Free Inherited War 3: Retaliation by Eric McMeins Page B

course, Thalo thought bitterly, was Fire. The Colonial Administrator was at the top of a very long list of people Thalo would love to kill but unfortunately was untouchable, for the time being.
    Jeth was absent, having joined Snow and her mother on a family vacation property in the mountains. Things had gotten messy the last day since their arrival. Word had leaked that there was a Nixa selling fellow Nixa to the Esii and had actually worked along with them in the war. Uriel had been out doing whatever the hell it was he did and had, according to him, found a nest of Nixa that had been taken over by Esii agents. The local Nixa authorities had arrived in time to see Uriel take the head off the last remaining Nixa in a group of about twenty. He had been covered head to toe in Nixa blood and had a huge smile plastered on his face. The local Nixa police force backed off at that point and called for support.
    Uriel hadn’t gone willingly with the Nixa who had come to arrest him. In fact, he hadn’t gone at all. He refused to acknowledge any authority and walked off. The Nixa had followed him and finally attempted to put him down with tranquilizers. He killed those Nixa too. He was loose somewhere on the planet and had thousands of military, police, and other government agencies out looking for him. So far, he hadn’t killed anyone else but it had only been a day. Thalo had grossly underestimated how much Uriel hated the Nixa for their twin betrayals.
    The sudden banging of a gavel snapped Thalo’s mind back to the present. Everyone rose to their feet as the Prime entered the front of the room and took the podium. As he came to a halt in front of the microphone, the room full of nervous Nixa took their seats.
    “I apologize for breaking protocol,” he began his speech, “but I find it necessary to cut to the heart of the matter. First of all to answer the one question I know will come up, yes we are doing all we can to find the Kin responsible and capture him. Secondly, we must officially open and investigation regarding the rumors spreading through our populace.” That was as far as he got before a shouted voice interrupted.
    “Since we are ignoring protocol, I demand to be heard as well. I call for a vote of no confidence in the Prime.” It was Fire, and he was showing his true colors again. The room burst into a furious shouting match. Nixa yelled and threatened each other and shook fists in the air. Damn, Thalo thought, I promised myself I wouldn’t come to another one of these again. The gavel was banging a rapid tattoo and was being soundly ignored. Thalo watched as the Prime stood silently resolute, not participating in the ruckus. Finally, the chamber guard was brought in and order was restored.
    “There is a vote of no confidence on the floor,” the Prime stated, “before I call for seconds, what is the charge?” The Prime stared emotionlessly at Fire.
    “Aiding and abetting and treason,” he stated, and whispers erupted around the room.
    “Can you back up these claims?” Snow’s father asked.
    “First, you allowed the monster that is killing our people to land and gave him free reign. Second, you launch and illegal investigation that sparks rumors that threaten the very fabric of our society. Do you deny the charges?” Fire knew he wouldn’t, but he wasn’t prepared for what came next.
    “Well, since protocol is out the window,” Thalo said from his seat, “May I answer to those charges?”
    “I yield the floor to Ambassador Thalo of the Worlder delegation.” The Prime nodded his head in Thalo’s direction as he stepped from the podium.
    As Thalo made his way to the podium, he could her a choked gasp of outrage from Fire.
    “Now see here,” he started, “I charged the Prime not some off world scum.”
    “You made the charges, sir, but leveled them at the wrong man. I brought the Kin here, I vouched for him, and I asked the Prime to start an investigation into the charges that were passed