All That Glitters Ch. 42

When nobody else spoke, Kim stood.

"I believe you are a professional bodyguard, is that not correct...er, Kim?" the Chair asked.

"Oshiiru Kimiko, known as Kim, Chair," Kim replied, bowing "Yes, I am a professional bodyguard, but I have also assisted in many instances of assassination attempts during my career. Sir, there are too many inconsistencies with this attempt to make it a single person acting on their own. This has all the hallmarks of a paid assassin.

"First, someone blanked out forty minutes of time overnight. That likely means someone was either blackmailed, or was paid, to assist the assassin, or was a sympathizer with those committing the act.

"Second, the assassin did not start the countdown on the bomb when Lady Adenomere was seated. That means the person was likely at or near the door to the Landstradt when Lady Adenomere arrived yet they did not wait to see her seated. Why not? The likely answer is that all non-members of the Landstradt would have been removed from the floor after the Chair arrived, directing everyone else to the bleachers.

"By tradition, anyone can come into the Landstradt but only members of the Landstradt, their families, or special guests, can remain in the building once the session starts. This means the person who started the timer was likely not permitted in the Landstradt once the doors were closed. In addition, it was only luck that pressure from malcontents forced Lady Adenomere not to reach her seat until after the timer detonated the bomb.

"Had the assassin been able to stay in the Landstradt, they would not have started the timer until after Lady Adenomere was seated.

"Third, the bomb was not detonated this morning, even though it was installed last night. Why not? That was because Lady Adenomere had called an emergency session of the Landstradt to inform the members of the incident she found on her estate last night. No one but Landstradt members were allowed in this morning's session, not even guests in the bleachers.

"All together, this indicates that the assassination was likely planned over the last two days but not overnight. That should narrow your list of culprits down somewhat," Kim stated.

"It does indeed," Jorge admitted. Jorge took the Master at Arms aside and they looked at security imagery from within the Landstradt earlier that afternoon. They immediately spotted the likely trigger man, the same missing guard they were looking for. Jorge now upgraded the requirements on that person's file, changing them from wanted for questioning to wanted as a likely suspect in a murder/attempted murder case.

That provided surprising results as those who were hiding said person suddenly changed their minds when they were confronted by the probabilities they would be charged for harboring a known fugitive. The man was given up by his 'friends' and quickly arrested.

The trigger man identified those who had paid him, and those who had actually planted the bomb. The names came as no surprise to the Attorney General.

In the meantime, the Chair suspended the remainder of the afternoon session and asked everyone to return the next morning.

Adenomere Estate, Planet Adenomere, The Adenomere System

"Can we actually go there?" Guinevere asked her mother.

"We have no choice if you want to learn more about your abilities," her mother confirmed.

"But we will be leaving Tougrate and Malnad behind," Guinevere said.

"They have an important job to do here," her mother reminded her. "They will return to Liramor-23 when that task is complete, which they say will be less than a week."

"A week is a long time not to be able to learn more about my abilities, Mother," Guinevere told her. She heard Toolend laughing as they came into the room.

"Never fear, little one," Tougrate told her. "We are sending you to one of our elders, Augraf. He is very skilled in telepathy. He taught Junelliya. He can teach you. You will see us again soon enough."

"Tougrate, despite being a telepath, you are sometimes so insensitive," Malnad chided.

"What do you mean?" a perplexed Tougrate demanded.

"She is still a young one about to depart on her first great adventure," she explained. "She is nervous and leaving people she knows and even admires. Junelliya, Fayad, Kim, us...she has reason to fear this adventure."

Tougrate turned his eyes to Guinevere and spread his tentacles out, bringing him down to a level where his eyes could look directly into the little girls.

"Don't step on my tentacles," he false whispered to her, bringing a bright smile to her face, being reminded of her own words.

"I have only known you for a couple of days," Tougrate began. "You seem so much more mature to me so I sometimes forget that you are still a young one of your species. Augraf will be impressed by you, just as much as Malnad and I initially were.

"Life is one adventure after another. When we are young, all of our adventures are great adventures. But with maturity, we learn that great adventures change our lives significantly. Great adventures can change how you look at life, at people, even at the universe," Tougrate told her.

"Meeting us was your first great adventure. Meeting Augraf will be you next. Combining that with this trip you are about to take to a new home will make for an extra special adventure," Tougrate assured her.

"Learn to enjoy adventures. Because of who and what you are, your life will be filled with them," Malnad added.

"Time to board," a crew member from The Trine said from the door.

Elizabeth watched as Guinevere reached out and took a tentacle from each of the Toolend in her hand. Whatever was said between them was a private moment that her mother never could get her to reveal, but it changed Guinevere's outlook forever.

With a hug from Junelliya and Aurelia, they boarded the ship for the trip to Liramor-23.

Liramor-23 Mining Platform, 109 Piscium System, 106 Light Years from Terra

Three hours later, The Trine landed in the VIP dock of Liramor-23. Hanalei led the pair up to the VIP reception area where a couple of important people were waiting for them.

"Elizabeth and Guinevere Soulange, this is Dr. Fiona Marsh, Director of Operations for Liramor-23, and her aid-de-camp, Cdr. Jane Fillertan," Hanalei began. "Beside her is Ambassador Mayute of the Toolend. Behind them is Augraf. They are all here to meet you Guinevere."

Guinevere gave a nervous curtsy and a shy hello.

"You needn't be afraid, Clotticod (literally 'little one' a term of affection for Toolend usually employed with family members)," Mayute said. "We are all thrilled to meet you. It is rare to meet a telepath from another species. Until now, the only true human telepath we have met is Junelliya, and there is some issue as to whether she is a natural telepath or developed her powers during an incident.

"You are unique. You are a true natural telepath. We Toolend will be happy to be your instructors. Augraf here was my instructor many years ago. He is looking forward to starting with you.

"However, you must understand that our instruction techniques are not like human techniques. We do not have a formal school for telepathy. That means training rather than instruction. Practice rather than formal schooling in techniques. It will be difficult for you but, hopefully, fulfilling in time," Mayute explained.

"Since the Toolend are sponsoring you, you are welcome on the platform," Fiona stated formally. "You will have to go to school to learn survival techniques for platform life, and other things about living in space. As you are not here on company business, you will have to pay for your living accommodations, though Hanalei tells me this will not be an issue for you.

"Hanalei also tells me that you have skills that can be used by the various embassies?" Fiona asked of Elizabeth.

"Yes, I have personnel management, money management, and various organizational skills that could be of use for various offices on Liramor-23. While I have money, Junelliya suggested that I might want to work so as not to be bored," Elizabeth replied.

"That is so true on so many different levels," Fiona answered. "Working in space is both exciting and incredibly boring. Also, we have no formal school for people of Guinevere's age. It should be exciting to see what Urano can do for her when she returns from her current assignment.

"In the meantime, we will set you up with a place to stay and arrange for you to get started on your required training for living on a space station. It was good to meet you. If you have any questions, Hanalei can help you. For anything dealing with paperwork, please ask of my HR department."

Fiona indicated a woman who had just entered the reception area. She nodded to the trio and left, the Toolend in tow.

"Hello, I am Dianne Ancien, Director of HR here on Liramor-23. I will personally take you around to get things arranged for you and will assign a person from my office to be your contact for your needs while you are on the platform.

"I am told you have money to deposit in our bank? Would you like to do that first?" Dianne asked.

Getting Elizabeth's consent, they moved off to the concourse to the local bank. Elizabeth gave her bank note to the clerk who did not even bat an eye at the amount, which surprised Elizabeth.

"You will find that the bank here is used to dealing with large amounts of currency as it works as an interchange between Union worlds and the planets of the Greater Community," Dianne explained. "They also deal with the personal funds of several millionaires and even a couple of billionaires associated with the platform."

"This is your account information, Ms. Soulange," the clerk stated. "You will have to change your wrist comp, as the security on that model will only allow us to move a maximum of thirty thousand credits through it. If you are planning on dealing with larger amounts than that, you will have to get an upgraded model or deal directly with your bank. There is a place on the concourse that sells comps."

Elizabeth thanked her and Dianne took them to directly to HR.

"This is Maria Fontenette, she will be your advisor from HR. If you have any questions please contact her directly or come here to HR to see her. Maria, these two ladies have not been through space training nor platform orientation, they will need to complete that within the next week," Dianne ordered.

"I will leave you in Maria's capable hands," she told the pair as she gave them a nod and moved off to her office.

Maria completed the registration for the pair, assigning them to a place on Lima deck. She gave them the orientation tour of the platform, taking them around to see the sights, such as they were and finally took them down to their new quarters.

As they were moving along Lima deck, they found Hanalei.

"Hello, how are things going?" she asked.

"We are just being shown to our new apartment," Elizabeth told Hanalei, who followed them. It wasn't far from the Piscium apartment, which meant that they could visit when they wanted.

"I am making supper soon," Hanalei said as they came to her door. "If you would like to come over once you are comfortable?"

"We would like that," Elizabeth confirmed.

The ladies arrived at their door and took in the place that would be their home for some time in the future. It wasn't much. It was a basic two bedroom, one bathroom apartment with a kitchenette and a living room. They had a large plasteel window that gave them an excellent view of the gas giant and some of the working cages. At least the monitor in the living room was the newest model.

"There are sheets and pillows in the closet of each bedroom. They are rather generic so you might want to visit the concourse to look for alternatives," Maria explained.

As they were looking around, a porter arrived with their luggage, such as it was. It didn't take them long to stow it away. Maria left them to get organized.

"It isn't much," Elizabeth told her daughter. "But this is for you. I hope that you will gain much from our time here."

"Me too," Guinevere replied sincerely, hugging her mother.

They went to the Piscium apartment and pushed the buzzer, the door opened immediately on a green skinned alien, surprising the duo.

"Hello, I am Mind-Ur, you must be Elizabeth and Guinevere," Mind said, before stepping back to let the pair enter.

"Don't mind Mind-Ur," Hanalei laughed from the kitchen. "The Ur Clan live next door but as soon as they smell my cooking, they are all over here."

"Is true, Hanalei and Junelliya are excellent cooks!" said Mind. "We are of the Pod-Drran, but now we are of the Union."

"Of the Union?" Guinevere asked, curious.

"We got kicked out of the Pod-Drran," one of the (males?) replied. Yes, it had to be male as the females had (FOUR!!) breasts.

Caye-Ur smirked when she saw the two newcomers looking. "Yes, the Goddess has blessed us with four breasts, unlike humans."

"Yes, but she let the humans have much bigger breasts," Lent-Ur laughed.

"Lent, she is still young, don't fill her mind with that crap," Caye scolded him, causing Guinevere to giggle.

The door sounded and two Toolend came in as Caye opened it.

"You are Mayute and Augraf," Guinevere stated.

"How do you know that?" Caye asked.

"He is wearing the ambassador's armband," Guinevere replied, rolling her eyes.

That set the Toolend off laughing, it seemed to be a running gag that was used often by people in this apartment.

And then Hanaya landed on Guinevere's shoulder, rubbed her head against her face and rumbled her purr. Guinevere, at first nervous at the sight of those sharp teeth so close to her, sighed in contentment as the little animal broadcast her delight in being with the girl.

Elizabeth took in the company she found herself in. Toolend, Pod-Drran, humans, all sitting around talking normally as if nothing was strange at all. She suddenly realized these people had accepted her and her daughter as a matter of course.

Guinevere gave her mother a look of understanding and a shy smile. Elizabeth suddenly felt the impact of the last forty-eight hours hit her. She had broken her marriage, met new and strange people, discovered the truth about her daughter, uprooted herself and her daughter to the other side of human space from their home world, all in such a short period of time. She felt herself sagging and was caught by one of the Pod-Drran who brought her to the couch.

"I am Hend-Ur, a nurse. This is my mate, Dr. Kaye-Ur. Are you all right?" he asked.

Hanalei was suddenly there, sitting beside her and giving her a hug. "She has been through a lot over the last couple of days, Hend. She will need the support of new friends."

"If you call her friend, Hanalei, then we will consider this pair our friends too," Mind-Ur stated formally. "If there is ever anything you need, Elizabeth and of course you too, Guinevere, just come to our door and ask."

Elizabeth looked around at the group of strange beings who had just given her and her daughter their unconditional support. She was ashamed to admit that she would not have done so herself, her upbringing was just far too different from this situation.

But she was going to have to learn new things now. Not just for herself but for her daughter.

They all noted when a look of determination came into Elizabeth's eyes. Pleased smiles broke out all-round.

"I think we have just made new friends, mother," Guinevere said, giving her mother a hug.

"I think so too, honey. Though I am not sure how I am going to explain this to grandma," Elizabeth told her daughter. That brought a giggle from the little girl whose adventure the two were sharing.

Hanaya had been keening a sad sound but it abruptly changed to chittering as she jumped between Elizabeth's and Guinevere's shoulders. As she began to make the happy sounds, she started moving between the shoulders of all the guests and to the proffered tentacles of the two Toolend, who laughed their peculiar laugh at her antics.

"She likes you, little one," Augraf told Guinevere, explaining Hanaya's activity.

"I know," Guinevere replied.

Yes, indeed she does. Augraf thought to erhtself. If Augraf could have smiled, he would have. Instead, he let his happiness leak out...

NS Dewfall, In Orbit of Planet Varus, Clément System, Forty-Eight Light Years from Terra

Cmdre Dostier accepted the call from Junelliya. It was time for their strategy session. She was pleased to see Raymond, four of the five Marines, as well as Fayad, Kim, Ambassador Flynet, and Seito.

"Hi Junelliya, is everybody ready?" she asked.

"We are, though we have a guest in this session, Liana," Junelliya let the image expand to show...

"Lady Adenomere?" Liana exclaimed, surprised. "It is good to meet you like this if not in person. Let me say, wholeheartedly, that I am pleased you escaped injury today."

"Thank-you Commodore Dostier," Aurelia replied. "And please call me Aurelia, Lady Adenomere is too formal. However, today was not the first attempted assassination by those two idiots. Their planned attempt on me when I arrived on Adenomere was so easy to see through and prepare for it was almost an embarrassment to say that I foiled that attempt. They then launched a pair of shoulder fired SAMs at my aircar a couple of days ago. Fortunately, I had countermeasures installed on the vehicle."

"Please call me Liana, then, Aurelia," Dostier returned with a smile. "Aren't countermeasures illegal on civilian vehicles?"

"So are shoulder fired SAMs in the possession of civilians," Aurelia replied.

"Touché. You do realize that this is a strategy session with what to you is the opposition?" Liana asked.

"Well, we may be on opposite sides, Liana, we do, however, have the same objectives," Aurelia returned.

"Agreed. We will accept whatever input you may offer, though it will only be used to plot potential responses," Liana informed her.

"Understood," Aurelia acknowledged.

"We asked Aurelia what she thought might happen over the next couple of days," Junelliya explained. "We thought you might like to hear her response."

"The Landstradt, or at least a good portion of its members, is still dead set against freeing any more slaves." Aurelia began. "There is very little support for the Union position of demanding the release of its citizens within the Landstradt.

"However, while that is the face of the Landstradt, people are beginning to see for themselves the image that we, the Alliance, has out there, outside Alliance space. We are not pleased that we are viewed as pariahs.

"That is what we have to push with. We need to let the membership know that they have to own up to their past in order to advance to the future. We need to force them to acknowledge that the Alliance has no future if it maintains the status quo.

"The Union has already stated that it will not deal with the Alliance on anything but basic needs. That severely limits trade. We need to offer an olive branch that allows the Alliance to see past our current limits to a future that we could attain through positive actions," Aurelia told them.

"We had noted that the Alliance was hardening its stance over the last few days, however, I don't know how to bring the Alliance into the fold over this," Liana admitted.

"I do," Junelliya put out. "We made the offer of support from the Harradi, why don't we let that happen?"

"How do we do that?" Liana asked. "The Landstradt is suspicious of anything we could offer to them now."

"Aurelia has a few people she can talk to," Fayad said. "Maybe we can ask one of them to pop the question of how to make use of what the Union is offering. We could then let the Harradi speak for the Harradi.

"We can let the Harradi know that the Alliance will likely call them. We can ask who they want us to call to answer Alliance questions," Fayad ended.