Free Dark Vengeance by E.R. Mason

Ambassador, which show my negotiating abilities to be somewhat lacking.”
    “No, no, no, Captain. You are sitting here with me about to enjoy a fine Golian wine. You are here because on all those occasions your negotiating talents were greater than those debating you.”
    I laughed. “Ambassador, now you’re doing it.”
    We both laughed. Athos said, “Yes, it is a talent the best of warriors invariably develop. The ability to say one thing and mean another. It comes from too many attempts at trying to avoid bloodshed. Too many attempts that failed.”
    “Tell me, Ambassador, what have you heard about what happened in security?”
    “Probably less than you, I suspect. I only know that the security officer, despite his smaller size, was able to kill a thief before dying from his own wounds. Between you and I, from one warrior to another, I suspect there is much more to the story.”
    “Why do you say that?”
    “How could a smaller, badly wounded man gain enough tactical advantage to shoot his assailant after having lost the initial engagement?”
    “Ambassador, you seem to have a great deal of knowledge of tactics not related to an ambassadorship.”
    Athos smiled with one side of his thin mouth. “In some case, the affairs of an ambassador can be very dangerous, Captain. In those cases, the Golian high council is very cautious about sending a representative not easily interfered with.”
    The bartender approached and placed our drinks in front of us. Athos nodded to him and waved him away. He held up his glass of semi-clear liquid that looked like it had a circle of sunlight in the center of it. We toasted and drank. It was a heavenly wine just as he had suggested.
    He continued. “So it is my turn, Captain. Do you know more than I concerning the unfortunate occurrence in security?”
    This was the point in the conversation I secretly had been working toward. I was now free to suggest the third person scenario to him to see if there was any telling reaction, or I could just add a tiny bit of spice to the story and watch how it played out. “I did hear that the security officer managed to get off three shots before he died.”
    “Ah, how admirable. How much would you wager that the man refused to die without first stopping his assailant, Captain? I would bet that it was his last shot that hit the target and only then did he succumb, knowing he had stopped a criminal from harming anyone else.”
    “You may be right.”
    “Well, Captain, I must say I have enjoyed your company. Please, let us do this again, perhaps regularly. You are the first person aboard whose conversation I find I enjoy. But, I must return to my room to check on communiqués from the Golian home world.”
    “Bad news on that, Ambassador. I’ve heard that subspace communications are down. No word on when they’ll be restored.”
    “Well, I must check to see if any arrived before the outage. I’ll see you again, Captain.”
    “I look forward to it, Ambassador.”
    He grabbed his gym bag and headed out. The bartender paused from counter polishing to watch him leave. The off-duty staff continued their nervous glances.
    Carryall in hand, I took the time to stroll the concourse hoping to spot anyone else high on the suspect list. Fantasia was on duty at the service desk. When she spotted me, she paused to see if I was incoming then waved and smiled again as I passed by. The medical center had two staff members in the waiting area but no one else.
    On the way back to my quarters, I lucked out. The Crystal sisters were lounging at the pool. I waltzed casually in, looking around as though searching for someone I knew. A merry call from one of them drew me to poolside. “The water is simply marvelous, are you coming in?” The sister who had spoken was in the water hanging on to the opposite side, talking to her counterpart, who was stretched out on a transparent lounge chair that looked like it was constructed of Plexiglas except it flexed and