Archives of the Frontier Universe: An Assassin's Assignment (8 page)

“Imbecile!” she spat. Roaring laugher erupted from the crowd and even a few of the patrons applauded her. “There. Now you don’t have to listen to his pointless rambling.” She stood with a complacent face and made for the door.

“Aw! He’s not all that bad,” said one of the guests. “Just let’s his job get to him that’s all. Then he has a little too much to drink and starts making outrageous claims, as you saw. He won’t even remember any of this tomorrow.” The man laughed, and a few laughed with him. “Don’t worry; we’ll take care of him.”

Roes raised her eyebrows in mild interest and nodded slowly. “Indeed. Good night.” She walked through the open doors of the patio, into the dining room, and headed for the nearest exit.

“That was brilliant!” praised Meyer. “Good news too. I’ve got an archive location. It should be about four floors below you. However, I hope that drink isn’t going to affect you. The place is likely guarded.”

“Please!” scoffed Rose. “There are few people, few ‘men’ even, that can out-drink me. I probably won’t even feel it.” She smiled and before exiting the dining room, used her power to snag a few mints from a nearby counter. Everyone else inside was too occupied to notice her. Stuffing the mints in her mouth, she left, still unexposed.

Reaching the end of another corridor, Rose peeked into the next hall. Only two or three people occupied the space from what she could see, all of whom were headed somewhere. She continued down the hall, passing many sets of doors. Obviously, this area served as one of several dormitories for officials traveling to Forcurrier on Court business. The walls themselves were constructed of fine material resembling marble. On the floors, long marvelous rugs were laid, dampening footsteps and adding to the high-class environment. Lastly, high on the walls burned sets of Forcurrian torches, crafted in a marvelous design. Also, every few doors down, large bowl shaped torches hung from the ceiling, similar to those which lit the Court assembly room, she remembered.

“Okay, so you said it was ‘four’ floors down?” she whispered, after walking out of earshot.

“Affirmative,” answered Meyer. “But if I’m reading your position correctly, you already went down a floor.”

“Yes, I did,” she affirmed. “So, three more to go then.”

“I believe so, yes. Sorry, we were not able to establish the most sophisticated connection. Security is still very tight, and their automated systems keep updating privileges, which is giving us trouble. I can’t even pinpoint your exact location. Looks like you’re over twenty stories above the ground and . . . apparently six thousand miles from the nearest highway.”

At this, Rose nearly burst into laughter. “What?!” she breathed with humor. “That’s far enough to be on another continent.” She continued into a stairwell, keeping her ears held to the area.

“That’s correct,” Meyer replied with a chuckle. “It says . . . hold on . . . Right. It keeps alternating between a strong, detailed connection and tremendous interference. This has to be because of the security they’ve got in place.”

Rose reached the fourth floor down and then paused in curiosity. “Well, is it showing I’m at the right place?” she asked.

“Wait a minute, it . . . yes. You’re on the floor. Any of the server rooms should—”

“But there isn’t a door here,” she said, astonished. Moving closer to the plain wall, she listened for activity.

“There’s not a door?”

“No. It’s just a wall—” She leaned closer, feeling the dimensions of the next room. “But there’s certainly something here. I need an alternate route.”

“Damn, the floor must be restricted. Which actually doesn’t surprise me.” He paused for a minute. “You’ll need to access one of the restricted stairwells or elevators. However, you’ll almost certainly need a code.”

Rose sighed, partially disappointed in herself for not foreseeing this. She left the wall and paced across the stone. “So, where would you suggest I’d obtain such credentials? Do I just need to beat up some guard for it?”

“No . . . well, maybe,” said Meyer. “It depends on how restricted the floor is. A guard may not have access to the floor. But I’d bet everything I owned that one of the officials around there has it. Or you may have to get to another floor where they’d be. It’s not likely that an official with the code would be a foreigner. So I wouldn’t be looking around the hotel levels.”

Rose pulled out her glass slate. “Can you send me coordinates? Or just tell me what floor they’d be on? I need to get moving. I don’t want to risk Command bothering you again.”

“Let me see,” began the captain. His typing and configuring of his computer took the place of conversation for a while. Rose put her hands on her hips and began tapping a foot. Amidst her growing eagerness, she thought she may as well contact her master with the time. “Got it!” said Meyer finally. “I’ll save you some breath and keep sending you downstairs. Three more floors. Some of the offices of the Court officials are there. If you can break into one unnoticed, you should be able to slice their system and retrieve a code.”

“Huh, okay,” Rose hummed. She powered on the slate and activated its camera function. Three separate holograms lifted off of the glass and created a semi-hexagonal figure around her face. They then flashed a few times before showing her face from three angles. Besides the professional-styled spectacles she forgot were even on, the rest of her looked lavishing as ever. She did, however, adjust her jewel-red hair slightly and even her ruby lipstick a tad. “Better look good for them,” she said to no one in particular.

“Excuse me, ma’am?” said Meyer.

“Nothing,” she affirmed, powering off the slate. “I’m on my way. Only making sure I look like an employee, just in case, you know?” She stowed the slate and began down the stairs.

“Good idea. Though you looked convincing enough a few hours ago. Besides the fact you’re armed, no one would suspect a thing.”

She snorted. “Captain, everyone’s armed here, and I’ve yet to pass by someone who appeared in any way bothered.” Continuing down, Rose heard a door open a few levels below. Immediately, a conversation regarding the recent assault on Kyte’s base filled the stairwell. She slowed her pace dramatically and listened.

“Yes, but there’s got to be dozens of bases all across Forcurrier,” said a man. “This one is by no means unique.” Rose’s heart throbbed against her chest. He sounded like the Forcurrian at the meeting! And they were coming up the stairs. From under her sleeve, she extended her harpoon to attack.

“It’s unique in the fact that they outright fired on our military,” countered the other man. “If they’re so bold, what’s to say there’s not agents of them within the Grand Hall itself?”
Oh, wonderful
, thought Rose, as they neared. “In reality, they could be even closer than you think! Maybe even
on
the Court itself!”

“I think you’re getting a little jumpy, my friend,” said the man from the meeting. He finally came into view and Rose prepared to drop them both. “The Court is the galaxy’s most sophisticated organization.” He neared Rose, and just as she moved, she realized it was not him! Playing off the gesture, she acted as if losing balance. “Whoa! Careful there,” said the former suspect. He reached to help her. But she politely waved him off.

“No, I’m fine. Yes, that was close,” she giggled. “Sorry, heals and stairs don’t mix well.” She smiled, bowed slightly, and continued.

“Very well,” said the man. “Be careful, though.” He and the other continued up.

Rose trotted the rest of the way down the stairs and reached the target floor. “Sorry,” she whispered. “One of those men sounded like that Forcurrian that was at the meeting. He surely would’ve recognized me.”

“Too bad,” expressed Meyer, a little disappointed. “Then you’d only have two more to go.”

She nodded off his slanted optimism and left the stairwell. The next hall was even quieter than the last, though Rose spotted a single official leaving his office and moving towards the other end of the hall. With fine rugs and burning torches of its own, however, the hall was fit for royalty. She started down it. “Okay, do you recommend any particular office, or will any do?”

“I’d try a few nearer to the end of the hall,” advised the captain. “Those should belong to the more senior officials, who’d most likely have it in their systems.”

Rose nodded and kept moving. She passed many quiet rooms, all of which had closed doors. However, every few offices, there was some sort of distinguishing ornamental aspect. One had an elaborate welcoming sign on the door, and another featured a small rug of its own leading inside. None, though, proved as extravagant as the next. Even from afar, she noticed a small collection of potted flowers which surrounded a particular door. Above the display, two beautiful burning heart-shaped flowers were alight with red fire. They were a particularly rare species of plant that Rose always admired. And then, as she passed the office, she saw a tribute in the center: Court Official Jonathon Clark, Loving Husband, Father, and Champion of the Galactic Court.

For a small moment, Roszephnye felt the tinge of grief, knowing the war would claim many more lives before the end. She doubted, like so many other victims, that this man was even crooked at heart. She then pushed such trifling feelings aside, however, knowing she needed to stay focused.

“So, did you pick one yet?” asked Meyer. “There should be plenty.”

Rose looked side to side, examining potential offices. “Not yet. I have a feeling I should choose this carefully. I could probably gain access to some even better information from this level. Interesting it’s not off limits too.”

“Well, the doors are probably locked, right? Anyways, if you want to plunder a real goldmine, I got a target for you.” He finished with a confident voice, but seeing the next office, Rose was already on to his suggestion.

“You mean
that
office” she said, slowing. Ahead of her stood a grand set of double doors, with many fine designs surrounding them. Obviously, this was the office of the highest authority on the floor. And then she read the name engraved in the stone above, realizing the office belonged to the highest authority in the
building
. Shimmering in the torchlight, the sign read: Executive Justice Ladorn Kelrundum.

“If you’re looking at the one of the Executive Justice . . . then yes,” the captain replied.

“I am.” She gazed at the room, the possibilities spreading like wildfire, and exciting her. “Strange that his office is on this particular floor, though.”

“He’s the man over the entire Court!” Meyer announced with a little laugh. “He’s bound to have several offices all over that place. Now, if you want to be impressive, get in
there
and obtain the code. With no security around, you should have time to pick the lock.”

“Right,” she snorted, pulling out the slate again. She scanned the door for a security interface, but there was none. Cocking her head, she expanded the radius. Still nothing. “That’s odd,” she said. “It appears there’s not a computerized lock.” She looked to the handles, noticing a single large keyhole.

“There’s not a regular lock or anything?” asked Meyer on cue.

“Actually, there is. But it’s still strange.” She reached into her skirt and pulled out her advanced pick. Inserting the piece in, she activated the device and it transformed—teeth into tumblers. She turned the device, and the lock clicked. “Got it.” After checking her rear, Rose opened one of the doors, slipped inside, and then shut it. She reengaged the lock behind her and stowed her devices. “I’m starting to think there won’t be anything to find in here. Either there’s nothing worth protecting, the man’s daft, or he’s too confident in his people.”

“There’s got to be
something
in there,” put Meyer. “And if he’s under-protective, that’s our gain.”

Rose walked in the grand office quietly. The place was mostly dark, though the city glimmered dimly through a window nearby. Lining most of the walls were chests, cabinets, and even some tables for paperwork. On the right side stood a lone wardrobe, across from the window. Against the back wall were many shelves of books, even a few aisles. In the center, however, and upon a risen section of the floor, sat the man’s large desk. It displayed all sorts of additional paperwork, knickknacks, fine pens, and a calendar. His luxury-grade chair was positioned behind it, with two others on the opposite end. Like everything else, though, they seemed used recently but appropriately repositioned for tidiness.

“Well, Justice, do you think it’s big enough?” Rose mumbled, staring over the expanse.

“Ha!” laughed Meyer. “Is it really that big?”

“I’d say they could fit about four or five regular offices in here . . . probably with private bathrooms.”

“So . . . a bit excessive?”

“Um . . . yes. Quite. And if he’s got more of these, that’s downright criminal.” Rose moved over to the window, grabbed the drapes, and drew them closed. The room became almost black, but she quickly activated the lamp on the man’s desk. The luminous crystals atop the lamp glowed to life, shining white but dimly. She then moved over to the desk and sat in the justice’s chair. “All right. I’m at his computer. What am I looking for specifically, you’d say?” She brought the device out of sleep mode only to be thwarted by trivial security.

“It doesn’t need a password?” asked Meyer, astounded.

“Wait, it does,” she confirmed, embarrassed at her own foolishness. “I . . . I’m going to try to circumvent it, but . . .”

“I don’t think that’s going to work, Byruhme. The executive justice’s work station would not be protected by a simple, single layer of security—even if you were able to bypass the login prompt. It’s . . .” he trailed off, sapping the woman’s confidence.

“It’s what?” she hissed. “I’m here now. I need to get this code. Maybe one of the other offices will—”

Suddenly, she heard voices . . . approaching! And then the horrifying sound of footsteps. “
I understand the pressure you’re under . . .
” came the justice’s very voice!

“Yes?” pressed Meyer. “The other offices—”

“He’s here!” she whispered, freaking out. “Kelrundum! I can’t believe . . .” Forgoing the explanation of her own thoughts, Rose quickly redirected the computer to the first prompt and put it back in sleep mode. Standing out of the chair, she pushed it back where it was, and ran behind an aisle of his personal library. “I’m going silent!” she advised. “Hopefully, he won’t see me.”

“Copy that. I’ll be on the line.”