Star Wars: Darkness Falls/Chapter Four

Chapter IV

You heard right, kill Noover Gevorian, the current Grad of Maynus, the leader of the planet and the only thing holding the monarchy up, as I was told by Rilek. Noover Gevorian, the man who I had stared at for what felt like an eternity, which mentioning that to Rilek seemed to be the wrong thing as he grew frustrated and yelled at me. It took several tries to convince him that I had no knowledge of what my job was. After which, we walked to his apartment in complete silence.

“So we need to come up with an escape plan for after we do the deed and I was thinking the tunnels would be the best bet.” Rilek said after I walked through the door.

“While the tunnels seem like our only option, it will be hard to get to them since the entrance on this side is in the Grad’s personal suite.

“Shit,” Rilek muttered under his breath. “Are you sure there are no other entrances?” I could tell Rilek was on the edge of his patience and I did not want to be on the receiving end of his wrath.

“The tunnels were pretty straight and the only other way in seemed to be these grates above head that led to the Lahari forest.”

“Well we can check those out tomorrow, you know, check if we can get in from there. How tall up were the tunnels?” He asked as he pulled a cigar out of his jacket pocket and lit it.

“I’m not sure, I traveled mostly at night, but some areas seems to be over 4 meters high.” I wasn’t great at measurements, but I do recall some areas being really tall.

“That’s not good, the would surely break a limb or end our lives. We can always test the drops.”

“How?” I was pretty sure I didn’t want to know.

“Well there are some punks that owe me money and I’m sure most aren’t going to pay, so we just drop them down the chute and see if they’re still screaming.”

“That’s sick.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m pretty sure we can find another way in.” I said. To be truthful, I’ve never killed someone. Well inadvertency I have. I mean, stealing a starving man’s food is bad, but at least I didn’t stab or strangle him.

“Fine, but if you don’t find another way in by tomorrow, we’re dropping bodies.” he said releasing smoke from his nose and mouth. Now I wanted more than anything to find another way. Rilek was known to be brutal with those who didn’t pay back their loans, and I didn’t want to be any part of it.

We returned to our silence until Rilek stood up and walked out of the room, presumably to go to sleep. Not knowing where I should sleep, I threw my head back and let my eyes close.

&mdash; &mdash; &mdash;

''Namob Girn walked with his fellow recruiters into the rear sector. He had never any desire to enter such a sewer pit, but what Noover wanted, Noover got. So now he had to find people “worthy enough” to work in the palace.''

''Once inside, the group split up. He found himself in a run-down shack and was almost escorted out by SecPol. It was only when he showed his identification that they apologized and let him be. First he thought about interviewing the owner, who was many years old and would surely die soon. Which is what Namob wanted, someone who would just leave the palace before causing too much of a fuss.''

''He was about to approach the old man, who was standing behind the counter grinning stupidly at him, when a young woman glided down the steps. She was beautiful and had a magnificent smile. “Hello, miss.” he choked out. He had never realized such beauty could be found in Belaham’s ugly little secret.''

“Hello,” she said in response.

“I’m interviewing people as a couple jobs have opened up in the palace, so if your interested I would like to ask you a few questions.”

''Her face instantly lit up, “a job at the palace,” she muttered. She was clearly excited.''

''“Yes, we’re looking for tour guides or meal servers.” He said. Namob just radiated the essence that all imagined palace workers had. Stories of the palace had always been cheerful, no mention of serving staff and failed assassinations. For all anyone in the sectors knew, there had never been an attempt on a Grad’s life. If only that had been the case. From the first Grad, there had been those who thought a different way of life was better. Namob just felt lucky no one was ever successful, or at least he had been told none ever were successful, but he sometimes felt otherwise.''

''“Well, let me tell you something, mister,” the old Inn owner said, “my baby girl ain’t gonna be a server. She is too good for that.”''

''Namob was prepared to say a nasty remark, when he imagined the old man chocking on deadly gas from a sector shut down, it pleased him enough to just ignore the man. “So, how are your people skills?”''

&mdash; &mdash; &mdash;

''“Everything I do is never good enough!” Noover Gevorian yelled to his father, who happened to be sitting across of his, in his old, red seat. “I make a decision that benefits the poor and the rich claim I’m losing sight of the future, but when I do something to benefit them, the rear sector claims I’ve never done anything to help. How was I supposed to know the water purifier would actually pollute the water more?”''

''“Calm down, son,” his father, Kyp said. “Everything will work out, I promise.”''

“How can you say that, these citizens caused you to resign from the greatest position known to us.” Noover’s face shared the color of his father’s chair.

''“It was for the best, I cared too much for everyone and wanted no one to get hurt. I now realize that to benefit the majority, some sacrifices must be made.”''

“But how am I supposed to know who’s worthy enough to prosper?”

''“You don’t, you just hope you make the right decision. The people may not love you after doing so, but it’s the history books that matter. When people read about you, they will see that you knew the risks and you took them. You may be dead, or old like me, but at least our future can prosper from your decisions.''

''“I guess your right, father. Your wisdom grows with age, you know that?”''

''“I’ve always been wise, son. I just acted dumb so the citizens could relate to me.” Kyp said laughing. Noover could not tell if his father was just joking, or if his reign had been one failed attempt at being a relatable leader. “Here’s what you should do, son. Send palace representatives to the rear sector and recruit some tour guides and maybe people interested in being on the serving staff.”''

“Are they civilized?”

“Well some must be, they’re not just some band of mindless Algouls."

“Good point, though if they were Algouls my job would be easier.” Noover joked.

''“Yes, yes it would. Or better yet, after taking those few bright and shining stars, we’ll make everyone think the rear sector has turned Algoul and then enact a sector shut down.”''

“Father, you’re brilliant...”

&mdash; &mdash; &mdash;

The sunlight hit my eyes with a stern welcome. “There we go. I’ve been kicking at you for over an hour, almost thought you died.” were the first words I heard as I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. “You better hurry out if you want to find some ‘alternate’ way into the tunnels.”

“OK,” I said as I picked myself up and walked out of his house. I was still half-asleep but I trudged through the sector doing the same old routine as I once had done. I walked around the market, listening for news, but other than Ajen Adly’s infected foot, there was nothing interesting. I then headed onward to the lake, where I would often find little critters to kill when I was younger. Now most of the wildlife is dead from hunters or from drinking the water.

I reached the lake and was met with a heinous stench. The once murky water had turned completely into a sewage pit that turned me around the second my nostrils caught whiff of it. That meant I was off to the Liongrad Inn, which housed most rear SecPol officers and prostitutes, and I’m pretty sure that grouping wasn’t an accident. I reached the back door, due to the fact that entering the front door would result in being kicked out by SecPol, I knocked three times and hoped the inn had the same management.

Luckily it did. The door opened and I was met with hugs, “Hello, hello, hello!” Larild bellowed.

“It’s good to see you to,” I said gently pushing him away. He took the hint and backed away, his face still gleaming with the happiness an old friend brings. He was my oldest friend, not just in years of knowing each other, but he had been entering his forties the same time I was learning to talk.

“It’s been a while, how have you been?” he asked as he led me further into the inn.

“Good, I just got out and home just came calling back.”

“Ah, you did time up in the prison, I see. Whatever happened to the boy who was going to run straight out of the Lahari and become rich and famous?”

“Not prison, exactly. Also, that boy, he’s still around. Also, I may have found a way to become famous.”

“Oh yeah, how so?” He asked once we were seated on the front couch. The couch had become more worn over that years, which wasn’t a surprise. A cheap bastard like Larild wasn’t going to toss out a couch unless it was crawling with Spindells and reeked of the dead. Man, he’s great.

“Well, that’s a secret.”

“C’mon, you know I can keep secrets.”

“Well let’s just say I’m working for some guys,” I said in a hushed tone. The threat of SecPol hearing me here was strong. I didn’t want to trouble Larild, this place was all he had.

“You better not be involved in any of those gangs,” Larild said in a strict tone.

“No no no, it’s nothing like that,” I lied.

“If you say so,” I heard from a distance. It was Larild’s daughter, Jenn. Her beauty was unlike anyone else in all the rear sector. Which really isn’t saying much as most men and women here had strange deformities due to poor living conditions or a Maynian ale addiction. She was like my sister when we were growing up, but as we grew older we drifted apart. I wasn’t surprised by it, though. She wanted to move up in the city, I wanted to move out. I succeeded, she didn’t.

“Jenn, how are you?” I tried sounding as casual as possible, but I ended up sounding too excited.

“Oh, I’m fine, I just got a job working at Belaham palace!” she said running over to me and giving me a hug. For that second, I forgot that I had ever left.

“That’s great! When do you start?”

“Tomorrow, I’ll be giving the tours,” she said a huge grin on her face. “This palace worker came by earlier asked me a whole bunch of questions, probably to make sure I wasn’t some sort of murderer, and then offered me the job.” By the end of her explanation she was out of breath and red faced, yet still beautiful.

“Oh, I hear those tours are great.” I remember that over-excited tour guide and she almost reminded me of a better looking, less excited female version of him. She would fit in fine.

“I can’t believe it!” she yelled running up the inn’s stairs and presumably into her room.

“I can’t believe my baby girl’s moving up in the world.” Larild said wiping a tear from his wrinkled cheek. “Soon she’ll be out of this garbage heap.”

“I’m proud of her,” I said, thinking of the palace, and the tours, and the servant staff. That’s it! There has to be a male servant staff, and if there is, than we can sneak in, do the deed while the Grad is sleeping and then sneak out the tunnels before anyone realizes something has happened.

“Oh damn, I just realize I need to be off.” I said hastily sitting up and walking through the front door.

Once I left, I headed straight for Rilek’s house. Upon arriving there I knocked on his door hoping he was still in. I knew that my idea was dangerous, but ensured that only the necessary died. I mean, I don’t think I fully grasped the fact that I would soon see the death of the most important man on the planet, but if I had, I probably wouldn’t care. I mean in his reign alone our sector’s well being has collapsed and it only seems to be getting worse. His father was bad, but Noover is worse.

After minutes of waiting, Rilek’s door finally opened and I was ushered inside. “I’ve got an idea,” I said once his door closed and I knew we were safe.

“Spit it out all ready,” Rilek said before puffing on his signature cigar.

“OK, we dress up as servants and sneak into his chambers while he’s sleeping and kill him. We then use the entrance and sneak away before anyone realizes something is wrong.”

“One problem,” he said blowing smoke in my face.

“What?” I asked while I was choking.

“The sexist bastard only has female servants.”

“Frak,” was all I could say before another idea smacked me on the head, well it was actually Rilek’s hand that did the smacking, but an idea came nonetheless. “Two of the guards already think I’m one of the servant’s brother. Let’s take advantage of this somehow.”

“Why do the guards think that?”

“One of the servants told him when they found me in their chambers.”

“Wait, you’re telling me you were shacking up with the sex slaves?”

“They’re not sex slaves!” I was surprisingly angry, I blamed in on the previous head slap.

“Whatever you say, Mac. Let’s talk about this later, I got some lady friends coming over.” He said shooing me out the door. “We’ll talk later,” was all he said before slamming the door behind me. I’m guessing he needed to go freshen up.

As I walked out, I saw a large group of women approaching his house. It looked as if Rilek was going to have all the fun while I was stuck finding somewhere to sleep. Welcome home, Mac Follin.