Legend

“Well?” the senator said, not very patiently. “What are you going to do about this? I helped fund this fiasco. If the haran story gets out…”

“Don’t worry,” the medium height man interrupted. He turned to look at the senator.

The hard and dirty bureaucrat was bothered by those eyes that now stared at him. He had never seen anyone with eyes like that. They were a very pale grey color and when the man smiled, they gleamed like liquid metal. He turned away, trying to be subtle about it. He couldn’t allow this man to know that he had any weakness that could be exploited.

“I’m going to take care of it right now. There will be nothing to tie this to either of us,” the senator said with firmness and certainty that he didn’t feel.

“Everything should be ready. Have a seat, Senator. You’ll have a front row seat for the show that I’ve arranged. Don’t worry about a thing.” Threl adjusted a monitor and it showed the inside of an office with a man sitting at a desk.

After a long wait, the receptionist finally led the two lieutenants into an office. A rotund man with shining bald head quickly got to his feet. “So sorry to keep you waiting gentlemen. Busy man, you know, running a company of this size. If you had called in advance, I might have been able to fit you in better. Please, sit down. I’m Harn Sheren. What can I do for you? I’m not used to having security officers visit me.”

“Mr. Sheren,” Daven Shepherd began, “we would like to ask you some questions about an employee of yours, Nerrin Ecole. As you have been informed previously, he died on the planet Tellous.”

The man interrupted. “I was quite confused by that message. I don’t have an employee by that name. Nerrin…Ecole you said?” He turned to a data tablet. “I had my secretary look up that name when the security office called to tell me that he had died. I didn’t recognize it…but then I can’t know all the workers at a company this size. At any rate, her search came up empty.” He glanced again at the data tablet. “No one by that name works here.”

Shepherd drew in a breath to check his temper. “Mr. Sheren, it would save us all a great deal of time if you would just admit now that he worked for you. This denial is going to cause an investigation of your company and records. It will be long and intense and the truth will be known in the end. Wouldn’t it be easier if you didn’t try to play games with us?”

“I’m not playing games,” the man’s face turned red. “And I resent your implication. I’ll have you for slandering me. I am quite content for anyone to have a look at my records. I have nothing to hide…and no employee by the name of Nerrin…whatever it was. Is there anything else I can do for you? I can’t answer any questions about someone I don’t know. So…if there is nothing else, I would greatly appreciate it if you would let me get back to my work.”

Shepherd studied the irate man shortly. “Very well. We will not bother you further. This case will be investigated further by the security force. I’m sure you will be hearing from them.” He stood.

“Fine. I welcome that over your…defamatory techniques. I will report that to security as well.”

“You are at liberty to do so.” The lieutenant inclined his head and turned to leave.

The senator tugged on his lip. “I thought you said this would eliminate the problem.”

“It has. There are no ties between Nerrin Ecole and Galactic Ore…not any longer. I’m sure you have nothing tangible that will tie you to him.” The man grinned and his silver eyes shined.

The politician glanced away. “Of course not. I’m not a fool.”

“Neither am I. The problem is solved.”

“You heard what that lieutenant said. The security forces will come here to investigate.”

“And they are most welcome. They will find nothing. My records are clear.”

“There has to be some record of Ecole working for you. You had to pay him.”

“He was…a specialist. His pay was direct deposit to an unnumbered account. No record.”

“I still don’t like those people having suspicions. He won’t leave it alone. I’ve heard about this Daven Shepherd fellow.”

“Oh, don’t worry about him. There are other specialists, if necessary.”

Even the senator was chilled by the way the man said those words…and he decided not to argue.

Once they were in the corridor Tolen burst out, “Shepherd, why did you give in to that? You know he’s lying.”

“Yes, I do know it, Tolen. However, I have done the job I was sent to do. We will report to Captain. Martine. He will take the appropriate action to see that Galactic Ore’s personnel records are investigated.”

“But…in the meantime, he can destroy anything about Nerrin.” Tobias pointed to the office they had exited.

“Yes, Tolen. He can.” Shepherd admitted.

“He’s going to get away with this. People are dead because of this crazy scheme, even Nerrin himself, and that man is going to get away with it!”

“We don’t know that, Tolen. Mr. Sheren may be able to hide what he knows, but he is not the only source of information. I’m sure Nerrin must have had friends here.”

“Friends who would be afraid of Sheren and lie for him.”

“That may be. However, our responsibility here is complete. We must report to Captain Martine and pass the case back to him…and then wait for reassignment.”

“But…Shepherd…”

“That is the way of it, Tolen. We must leave Mr. Sheren to whatever consequences he invents for himself and we must move on. Come.”

Tolen opened his mouth to answer but knew it would do no good. Shepherd was right; he knew that. And he would have to let go…and move on. The young lieutenant glanced over his shoulder at the door from which they were walking. He remembered the horrible dark haran, and what it was like to have that in his face. The man thought back of trying to care for Shepherd after the haran attack…and what he had gone through to remove the eggs from Jenson. He remembered all his uncertainty, his fear, not just in that, but in all he had to accomplish after the haran attacked Daven. Recovering the parts to repair the transport. Replacing the electrical bus. Wending his way back and forth through the station, always looking back to see if the dark creature was nearby. The mental and physical exhaustion. Relief, sweet relief when he got the haran out the transport hatch. All that he had fought with and for to save lives. And the people responsible for this were going to get away with it. Oh, it was true they would be investigated, but he doubted the truth would come out. Galactic Ore was being given too much time to cover their tracks. They had used a great deal of time while making the lieutenants wait to speak to Sheren. Tolen was certain Sheren and his company would get away with this. He would. It was so unfair. But, that was the way of things. He couldn’t accept it as easily as Daven, but he knew he would have to accept it.

END