"The Deltan's Next Assignment"

[Joe Manning 0]

The lift made its whiny, rickety descent through the maintenance underlevels before coming to a stop beneath the platform's lower surface. Redera slid open the access grate and dropped down to the planet's surface ten feet below, not bothering to use the ladder. The planet's soft topsoil gave under her step only slightly as she sought out a private spot.

 

The tents of the city's decrepit surface dwellers were gathered in bunches around perpetual campfires; none of the light -- golden or azure -- of Tranquility's twin suns ever reached the bleak depths under the platforms. Cloaked figures were huddled around the campfires tending to whatever was available for a late dinner; the six-legged rodents and thick topsoil worms native to the planet were nutritious enough fare if not palatable. A few of them cast a quick look at the Deltan in the tight leather, but paid no lasting attention; people down here knew enough to mind their own business.

 

Redera found refuge under a lean-to constructed against one of the platform's support pillars. Ensuring that no one could see or hear her, she tapped her ODRI and began composing a message. As she spoke, the ODRI broke her voice into dozens of data fragments and relayed them to a like number of comm beacons spread throughout the city. "Finished the interrogation of Nickles. His crew has recovered him, alive and in need of treatment which the Orion will supply. The required information was secured -- Qob will serve our needs well. Depending on how far the Orion goes, we should have the means to control the ship. The tricky part will be gaining access to the landing platform."

 

There was a delay of several seconds as the fragments bounced around dozens more comm relays hundreds of times. One of those relays, the destination of the message, combined the fragments back into Redera's voice. When the message was received, the process repeated as a response was relayed. A voice which was heavily software-processed emerged from the ODRI. "I will work on gaining port access. Rioting has already begun in the Port District. If the situation is excited further, we may have the distraction we require. There is a separate matter which I need you to address."

 

"I thought my only job was getting you a ship out of here?"

 

"Yes. However, this is a matter of some urgency, and the Guardian arrests are causing me a personnel shortage. You are my best remaining agent, and you have always proven remarkably elusive."

 

"It's not going to be that way for long," Redera said. "The Qob crew might already have reported Nickles' kidnapping. And the Guardians are going to find out that my right-of-passage agreement was a forgery as soon as they check with the Taurus Brothers."

 

"Let me worry about the Taurus Brothers. Stand by. Orders to follow ...

 

"Computer databanks recovered from the Systems Enterprises building suggest the presence of a cache of intelligence which has not been shared with the Guardians. This intelligence could comprimise our operations severely. The location of this cache has not been determined; however the private address of Jerald LaHaye was discovered. Transmitting this information to you now. You are to search LaHaye's residence for either the cache itself or information as to its whereabouts."

 

Redera looked over the incoming information. "A condo in the Sunrise District? This could take time. Those places are high security. And LaHaye has three roommates."

 

"Both complications have already been addressed -- platform H-7 is being evacuated. Avoid the platform's bridges. You will make an entrance from the surface using the indicated maintenance lift. Ensure that you are wearing a tightly sealed biohazard suit."