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

not be alarmed. They have strict instructions not to open fire until we have had a chance to speak. It would be unfortunate to end our acquaintance so abruptly.”

Jim glanced at Tella to see if it thought this was as odd as he did. Tella held its finger to its lips to caution Jim to be careful of what he said.

“How do you come to be in the company of our guide drone?” Daum Robertus continued.

“You requested that R546 follow this drone.”

There was a slight movement to Daum Robertus’s right. He held up a small pad partly out of Jim’s view.

“We had indeed anticipated the arrival of R546. But...”—the face looked earnestly out from the screen—”we understood R546 to be a singular designation. Please explain the presence of another in your craft.”

“Ah.” Jim glanced again at Tella. “I am with Tella...a companion...who has been of...assistance to me on previous such engagements.”

The Rapaxan also paused to choose his words.

“You will perhaps understand that my Brothers, whose responsibility is our security, are...less open to surprises than I may be. This...particular surprise...is causing a...special kind of upset. I’m afraid I must ask you some more questions before...anything untoward happens.”

“Please continue. I’m sure this is just a...misunderstanding.”

“Indeed. Good.” Daum Robertus nodded repeatedly. “Your companion is a Neraffan.”

Jim thought, That isn’t a question. They already know.

He said, “That is correct.”

“Neraffan-cott?”

“Neraffan-jong,” replied Tella.

Daum Robertus shook his head.

“You must realize that bringing such a...companion to a place where security is a concern...is, shall we say, unwise?”

“I can understand to an extent, yes. But please remember that it is you who have asked us—asked me—for help. It’s my choice to make use of other resources. That’s how I’ve worked successfully before; that’s how I expect to work on this occasion.”

Daum Robertus’s eyes glanced above his screen, perhaps to someone observing the conversation, and then back to Jim.

“Yes, I perhaps see now how it is you have had such success...if you employ such a resource as this. So much I understand. But now, you must know that your companion can never be allowed free access to our facilities.”

“I was not expecting free access to your facilities for myself,” Jim said with his best poker face.

Daum Robertus’s eyes flashed, and the slight smile that wrinkled his face made him seem kindly. “I am glad to be conversing with someone of discernment and intelligence.”

Jim felt himself color with indignation at what he saw as transparent flattery.

“’Daum Robertus’ is how you prefer to be addressed?”

“Ah, yes. Daum is my title. Daum Robertus will suffice. And your name again is...?”

“James Able. You may address me simply as Jim.”

“Jim, very well. And your Neraffan is known as Tella?”

“Correct. Now, we need to meet with someone in charge of our current activities. That’s you?”

“Oh yes, I have been asked to oversee all arrangements in this matter. On behalf of myself, and my team, may I say we look forward to meeting you in person very shortly. Welcome again.”

The communication ended. Jim looked over to Tella, who silently pointed to the alarm lights that indicated the continuing threat from the accompanying gunships.

Jim and Tella were towed to the fourth planet of the Beta Oraga system. The drone left them and moved off toward one of the planet’s many moons. As they descended and approached their destination, they watched a varied landscape rolling beneath them: patchwork farms, concentrations of industry, long roadways.

“Do you know much about the operation here?” asked Jim.

“Officially or unofficially?”

Jim made a balancing motion and imitated the helmeted alien. “Yes.”

Tella laughed and said, “Not much, no. Their construction work is manually intensive. This is only one of many bases for that, though this planet—called Rap—is the original one. Their delivery and distribution organization is highly decentralized. We don’t really know where the central control and management are based.”

“So this might—or might not—be where the plans were stolen from?”

“Correct.”

***

The flier was brought to a halt at the door of a bare hangar.

Daum Robertus’s voice sounded over the communications unit. “Please do not open your doors yet. Please disengage any braking systems.”

The flier shuddered as something caught hold of it and began to push or drag it along farther into the building.

“Please wait while we bring the disembarkation corridor.”

They waited several minutes before they heard someone moving outside the flier’s door.

“Follow the green line into the waiting area.”

They opened the door into a narrow tube that had somehow been attached to the flier’s hull. A green line was visible along the floor of the tube.

“Here we go!” said Jim.

“After you,” said Tella, hanging back to glance at the seal of the tube against the hull.

The tube led them to a door that opened onto a narrow passage, down which they walked directly into a large room.

Daum Robertus stood with his arms outstretched in greeting. “Welcome, Jim. Welcome, Tella. Welcome to the home of the Praestans Rapax.”

Chapter Three

Beside Daum Robertus stood several others, all dressed in identical tan robes. The black hood folded back on his shoulders, Jim guessed, was the Daum’s mark of rank. Five of the seven figures before them seemed human or close to human. The other two, though primates, were a species Jim had never seen. Their eyes were wide-set and large; their ears were higher-set and mobile. Their faces had an elongation that reminded Jim uncomfortably of rodents.

“There is one formality to perform before we begin. My Brothers who guard us have asked that you wear these identity bracelets while you are with us.”

The two rodent types held up thick silver bands and brought them forward to Jim and Tella.

Jim held up his left wrist. The bracelet was plain silver, with nothing to show that it contained any electronics. He could see no catch or clip, or even a join where it sealed.

Tella’s band was slightly different. It was also silver, but a circle of white lights shone as soon as it was attached. They were small but intensely bright. Tella’s chameleon skin instantly tried to mimic them. A metallic cast spread