Chapter 2: Manhunt

I looked up from the stack of reports I was going through and marshal Edwards grinned. He was a short stocky man with grey hair and a wicked sense of humor. I glanced at Dragon as she looked up expectantly and sighed as he slipped her a small piece of sweet meat, “What now?”

He laughed, “The boss wants you.”

I looked at him closely and then stood, “Dragon guard my desk.”

Edwards shook his head in mock sadness as I headed towards the commander’s office. A few of the others looked up but most ignored me. I knocked and then opened the door and walked in, “You wanted me?”

Commander Tosin turned from her terminal, “Yes. The planetary constables on Garfield have requested our assistance in hunting down a criminal.”

I moved to one of her chairs, “What makes it one of ours?”

She smiled absently, “The wanted man was a trained commando.”

I thought about it and nodded, “Do we have a file on him?”

Commander Tosin slid a tiny disk across her desk, “Classified so a lot is missing.”

I nodded and slipped the disk into my jacket, “Limits?”

She actually sighed, “Alive if possible, dead if necessary. The constables would prefer him dead.”

I shook my head as I stood, “They never learn. Okay I will see what I can do.”

I headed back to my desk, “Time to go Dragon.”

She stood and stretched before leaping and spreading her wings. I let her land on my shoulder as I headed towards the lifts. I went up to the living quarters and walked to mine. I pulled my ready bag down and left. I took the lift down to dispersing and then headed to the port. This time I was traveling aboard a passenger cargo ship.

Three weeks later I grinned at the XO as I approached the shuttle down to Garfield, “I will miss our games of chance Tony.”

He grinned, “Only because you never lose.”

He took my hand and then reached up to scratch Dragon’s chin, “Watch his back Dragon.”

She yawned showing her needle like teeth and he laughed, “Take care Morpheus.”

I nodded and boarded the shuttle, when I walked out of the terminal I knew something was wrong. Dragon still rode my shoulder and leaped into the air. I headed towards the slide to the transportation area with her soaring above. I was halfway there when a constable stepped onto the slide in front of me. He walked against the slide to approach me and stopped a few feet away, “Marshal Morpheus?”

I looked him over, “Yes.”

He nodded, “I am constable commander George.”

I waited and his face reddened, “I came to meet you because it is important that we talk.”

I continued to wait as we drew nearer to the end of the slide and the restricted parking area reserved for marshals. He looked around, “Samuel De Varga is a dangerous criminal. We have a shoot on sight order for him. To be blunt we do not want him taken alive.”

I smiled, “The imperial marshals are not hired killers. We take our man alive and only kill when necessary.”

He looked into my face, “Here on Garfield you will do as we tell you.”

I laughed and stepped off the stopped slide, “Constable I am a deputy imperial marshal. I do not take orders from any local system. Now you asked for our help, if you do not want it I will go back to headquarters.”

He stepped closer and snarled, “Listen you young...”

He gasped as my weapon was suddenly touching his chest. I pushed until he stepped back, “I suggest you listen constable. If you interfere with me again or threaten me I will place you in custody and have you taken to Canis VI. The sentence for interfering with a marshal can be severe.”

I looked at his white face, “Now, once I check in with the governor I will start looking for your man.”

He backed up and I headed towards the lone vehicle in the marshals parking area. I did a walk around as I checked the vehicle. When I opened the door Dragon dropped down to fly through and land on the far seat, I set my bag in back and climbed in. I started the vehicle and turned it towards the capital as I lifted. I thought about constable commander George.

The way he acted was not like any law enforcement agent should. It was an hour’s flight to the government center and by the time I reached it I had come to a decision. I would stay and regardless of the system request I would find Samuel De Varga to hear what he had to say. I parked the vehicle in front of the building and opened the door.

Dragon leaped to grab on and climb to my shoulder as I got out. I headed towards the ornate doors and paused only to silence the alarm with my badge. I hit the lift button for the governor’s floor and got off to walk through a huge plush lobby. I stopped at a wide desk with three assistants, “I need to see the governor.”

The young man looked up at me and frowned, “The governor is in a conference and can not be disturbed.”

I looked at him calmly, “Do I look like a politico or someone else she would normally see? My name is marshal Morpheus and I am here at her request.”

He snorted, “You can wait like everyone else.”

I shook my head, “What is it with this planet? Let me explain something to you. If I even think you are obstructing me I can shoot you. Now where is the governor?”

His eyes had widened slightly but I guess because I was not yelling at him he thought he was safe. He stood and leaned on the desk facing me, “I said...”

I grabbed him by the throat and yanked him over the desk before dropping him to the floor. I looked at the two women moving back from the desk and snarled, “The governor ... now!”

One pointed to a large set of double doors and I turned and started walking towards the doors while looking at the two guards headed towards me, “Get in my way and I will shoot you.”

I opened the doors and walked into a huge office. A tall grey haired woman looked up as I walked in and frowned. I crossed to her desk as she reached for her intercom. I cleared my throat, “I am marshal Morpheus. I do not sit around waiting for anyone. You wanted our help, since I have been on your planet I have been slighted, threatened and dismissed. Now either you want our help or I take the next ship back to Canis VI.”

She sat back and just looked at me. Finally she leaned forward, “You are a little younger than I expected.”

I just looked at her waiting and she turned to reach for a chip on the corner of her desk. She slid it across, “You will report to me when you kill him.”

I took the chip and glanced at her, “When I Capture him I will turn him over to the courts.”

She stood quickly and snarled, “Listen to me Marshal! You will kill him on sight!”

I smiled as I turned towards the door, “If you can get the Emperor to give that order I might consider it.”

I crossed to the door and walked out. By the time I reached the ground floor there were a dozen constables waiting just outside. They blocked my way to the vehicle and I shrugged to let Dragon know to fly. A few watched her take off but most just looked at me as one of the constables stepped forward, “You are an arrogant bastard.”

I smiled thinly, “I have been told that.”

He leaned closer and snarled, “If you want to live to...”

He did not even see the blow that struck his throat. As he fell to the ground choking I drew my weapon, “Listen very close. I am a deputy of the Imperial Marshals. You will move out of my way and stay out of my way.”

They were stunned and backed away with hands raised. I waited until the way was clear and started for my vehicle as I holstered my pistol. Dragon dropped out of the sky to fly through the open door. I slid in and closed the door before raising the vehicle and turning to head for the system fleet headquarters. I spent the time thinking about the way everyone was behaving.

I slowed and dropped to the ground beside the guard building that was flashing red alarm lights across the fleet boundary markers. I opened the window and held up my badge, at first the guards had an angry belligerent look until my ID flashed green on the gate scanner. He looked at it in surprise and then at me as I shrugged, “Notify the commander I am on my way in.”

I lifted the vehicle and headed for the distant set of buildings. Fleet bases were always laid out the same so I headed for the tall tower in the center. I dropped closer to the ground as I entered the cluster of buildings and slowed to a stop at the front steps of the tower. Dragon climbed my shoulder as I stepped out and headed for the front doors.

The two fleet commandos on each side of the door stared ahead and ignored me as I approached. The doors remained closed and locked and I shook my head, “I am getting tired of this game.”

The two were still reacting as the huge glass doors shattered and I slipped the small tube back into my sleeve. I headed through the shattered glass ignoring the weapons they held. I walked straight to the lifts as a dozen commandoes burst through a side door and entered the lobby. I touched my badge to the red glow on the lift controls and pressed the top floor.

When the lift stopped and I stepped out there were six commandoes blocking my way to the commander’s office. I looked at them, “I am marshal Morpheus. Move or I will move you.”

They glanced at each other and then opened a hole. I ignored everyone as I headed straight for the large double doors. I pushed them open and stepped into the huge office. The commander looked back from the window he was looking out of, “So the marshals are going to do their dirty work.”

I smiled as I crossed the office and sat in a comfortable chair, “If you mean capture and bring him before a judge than yes.”

He turned to face me, “The governor has not told you...”

I held up my hand, “Commander, you of all people know the imperial marshals do not take orders from locals and we do not normally do kill missions. Now I came to you for a brief on Samuel De Varga. What is the fleet impression of him and what do you know about the charges against him?”

He looked surprised and then grinned as he walked to sit in another chair, “I should have known you marshals would not take their crap.”

I nodded and sat back to listen. We were interrupted a few times before he was finished. I stood to cross to the window as Dragon glided from my shoulder to the commander’s desk and the small bowl of salted fish and crackers. I looked out not really seeing the base below us, “So you think they assassinated the previous governor and are using De Varga as the scapegoat?”

He sighed, “Yes. De Varga was a good man and as far as I know never left his homestead.”

I turned, “You have not said and the record did not hint at a wife or mate.”

The commander looked away, “I have not passed this along to the locals. De Varga pledged marriage to a local woman named Sintha Mathison.”

I nodded, “A Mathison is listed as a distant neighbor.”

He nodded and absently picked Dragon up and scratched under her jaw, “That was why he accepted colony credit to settle here.”

I sighed and headed for the door, “Come on Dragon.”

She leaped from his arms and flew towards me as I pulled the door open and looked back, “I will see what I can do commander. Try to keep your personal from doing anything ... violent.”

He grinned as Dragon landed and climbed onto my shoulder, “I will try.”

I headed towards the lift as several commandos rose to their feet. I walked through the busy lobby and stepped out the opened door and walked around the maintenance men replacing the shattered glass. As I left the base I noticed a vehicle in the distance to one side. It seemed to keep pace with me and I sighed, knowing it was probable someone trying to follow me.

Halfway to De Varga’s steading I settled to the ground in a small patch of woods and opened the door for Dragon, “Guard. Put anyone that comes in stasis.”

She leaped away and flew up into the trees. I settled back waiting and I was not disappointed. Fifteen minutes later two men entered the patch of woods moving towards my vehicle with drawn weapons. I watched as they split up and came up on each side of the vehicle. The man on the far side of the vehicle suddenly jerked and froze with his mouth open before falling straight back.

The other man froze and pointed his weapon at me, “Where is De Varga?”

I returned his look and smiled, “I would drop that weapon if I were you.”

He snarled, “De Varga asshole!”

Dragon landed between his shoulder blades and bit. He jerked and stopped moving with a look of shock on his face. I shrugged and held out my arm, “Thank you Dragon.”

As the man fell she leaped and flapped to me. I closed the door as she slipped onto my lap and I lifted the vehicle to resume our trip. I stopped in the yard of a neat looking ranch house and got out and walked around with a feeling of being watched. Dragon shifted a few times on my shoulder but I only reached up to reassure her. The few pieces of equipment were well cared for and seemed in good condition.

I finally turned to the house and walked to the front door. I did not knock, I placed my badge against the lock and then opened the door. I stepped in and smiled at the young woman staring back wide eyed from the front window, “My name is marshal Morpheus. I am an imperial marshal looking for Samuel De Varga, you would be Sintha Mathison. If Samuel surrenders to me I will bring him before an imperial judge and he can defend himself against these charges.”