Prep Work

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Kube found Senator Fluzhi haggling with the arms dealer.

“Two fifty.”

“For this?” Locke feigned shock. He could of course pay ten times the amount, but he didn’t want to appear wealthy, which explained the tattered robes and days-old stench of body odor. “One ninety, not a credit more.”

The shopkeeper appeared to be considering it. If he knew who he was dealing with he wouldn’t budge, but the anonymity of this place was it’s most appealing characteristic.

“You don’t want that one, anyway.” Kube took the weapon from Locke’s hands and pressed it back into the purveyor’s empty hands. No Locke was genuinely shocked. He had invited Kube here to help him choose a weapon, but since his associate was late, Locke had looked around himself and gotten quite taken with a DC-15S Blaster. The seller hardly had to mention the semi-automatic nature and stun features before Locke was mentally sold on the weapon. But Kube knew his stuff, and Locke ultimately trusted him, which is why he had called him here in the first place. “What else you got?”

“You the law?” The shopkeep squinted as he regarded Kube for the first time in earnest.

“What do you think?” Kube revealed his own weapon, not exactly legal, and that was enough credentials for now.

“Hmmm.” The Weequay reached below the counter and pressed a button. “I have everything.”

Locke’s eyes widened in surprise, what he had been shown so far was nothing compared to the arsenal now on display, as panels flipped around to reveal more and more side arms. Kube’s influence was paying off, and Locke realized once again how little he knew of the real world.

“That one.” Kube didn’t take long. His selection was a very small ec-15 hold-out blaster. “Where’s the range?”

][

Locke squeezed off a few more shots. “I think I’m getting worse.”

“You definitely are.” Kube’s eyes darted back and forth from the target to the computer screen read-out. The accuracy percentage had dipped below 50. “You’ll want to build your own shooting range and practice daily.”

“I’ve got some space I can use.” Locke tried again.

“You’ve got plenty of bodyguards. Why do you want this for yourself?” Kube smiled as finally Locke managed to hit the correct part of the silhouette.

“I’ve got two murders to solve, and I know for a fact that Halcyon’s killer is still out there. She always came out ahead because she was smart.” Locke fired again. “I’m not as smart as her, but I can be better prepared.”

“Prepared for what, exactly?”

“Justice.” Locke fired. He did not miss.