Flight of the Maita Supercollection 3: Solving Galactic Problems Collector's Edition Page 28

  Z didn't fool himself into believing it was actually going to be easy, by any criteria. He knew more than any of them what kinds of things could happen when working against an organized crime syndicate.

  T6 called for Thing to come to the judge machine, where Kloot, alone, was allowed to be put on the probe under the conspiracy to commit organized criminal acts law. His reading pointed directly to Dir and somewhat to Narmel. It was a disappointment for a short while, but Z was very pleased with that when he came from the machine as Lion.

  "It's really great!" he exclaimed. "We already know Narmel's the local boss, but now we see something of how it works. Narmel gives Dir the orders and Dir passes them on. It's being run as a cell operation. We can put Dir on the probe as well as Narmel. He may know more than we suspect, so nothing's lost. We all know perfectly well Dir's probe will still lead to Narmel and Narmel will lead to Eed, at least. Maybe Eed'll also be implicated by Dir. Maybe Dir will know where Eed is. Maybe Narmel won't.

  "This is, as I said, a cell operation, each knowing virtually nothing about the level above them except for maybe one name. We want as many of them as possible on the probe. Any one of them may have a little fact that means nothing until it's added to some other little nothing fact from someone else. You handle all that and I'll see what I can find on Netdel.

  "Are we ready?"

  Z went to T6 and bid his other friends good luck, then was gone. Thing was taken back to Tltle on its floater to work with Maita's other machines and to oversee the judge and probes. It wouldn't have too much to do now, other than to think about the information they received. That information wasn't available to any organic being, except for a verdict or specified data – but Maita wasn't organic and could communicate directly with Thing through its floater. Thing was able to add a fact from one place to one from another and would have some interesting things to say to Z when he returned about this operation. It wanted to add factors about this kind of thing to its developing sociomath equations.

  Dir was caught and put on the probe, but Narmel had fled. The trace showed he was heading for Netdel.

  Lion

  Z was in the medical box for more than four hours, as Maita had a lot to do in changing him this time. Lion was the name and identification Z had used when he was a Kappin, one of the races on the planet, Slentayll. He was about his normal size and shape with a somewhat better developed muscularity, but was covered with a reddish mahogany fur and otherwise resembled the Vendans closely, though he wasn't so large.

  The planet Slentayll had three separate evolutions on three continents, the Klifts, the Flarkis, and the Kappins. The Kappins were mammalian, while the others were more reptilian.

  Growing all that hair and making the teeth longer and sharp took some time. It would take some time to change it back, but Z really enjoyed this form. He had forgotten he was in that form when he returned to EC and didn't notice until later. Maita was away at the time, and he stayed in the form for almost a year on EC.

  *Thing has a new line of investigation to work on here while you're gone. It seems Dir was the one directly in line and Narmel is head of another branch. Dir was more or less boss on Tltle, while Narmel's their general manager or something such. Thing is working with the VWPA with a Bentan named Neel. Neel's in charge of the casino trade. All the Zurn are being watched, as are all Jornians, though there are very few of those. I tend to believe all the Jornians on the worlds are part of this. They don't tend to gamble much as a race and there are better worlds for vacationing, to their views. I hate the following of all the Zurn. Most of them are decent and productive people, but a predilection for violence in the race means we can't take a chance. Hopefully, they will never know we are doing this unless they are a part of it. It's an unusual situation with them in that they are prone to violence, but are not prone to other forms of criminality. They are a very honest people. Strange. T Six is ready to take you to Netdel, then to Frim or Bypass or wherever you suggest. We have a great deal of input, but T Six can update you en route. I'll stay close here in case Thing needs me, but Netdel is close, so I can be there quickly if you call. Good fortune!*

  "Maita, you're being a mother hen again. I love you for it," Z replied. "I'll be all right. I think Thing is more capable of taking care of itself than any of the rest of us. Maybe we'll have scared them enough they won't try anything against Thing."

  "We don't know enough about the Jornian psychology yet," T6 warned. "They might be the type who'll seek revenge. Some of the Zurn might, but they aren't the ones affected too much. We can't let our guard down."

  *There's no chance we would. I want full reports as soon as you can give them. If they try anything at all against Thing I guarantee they will bitterly regret it. You know that.*

  Z transferred back to T6 and they were gone.

  Netdel is another extremely nice world, though for a slightly different type than is Sentah or Tltle. The form of the Kappin would be more comfortable there, as it was cooler and of a bit higher gravity even than EC, which was a bit more than Earth. Z kept himself in good shape on EC in his constant climbing and hauling on his island. Maita augmented his musculature somewhat in the medbox so he would be comfortable in the higher gravity, which was one of the reasons the Kappin form was chosen.

  T6, having received data about Tab and TR and the disguises they used, made a bit of a disguise of its own. The disguise was a very solid-looking (But hollow) shell that changed the outlines enough to where people would tend to think it was very different. The way the outline changed the viewing angles in relation to the background would make people think the disguised ship was much larger than the regular T6, though the sizes were precisely the same. It also added features that would seem to make no sense to others. They would have to guess what the extra little domes and antennae were for. It had obviously been custom-designed for a specific people. It was Zeenan, so represented great wealth.

  T6 landed on the suggested pad, eleven C, and reported all the data to the machines. It stated it was directly from Slentayll (Which could be checked through the trade guild's machines. Maita had programmed much more data than anyone would care to search through) and was there to establish a business relationship, thus was put on field C. A and B were tourists and D was for permanent residents. E and F were for partime residents and employees of the various established businesses there. G was for suppliers of materials and H was foodstuffs.

  This world, like all vacation worlds, had a very high-volume use of spaceports. Z wondered whether to come in where he could land on E or F to be near where Narmel might land, but Narmel could use any field.

  The TTH14 had gotten them to Netdel long before TTH4 could have brought them. Narmel wouldn't arrive for another three or four hours. He knew they were still at Tltle when he left. He couldn't possibly suspect any ship that arrived before his own.

  There were offices and warehouses between C and the center circle of port facilities. Eleven C was, as T6 had planned when told to land on any pad with a beacon, about a hundred meters or so from a warehouse with the legend "Clarbon Ventures" over the large cargo entrance.

  The map of the port showed the location of all businesses and offices operating within its confines. T6 projected the map on the holovid screen. It showed Time and Motion Control directly across the center circle by section F. One went from the pads into the center circle where underground cars carried him to any part of the city.

  "We're checked in, Lion," T6 said. "I think Narmel will land either on this pad or on F – though A is almost as close, over there. It was fifty-fifty, as far as I could see."

  "I'd say the important bosses would be here at Clarbon," Z replied. "It's a diversified company, where T & M Controls is strictly robotics and systems. Make me an introduction that'll get me past Clarbon's clerk machines."

  "Why not go to the Chamber of Businesses while I find a way to access their machines?" T6 suggested. "You'll seem like a normal businessman. You can ask questions about Clarbon.
Say you heard the name and wanted to know about their business reputation and practices before you decided to contact them.

  "What business are you supposed to be in?"

  "Something more tourist-related," Z answered. "Maybe several things. A sort of sharp operator looking for a way to make fast money."

  "Okay," T6 said. "I'm going to take some of TR's advice about this sort of thing. Here's identification stating you're owner of a new travel agency on Slentayll. You also represent Absolutely Delicious Fare, a food supplier who can handle the diets of the various people of that world. You would like to find things to take back to sell, and would like to establish whatever kind of import-export business will benefit your pocket and maybe the people of your world at the same time. You're registered as Comet Importers of Flarkland, Diversified.

  "You can explain you're a Kappin, but taxes are easier to swallow if you're registered in Flarkland. Standard type of tax gimmick. These crooks won't question that. They won't know there are no taxes on Slentayll.

  "These cards will give comcodes to be answered by Maita if they're called on the fastcom. Maita's already aware of what I'm proposing. The number here will be answered by your lifemate. Me, Honeykins! You be careful, Candy Lips! I'll be waiting for you – in a nice warm bed!"

  Z grinned and saluted the console, picked up the cards, put them in his pouch, hung the pouch around his neck and went to center to check the Chamber of Businesses' records about Clarbon – and its subsidiaries. He wasted two hours, but learned a bit about what the companies were supposed to be doing. The wording in the recommendations were very careful about how they said anything. It appeared to Z the programmer wanted to say something beyond the meaning of the words. It reminded him of a note a friend of his once received as a recommendation when he was laid off as a bartender.

  "John Q. Doe is an excellent bartender and mixologist, mixes well, especially with female customers, is likeable and pleasant in demeanor. He handles cash carefully and is a steady worker behind the counter when he is there."

  In other words, he's a good bartender, but spends his time trying to impress the broads. He steals you blind, but you can't catch him. He's a good worker when he bothers to show up at all. If you hire this turkey, hire someone to watch him!

  Someone felt there was a lot more than met the eye with good old Clarbon Ventures, but couldn't prove it.

  "Clarbon Ventures is a diversified holding/services company with offices here and on other of the vacation worlds in the form of subsidiary ventures. There are few negative comments about this company on record ... etc."

  Not that it is a superb company. It has only a few negative comments against it – and Z had the feeling the "on record" part was in bold italics with a triple line around it and an arrow from the margin. The idea was mainly from the contrast to Claralite Industries, which came before and had a glowing recommendation and the fact there had never been a complaint against it and the one following it, Clarity View Products Co., which was described as an old company with impeccable credentials and a large loyal longterm clientele.

  He returned to T6 to find the floater was able to access the records at the spaceport just as Maita instructed and was also able to tap into the lines from the offices to the Investor's Bank of Netdel, whose board of directors seemed coincidently to be the same six Jornians on Sentah who owned Clarbon! Surprise, surprise!

  "Well, I suppose we might as well head for Sentah," T6 suggested. "From everything we've learned so far, the problem's there."

  Z laughed and pointed out, "Only if you ignore the simple fact the highest figure on our figurative totem pole is coming HERE!"

  T6 paused, then said, "I had to check English for the term 'totem pole,' so I know what you mean.

  "Narmel's in this system as of a few minutes ago and is now awaiting landing instructions. He'll be here in five minutes or so. I've got the floater reading the guild ... port manager.... Yes! Pad eighteen A, so you'll have to get over there to the shuttle entrance if you want to intercept him."

  "He'll probably head for T & M from there," Z replied. "I might happen to be looking the place over. I can make it before he does if I hurry."

  He went quickly to the shuttlebus and programmed for T & M Control offices. The little bullet craft whisked him silently through the tunnel and out to a few meters from their front door, where he strolled in and along a hallway down the center of the building. There were offices to one side in the front and closed doors to the other. He strolled through swinging doors past the offices and was in a large open-span warehouse with battery doors along the pad side. They were all closed, but there were small standard doors to the side of each one.

  No one paid him any attention except to possibly wonder what he was as he strode purposefully through. He'd learned long ago that people tended not to question anyone who looked like they knew where they were going and why.

  There was glass in a panel in the center of each of the small doors through which he could see Narmel's ship settling on the pad a hundred meters outside and to the north end. He went to the closest door and stepped out through it as Narmel came trotting toward it.

  "Excuse me," Z hailed him. "I just walked through that entire building and never came to the reception desk! Could you tell me who I see about buying some timers?

  "Maybe you'd better tell me how I see anybody, first! This is my first time on this kind of place. I'm afraid I'm a bit lost."

  Narmel looked at him like he was crazy.

  "They don't sell timers!" he said, incredulously. "They sell robotic supplies and computer systems."

  "Oh, no!" Z cried, slapping his forehead and looking embarrassed. "I must have misunderstand the Maitan or something. I thought the name said they sell time controls and such."

  "It's a lousy name for this kind of company," Narmel replied. "It probably started in business selling timers or something, but it diversified years ago. The name is meaningless now. That's pretty much standard for the area.

  "I really must hurry. I don't wish to appear rude, but I have an appointment and mustn't be late."

  "Certainly!" Z said brightly. "Thank you, and may you meet the fortune you deserve!"

  Narmel went into the door and hurried along the floor to the swinging doors and into the hall. Z wasn't far behind, but didn't see which door he entered. He figured T6 would certainly have a floater watching the port side, so strolled out front to wait out of sight. About an hour later, Narmel and a Bentan came out the door to get into a private car parked there. He waited until they were near the center shuttle before heading there himself in a public bullet.

  The bullet was underground, so was much faster than a surface private car. The car was for privacy, not speed. Z arrived a few minutes after Narmel and the Bentan. The Bentan went to a desk, picked up a pass card. He took it to Narmel, who stayed in the car. Narmel took the card and drove off down the exit lane while the Bentan went to the bullet cars to return to the warehouse.

  Z hadn't been able to see where the card was for, but that meant nothing, in any case. Once outside the gates he could go where he pleased. The true destination was almost certainly not the one registered. These people didn't work like that, They would put a false destination on the records on general principles.

  Z wasn't sure what to do next. Tab was the detective. He would know how to follow him, but he had no idea at all, so he headed back to T6.

  "It's a good thing TR sent me a program!" T6 accused. "You're one hell of a lousy detective! It's one thing for someone to give you the slip when you follow them, but to simply turn around and come home because he took off in a car is ridiculous!"

  "I know full well you have a floater following that car. As soon as you tell me where he goes I can start checking again. If you haven't thought of it, you might put a direct tag on the car as soon as he stops somewhere."

  "Hah!" T6 shot back. "I put a tag on the car while you and the Bentan were inside. You didn't think about my floaters at all 'til I s
aid something."

  They started insulting each other for the first time, then. T6 reminded Z of the way Tranz had played the game many years ago. They became fast friends through the exchange. T6 was going to fit very well into the crew.

  Finally, T6 reported the car and Narmel had gone to a large estate outside of the town. The buildings were well protected, but it could possibly get a floater inside. The estate was at a somewhat higher altitude. The Jornians didn't care for this cool a temperature. The floater could get in through the furnace. Heat didn't bother it.

  "I see. I'd think there would be ventilators to every room," Z agreed. "Could you get several passive recorders inside there? We can recall and read them after anything happens, always assuming something happens.

  "I think maybe something'll happen very soon, personally."

  "You got it!" T6 answered. "I think maybe there'll be a hasty important meeting in that house. Maybe you can get into town and go to the Hillside House Restaurant. It's the closest place to the estate. They specialize in what you call poker, so you can enjoy hanging around. Maybe you'll hear something. My records of the place show it's unlikely the syndicate owns it, but they may need a respectable spot nearby."

  Z nodded and grabbed the pouch, which T6 added a few thousand credits to. Lion was to appear to be well off, but not wealthy, at the moment. The whole point was that he wanted to GET wealthy and had invested the wealth he'd inherited in the business.

  The place really was very nice. It had a diversified menu that served foods that were very tasty and well prepared. It was quite expensive, but, unlike some, worth it.

  Z found an open game and asked to sit in. The Kheth and the Eacheron immediately made him welcome, while the Mome and the Gorovian were a bit suspicious. Z asked why he felt the negative response. They said, quite honestly, they were regulars here and didn't know anything about him.