Mutiny on Outstation Zori Read Online Free
Author: John Hegenberger
Tags: Science-Fiction, adventure, Space Opera, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Metaphysical & Visionary, Galactic Empire
operations? Had he been tricked into stealing the Esper ships? Or did he live some sort of secret life, operating so clandestinely that even Jamie had never suspected?
Clamber knew he was not getting the complete story here, but…. He shook his head slowly and sat down. "I'm afraid I don't—"
"Surely, he must have told you something about his past," the businessman said evenly.
"There's nothing in the Imperial data banks except Janssen's place of birth and his pilot's registration out in FZ5. We need get a better handle on him. What is he like?"
Jamie felt his right eyebrow rise. "He is… was… a quiet, determined, hard-working Paethor. I don't know. I can't believe he'd be involved in stealing a dozen FTL ships."
"That's not true," Bright charged. "You know Janssen is capable of committing a theft; experienced it, yourself. Tell us where he is."
"That… I don't know."
"Then tell us where think he might be," Werch said, "and I'll pay to send you there to find out if you're correct. I'm forming several search teams to follow up leads on this case. I want you to be part of one."
Jamie concentrated. The idea that Cast might still be alive was still new. Before his "death", his old partner had once mentioned wanting to go somewhere special, if he ever had enough money. Where was it that the little yellow pilot had wanted to retire to? Someplace out..."I don't know," Jamie said. "You might try FZ13, but if you want anything more specific, I'll have to think it through."
Both Werch and Bright Law looked glum, but resigned. The businessman stabbed a button on his desk and spoke into the air. "Come in, Zaxt."
Jamie stood up, not knowing what to expect, but not expecting what came through the double doors.
A silver male humanoid bot stepped into the room. Its smiling, vid-star features looked out from beneath a full head of flowing golden polyhair. The data screen on its chest glowed a crisp blue, but presented no image or data.
"Zaxt," Werch said, "meet Clamber."
The bot put out its right hand—more like a three-fingered glove—and bowed slightly from mid-waist. "We were expecting you, sir.
Jamie shook the hand and stifled a laugh. "Well, I certainly wasn't expecting you." He turned back to Werch. "What is this? My bodyguard?"
Bright stepped forward and patted affectionately one the slim pouches that lined the bot's shoulders. "He's more of a trainer and teacher than a spy, Mr. Clamber."
Zaxt raised his right, mitten-like hand. "I never spy."
Jamie turned back to Werch. "I'm afraid I don't…. Why do I need it… him?"
Werch laced his fingers on his desktop. "I'm assuming, of course, that you'll accept my proposal to join one of the teams I'm assembling."
"Perhaps..."
"Zaxt here will introduce you to the other members of your group and instruct you through a brief training operation designed to get your team working together at max efficiency. Does that bother you?"
Jamie looked askance at the silver bot. "No. I guess not…
Bright began moving Jamie toward the doors. "Good. Zaxt, take Mr. Clamber down to the training area and introduce him to his teammates. See that he—"
"Wait a minute," Jamie interrupted. "We haven't discussed my fee. I don't intend to go off searching the backnet without some sort of compensation."
"Of course not," Bright answered. "The manufacturer will pay you half a million Eldeits if you are successful in locating the missing ships. We'll pay three times that, if you can retrieve them."
"And what if I can't find them at all?"
From behind them, Werch grumbled, "Then you will have had an interesting vacation courtesy of PANIC, Inc."
"Can I have that in writing and filed with the trade association?"
Werch tapped a series of keys on his desk and a printout issued from beneath the screen on Zaxt's chest. Smiling, the bot tore it off and handed it to Jamie. The print was tiny and there was plenty of it.
Jamie folded the document and slipped it into a pocket in his jacket. "I'll
Clamber knew he was not getting the complete story here, but…. He shook his head slowly and sat down. "I'm afraid I don't—"
"Surely, he must have told you something about his past," the businessman said evenly.
"There's nothing in the Imperial data banks except Janssen's place of birth and his pilot's registration out in FZ5. We need get a better handle on him. What is he like?"
Jamie felt his right eyebrow rise. "He is… was… a quiet, determined, hard-working Paethor. I don't know. I can't believe he'd be involved in stealing a dozen FTL ships."
"That's not true," Bright charged. "You know Janssen is capable of committing a theft; experienced it, yourself. Tell us where he is."
"That… I don't know."
"Then tell us where think he might be," Werch said, "and I'll pay to send you there to find out if you're correct. I'm forming several search teams to follow up leads on this case. I want you to be part of one."
Jamie concentrated. The idea that Cast might still be alive was still new. Before his "death", his old partner had once mentioned wanting to go somewhere special, if he ever had enough money. Where was it that the little yellow pilot had wanted to retire to? Someplace out..."I don't know," Jamie said. "You might try FZ13, but if you want anything more specific, I'll have to think it through."
Both Werch and Bright Law looked glum, but resigned. The businessman stabbed a button on his desk and spoke into the air. "Come in, Zaxt."
Jamie stood up, not knowing what to expect, but not expecting what came through the double doors.
A silver male humanoid bot stepped into the room. Its smiling, vid-star features looked out from beneath a full head of flowing golden polyhair. The data screen on its chest glowed a crisp blue, but presented no image or data.
"Zaxt," Werch said, "meet Clamber."
The bot put out its right hand—more like a three-fingered glove—and bowed slightly from mid-waist. "We were expecting you, sir.
Jamie shook the hand and stifled a laugh. "Well, I certainly wasn't expecting you." He turned back to Werch. "What is this? My bodyguard?"
Bright stepped forward and patted affectionately one the slim pouches that lined the bot's shoulders. "He's more of a trainer and teacher than a spy, Mr. Clamber."
Zaxt raised his right, mitten-like hand. "I never spy."
Jamie turned back to Werch. "I'm afraid I don't…. Why do I need it… him?"
Werch laced his fingers on his desktop. "I'm assuming, of course, that you'll accept my proposal to join one of the teams I'm assembling."
"Perhaps..."
"Zaxt here will introduce you to the other members of your group and instruct you through a brief training operation designed to get your team working together at max efficiency. Does that bother you?"
Jamie looked askance at the silver bot. "No. I guess not…
Bright began moving Jamie toward the doors. "Good. Zaxt, take Mr. Clamber down to the training area and introduce him to his teammates. See that he—"
"Wait a minute," Jamie interrupted. "We haven't discussed my fee. I don't intend to go off searching the backnet without some sort of compensation."
"Of course not," Bright answered. "The manufacturer will pay you half a million Eldeits if you are successful in locating the missing ships. We'll pay three times that, if you can retrieve them."
"And what if I can't find them at all?"
From behind them, Werch grumbled, "Then you will have had an interesting vacation courtesy of PANIC, Inc."
"Can I have that in writing and filed with the trade association?"
Werch tapped a series of keys on his desk and a printout issued from beneath the screen on Zaxt's chest. Smiling, the bot tore it off and handed it to Jamie. The print was tiny and there was plenty of it.
Jamie folded the document and slipped it into a pocket in his jacket. "I'll
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