My Condolences

Corinna's Hideaway, a casino with a reputation that preceded it. It had been a Tramonto staple for decades. The palace of the Lysima family, a proud shrine to making money. The three rolled up to the door, there a robot greeted them in the lobby. "Excuse me madame but it is a policy of the hideaway for all non-verbal species to use an interpreter collar. This Magellan will require one."

"What kind of policy is that?" Merin asked. 

"It is a request of casino management that all species can communicate in the universal language. To avoid any potential miscommunication, I'm sure your Magellan will understand."

"He's not my pet," Merin sighed. The robot handed the interpreter collar to the Magellan, who gave a look of disapproval to the machine. Tiye quickly secured it around his neck. "I'm sorry, Tiye." 

Tiye turned to Merin. "Why did we have to come here?" he asked. The voice from the collar was largely similar to the robot. "You know I hate these things." 

"How is it doing that?" Nero asked. Now they both turned to him; translation through an interpreter collar was hardly new or uncommon technology. How scrambled was this guy's brain? 

"You're joking right?" Tiye asked. "Just because I don't sound like you doesn't mean I don't communicate. This goddamn thing is taking my native tongue and dumbing it down for you and the rest of the uneducated masses of this backwards planet." 

"Sorry for asking..." Then they continued; if it was answers they wanted, this was the place to go. "Who are we meeting here? Someone about your doctor friend." 

"That's right. I know one of the local hotshots, a creature called Xshayarsha. He'll have an idea who got to Abban." Merin had her connections, even in the Lysima family. 

"That names quite a mouthful."

"We can't all have names as snappy as yours, Nero. Don't go saying that in front of Xshayarsha either. It won't take kindly to that kind of talk," Merin said. She came to a private area, guarded by a beefy alien in security armour. She raised two things and then seemed to cross them, it was a signal. The guard stood aside. "Alright, you two have got to promise me that you'll be on your best behaviour inside there. Understood?"

"Understood," they both responded quickly. Merin pushed aside a thick velvet curtain and made her first steps into Xshayarsha's lair. Inside a bug-headed creature sat in a booth, surrounded by human women dressed like exotic dancers. "Xshayarsha, good to see you." 

"If it isn't my leading lady," when the creature spoke, it was as if three voices were speaking in unison. It was strange, especially for Nero. "What's brought you to this fine city?" 

"Abban. But he's dead."

"The old doc is gone!" Xshayarsha exclaimed, pretending to be shocked, before twisting his neck to face Tiye. "My sincere condolences." 

"He's no relation," Tiye replied, irritated. 

"No theatrics, Xshayarsha. Who's behind the hit on the doc? I'm going to guess that none of your boys and girls are involved." Merin got closer to the booth and looked into his eyes. "At least they better not be." 

"Lovely Merin Viihan. Why would the family be involved in anything like that?" Xshayarsha laughed. "Abban was a valuable asset to the community, he was basically on the company pay roll."

"So you knew he was dead?" Merin asked. 

"I was aware, yes."

"And who's responsible?"

"I wish I knew my love. I can only speculate."

"I'm not your anything, especially not your love. Now start speculating." 

Xshayarsha stood up and sent his companions away. Once the room was clear, he tapped the seat beside him. "Make yourself comfortable, sweetheart." Reluctantly, Merin did sit down. "Now the word on the street is that the Securitate is in town on official business."

"Why the hell would the Securitate come to Jemdet? They know they aren't welcome here."

"Well, apparently the spaceport authority sees no problem with inviting them in. One of them was spotted entering Abban's place."

"You think the Securitate killed Abban?" Merin wasn't totally convinced. The Securitate were tricky; nobody could deny that, but Abban didn't seem like the kind of being they'd make an enemy. 

"That's got to be the only answer!" Xshayarsha insisted. "You know as well as anyone that Abban had his secrets. Have you ever thought he might have some history working with the Securitate? Medical training at that kind of level doesn't come easily." 

"So what are you going to do about it?" Nero asked, and as he finished, Merin gave him a stern look. He hadn't kept quiet. 

"Well... Stranger. I'm sure you'll understand that the family doesn't plan on making Erishum the enemy. We're not that foolish," one of Xshayarsha's voices seemed to lose sync with the other two. 

"So I suppose you're just going to sit on your ass and let them get away with it?"

"Something like that," the creature chuckled. "I'm guessing you have a problem with that. You have a problem with everything." 

"Damn right I have a problem with it, and you have to remember something, Xshayarsha."

"What's that?"

"That you owe me one," Merin smiled at the bug. He had wandered right into the inescapable Viihan web, the job for a job clause. 

To Be Continued...