Vigilante Series 2: Nebula Vigilante by T. Jackson King Read Free Book Online Page A

legs, tentacles, morphoforms and loudness as they all headed for the brightly illuminated entrance to the casino dome. “So unless you chat up a Halicene merchant, it is unlikely anyone will even know you come from Sigma Puppis, let alone had a hand in pissing off Commander Chai, who became shipwrecked on Autarch Dreedle’s home world. Okay?”
    Eliana smiled, nodded, and her walk became more confident, the movement suggestive of the very smart molecular geneticist that she was. Good!
    Their entry into the open space of the casino dome was anticlimactic. A few clouds floated high overhead, indicative of the ambient moisture level in the giant dome and the desire of its Owners to imitate a natural habitat. Nearby ponds, fountains and winding garden pathways broke up the space between the blocks, domes and pyramid shapes of multiple gambling sites, restaurants, pleasure halls, stores with high value trinkets for sale to the super-rich of this half of home galaxy, and the blue uniforms of people who served as bondGuides for any question asked by any visitor. The concept of Servant class was long established in the Anarchate and so, despite the immense datafiles of suit-worn minicomps, many visiting aliens preferred an organic source to answer their questions about the casino. Of course there were holo maps near the main entrance and at major intersections, but the casino Owners had long ago aimed to create a luxury zone where living people of all species served as Servants at the beck and call of any visitor. With all visitors being verified as having billion Standard or better resources, the casino could afford to hire bondServants who both knew their place, and who hoped for giant tips if they . . . served properly the appetites of the alien super-rich. The place had disgusted Matt when he arrived as a Protector for a methane-breathing gaggle of tentacles. Now, having seen life in the Anarchate from the Flesh Markets of Alkalurops to this resort where everything could be bought, he was again reminded of the vengeance he sought by coming to Zeta Serpentis.
    “Mata Hari,” he called over Suit’s tachlink, knowing that Eliana would also hear. “Have your Nanoshell remotes infiltrated all parts of the casino dome and the pylon box of the Anarchate Guardians?”
    “Yes, Matthew,” his AI partner said from orbit. “It was a simple matter to camouflage a Defense sled as an automated optoelectronics package for use by the dome’s Repair facility. Your purpose?”
    Matt pulled lightly on Eliana’s arm so that they walked down a lightly occupied garden pathway, with a high shrub wall on the left and a small pond with alien dragonflies flitting over the blue waters as some kind of alien fish stealthily hunted the flies when they got too close to the water’s surface. When a fish tongue shot up to ensnare a dragonfly, he activated Suit’s faceplate holo to orient himself to the building placements, purposes and location of one site that he blinked into red dot importance. With a twig of his alpha brain rhythms to alert Suit to head that way, Matt cleared the holo so he could see the path ahead, but activated the left and right panels of faceplate to show energy emissions and spy beams on the left, while weapons blisters and mobile personal arms showed on the right. Just because the Owners desired a peaceful appearance did not mean every super-rich alien came here with peaceful intentions. He spoke to both his partners.
    “Eliana, be ready to lower your suit helmet when I give the word,” he said, wondering how long it would take the casino’s crowd control gas to fill the vast dome—something he would not allow. “Mata Hari, what is the exact count of organic lifeforms in and near the dome, the number of bondServants in employment, the number of species represented by all lifeforms, any lifeform that is not oxy-nitro based, the number of starships in orbit, and how many serious combat suits like mine are present anywhere