Kiera and Astrid looked through Snowden's costumes while they waited for Kinsley and Riley to return. Kiera had to admit the costumes were really well made, even if they were really easy to remove, especially certain parts. She hoped there wasn't a wardrobe malfunction while Kinsley and Riley were in the brothel. Tara was busy with hacking into the Sangria Luna mainframe and from the happy whoop that Kiera heard a few hours after Kinsley left, she'd succeeded.
"That was a happy sound!" Kiera said, walking out of the bedroom, her coinmail bikini clinking as she walked.
"I'm in. I have complete control of the starbase and no one has noticed I'm in!" Tara said, excitement bleeding from her. She looked up at Kiera with a gleeful expression and pulled the nymph into her lap. "Ship launch schedules, deliveries, reports from all the ships, the contracts! I can view every contract the Red moon has logged! The path to Skovr's brothel is one hundred percent clear, Pugh and his High Captain aren't on the star base! I think we're the only ones on this level! Watch this." Tara's fingers flew over the keyboard and a few numbers changed. "I just changed the access codes to Pugh's offices. He won't be able to get in!" she giggled madly. It was a beautiful sight.
Kiera kissed her cheek, "I love that sexy brain of yours. The pranks are a little…odd, but you…did you say you have the contracts?"
"I'm already searching them and cross referencing them to everything that Snowden has. In about thirty minutes I should have the name of the client that killed your niece. I might even have the communication log. I can also blow this station up with the push of a button."
Kiera didn't hear that last sentence. Thirty minutes. Thirty minutes and she would know who was responsible. It was agony to wait. Riley and Kinsley returned just as the search ended, and Riley wasn't wearing any pants.
"You discovered the costumes broke!" Astrid laughed.
"Yeah," Riley grumbled, "I'm just glad those brothels were mostly empty of mercs."
"We found them," Kinsley said. "They're on their way to the eighth floor now. There was one matron that oversaw the seventh and eighth floors; she was a piece of work. Riley took care of her while I worked on the collars. Then she found the controller."
"Your friends didn't need much convincing to leave," Riley said. "But the girls who have been there awhile are refusing to leave. They said they had a good life and suggested we get out before the matron woke up. Of course, she'd need to be untied first. Any news on the contracts?"
"Hello, Admiral Lupin. My name is Belial. Your organization has been recommended to me. Can you pull off a job that the Black Hole Society is afraid to do?" The voice was obviously masked, making it unidentifiable.
"There is no contract that the Red Moon cannot do. The Black Hole Society is a joke. What's the job?"
"The Astrian Empire's Imperial Family needs to die. In particular I want you to kill Princesses Kiera Sol and Liandra Astria. They're both students at the Danelar Naval Officer's Academy. Tamariel Nova of the AES Celestial Spring and her wife, Chelsea Astro, a memorandum of the Church of Holy Stars, And Nikitia Luna. She will be the hardest to reach; she’s on Orlan. I also want Percival Astria slain. That should be easy; he’s leading the campaign against the botanicals on Yaen Parra III.”
"The Royal Princesses," Lupin said, he seemed less confident. "And the oldest grandson of the Emperor Those are high profile targets, Belial."
"Are you not up for it? You can consider each of them separate contracts, except for the Novas. For each one I will pay one million platinum Latinum bars, five pounds of astrium, and one other item of your choice. Of course, I could go to the Axtellion Legion.”
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"No need, Belial,” Lupin said. “I have the perfect person in mind to take care of these contracts.”
"My transmission frequency has just been sent to you. Send me the contract, and happy hunting."
Kiera stared blankly at the screen. Tamariel, Chalice, and Percieval were targets, her niece was a target, her nine year old sister was a target! Lupin didn't even hesitate when he heard that ludicrous price. She saw another message related to the contract. Without hesitation she played it.
An image of Lupin with Balthazar Snowedn was projected into the air. They were standing at some railing looking out into the stars. Lupin handed Balthezar a datapad, saying nothing. Snowden reviewed it, his eyebrows shooting into his hairline.
"These are high profile targets. If the Emperor learns of this then we will all be destroyed. You know he annihilated the eladrin purist group who kidnapped his daughter-in-law while she was pregnant with his grandson, correct?" Balthazar handed the datapad back. "If someone tried to harm my daughters I would give my soul to the Void to get the power to end their existence. Painfully. I refuse"
"Think what we could do with those components. Think of what Skorv could build us! He's mentioned wanting to get his cold hands on astrium, and with the zaedium! Uller will aid you for a single Kaleidoscope Diamond! With your connections, Skorv's creations and Uller's cunning you could pull this off. Kill six little girls and the Prince of Thorns!" Lupin said.
"Amadeus Astria would find out who did it. He would destroy us," Balthazar said. “This is suicide. I have met the Emperor, he is not to be trifled with.”
“Think about your family, Balthazar. What would happen to your alien wife and those two hideous daughters of yours if Imperial Intelligence knew you were one of the highest ranking members in the Moon? We’re all wanted by the Empire. What would happen if they learned some of our activities were able to be completed because of your naval connections? What do you think will happen to your sons if you refuse me?”
Balthazar glared at Lupin, “Keep in mind who turned your band of brigands into a competent organization, Ulysses.”
“That may be true, but you can’t undo that. I can do without you. Can your family?”
Balthazar snatched the datapad. “Insult my daughters again and I’ll show you what will happen if I leave. Threaten my sons, and I’ll have your head on the prow of my ship. I will accept this contract under protest. You will give me any resource I ask for.”
“Done. I would bring in the other admirals. Pol and Uller will likely be able to reach the girl on Orlan. If not, maybe Skorv. Pugh—“
“I won’t need their help,” Balthazar snapped. “I will also be taking an eighty percent of the payment as well as the additional item.
“Seventy. Do you have a plan?”
“Seventy-Five, but you find someone else to kill Princess Luna. She’s seven or eight and I refuse to be a party to that. Sol and Astria are at the Academy. There are arrangements that can be made and I have a few men in position to ensure that they won’t return from their survival training in three months,” Balthazar said, “We might get some new recruits from it as well.” He started to walk away.
“And the last Princesses and the Prince?”
Snowden stopped, “Lupin, why don’t you figure those out. Earn your twenty-five percent.”
“Nova is in your branch of the military. I’ll handle the child, the memorandum, and the prince. The other three princesses are yours.”
The recording ended.
The other four women moved at once, holding Kiera tightly. Lupin had actually recorded his discussion with Snowden all the discussions he had about the Royal Contracts, and there were many. Irrefutable proof that Balthazar Snowden used his position in the Empire to commit regicide and attempted regicide. He had something in the works for Tamariel as well. Nikita was safe on Orlan. No one could even land on the planet without her father’s permission. Even if she did leave, the shuttles weren’t marked and only the Royal Guard would know and would travel with her. Chelsea was safe in the church. The Knights of the Comet would see to her protection.
Anyone dumb enough to go after Percival would get what they deserved. He’s been fighting against the Botanicals and was trained by Kiera’s father and brother. Her nephew was not to be considered lightly.
“Tara, do you have copies of everything?” Kiera asked.
“Several. There are other recordings, it seems like Lupin wanted to know everything as it happened.”
“Good, let’s get out of here.”