Finish the Sci-Fi Story III - Murder Mystery

Cafe Society
61

Xol was enjoying his Voss shape. And their minds were so simple when dealt with as a group (much like the Humans). Seeing Jade, he instantly made the break he had been waiting for. The Human woman would soon be over run by the mob and would be torn asunder. Then, as a Tharn, he could provoke Kark to involve the warrior Humans of his friendship.

Prodding now, more than guiding, he brought the mob to the fever pitch they would need to cast off individual restraint and kill the woman.

On a dead run, Robert and M’Artel entered the commons from behind the rampaging mob. Dead bodies of several species and numerous weapons and druids littered the ground, making running dangerous.

“Robert, stop!” roared M’Artel. “Look over there,” he added pointing across the commons at a relatively high level. “Is that who I think it is?”

Noticing the woman poised high up on a colonnade, Robert said, “No. I don’t think that’s Kathy. Too tall. But, she’s in big trouble. If any of those Voss actually get past the rest of Security…”

M’Artel nodded. Robert didn’t have to tell him that something deadly was at work here. And not having their crystals to rely on for help, it would be up to their speed and strength, as well as a lot of luck to actually rescue whoever that woman was. And rescue her they must. Not only was it a normal response for any one not touched by the mod disease, but something seemed to be driving them to that conclusion anyways.

Taking stock of their situation, Robert asked, “What do you think? Play it like the ninth level of War Enders?” (A popular recreational holo-game.)

“Yeah,” said M’Artel. I’ll be Satto, you’re Wix.” Getting a nod from Robert, off he went.

Robert picked up a functional looking weapon and fired off a salvo at the colonnade right next to the woman’s temporary refuge. “MINE! MINE!” he shouted, as he lurched forward over the mess on the ground. He kept shooting all around the woman and everynow and then he took out a droid or shot some debri near a group of Voss, causing shrapnel to annoy some of them. But, he never took direct aim at anyone. A group of Voss broke away from the main mob and turned toward him. “The creature is MINE! You can not have it!” he said, shooting right in front of this group.

Scrambling up the back of the pillar, M’Artel wrapped his large paw around the woman, covering her mouth. “We are going to get you out of this. Stay quiet for now. Understand?”

Jade nodded her head silently. “Now, when I say so, scream out ‘Kie Adoni, my savior!’ with all the power of voice you have left. Then hold on to my back and don’t let go.”

Robert kept shooting and taunting, even using racial slurs and religious taunts, by this time having gotten most of the Voss’ attention. Then he stopped, mere feet from the nearest group, raised his arms and shouted, “JAK! NON AGREER!”

M’Artel said, “Now.” And Jade stood up from her perch, pointed (having caught on to the holo-game plot herself, it being her brother’s favorite) at a point just behind Robert, and screamed out almost too high pitched, “KIE ADONI! MY SAVIOR!”

Robert ran straight at the Voss mob, firing his weapon into the ground, screeching with all his voice a string of nonsense syllables. The Voss, to a person, turned to retreat at high speed from Robert and the phantom menace which they were sure was behind him, over running the colonnade where Jade and M’Artel were now leaping from. With the woman holding to his back for her very life, he bounded from pillar to pillar, level to level, finally reaching ground level not bit several yards behind Robert.

Smiling at each other, they broke into a mad dash for the nearest tube access, making it well before any Voss realized they had been duped.

“I thought you didn’t like war games, Robert,” asked Jade as the capsule sped away.

Strangely unable to control anything for the last five or so minutes, Xol noticed his hold on the mob had slipped, and several Voss were now beginning to come out of their mob trance and notice what had happened. Quickly, he exited the Commons himself, morphing into the shape of a Tharn as he did so.

62

Kark heard the screams, and left the luncheon table rather abruptly, leaving Darson mid-sentence. Darson looked at Cori in confusion. Several Voss were headed their way, shaking their heads as if they were trying to awaken from a deep sleep.

“Darson, I don’t mean to presume, considering we’ve just met, but I can help you,” Cori began. Kark could return soon, and she didn’t have a lot of time.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Darson said. “Help with the investigation?”

“No, help you. Your left ear lobe is starting to split.”

Self-consciously Darson grabbed his ear. “How did you know?”

“It will take too long to explain. I will let you know that execution is not necessarily your fate. Were you injured recently?”

“Yes. And I will have my revenge.”

Cori nodded. “I understand something about what you’re facing. But you can live a full and happy life.”

“How?” Darson said. “My government must stamp out genders like me for the preservation of our race!”

“Yes, yes, I know. 600 or more genders on Tharnia, and all the accompanying social, economic, and sexual problems that come with that.”

“Then, you must understand that half-Tharn would only complicate an already complicated society?”

Cori saw Kark returning, a scowl on his face. “You are not the only one. You can join the others. But you have to agree—”

“Let’s go,” Kark said. Cori frowned.

“I need to go find M’Artel.”

Kark waved vaguely behind him. “He ran off with the daughter of an old friend. Dr. Jade Innison. She got caught up in that Voss mob. You want to help me find them?”

Cori shrugged. “Fine. Darson, it was nice to meet you.”

Darson watched as the two left the food court, trying to quell a treasonous ray of hope.

63

In the two days since the Voss riot things in that part of Forsetti had quieted down. But underneath the quiet there was tension mounting. The rumors and misinformation that always seem to follow in the wake of such and events were spreading faster than efforts to counter them, especially that this faith, or that race, were going to be supressed or discriminated against. Nobody could pin down just how these stories were getting started though.

Kark HIngman had taken the tim, during the continuing investigation of the murders, to have M’Artel legally declared free, on his own recognizance. The taunts of Xol had been enough to allow for that, but all concerned knew that the Xavvian most certainly remained under susipcion. This did not please Corianav, who had issues with Kark unrelated to her client, but for now she was deciding to hold her peace.

A meetin had been arranged, between counsel, and client, Security and advisor(Dr. Innison) to coordinate information on the case, and on the mounting uneasiness on Forsetti, but it was late getting started.

“So where is Kark anyway?” asked Cori, with some asperity. “I don’t have all day to wait around while he plays cop somewhere else! My time is valuble too.”

“As is mine” said M’Artel drily “but Cori, give him a break, at least I can walk around.” She sniffed haughtily.

“I’m anxious to ask some more questions myself.” said Dr. Innison. “After my overly dramatic arrival in this place, I’m beginning to wonder how safe things are here. Planet of Eternal Peace my ass.”

Pelas, who for reasons known only to him had calmed down his relations with his boss, spoke up for him. "I honestly don’t know why he isn’t here. Capt. Hingman seemed most anxious for this meeting.

Robert entered the conference room again, looking troubled. He’d left when a comm in his bag started pinging. M’Artel leaned over to his friend, intending to ask what the problem was, when Kark finally arrived.

“Sorry, everyone, I was waylaid by one of the Voss clerics. He seemed really eager to tell me that he nor any of his people had anything to do with that ruckus, that Voss religion is a peaceful one. He just wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

There was a grumble around the table, but those present settled into their chairs and prepared to get started. Kark was just opening his mouth to get started, when suddenly someone else appeared in the room, in front of the door, but without it’s having opened.

“Sorry I took so long” grinned Kathy Channing.

64

At opposite ends of the back wall sat what appeared to be two crystalline structures designed to resemble plants. Unknown to many, they really were plants and communicate by clinking their leaves together. It’s unknown exactly who could hear the sound produced but one species did and managed to learn how to translate the clinks into a language. This was one reason that Forsetti’s simian creatures were so adept at information gathering.

65

Gr’Vinnia was in a quandry. For the last three days she had been playing “comm tag” with Robert, trying to get her unit back, that he had picked up by mistake. If she missed one more contact with her control she was going to be in serious trouble.

She’d finally managed to contact him directly, but the call had not gone like she’d hoped. Robert had had time to wonder who the guy was who’d broken off that call when he obviously had been expecting Grivvy. And the Xavvian, brilliant was she was, had never seemed to have the flash to own a fancy comm like that.

The evidence of manipulation and conspiracy in recent events, aimed most obviously at M’Artel, had made Robert, as well as others, slightly paranoid. But Robert had agreed to see Grivvy later, to return her comm and hopefully, find out who that guy had been. He and Grivvy were just good friends, no reason she shouldn’t see someone else. But he wasn’t jealous, oh no, he wasn’t.

Kathy’s empathic abilities, honed by the crystal she carried, let her realize at once that the “bright and cheery” approach wasn’t going to work here. She had enough mischief in her to enjoy the starts of surprise at her sudden appearance, but now was not the time. She switched instantly to “concerned and efficient”, the better to deal with those gathered in the room.

“Capt. Hingman” she said, and held out her hand in greeting. Taking it Kark sketched a movement that might have been meant to be a bow. “Lady Channing” he returned.

Now she did laugh. “Lady? Captain, I appreciate the compliment but I have no such title. But thank you, it sounds lovely!” Kark relaxed a little. “Madame Channing, then” he riposted. "Capt. Hingman, I will have a team following mehere in a day or so. Since I could jaunt in I arrived first. Would you please be able to send a detail as an escort, when they arrive?’ “Certainly Madame Channing” he replied. “Oh please, Kathy will do” she said "

Kathy turned to the others, and greeted them as well. Hmmm, something wrong with Robert there, she could feel it. And there was a well concealed sadness in the emotions she tasted from M’Artel. Pelas was merely polite. Then Kathy turned to Corianav.

Oddly enough, it was the first time she had met Tobermory’s sister in the flesh, although she’d seen her in pictures and holos, and noted a family resemblance to her dear friend. “Corianav, I have good news for you. Tobe and M’Kayla have made you an aunt. M’Kayla delivered just before I left here. It was a boy.”

“Mother be praised” came the automatic response. “May the child thrive.” as, in return, Cori sized up the human woman she had heard so much about, but had never met. She and her brother were friendly but not close, differing by many years in age, and if it wasn’t for her special status as his *oldest * sister, they would have rarely crossed paths.

“Well, why don’t you all bring me up to speed on the news?” Kathy asked. this was partly courtesy, to gain time while she stretched out her senses, listening not just to the facts they were telling her, but “feeling around” for any outside influences, especially with M’Artel. She didn’t seem to feel anything too out of the ordinary with him, but he was depressed. Perhaps later she could help him deal with that

But there! What was that? Kathy turned to Kark, and, using the crystal to import meaning, mouthed the words at him “We’re being watched.”

66

Cowd’s annoyance was clear to the person on the other end of the transmission.

“Don’t blame me for what happened, Professor!” that person told him. “I sent the Kel for the specific purpose of over loading the Voss situation. His playing with M’Artel and that flakken Hingman were not part of the plan.”

Pondering this information, Cowd offered, “How can any of us ever actually trust a Kel? We may have a huge problem here. Especially now that that Swanson woman is here.”

“Channing, you semi-evolved simian. Her name is now Channing. Pay a little more attention to the present and not the past and maybe we can catch some things before they happen. By the way, let me show you something…” As the person on that end of the transmission said that, its shadowy figure left the viewer area for a moment. It came back and got close to the camera, showing Cowd an odd looking crystal. The person’s hand was clearly Xavvian, and quite bejeweled.

Noticing again the obvious implication his contact was indeed a Xavvian of some high rank, Cowd swallowed nervously. “What? It’s a crystal. Un-implanted. So what?”

“Human, look closer…. Oh wait, never mind. I forget you monkeys can’t see in that spectrum. Yes, it is an un-implanted crystal. As such, it should be inert. However, this was is clearly showing activity. Do you not think that is odd?”

Cowd vaguely remembered some vidnews story about odd crystal happening. And some of his students had complained about periodic crystal failures. But most of those had seemed more like a ‘What didn’t you answer?’ kind of complaint. For there to also be some sort of interstellar crystal problem happening just as their plans were about to be implemented… Well, that filled him with dread. Having royal (it HAD to be!) Xavvians and Kel involved made him all that much more worried. What have I gotten into?

Getting no answer from Cowd, the shodowed figure instructed, “Give your pretty little student the go ahead codes. Make sure you’re still using your proxy! If she were to know it was you she was dealing with… I’m sure her breeding would get the better of her. If she didn’t kill you, she would at least out you to the media. You seem to value your stardom, now don’t you?” With that, the transmission ended.

Again, for the 3rd time in as many days, Cowd tried to reach Grivvy’s comm. unit. Switching on his proxy cloak first, of course, giving him the appearance of one very famous human.

67

Kark’s bushy eyebrows rose slightly as he took in what Kathy had said. the discussion around them slid to a halt as it became obvious Kathy and Hingman had stopped paying attention.

“If I hadn’t heard about you, Kathy, I would say you were mistaken.” Kark replied. “These rooms are as secure and monitored as we can make them.They are swept regularly for vidcams, recording devices, even buzzwires.”

Pelas now spoke up, in a derisive tone… “Are you sure it’s not something with those frelling crystals? How do we know you aren’t spying on us?”

M’Artel and Robert both started to rise, anger on their faces, but Kathy Channing just shrugged her shoulders. “You don’t know. And I’ll thank you not to take that tone of voice with me, ah, Pelas, is it? Don’t make me angry, you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.”

“Is that a threat”

“No, I don’t believe in making threats. I just try to reason with people.”

“Pelas, shut up and sit back!” said his boss. Kark turned to Kathy again. “Can you tell me what you meant by being watched?”

"There are only supposed to be seven of us in this room, myself, you, Pelas, M’Artel, Robert, Corianav, and Dr. Innison. Yet there are nine life forms present, I can feel them.

Now everyone was looking around. “Madame Channing” spoke Jade, “this room is too small and bare. No furniture other than what is before us, no pictures, windows, or ventilation shafts. Just box of tissues, and the potted plants there on that wall.” At the word plants Kathy turned to look at the colorful potted desert crystallines. Long thin green leaves sported round red protuberances along their edges, and the leaves now rustled gently. Her eyes narrowed as she felt around the room again, then walked over to the crystallines and said aloud, for the benefit of the others “Talk to me”

M’Artel leaned over to Cori an muttered, “I’ve heard of talking TO plants, but expecting them to answere? She must be slipping.”

Meanwhile Robert let out an exclamation of annoyance as Gr’Vinnia’s comm started beeping yet again. With murmured excuses he left the room to answer it

“Grivvy, I told you I would see you later, what is going on? YOU again. Who the lup do you think you are?” But as on the previous occasion the face clicked off without speaking directly to Robert,

Cowd cursed in annoyance as he blanked out again.

68

*This once I’ll comment here. Those dots at the end of my previous post are a monumentel typo, they have no meaning. Sorry.

69

While Kathy and the desert crystallines attempted to contact each other, the door opened to reveal a lemurlike creature.

“This room’s occupied,” declared Kark.

“I know that, Chief. I was summoned here.”

“We didn’t summon anyone.”

The simian said, “They did,” pointing to the crystalline plants. “I’m here to translate.” M’Artel and Cori looked at each other.

“Aha!” exclaimed Kathy. She turned toward the door. “Well, don’t just stand there.”

The simian looked at Kark, who motioned for him to enter. “Who are you, anyway?”

“For you, David Ketchum.”

70

Danielle drifted up to a short insistent buzz. She slapped out at the alarm on the nightstand only to swat air. Waking enough to realize she was on the transport to Forsetti, she bounded out of bed realizing the buzz was the data transmission complete signal.

She sat and brought up the test results. A shiver ran through her, and not just because of the cold chair on her bare skin. “Soren!” she gasped. Soren startled awake and almost fell off the bed, though a good portion of his two meter frame was already draped over the bed’s edges. He limped nimbly over to Danielle’s chair, forgoing his walking stick.

“Soren, the patterns these crystals are picking up from space and non-space are not all the energy and matter echoes we expected. Look here,” she pointed to a bouncy waveform on the holo. “This analyzes as a brainwave pattern. I would have thought it was simple contamination, but the other receivers triangulate this signal in non-space.”

Soren pointed to another hologram and another, “And this says it’s moving, and this says it’s rotating in and out of non-space as it moves. But then since it’s not rotating out and in to normal space, where is it going?”

71

Cowd tipped back in his chair and tried to think calmly and clearly, in spite of his anger and a nagging sense of fear. He couldn’t pass on the codes now, and with the possible total loss of contact, or control, over Gr’Vinnia went a hefty portion of his value to the unseen Xavvian. Putting clues together Cowd could make a pretty shrewd guess as to who his “master” was though. Might he be able to turn that one over as a traitor to the Xavvis Empire? He wouldn’t even have to comm anyone. With Kathy Channing he could pass on his secret face to face, and paint himself as “working for peace” or some such garbage.

He shook his head to get rid of the tempting thought. He’d let himself be snared too thoroughly, get too involved, to get out now. As his control had said, he was fond of his star status, but that would be lost completely if it was revealed how he had faked and stolen data in some of his early works, the one that brought him to such academic prominence. Then there had been the matter of those three female undergrads, who had reluctantly met with him for “private tutoring”, after he’d skewed their grades to make it appear they were failing.

Well, there was nothing he could do right now, unless he could contact Grivvy, so he dragged himself back to a mound of unfinished paperwork, and started going through it.

“David Ketchum” ambled over and stood beside Kathy. “What you want to say, Miss Kitty?”

Kathy ground her teeth at the awful nickname but decided to give “David” a taste of his own medicine. “I want you to ask them who they are, where they come from, simple stuff like that. But talk out loud, and tell them to respond in their own language.”

“Sure thing, Cat Woman” and he began a “conversation” with the crystallines, whose leaves and red polyps rustled in response. Using her crystal Kathy let it flow around her, immersing herself in it, tracing the threads of thought back to the igniting minds of all three participants. Using her talents brought her comprehension surprisingly quickly.

"David turned to Kathy and began “Miss Eartha. they say they are from planet, far, far away. Their root brothers and sisters live, long, long time, but…”

“…they can’t move quickly so they generally live in stable environments like these, and trade knowledge for safety and fertilizer. Very few races are aware of their abilities.”

“David” dropped in a quick bow, and said, in an altogether more respectful tone “Madame Channing, you should be one of us. Higher praise I can not give!”

“Thank you Ronald” she replied, and turned to the others. “I don’t think this meeting is going to go much farther until we can digest the implications of what can be learned from these people here. Could we all meet here again in another two days? With your approval Capt, Hingman” she said hastily.

Kark knew this Kathy Channing was trying to be polite, although his own authority seemed somehow to have become secondary here. “I have no problem with that” he said.

It seemed to suit the others as well. Jade and Cori made arrangements to share Cori’s suite space, the better to keep in touch, and Cori, M’Artel, and Jade would work together to reassemble the research data Jade had lost when she’d fled the riot. Kark waved the door open but before they could step out there came the sound of Robert’s voice, raised in anger.

“You motherless, childless, pouchless female! You didn’t care one little bit, did you? I don’t want to hear any so called explanation from a dried up teat like you!”

Robert had picked up a lot of Xavvian cultural trivia from M’Artel, and seemed to be putting it to use on someone.

72

Kathy wandered back to where Robert was sitting, his face in his hands. She came up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. He sank even deeper into the chair and began to sob.

“Robert,” she said, leaning down on to him, trying to engulph him in a hug, “It’s okay…”

Straightening up and looking off into space the opposite direction of her, he responded, “No it isn’t. I love her, she hurt me, and then I blew it. There is no going back.”

Never quite understanding the male ability to throw everything away so quickly, Kathy answered, “Robert. If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the past few years, it’s that nothing is ever truly over. Things change, yes. But nothing ENDS. Not unless you die. Even then, it only ends for you. Well, maybe…”

Robert turned to look at her questioningly.

“Um, well,” she said, “Look. I’ve been finding out things. And everything I learn just leads to more questions. But, anyways… what’s wrong Robert? Can I help?”

“I don’t know if I want to talk about it right now, Kathy.”

“Well then, let’s go get something. I saw a cute little Earth style bistro down the way. We won’t even have to tube.” Offering her hand to him, she smiled.

“Who could resist that smile, my dear Mrs Channing,” Robert accepted. And together they walked on out, past the small group that was still milling about.

Walking down a hallway just removed from the meeting room, Xol as a Tharn had been listening in on the ‘conversation’ between Kathy and the ‘plants.’ He absent mindedly bumped into another Tharn as he realized the implications of what he had just witnessed. There was some sort of tie between space and nonspace that had nothing to do with any Kel experience! This shocked him so greatly he almost unmorphed. Xol had been alive for longer than some of the races on this planet, and had learned almost everything about this area of the galaxy. To find out anything new would be a shock. To find out this was a matter of virtual racial importance.

Turning down a different hall, he made his way to an exit. He was going to go see Cowd, he decided. But, what was he going to dress up as? He smiled wickedly, knowing exactly what form to use. Cowd was almost as sexually deviant as his old student, Tag, after all.

73

Darson fitted a skin cap over his left earlobe. It would hide the split, but his growing attraction to non-Tharns would be impossible to hide. He had to control it until he’d had a chance to speak with Cori again.

He wandered around the facility, trying to track down Kark. Working on the murder case would take his mind off his Change. The Voss riot would also need attention. Darson looked forward to a long period of mentally exhausting work.

Then he saw something that stopped him cold. Robert was eating with some human female in the promenade side of the Terran bistro. Something called “sandwiches” piled high on their plate, and from the long green vegetables on their plates, he believed they had ordered off the deli menu.

Revenge began blotting out his rational sense. This was the human who had destroyed his life. Oblivious to Kark, who was calling out to him, Darson began making his way to the table. Everything else but the Robert was blotted out.

It didn’t matter if he was arrested for the murder of this human. He was dead anyway. He might as well enjoy the slow torture of the p’Rauhc who had ruined him.

Kark was alarmed at the look on Darson’s face. Something terrible had happened since Darson went through the Change. He struggled through the crowd, but he saw to his horror that Darson would reach Kathy and Robert before he could stop him.

74

Robert didn’t really feel like eating, but once he’d seen the buffet line he changed his mind. In spite of his troubles he was a young man who needed his calories. So he piled up sliced beef(tankgrown) and cheese, with horseradish sauce on the bread. There were also some celery stalks and dip. Kathy loaded a try as well, and they got a table and sat down.

Munching through their sandwiches Kathy commented, “Hmm, this bread tastes like it was made with tritocale wheat from Ceres. I got to know the flavor when I was teaching there.”

“I wouldn’t know” mumbled Robert, around a mouthful of food.

“No reason you should” she replied. Kathy made short work of her tray, then eyed the line again “I wonder if they have pie?”

Robert stared at her. Kathy was not all that tall, about 165 centimeters, and although she have curves in all the right places she was still on the slender side. How did she do it?

As if she could feel his question she turned back to him and chuckled, “I do sound greedy don’t I? Comes from the jaunting I think. It burns up a lot of energy but I sure wouldn’t recommend it as a diet plan.”

Her tone changed from light to serious, and she leaned towards him a little and he put his sandwich down. “Robert, can you tell me what happened now? I can keep a secret.”

Slowly he began to talk about how he and Grivvy had met in classes “Well, at first it was just fun. We saw each other in groups sometimes, but I couldn’t believe this smart and sexy girl was wanting to hang out with me!”

“You called her a girl,” Kathy interjected. “Most human males would have said ‘Xavvian’. Surely you know how unusual it is to have a serious inter-specieal relationship. I’ve heard of a few, but only know one such couple personally.”

Robert flushed. "Well, at first it was just, umm, fun you know? No harm in improving cultural relationships. Some med students used to call it ‘comparative anatomy’. I don’t know how I realized it was more than that. But then I picked up that stupid comm, and that guy kept calling for her. And you heard me back at the meeting! She finally tracked me down again to get the unit back, and I asked her about it, and I asked her about the guy who called, and SHE started to say something about how he was her boss, she was sorry, let me explain. Oh frell, I blew up at her and called her all those names! " Robert took a deep breath. "It was awful. Her tail drooped, those little ear tufts sagged, it was like she shrunk up. Grivvy told me one more time she was sorry, then turned and ran off. " He buried his face in his hands. “I’ve totally blown it. How could she forgive *me * now, after I said all those things?”

“Do you know where she…” Kathy’s senses tingled and she looked up to see a Tharn shoving people aside as he headed right for them. She didn’t need to be an adept to tell what was on his mind, and that it was for Robert, not her, that he was heading. But he was in no shape to defend himself, so she pushed away from the table and stepped in front of the attacker.

Darson reached out to swat this stupid female aside, thinking only of his prey. But his hand met only air, and the force of the attempt spun him around. Feeling a tap on his shoulder her turned his head. “Looking for someone?” said the short readhead. Darson bellowed in almost bersek rage, and aimed for her again, but once again his blow missed. By now Robert was on his feet and Kathy snapped “Let me handle it” but he pushed past her and managed to land a fist on the side of Darson’s head. He split the skin of Darson’s face and struck his ear.

The other patrons had scattered. Tables had been upended, with food and tableware flying in all direction. Darson landed one punch on Robert, cracking his jaw and knocking him backwards, then as he moved to finish him off with a stunner set high they both on the same puddle an iced drink had made on the floor. kathy darted in and down and, yanking Darson’s arms behind him, held him there, sitting on his back.

It had taken less than thirty seconds. Kark pushed his way through the last line of onlookers, and wad surprised to see what he had least expected.

“Don’t just stand there” Kathy told him “Call for a med-assist for these two. And you can close your mouth now.”

75

Kark took over Darson from Kathy, heaving him to his feet and strapping his wrists. Tharns bleed slowly, but the side of Darson’s face and ear were streaked and dripping. Robert still lay on the floor, with Kathy at his side.

Med techs and transport were quick to arrive. It was determined that Robert’s jaw was not broken, but a couple of teeth did seem to be cracked, he was bleeding and already bruising, so the techs loaded him up for transport to the nearest emergency clinic. Telling Robert she would follow him soon, Kathy turned to Kark and Darson.

Another tech was examining the damage done to Darson, cleaning his cuts and spraying quickseal on them. He tried to look at Darson’s ear, but the Tharn tried to shrug away.

“It’s nothing to worry about, don’t mess with it, doctor’s are a pain in the…Oww!
Frack, what are you doing?”

“Sir” said the tech “I have to look at it. It’s my job.”

“Frell that” Darson started to say, but Kark spoke up now, shaking him roughly.

“I don’t know what got into you Darson, but you can sweat it out in lockup for now. I don’t need this kind of aggravation on top of everything else. And don’t worry about your looks, that ear is split but it will heal.”

At Kark’s last words a med tech, who was one of the few Tharns locally who was in medicine, turned and looked more closely at Darson. Not just his ear, but other more subtle physical signs. He backed away and spoke quietly into a private comm. Darson noticed this and began to be afraid. Now his secret would be out. All the stuffing of rage was replaced by new fear.

“Capt. Hingman please, I’ll do whatever you want” he pleaded, "just keep the techs away when you take me in. And that Xavvian, Corianav, , call her for me please!

Kark grunted “If I can get the time” and handed Darson off to other Security that had arrived. He was surpised that a Tharn wanted to deal with a Xavvian.

Gr’Vinnia lay in the dark on her bed. For over a day now she had neither eaten nor drunk, too deeply sunk in depression to care. She had ignored all comms, even those from the university reminding her that her enrollment forms for the next term had not been submitted.

Try as she might she could not soo how to prove to Robert she cared about him. An especially loud ping! came from the comm unit and before she could hit ignore she heard to voice of Cowd. “Grivvy? I know you’re there. I heard you have some trouble. If you want to talk, maybe I can help. Come and see me.”

“What the frell?” she thought. “It can’t hurt, and if I stay here any longer I’ll go crazy.” Wearily she got up and prepared to leave. She had almost reached the door when the damn comm pinged yet again. The unit was already set for record, and she could hear and see … oh Mother, it was Robert! But his voice sound rough and harsh, and all she heard before she left was

“Grivvy, you there? I need to tell you something…”

“I’ll bet you do” she though sadly, as she left.

76

Darson paced in his cell, frantic with worry. He had asked Kark to contact Cori, but whether or not Hingman had actually done it was another matter.

It was a race against time. Could Cori help him before the Tharn officials learned of his new gender? His new, forbidden, banned gender?

Darson tried to remember the last FFISH who had been executed. It had been years ago, and although the FFISH had eluded officials, her eventual rape of a visiting off-worlder had led to her capture.

Where was Cori? Darson tried to peer out of his cell, but the wall blocked his view of the main security center. If she didn’t get here soon it would be too late.

Darson sat down on his bunk, trying to calm down. As he shut his eyes and breathed deeply, he heard the corridor door clank open. He jumped to his feet.

He heard steps chocking down the hall, then a figure came into view.

“You will come with me to the medical center,” a cold voice said. “There, you will be examined.”

Darson’s heart sank. It was the Tharn ambassador to Forsetti, Farmani. Unfortutately, Farmani was an Alpha Male, and as such had little patience with FFISH and other deviants. For Farmani to come himself to escort him to the medical center meant the Tharn Elimination Squad was already aware of his condition.

“I’ve been arrested. I don’t think I can go anywhere,” Darson said, playing for time.

“You are a Tharn national and under my jurisdiction. I have already filed the appropriate paperwork to release you into my custody. Once your gender has been confirmed, you will be returned to Tharnia.”

“This isn’t my fault! I was attacked!” Darson cried out hopelessly.

The ice-cold eyes flickered. “That is of no consequence. Tharn cannot have your gender running loose. It would wreak havoc with a society already burdened by the insurmountable task of dealing with over 600 genders.”

Darson’s shoulders slumped. Farmani spoke with the ease of a diplomat explaining policy. He stood back as Farmani released his cell restraints, and followed him forlornly out of the security center.

He didn’t see Cori entering by another door, nor did she see him leave.

77

As Kark entered his private office, he noticed a message signaling him. He sat down and had it played. It was one of those simian intelligence gathers, his security name saying the improbable “Horatio Hornblower.”

These monkeys and their names! he thought to himself. The message started, a holo-image of a vaguely ape-like creature with an accent that could only be described as ancient Earth Texan, ”Captain Kark, a well chose name, by the by, I am Piccadilly Circus, chief of offworlder info-gath, and I have some pressing information for you. A certain Darson, Tharn, specifically, 34N Darson Heeln, has come to the attention of Tharn Racial Purity Police. I believe he works for you, does he not? Anyways, this Darson is about to be executed. It will happen by R5 Forsetti Standard.

“He has taken an inopportune change of gender, you see. Or, if you don’t see, let me explain. The Tharn have over 600 genders, 608 to be exact, and many subgenders. After the Glen Riots of about 300 years ago, 312 to be exact, laws were passed outlawing all new genders. The Tharn have a theory that they either evolved (or were made) as an interim species only, but they want to keep a separate species identity. See, virtually any Tharn can mate with another, except those of the same exact gender and subgender, and have offspring. Sometimes, however, a new gender is born, one which is able to mate and bear offspring with almost any other species. Not wanting to ‘go back’ to the ‘original plan,’ the Tharn have passed laws requiring the execution of any and all deviant genders.

“Darson’s gender has deviated. Left unchecked, he would mate, or rape, any number of others and would bear a hybrid, yet fertile offspring. This has actually happened before. The Glen Riots were the results of a group of deviants raping a Xavvian religious compound and the resulting offspring. The Xavvians considered it a heresy of the worst kind, and the Tharn were shamed to be exposed as possible ‘pawns of the gods,’ so racial tensions have been fairly high between the two groups. You may have noticed this.

“Why am I revealing so much to you, you might ask? Because, well, now bear in mind this makes me uncomfortable to say, because Darson, the crystal problems, and the Sykoft murder may be interrelated somehow, but I am uncertain of my information.

“When you play this message, you will have mere moments to save Darson. So hurry. I’ll be around in a few after I beat up some underlings for more complete info. Archimedes out.”

Kark wondered if he should confirm some of those facts with the database or with Cowd even, but decided he would indeed play it safe first and find Darson. “Shouldn’t be hard,” he said aloud to himself. “I know where I left him.”

78

Kark commed the main desk at the Security facility where Darson had been held.

“What?..The Tharn ambassador took him?..Where?..Asterix?..Frell! Hingman out!”

Kark slammed out of the office he had so recently entered, racing to the nearest transport station and commandeering an express. As the tube sped away he called Corianav.

“Cori?..It’s Kark… Don’t scream at me, it wasn’t my fault!.. Look, Darson isn’t my favorite aide, but what happened wasn’t his fault…They’re headed to Asterix Port. Get there if you can, I’ll see what we can do.”

Cori screeched in frustration as Kark signed off and headed out her own door, leaving a quick message for Jade, who was working with Kathy. She didn’t like Tharns, Darson in particular, more than any Xavvian did, but she had a concept of justice that didn’t think that a person should be killed for something they couldn’t help, no matter what the law said. And with her grudge against Kark
she hadn’t expected him to care the way she did, or be willing to help. Maybe she was going to have to change her thinking.

“We have arrived,” Farmani informed Darson. “I am informed that as soon as a current disembarkation has finished, our ship will be readied for takeoff. Sentence has already been passed and you will be executed, with full public shame, upon arrival on Tharnia. There is one way to avoid this.”

Darson’s eyes flickered with curiosity. This was something he hadn’t expected. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“If you are prepared to suicide here and now, your name will not be disgraced, and whatever family you have will not be shamed.”

Darson sagged. “Some catch” he muttered. “How long do I have to think about it?” Farmani looked at the line of people filing past, noting that most of them were human. “Not long. Now get out and at least try to act upright, you degenerate scum.”

Darson stood and gazed bleakly around him, looking for beautiful images to take with him into the coming darkness. There was a flametree, being carried in a tub to some lucky garden. There was a lovely human woman, rather short, made even more beautiful by the towering presence of her plainer companion. A rainbow hued knaffel was carried by in a cage. He closed his eyes in hopelessness. Maybe an easy death was preferable to what he had become. Too bad that Xavvian hadn’t followed up on him.

He turned to Farmani. “What do I have to do?”

79

Had Darson bothered to look up, he would have noticed something very strage detach itself from the ceiling. A small Hrung - once thought to be completely fictional - had started collapsing, as Hrungs are wont to do.

80

The evening dinner crowd had dispersed somewhat as Cowd made his way through the university cafeteria. Quite a cafeteria it was too, as the university had to provide for all different sorts of species and their dietary and cultural requirements. Cowd had chosen some Earth fruits along with a Thosti delicacy somewhat resembling catfish, except its meat was in the six legs it sported. He also ordered a wine to be sent to his table, somewhat annoyed that it wasn’t among the other beverages already, since he had requested it be for some months now.

Settling down to the table in his private booth, Cowd bit into the food, savoring the exotic flavourings mixing with the tastes of his own species foods. Much like his other diversions, he half thought to himself. The fame afforded him by his ‘discovery’ and the semi-autonomy of university life allowed him to indulge his yearnings in a way he had not before thought possible.

The disappearances of several young women in his Sol Education Network posts had been beginning to form a pattern, though he was very good even then of covering his tracks. Being thrust into the interstellar world by the theft of his partner’s theory and evidence had opened up to him an extremely varied menu of new indulgences for him to sample. Finding that young Xavvian females, prepouch, were so very like his original taboo tastes was a discovery that thrilled him to no end. And since social mores were so different from one planet’s society to another, and since it was usually considered the height of rudeness to openly discuss species specific customs… well, he had had his appetites quite sated for a good long time now.

If he had ever been caught in the Sol system, of course, he would’ve been put aside for reprogramming, a fate he was so glad he had missed. Too bad his old partner had found out. She might have been willing to share her findings with him, even though he had merely done grunt work himself. Simone Al-Naafysh had not been someone greedy for fame. She had honestly never thought beyond the problem they were researching. Walking in on him and that pre-university student he was ‘sampling’ was simply an unfortunate byproduct of the Universal karma he had come to cherish. Her anger had been so unpleasant and so unnecessary, he remembered. He didn’t have to make her death so painless, but out of the goodness of his heart, he had. Disposing of two bodies had been a little difficult, but the end results were priceless.

The door chimed and Cowd signaled for it to open, expecting his wine. He was startled to see a lithe young blonde girl, the spitting image of his long dead little niece at about age twelve. Walking over to him, her creamy white thighs showed beneath her slightly too short plaid skirt. She ran a finger down the front of her white blouse, unseaming it to show her young breasts cradled in a lacy white bra. She smiled at him, twirling one of her long braids in her hand.

“You god damned Kel!” Cowd spurted. “Did anyone see you come in here like that?”

“No, daddy,” answered the little girl in a dainty voice, then switched too its regular Kel voice and continued, “But I thought I would let you know that I, too, have the power of your secrets, Professor. I’m glad you enjoyed my little joke.” And Xol morphed into the form of a Thosti male acadamian.

“Now,” said Xol, “Let us discuss what I will have now do for me. You will be compensated as you normally are, of course, you degenerate Human.”