Making the Grade (Omnia Online Series Book 2) (20 page)

Kevin slept until noon that Wednesday, and Samantha had a waiting message for him. 

“The Governor extends an invitation for you to visit him tomorrow evening for dinner at the Governor’s Mansion.  He mentions the fact that he is inviting a few guests and the dress is formal,” said Samantha.

“Samantha, can I decline the invitation?  I don’t think I’ll like it, and would rather avoid the press and public,” complained Kevin.  Not liking public events was an understatement; he didn’t even go to his own graduation ceremony after college.

“The way the Governor worded the invitation made it sound more like a command performance than something optional.  The message stressed the need to calm the public after this morning’s events.”

“I think the Governor is also looking at making political capital out of being the one to hire you.  His message mentioned something about his foresight and how he was pleased that you got right on top of the problem so fast.”

If you want to avoid the party, we need to leave the system before the Governor finds a way to make you regret the decision.

“So it’s put up with one night of discomfort, or deal with much more trouble down the road?” asked Kevin. “I guess I’m going to meet the Governor then.”

Kevin sighed at the inevitable.

“So what’s the standard of dress for a formal event…  Maybe this is where I can resign this temporary marshal’s post…” said Kevin as he considered his options.

“I informed the Governor that you didn’t have formal attire, and he offered the services of his own tailor,” said Samantha.

Kevin was impressed; the Governor was going out of his way not just to make sure he was there…

“Samantha, doesn’t this sound like a bit much?  It’s like he’s trying to make sure were on friendly terms, and that doesn’t make sense unless he wants something more from me,” said Kevin.

“Yes, I think your right.  Maybe the Governor is hoping you’ll take on the marshal’s position long term?” Samantha suggested.

“We’ll see.  So time for lunch and exercise before meeting the Governor’s tailor, Samantha?” asked Kevin.

“Lunch is waiting and ready, when you’re ready Kevin,” she replied.

***

A few hours later Drake left the tailor’s shop wearing a new set of clothes, and the promise of a set of formal clothing by noon the next day.

Drake immediately noticed that he was getting more attention from people he passed by.  His previous second-hand clothes were loose fitting and hid his body as much as covered it.  Drake realized that the new clothes were very form-fitting, even though it didn’t display his muscles, it did show the fitness of his body.

Drake was about to head back to the Guild Hall when Samantha said, “You have a request for a meeting from someone named Mikaj Ryuu.”

“Are you still screening my messages, like I asked the last time my name was on the local news?” asked Drake.

“Yes Drake, but this person says he has some vital information about the data-cube we discovered.” replied Samantha.

Drake was immediately interested.  He had discovered the data-cube while trying to escape the destruction of a freighter two months ago.  Since then Drake had turned the cube over to Sidonia, the hacker in the Aggressive solutions group.  The last he heard Sid was making no progress on cracking the data-cube’s encryption.  Drake’s agreement with Aggressive Solutions was to share in any income that could be generated after discovering what was on the cube.

“Where and when?” asked Drake.

“The invitation is to have tea at the Golden Kraflon Restaurant near the spaceport sometime in the next two hours.  How would you like me to reply?” asked Samantha.

“What can you tell me about this Mikaj Ryuu, Samantha?” asked Drake.  He didn’t want to waste time chasing rumors, or falling into a trap.

“I can find nothing using the open data-net, would you like me to extend my search to police records?  I only ask because this is not related to the job we just finished, but we still have access,” asked Samantha.

“Yes, let’s see if anything comes up.” replied Drake, “In the meantime let's return to the Guild Hall.  If I’m going to a strange meeting with a stranger near the spaceport, I’ll feel comfortable more wearing my weapon belt.”

Drake was feeling underdressed all of the sudden.  He was regretting leaving behind his blaster, which he had grown used to wearing in public.

Drake decided to return to the Guild Hall by taxi.

After Samantha ordered him a taxi, and he was on his way back to the Hall, Samantha gave him the information she discovered.

“Drake, I have found many listings for Mikaj Ryuu, but the most notable reference is the third son of the leader of the Flame Talon clan.  They are a taigen which is a kind of criminal organization originally from the Shartran sector of Imperia space.  The reason I believe that this man, is the same Mikaj Ryuu, is that the Golden Kraflon Restaurants serve Shartran food and are the legal holdings of his family.” said Samantha.

“So he is part of some sort of criminal gang?” asked Drake.

“The taigen’s range from criminal gangs, all the way up to major and long established multi-sector criminal enterprises, and the Flame Talon are the latter.  It is a clan legend that their family supported the First Empress Drea when she formed the Imperium, four thousand years ago,” replied Samantha.

‘So, what would a prince of a vast criminal clan want with the data-cube?’
thought Drake.

“Go ahead and let him know that I’ll be there in… how long will it take to get there, Sam?”

“I’ll let him know you’ll be there in forty minutes.”

***

When Drake entered the Golden Kraflon Restaurant, he was wearing the same outfit as when he left the tailor, along with his weapons belt, with its blaster and knife.  He decided that if people as powerful as Samantha made this Clan out to be wanted him dead, he would have received a bullet, not a note.

Before Drake could introduce himself to the receptionist, he was greeted and shown to a private dining room.

Drake was starting to get used to the diversity of peoples in the Imperium, but he had not yet run into an Elf that had dark skin and eye’s that looked Asian.

The Elf stood when Drake entered the room.

“I’m glad you accepted my invitation, I’m Mikaj Ryuu. Would you like a cup of tea, Mr. Drake?” he said.

Drake had tried some of the herbal infusion that translated to ‘tea’ in the Imperium, and had yet to find one that was a near match to the types of tea he sometimes drank in the ‘real world’.

The term ‘real world’ was starting to become more flexible as Drake learned more about Intelecom and the Omnia game.

“Yes, thank you, I would be glad for a cup.  I suppose you already know my name, but most people just call me Drake,” He replied.

“Good to know, and from the curious way you looked at me, I take it you have not met many of the darker portion of my Elven kin?  Some people call us Dark Elves, which is a term we both reject and embrace, depending on who you talk too.  I wouldn’t suggest using the term, though, since so many take dark to mean evil.  Few men are evil in their own heart, and few like to be called dark.”

Drake could think of no right way to respond to this comment, so he just gave a nod.

After Drake had taken the indicated seat, he was served a cup of tea by a waiter who quickly left afterward.

Drake couldn’t help thinking,
‘Damn, Dark Elves now, what’s next a troop of gnomes?’

After Drake had taken a sip of his drink, the Elf continued.

“Like I said, I’m glad you could take the time today to come visit me.  I’ve spent a lot of time and traveled a long way to address the matter of the missing data-cube,” said Mikaj.

“How did you even know I had it,” asked Drake.

“Well, like I said, it’s been a long search.  But after discovering that it was on the Fyffes Swiftstar when it crashed, it was easy to trace it to you afterward.  I also know that you dealt with the parties involved in smuggling the cube.  For which I am grateful, it bought me the time to catch up with it before it fell into hands unfriendly to my organization,” said the Elf.

“One of my concerns about the data-cube, was it getting into the wrong hands.  How do I know that you’re the right hands to turn it over too?” asked Drake.

The Elf frowned for a minute.

“I give you my word on my clan’s honor that the data on the cube was initially stolen from us.  We only discovered the theft after a data-audit about a month after the event.  Since that time, I have been on its trail, a trail that has finally led to you.  And I hope for both of our sakes that you have not sold it to another party.” said Mikaj.

Drake started to take offense at the perceived threat, but Mikaj held up his hand first.

“Please understand me.  I would like to reward you for recovering and returning the data-cube.  So it would be better for you if you have it, you see?” said the Elf.

Drake had listened to Mikaj as he talked, and it seemed to him that he set a high value by his clan’s honor, by which he swore, so he thought that it wouldn’t hurt to turn the data over to the Elf.

“I don’t have the data-cube now, but I can get it.  It’s not even on the planet, so it could take a few weeks for me to recover it,” said Drake.

Drake didn’t want to tell the Elf that Aggressive Solutions had the cube for a few reasons.  He didn’t want Mikaj to cut him out, and seek Aggressive Solutions out himself.  There might also be long-term benefits in establishing a relationship with someone like Mikaj.

“I’m sure you wouldn’t want to wait around for it to be delivered.  So I could bring it to you later?” asked Drake.  “By the way, I understand that you might have found out the cube was on the freighter, but how did you know that I had it?”

The Elf waved his hand dismissively like it was nothing.

“It’s what we do best.  My clan’s information network is unrivaled throughout the Imperium.  Most of our business relies on our network of contacts, so finding out about the data-cube when the list of survivors was so short was no problem.” said Mikaj.

“Good, then maybe you can help me.  I have a friend who lost her sister to one of those pirates involved with your data-cube.  We believe she was taken off a captured transport, and may have been sold off as a slave.”  Drake gave the Elf all the data he had on Sidonia’s sister, Sartina.

“You want this in trade for the data-cube?” asked Mikaj.

“Not exactly.  The data is yours, and I will give it to you as soon as I can.  I just thought that these people that took your data must not be your friends?” asked Drake.

“I see, yes they are no friends of my clan.  I’ll have to seek guidance on your suggestion.  They are far from being our friends, but there are those in my clan that would not make them more of our enemy either.  Yet you are not one of us, so… I’ll see if I can find the information you seek.” said Mikaj.

“You're right, though, I can’t afford to sit around on a backward world for weeks waiting on this cube.  If you bring it to me on Celwan after you recover it, I’ll make it worth your time, one way or another,” continued the Elf.

Drake took this to be the end of the conversation so he started to stand.

“Then I’ll be on my way,” Drake said.

“One last thing before you leave.” said the Elf, as he too stood up. He held out a small silver coin with the picture of a strange animal on it.

“When you reach Celwan, squeeze the Kraflon’s head.  This will let me know that you’re on the planet. Otherwise, it’s sometimes difficult to contact me directly,” said Mikaj.

After giving Drake the strange coin, Mikaj then left the room.

Drake left the restaurant and returned to the Guild Hall.

That afternoon, before Cairbre’s repair shop closed, Drake took his armor in again for repair.  He only brought in the chest and left leg armor this time.  When Drake laid the armor out for Cairbre to look at, he realized that these were the same pieces that absorbed most of his damage last time he was in a fight.

Cairbre was not amused.

“Didn’t I tell you to take better care of that armor?  I just returned it to you, and now it’s back?  It took us two days to fix, and you bring it back in one?  What did you do, use it for target practice?” asked the disgruntled Half Dwarf.

“No, but I was the one to take out the A.I. this morning, you’ve heard of it, right?” replied Drake.

“Humpf, whatever, just don’t be expectin a rush job, this time, we have other customers you know.”  The man examined the armor a little more and then continued. “We can probably get it back to you, next Monday, I’ll send you a note, now get. I’ve got work to do.”

Drake knew better than to take any of this seriously, in fact, it amused him, and he couldn’t help but smile at the Half-Dwarves’ attitude as he left the shop.  The only other stops he made were to restock his med kit… again, and buy a new roll of det-tape.  Drake was finding the high-explosive tape to be a very useful part of his kit.

It was just getting on toward dinner time when Drake exited Omnia.