(Confederate Intelligence Service HQ, Somewhere on Dimiya)
Alok Paxisys was busy. Regardless of what certain Senators
thought, he had more responsibilities than simply overseeing their political
games against the Black Star Company. There were many potential threats to the
Confederation, both from without and within. Finding those threats and ending
them before they became a problem was the job of the Confederate Intelligence
Service.
Currently, he was going over the forensic report on the
events of Jagloth. The planet had been burned to a crisp almost two years ago
now, but a proper review of the intelligence apparatus took time, and the task
was not made easier by the large number of resources that had been destroyed
when the legion was eliminated. But that was fine. This was not a report for
the Senate or anyone on the ‘outside’. This was an in-house report, to try and
find out if there was anything that the CIS could have done to prevent the
disaster, short of having psychics who could flawlessly predict the future, or
completely shredding the rights of citizens.
Unfortunately, due to the speed of the Legion takeover, and
the way it spread, traditional intelligence techniques would not help, once
someone had gotten a sample of the nanites and begun replication. And according
to sources in the Nomad community, the Nomad who had been responsible had
apparently altered the nanite coding himself, so there would have been no
warning there. No, the only place where they could have done better was in
interdicting the ‘Hundeherstellar’ nanites or better tracking who the nanites
went to when they had gotten into the underworld of Jagloth. Thankfully, the
syndicates had been most helpful in eliminating the smugglers who brought in
the nanites, and his sources told him that the word was out that anyone
bringing the nanites into Confederate space would find themselves on the wrong
side of an airlock if the syndicates found out about it. Situations like
Jagloth were bad for business, after all.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Looking up, he
saw his aide. “Ah, Alred. What is it?”
The aide looked flustered. “Captain Mollen has sent a
response to our request to meet. He just sent a response saying that he was
back on Dimiya, and will be happy to meet with us, but suggests tomorrow, as he
will be attending a meeting with a certain Senator tonight.”
Paxisys blinked, stunned. “He said WHAT?”
(Origin Club, Thelorious, Dimiya)
“Perhaps they just know me better than you do, hmm?”
Senator Adynore’s head snapped up, looking to the source of that
foreboding sentence. Sitting at the other end of the table from her was Rina
Virstina, one of the junior Senators for Dimiya, and a rising star in the
Shining Path faction. Glowering at the younger woman, Adynore said, “Explain
yourself.”
Virstina smiled, and stood, so that the entire room could
see her clearly. And then her face began to shift, as though melting! Several
people gasped in horror, and pushed back from the table, but Adynore stood
transfixed, unable to turn away from the sight of the other woman’s features
warping to change into that of the human they had been talking about, though
still on Virstina’s body. When ‘she’ spoke again, it was with the deeper voice
that one associated with the leader of the Black Star Company.
“It is as I said. Perhaps the intelligence groups simply
know me better than you do.” ‘She’ smiled, and looked around the room. “Oh,
dear, I guess some introductions are in order? You see, my name is Mirikon
Mollen, Captain of the Starlight Raven,
Owner of the Black Star Company, and Commodore of the Black Star Navy. Though I
expect they’ll be insisting on me being an admiral if we get many more ships.”
He held up a hand as some people were starting to come out
of shock, and were about to interject, “Now, some of you may be wondering how I
am here, looking like this? Well, let us just say that there is proprietary
technology that we have not released to the public, and leave it at that. Not
everything Black Star does is suitable for the open market, but it does have
its uses.”
Adynore growled, now that her target was right in front of
her. “What did you do with Senator Virstina?”
“Ah, Rina? I’m afraid that she is very tired after the
thorough workout I gave her while persuading her that she should stop supporting
a losing cause. You see, she was always just using you people in the Shining
Path to further her career, but she represents the region around Shvehona City,
you know? And I am very popular there, enough that she really couldn’t refuse
to meet me. From there, I seduced her, and took great care to pump her long and
hard… for information, of course. By the time I was done, she was shouting your
secrets so loudly that the whole building would have heard her if not for the
soundproofed walls. When she told me of this lovely meeting, I decided that I
simply must attend in her place, since she was sleeping off our exertions.”
Adynore bristled with rage. That WHORE! She sold out the
party? Her people’s destiny? Everything? And for what, some man who was rumored
to have slept with half of Nuevo Edo already? The whore was going to be ruined
when Adynore got out of here. There would be no place on this planet – no, the
entire Confederacy! – that she would be able to hide from her shame!
The… thing that had masqueraded as Virstina chuckled
wickedly and turned ‘her’ attention to Kamata. “Now, Kamata, I believe you were
warned about what would happen if you tried to move against Black Star. In
fact, I know you were, because I was personally informed that all the syndicates
on Dimiya had been informed of the consequences of that. And after listening to
your conversation, I have decided that you are too stupid to be a syndicate
leader. Fortunately, a disagreement between me and you does not need to become
a disagreement between Black Star and the Jade Serpents. See, when I am done
here I will go to your second, and have a discussion with him. If that doesn’t
prove fruitful, I will continue having discussions as I elevate people from
within your organization due to vacancies at the top.”
The Yakuza leader bristled at the way he was being talked
down to, like a child, and snapped. “What, you would threaten to kill me, in
front of all these witnesses? You would be ruined! You may be able to get to
one of us, but by then we would have called every police officer on this planet
to come and arrest you, and there would be no escape for you then.”
“Ah, foolish, foolish Kamata-chan. You see, I am not worried
in the slightest about any of the people in this room. After all, each and
every one of you are dead men and women, you just haven’t figured it out yet.”
‘She’ turned her attention to Miravaris, who was trying to
reach someone, anyone on her commlink. “Oh dear, I’m sorry, Miss Miravaris, but
I am afraid this room is quite excellently shielded to prevent any
communications from coming in or out. After all, the Origin Club prides itself
on discretion, and this meeting was to be of the utmost discretion. Senator Virstina
saw to it personally, though the funds came from a Shining Path account. Yes, I
am afraid all of you are completely cut off from the outside.”
Adynore growled, and said, “Enough of this nonsense!” She
slapped the ‘call’ button to summon the Club staff so they would come and open
the doors, which would break the secure comms protocols on the room, at least
long enough for an emergency message to get out.
‘Virstina’ simply smiled, and said, “Oh, no, I’m afraid it
hasn’t been nearly enough yet, Senator. You see, my people have already taken
control of the building’s computer systems, and have quietly isolated this
room, to ensure that we will be completely undisturbed. I did not go to all the
trouble of crashing this party to allow you all to run away like frightened
rats.”
Lukian looked fearful. “You cannot do this! We’re some of
the most powerful people in the Confederacy! You will become a pariah! You will
be hunted throughout the galaxy!”
“Ah, Lukian. Are you talking about your little ‘insurance
policy’? Having a fund of a million credits ready to go should you die of
unnatural causes to be paid out when your executor is presented with the head
of the ones responsible for your untimely death is inspired, truly.
Unfortunately, it is a trick I have seen before, and I’ve already made
preparations.”
‘Virstina’ chuckled at Lukian’s look of shock. “Oh yes, I
have. You see, a well known assassin is on Dimiya as we speak. When we conclude
our conversation, he will receive a packet of information detailing the nature
of your contract, as well as the evidence pointing to one of Senator Adynore’s
rivals within the Shining Path, and their concerns that she was gaining too
much influence in the movement. That evidence will be released publicly just
before the assassin takes out the target, and I’m sure they’ll thank you for your
quick payment on services rendered.”
Adynore rose from her chair. She couldn’t let this Nomad
continue to control the flow of the conversation. She needed to reassert her
dominance, and move it into an arena where she could outmaneuver him, or at
least make it so that she could survive this. She would strike back when he
least expected it. That in mind, she glared at the man that was somehow wearing
a woman’s body, and said, “What is it that you want? You’ve made your point,
now, what deal do you want to make it as if this never happened? I assume that
Virstina is your fall woman that will be executed to answer Lukian’s bounty?”
“Oh my, no. It will be the Senator from Vidara, Daniels. You
really have been more and more virulent in your anti-human rhetoric lately, and
it was disturbing him greatly, since he planned to oust you before the next
elections. Taking out your supporters was simply an added benefit.”
“As for Rina, she has the perfect alibi, if a bit
scandalous. She was seen in the company of a dashing young man last night at
one of Thelorious’s trendiest clubs, where many people caught the two of them
on video. The two of them went to a nearby hotel, where they were both seen
entering the hotel, and going up to a penthouse suite. Their neighbors made a
noise complaint because of how loud they were in their lovemaking. Since then,
she has canceled her appearances for today, which weren’t many since it is the
weekend, and enjoyed a day in bed, and room service has confirmed delivery
multiple times to the room. In the meantime, a prosthetic disguise with her
face will be found next to these discarded clothes by the police, confirming
that someone posing as her infiltrated the club, where checking identification
is not done, to keep from leaving records of who comes in or out of the club.
When she checks out of the hotel with the man tomorrow morning, she will have a
very valid alibi, I assure you.”
Miraveris looked up at ‘Virstina’, and said, “You said we
were already dead. What did you mean?”
“Ah, you poor thing. You never checked your food and drink
for poison. Well, not a poison, in this case, but nanites. They’ve been placed
in each one of your meals, and by now have spread throughout your body, simply
waiting for a signal. What will these nanites do, you’re probably wondering?
Well, simply put, they will induce cardiac arrest in your hearts, killing you
all quickly and cleanly, with no evidence as to who killed you. Honestly, I
have some wonderful people working for me.”
Then ‘she’ pressed a button on her bracer, and Adynore felt
a stabbing pain in her chest, before things went dark.
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Be sure to read my published works!
Frozen Soul series (Sci-Fi Supervillain story):
Frozen Soul https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071R125QT
Tales of the Void Traveler https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06ZZ52G37
Rules-Free VRMMO Life (Dark Fantasy GameLit):
Volume 1 - Tutorial
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071VPRNDB
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rules-free-vrmmo-life-stuart-grosse/1128941349?ean=2940161995297
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0774T354X
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rules-free-vrmmo-life-omnibus-i-stuart-grosse/1128953195?ean=2940162052081
Book I - Game Start https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071LT5WGL
Omnibus I - Books 1-4 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077X2KR7Y
City of Champions Online (Superhero GameLit):
Issue I - Origin Stories https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075SHXQS1
Lewd Dungeon (Dungeon Core GameLit):
Book 1 - Welcome to the Apocalypse https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BB34DHF
Omnibus 1 - Books 1-4 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FBPF6HR
The Kalipshae Affair (A First Contact Short Story): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0739V6R6T
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