Chapter 1: Recovering a Fugitive

My life began with my older sister. We were sold to a ... school when I was still a baby. Even when I slept they used a sleep teacher to make me learn. Everything from chemistry to engineering, by the time I was fourteen I could have been anything; doctor, engineer, chemist, computer programmer ... anything.

The fact was we were trained to kill, we were assassins and could use any type of weapon. Even though I was young they had given me the name Morpheus as my clan name. It came crashing down when I was sixteen. My sister went out for a mission and when she returned the masters stunned her while she was in my room talking to me.

I was confined to my room while she was taken away. It was four days later when the alarms began. When we heard an alarm everyone was supposed to go to their armory and then move to defend the school. I was calm as I rushed to my armory and quickly gathered what I needed. Instead of going to defend the school I went looking for Samantha.

I headed for the school display room. It was where someone was made to talk in front of the school to show everyone how to torture a person. I was afraid of what I would find. When I pushed open the door and stood looking into the large room my fears were confirmed. From across the room I could see the bloody battered body of my sister hanging from the far wall.

I stepped into the room as another door opened and an outsider stepped in holding an assault rifle. I ignored him as I took another step towards Samantha and another door burst open with three other students. My reactions were swift, I drew and fired three shots before the outsider could even bring his weapon up. I ignored the falling bodies and the outsider as I crossed to my sister’s body.

I put my pistol away and knelt to unlock the first ankle restraint. I moved to the other one and then stood to work on one wrist. My sister fell into my arms as I tried to reach the one remaining restraint. The outsider was suddenly there and reached up to release Samantha. She dropped and I lowered her to the floor. I knelt beside her and for the first time in a long time I felt tears on my face.

I felt the hand on my shoulder, “You are not safe kid.”

I snarled and caressed my sister’s dead face before standing, “Stay out of my way outsider.”

I pulled my pistol as I headed for the far door. The next hour was a blur of death as I moved through the school killing. The last was in the grandmaster’s quarters and they were guarded with the best students and technology available. After I stepped away from the headless body of the grandmaster I went back to Samantha, I did not care what happened to me.

It was the Imperial Marshal from before that came for me. I was the only student left alive and they needed to access the data net for the school. I ignored their techs and moved through the bloody halls until I reached what seemed like a vacant wall. I pressed against the wall and waited ten seconds before reaching to the right and hitting the light switch.

The wall moved back and then sideways. I walked into the small room that held racks of computers on three walls. I sat at the one small station and brought it to life. I glanced back at the marshal that had followed me, “What information do you need?”

He glanced at a tech behind him and he squeezed around him. I let the tech plug a siphon into the main frame and turned away. I went back to my sister to find some stranger putting her in a bag. I almost killed him on the spot when the marshal touched my shoulder, “She will be taken care of.”

I glanced at him, “Where? Samantha was all I had.”

He squeezed my shoulder and that was the start of a new life for me. The system government tested me and determined I was educated. Of course I would have to go back through an advanced school to get a good job. The imperial marshal from the school was the one to suggest becoming a marshal. The process was hard and I had a one in a million chance to make it through the two year testing and selection program.

I walked into the Canis VI headquarters for the imperial marshals. I was carrying my ready bag and wore a nice suit. The weapon scanner screamed and the two guards spun, reaching for their weapons. I stood still and moved one side of my suit coat to show the badge on my belt, “My ID is not in the exempt queue yet.”

The whole lobby had moved away as one guard stepped close to check my credentials. He was also reaching for my weapon and I cleared my throat, “You touch it and I will kill you.”

He froze and his partner moved to point his pistol at me, “Your name marshal?”

I smiled thinly, “Morpheus.”

They both froze, I had broken every record at the Marshals Academy and my name was well known. The guard stepped back and his partner turned and input my ID. The scanner turned from red to green and I nodded and started for the far lifts. When I stepped out on the office floor I knew the system marshals had purposely left my ID out of the planetary marshal lists.

They were standing around grinning as I headed towards the far side of the room to the commander’s office. I set my bag on the chair outside the office and knocked. I heard a woman’s voice, “Come!”

I opened the door and walked in. Sitting in the commander’s seat was a fair skinned older woman. In the chair beside her desk was imperial marshal Jessop and I smiled, “You missed my graduation Simon.”

He smiled, “I had the commander send me a recording.”

I looked at the woman as she sat back to look at me, “Ma’am, I am Morpheus. Central assigned me as a replacement.”

She nodded, “This is not like the academy. Marshal Jessop is an old friend and was giving me a little off the record briefing on you.”

I nodded, “The school...”

She smiled and shook her head, “I already know that. He was explaining some personal things, like your penchant for ice cream.”

I grinned and moved to sit in one of the chairs in front of her desk, “It was not something we were allowed to have in the school.”

She sighed, “I have a problem young man. I only have one marshal I can assign as your training officer. Unfortunately she is headed out to hunt down a fugitive on Sigma II. You will accompany her and stay out of her way. Observe what she does and listen when she tells you something. The life span for a marshal can be very short.”

She touched a comm button, “Marshal Camdra please come to my office.”

I heard a voice clearly, “She went to dispersing ma’am.”

Commander Tosin sighed and looked at me as she closed the comm, “Very well. Go to dispersing and get with marshal Camdra. See me when you return.”

I nodded and started to stand when I heard the yell from the outer office. I sighed and reached into an inner coat pocket for a tiny vial, “Why does everyone keep trying to look in my bag?”

Simon grinned, “His pet just bit someone touching his bag.”

I shrugged, “If you will excuse me?”

She nodded and waved before looking at Simon, “Pet?”

I closed the door as I stepped into the outer room. The marshals were gathered around one that was holding his hand. They all turned to look at me and I tossed the vial to the wounded man, “Take it before the poison takes affect.”

I reached for my bag and picked it up before heading to the lifts while the marshals just watched me. I glanced at the floor listing before stepping into the lift. I stepped out on the third floor and followed directions to a small office with a window above a counter. Standing in front of the window was a stunning brunette that was cussing, “Damn it! What do you mean I am not authorized!”

I walked up behind her and she unconsciously shifted and half turned. I cleared my throat, “Excuse me.”

She turned and I saw the badge on her belt and I smiled, “My name is Morpheus. Commander Tosin assigned me to you.”

She tossed her hands up, “What else can go wrong!”

I grinned and bent to set my bag down, ignoring the small and young dragon that swarmed out and up my arm, “Perhaps I can help?”

She growled as she gestured to the window, “Might as well.”

I stepped up and looked from the android to the form on the counter. I grinned and took out my stylist and started making changes and adding my name to the form. I pushed it across and the android bowed slightly, “The only available ship is the Star Princess. They only have one room, a suite.”

I gestured to the form, “Check my code.”

It looked and then nodded, a packet spat out from the slot in the counter with marshal Candra’s name and then another with mine. I accept both and turned to hand one to her. She was staring at the small dragon on my shoulder, “What is that ... thing?”

I smiled and glanced at my shoulder, “That is Dragon. She is a symbiotic synth I designed and constructed.”

She looked at me, “Android?”

I shook my head, “She is an organic construct.”

She shook her head, “He brought his pet.”

I did not bother to explain and bent to grab my bag. Marshal Camdra glanced in her packet and swore, “We only have an hour before shuttle boarding!”

I shrugged, “I have not unpacked.”

She growled as she turned to the door, “Meet me in the lobby!”

I followed her as she walked quickly to the lift. While she headed up to private quarters I headed down. I glanced around and moved to lean against a wall across from the main entrance. I was still waiting a few minutes later when the golem walked in. Before the alarms started screaming I was moving. I shoved a guard away as he stepped in front of the golem with his weapon drawn, “Do not shoot!”

I stood still and looked straight into the golem’s face, “Gentle being, this is the new corporate building for the Eternal Faith Church. How may I light your way?”

It froze and a few seconds later, “This is the headquarters for the imperial marshals.”

I bowed slightly, “I am sorry to inform you but the imperial marshals were killed in an explosion. This is now the home of the Eternal Faith Church.”

I could see guards and other marshals appearing and ignored them. The golem turned back to the door, “I will seek elsewhere.”

Dragon slipped down my body to follow the golem as I walked behind it. It was several meters outside the door when she swarmed up its back and bit at the base of the neck. She dove towards the door and spread her wings. I caught her as I watched the golem stand frozen.

I ignored Dragon as she climbed back to my shoulder and turned to the guards, “Notify hazardous disposal that a golem is locked in stasis outside the doors. Tell them I want a data dump before they destroy it. Have them send commander Tosin a copy of the data.”

I walked back to where I had dropped my bag as guards and marshals moved to check the golem. A golem was basically an android with a bomb in it. A small bright eyed marshal glanced at me as he came back in, “How did you do that?”

I smiled, “I have studied golem logic circuits. When it thought its target location was wrong it went out to contact its controller and verify. The address and ID of the controller will be at the top of its program queue. As for putting it in stasis that was Dragon.”

I glanced at my shoulder and he looked at the miniature dragon and then back at me, “But...”

I started for the door as I saw marshal Camdra appear. The crowd outside cleared a path for us and we waved a transport down. She almost ignored me as we checked in and headed towards the slide that whisked us out to the boarding shuttle. After that it was a short flight up to the starliner and then we were checking in with the ship purser who frowned at our weapons when the ship scanners went off.

We followed a steward to our suite and thanked her before going in. Camdra looked around as she stood by the wide bed. I set my bag on the comfortable looking couch and Dragon stuck her head out. I put my hand on the couch, “My nest.”

Dragon swarmed out of the bag and then started walking down the couch and jumped to the back to walk back. She lay down and put her head on her front paws. I pulled a small compact device from my bag and began checking the room as marshal Cambra cleared her throat, “What are you doing?”

I glanced at her as the detector vibrated in my hand, “Checking for listening devices.”

She snorted, “They would not dare...”

I gestured to a wall display and held up one finger. She blinked and her face got a set look as she started for the display I had pointed to. I moved on and continued to check the large room. I pointed out three more devices before reaching the bed. I stopped at a large metal ball on one side of the head board. I looked at the device in my hand and changed a setting. I looked at Cambra and pulled a finger across my throat.

She was removing the last listening device and nodded as I set the detector on the bed and pulled a small case from inside my jacket. It only took a minute and then I was holding a three centimeter jell sphere. I glanced at Cambra as she stopped next to me, “I think we are going to have a talk with the captain.”

I shrugged, “This is actually pretty common on starliners. The monitors for the listening devices are set to alert if they detect certain words or groups of words. The gas is to overcome anyone they think threatens the ship.”

She looked at me, “How do you know all that?”

I grinned as I headed to the couch, “The school I grew up in was Hades.”

I glanced back when she did not say anything, she did not seem to recognize the name. I sat and Dragon stood and hopped down into my lap. I scratched under her jaw and looked at Cambra, “The school was built by assassins to train assassins. Almost from birth we were taught everything they could think of. It was not just weapons work or a martial art.”

I smiled, “While in the Marshal’s Academy I tested for and received advanced degrees in chemistry, engineering, computer programming and sciences. I also have advanced degrees in bioengineering, micro biology, bio chemistry and bio computer engineering.”

She looked stunned and then looked at Dragon and her eyes narrowed, “It is not a pet.”

I shook my head, “She is alive but she is much more than people think.”

Cambra grinned, “Teaches me to suck eggs.”

She sighed and sat beside me, “Okay, we are headed to Sigma II. The fugitive is Paul Ton Helibrandt, sentenced to public death for the murder of three thousand people. He has a cult following that managed to kill the execution guards and free him. Sigma II is mostly an agro world with small communities. Intel thinks Helibrandt is hiding in or around a community named Posidin. It is an ocean side community of some size.”

I nodded and sat thinking, “And his followers are the citizens of the community.”

She nodded, “They wanted me to lead an assault team in.”

I shrugged, “By the time you cleared every building he would be gone.”

She nodded, “I was thinking it might work out if I went in covertly.”

I shook my head, “They would know the moment you stepped off the transport.”

She looked at me, “You have a better idea?”

I grinned, “Yes. We do not bother hiding and just go in together. The followers and Helibrandt are not going to panic or feel threatened.”

She shook her head, “Yeah they will just shoot us.”

I grinned, “No. They will try to shoot us and when they do we will have them.”

She looked at me and I smiled, “I will take whoever they send and they will give us Helibrandt.”

She snorted, “His followers would rather die.”

I stood as I felt the faint vibration of the ship as it began to move. I looked back as I placed Dragon on my shoulder, “And when I tell them we are going to kill every follower in public?”

She jerked, “What?”

I headed for the door, “We need to get to the jump rooms.”

She stood to follow me, “The emperor and the royals are not going to kill all those people.”

I did not say anything as I led the way to the center of the ship. The crewman directed us across the walkway and followed us in as we headed to two seats. I relaxed and let Dragon climb down into my lap, “I did not say we would do it. I said we would make whoever tries to kill us think that was what we were going to do.”

She smiled and reached over to scratch Dragon under her chin before looking at me, “That is not bad.”

We relaxed as the crew began coming in and then the captain walked in calmly and sat in the fancy seat in front. A few minutes later I felt as if I was being turned inside out. When it stopped I glanced around and stood to help marshal Camdra up. I looked around the room again and many people were vomiting or looking comatose.

The crew were just starting to rise and Camdra glanced at me, “How the hell can that not effect you?”

I smiled as I cradled a dazed Dragon and headed towards the door, “Training.”

I walked through the quiet ship until I found the lounge and went into the serving room to pour a glass of juice. I left and walked to the large display that showed the stars outside the ship. I settled into a comfortable chair and leaned back as Dragon seemed to sigh and start crooning. It was several minutes before the crew member that served the lounge came in.

She took one look at me and froze. I was looking out the window but saw her take a breath and start walking nearer. She cleared her throat, “Excuse me sir. Pets are not allowed in the lounge areas.”

I looked at her and smiled, “Dragon is not a pet.”

She looked at Dragon who was looking back, “Ah...”

I smiled, “My name is marshal Morpheus. Dragon is a symbiotic synth. I designed her to help me when I work.”

Her eyes widened when she heard I was a marshal. She blushed, “Is there anything I can get you marshal?”

I shook my head, “I was just admiring the view.”

She smiled and turned away. It was not long before some of the other passengers began arriving. As it began getting noisier I stood, lifting Dragon to my shoulder. I was almost to the passageway when a large bearded man stepped in front of me, “I do not like marshals.”

I looked at him amused, “I do not like rude people.”

He blinked and then grinned slightly, “What if I break a few of your bones?”

I grinned, “What if I paralyze you?”

He laughed and struck, his fist moving through where my head had been as I shifted sideways. Before he could pull it back my hand snapped out to grab it, pull and twist. Dragon hissed as the man looked up from the floor and grinned, “Damn you are fast.”

He rolled to his feet and bowed slightly, “It is good to see you again youngster.”

I waved away the four crewmen that had suddenly appeared and headed towards us, “I thought you were still on Bishop?”

I held my hand out and he clasped it, “I was but Imperial Auditors never stay in one place too long.”

I nodded as I turned to the hallway, “So you have business on Sigma II?”