Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
completed under the ======
Merc
---------------------
It was with the look of great reluctance that ThaStornla eventually stepped out of the sense library. They ascended five more levels to reach the command centre. Tor noticed how the captain only paused briefly when passing the Sentinel.
The robot appeared to give a slight nod of acknowledgement but otherwise remained motionless. Tor passed by and simply felt the thing stare at him, he wondered if Sweety had managed to really get to grips with the Mohrabas system language and his mind drifted to the second unit still lurking in the maintenance bay of the Silicon Mine.
ThaStornla quietly studied the systems as Tor explained where they had found the remains of ThaThwyn. The Mohrabas asked, “So he left data crystals?”
Tor nodded and replied, “And a device to read them but we couldn't work out how to use it.”
ThaStornla nodded slowly and said, “What happened to ThaThwyn?”
Tor replied slowly, “We scanned the crystals for a clue and Sweety suggested the most fitting thing was to put his remains in a casket and send him towards the sun.”
With a sigh ThaStornla said, “It was a good decision.”
Sweety interrupted them, “Tor, ThaStornla. Broden would like to see you both, they think they may have found a potential lead.”
Tor immediately said, “We're on our way.” Then looked at ThaStornla, “Unless you want to keep looking around.”
ThaStornla shook his head and replied, “No. I have seen enough for now. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future to return.”
They made their own way back leaving the scientists to continue their research, which now had a deeper sense of urgency after Tors announcement that he would be handing back the station.
Polmanckelest had decided not to wait for Tors' return and made the onward journey to the Cahoona Bakery to conduct the final interviews.
Broden sat in Tors' office just reading the details of the previous interviews, and particularly the two or three which he had originally felt would be worth investigating in depth. Even so the interview with Plomo had over ruled his initial instincts.
Tor entered at a fast pace and almost out of breath. ThaStornla casually strode in after him and ducked under the door lintel as if it had become second nature.
In a few breathless words Tor asked, "What have you got for us?"
Broden offered his datapad to Tor, who took it from him and stood quietly for a moment studying the interview transcript. He said slowly, "Is this the discrepency you were looking for."
Giving a nod Broden commented, "Yes, but until Polmanckelest concludes the last few we won't be sure this isn't a devious double bluff."
Tor asked, "So which station was this?"
Broden answered, "Chip plant."
Tor thought for a moment, "Did you talk to the trooper, see if they might have seen someone they recognise as one of Ferans' people?"
With a shake of the head, Broden replied, "People like Feran hire freelance assassins from a list of pseudonyms. These people don't, as a rule, hang around on pirate stations. Too many undercover agents visit the places looking for new faces to add to the potential criminal database."
Tor looked perplexed, "There must be a feint chance he could have been on the Scruffin Farm before the attack on the mine."
Broden sighed, "Look if it'll make you any happier, I'll go chat to the trooper. But don't expect them to be that co-operative." He asked out loud, "Sweety, remind me which trooper did we put on the chip plant?"
Sweety replied, "Wilasma."
Tor said, "I'll go with ThaStornla. I expect Polmanckelest will be expecting you to help with the rest of the interviews."
Broden frowned and commented, "I can understand you wanting to get involved Tor, but you'll be an easy target if you go onboard."
Tor looked across, "I'm kicking my heels here, just loitering in the background for something good to happen. I need to get involved."
With a smile Broden commented, "And you will, when you take the assassin to see our friend here's people."
Tor sighed, "Okay. I'll stay here and review the data."
Broden rose from the seat and commented, "Just be patient for a little bit longer. We'll give you another update when we finish." Tor handed him back the datapad before Broden left the office.
ThaStornla looked at Tor and growled, "I can see his words do not please you."
Tor said quietly, "Sweety I want you to keep this conversation confidential, just between us three."
Sweety responded, "Is that an order?"
Tor replied, "Yes!"
ThaStornla looked around the room and purred, "This computer based sentient intelligence fascinates me. How is it achieved?"
Tor looked at ThaStornla and shrugged, "I guess only Sweety can answer that."
Sweety purred softly, "I thought this was going to be controversial?"
Tor said quickly, "Yes, I'm going to the Chip Plant."
Sweety purred again, "See you, if you get back, I think I'll stay and chat to our friend here."
ThaStornla responded with a laughing growl, "Fascinating, and as much as I will enjoy our conversation it must wait." He looked at Tor and said, "I will come with you."
Tor said, "Let's go. Oh and Sweety you're not invited."
Sweety responded jovially, "Then I'll tell."
Tor hesitated, returned to his desk and unclipped the technical datapad from its interface. Walking back towards the door he commented, "Happy now?"
They reached the docking bay but before boarding the transport Tor stopped and looked over towards the Defiance. As far as he could tell it was just an indescribable mass of power conduits and maintenance robots shifting panels.
He wandered across and turned over an old discarded part with his boot. The components were fused and charred beyond recognition. Stepping around the side he spotted the airlock doors had been removed completely so he looked inside.
There was a slight hum from the repaired replicator which surprised him as this would mean that it had power. He had the distinct impression that the inside of the ship was somehow different from before but decided that it was probably an illusion caused by the fact most of the internal panels had been removed.
As he wandered back towards the transport he asked, "Sweety how long before the Defiance is working again."
Sweety replied, "At the current rate it will be two Tazuras before it is complete."
ThaStornla growled quietly, "Sorry about the damage to your ship. I could not persuade the Commander not to fire a second time."
Tor nodded and with a wry smile said, "Fortunately it can be repaired."
Sweety gave docking clearance and with a sense of doing something positive for a change Tor piloted the shuttle to the Chip Plant. Docking permission was a formality and once at the dockside Tor checked that he had blasters and stun stick in easy reach. He was not sure what type of weapon the Mohrabas was carrying and then came to the conclusion that ThaStornla was a weapon, being faster and stronger than any Argon, with retractable razor sharp claws.
With a couple of deep breaths he opened the airlock door and stepped out onto the docking bay. No one paid him much attention until ThaStornla emerged, then everyone stopped and looked towards them. Tor felt that this idea of his was a terrible mistake when Sweety commented quietly through his ear piece, "Are we just going to stand here, or do you fancy not being so out in the open?"
Tor commented quickly, "Okay tell me where Wilasma is?"
Sweety replied, "Take shuttle lift gamma four up to level eleven and the rest centre will be on the right. We want room one five seven."
Tor looked for the shuttle lift signs and moved boldly towards the gamma section lifts. The huge form of ThaStornla padded almost silently behind him whilst studying the faces of the station inhabitants.
Fortunately for Tor, no-one appeared to want to get into the same shuttle as ThaStornla. The Mohrabas appeared to be enjoying himself.
Tor said, "I have to apologise if people stare. It's kind of a natural curiosity we have. After a while people will be used to you and then it won't be so bad."
The shuttle stopped and the doors slid open. Stepping out Tor guided them towards the rest centre. He glanced at the technical pad to prompt him for the room number. Stopping outside the door Tor knocked gently. There was no answer.
Speaking quietly he asked, "Sweety, scan the room. Wilasma is here isn't she?"
Sweety replied, "Yes she is inside. Currently she is in bed resting."
Tor asked, "Is she awake?"
There was a slight hesitation when Sweety replied, "Possibly."
Tor was about to ask Sweety to wake her up by triggering the room alarm when ThaStornla put a hand on his shoulder. The Mohrabas Captain looked perplexed and seemed to taste the air, "There is something bad here."
++++++++++
Looking closely at ThaStornla Tor asked, "Sweety can you scan the room for explosives?"
Sweety replied, "Scanning." After a few moments she replied, "I detect nothing. But I have requested medical assistance and security."
They did not have to wait long when both a medical team and a heavily armed security team pounded along the corridor. The chief security officer asked, "What's the problem here?"
Tor said casually, "A friend of ours is in the room, but appears to be unresponsive."
The security officer did not look impressed, however refrained from saying anything curt in the presence of the watchful gaze of ThaStornla. He said, as politely as he could, "And so you thought you'd call us?"
Tor gave a wry smile, "We need your permission to open the door. But before you give us permission, we'll move a few doors down."
The voice of Broden bellowed commandingly down the corridor, "Stop what you're doing! Everyone stand back!"
With a face like thunder Broden moved quickly down the corridor and stopped in front of Tor. Looking at the expectant faces of the security and medical teams he commanded, "Get back and take cover. Tor a quiet word."
He activated the door release behind Tor and stepped into the room. ThaStornla appeared to briefly smell the air. Broden turned on Tor and commented angrily, "What the hell are you doing?"
Tor replied defensively, "I'm trying not to have my face ripped off."
Broden punched the wall beside Tor and took a moment to calm himself, "We've nearly completed the interviews and we now have a second discrepancy."
Tor asked, "What do you mean?"
Broden held back for a moment, before he replied, "There could be two assassins running around."
Tor said, "Oh."
ThaStornla growled gently, "Open the door to the room Sweety."
The door to Wilasmas' room glided open as the Mohrabas Captain strode from one room to the next. Everyone began to converge towards the doorway. ThaStornla growled, "Stay back."
Tor was close and his stomach told him it would rather be much further away. The scent of faeces assaulted his nasal passages and he stepped back.
The doctor stepped forward and Tor against his initial reaction followed him into the room. Broden said quietly, "Careful there doctor."
Wilasma had been turned onto her front and covered in the white sheets of the bed. However the localised dark damp colour gave Tor a clear indication of where the stench came from. He noted the vacant expression. It was not something he had expected to see or in reflection ever wanted to witness again. Turning around a crowd of curious faces lurked in the doorway. Their entrance being prevented by the solid bulk of Broden.
The doctor took a saliva sample and scanned the results, a few moments later he said, "Mr Grall, can I have a private word."
Broden said, "Everyone back. Sweety close the door."
The doctor looked around as the door closed. Only Broden, Tor and ThaStornla remained in the room with him and Wilasma.
Tor watched him and commented quietly, "It's okay they're with me."
The doctor frowned and then commented, "I have to tell you the effects of the poison are irreversible."
Tor asked, "What do you mean?"
The doctor looked perplexed and then sighed, "The toxin that's been used is better known as Deaths Tears."
Broden commented viciously, "The bastard."
Tor looked blank and responded, "This is bad?"
The doctor looked at him and replied quietly, "If someone cut a hole in your skull and slowly poured in concentrated acid, that would be nicer way to go than this stuff."
Tor looked at Wilasma and asked, "Is there nothing we can do?"
The doctor replied, "We can neutralise the toxin so she won't get any worse." He paused, "But she won't get any better either."
Tor looked at ThaStornla and asked, "Could your people help?"
ThaStornla shook his head, "Even we haven't worked out how to re-grow a brain."
Quietly Tor asked, "How long do you think she has left?"
The Doctor looked directly at Tor, frowned and replied, "About nine Stazuras."
The full weight of the decision hit Tor like a battering ram and he was unprepared for it. He could stop the decay and preserve life for what it was worth, or let Wilasma die. Three pairs of eyes watched him intensely.
He said calmly, "Would you give me a moment alone."
The door opened again and the gathered security and medics yielded space as ThaStornla and the doctor left the room, Broden placed a heavy hand on his shoulder. Their eyes met and without having to exchange words he left the room. In that instance Tor knew his decision but it riled against everything he held precious. He approached the bed and looked at the vacant eyes hoping that there would be a spark of something.
He closed his eyes and a few tears escaped to run down his face. Eventually he turned and walked towards the door which slid open and he stepped out into the corridor. Looking directly at the doctor he said, "Make her comfortable and let the toxin run its course, but don't let her suffer." He hesitated and then added, "Call me when the time is near."
The doctor gave a slow nod, "But I must warn you the end will be sudden. The heart or lungs will just stop."
Tor looked thoughtful and said, "Understood." Looking over to Broden he commented, "Let's make sure the others are safe."
Broden looked at the doctor and asked, "How long do you think she's been like this?"
The doctor replied, "Difficult to tell, when we've got her settled in the med centre we should be able to get a more accurate idea of how much toxin she's been given and we can extrapolate backwards on the amount of damage done."
Tor asked quietly, "Would she have suffered?"
Brodens’ jaw tensed as he exchanged a quick look with the doctor. The doctor said slowly, "I've only ever come across two cases of poisoning with this stuff, both were much earlier in the course of the toxin, "The doctor looked grim before saying, "And I'd rather not answer that."
Tor commented to Broden, "There's a certain new urgency in catching this person don't you think?"
Broden nodded and said, "And when we catch them, you’re going to have to stop me sticking them in an airlock and slowly releasing the atmosphere and pressure."
Tor looked at ThaStornla and asked, "Could you make out a scent?"
The Mohrabas Captain replied, "Only the faintest of musk. They may have been closer but not in that room."
Broden raised a curious eyebrow and asked, "Musk?"
ThaStornla answered in a low growl, "We are after a male of your species."
Broden asked cautiously, "You're sure of that?"
ThaStornla simply indicated with a positive gesture. Tor said, "He means yes. But I think we should save this conversation and allow the medics here an opportunity to do their job."
They moved along the corridor until they felt they were comfortably out of casual earshot. In a moment ThaStornla had knocked both men to the floor and also lay flat to the deck. The explosion echoed along the corridor, debris showered them and screams of the wounded followed the temporary silence.
All the colour had drained from Tors' face and he said slowly, "What the." Looking back down the corridor all he could do was retch.
Broden rose up as the dust continued to settle and surveyed the scene. Without looking at ThaStornla he asked, "How did you know?"
ThaStornla replied, "Same sound as the last one."
Broden glance at the shrapnel holes that perforated the walls where they had been standing, "Good hearing too. Let's hope all these loud bangs don't spoil it."
Tor commented as he tired to pull himself together, "Pity you couldn't smell the bomb."
Broden answered bitterly, "It's an energy device. They don't have a smell. She must have been lying on top of the trigger."
The mental image cast in Tors' mind had him turn away and lean against the wall to try and retch again but there was nothing left.
Brodens jaw tensed and with a focus stare down the corridor at the dismembered and wounded station personnel he commented to ThaStornla, "Whatever you have in mind for this guy it had better be painful. But you'll have to give me the satisfaction of kicking nine bells of shit out of him first."
ThaStornla looked across and growled, "I'm not sure I understand all of what you said. But if I understand the general gist correctly, I believe an unprecedented amount of non lethal violence is involved."
Broden responded with a bitter quietness, "Yeah, something like that."
New faces appeared as the remainder of the stations medical teams converged on the corridor. Somehow that made things worse as the station crew began to recognise friends and companions amongst the wounded and deceased.
Tor pulled himself together and said quietly, "You can be second in line after me."
Sweety reported, "I have a pre-recorded message for you Tor."
Tor commented, "Play it."
A voice Tor did not recognise said, "Well Mr Grall, if you're hearing this it means that I still haven't succeeded in killing you. Well all I can say is Wilasma was already dead. However take some comfort that I did try to make her last moments more pleasant, but maybe you'll be luckier in saving the remaining three."
Tor commented, "We need to check on the others. Sweety run a voice recognition on the recording."
Both Broden and ThaStornla looked at Tor with curiosity. Tor said, "What?"
Broden answered quietly, "It was your voice!"
***********
Tors' jaw dropped, eventually he asked quietly, "Sweety, how can it be my voice?"
Sweety replied gently, "Other than the obvious reason. It may have been compiled but I will have to run a complete spectral analysis. But you have to remember this is recorded and compressed data, so it is going to be impossible to say for certain if there is a true match if this message is eighty five percent accurate to the normal voice pattern."
Broden commented quietly, "Lets get back on ship before we discuss our next move."
Tor commented quietly, "Should be obvious, the assassin won't be able to find Helass. He'll assume she's on the Solar Power Plant. Last thing he'll expect is to discover that she's not there."
Broden commented, "How do you figure that out?"
Tor replied, "We never told any of them the location of the others. Wilasma would have assumed that we didn't want any them on the mine."
Broden gave a nod, "Let's get moving."
They made their way past the medics and security. Broden looked at the crowd and commented, "Sweety, any chance you can get us permission to transport out?"
Sweety replied, "Just making the request." A moment later she responded, "Permission granted."
The next thing Tor, ThaStornla and Broden knew was they were in the rear cabin of the transport ship.
Broden looked at ThaStornla and then at Tor before saying, "Okay let's get a few things understood." He took a deep breath, "One Mr. assassin has a supply of explosive devices, two he knows about the troopers and three has had time to set up traps for us." Tor digested the information and nodded. Broden continued, "So we need a plan, something to bring this guy out in the open."
Tor commented, “Shouldn't we just check up on the other two first?”
Broden gave a nod, “I'll talk to security on each station and get them to check. But we must assume that the assassin has already got there first and if he hasn't done anything then it's because he waiting for you to show up.”
Tor nodded, “Well I wasn't proposing on personally going this time around.”
Broden responded, “Well I'm glad to hear it.”
ThaStornla growled softly, “So how do you plan on catching this assassin?”
Broden replied, “We ask around. Find out when she was seen last and if she was with someone at the time.”
Tor looked across, “Isn't that going to be a little too obvious.”
Broden nodded, “I don't doubt he will have altered his appearance, but it'll give us a time and a rough description of his height and build.”
Tor looked at ThaStornla and asked, “Do you think you could pick out the assassin from his scent?”
ThaStornla shook his head, “Only if I have something to refer back to.”
Tor commented, “But you did catch his smell.”
ThaStornla shook his head with a purring laugh, “All I have is the memory of the scent, and much of that has been obscured by much stronger aromas since.”
Broden commented, “We need to get moving.”
Tor allowed Broden to occupy the pilot seat as he sat and contemplated what he felt needed to be done. The moment he sat down however the energy from the adrenaline of nearly being killed yet again flowed away. He said out loud, “This not dying business really takes it out of you. I am totally knackered.”
The docking clamps released and the ship glided away, Broden called back, “I would have thought you'd got used to that by now.”
Tor replied casually, “Somehow I don't think I'll ever get used to it.” He looked over at ThaStornla and asked, “What do you think? Is it possible to become accustomed to nearly being killed?”
ThaStornla gave him a curious look before answering, “Most of us get used to staying alive however close to death we may get.”
Tor smiled and said, “Yeah, that's a better way of looking at it.”
ThaStornla growled, “I will need to give ThiRioth a progress update when we return.”
Tor asked hopefully, “Do you think you can get us more time?” ThaStornla gestured in the negative, Tor frowned and added, “Well there's no harm in asking.”
Broden kept quiet as he tried to work out in his own mind exactly how they were going to catch the assassin. His mind kept wandering to thoughts of using Helass as bait, but having seen Wilasma his instinct kicked back against it on principle and he also knew that Tor would not accept this suggestion. This left few options, the interview route was going to be slow and painful even with the new lead. He was going to have to rely on chance breakthroughs to get ahead and a degree of bending the rules. He had not completely fathomed out Polmanckelest but one thing was certain, the big Paranid would be a force to be reckoned with if he took exception to the way he conducted the ongoing investigation.
Tor breathed a deep sigh of relief when they stepped onto the dockside of the Silicon Mine. This was home perhaps his only safe haven and as he glanced at the Defiance he adjusted the thought that this was the only safe place for him.
They passed Liann as she came off duty and Tor noticed as she tried avoiding making eye contact when he said, “Hi.” He glanced at Broden.
Broden shrugged, “She told me that you'd left the station. How else did you think I knew where to find you.”
Tor gave a wry smile, “I guess Sweety should have asked her not to tell you.”
Broden commented, “On the other hand perhaps it's a better thing she didn't.”
As they entered Tors office he asked, "Right then, Sweety remind me which prisoner ended up on which station."
Sweety replied, "The Argon Daraman is located on the Computer Plant. The Teladi Zeelanamoula is on the Cahoona Bakery."
Tor strolled over to the private bar, "What's their status?"
Sweety reported back, "Alive."
The security team on the Cahoona Bakery had closed off the passage to Zeelanamoulas' room at both ends. The news of an explosion on the Chip Plant had left them with a feeling of unease. Several robots were engaged in gaining entrance to the room via air conduits and maintenance runs.
Officer Johlin watched the screen intently as the first robot popped open the vent. He could sense a collective holding of breath as the panel flipped open. The scanners showed no signs of motion from the prone figure of the Teladi.
With suction cups on the multiple limbs of the small robot unit it moved cautiously into the room and walked gently across the ceiling. Scanners indicated the presence of a pattern disrupter, which prevented a simple extraction via transporter. Johlin hoped they would be able to locate the device and disable it.
The portable scanner units gave feedback on the other maintenance robots. These had been set to probe the subsystems for anything unusual. So far they had nothing but he still felt nervous about ordering the door to be opened.
The maintenance units continued to report nothing out of the ordinary as the robot in the room steadily made it's way down the wall whilst searching for the source of the disruption field. Noting that three of the survey robots had finished their work Johlin ordered them to withdraw.
With no immediate sign of an explosive device he contemplated remote opening the door to see if there would be any reaction. Having been sat here for the last fifteen Mizuras his patience was beginning to wear thin. A chime from the monitor indicated that the disrupter had been located, however it had been wedged under the bed.
The close range scanner indicated no immediate danger from the device, but it would need to be extracted in order to open the control panel. The listening monitors had been set to detect the high pitch noise of a device charging up. He issued the instruction for the device to be extracted. As the robot grappled with the unit the sound detectors picked up the faint sound of shattering glass.
A few quiet moments passed in the corridor as Johlin watched in horror as the figure of the Teladi convulsed and then with a final few twitches the body lay still. All life signs vanished from the scanners.
===========
It suddenly dawned on Johlin to isolate the air recirculation units. He shouted through to the command centre. "Poison gas alert. We have poison gas in section Pandora twelve."
A casual voice replied, "Come again."
One of the squad next to him coughed, and with a wild stare he said, "Shut down the god damn recirculation system NOW! Poison gas in the Pandora twelve section." He felt a tightening of his chest. Blast doors slammed down the metallic boom signifying they were now sealed in.
A more senior voice came over the comm. "Captain. We're going to have to purge the system with neutralising agents and evacuate the air. It will take a couple of Mizura to transport all of you out before we do so hang in there."
Johlin looked around as his men looked back his own fear reflected in their faces as he felt several muscles begin to twitch. The transporter unit began to activate and one by one the men were extracted to the emergency isolation unit of the medical bay.
Polmanckelest strode in to Tors office his face expressionless as Sweety related the news from the Bakery.
Tor looked grave, his expression a mixture of suppressed outrage and deep thought. After Sweety gave the number of casualties Tor said quietly, "Bombs and poison gas. What else? How many more innocent people are going to die?"
Broden commented, "We still have Daraman."
Sweety interrupted, "I have another pre-recorded message for you Tor."
Tor said bitterly, "Play it."
The voice that Tor now clearly recognised as his own came over the speakers, "Two down and two to go. Who said revenge isn't sweet."
The others in the room looked at Tor. Polmanckelest stepped up to the table and placed a datapad in front of Tor. He commented, "There's something you might find interesting here."
Tor looked at the datapad, then he shrugged and said, "What's this?"
Polmanckelest said, "Look at the time and date."
Tor gazed at it and then looked perplexed, "But this doesn't make any sense. I mean we would have seen this earlier."
Polmanckelest frowned, "According to my records the name's always been there, but someone omitted to mention it. Didn't you Sweety?"
Broden commented, "What are you talking about? Here give that to me." Tor handed the datapad across to him and he and studied it closely before commenting carefully, "But this is ridiculous. You can't possibly believe this."
Polmanckelest replied, "The fact that Mr. Grall here appears to have been on each of the stations at around the time period we believe the victims were, for want of a better word, attacked is pure chance."
Tor gave a bitter laugh, "Well that will be easy to disprove, the only times I've not had people with me is when I've been asleep. Otherwise ThaStornla and a host of others will be able to vouch for my whereabouts."
Polmanckelest responded, "I have no doubt about that."
Broden sensed a slightly cynical undertone in the Paranids voice, "If you think he murdered them then why don't you just say it?"
Polmanckelest gave a sigh, "Personally I don't think Tor would send messages to himself."
Tor commented, "Would I be right in thinking we're nowhere near catching this guy?"
Polmanckelest responded, "He's sending us in every direction and the killing is indiscriminate. I might even say opportunistic in that he’s hoping you’ll be one of the victims."
Broden commented, "This guy doesn't fit what I would call the normal profile of an assassin. This is more like terrorism than assassination.”
Polmanckelest nodded in agreement, “That's exactly what this is and it's reducing the number of trained security personnel on all attacked stations. This will give him a greater ability for moving around unchallenged.”
Tor commented, "But it's such a senseless waste of life."
Broden said bitterly, "This type of person didn't take the job because he cares about people." Broden looked at Polmanckelest and asked, “So could it be one of your crowd that's doing this?”
The big Paranid gave Broden a long hard stare before saying slowly, “Although we do not get on so well with you lesser beings. That does not make us all homicidal killers.”
Broden commented, “I was just trying to see if we could narrow the list down.”
Tor interjected, “Whilst you both discuss the finer points of race relations and build a team spirit, what about Daraman and Helass?”
Polmanckelest responded, "So far our assassin has used poisoned gas and explosives. What else he has to show us isn't certain. We should also assume that only Helass hasn't been attacked."
ThaStornla growled quietly, "Might I suggest that this Helass is relocated to my home world." The three looked at him as they considered the suggestion. ThaStornla added, "It would make certain that she is safe."
Tor said slowly, "And at the same time she may be of some help to us if she stays."
Broden countered, "Only if she can identify this guy."
Looking across Tor said, "Well whilst you guys decide if there's any point seeing if Daraman is still alive, I'll go talk to the girl."
Sweety announced, "Tor we have a message that the Mohrabas supply ship has arrived."
Broden said, "Sweety can you deal with it?"
ThaStornla growled, "I will assist."
Security chief Plinton Tredrow on the Computer Plant felt nervous, his palms were damp with sweat and beads of perspiration lined his forehead. Being well aware of the nature of the attacks on the Chip Plant and the Cahoona Bakery did little to ease his mind. Two different methods used which implied that the assassin could have employed a third technique to cause devastation.
Precautions were already in place, the area had been cleared of visitors and the blast doors closed. The air recirculation system had been isolated in case of biological agents and medical units were on full alert. The station maintenance units combed the electrical systems for hidden devices.
Once again the pattern disruptor prevented extraction of the individual. Unlike the incident on the Bakery he had kept all his people away from the room and on the safe side of the blast doors. Still he felt uncomfortable as a floor panel lifted giving access for a search and recover robot to gain access to the room.
As the unit moved slowly across the floor it scanned for trip wires, light beams and anything else that could be part of a trigger mechanism. Plinton had the robot hold position and camera zoom in on the motionless figure lying in the bed. He watched for sometime and felt a growing sense of unease and discomfort knowing something was not right but unable to put his finger on what was bothering him.
He glanced across to the scanner readings which showed a strong and steady pulse. Ordering the rover forward again it located the disruptor and as before the unit had been jammed into position. With added caution several scanner sweeps were made around the unit for anything unusual.
The report came back negative. Using a cutting lance a section of the bed was sliced away to allow easy extraction of the unit. The control panel flipped open without incident and Plinton breathed a heavy sigh of relief. He then gave the order for the rover to deactivate the unit.
Well, now he is making himself a target and if he survives it that may be the trigger to find the assessin.
Ah, he was going to then changed his mind... 
