Alien Killer's Prize

Chapter 1

Torvex

I keep telling myself the Kraaj don’t get nervous, but it isn’t helping. I wait for Magistrate Kavan, as I was instructed to do, pacing occasionally.

“Relax,” I mutter to myself. “Worrying is not the way of the Kraaj.”

As an attempt at distraction, I look out the window next to me across Hela. The complexity of the city spills out beneath me, but its jagged beauty fails to take my mind off my unease. While I can’t see Legion’s droids from here, I know the AI is out there. Waiting. 

I guess uneasiness is in the air for everyone, given Legion’s presence. Fear over the siege is what sparked the riot that Ekav went to subdue, while sending me to the emergency war meeting in his place.

I still don’t understand why he did that. He’s the Chief, I’m merely a captain. 

The sneaking suspicion that Ekav would rather be violently crushing humans than sitting at a table has entered my mind, but I keep trying to push it away. I’m loyal to Hela’s Internal Security Force, which means I have to be loyal to my Chief. I shouldn’t be questioning him.

In any case, the war meeting was fascinating. It was sobering too, of course, hearing about Legion vaporizing an entire squad of soldiers. We don’t even know what Legion’s motives are.

Just seeing how Magistrate Kavan’s government functioned up-close was so interesting to me, I got carried away.

I groan, recalling how I just had to go and suggest an idea with all of Luvon’s top officials sitting there.

“It was a damn good idea though,” I say to the empty air. 

I only hope Kavan agrees and I’m not waiting here to be reprimanded for speaking out of turn. I wait a little longer, checking my commpad compulsively for news from Ekav.

My idea hinges on the human weapons smuggler he took prisoner, and it would be useful to get more details about the guy before Kavan arrives.

Nothing new comes through, though, before the Magistrate sweeps into the room. He closes the door behind him firmly. 

“Captain Torvex,” he says, his tone brusque. “Sit.”

I do so, hoping the command is a good sign. He wouldn’t tell me to sit if he was simply going to yell at me, would he? Then again, Ekav would do just that.

“I’ll get right to the point,” states Kavan. “This is a top-secret briefing. You must not repeat any of this to anyone not designated key personnel to this mission. Confirm that you accept.”

“Yes, sir,” I stammer, confused. A top-secret briefing?

“Good.” Kavan takes a deep breath. “Your proposal at the emergency meeting was a good one. However, it must be kept as quiet as possible. While I trust my generals, the more people who know, the greater the risk that Legion will find out about our plans.”

“Is that why you asked me to wait for you here and meet you on my own?”

“Precisely,” said Kavan. “You may inform Chief Ekav, but no one else. And you must inform him in person. Not a hint of this can be transmitted over comms, do you understand?”

“I do, sir. There’s no guarantee that our comms systems are secure from Legion.”

“Which is a real problem.” Kavan shakes his head, eyes closed. “We’re working on it though,” he continues, squaring his shoulders. For a moment, it looks as if the weight of the world is on his shoulders.

“Eventually, we hope to develop an encryption sequence as complex as Legion’s,” he explains.

“Good to hear, sir.” I appreciate the information the Magistrate is sharing with me, but I’m itching to hear more about this secret mission. He seems to pick up on my eagerness.

“You already know what you’re going to do,” he says, a slight touch of amusement in his voice. “You suggested it. Interrogate the smuggler and get us a way out of Hela, and do it fast. Most smugglers have more than one route—insist the human give you at least three. I promise you they exist.”

“Understood, sir.”

“I want physical maps. The human must draw all paths in detail. You will bring them to Chief Intelligence Officer Redak as soon as you have them.”

“Sir, what if they’re fakes?” I think of all the clever, cagey humans I’ve dealt with. I’m willing to bet the first route I get will end in a cave-in—or a rebel ambush.

“Do your best to persuade this smuggler that it’s best to cooperate with the Kraaj,” says Kavan. “Emphasize that Legion is a threat to all of us, human and Kraaj. You may also mention that I am willing to give a pardon for the crime of smuggling weapons to the human rebels.”

“That’s useful,” I agree. In my experience, many of the humans in Hela would choose survival, given the chance.

However, there are some that cleave to principles in a way that’s admirable. They can seem almost Kraaj-like at times. If the smuggler is that kind, no pardon will sway him.

Before I can open my mouth to say as much, Kavan anticipates me once again.

“I recognize that the maps may be for false routes all the same, but you are not to go and check. Redak will deploy an agent to do so, once you have brought the maps to him.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Additionally, I recommend you emphasize to our prisoner that the punishment for giving us false routes will be...severe.” Kavan has a dangerous smile on his strong face.

“I—um—yes, sir.” I’m a little surprised by the look on Kavan’s face. He has a growing reputation for being sympathetic toward humans, not hungry to shed their blood like the more traditionalist Kraaj.

Although, I reason, if someone wastes our time while we're at Legion’s mercy, then he has every reason to be angry. The fate of both Hela and our sister city Sannar lie in the balance. 

Thinking this, I realize how crucial this mission really is. I gulp. I’ve wanted more responsibility many times in my career, but finding a way to breach Legion’s siege of Hela is beyond important.

“We’re done here, Captain,” says Kavan. Abruptly, he stands. “You are dismissed. Head directly to the Internal Security Force’s holding facility.”

“Yes, sir.” I start for the door.

“And Torvex?” the Magistrate calls out to me. “Don’t disappoint me.”