God's Bounty Hunter (Biddy Mackay Space Detective Book 1) by T Olivant (reading in the dark .txt) 📕

galaxy would be in danger.  You see, the technology that opens a portal in space could, when aimed at a planet, completely annihilate it.”

“Huh.” Mackay took the portal drive away from the tall man and placed it back in the box.  At least she did it gently. “So why are you wandering about with this deadly weapon?”

“I needed it to make a trade.”

“All right, let’s see if I follow.  This terrible weapon that should never be in the hands of humanity, you brought it with you to trade?”

“Yes.”

“With those miners that we met on the surface?”

“Yes.”

“Well, they seem a good bunch to hand a deadly weapon to.” The Detective stepped closer.  He could have reached out and grabbed her stungun in one smooth movement, shooting them both before they even had time to realize what was happening.  But he didn’t.  He imagined that Macleod was just waiting for a signal.  Was he going to give it to her?  He genuinely didn’t know.

It was actually quite exciting, not to know what he was doing next.  After all, he had spent so long meticulously planning his every move, it was good to be working on instinct.  Giving his Godly brain a challenge for once.

The Detective was glaring at him with her usual expression.  It seemed to be a mixture of frustration and confusion, and it made her look even younger than she was.

“Why are you telling me about the portal drive?  If you planned to give it to the gang members, you wouldn’t tell me, right?  You know I’m not just going to give it back to you.”

Lu Tang exhaled slowly. “Do you mind if I sit down?”

“If you like.”

He eased himself onto the bench.  One of his legs had started cramping again.  His nervous system was in serious need of an upgrade.

“I never intended to give the people from Eritree the portal drive.  I needed to show them it because they had something I wanted.  I convinced them that I was going to make a trade.  I would never have handed over something so dangerous.”

Mackay didn’t look convinced. “What did you want to trade it for?”

“That is not your concern.  But for now I would like you to keep it safe.”

“Hang on,” the Detective said, her wide eyes staring at him, “why would you want me to have it?  Didn’t you say no human could be trusted with the thing?”

“I did.  But the way I see it is: I am your prisoner.  Therefore, either you keep the drive or you hand it over to your superiors.  As we both know, the motivations of your superior officers in Scotclan is questionable.  Who knows what they would do with such a weapon?  I would thus recommend that you keep hold of it yourself.  And you probably want to keep it out of reach of your crew members.  The lesser ranks are often easily corrupted.”

“Thanks,” the tall, handsome engineer said with what was probably meant to be sarcasm.

“I don’t owe you any favors,” Mackay replied. “And I trust my crew.  But I will make sure that this drive is kept onboard, for the moment at least.  And you might want to remember that you’re a suspect, not a prisoner,”

“And the difference is?”

Mackay pinched the bridge of her nose. “Never mind.  If I am looking after the most dangerous weapon in the galaxy for you, do you think you might want to start telling me about the Westward Ho!?  I still intend to pass you over to Scotclan if you keep evading the question.”

The Augment closed his eyes for a second.  He flexed out his shoulder muscles and Biddy noticed him wince in pain.  She had never really thought that the Gods felt pain, but apparently they did.  She filed that fact away under the ‘useful’ category.

“I have not told you about what happened onboard the Westward Ho! as there is little to tell.  I was travelling on that vessel as a tourist.  I received word that my disguise had been discovered and there were agents on the ship who wanted to capture me.  I could not let that happen.”

“So you murdered them all?” The tall man said, his face curled in an expression of disgust.

“Not at all.  That would have been a waste of a half-decent ship.  I merely made my escape.  There was a small cruiser docked on the starboard side.  I liberated it from the clamps and simply flew it away.  It wasn’t until two days later that I heard the ship had crashed.”

“If that’s true then why does every person I’ve met think that you caused the crash?”

“A handy scapegoat?  Your Scotclan, the Celtic Alliance, whoever they might be called this century, they want me back in a prison cell where they can keep an eye on me.  They make up some charge, get some idiot ‘tec to chase me down and lock me up.”

Mackay said nothing.  Instead the tall man stepped forward. “None of this explains what happened to the Westward Ho!.  Something brought that ship down.  If it wasn’t you then what was it?”

“Engine failure?  Bad pilot?  I have no idea.  I only know it wasn’t me.” Lu Tang’s temple was throbbing.  He had to start making some decisions. “Can I speak to you alone?” he asked Mackay.

“I don’t think –”

The Detective held up her hand to silence the tall man. “It’s all right, Elvis.  I don’t think the Augment is going to attack me, are you?”

“Of course not,” Lu Tang replied, trying not to smile when he thought of Macleod’s demands.

“Give us a minute, Elvis.  But stay right outside the cell door just in case, okay?”

The man called Elvis gave Lu Tang another dirty look, then stepped outside.

Mackay folded her arms.  She was so young.  And yet, she seemed almost intelligent, for