RAEFF (Jim Able: Offworld Book 6) by Ed Charlton (best books to read fiction .TXT) 📗

has high mountains running into the polar cap. It is at the southern end of the mountains in Marlolori. It is a sealed area. No craft arrives unchallenged.”

“We’ll have a stealth flier.”

“The craft I built are such, but they can see each other. Do not underestimate the resourcefulness of Tanna Gul. What else do you need?”

Jim looked into the canid’s deep black eyes.

“I need you to understand something.”

Marhan frowned, the hairs of his eyebrows bristling.

“About what?”

“If it comes within my power, I will get you out of here,” said Jim quietly, though with no hope that his words would be just between the three of them.

“Fine words, monkey. I will judge your deeds.”

“You give me no reason to like you and every reason to let you stew in here. But you and I are not so different, Marhan. When you realize that, your attitude may change.”

Marhan looked at Jim, unblinking. “Go to Gul; validate what I have told you. Why waste more time with me?”

Jim shook his head. The interview was over.

Chapter Two

“Jim, what are you doing?”

Tella was leaning back in the flight seat. The drone was beneath them again, but control was still with their alien hosts as they sent the flier back out of the asteroid belt.

“I’m applying something I learned during my long years at the Office of External Affairs.”

“From the redoubtable Elizabeth Curacao?”

“Of course. You know she insisted on having printed copies of every document? Every damned report I wrote I had to deliver by hand, on paper.”

“A curious throwback...perhaps to a less fast-paced time?”

“Oh no. It took me a long while to realize what Liz was up to. She was as up-to-date as any of her peers. She just used different techniques to enable her to keep her advantage.”

“Go on.”

“She could do more damage with a penciled note in the margins of a page than she could ever do with a weapon. And, more importantly, she could do it with almost no trace. Who would ever bother to scan back a printed copy? When I think of the number of assignments I was sent on where my only instructions were scribbled on the bottom of a page! All untraceable, unverifiable, and if anything ever went wrong, nothing to do with her.”

“So what are you doing?”

“I’m writing down how to get back to that asteroid.”

“On paper.”

“I doubt they will allow any electronic trace to survive. I’m sure that interface with the drone will ensure our logs are deleted. And I don’t want to be seen taking copies of them. So I’ll do it Liz’s way.”

Jim smiled, and Tella nodded approval.

“You know, Jim, in ancient times Neraffan-jong like me had secret ways of recording things. Our tales, histories...many things. During the persecutions it meant the difference between our culture’s survival and the ultimate victory of the Cott. We had great libraries and institutions once...” Tella sighed and closed its eyes. “All gone. All gone.”

***

Once out of the asteroid belt, the drone returned control to the flier.

“Where to?” asked Tella.

“You’re the boss,” Jim replied with a shrug.

“You are R546...today.”

“Yeah, I can tell how this will turn out. I make the decisions and do the work; you get the credit.”

“Of course. Why should it be otherwise?” Tella smiled.

“I think we have to go see the Rapaxans. I don’t think we know enough yet.”

“I am not convinced they will let us visit. Otherwise, why send us here?”

“Hah, maybe it saved them having to talk to Marhan?”

“Reason enough, perhaps. Does the drone have any suggestions to offer?”

“We can ask.”

Jim entered a series of commands into the navigation control.

“It actually has two destinations programmed. I’m impressed!”

“The Tanna system and...?”

“Beta Oraga.”

“That is an invitation. Let’s go.”

***

It took five days of traveling to reach the home worlds of the Praestans Rapax. The drone again took measures to throw off any craft that might have attempted to follow them.

The stars of the Oraga cluster were only small bright pinholes in the blackness when the drone brought them to a halt.

Jim listened, waiting for the chemical thrusters to engage.

“What’s it doing?”

“We are stationary,” replied Tella. “This is not good. We may be a hazard to other ships on approach to the system.”

Jim examined the screen showing the navigation interface.

“At these coordinates, it says we wait. I hope they know what they are doing.”

“There!” called Tella, pointing to the sensor display. “What are those?”

A series of small objects was coming directly toward them at high speed.

“How many are there?” asked Jim.

“Twenty...one,” counted Tella. “And they move fast. Brace for impact!”

Jim clutched the arms of his seat and held his breath.

“Well?” he said, squinting to see the sensor display better.

“They are taking up positions around us.”

“And look at that!” said Jim with a laugh.

“They are communicating?”

“Oh yes. That system I didn’t activate in the interface—they’re trying to use it.”

“Score one point for the Earth-monkey,” Tella said with a smile.

Jim sighed and then said, “Now let’s see what they do.”

The flier shuddered, and several alarms sounded simultaneously.

“Ah, how subtle.”

“We are under tow,” confirmed Tella.

After a few minutes of towing, a message came onto the communications console.

“Our masters?” said Jim.

“Please, Jim. Our customers,” said Tella.

The symbol of the Praestans Rapax was displayed on the screen. After another minute, the words ‘Daum Robertus Graffen’ appeared beneath it.

Another alarm sounded, and Tella quietly said, “Two more craft have joined us. They are large, heavily armored, and their weapons are primed and locked on to us.”

“Good afternoon, gentlemen. I am Daum Robertus. Welcome to the home of the Praestans Rapax.”

Jim was looking at the face of an elderly male humanoid. His gray hair was cut short, but his white eyebrows were long and unruly. He had gray-blue eyes that sparkled as he spoke. Jim felt that he truly meant his welcome—an odd feeling amid the threat of destruction.

“Daum Robertus, I am James Able from Sol Earth. Your gunships are threatening us. Please have them stand down. We pose no danger to you.”

A brief frown passed across the old face. “Ah, yes. Please do