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

“Yes,” Mackay said, waggling her jaw to try and clear the ringing in her ears. “You can thank me later.”

Macleod blinked, then turned to the ragged group of Scotclan men gathered around Campbell. “MacInnes, Thain, take Chief Campbell into custody.”

The men turned to face her, but didn’t move.

The old woman sighed, then tapped her datapad.  A voice rang out. “This is Chief Forbes of Scotclan.”

Biddy couldn’t help but gasp.  Like many others, she had believed the great Chief was dead.  No one had heard him speak in years.  And yet here he was, booming out of a smug-looking Macleod’s datapad.

“I hereby grant Agent Cher Macleod the power to revoke the Sub-Chieftaincy of Campbell of the Fuller System.  Campbell will be immediately transported to the judges of the Celtic Alliance for trial by his peers.  Agent Macleod is to be given temporary Sub-Chief status, as of this message.  Out.”

Campbell’s face was ashen. “But… but I was only following orders.  We have been searching for the portal drive for decades...”

“And you let some slip of a girl destroy it,” Macleod said, gesturing to the young clan members who now took position on each side of Campbell.

“You cannot convict me for that!”

“I don’t have to,” Macleod shrugged. “I can put you on trial for the Westward Ho!.”

Biddy was impressed.  Had it really only been a couple of hours ago that Macleod had called the death of the Westward Ho! a simple screw up?  The woman really was an arch manipulator.  Ex-Chief Campbell didn’t stand a chance.  The old man hung his head as he was led out of the hangar.

“What about the Gods?” Elvis asked, and Biddy realized she had forgotten all about them.  The Augments were huddled together around the room, looking confused and scared.  The tall black one that Lu Tang had tripped was at least trying to get his sleeping friends out of the pods.  They seemed more to be pitied than frightened of, but Biddy knew how quickly that could change.

“I think I might have Scotclan explain the concept of retirement to them,” Macleod said softly so that only Biddy and Elvis could here. “Either way I will take them into custody for the time being.  Don’t worry, I won’t hurt them, but I won’t let them loose on this century either.”

Biddy wasn’t entirely happy with this solution, but she had no more fight left in her.  She nodded. “That’ll do.”

Macleod raised an eyebrow. “You still seem to think you have some say in the situation, Mackay.  May I remind you that you are a lowly Inspector.”

Biddy’s ears were still ringing. “Inspector?  What are you talking about?  I’m not even a Detective since you saw to it that Scotclan fired me.  Don’t think I don’t remember that you were right in the middle of all this.”

“I’m sure you will hate me until your dying day,” Macleod said with a grin. “But you’ll have to join the queue little lassie.  For the moment, let it comfort you that Scotclan acknowledge that you helped prevent a worse outcome in destroying the portal drive.”

“You mean she saved the entire solar system and everyone on it,” Elvis said, with a look so loyal it made Biddy cringe a little.

“And in recognition of your actions,” Macleod continued as if Elvis hadn’t spoken, “Chief Forbes himself has recommended the rescinding of all charges against you and your immediate promotion to Inspector.”

Never had Biddy felt more like punching Macleod in her smug, supercilious face.  All those deaths on the Westward Ho!, the imprisonment of the Augments, the poor, crumpled body of Lu Tang lying just meters away… And now the woman wanted her to accept a promotion?  It was beyond the pale!

Biddy took a step forward to tell the old woman exactly what she thought of her, but she stopped as a gentle hand squeezed her arm.

“Maybe leave it for another day, eh ‘tec?” Elvis said, his voice sounding just as tired as she was.

Biddy took a deep breath. “All right Macleod.  You win, for now.”

“I’m glad you see it that way, Inspector.  All right, clansmen, let’s get this place cleaned up.” With that she turned on her heel and started ordering about the people in the room, men and Gods alike.

“Is she watching me?” Biddy murmured to Elvis.

“No.”

“Good.” Biddy walked over to Lu Tang’s corpse.  She leaned down beside him and put her mouth to his ear. “We did it,” she said softly.  The face was as cold as marble, but as the Detective watched one eyelid gave out the tiniest flutter.  It was enough.

Epilogue

The hospital bed in Moscov was cutting edge technology.  It used anti-gravity devices so that the patient could float in any position, eliminating the traditional hazards of muscle wastage and bed sores.  Biddy could tell that it had slightly disappointed the doctors from Eritree that Lu Tang had elected to lie flat on his back.

“I am getting better,” the man said quietly, in answer to her insistent question. “I will never fully recover, of course.  But no man can truly recover from mortality, can they?”

Biddy nodded.  The strange being who had once been a God seemed to have developed a rather irritating habit of philosophical speech.  But he had let her shoot him, so the Detective figured she would just have to put up with it.

“Any news on Campbell?” Lu Tang managed to say before collapsing into a coughing fit.  Biddy held the bottle to his mouth and watched as he gulped down some fluids.

“Macleod isn’t saying much,” the Detective replied, once Lu Tang was comfortable once more. “I’ve got a feeling the Clan would like to quietly retire him.  But I’ve submitted the reports on the Westward Ho! to the judges.  I won’t let them get away with all those deaths.”

“Good,” Lu Tang said, his eyes