NEFARIOUS GOOD
by
Shawn O’Toole
*****
PUBLISHED BY:
Cover Art Illustrated by:
Shawn O’Toole
Nefarious Good
Copyright © Shawn O’Toole 2013
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This story is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are products of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
*****
NEFARIOUS GOOD
*****
Chapter 1
“Miss Yellow’s Plight”
The Mystic Confederacy was the apex of an ancient civilization of a strange, alien race. Nefarious Good was a citizen of this wondrous society and a member of its ruling species. As a soldier in its Confederate Army he won honor and glory in war. His beloved Confederacy had since vanquished or made peace with its enemies. Nefarious had become restless. Though he loved his people and their ways he needed adventure to be at peace. He needed a career for a sense of purpose. Already trained in the art of war, he equipped himself and sought his fortune as a soldier of fortune.
Medley was a desert planet claimed by three of the six Galactic Powers: the Mystic Confederacy, the Greater Humanity Empire and the Democratic Plutocracy of Lith. Skirmishes had been fought over Medley but none of the claimants considered the planet worth a full-scale war. The three powers instead agreed to disagree in peace. They established an administrative entity equally represented by all three claimants. The base of operations for this ad hoc government attracted merchants seeking its favor. The base became a makeshift town and soon grew into a bustling, frontier, multiracial city. For lack of a better name, the human representative in the Administrative Triad referred to the community as “For Now City.” The other two members of the Triad were amused by this nickname and formally adopted it as its official designation. The human member was rather surprised.
Nefarious Good came to For Now City looking for work. His tall, slender form negotiated the crowded streets on his way for a meeting. Like all people of his race, his skin was bluish beige and his every feature long and narrow. His irises were large and deep blue. The hair of his scalp and chin was long and lustrous black.
For Now City was prosperous, but rather lawless. Private security, not actual law enforcement officers, maintained some semblance of peace about. Nefarious himself was clad in sleek, black leather armor. He wore a sword on his right hip and two others strapped to his back. A dagger was worn in his left boot. He was one of countless pedestrians armored and heavily armed, so his equipment did not attract any unpleasant attention.
Nefarious found a Concubine Merchant of the Great Seen Unseen where they agreed to meet: at an outside table of a restaurant that catered to humans. Most of the diners were men or women of the Greater Humanity Empire. The Concubine Merchant, though human, was a foreigner among these Jingoans. She sat alone, garbed in a yellow, hooded robe. “Gertrude Yellow the Frugal?” Nefarious asked. When the yellow hood nodded, the Mystic joined the woman at the table. Nefarious noticed that the Concubine was wearing sunglasses under her cowl.
The human female asked, “Nefarious Good, I presume?”
“Yes. I am Nefarious Good. Miss Yellow, I must confess, I was surprised to be called by a Concubine of the Great Seen Unseen.”
“Why?”
“Well, your government did mark me personally for death. It even employed Yager assassins to see to it.”
“Mr. Good, that war is over. I assure you, my government is no longer targeting you for assassination.” Nefarious could feel the soft warmth of the woman’s sincerity. He nodded. She told him, “Mr. Good, I am requesting your services because you proved yourself so well against us. Mr. Good, I was robbed…” the human female choked, “and I need your help.” She regained her composure before continuing, “I can pay you in Confederate Shekels but your broker mentioned that you have an account with the Imperial Humanity Bank. How would you like to be paid, sir?”
Nefarious chuckled. He explained, “Imperial Credits have become the de facto galactic currency. I opened my Jingoan account so as to attract a greater variety of clients. Direct payment in hard Confederate Shekels is preferred by me.”
“Really? Mr. Good, Medley is a rather lawless planet. It would not be safe to be carrying hard currency on your person here.”
“Thank you, Miss Yellow, for your gracious concern. Pardon my madness, but I am hoping for the amusement of being assailed.”
“What? Why?”
“To hone my skills and further my reputation. Miss Yellow, I am a soldier of fortune. I must advertise if my career is to be lucrative.” The women of the Great Seen Unseen were an impassive people willing to endure loss for gain. Gertrude Yellow nodded her understanding.
The Concubine Merchant explained, “I came to Medley because I was invited by the Jingoan Simon Fink. He expressed interest in purchasing a large amount of medical equipment but insisted on inspecting the products before finalizing any transaction.” The woman choked, “His thugs robbed me and my sisters at gunpoint. They loaded our merchandise onto their trucks and left us with nothing.” The woman trembled, trying not to sob. “They called us ‘clone bitches.’ The leader flipped a worthless copper coin at me. He jested that I should go home because I was paid in full.”
The Mystic muttered a friendly, soothing spell in a soft, resonant voice, “Calm of heart and peace of mind. Calm of heart and peace of mind. All is well for all shall be well.”
The human female did not resist the spell. She smiled, “Thank you.”
Nefarious nodded. He asked, “Are you certain the robbers were in the employ of Mr. Fink?”
The woman nodded, explaining, “When I reported the incident to the Administrative Triad, Mr. Fink denied inviting me to the planet. He denied having ever arranged a meeting with me. A sister investigated the matter and concluded that the trucks belonged to Mr. Fink and the thugs were members of his private security force.”
“Did you present this evidence to the Administrative Triad?”
“Yes. My grievance was dismissed as ‘unsubstantiated.’ A secretary of your peoples’ office unofficially suggested that I consult you.”
The Mystic arched an eyebrow.
The Concubine Merchant offered, “Fifty thousand shekels if you retrieve my stolen property. Seventy-five thousand if it is returned in pristine condition.”
Nefarious grinned. He told the woman, “I am but one warrior. I cannot pocket your truckloads of merchandise to bring it to you. Are you hiring others?”
“I already did.”
“Shall I be under the command of one of them?”
“Mr. Good, you shall be acting alone.”
The Mystic again arched his eyebrow. He asked, “Why?”
“Forgive me, Mr. Good, but I consider that personally confidential.”
Nefarious chuckled. He negotiated, “My minimal fee for hire is forty thousand Confederate Shekels or fifty thousand Imperial Credits. Further payment shall be ten percent the stock value of any merchandise retrieved. I do not require prepayment but I am to be paid in full upon delivery. Are my conditions acceptable?”
r /> “Yes.”
“Miss Yellow, should you retrieve your merchandise without me then I shall not be paid. As my client, your only obligation is to reward my success.”
“I understand, sir.”
“Good. Miss Yellow, where are you residing while here on Medley?”
The woman hesitated before answering, “The Red Dusk.”
“Miss Yellow, for your personal safety, I suggest you pay the extra fee for maximum room security. Remain in your suite until the conclusion of this matter.”
Among his own people, Nefarious Good was a war hero. To most aliens, however, he was just another Mystic swordsman wandering the crowded streets of a frontier city. True to his race, he was charming and eloquent. He scouted establishments that catered to the types of people who might know something pertinent. He intermingled and made conversation. He heard rumors about “Fink’s boys” robbing some “clone bitch” because she was stupid enough to come to a rough planet like Medley. Most of the gossipers were amused by the plight of this hapless merchant. Others were sympathetic but resigned to the injustice. One human male told Nefarious, “I know she’s a clone, but clones are people. It wasn’t right.” The man took another gulp of his alcoholic beverage before adding, “It’s a shame nobody’s willing to help