The next two stations the Marines had to get their hands dirty, as the commander attempted to hide his loot. This gave them the perfect excuse to rip the station apart, forcing the remaining residents to depart. After the last ship had left the dock, the one containing the late commander, he had the station blown up. That would send a message to the next one down the line that he meant business. As it turned out, the next one was empty, and they then had to chase down the fleeing courier ship to retrieve the loot. The one curious fact that struck Penn was, the stations were empty of slaves, human and otherwise. Without knowing why an Imperial auditor, supposedly, was going from station to station, the slavers had departed with their cargo to somewhere else, probably thinking he might take the slaves for himself and reap the profits. Either way, he couldn’t save all the slaves by himself, for one he didn’t have any way to transport them, nor could he send them home even if he did. Sadly, that would have to wait for another time.
Station number six was where Penn hit the jackpot. They entered the star system and immediately pinged the station as they vectored in, but surprisingly they didn’t get a response. It became evident why when they got within visual range.
“Holy Mother… half the station is blown out.” The pilot exclaimed.
“Carry on in, and try to dock with the station, pilot. Something strange is going on here.
The radiation counter told them the story. A nuke had exploded against the hull and taken out a large section. Even so, they managed to find an empty and undamaged docking bay on the opposite side, and donning armor, Penn and his escort went aboard. At least this side of the station still had air, and even as bad as it was it was still breathable. The moment Penn retracted his face plate he could immediately smell Ellis as he walked onto the main concourse. Even among all the other smells, some quite noxious, of food, spices, spilled drinks, rot, sweat and fear, it was still there. He wasn’t sure he detected her with his nose, or on a more psychic level. It brought up vivid images of her delightful body close to his, and the layer of warm air next to her soft skin, smelling of lilac and jasmine. Ellis didn’t need any concealing perfume or soap no matter what she’d been doing, working out, sleeping, or just sitting close to him. It was imprinted on his mind and soul like the smell of a mother to a child. She only had to stand close to him for him to know she was there and how she was feeling. He could even detect an undercurrent of fear, but not for herself. Her fear was for Jenny who he could also smell. From the video surveillance data they managed to find intact, it became clear that Ellis and company were no longer slaves, and he had to smile seeing the silver colored skin suit she was wearing, and the assorted weaponry. Now the question was, where were they? The database had given up a lot of information, and Penn soon had a pretty good picture of what had happened. Ellis had somehow managed to effect an escape for herself and all the other slaves on the ship, then taken over the ship, presumably killing the slaver crew. She had then proceeded to walk about the station at random, in what appeared to be a shopping trip but was in fact an intelligence-gathering mission. It hadn’t taken her long to find out about the Corvette and work out a way to get aboard and take over. He did admire her touch in getting the shipboard Marines and the station security people to shoot at each other while she had made her getaway. Now the question was, where did she think she was going? Penn had to laugh at the way Ellis had ensured they’d be able to escape the station without getting blown out of space. Who had actually tampered with the warhead wasn’t mentioned, only that it had exploded soon after she’d departed. Penn had to assume she was heading for the next station in the chain, as he couldn’t think of where else she might have gone. His only option was to go to the next station in the chain and see if she’d gone there. The one good thing was, he was catching up with her.
Penn ordered the pilot to take them to the next station, and this time the station was there, and answered their ‘ping’. This station turned out to be run by a young Var fop, all silk, lace, and a snotty attitude.
“Who are you, human?” He demanded, looking down his long bony nose, while his upper lip curled into a sneer. “And what is your authority?” Penn said nothing for a moment, considering the tabloid. The Var hadn’t called for any security, and sat there looking at him with contempt, as if he was waiting for something. It couldn’t be for armed men to help or defend him, not with six marines in full powered armor backing him, so what was it?
“I wish to review the contents of your safe, and account books.” The fop brushed imaginary lint from the sleeve of his velvet coat.
“You might wish for many things, human, but looking at the inside of my safe isn’t one of them.”
“You refuse?”
“I am the Emperor’s third cousin. Any attempt to look inside my safe, and I’ll have you shot, or worse.”
“Third cousin, you say? You must be one of his favorite cousins for you to end up in this shithole.” The Var paled.
“You dare!”
“I see you are right handed.”
“Right… right handed? What of it?” The Var’s hand on the desk curled back into a fist.
“Sergeant, do you have your vibro-knife with you?”
“Indeed I do, sir.” The Sergeant’s voice rumbled, and Penn heard the hiss as he withdrew the blade from his thigh scabbard.
“Good. I will need his right hand and one eye for the bio-lock.” The Var drew back in shock as the Sergeant came towards him.
“What… wait… you can’t do that!”
“The safe or your hand and eye.” The Var scrambled out of his seat and rushed over to the wall. As before, he punched in a code on a hidden keypad and the wall slide to the side. Just then, Penn’s comm beeped, and touching his earpiece, he opened the connection.
“Yes?”
“Sir, a small Imperial Battle Group just dropped out of jump space.”
“How many and what class?”
“One heavy Cruiser, one medium Cruiser, four Destroyers and five Corvettes, sir.” Now Penn knew why the Var was dragging his feet. Penn saw the sneer on the Var’s face and knew he was getting the same information.
“I don’t think you will be looking inside my safe now, human.”
“Lieutenant. Arrest this Var on suspicion of plotting against the Emperor and the Empire.”
“What!”
“The Director has it on good authority that several Var and senior officers out on the rim are plotting against him and the Emperor.” Well it was true to a degree. The upper-class Var were always plotting against the Director. “My job is to ferret them out and bring them to justice.” Just then, the Var’s hand shot inside his coat and before anyone could do anything, he pulled a small weapon out, placed it under his chin, and shot himself.
“What in the name of the Holy Mother…” The Lieutenant shouted.
“I take it you’ll still want his hand and eye, sir?” Sergeant Brask asked, looking around at Penn.
“Yes, I do.” It only took a few seconds to retrieve the items.
“Well, that was painless.” Penn sniffed.
“I didn’t feel a thing, sir.” Brask laughed in ghoulish humor.
“Who the best slicer on your team, Sergeant?”
“That would be, Trooper E’shee, sir.”
“Good, have him slice the late Var’s safe code.”
“Might take a bit of time, sir, depending on how long the encryption is.”
“No matter. Tell him to take his time. I don’t want the safe fusing itself shut.”
“Right sir. E’shee, get on it, and no mistakes.”
“On it, Sarge.” A large trooper at the back came forward, removing his helmet and armored gloves and went to work.
“See if you can get some people in here to clean this mess up, Lieutenant. I’m expecting visitors soon.”
“Yes, sir… but… is what you said true?”
“About what, that it being painless to remove the Var’s hand and eye?” Penn could hear swallowing sounds through the external mic.
“No, sir. About there being a plot against the Emperor?”
“There are always plots against the Emperor and the Director. In this case there appears to be some credence to the rumor, why else would he pull a single shot flechette weapon from under his coat and shoot himself?”
Penn moved to an adjacent room, and made himself comfortable in the late Var’s sitting room and sampled his stock of liquor. Some of it wasn’t bad. Penn settled on something that tasted like a half way decent whisky, and waited for the expected company. Looking around at the overly ornate room, Penn thought the décor and draperies more suited to a whorehouse. The colors, pictures, and statues wouldn’t look out of place in any upscale knocking shop, but like most, the late Var thought class began with a capital K. A slight sound brought Penn’s head around, and he tensed and prepared to go into combat mode. The sight of two scantily dressed human teenage boys entering with trays of food made him grit his teeth. He relaxed, and let out a sigh. Now he knew what the fop was into and it made his wish he taken him alive. It sickened him to no end and made his skin crawl knowing what these Tellurian Var thought was permissible. The sooner he brought this abomination of an Empire down the better it would be for all concerned. He beckoned the two young boys over.
“Shuttle docking, sir. Three man security detail.” His earpiece whispered.
“Anything else of interest?”
“Yes, sir. The Cruisers heavy weapons are pointed at the station, while the secondary batteries are pointed at us.”
“Thank you. Stand by.”
“Would you like to go home to Earth?” He asked the two, both looking scared, as he’d forgotten to replace his shades. They nodded. “Good. Once I’ve finished my business here, I’m going to take you home. Do you know where you came from?”
“I used to live in Denver, sir.”
“And you?”
“F…Fresno, California, sir.” The second stuttered.
“Parents?” Both shook their heads, a tear running down one boys face.
“Really… sir… can you take us home?” The first asked.
“Yes, I can, and will. What are your names?”
“Terrance, sir, and this is Remy.”
“Good. Get dressed and wait until I call you.”
“We don’t have any clothes, sir, except for what we have on now.”
Then choose any of the Var’s clothes that will fit you.”
“B…but we can’t touch Var Petofi’s clothes, sir.”
“I don’t think Var Petofi is in any condition to complain. He’s dead.” Both boys smiled hearing that. “Now off you go and find something decent to wear.” Penn sat back, smiling slightly thinking he’d have a couple more children to look after. He knew that would make Ellis happy.
He sipped his drink and munched on the pastries the boys had brought while he waited. The question of who was coming to see him would be answered soon enough, and the dick-measuring contest would soon begin. The heavy clump of footsteps announced their arrival, but what he didn’t expect was a Major General from the Special Operations Unit to come calling. Penn replaced his shades and schooled his features as he brushed crumbs from his crossed legs. Let the dick-measuring contest begin. The General was an older Var, with iron gray hair and a face that looked like it had been through the wars. Not someone to be easily intimidated, and yet, like all Var his main weakness was his pride and inherent fear of humans.
“What in the name of the Holy Mother… Who are you, human and where is my nephew?” The General asked, taking a step back as he entered the sitting room. Penn remained silent, and looked the general up and down, a slight look of distaste on his face.
“Is that who the silly idiot was?”
“What do you mean, was?”
“I mean that he is no longer with us, in that he’s dead. I do hope that trait doesn’t run in the family.” Penn sniffed.
“Dead! How… when?”
“About an hour ago, he shot himself in the head.”
“Colonel or not, stand when you address me, human, I’m General Nassis, and tell me who you are...” Penn yawned and brushed his pants leg again before looking up at the General.” As if on command, the heavy tramp of armored feet on the deck made the General look round, as did his three man security detail. The General blanched slightly. When you have an opponent off balance, keep him off balance and go for the kill was an adage Penn fully subscribed to. Now for the big lie.
“It has come to the Director’s attention that several high ranking Var and some senior officers in the military are plotting against him and the Emperor.”
“What! That’s ridiculous…” The General screeched.
“Is it? During these times of unrest in the Empire it would be the perfect opportunity, don’t you think, General Nassis?”
“That’s nonsense. I don’t know where Director Markoff got his information from, but there is no truth in these unfounded allegations.”
“Really, then why did your nephew blow his brains out, what little he had that is when I confronted him with the charges?” Suddenly the General looked uncertain.
“Could it be that you and other high ranking Var were in on the plot?” Penn stood and placed his hands behind his back before slowly pacing across the room. He stopped a foot or so from the General and looked down at him, he being a half foot taller than the General. Usually, the Var liked to keep a greater distance between them and someone they considered of a lower class when talking to them, and knowing this, Penn deliberately stood within his comfort zone.
“I…I have no idea what you are talking about.” The General tried to take a step back and bumped into one of his security men who was keeping his eyes on the seven foot armored giant standing a few feet from him. Penn took another step, closing the gap. Knowing the Var, they were always plotting against Markoff, and for good reason, and Penn used it to his advantage.
“So, you know of no plots against Director Markoff?” He could see the uncertainty in the Generals eyes. He was either part of the current plot, or knew of one.
“Of course not… what is your authority…”
“I see. Sergeant, take the General into custody. The charge is conspiring against the Empire, and Director Markoff.”
“What… I don’t… I didn’t.” The General spluttered, turning several shades lighter as the Sergeant walked over and relieved him of his sidearm before securing his hands behind his back. Penn looked at the three security men, seeing uncertainty on their faces as well.