The moment that Supreme Commander Emad Salmin
handed over the data tablet they knew precisely who to hand it on to, and who
should hand it to him.
Duff Tarver was primarily a raconteur, his
office was a bar or tavern and his audience were his fellow patrons.
But he didn’t merely tell stories he also
collected them from his loose tongued admirers, and he always got stories of
worth.
He was a freelance journalist who sold his work
to whichever media outlet fitted the bill and he distributed his copy across
the known systems of Legion space, and he made a steady living, not enough to move
up in the world, but he did ok.
He was a heavy drinking, down to earth man in
his early fifties with a long-suffering wife, Chani, who managed to bring up
their three children virtually single handed.
With Duff the phrase, “what you see is what
you get”, fitted him like a glove.
He was a popular man, despite all his faults,
as it was very difficult not to like him, even if he could drive you to
despair.
Due to his heavy drinking he often needed
assistance to get home but because people liked him so much he was never short
of a chauffeur.
Most literary types have a favorite quote,
from one of the classic novels or from a Shakespearian play but his favorite
was
“If I ever read about the dangers of drinking
then I’ll give up reading”
Bagg had known Duff, since they were both
young men, before he began his vocational training.
They met on Mars, where Bagg was born and raised,
and Duff had worked his passage on a freighter from his home planet of Earth Secondus, in the Overtonis system.
They hit it off immediately and became firm
friends in the few months before Bagg had to leave for Visitor College.
But over the years they had been reacquainted
on many occasions, and rarely in the same system twice, but because they both
lead nomadic existences eight years had passed before they met again quite by
chance in the Visitors Rest in Gipki.
It wasn’t the usual type of drinking
establishment he would normally frequent, but he had felt compelled to go in
and when he saw Bagg seated in one corner he fully understood why.
The home that he shared with his wife Chani
and their three children was in the City of Rendon on Eikon Major.
She and the kids had been dragged around
Legion space for years, which for the most part she didn’t mind, but she always
insisted that the family live in a big city with all the amenities to hand,
It was important for her that she had access
to good schools for the children and good shops that she could afford to shop
at.
Living in Rendon was good for him too,
firstly because he had peace of mind regarding his family, plus it was the seat
of Government for the Eikon Cluster, so called due to the
high number of M class planets and moons in the Eikon solar system, and where
there was Government there was potential scandal, and people loved scandal,
scandal was very profitable.
So with Chani and the kids settled in the
capital it allowed Duff to spend his time frequenting bars and taverns picking
up titbits, which may or may not lead to some larger morsel.
The weekend following their meeting with the
Commander the whole crew were going to Montrose to spend the Festival with
Bagg’s brother and his wife, which held particular significance for Bagg
himself as it was to be the weekend he introduced his love, Wisma Berita, to
his family for the first time.
So as that was one event he was never going
to miss he got a message to Duff and arranged to meet with him in the Blue
Horizon Bar in Odekka on Friday Night.
Bagg took Merionwen with him for the meeting,
partly because she was a redhead and Duff was partial, but mainly because she
was also born on Earth Secundus, and she didn’t often get the chance to meet a
fellow native.
Just as a precaution he also had the Skeet
brothers stationed close at hand watching the comings and goings.
Duff was indeed happy to see Merri and was
equally pleased to meet another Secundian, but after twenty minutes of chitchat
he said
“What did you want to see me about?”
“Some information has come into our
possession which we think you will know what to do with” Bagg explained “about
someone highly placed”
Bagg had Duff’s full attention and stopped drinking,
“Who?”
Bagg and Merri looked at each other and Bagg
nodded.
“Neff Amery” she said and Duff’s jaw dropped
Bagg and Merri sat watching him as he
processed what they had said, but when the name sank in he asked excitedly
“What’s he done?”
“Well…” Bagg began
“Please tell me its sex?” Duff pleated “Lots
of sex”
“Well…” Bagg began again
“Don’t disappoint me after getting my hopes
up” he snapped
“The truth is” Merri said “There’s too much
for us to tell you”
“Too much?” Duff repeated “Too much to list?”
“That’s why we have this for you” Bagg said
and slipped the tablet discreetly into his pocket.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Make what is secret, public, and shine the
light of truth onto what hides in the darkness” Bagg said
“Very poetic” Duff said “This is a side to
you I’ve never seen before, I like it”
After they finished their drinks they were walking
to the door when a roughly dressed man barged into Duff and knocked him sideways
and then growled at him for his trouble.
Merri bristled and was about to confront the
thug but Bagg held her back and said to Duff
“Check your pockets”
Duff did as Bagg said and then nodded to
intimate all was well so they went out the front door where the Skeets had the
Stroller waiting for them.
“Come on we’ll drop you by your ship” Lyris
said and he climbed aboard.
“Anything suspicious?” Bagg whispered to
Zerrad
“No” he replied “no one appeared to look out
of place”
“That could just mean they were very good”
Bagg mused and got aboard himself
They dropped Duff beside his Corvette and
Bagg got out with him and said
“Be careful Duff, he’s a dangerous man”
“Don’t worry old friend, I’ll be cautious” he
replied “You know me”
“That’s what I’m worried about” Bagg said and
the two men embraced
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