The Tactics of Revenge (16 page)

The two Exitor-class starships were themselves in desperate need of recharging. Although the range of most ships was measured in the hundreds of light years, eventually the cold-fusion reactors that supplied the power for the gravity drives needed to be recharged. The handling of nuclear material had been perfected thousands of years before, now able to be performed by barely-trained creatures. Yet still, the proper equipment was needed and procedures had to be followed. Riyad and his assault team had studied these procedures ad nauseam during the journey here. Now they would see them in action – as well as tighten up their plans for gaining entry to the Juirean battleship.

The crews handling the recharge of the Exitors would be land-based; the battleship’s recharging would take place in orbit. So for the next four days, Tobias and his team would have to locate an orbital recharging vessel, figure out a way that it would that ship that got the assignment to service the Juirean ship, and then find a way to subdue its current crew when the time came. That’s all. These were just a few of the details that still needed to be ironed out.

Within fifteen minutes of landing, Rutledge and Tindal came aboard the
JU-224
for a quick, yet emotional, reunion with Tobias and Sherri. Riyad had smiled appropriately, yet refrained from the hugs and backslapping. Once the assault team was all together, Lieutenant Tobias assumed command.

Kaylor and Jym would coordinate the recharging of the two Exitors, while Riyad and Sherri would shadow the crews, gaining information about their employer, the dispatch procedures and where equipment was stored. The three SEALs would prepare the weapons and gear for the assault, while also getting a lay of the land.

Sherri and Riyad went with Kaylor and Jym to make arrangements for the recharge of the Exitors. The gravity of Zinnol was about standard for the Expansion, somewhere around three-quarters that of Earth’s. Since the gravity aboard the
JU-224
had been set at a compromise level for both alien and Human, all four of them experienced some relief in the lighter gravity.

The dusty atmosphere was difficult to breath in the open, so they all quickly entered one of the many rusty tram cars that snaked their way throughout the area. Once the doors shut, the air was more breathable, yet the smell nearly knocked them over. There was a crush of aliens of all kinds in the car, many sweaty and dirty, having apparently just left their work shift for the journey to their homes.

A couple of creatures with extremely long necks and two sets of eyes each, made some grunting sounds in their direction, scanning Riyad and Sherri up and down.

“That is an incredibly foul smell you’re giving off,” one of the creatures said to Sherri. “Move away from me before you make me sick.”

Sherri looked the creature straight in his eyes. She had simply washed with a deodorant soap earlier, but obviously it was strong enough to be noticed in the cramped quarters. She was immediately upset, insulted that a creature as filthy and disgusting as this one would be offended by her. But before she could fully react, Riyad had pushed his way between her and the four-eyed being.

Both of them were about the same size, and the alien appeared to be quite muscular.
Maybe this will the one
, Riyad thought, with a trace of hope.

“Leave this one alone. She is my mate, and you have now offended
me
.”

The top set of eyes blinked rapidly, while the lower pair stared at Riyad. “Move out of my space, you grub-lover,” the creature said, no fear in his voice. “You smell new here, so you may not know who I am.”

Sherri took hold of Riyad’s arm. “Let’s not start anything. We have a job to do.”

Riyad continued to stare at the alien. “I know. I won’t cause too much of a ruckus.” And then Riyad placed a hand on the alien’s shoulder. “Yes, my friend, we are new here, and we just want to get along. But if anyone is going to move along, it will be you.” And with that, Riyad began to squeeze, enlisting an immediate groan of agony from the four-eyed creature. He buckled to the side, all this eyes now blinking rapidly.

His companion moved closer to Riyad, which was a mistake. The Human jabbed the thumb on his free hand into the being’s stomach, sending him to the floor of the tram car, writhing in pain. And then Riyad released the first alien’s shoulder, allowing the injured creature to fall to his knees, rubbing the spot that Riyad had been holding.

Everyone in the tram began to move away from Sherri and Riyad, as a tense silence feel across the crowd. Riyad looked around, a wild steady look in his eyes. Like in every community, there were the bullies, the blowhards. On Zinnol – or at least in this tram car – the two beings kneeling before Riyad were them. However, from the looks on the faces of the others in car, they had just been replaced by the dark haired creature with the hair growing from his face.

“That was smooth; nothing like keeping a low profile,” Sherri whispered to Riyad.

“Just defending your honor, my lady. And by the way, you do smell fabulous this evening.” Riyad could hear the gasp throughout the tram car when Riyad flashed a wide, toothy grin at Sherri.

In the meantime, Kaylor and Jym had slinked further back into the crowd, wanting to detach themselves as much as possible from the two Humans. Sherri caught Kaylor’s weary eye and sent him a wink. Kaylor had seen this kind of behavior from the Humans too many times before….

The tram dropped several of the car’s occupants off at the main surface recharge center on the northeast side of the spaceport. Once out of the car, a number of the aliens scurried away quickly, while still sending furtive glances back at the two Humans. Kaylor and Jym still kept their distance as they entered the building.

Inside the large boxy structure were several counters lining the outer walls, separated by partitions and each sporting their own signage. The whole room looked like the car rental section of a large international airport back on Earth. Riyad and Sherri couldn’t read any of the signs, but as they neared each counter, they heard a translation in their ears.

Kaylor moved up to one of the counters. “We need a recharge for two ships,” he said to the attendant behind the counter. The creature was very fat – round actually – with an equally round head placed atop the ball that was its body. It had no neck; instead the head simply rotated on top of its body. The being studied a monitor screen on the counter.

“Type of vessels and location?” it said in a surprisingly deep-toned voice.

“Exitors, both of them, located in spaces 234 and 235 in section four,” Kaylor replied.

The attendant entered some data into its terminal. “What series are the Exitors?”

“Series Five-A.”

After a few more key strokes, the round alien looked at Kaylor. “That will be nine hundred thirty credits for each. Recharge can begin at Day8 tomorrow. Make sure access will be granted.”

Kaylor counted out the credits he had brought, “There will be crew aboard to allow access. In addition, where are the orbital recharging terminals?”

“Next building over.”

After a few moments more, Kaylor was handed a datachip carrying the details of the transaction and the four of them left the building. They entered the next one over and found that the orbital ordering procedure was a little more complicated. Kaylor asked an attendant in one of the rooms how ship assignments were handed out. The answer, he was told, depended on the size and make of the ship. The being behind the counter was taken aback slightly when Kaylor mentioned a Class-3 Juirean. Most Juireans, it turned out, normally traveled in convoys with their own energy support ships. As it turned out, there were only a couple of contractors on the planet that could handle Class-3’s; her company did not.

After receiving the names of the contractors that did handle Juirean-size ships, the small group proceeded to the third floor in the building. Up here the rooms were larger and better appointed. There were four large sections, each hosted by a reception station.

Again, Kaylor did all the talking.

“We are the advance team for a Juirean Class-3 which will be arriving in four days,” he said to the shocked being behind the polished stone desk. “I was told your company can handle the recharge.”

“Yes, we handle Class-3’s,” said the female creature. “However, there are security considerations when working on a Juirean.”

“I realize that,” Kaylor lied. “Do you have the proper clearances?”

“Yes, but only two of our ships are equipped for such a job, and one is on station already. You did say four days until arrival? If that is the case, then we should have either ship available.”

“How will they be dispatched?”

The attendant was surprised by the question. “No particular procedure,” the creature said slowly. “Whichever crew is in rotation, that would be the normal process.”

“What will be the cost?”

The attendant eyed the four of them before answering. “You should know that there is no charge for the Juireans. All energy modules come from them in the first place.”

Sherri stepped forward, placing her hand on Kaylor’s shoulder. “Please forgive my apprentice here,” she said warmly to the other female. “He is new and we were letting him experience an order on his own. Of course we know there is no cost for Juireans. Who doesn’t know that?”

“Apparently he doesn’t,” the alien said pointedly. “I have had limited experience with Belsonians before, and from the ones I have met, they do not seem to be the smartest beings in the galaxy, are they?”

“Very far from it,” Sherri agreed, as she shoved Kaylor behind her, seeing the ire building on his face. Riyad completed the action by placing Kaylor behind him and nearly out of sight of the attendant. “In truth, we have not had too many contracts for the Juireans. This ship is traveling alone without its normal compliment of support vessels. What of the other contractors here; do they also have the proper security to work on Juireans?”

“Only Travess,” said the attendant. And then she leaned across the desk, a little closer to Sherri. “In all truthfulness, since we will not receive a fee for the recharge, you are more than welcome to book the procedure through them.”

It was all Sherri could do to keep from laughing out loud. She was amazed at how alike most species were when you got right down to it. Each had their own wants, needs and desires, and more often than not, they overlapped among all intelligent creatures, no matter their point of origin.

“I completely understand,” Sherri said grinning – while keeping her lips together. “Since you know they’re coming, maybe you could tell the Juireans that all your recharge ships are already previously booked. I will certainly convey this to my superiors. That way Travess will naturally be awarded the contract, freeing your crews for actual paying customers.”

The alien beamed. “You would do that for me? I am in your favor. Without your forewarning, my company would have been obligated to take the contract. But in truth, I can certainly book the security ships on other vessels prior to the arrival of the Juirean, if even for simple maintenance. This is something I would not have done normally. That way I would truly have no ships available for the recharge should my schedule be checked.”

“I’m so glad I could help. But between us, I do not believe I will approach Travess until just before the arrival. I will make it a surprise for them.”

After a few more moments of gushy thank you’s between the two females, the foursome eventually left the building and returned to the
JU-224

The Zinnol star had set by the time they arrived, and the moonless night would normally have been pitch-dark except for the countless lights coming from the buildings all around the spaceport. Like most centers catering to interstellar travel, this part of Ragnor Lin never slept. With spaceships arriving and departing at all hours, there was a constant need for service, be it for the travelers or for the natives just getting off their shifts. The various businesses surrounding the spaceport ran around the clock shifts. It was the only part of Ragnor Lin that looked to be even the slightest bit prosperous.

Back at the Exitors, the two aliens and five Humans felt quite satisfied with the progress made in the short time they’d been on the planet. Their ships would be recharged, they knew which company would get the contract to service the Juireans, and come the next day, they would scout the shuttle port located to the north of the commercial spaceport for the ships that would actually service the Juirean battleship.

Kaylor, however, was still upset at having been insulted at the dispatch office. How was he supposed to know Juireans weren’t charged for energy? He’d never worked in a recharge station before. Sherri and the rest of the Humans played with his emotions for a while, until they realized Kaylor was taking their ribbing seriously.

“Kaylor we’re all friends here,” Sherri said finally. “We’re just having a little fun. You did great today, and with your help we have a much better chance now of rescuing Adam.”

Kaylor seemed to relax a little, even though Sherri could tell he was still upset. “We still have a very dangerous task ahead of us, and the responsibility for its success will fall more directly on you Humans,” Kaylor said in an effort to dampen the good mood in the room – which had been achieved at his expense.

Yet even in the face of danger and uncertainty, the Humans continued to smile and joke among themselves. Kaylor grew more frustrated, and soon rose from the couch. “I am going to my room now. The recharge crews will be here early in the morning and I need my sleep.”

The Humans waited until he had left the room before they all let loose with a flood of laughter.

Jym, who had been seated next to Kaylor on the couch, also got up. “You Humans are a mean and cruel race.”

“Don’t take things so personally, Jym,” John Tindal said. “We’re just having a little fun. After all, it’s been a long time since we’ve had anything to laugh about.”

“Still, you have hurt his feelings. I will now go to see if he is all right.”

To Riyad’s surprise he found himself saying: “Tell him we are sorry. Kaylor is an integral part of our team, as are you. Out of all the aliens I’ve met and associated with, you two are the only two I can truly call friends.”