"Pay-back".
The planet K2...Federation Scientific Facility.
-PROFESSOR SALADIN-VORE...RELIEVED OF POSITION...REPLACEMENT FOUND...DRUG DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM BACK ON TRACK-
Tolland looked up from the monitor in the scientific board meeting on K2. There was other leading scientific staff sat around the polished conference table.
The room was circular and airy with shiny reflective walls and indent oval alcoves where troopers stood on guard.
"Saladin-Vore has made contact with the rebel leader Xherphi on Izeptha 7...he states that he can strand the traitor on Zeta Minor leaving the the rebel base on Izeptha 7 wide open..."
"With a tall story about finding Ensor's prototype?", said another scientist called Rembus.
Tolland nodded, " Saladin-Vore has lead them to believe he is just a neutral scientist that wants to forge a deal...he wants to remind us that high ranking scientists of this facility here on K2 were incorrect of relieving him of his position...and it stands up...since his replacement has been in place, the program may be back on track, but production levels have greatly fallen"
"but blackmailing a high ranking member of staff wasn't exceptable...he was refused his demand so he went against another to force the issue...he was lucky to be suspended...he COULD have been sent to a slave world and worked hard labour for his efforts", pointed out Rembus.
"The board knew he was far too useful to be sent there...they knew that in time, they would ask him back", said Tolland.
"Just as long as the Federation's high ranking military personnal don't accuse us of doing their job"
Tolland laughed and sat back, "Well...at the moment Saladin-Vore is getting results...if he pulls this off, then his plan and his alone would see Xherphi's rebellion crushed for good"
"and we just give him back his position here?"
"Yes...he would more than deserve it...infact...I'm sure that the high council would be more than willing to offer him a more senior position...who knows Rembus, he might come back here ranking over you..."
XXX
The planet orbited the furtherest known star. Zeta Minor was also the most uninviting world to land upon.
Professor Saladin-Vore pushed his way through the tangle of alien undergrowth and stared around the bubbling pool of thick sluggish water.
Jet was at the perimeter of the pool with the water containers from base-camp.
"It should be safe to drink once we've boiled it through a couple of times"
Saladin-Vore nodded and held back. They were being watched through the trees. Jet filled up the first container and screwed the lid back on, she then grabbed the second one and started to fill it up with the small pump.
Suddenly a creature came crashing out from the alien jungle. It roared out loudly sending Jet to fall over on to her side.
She screamed out as the green shaggy creature that had yellow glowing eyes loomed over her and pawed her with it's razor sharp claws.
Saladin-Vore tripped back and picked himself up, he made for the undergrowth and turned around to see Jet scrabble to the pool and jump in.
The strange water on this world was like treacle, she tried to stay afloat but she found her self sinking to her doom.
The creature roared again and turned it's great shaggy head to focus it's glowing yellow eyes into the direction of Saladin-Vore.
He turned and clawed his way through the jungle back to base camp. Feral was waiting for him at the entrance hatch.
As the professor approached, Feral looked towards where he had come from, "Where's Jet? Where is she?"
Saladin-Vore turned as they hurried into the safety of base camp and closed the door, "one of those creatures attacked her at the pool...she through herself in and...you KNOW what that water is like she never stood a chance...it was either that all get mauled to death by that thing"
Feral ran a hand through his hair, "We should never of come here"
The professor clicked his tongue, "But it's all been set...I'm not backing out now...yes that piece of junk there is useless to us...but I've put out the signal and I know he is coming"
"Who is?"
"Xherphi...he's on his way...I have sent a signal to him deliberately informing him that I want to sell him CARO"
Feral frowned, "the rebel freedom fighter? But it's just a piece of junk...why would he be interested in buying this? I mean...what is it anyway?"
Saladin-Vore sat down in an old battered chair and looked over the scattered technical objects that littered the worktop.
"CARO was built by Ensor"
"Ensor?", asked Feral screwing his face up.
The professor enlightened him, "Ensor was a computer genuis...he was the developer of the tarriel cell...a component in all known computer technology, but Ensor went further...he built ORAC...a brilliant computer that can tap into the 5th dimension...and can read any other computer"
Feral looked skepitcal and nodded towards the junk scattering the work top, "and this is ORAC?"
"No...this is project CARO...a prototype if you like built in all the aspects of ORAC...or it could be if it was true"
Feral laughed, "I remember now...but I thought this Ensor was killed"
Saladin-Vore stood and circled him, "We don't need Ensor...we just need to make it believable that this is CARO...and when Xherphi is here...then the Federation can crush those that have remained at their bolthole and WE strand him here and take his ship since ours is one step from useless..."
Feral made eye contact, "you've done all this further your career?"
"Yes...I will be put back on K2 where I belong and develop further the drug...having betrayed the rebels, they will see that I am too good of an asset to ignore...and with members there on my side, I'm sure I'll go back with a more senior position and have revenge on those who turned against me"
"You have it all worked out don't you"
"Yes...and if you are lucky Feral, I'll make sure everything works out for you too"
XXX
On board the slow moving wanderer-class planet hopper, Roj Blake sat at his position staring at the small monitor, he was taking in the data it was churning at him in big green letters.
"Zeta Minor? THAT is Zeta Minor?"
Krestal who sat in front of him turned and nodded, "yes...how anyone would want to be down there must need their heads testing"
Blake ignored him and stood and approached the bigger screen on the wall, "scan for lifeforms Zola"
Zola flipped back her curly hair and tapped in some data, "hostile", she breathed.
Another male sitting to Zola's right looked up his name was Doss, "Blake...how can there be people down there...we are trying to scan for recruits...there's nothing down there"
Blake was quiet and staring at the screen, Zola raised her eyebrows at him, "Blake WHY are we here? We are not here for recruits at all are we?"
Blake turned around and decided it was time to come clean, "alright...here it is...I've been tracing the signal for three months and it's coming from down there...", he nodded to the planet on the screen.
Doss looked at him, "and what's down there?"
"Ensor's prototype...you see, when I was with the Liberator, we took aboard Ensor's masterpiece ORAC, a computer that could tap into just about everything...there was NO limit to it's abilities...just think if we can have another ORAC at our disposal"
"If our computer genius hadn't died on Volton 4 then we wouldn't need this prototype, argued Doss, "I cannot believe a computer is more useful to us than a man"
Krestral agreed, "he's right...anyway, what makes you believe that you can trust this signal anyway?"
Blake leaned on the unit towards Krestal, "I don't need reminding what we lost on Volton 4...THIS is all the reminder I need", and he pointed to his scar on his face.
He then looked over to Doss, "If anyone wants out...just say...you DON'T have to follow me if you don't want to..."
Doss shook his head and glanced at Zola, "We are with you Blake..."
"good...now manage the controls will you, and put us down"