Chapter 8: The Death of a Marshal

Each marshal is unique in their own way. I pushed the huge man in front of me through the front doors of the building. I touched my badge to the door plate to silence the alarm before pushing him again to get him moving. I glanced back at Amanda carrying her ready bag with one hand while the other was in a sling. The two building guards smiled but did not try to interfere as I pushed the man into the lift.

I was ready for him to try something again. I brushed his kick to the side with a foot before my unoccupied hand stabbed into a pressure point, leaving a tiny needle behind. I glanced down at the bag in my hand as Dragon struck her head out and smiled, “Next time Dragon.”

She looked at the man as he grunted and gritted his teeth. I could see her thinking about coming out. She looked up at me again and I shook my head, “Stay with the eggs.”

She slipped back into the bag and I shoved the huge man out of the lift. I glanced at the other lift as Amanda stepped out and smiled, “Still tracking?”

She looked at the man, “I will be there when they shove his body into the incinerator.”

I grinned and started pushing the reluctant man down the side corridor. I stopped beside the first cell and set my bag down before pulling a small sonic cutter, “I would hold real still.”

He glared at me as I cut his clothing off and turned him before reaching around and removing the needle. I gave him a hard shove and he walked into the cell. I followed and removed the wrist restraints before stepping back. He turned and smiled coldly, “Next time I am going to kill you.”

I laughed as Amanda touched her badge to the door plate, “Next time you will scream and cry a long time.”

I turned and bent to grab my bag and headed back to the lift. We went up to the offices and walked into silence. I glanced around and Amanda cleared her throat, “What happened?”

Edwards looked up from some papers, “They killed Samson.”

I looked around, “Who?”

The new commander appeared in his doorway, “Morpheus ... have Swift report to the doctor and come see me.”

I looked at Amanda and she frowned before nodding. I set my bag down and headed towards the commander’s office. I walked in to see sergeant marshal Adams already with him. He waved to another chair, “You and Adams are going to Alpine. Adams will track the fugitive MacDavies and you will find the people that killed marshal Samson.”

I nodded, “What about Swift?”

He hesitated, “How bad was she injured?”

I smiled, “Mostly bone bruised and a pulled tendon.”

He nodded, “She should be healed by the time you get there so she can go.”

I glanced at Adams before standing, “Anything else?”

He smiled, “Two marshals from sector four and two from the imperial sector will be meeting you there. I made it clear you would be in charge. Bring these persons in and do not kill them. The emperor wants their trial and execution public.”

I turned to the door, “They might be shaken and bent around the edges but I will bring them back in one piece.”

I walked out and picked up my bag. Michaels cleared his throat, “Do not be gentle.”

I smiled as I headed towards the lift, “I was not planning on it.”

I dropped down to dispersing before going to the second level where Amanda was. I walked into the comfortable doctor’s office and sat as he poked and prodded her before giving her a few pills and helping her replace the sling. I stood, “We have a couple of hours before the shuttle up.”

She snorted, “Might as well wait in the starport.”

When we reached the starport and sat beside the gate Dragon slipped out and curled up in Amanda’s lap. She pet her as she leaned back, “I will miss Samson.”

I nodded and she looked at me, “Do we have any idea who did it?”

I shook my head, “As soon as we jump I was going to use the star comm.”

She nodded and scratched under Dragon’s chin, “Think her eggs will hatch while we are there?”

I glanced at Dragon purring in her lap, “Probably or after we leave.”

The ship we went on was a passenger cargo ship. Before we reached Alpine we knew who had killed Samson and who had ordered it. The three men were from a cult called The Profit’s Disciples. Adams was eager to reach the planet and find the fugitive MacDavies so he could join us. We walked out of the starport and headed towards the vehicle park.

I glanced at the two marshals waiting beside a vehicle and Amanda snorted, “How did they beat us?”

I smiled and scratched Dragon’s chin when she stuck her head out of the sling on my chest, “They are from the imperial sector and I would bet the commissioner or the emperor let them use a courier ship.”

She snorted and reached over to caress Dragon, “Inside baby.”

I stopped and nodded to the other marshals, “I am Morpheus and this is Swift.”

The taller better dressed one snorted, “I am sergeant Davis and this is Paulson.”

I frowned, among marshals we do not really emphasize rank. I nodded and he gestured to the sling, “You brought your pet?”

I shook my head, “You do not read or check files do you.”

I headed for a vehicle as it stopped. I heard Adams talking to them as I checked the vehicle and finally turned, “Davis, Paulson, meet us at the marshals building.”

Davis stiffened, “That is sergeant Davis.”

I looked at him for several moments before shaking my head, “Let me be very clear. I command this mission. If you want to be an ass you can call me lieutenant. Now, you and your partner meet us at the marshals building.”

I turned and slipped into the vehicle as Amanda chuckled and climbed in on the other side. I did not say anything as I lifted and spun the vehicle before accelerating towards the center of the mountain city in the distance. I sighed and relaxed and she smiled, “Put him in his place every time he pisses you off.”

I smiled and then laughed as I got a picture from Dragon. Amanda laughed so I knew Dragon had sent it to her too. I reached to the dash, “Constable commander Myers.”

It was a minute before he answered, “Marshal?”

I smiled, “This is lieutenant Morpheus. I wanted to see if you had anymore information on the Profit’s Disciples.”

“I thought sergeant Davis was in charge?”

I looked at Amanda, “No. Sergeant Davis is only one marshal sent to help bring these men in.”

“Well, as I told him the Disciples are rumored to be in the underground city. We only have gossip from street sources that they exist. The fugitive MacDavies was bragging he paid them to kill that other marshal. The three men he named are not listed in the city data nets.”

I glanced at Amanda, “If these Disciples are not listed how did MacDavies find them?”

“We believe from a middle man named Parrot.”

I nodded, “Location of this Parrot?”

“He runs a gaming parlor on the third lower level. 0367 Silver galley, sector five.”

I set the vehicle down on the edge of the roof pad, “Thank you constable commander.”

“Call if you need anything.”

The connection ended and I opened the door and climbed out. I grabbed my bag and turned to head towards the door as Amanda joined me. I was studying the underground city maps when Davis and Paulson walked in. The other two marshals were following them and I sat back as Amanda turned from another desk. Davis sat and Paulson leaned against a wall.

I smiled at the two new marshals, “I am Morpheus and this is Swift.”

The shorter of the two smiled and held out her hand, “McCandless and my partner is Lee.”

The other woman nodded and I shook hands before gesturing for everyone to gather around, “We have a point of contact to catch. He was the middle man that arrange for the Profit’s Disciples to kill marshal Samson.”

I brought up the desk holo of his gaming parlor, “Davis and Paulson you go through the front, McCandless and Lee take this alley entrance. Swift and I will come through the back. No ones leaves until we have the owner, his name is Parrot.”

I looked at them and Davis was tight lipped but nodded when I kept looking at him. I moved the holo and a small map of the area appeared, “We can not use our vehicles to get in or out of the galleys so we use the underground lifts and trams. The green is our primary out, blue is the first alternate and the red our last resort.”

I looked at each of them, “Watch your back and your partner’s.”

I touched Dragon, “I can get Dragon in through the vents so we will have eyes before we move.”

Lee and McCandless were nodding and Paulson looked interested but Davies snorted and I ignored him, “Any questions?”

They shook heads and I stood, “Time to go.”

We left bags and walked out and dropped down the lifts. The guards in the lobby gestured good luck as we walked out. We took the first public lift and dropped to the third level before heading towards a tram station. When we got off each team split up and Amanda glanced around, “A lot of street people here.”

I nodded as I reached into the sling and turned on the warmer and the rigid protection frame. Dragon slid out and climbed up my arm to my shoulder. I slowed by the corner of the gaming parlor and Dragon leaped and caught a vent grate. As I continued walking she disappeared into the vent. I glanced at the vid camera watching the back door and drifted across the dark alley.

Amanda softly whispered into the marshal net comm, “Morpheus and Swift set.”

A moment later Davis came on, “Sergeant Davis and Paulson set.”

I shook my head as McCandless and Lee said they were set. I could see through Dragon’s eyes, “Six heavily armed men in the main parlor watching the front and side doors. Another four leaning against the back wall. It looks like a dozen customers. Give me and Swift time to move into the back room.”

I started for the door but before I reached it there was shooting, “Sergeant Davis taking fire!”

I almost cursed as I sent Dragon orders and slipped a small disk out of a pocket. I attached it to the door lock plate and stepped back. Amanda hissed as first the lock and then the door vibrated and then shattered. I walked into the room and threw a dart to make a man scream. A wild gun battle was raging in the front parlor so no one heard the man.

Amanda went to him as I crossed and walked into the other room. My pistol appeared in my hand as I stepped into chaos. I shot a man firing at Lee with a large bore scattergun and threw a dart to hit another aiming at Paulson. I shot another man between the eyes and a flick of my hand brought another scream from the last man spraying the room with a auto pistol.

Quiet returned except for the screaming from the two men I had hit with darts. Four men were frozen in stasis and Davis stood slowly. I turned to check McCandless as she straightened and sighed as I used my comm to call the constables. Dragon climbed my body and slipped back into her sling as I called in back up and medical.

The others were moving people into one corner and searching them. When I was done Amanda shoved the man from the other room out, it was Parrot. When the constables arrived I started for the door with Amanda shoving Parrot after me. The four men that appeared as we approached the tram had me spinning and shoving him and Amanda down, “Ambush!”