Dark Hunter's resolution.
Chapter 10: An Odyssey's end, data hound part 1.
22nd September 2901
Sol system, Earth orbit, Liberator/Dawnbreaker NKI fleet.
"Earth. I can't believe it. I'm finally here." Croaked Alex.
He was on the starboard observation deck once more, gazing out at the blackness of space, and the planet far below, the single moon just visible as half full beyond. His home planet, and the planet of his individual birth.
"You okay?" Asked Se'rie, standing beside and slightly behind him, looking at him with happiness and concern. Alex placed a metal clawed hand on the window, noting how they left no condensation marks on the transparisteel: "This was my birth planet. Nearly 23 years ago, I was born down there. I wonder if anyone knew my parents at all? My sister?"
Seeing his face hardening, Se'rie wrapped a wing around him, her wing enveloping him in a single armed hug. Sensitively, Se'rie pried: "What do you know about them?"
"My parents were merchants. My sister was fourteen years old when I was born.4 months after that, they'd all taken me with them on a ferry ship to Keletari, in the next system. They never made it. That's when the pirates raided the ship. I was put in an escape pod first as procedure, small children first. It launched early."
"I don't even know what they looked like." Said Alex. His voice was not about to crack, he was not being miserable over events that happened over 2 decades ago. It was an old pain, one he had long since buried, but it constantly nagged at him to be done, to find some form of identity to the family he was robbed of.
Se'rie gently tightened her hug, nestling her head underneath his chin, against his neck, as a form of comfort. The feel of her head feathers rubbing against his skin helped to lessen the surging pain of suppressed loss.
"I don't know your pain Alex, but that's what I love about you. You can take so much, and not crumble in submission. But I know you are not invincible." Looking into his lifeless red eyes, she reinforced: "Whenever you need help, I will always be there for you."
Kissing Se'rie gently on the beak, Alex nestled his head into her feathers, inhaling her wildflower scent to sooth his pain. He would finally be on his homeworld, and he would have someone to perhaps show it to.
That is, provided good warning was given about the NKI visitors, or if the disguise technology for human visages was authorized for use by the authorities on this occasion.
London, Knightsbridge.
London was as busy as it had ever been in its over 3000 year existence. Though its face had changed many times in the face of war, development, and in one case, fire.
Despite humanity's best efforts to maintain its cultural and architectural heritage, much of London now was dominated by modern structures, rising high into the sky. At street level, the old style stone buildings, some dating back to the Georgian eras of English human history, a few even further back, were aesthetically the same as they had largely been, but atop them, modern infrastructure loomed.
It was in Knightsbridge that 4 people disembarked the overhead maglev monorail, running overhead in the concrete and steel laden express road on support stands. The maglev trains ran over the tops of bigger roads, passing between the old buildings, and on higher levels, overhead roads and transit tracks passed over the tops of the old buildings.
Of the four, Krith Lovisk led the way, her reptilian form a great contrast to the human dominated masses. She was accompanied by 4 humans, although none of them were recognized for their true identities.
One human, a brunette, light tan skinned male, and rather tall, was in fact Alex in disguise. He marvelled at how covering his facial scars with disguising patches made such difference to his appearance. He was wearing some clothing he had purchased from shops on Ki'ristalis, on order of course, comprising of a synthetic fibre navy blue hoodie and dark blue casual trousers appearance. Underneath it of course was his lighter armour, some weapons, and dark matter.
Beside her, Lexa was there, her appearance largely unchanged except for her long black hair, which she was keeping in a pony tail for now. She wore clothing she had also bought on order from Ki'ristalis, her ensemble being her light, organic appearing armour, weapons and dark matter beneath a form of dark grey casual trousers, and a navy blue form fitting jersey and shirt.
As usual with Lexa, Xale was there too, himself being in clothing largely similar to Alex, though his colours were slightly darker, more a maroon colour jersey with black trousers. His hair was unchanged, being spiky and slightly unkempt, still as black as ever.
Here, Krith had said that her contact, whom she had deposited her first batch of gathered data with, wished to meet them in a café in the most known place in this part of London.
"If we're meeting someone for matters like this, isn't this a bit too in the open?" Asked Lexa, staring up at the maroon bricked, very old style building they were approaching. Krith shook her head, commenting wryly:
"That's what my contact and I agreed on. No one would think to look in Harrods."
Due to the old style of Harrods itself, little could be done to expand the building upwards or outwards without losing the style. In that respect, along with other shops seizing new customers, Harrods expanded downwards.
The restaurant in particular was indoors, within the centre of the 3rd basement level of the visitor areas. Here, Krith, Alex, Lexa and Xale sat, while the female Sril'sask scanned for any sign of her contact. As they reached the 15 minute mark of waiting, a male human, Indian in heritage, walked by, stopping at their table to innocently ask:
"Excuse me, but where might I find an information terminal? My data device is broken."
Krith smoothly responded before the humans she was with could: "The terminal is found where most people miss it, in the open." At that, the Indian man scratched his chin, covered in a shadow of hair growth, eyeing the 3 humans suspiciously. Without another word, he deposited a small holographic disk on the table, and left.
Picking up the disk, Krith briefly explained: "A code I set up with my contacts. They ask that question, say that answer."
Opening the files on the disk, Krith saw a single audio file, and synched it to Alex's, Xale's and Lexa's earpieces as she played it to her own earpiece:
"The data was hidden away for security purposes. UIP intelligence servicemen inquiring about transactions of all agents. You cannot be traced to us, but you can be traced from us. The data has been hidden in hard copy form, divided into
2 sections, and a 3rd scrambled, online version. The devices are synched to recognize your ID only."
"The first is located in Cambridge, in possession by one of our agents at Cambridge University, Professor Stephen Redgewood. Use the code as appropriate. He owes us from a loan to pay off drinking debts, and that was his way of paying us."
"The second is located in Honolulu, under possession of a Space port official, Razid Montiego. He owes us money lost in gambling, and he holds the data as payment."
"The third section is online, scattered across the planetary data networks. This is ID specific, but as you stated, the information is useless without the other two segments. Type your ID number and registration into a standard search engine protocol, and the third batch of information will be sent directly to your data device."
"Be warned, we will not have your retrieval of the files be a way to compromise our operations. The UIP is still monitoring activity, so save the third data batch for last, retrieve the hard copy batches first."
Closing the message, Krith shrugged, saying: "Well, we have our targets. I can get our 'associates' in orbit to get the third data batch when the time comes. Meanwhile, we get the two batches."
Bringing up a planetary map, Alex saw the routes available to them: "We can take the intercity routes to Cambridge. It's a 30 minute trip on express maglev."
Sol system, Earth, Cambridge University.
The buildings in the University were weathered with age, the limestone worn away by nearly 2000 years of rain and wind. If not for a consistently applied protective coating in the 22nd century, the buildings would have deteriorated into a desolate state by now.
Still, as the 3 humans and Sril'sask marched through the plaza, the sounds of lectures ending echoed. Students, mainly human, but the odd aliens here and there, trumped with heavy bags of books, data devices and equipment in hand. The rings of an old iron bell toted, mingling with the electronic rings of end-of-period alarms.
They headed towards the mathematics departments, seeing a swarm of university students clamouring out of the lecture theatre. According to lecture schedules, Professor Stephen Redgewood had finished his lecture now, and was free for an hour.
Shoving through the student crowd as politely as possible, Krith led the three into the lecture hall, coming out at the top, looking down at the lecture desk, where Professor Redgewood was talking to some of his students, 2 male humans, 1 female human, and a male Na'vi, of all things.
Heading down, Xale whispered to Alex: "A bit out of his way, isn't he, coming here for studies in maths?"
"Well, if he's from Pandora or Keletari, he's not exactly too far from home is he? Trips there and back are only about a half hour FTL jump, and standard orbital travel both ways." Alex said. In his honest opinion, he had been expecting more Na'vi encounters the closer he got to Alpha Centuari, though seeing one at Cambridge University, studying advanced mathematic theory, was a surprise.
As the four unnamed students exited the building, heading up the opposite side of the lecture theatre, Krith approached the Professor.
"Professor Stephen Redgewood?"
Looking up, Stephen Redgewood showcased his looks up close. He was an aged man, with wrinkles on his face and brow, his belly slightly large, likely from drink, and his hair was gone on the top of his head, leaving a bald patch among his thin, wiry ginger hair. His face, with some noticeable fat on the neck, was gaunt, and focused, much as a person of his career might be expected to have. His dress was of a suit, and behind him, the electronic display board was a plethora of advanced linear and non-linear equations, in this case, referring to theoretical physics concerning quasar activity.
"Yes, what is it? I have an hour to get ready for my next blasted lecture. Is it important?"
"Yes, it's about a certain package you were entrusted to keep a hold of by a group who wishes to remain hidden. I've come to reclaim it, as they hid it with you on my request of safeguarding its contents."
Redgewood did nothing, but stared at Krith with narrowed eyes, his brown ones snapping from her reptillain ones, to the Alex's red eyes, and the dual yellow eyes of Lexa and Xale. He asked: "I'm not entirely sure what you are referring to, perhaps you are mistaking me for someone else. I could point you to the nearest information terminal if your data device can't find them."
"I'm sure I could find it. Its amazing how many people miss them when they're out in the open." She replied.
Redgewood's face lightened up with what seemed like relief, and he said: "Follow me, I have it in my office drawers." The 3 humans and Sril'sask followed the professor, into a very old style office, but filled with modern technology.
As part of its scheme to preserve its nearly 2000 year old architecture, much of the old buildings remained aesthetically the same, but their facilities were updated with the times.
Coming to an antique, polymerized layer protected wooden desk, Professor Redgewood placed his files on the desk, and reached his hand below to a small screen on a drawer. Typing in a password code, the drawer opened up, revealing more private documents and objects. Among these private items was a single holo disk.
Reaching in, Redgewood brought the holodisk over to Krith, suddenly a bit more cheerful than he had initially been:
"I can finally get rid of this thing. Though I am thankful guarding it helped solve my debts."
"Did anyone else ask about the information?" Asked Lexa.
"Not specifically. There was a Vulcan who came to me yesterday, from the UIP intelligence bureau. He said he was pursuing a possible terrorist threat from within the criminal organizations here on Earth, namely the one I did business with here. He came asking me if I'd been in any business with them besides the loans I took for my debts. I said nothing about the data." Redgewood was sweating a bit now, but according to their scans from lie detection programs in their data devices, he was truthful.
"Might just be coincidence. We'll know if it's connected to us when we move to Honolulu." Xale shrugged as he said this, to which the other 3 agreed. Before they left, Krith tipped her head in thanks, saying: "Thanks for the help in keeping this."
"The thanks is mine, my dear. If anything it rid me of my drinking debts, and taught me to manage my professor's budget with the nights in the local pubs."
"Pubs?" Asked Lexa. Alex looked it up briefly, saying: "British slang for a bar."
"Now that we have that dreadful business over with, I must get back to my work. Look around the rest of the campus while you are here though, the rowing teams are practicing for their next big match on the Thames next week."
"Another University?" Asked Alex, amusement in his voice.
"Yes. Oxford." Redgewood seemed to spit the name: "A complete dump of a place, and incompetent compared to us in academia."
Walking out of the maths department, Lexa had brought up a local information network for leisure and interest: "Huh? He said Oxford is a dump, but all the visitor reviews say it's great."
"Friendly rivalry maybe? Might be a fairly recent thing." Suggested Krith, her tail more relaxed and slightly sweeping, a sign of lessened tension in her race.
Lexa interjected: "Oh, here it is. The famous Oxford-Cambridge rivalry, an ongoing competitive war in sports, the arts and academics, originating from within 50 years after the later of the two universities, Cambridge, was built."
Xale whistled, impressed: "And these places are nearly 1800 years old at least?"
4 hours later
A knock on Stephen Redgewood's office door alerted him to another visitor.
Shuffling along, he complained under his breath of how late this call was, it was already 8:30 in the evening. Pressing the door button, Redgewood looked at who was at the door.
Within 3 seconds, a set of abnormally strong, human like hands seized his shirt, and drive him backwards into his office wall with slow but strong, steady force. Breathing sharply, Redgewood noted the pointed ears, the unibrow, and the familiar, piercing eyes. This was the same Vulcan agent who had questioned him yesterday.
"Professor Stephen Redgewood. The UIP intelligence bureau does not take kindly to people who omit information. I asked you if you had been given anything by the criminal organizations to do, and that includes safeguarding data disks." The man's voice was cold, devoid of emotion, like many Vulcans were.
"Agh, alright! I lied to protect my source of payment! These were difficult times for me! But the knowledge was guaranteed to be non hazardous in nature." Croaked Stephen Redgewood, his slightly fat throat being constricted by hands tempered by 3 times Earth's gravity.
"Mr. Redgewood, in technicalities the only crime you are guilty of is omitting information. We cannot effectively penalize you for being victimized and blackmailed. However, if you wish to be truly trouble free, you will tell me the identities of the four you met with today, and where they are headed."
Nearly choking by now, Redgewood croaked as the Vulcan gripped his throat a bit harder: "Alright. I can't name names, but I can tell you where they are headed, and what they look like."
Dropping the human, the Vulcan gazed passively, requesting: "Continue."
Massaging his throat, Stephen Redgewood gasped: "It's Honolulu. They're headed for Honolulu. They'll probably be there soon, 3 humans, all quite tall. 2 boys, one with brown hair, and red eyes, one with black hair and yellow eyes. And a girl, black hair and yellow eyes. The Sril'sask is hard to miss with them."
"Thank you Professor. You can have a rest now." Reaching out, Ma'lekri pinpointed the spot between the neck and shoulder, gripping it tightly in the right place. Stephen Redgewood crumpled under the nerve strike, and after quickly lying the man onto the couch nearby, Ma'lekri slipped out of the office into the night, already calling in for backup to be sent to Honolulu whilst he reported the progress to his superiors.
Sol sysem, Earth, Honolulu.
As Honolulu was 10 hours behind Britain in solar day times, it was technically mid morning by the time Krith, Alex, Xale and Lexa arrived in Honolulu, under the baking sun and sparkling, shallow pacific waters. The ocean reflected sunlight glinted in the glass and steel frames of the skyscrapers and constructs of the capital city.
Honolulu had developed into a major spaceport for its area of the planet, and between Oahu island and the neighbouring Hawaiian islands stretched long, sturdy road and maglev bridges, passing over the waves, and standing firm in the strongest typhoons.
"Ma'lekri sir, the apartment has been raided, and Razid Montiego is dead. The data was found, and we copied it, and left the original for them to find." A lone human stood in an alley, speaking over a communications link to his commanding officer, currently still in Britain.
"Excellent. We need to find out what it is that Krith has been gathering. The data drive will act as bait, and she shall take it. Persuade her to let you copy the data, it will be useless to request it thinking it to be the only copy. No doubt she has already transmitted it to the two NKI ships in orbit on visitation."
"How shall I persuade her?" Asked the human.
"Do what works most effectively and most quickly. But leave them alive. We need to maintain the delicate balance of the visit there is now."
"Understood, Kones out."
Lanver Kones had just arrived in Honolulu that day, at the request of Zoran himself. Apparently there was new evidence for an insider traitor, and that Krith might either be getting misled by the infiltrator, or might be another spy. Under Ma'lekri's command, Lanver Kones, with a small team of UIP intelligence agents, had ransacked Razid Montiego's flat and killed him.
He had one potion of Krith's data, now he just needed the second. Once he had those two portions, he could send them off to be deciphered.
Now he just needed to wait.
"Oh no."
Those two words were all Krith said as soon as the locks on Razid's apartment had been hacked. As she and her 3 human followers entered the apartment, they saw furniture overturned and tossed aside, pictures on the floor, and a single plasma bolt mark on the wall.
On the floor, a human male, middle eastern in ethnicity, with a now blood stained black beard and bushy hair, lay in a small pool of his own blood, a data device clutched in hi outstretched hand.
"I'm going to hack the room's security feeds, this building has them." Lexa said, synching her data device to the room's surveillance feeds. Stepping up, Xale poked the man's body with his foot: "Gun shot, single round. That kind of work wouldn't have created such a mess."
"Guys, the data, I'm checking it now. This device says that the files were copied an hour ago." Krith stood up, her tail rigid and alert, checking the readings from the data disk on her device.
Alex looked over at Lexa: "Any luck on the cameras?" At that moment, Lexa nodded, bringing up a 2-D projected screen.
The man examined the data device in his hand, waiting patiently on the couch, gazing at the papers he had on his living room table. A voice at the door startled him:
"Razid Montiego! Open up, UIP intelligence bureau!"
Panicking, Razid began to stand up, ready to make a break through the back rooms, into the alleys below.
The door was kicked in, the thin metal sliding door no match for a well placed blow to the middle with bionic enhanced legs. Spinning in shock, Razid could barely open his mouth before a single plasma shot hit him in the heart, sending him spiralling to the floor, landing face first on the ground.
Into the room marched a dark skinned human, saying calmly: "Target down. Data drive is in his hand now. Set up the apartment for our ambush, I'll get a copy of the data."
Bringing down the screen, Lexa looked up, her eyes suddenly widening, just as 3 small bursts of stun fire hit each of the humans in the back.
As Alex, Lexa and Xale fell, immobilized but aware, Krith span around, and saw Lanver Kones standing there, with 2 human UIP agents behind him, heavy pistols pointing at her: "Krith Lovisk. I'm glad we caught you with this set up. Now we can get to business."
"What business?" She asked aggressively, her claws extending a bit from her feet and hands slightly. Raising his pistol slightly, Lanver said: "The data you gathered in Cambridge yesterday. You want to collect its second half from that man there on the floor, the data drive he has. Well, lucky for you, we both have something the other wants, and as I presume we're after the same thing, I propose a copy of each other's information."
Krith studied the dark skinned human, seeing the determination in his eyes, and yet, he was unaware completely of the 3rd portion of data. Snarling, Krith decided to test Lanver: "What's so important to you about this data? And how do you know getting these two fragments will help you more than me?"
"Because Krith, we are more equipped, and because of that we are better suited to tackling this internal espionage that your hidden information is so critical on finding. Give us the information, and we shall give you the second half, everyone wins, so long as you also return to normal intelligence duties within 3 months."
Now Krith was impressed at his unawareness of the third data portion. Beneath her feet, their faces down on the floor, Xale was smirking at Lanver's lack of information, whilst Alex and Lexa were still surprised by Lanver's role in this, though him not being out to kill them was an improvement over other pursuers.
Growling, her acting skills coming on, Krith said: "Alright. I'll get you the first half of the data, but give me the second half. I'll also download it from the drive itself, in case you did anything to the data."
Begrudgingly, Krith synched up her data device to Lanver's, as the second batch of data was transferred. Meanwhile, she walked over to the data drive, and while sending Lavner the first batch of data, she downloaded a second copy of the second data lot onto her device.
Leavign without another word, Krith stood there, waiting for her 3 human companions, who had been unrecognized, and without choice, silent, to get out of their stunned states.
10th chapter up and done.
Just for reference: Ma'lekri, the male Vulcan and UIP intelligence operative, was the one from Into the Darkness chapters 8 and 9, the same Vulcan who proposed Alex, Sru'sky, Trion and Quirinth go to the Frosian military academy. He worked undercover in the Sril'sask underground gladiator rings, and took part in the riotous escape.
Please review, I could use feedback on my story [series] so far. Any good/bad things? Any suggestions?