The Technician's Fight, Draft 1, CH49

Gralgiran returned to his apartment, puzzling over the request. That the male knew of his Heart wasn’t surprising; by now, what had happened to Jer had circulated through all the news media, not only the pirate broadcast. But that couldn’t be enough for him to want to meet his Heart.

He found him nursing a coffee at the table.

“Had a good time, I see.”

Jer snorted in his mug, but the smile said he had. “Didn’t realize how long we stated out until I returned and found out the station isn’t on the same schedule as the ship.”

“Different ships will also have different schedules,” he said, sitting. “Those of us who return to Kelser usually go by the schedule we’re from. Since stations never do that, there’s no way to work out how they selected it. And some, on borders, might use the other species’ clock.” He eyed the mug.

“You know you don’t have to steal from my mugs. You can make yourself one.”

“Your supply’s limited. I don’t want to exhaust that faster.”

“There’s the printed stuff.”

He couldn’t stop the shudder at the memory of trying it. “I don’t know how you could ever drink that.”

“You get used to it, as I was reminded during my session. But don’t worry about my supply. I’ll just tell Xen to get me more.”

“You’ll have to show me how to prepare it, but before that. Did anything happen on the station?”

Jer chuckled. “Lots of dancing. Got hit on by every species, male and female and…Ridoshis use multiple genders, right? So I have no idea for those.”

“And?” he asked, unable to keep his amusement at Jer experiencing other types of males.

“I was flattered. But didn’t have any inclination to give those a try. Had sex with a number of Kelsirians though.”

“Considering Bob has tried every species physically compatible, I’m surprised you aren’t as curious.”

“That’s a Bob thing, not an Earther one. I’m pretty sure.” He handed Gralgiran the unfinished mug. “I’m surprised you know about that. Been reading our messages?”

A shake of the head before a sip. “Since he came to the Federation on my ship, it’s tradition to keep the captain appraised of what he gets up to until he finds a posting of his own.”

“And they keep that close of an eye on him, they know who he’s had sex with?”

“Bob has no problem talking about the sex he’s had when asked. When the media found out about that, they basically arranged for him to have partner after partner. What the media knows, the Federation will find out.”

“Might be why he found a ship.”

“You didn’t know?”

“I knew he’d had more sex with more species than I’d even think of having, but he never mentioned how it came about. I just figured that as the exotic there, they sought him out the way the males on the ship seek me out.”

“Did anything else happen? Anything involving Xenial er Tal’halan’s relatives?”

“I didn’t think they’d complain. It was in a private room, so we didn’t break any station rules.”

“What happened?”

“One of Xen’s cousins was waiting for him when we left the club. She insulted him. I didn’t like it. She insulted me, figured she could have her two male relatives beat me up. They even had a room reserved for it.” He smiled. “They never fought an Earther before.”

Gralgiran nodded, finishing the coffee. “It explains why he wants you there.”

“Who?”

“Their…I’m not sure how to explain the role he plays in their family.”

“Halanos? Xen said that makes him the Halan equivalent of an Alpha. He makes all the final decisions among his ships. I didn’t get all of it, because he said his mother’s also Halanos, but they’re both from the same family, the Tal.”

“The halans aren’t unified, but as distasteful as I find it, the comparison works. He’s who I have a meeting with, and he requested that you be there.”

“Because I put some of his in their place? Is that going to get in the way of your meeting with him?”

“Only if he thinks he gets to punish you for protecting yourself. Still, you should wear your armor.”

“Why?” Jer smiled. “They didn’t get in a fight with Hunter Jeremy Bradshaw. They got into a fight with Technician Jeremy Bradshaw.”

*

Gralgiran sighed. “We’re going to have to take the long way to get there. We have someone sniffing our trail.”

“One of his?”

“No. The Leadership has an agent on the station, and they aren’t happy with me.”

“I got the sense they were never happy with you.”

“I wouldn’t sell them the ship, or disobey Federation law on their commands, so they’re more unhappy than usual. I didn’t put the ship on the market, so they’re wondering what I’m planning.”

“And if they find out you’re meeting with a halan, it’s not going to look good for you?”

“They already know I’ve had business with them. It’s one of the things they use when arguing for the hunters to be brought in under their control. We associate too freely with criminals to be trusted. My worry here is that this agent will get in my contact’s way, making it difficult for him to assist me.”

“How do we lose them?”

Gralgiran placed the earpiece in. “First, I need to make sure I have better people in place to interfere with the scents they are following.” He tapped a code before contacting his ship. It would warn the hunter at the board the call was probably monitored, and they would route it through programs to prevent anyone from listening in.

“Secure, Alpha.”

“Hunter central.”

“Hunters, Alpha, what do you need?”

“Packs around my position to get in the way of trackers. Military trained, I’ve spotted three.”

“Military means they’re in the station’s security. I’ll have a pack on that. Do you need to be directed to black zones?”

“I prefer mixing my sent with the crowd.”

“I have three packs I can take off recreation on decks seven, block eighteen.”

“I’m three decks above, seven block spin ward.”

“We’ll have control of the sensors by the time you get there. Any updates will be coded to your tablet.”

The connection terminated, and he took the earpiece out. “Time to play Loose the Hunter.”

“Won’t they realize what we’re doing?”

“That’s the point. We want them to think we’re focused on evading them. So they won’t expect the interference when it happens.”

“I can take off if you need me to.”

“We want them to stay with us when they can.” He hurried his pace. One soldier matched it, another fell back, while the third closed the distance. He scanned ahead, by the lifts. “Can you tell the Kelsirian who’s part of the pack tracking us?”

“Really?” Jer replied, scanning ahead. “You’re going to turn this into a lesson?”

“Life is there to learn from it.”

“I swear you guys are just making those up to convince me it’s all part of your gods’ plans. And no, I can’t tell any of them apart. I’ll say the couple with the cubs probably aren’t it, but that leaves three standing alone, basically waiting for someone or a lift.”

“Female, tan fur, ripped ear, black pants and silver vest.”

“How can you tell?”

“The posture. Their agent’s all about the rules. So she doesn’t have anyone trained in operating illegally, which is what you need to follow someone and not be noticed. She’s standing too straight to be just waiting.”

“I’m going to need more training, because even with you pointing her out, I can’t tell.”

“You’ll get it. Although you won’t get the deep training unless you decide to go into special ops.”

“I think interrogation is intense enough for me. I’ll stick to basic hunter stuff.”

“She’s going to get into the lift with us, along with one of the others. Probably the rust-furred male. Don’t pay them any attention.”

“You realize how hard that’s going to be now that you told me about them?”

“I’ll help.” He ignored the suspicious look Jer gave him.

The lift opened a few seconds after they reached it, and they stepped in, along with the family, three Taournians, the female, the male, and two Reosephs. Jer tried too hard not to look at their pursuers, so Gralgiran nuzzled his neck.

“Stop it,” Jer said, chuckling.

Gralgiran licked his neck instead.

“Gral, we’re in public.”

Everyone, other than their two pursuers, turned to watch. The family in amusement, the Taournian without much interest, but the Reoseph had curiosity enough for everyone there. Barely restraining themselves from stepping closer.

Jer’s face turned red. “You’re going to get us breaking one of the distraction laws.”

He straightened. “Those only apply if clothing is removed.”

“I don’t know about you, but I’m kind of showing the effect you have on me right now.” He blushed deeper.

He pulled him close. “So long as it’s in your pants, you have nothing to worry about.”

The doors opened, and the Reoseph showed reluctance in leaving, being replaced by a Shimbarian who sniffed the air, then looked at them.

On the next deck, the family and Shimbarian exited, and a paid of Kersosteran stepped on. Gralgiran and Jer exited on the next one, along with one of their pursuers. He picked up her replacement before the first intersection, and the third two after that.

He waited another intersection before hurrying. Letting them think they’d fooled him that long. He didn’t slow even as he reached the target block. Immediately, a group of Kelsirians scream in joy as one of them held pant over her front, laughing. A bottle was shaken, and foam flew over them. Gralgiran passed them a second after the shower ended, and while another bottle was shaken.

With another joyful scream, the shower exploded behind them. Then, laughing apologies sounded.

A Trio of arguing Kelsirians nearly collided with them, then one shoved another into a group and accusations sounded.

His tablet buzzed. They had fifteen seconds to vanish.

Ahead, an amorous couple were draping themselves over another Kelsirian, who had trouble making them understand he wasn’t interested. He pulled Jer into an alleyway and ran the next four turns before stopping and catching his breath.

“I recognize the one shaking the bottle,” Jer said. “I’m guessing the other disturbances were also to help us?”

He nodded, still too winded to speak. “We’re going to have to stay to the alleyways until we reach a lift,” he said once he had regained his breath. “The military will be kept out of the sensors, and there are too many lifts and decks for them to cover all the possibilities. We need to go up seven decks.”

“Is this making us late?”

“Yes, but if he doesn’t understand the need, he doesn’t deserve the position he occupies.”

*

Unlike the previous meeting, this location felt appropriate. The bar wasn’t hidden, but it wouldn’t take much work for the facade to disappear among the debris resting against the wall.

The inside was dim, so he took hold of Jer’s hand to keep from being separated. Before he could ask, the female Kersosteran behind the bar pointed him to a hallway. There he saw the Kelsirian male leaning against the wall by the door. He opened it when they reached it and followed them inside.

At the large table sat Xenial er Tal’halan’s uncle, along with eight others. The male who closed the door joined them. They were all too old to fit how Jer had described the three he’d ‘put in their place.’

“Forgive the decor. It’s my first time at this station, so no one owes me.” He motioned to the two seats opposite him. Kelsirian designs, this time.

Gralgiran didn’t move. “I need to know why you asked Jer to be present first. If it’s about the fight with your relatives, we need to settle that first.”

“That’s why, but I hold him no animosity. Someone needs to remind the cubs they aren’t as strong as they believe. I was just curious as to the monster they described. You’re my first Earther. You aren’t as monstrous as they made you sound.”

“I only did what I had to because they insulted my friend,” Jer said in Federalize.

“My nephew. I have to say I’m surprised he engenders that kind of loyalty. His reputation is—”

“Undeserved, if that’s what you think,” he said, anger slipping in his voice. Gralgiran squeezed his hand.

“I guess that’s possible. All the stories I’ve heard come from my sister.” He motioned to the seats again. “Is the situation resolved to your satisfaction, Heart of the Monster?”

“Really?” Jer asked. And Gralgiran squeezed his hand again.

“I’m trying to be less insulting than I was during our last meeting.”

“I said how you can address me then.”

“Yes, but what kind of halan would I be if I just did that?”

“And how can I address you?” Jer asked.

The male smiled. “You can address me as Halanos of Tal, Rrowrtomal Gravik sel Samian.”

“You can address me as Technician Jeremy Bradshaw.”

“And can I interest you in shortening of our names?”

Jer looked at Gralgiran.

The male smirked. “You need his permission?”

“I’m more interested in how insulting I can be towards you in telling you to go fuck yourself.”

The male laughed. “He has claws. And he’s more willing to show them than you are, Captain. Sit, sit. Rramos, get us drinks and food. Get the food from a different place. I don’t trust these people to know how to slice meat, let alone make sauces.”

A female left the table.

“Now, Captain, Technician. What is the reason for this meeting?”

Gralgiran took out his tablet and motioned for the male to do the same. He brought up the file his people had compiled about the ship, along with the transfer contract. “Settling part of our agreement, even if you weren’t instrumental in acquiring it.” He sent the contract. “And something extra as a goodwill gesture.” He sent the file. “It contains everything we’ve worked out about how the ship works. It should simplify learning how to fly it.”

“You had a lot to do with this?” the male asked Jer.

“Mostly the reactor and power. That’s my field. A friend likes anything that flies, so he worked out a lot of that part. The rest is a lot of inference based on how Earthers build their tech, so you’re going to want to be careful.”

“In case you haven’t been warned,” Gralgiran said. “The ship’s small.”

The male swiped up and down, frowning. “What I’m reading makes it seem large enough.”

“It houses a crew of one hundred.”

The look was disbelief.

“Earthers like to pack as much as they can in the space they have access to. Their corridors are beyond claustrophobic.”

He looked at his tablet some more. “I appreciate the warning, Captain. Gramos, look this over and work out a plan to reconfigure it.”

“Be careful,” Jer said. “There are conduits everywhere on the ship.”

“I know how those go,” Gramos the Halanos’ Technician said.

“Except you aren’t going to find passageways to reach them. They’re going to be in the wall, behind a few millimeters of polymer material. Scan them before cutting anything.”

“That’s.” The male couldn’t seem to continue. “Uncle, we’re going to need someone who knows more about that tech than what’s in here if you want this done in anything resembling reasonable time.”

“And idea where I might find someone like that, Captain?” the Halanos said, smiling at Jer.

“No.”

He looked at Gralgiran. “Not even on one of those military ships docked here?”

“I’m not going to tell you anything. Halanos. if you need information, you’re going to have to get your family to sniff around for it.”

“I suppose that’s all I can expect from someone with your names.”

“Do we still have a deal for the rest?”

“Do you really expect me to walk away after you paid me so well?”

“I want to be able to call you a liar if you vanish now, and not have you able to say I misunderstood the arrangement.”

The male smiled. “The deal is still on, Captain. I will be your eyes and nose among the halans, and point you to those who would impersonate us.”

“Thank you, Halanos.” He stood. “Now, if you’re excuse us. We have work to see to.”

“But the food hasn’t even arrived,” the male objected.

“Unless your relative goes to the other side of the station, I wouldn’t eat whatever she brings. I wouldn’t trust the drinks either. You didn’t pick a good part of the station for our meeting.”

“I suppose I should let you pick the next one, then?”

Gralgiran shrugged. “So long as you’re willing to dock at your namesake’s station, I’ll happily arrange for you to feast.” He left with Jer while the male was still puzzling over which station he might mean. Not that he expected a halan to be familiar with a station orbiting Kelser.