Alien Refuge (41 page)

Borl chuckled, knowing how hard Ospar was working to keep himself steady. “For now. You know something new will crop up before the next hour is up.” He grimaced sympathetically.

“On that, I can rely.” Ospar turned his thoughts to what the end of the day would bring: an evening at home with his clan. His family. The knowledge that he would be surrounded by Iris, Thomas, Rivek, and Jol later eased his mind considerably. It even managed to put his usual smile back on his face.

His good humor restored, Ospar went to work on pending issues while Borl left the office to set the most important things in motion.

* * * *

Jol finished putting together his request to Kalquor asking for additional security to be sent to Haven immediately. Given the result of the fire investigation and the evidence that the rebellion itself seemed to have come to the colony, he thought there was a good chance he would get the additional personnel. He sent it directly to Ospar’s friend on the council, Dramok Rajhir. That gave him another idea of who should be approached as well.

“Reminder,” he said out loud, triggering his computer’s memo system. “Ask Ospar when we will next see Councilman Maf and share request regarding additional security.”

Jol reasoned that since Maf had seen firsthand the destruction done, the Dramok might well be an ally in getting them help. Even though the man was against the mixing of the species and Haven itself, he would no doubt well appreciate that lives came before politics.

Jol was just turning to other matters when one of his lieutenants came rushing into the room. Nobek Korsmi ran right up to his desk. “Your pardon, sir, but an anonymous warning just came over the message center. I think you want to see this.”

When the lack of trust between the colonists and their Kalquorian landlords had first become apparent, Jol had implemented a message center that allowed Earthers to anonymously warn Kalquorian security of trouble. That way, concerned citizens would not suffer repercussions from those who were adamantly opposed to Empire interference. The anonymous message center had been the reason emergency personnel had gotten to the Jones’ homestead as early as they did, keeping Nobek Groteg alive.

With Nobek Korsmi standing at tense attention on the other side of Jol’s desk, the head of security commanded his computer, “Vid access anonymous message alert, most recent first.”

The vid readout came up, and Jol quickly scanned the warning that had come in only minutes before.

Several Earthers are arming themselves to attack the administration building and governor’s home. They are also the ones behind the attack on Sara Jones’ home.

Names had been given, along with the suspects’ location. Jol narrowed his eyes at the first name. It was not familiar to him.

“Information on this Ted Grisweld?” he asked Korsmi.

The lieutenant was already looking over his handheld computer, ready with the information. “Age is mid-sixties, lives with adult son Anders, son’s wife Miriam, two grandchildren, ages seven and eight. Attends church services at least three times a week. Has spoken out against mixing of Earther and Kalquorian blood, though he has also been known to say as long as we keep separate our kind is all right by him.” The younger Nobek looked slightly amused at that.

Jol gave him a warning glare. “Likelihood of E.I.K. affiliation?”

“The computer says 89 percent for, but there’s no real sign he’s involved in anything subversive at this time.” Korsmi was all professional again.

“And the son?”

“Anders Grisweld, 41 years old, one of the original colonists here. Described as friendly to Kalquorians until his father arrived to live with him nine months ago. Has kept to his family and Earthers since then. Likelihood of E.I.K. affiliation, 54 percent.”

“The wife.” At Korsmi’s uncomfortable expression, Jol told him, “The women can be every bit as dangerous as the men, Korsmi.”

He swallowed. “I know, sir. It just seems so unnatural to suspect them of intimidation and murder.”

“Which makes them all the more lethal if we’re not careful. I can’t imagine a lifebringer putting children’s lives in danger, but it is possible. Tell me about her.”

“Miriam Grisweld, formerly Miriam Buchanan, 36 years old. Married to Anders 15 years. Was noted to be not as outgoing as her husband when they got here, reluctant to spend much time around Kalquorians, but unfailingly polite in our presence. Likelihood of active participation in the E.I.K., 22 percent.”

“All those stats are based on our limited data because we are trying not to spy on the innocent.” Jol frowned. He was not one to infringe on others’ personal liberties, but keeping closer tabs on the Earthers would certainly make his job easier.

No, he was not going to turn Haven into a police state just to soothe his nerves.

He told Korsmi, “With the anonymous tip, it’s enough to pay a visit to the Grisweld family. Let’s get two more men and check out these allegations.”

“Just four of us?” Korsmi asked.

The young Nobek was eager to learn and dedicated to a fault. Jol was usually not one to suffer his orders to be questioned, but Korsmi was a special case. Jol liked his ambition and wanted to see his underling succeed. With that in mind, he’d promised that Korsmi he could ask anything he wished without being insubordinate, so long as it wasn’t a life and death situation they were involved in.

Jol told him, “Four are enough to handle three adults capable of murder, but not so many that we would intimidate blameless people simply living their lives.”

Korsmi thought about it and nodded. “I see. Thank you, sir.”

Jol stood and reached for his snowsuit. “Let’s go have a chat with the Griswelds.”

Glad for an excuse to get away from administrative duties, Jol lead the way out of his office.

* * * *

Father Stephen stood outside the Grisweld home at Governor Hoover’s side, talking to Ted and Anders Grisweld and several other people. Miriam, Anders’ wife, stood nearby, watching her sons whoop it up in the snow.

The priest and Hoover had stopped by the homestead under the pretense of conducting their own informal investigation of the Jones fire. The Grisweld home sat on a hill that overlooked the Jones property, so it wasn’t curious that they would be doing such. Conversation had been friendly. Other members of the E.I.K. had also stopped in, ‘happening’ by the homestead. The scene was that of good neighbors gathered round, talking about the latest events.

There was a stranger in their midst, brought along by Hoover. Conrad Slade possessed a sense of commanding elegance despite the hardships of the last years. That he had been a man of power once upon a time was obvious to any person who looked at him. He had that aura of someone who was used to being taken seriously. Slade looked at everything and everyone around him with a sense of evaluation, the air of a buyer at an auction. He had been introduced to the Griswelds as a new addition to the colony, a man who wanted to settle down while he searched for his missing wife and son. Of course, the Griswelds had never heard of Mira and Thomas Slade, but they wished the quiet, watchful man the best in locating them.

Slade had been apprised of the entire situation by Hoover in Stephen’s presence. The man had the darkest, most unfathomable eyes the priest had ever seen. Almost like black holes in his head, the priest fancied Slade’s eyes were devoid of any warmth, any soul. They had only gone more empty to hear that the woman believed to be his wife was living in sin with three alien males.

Slade’s voice was cultured and nuanced, a voice for making deals with those in power and for making underlings cower. He’d told the governor and Father Stephen, “I have no interest in your struggle for independence from the Kalquorians. I will play along as you like for now, but my wife and son will be returned to me at the earliest opportunity.”

He spoke of Iris and Thomas as if they were no more than prized property. It made Stephen squirm inside to be a party to the coming family reunion.

What really made the priest feel nauseous right now was the situation with the Griswelds. Under patriarch Ted’s direction, their homestead had flourished until they were among the most affluent of the colonists. It was the elder Grisweld’s occasional remarks labeling the E.I.K.’s cause as ‘extremist stupidity’ that had led to several of the group’s members to declare him a traitor. His name had been at the top of the list when it came to who would take the fall in order to rally more people to the Earther rebellion.

It wasn’t right to target the Griswelds simply because they appreciated the new start Kalquor had given them. Stephen knew he was being a party to evil, but he didn’t know how he could stop any of this from happening.

His gray hair still showing comb-trails from this morning’s grooming, Ted stood with his arms folded over his chest. The man was in his sixties, and even through his long, thick coat, one got the sense of rawhide toughness. His bare neck was sinewy with the muscle of hard work. Right now, Ted was saying the very things that had put him in the rough spot he was headed for in a hurry.

“I don’t hold with any actions that put innocents in danger, especially kids. No matter what sins the mother is guilty of, her children don’t deserve to pay the price.”

Hoover smiled tightly. “Thank goodness it was only a Kalquorian who died.”

Ted grunted. “That bunch is fine with me, as long as they keep to themselves. But the mixing of the two species is wrong. God struck down the Tower of Babel for a reason: to keep certain kinds apart. We are meant to be separate.”

Ted’s son Anders stayed silent, standing behind his father, his dark head bowed as he stared at the ground. Once in awhile, he’d look up and exchange looks with his wife. It was well known that he had made friends with the Kalquorians before his father arrived and shut that nonsense down. Anders was a broad-shouldered man and strong as an ox, but he never defied his father.

Every head came up as a Kalquorian security shuttle pulled up to the house and landed on the snow-covered front lawn. The Griswelds looked utterly confused as Head of Security Nobek Jol and three other officers stepped out of the vehicle. Miriam, her eyes wide, shooed the boys into the house.

“What’s going on, Mom? Why can’t we see the Kalqs?” the youngest boy piped before the closing door cut him off.

Ted and Anders looked at each other, their brows creased. The elder Grisweld said, “What is this?”

Hoover scowled deeply. His voice carrying so that the approaching Kalquorians couldn’t help but hear, he said, “It’s Ospar’s army. Maybe you should let me speak to them.”

Ted waved him off. “This is our homestead. We’ll deal with them.”

Hoover looked pleased as Ted and Anders moved forward to meet with Jol. Stephen swallowed against a throat full of bile as Nobek Jol spoke.

“Ted and Anders Grisweld?”

Ted looked up at the head of security without a trace of fear. “That’s us. What’s this about?”

Jol offered the elder man a slight bow. “I am head of Haven security, Nobek Jol. Sir, we received an anonymous message that there might be E.I.K. activity on this premises. Specifically, that a cache of arms was being stockpiled here.”

Anders finally spoke, his voice firm but not confrontational. “Absolutely not, Nobek Jol. We don’t subscribe to the E.I.K.’s methods.”

“Will you agree to a search of the property? I was given a specific location to look into. If we find nothing suspicious, we will not look anywhere else.” The Kalquorian kept his tone businesslike while still being respectful.

Ted snorted. “Look anywhere you want, Kalquorian. We’ve got nothing to hide.”

Jol motioned to the large garage where the family’s snow crawler and shuttle were housed. “The message said the arms were secreted in your transportation garage. You are welcome to accompany us while we look.”

“Then let’s go,” Ted said. He and Anders led the way, with the four security officers right behind them.

“Follow them,” Hoover whispered to the rest of the gathered.

Shrinking in his thick winter coat, Father Stephen trudged along with the rest. Ted and Anders were innocent men. They shouldn’t have any reason to feel afraid, but they would be fearful in a few minutes. He glanced at the house as they walked by, praying Miriam and the children weren’t watching the goings on.

Anders opened the large bay door to the garage. He and his father went inside with the Kalquorians, disappearing into the dark environs of the building. The E.I.K. members stopped a few feet from the opening and waited silently.

Seconds ticked by. Stephen was beginning to hope they wouldn’t find the cache that had been placed in a small storage cubby at the back of the structure. His heart seemed to drop to his shoes when shouts erupted from within the building. Looks of muted pleasure passed between several of the waiting Earthers. Conrad Slade looked bored.