Scout Force (31 page)

      
“Wait!
 
Wait!
 
I see the emergency forces wheeling a gurney out from a waiting ambulance.
 
I’ll see if I can get closer and see what is going on.
 
Jim, keep up with me here!”

      
The video shook as the cameraman kept up with the running reporter.
 
The camera pointed at a senior emergency officer directing operations.
 
“Sir, sir, could you tell me where that gurney is going?
 
Has there been a casualty amongst the emergency workers?

      
The emergency officer turned away from the bright light shining in his eyes and said, “No, not any of my people.
 
We found a body in the executive offices up on the top floor.”

      
The reporter turned back to the camera.
 
“There you have it.
 
At least one casualty on the top floor of the Indigo Consortium headquarters building.
 
Back to you, Ed.”

      
Kelly wondered if there was any connection between his two patrols and the fire.

      
They finished their drinks and went back to her house to prepare for the evening.

      
“Kelly, why don’t you wear those new casual slacks we bought for you today?
 
They look good on you.
 
You don’t have to be too dressy tonight.”

* * * * *

      
Back at Antares Base, Admiral Craddock sat in his office and reviewed the GNN broadcast.
 
He read the initial reporting from the Secundus authorities.
 
Charles Delphant, Chairman and CEO of the Indigo Consortium, died in the early morning fire, which consumed all of the main headquarters and parts of the fabrication facility.
 
None of the other officials of the consortium that were interviewed could explain why Mr. Delphant was at the building at that time in the morning.

      
“John, what do you make of this?
 
We should get a Fleet Intel team onto Secundus to go over that fire site with a micrometer, if they aren’t already there.
 
See if you can convince them, would you?”

      
“Yes sir, I’ll get right on it.
 
My alarms are ringing loud on this one also.
 
Our retrieval of the data from that K’Rang ship and the box of flame jewels from the Gurkha’s shuttle and this fire are too much of a coincidence.
 
And I don’t believe in coincidences.”

      
“Yeah, neither do I.
 
I think this situation has just moved from a possible smuggling operation to something more serious.
 
Have the computer forensics guys come up with anything off the two data storage devices retrieved by the Vigilant?”

      
“Not so far, sir.
 
They can’t seem to break the encryption on the data files.
 
It is more sophisticated than anything they have ever seen.
 
They’ve tasked the code breakers at Fleet HQ to try and speed up the process.
 
They’re sure they’ll get through the code, but they can’t say when.”

      
“Keep on them.
 
This fire and Delphant’s death tells me we’re missing something important here.
 
We were ahead of it, whatever it is.
 
Now we're behind.
 
If it’s important enough to kill over, it’s probably going to cause us trouble.
 
Have the night watch put together some estimates of possibilities.
 
What do our smart guys think this might be?
 
I want those on my desk in the morning.
 
If we aren’t sure what this is, let’s do some worst case, seat of the pants analysis on it and maybe we’ll get lucky.”

* * * * *

      
Candy and Kelly had a wonderful night out.
 
They spent most of the night at a dinner theater, watching a comedy about an intrepid, but bumbling pair of early space explorers.
 
The production was unusual in that the entire play was done with the cast floating about the stage weightless.
 
Kelly guessed it was done with suspensors, but he couldn’t feel the static charge normally felt in their vicinity.
 
Kelly and Candy laughed at their antics and the racy, not so subtle humor.

      
After the show, they spent some time at a night club, dancing to some of the latest hits.
 
Candy felt soft and warm against his chest.
 
She was a good dancer and a great conversationalist.
 
The time slipped by quickly.
 
They hardly noticed the club clearing out until the manager came over and asked them, politely, to leave so he could close up.

      
Kelly felt very comfortable around Candy.
 
The weekend had been sensual, but not sexual.
 
He liked her smile, her easy laugh, and her sense of humor.
 
She was beautiful, smart, and fun to be with.
 
What was he going to do?

      
He knew he had nothing to offer her.
 
A Fleet Officer’s early career usually entailed deployment after deployment.
 
They spent almost all of the first four to five years in space.
 
Most Fleet officers tended to remain single during their early years and saved marriage for after they made Lieutenant Commander.
 
Too many junior officers’ marriages ended in divorce.
 
Even after LCDR, it was often hard to keep a marriage going.

      
Kelly and Candy went back to her house.
 
Candy changed out of her evening clothes and into a blue version of the sheer caftan from the day before.
 
Kelly took off his coat and tie, left them upstairs, and joined Candy on the sun porch.
 
She already had a bottle of wine open and a poured glass waiting for him.
 
He lay down on the mass of pillows next to her.
 
She moved over and curled up beside him.

      
“Kelly, I’ve had a fabulous time with you these few days.
 
I wish you didn’t have to go back tomorrow.”

      
“I’ve had a great time, too, Candy.”

      
She leaned over and kissed him.
 
“I’d like you to come back and visit me again when you get more time off.
 
My door will always be open for you.
 
Even if I’m not here, you can come stay here.
 
If you need some time away from the base, come on down.
 
I can give you the door code and you can come right in.
 
Just call or message me to let me know.”

      
“I’m still considering the job on base at the JAG office.
 
Captain Hawkins, the JAG, is really trying to get me to take the job.
 
I do have one concern about the job.”

      
“What’s that?”

      
“I wonder how that would affect us.
 
I like the idea of having you around, but in small doses.”

      
Kelly got a quizzical look on his face and said, “Small doses?
 
What is that supposed to mean?”

      
“Kelly, I’ve really enjoyed this time with you and I’d like to do so again, but I’m not looking for a steady boyfriend.
 
We can be friends.
 
We can be lovers.
 
I find you very attractive and fun to be with.
 
A number of years from now I may consider you as husband material, but I’ve been a Fleet brat too long to try and tie you down or be tied down.
 
I sat at home too many nights with my mother while Dad was out on patrol, or away doing things we couldn’t know about.
 
Would you mind terribly much just being my lover or friend, hopefully both?”

      
Kelly pulled her close, kissed her, and said, “I think I understand.
 
I feel the same way myself.
 
I never know what my patrol schedule is going to be or how long I’ll be out.
 
It seems extremely unfair to expect a woman to wait around for me when and if I show up.
 
I know it doesn’t make me much of a prize.
 
I’m not ready for marriage yet, either, but I would like to see you again.”

      
“Oh, don’t worry, you will.
 
You just helped me to make up my mind about that JAG job.
 
I just wonder if I could find a house like this in the area outside the base.”

      
“I’ll help you look.”

      
Candy kissed him again and it led to an even more enjoyable evening and morning.

* * * * *

      
Scattered lights shown in the puddles of water on a quiet street in one of the many industrial sectors of Secundus.
 
It was silent, except for the footsteps of two men in soiled work clothes, moving through the shadows.
 
They approached a low industrial building with one weak light illuminating the loading dock.
 
Night insects flew frantic circles around the bare bulb in the fixture above the door.
 
A light shown through a glass panel on the wall.
 
The two men came to the loading dock steps, looked around, and walked up.
 
They opened the warehouse door and entered.

      
A voice came out of the darkness.
 
“Gentlemen, please come in and sit down.
 
I’ll be right with you.”

      
Two chairs and a dusty table sat under a single lamp hanging from the ceiling.
 
A small bag, bottle and two glasses sat on the table.

      
“Please help yourself to a drink, gentlemen.
 
I’ll be right with you as soon as I finish this call.”

      
The two men moved to the table, examined the bottle, nodded in approval of the brand, poured each a drink, and sat down to wait.

      
“The bag contains your payment.
 
Please feel free to count it to make sure it’s all there.”

      
One of the men opened the bag, briefly surveyed its contents, and said, “That’s all right, we’ll trust you that it's all here.”

      
Two large men in trench coats and hats moved just into the light of the hanging lamp between the men and the door.
 
The two men finished their drinks and looked suspiciously at these two new men.

      
“Relax, gentlemen.
 
My associates are here only in case the local authorities show an interest in our transaction.”

      
A third man in a long gray coat and hat entered the circle of light.
 
“Gentlemen, I know I told you to make Mr. Delphant’s passing look like an accident, but did you have to burn the entire complex down?”

      
“How were we to know there were liter cans of flammable paint stacked in a storage closet next to where we set the firebomb?
 
If not for that, only his office would have been torched.”

      
“How regrettable.
 
Did you manage to retrieve the device I sent you for?”

      
“Yes, we did.”

      
The speaker reached in his pocket and pulled out a small data transfer device.”

      
“Place it on the table, take your payment, and leave, gentlemen.
 
Our transaction is concluded.
 
It's been a pleasure dealing with you.
 
If we need you again, we know how to get in touch with you.
 
Men, escort our guests to the door.”

      
The two local men exchanged nervous glances, picked up the small bag, and walked out the door.
 
The two large men showed them out, but did nothing to hamper their exit.

      
The third man moved to the open door and watched them leave.
 
He pulled a small device out of his pocket and pushed a button.

      
The two shabbily dressed men were elated.
 
They had just earned a small fortune for arranging the unfortunate passing of Charles Delphant.
 
They couldn’t believe their luck.
 
Almost simultaneously, the two men felt a stabbing pain in their stomachs.
 
Millions of microbe-sized incendiary devices, ingested along with the alcohol, erupted into flame.
 
The two men dropped to the ground, writhing in pain.
 
There was a bright flash and the two men disappeared into twin piles of white ashes scattered on the ground.
 
A gust of wind lifted the ashes and they were borne away.