Continued From Part 2
Balinski smiled and said “I'll pay you 500 credits for information and 1,200 credits for a location. Depends on what you know.” he said ominously.
The man nodded his shaggy haired head and responded “For that amount I would lead you there myself, if I know where it is of course.” he finished.
Balinski nodded and asked “I'm looking for an acquaintance of mine, a Yeown man named Fenrir, last I heard he frequented the 44th spice market. Have you seen…” he was about to ask but was cut off as the man answered him excitedly.
“What? That pile of shrac? What do you want to see him for?” He asked him suspiciously.
Balinski waved a hand and answered “I have some questions for him, and I'm not planning on asking nicely.” He added for effect.
“Yeah I know exactly where he likes to lounge. In fact he was the slimeball that was responsible for me losing my apartment. I'm sure he is living there now, all cool and happy. The greentop apartment complex on 45th. You can't miss it, my room was number 1,230 up near the top. Had a great view and I loved to open the windows at night to let in that cool night air. If you find him, give him a good kick for me huh?” The beggar finished with a spit.
Balinski smiled and said “I'll tell you what, because you gave me such good information, I'm thinking of a 500 credit bonus, here you go.” he said as he handed the poor man his transfer card back.
The Atraxses man looked at him and said graciously “Thank you sir. This, this is going to help me get back on my feet. Thank you.” he said with a tear in his eye.
Balinski just patted him on the shoulder and said “Don't mention it, no seriously. You could get in trouble for giving away Fenrir’s location to me. Don't worry friend, your secret’s safe with us.” he said to him with a wink. Outstretching his gloved hand he shook the other man’s hand and then moved off without another word. Caesar gave the man one last affectionate headbutt before bounding over to his side.
He looked down at her as she bumped into his leg and said “Yeah I know, thanks for that. Who would have known that guy had exactly the information we needed right?” he said, glancing down at her again. She just kept walking and ignored him, causing him to chuckle. Caesar could be temperamental at times.
The old city was worn and in need of constant maintenance, as if to illustrate the point he stumbled and cursed loudly as his booted foot caught a protruding chunk of the sidewalk. His feet might be made of steel, but the sidewalk was duracrete and he lost the battle for dominance. Catching himself on a nearby lamppost, he looked around and saw an old lady across the street cackling at his misfortune. He shot her a glare and continued on his way. He glanced at a street sign on the way past and saw it was labeled 38th. Good, that meant he was getting close.
Caesar trotted along as if nothing was wrong, and in her mind nothing likely was. He admired her ability to shrug off the horrors of life and remain content. As long as she had some food and the ability to annoy him, she seemed to be happy. He thought about the last time he had seen her distressed, it had been during a thunderstorm while they were roughing it out in the slagmire, an area outside the industrial district where hundreds of years of industrial waste had built up into a massive quagmire a hundred kilometers across. They had been on the trail of a particularly dangerous sociopath and Caesar had smelled how dangerous the man was. They had eventually caught up to him when he got stuck inside a ruined piece of abandoned industrial equipment. The man hadn't been willing to cooperate and had needed to be executed. Balinski didn't feel bad for the man, but he hadn't liked the execution style kill either.
There was a distinct difference between killing someone in a fight or self defense, and killing an unarmed person who was unable to really hurt you. The killing of the crazed murderer had left a bad taste in his mouth, but he would have been impossible to drag across twenty kilimeters of murky slag pits while he was alive and resisting.
He put the past out of his mind and focused back on the task at hand. The Atraxses had told him the greentop apartments on 45th, he didn't know it but as he had been told, it shouldn't be hard to find. He could always look it up on his assistant if he got lost.
Crossing another street intersection, he began to smell the scents of the spice market. While it was commonly referred to as a spice market, it sold many more things than simple spices, if one knew what to look for they could find everything from cinnamon to guns there. It was the perfect place for a fence to hang out and look for new buyers and prospects. Balinski had come across Fenrir on a previous sting, he and Siyel had been tracking an illegal drug shipment of unrefined psilocybin and had come across Fenrir in the process. The man had been arrested and taken in for questioning, while he had admitted to selling stolen goods, he had furiously insisted he had nothing to do with the drugs. Even so, he had eventually given up the location of the shipment and they had given him leancency for the information. Balinski smiled to himself, good thing too, because he was about to become useful once again.
Caesar lolled her tongue out of her mouth as they reached 44th and the spice market came into view. Turning to look at her he reminded “Stick close to me you hear? I don't want you becoming somebody's Tuesday special if you know what I mean.” she just gave a slight head bob and continued looking around at all the sights and smells. If it was strong for him, it must have been almost overpowering for her.
Shaking his head at her he glanced around at the surrounding stalls. They were made of cheap metal sheets and old pipes likey salvaged from destroyed buildings. He noticed that many of the stalls had small enclosed spaces behind them where their owners would live and sleep. It was as if there was a tiny city in the middle of the much larger city.
He spotted a small yellow and white striped stall that was advertising desert items. Intrigued by the smell, he wandered over and stood next to the counter to look at the menu hung from the interior roof. The stall was small and poorly lit, making it difficult to read the sign so he switched his cybernetic eye to low light mode and smiled as the sign seemed to brighten in his left eye.
As he perused the items, the stall owner sauntered over and asked him “Anything you like?” He turned his attention to the owner, they were a Human woman, probably in her mid forties. She smiled warmly at him despite his intimidating appearance and he opened his mouth to speak when the woman's eyes lit up and she squealed “Oh my goodness, look at you! Aren't you just the prettiest thing I have ever seen?”
Confused, he looked to see what had so captivated her and rolled his eyes. Caesar was grinning at the woman, her front paws up on the counter as she sniffed the cart expectantly.
“Oh you're gorgeous.” the woman said running forwards to ruffle Caesar’s ears. She stopped as she noticed the cognition implants and looked at him asking “Smart too. Er, how old are they?”
Balinski smiled at the woman's motherly tone and answered “She will be twelve in a few months. Her name is Caesar, and I warn you, she is a glutton for praise.” he finished with a knowing look at the woman.
She just waved her hands and straightened her apron while saying “Ah, pish posh. What woman isn't. Well then Caesar, how would you like an early birthday present?” Caesar woofed excitedly causing both him and the woman to laugh as she walked towards the back.
“Really? You are always thinking with your stomach, you great furball.” he said to Caesar in false annoyance. While his words might have stung under different circumstances, his smile gave away his true feelings and she shuffled sideways with her paws still on the counter till she could give him a small headbutt. He patted her head and said “Yeah, well if I was that cute I would use it to get free shit too.” he chuckled.
The woman returned shortly after with a small bowl and an ice cream cone. She handed the cone to him which he grabbed with a surprised look and then the bowl while motioning it was for Caesar. He looked at it and smiled as he saw it was a small bowl of ice cream. He looked at Caesar and said “Thank the nice lady.” To which Caesar gave her an affectionate whine before he set the bowl down for her. As she tore into it he looked back at the woman and asked “Thanks, what do I owe for that?”
The woman grinned and said “Nothing honey. I used to have a good pupper like that years ago and seeing your girl there brought back some good memories. Consider it a thanks for services rendered.”
He nodded in understanding and looked down at Caesar before he stated “What you ate that whole bowl already? You are going to get a brain freeze you know. Idiot.” he muttered affectionately while shaking his head. He reached down for the bowl and handed it to the woman before he asked “Why haven't you gotten another dog? I'm sure there are plenty of places that might sell you one.”
The shopkeeper shook her head, making her bobbed hair sway. She looked into the distance and said “As much as I might want one, nobody could ever be a replacement for my dear Gingy. He was the best friend I could have asked for.” The woman looked crestfallen at the loss of her dog and he frowned.
“Just because they won't be the same isn't a good reason not to get another dog. Trust me, it's better to be with a friend than alone with your thoughts. I recommend you give it another try. You might be surprised.” he told her with a smile.
The woman nodded slowly and looked to her small living space. "Thanks. It helps to hear that some people care." She said.
He gave her a wave and walked away, he smiled to himself as he left. She seemed like a genuinely good soul. Hard to find these days amid the growing chaos and hatred of the quickly escalating war. He frowned as his thoughts turned to the war.
The Hegemony of Independent Systems as they called themselves. What a joke, those systems were just as shackled to the heads of power as the SCU, probably more so. The Union was old, almost eight hundred years old, plenty of time to make mistakes. Time enough to become corrupted by power, money and greed. Sure the Hegemony might have a nobel idea, but that didn't make them right or good. They had done horrific things in the name of freedom, and the Union had answered with actions just as detestable at times.
Balinski shook his head sadly at the thought. He had joined the service as an impassioned young man, just eighteen years of age. The war had only been raging for a year when he joined, the war had started in the early months of 770 PU when the Yeown capital ship, the IHS Invocation had destroyed the orbital defense fleet above Sector Eta. After hearing of the devastation and near loss of the Union forces, it had inspired him like nothing else he could remember. He could recall watching those holovids of the defense of Zone Epsilon and the fall of Paradise City. Hundreds of thousands dead for what reason? Because a bunch of colony world yokels decided to get uppity? It was absurd, it was insane, and it was happening. He lived through the beginning years of the war, survived the brutal escalating conflicts in the middle, and almost died in its fiery crescendo.
He flexed his hands as he walked down the bustling street filled with shouting, impatient people. Were these assholes really worth so much of him? Worth the pain he felt every single Luck damned day?
Balinski stopped suddenly and turned to look all around him. Everywhere he looked people were shouting at each other to be heard over the relative din of the crowds. People looking after none but themselves. Then he spotted a young Slaaveth woman pushing an AquaStroller with a young pup inside. The oxygenator pumped a steady stream of fresh bubbles into the pup’s tank and the mother patted the thick polymer casing affectionately as they walked down the road. He smiled in spite of himself. That was why he did it, so that a young mother could take care of her child, so a young man could marry the girl next door. He loved the sensation of living that he felt as he looked around. The people nearest him gave him strange looks and kept walking but he paid them no mind. As long as there was happiness and contentment in the SCU, no matter how small, he knew he was on the right side.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Sure those Hegemony schmucks talked a big game about freedom to choose and shit, but then they turned around and bombed Markarth to splinters. The planet didnt even exist anymore.
He slowed his pace as he reached 45th avenue and began to pay more attention to his surroundings. If what the Atraxses man had told him was correct, then he should find Greentop apartments nearby to the spice market. Searching the area he spotted the great building across the roadway from him a few dozen meters away. It was certainly a large structure, but he couldn't really tell from the ground if it was green topped or not.
Waving for Caesar to stay close, he walked towards the building and entered the front. As he walked through the wide double doors and entered the inside of the building he grunted in amusement. The building was obviously trying to make itself look more modern than it was. The walls inside were a tiled mosaic and the floors were bare duracrete with some sort of resin coating. While it did look sophisticated, he could still tell the building was old. It was the little things, the shape of the arches along the walls, the size of the doors, the spacing of the lights on the ceilings.
Balinski walked up to the main kiosk and leaned on the counter. The man running the desk looked over at him and asked "Hello, welcome to greentop apartments. How may I assist you today?"
He looked at the man, he was Human and obviously bored out of his skull. Smiling he said "Hey there man, I met this girl last night, you know?" The man perked up, his interest peaked.
"Oh yeah?" The attendant muttered, trying to sound uninterested.
"Dude, this girl was wild, super smokin too. You know about those Slaaveth girls right? Some guys think they are a little too flat, you know." He said, indicating his chest. The man nodded, captivated. "And it's true they are, but the things they can do with those muscles you know, flexible. Anyways, she gave me her room number and I was wondering if you could help me find what floor it was on." He said in a conversational tone.
The man continued to stare at him as he tapped away on his computer for another few moments before he seemed to realize he had been asked a question. "Yeah, I can do that, sure thing." He paused for a moment before asking "How flexible?"
Balinski laughed and said "You will have to figure that one out for yourself friend. Room 1,230 I believe."
The attendant turned towards his small computer console and tapped away for a moment before saying "Wow, she must be a high roller, she's up near the top. Floor thirty seven. And have a good time." He added.
"Thanks, I will." Balinski said as he and Caesar walked towards the back end of the lobby where the lifts were. "Keep your senses alert, we might not be the only ones looking for Fenrir." He said quietly to her. She gave him a look that said she understood and they entered one of the lifts together.
Soothing elevator music began to play as the doors shut and Caesar growled in annoyance. He smiled and said "A thousand years of engineering progress and still the same damn song. Well, it's better than silence." He remarked.
The elevator ride took longer than he expected, the lift was evidently old. As the doors opened and the hell of peaceful music finally ceased, he stepped out into the long hallway. Whether to give a feeling of luxury or because that's how it had always been, the hall was carpeted in worn red carpet with silver designs threaded into them. The walls were wood paneled and held carvings of exotic plants and animals from all across the Union.
Caesar snorted and he gave her a cursory glance. She was eyeing the various animals carved along the walls suspiciously, she might be smart, but she was still an animal with an animal's instincts. Ignoring her he looked to the nearest room. The room number was emblazoned across the door in shining silver numbers.
"Room 1,203." He muttered to himself. Looking both ways to determine the direction he should go he started down the hall to the left, the numbers on the rooms rose sequentially as he walked.
Eventually he reached the room he was looking for. Raising his hand to knock, he paused. Looking down at Caesar he asked "Can you tell if anyone is inside?"
Caesar huffed and moved to the door. Sniffing around it and near the floor she then pressed her head against the door. Seemingly finished she looked up at him and raised her right paw in her signal for yes. He nodded his head and knocked on the door. The series of knocks was answered moments later by a slightly rumpled looking Yeown man in a pair of shorts and bathrobe.
"Piss off will ya, I'm in the middle of something and don't want what you're selling." Fenrir said tiredly.
Balinski smiled and said in a sinister tone "What, no time for old friends Fenrir?"
The man looked at his face and his eyes widened. "Whhaahaa? You? No, I haven't done anything wrong, I'm clean and clear. You have no authority… uurrhkk." He was cut off as Balinski pushed him back into his room and shut the door behind them. Fenrir had fallen on his back and was now scrambling away from Balinski as he advanced towards the fallen man. With panic in his voice he shouted "What do you want, are you here to kill me too? Please don't kill me."
Caesar lept forwards and snapped her metal jaws shut on the man's robe preventing him from moving further. Balinski tutted as he stood over the fallen Yeown, as a male of his species Fenrir was weaker and less physically fit than the females. But even so, he was unusually small for a member of his species, small enough that Balinski was easily able to haul the terrified man to his feet and drag him into the main room.
Throwing Fenrir towards the large sofa that took up a large portion of the room he looked to Caesar and said "See to it he stays on that couch. If he tries to run, subdue him." She gave a small woof of acknowledgment and moved to the side where she was out of his way but still close.
Fenrir was shaking slightly but seemed a bit more together than he had moments before now that he wasn't in immediate danger. His criminal mind ramping into overdrive as he tried to figure a way out of his situation. "So, this isn't about money, and it's not about weapons." Fenrir said to him appraisingly. Balinski didn't make a move to correct him and the shifty little man asked "You must be looking for a location on a seller, or a buyer. Luckily you came to the right place Balinski, even if your methods are a bit unorthodox.” the furred man said in a grumpy tone.
Balinski rolled his eye and said “Can it, I'm not here to listen to you prattle on about your connections, I just need one specific piece of information and then I'll leave. I'm not here for you. Psilocybin shipments, what do you know about them?” he said aggressively.
Fenrir raised his hands and said quickly “Easy man, I don't know anything specific but I may have heard a thing or two…” he started before Balinski cut him off.
“Sure you have, and I'm sure you were paid well to keep them quiet. Is that what you want, a payout? I'll pay you twenty credits and no bullet in the kneecap, how does that sound?” he snarled.
Fenrir cowered away as far as the couch would let him, Caesar growled low in her throat as a reminder not to try and run. Swallowing heavily he grabbed his long furred tail in his hands and held it still. He looked over to Caesar and then back to him before saying “I might have information on where the shipment that was intercepted in the port depot last night was supposed to be headed. But this information could get me killed. There are some powerful people behind this, you have no idea…” the Yeown warned him.
Balinski just nodded and said “Slake, yeah I know, just give me the details and he will cease to be a problem for you soon. I guarantee it.”
Fenrir shook his furred head and said “This goes further than Slake, so much further. You really have no idea what you are getting into do you?” he said.
Shaking his head, Balinski just frowned and rested his hand on his holstered ThunderEagle. Fenrir winced at the motion and said “There is a drop-off point on 327th, near stonewall from what I heard. That's all I know, seriously.” he said frantically as Balinski took a step towards him.
Balinski stepped up to him and hauled him to his feet before pushing towards the small kitchen area. “Thanks for the help Fenrir, go get yourself a drink, it looks like you need one.” he laughed.
Fenrir just looked at him and nodded, an ill expression on his face.
“Cmon Caesar, we got a date with some street scum.” he said to her as he began to walk out of the room, he stopped before leaving and looked at Fenrir who froze mid pour of his drink. “And don't get any funny ideas like telling people about our little chat. I won't mention it either, I'm sure it will be in both our best interests right?” he asked the man who nodded furiously.
Balinski smiled and left the apartment before closing the door and moving towards the elevators. As he and Caesar began to ride down to the ground he pulled up his assistant and checked to see if Siyel had gotten to him with any more information. She hadn't, and he decided to keep his findings to himself.
He knew that if he shared the information the CPD would make a big deal of the raid and the buildup could potentially alert the thugs to the fact they had been made. On the other hand, if he and Caesar did this alone the chances of it being a successful mission would be dramatically higher. That and the fact that Siyel generally hated it when he just killed them all. She was always going on about trials and due process as if these criminals haven't already done worse things to innocents. It was an unnecessary decision and he liked to work alone anyways, well alone with Caesar at least.
Exiting into the lobby he waved to the attendant on the way by and the man gave him a thumbs up. Shaking his head, Balinski exited the large structure and checked the map on his assistant. 327th was a long way away, almost in another district entirely, he would need to move quickly in order to get there before it was too late in the evening. It was likely going to be dark anyways, but he had night vision and infrared functions on his cybernetic eye and so wasn't worried.
He started to walk briskly along the sidewalk towards the small market he had parked at. His truck was marked by an electronic code that would keep city officials from towing it so it would still be there when he arrived. He passed through the spice market and then by the corner where the Atraxses man had been, but he was no longer there.
Reaching his truck, he and Caesar hopped inside and he started it up. Pulling out onto the main road he turned on the radio and tuned in to the metal station. He bobbed his head and hummed along to the lyrics, this was good music, music he remembered from his childhood. Being careful not to get into an accident on the busy streets, he and Caesar made their way along the main arterial route towards the new city.
The city of Cheenha was founded in the early days of the SCU by Nerivith and Human colonists. While the planet was rather sympathetic to their shared biology, it was quickly shared by many other member races of the Union as Jureillo was host to many different climates. The biggest city grew up in the original location however. Named for one of the original founders, the megacity of Cheenha had a long and proud history. Unlike some of the older worlds of the Union who had succumbed to chaos and crime over the centuries, Cheenha was still relatively well maintained for a city of its advanced age. At well over four hundred years old, the inner city was a monument to the engineering and materials science of the Union in years gone by. Some of the oldest structures standing predated some of the other member races in the SCU itself. The Capitol building was older than Umraghj and their membership in the Union for example.
As he crossed the threshold into the new city he noticed a marked change in the structure and layout of the buildings. The older style duracrete and steel construction was given over to the more modern plasteel and glazmite structure. These new materials gave the structures a rigid strength as well as a flexibility that allowed them to be earthquake and high wind resistant. The glazmite could also be configured to absorb solar or vibrational energy to supply the structures with minute amounts of electricity.
Watching the street count rise steadily he continued on his way till he reached 327th avenue. Slowing and pulling into a nearby parking structure, Balinski parked and pulled up his assistant to look for stonewall. To his surprise it wasn't a place so much as an area. It seems as though there was once a large stone wall that had been in the area for many years before it had been torn down to make way for a new warehouse district. Many had resented the destruction of the landmark and had worked to rebuild as much of it as they could, one stone at a time.
The resulting structure was incredible and brought onlookers from around the world. It was a large wall, built in place of the sidewalk on one side and having openings for traffic and pedestrians. The wall itself was huge, made of natural stone mortared together, it was possible to walk along the top of the four-meter-tall edifice. The ends of the wall had stone staircases that could be used to mount it and the wall’s top was crenelated and had benches and trees and other such things.
He had only lived on Jureillo for about a year and had only been mobile the last nine or so months, but he was surprised he had not heard of this place. It was interesting, a part of the city's history and loved by the community. He could tell they had put a great deal of effort into maintaining the wall and there was even a website about how to become a wall watcher and volunteer. He considered signing up as he was a bit of a history lover, but decided he could always check up on it in his free time. Now he just had to find out which warehouse held the psilocybin shipments.
Continued in Part 4