to survive that.”

“I wasn’t supposed to survive the drop from the Taxi dock either!”

Leeza put her hand on my shoulder.”I was there, I felt his fear as he fell and would have found him if he survived. His mind is known to me.”

“Just out of curiosity, how come you are here already, Mr. Harrington?”

“I am assigned to the USS Brassado, the battleship that is in the system.”

I got up, tipped my hand to my head and said.”Well, all this spy stuff isn’t paying the bills, I am heading for Union Core.”

Leeza kissed me on the cheek.”Should you be in the region, do drop by.”

“I just might.”