Death of a Redeemer

[Shillay Market Platform, Skyean Hebrides,  Hyperborean Cluster]

The bright colours of the Free Market platforms mixed into a dirty, busy mess of merchant stalls, noisy hawkers and the packed bustle of locals and travellers from the far corners of the known Galaxy. Navigating a way through the packed human current normally meant choosing a direction and joining the dense, slow but steady flow of pedestrians; but for Sam, Honi and the hooded acolyte, the flotsam parted like waves repelled by some unseen force radiating about the small squad. But, the energy that moved the crowd was not of a physical nature; it was psychological, created by the universal fear of the masked figures of the dreaded Death Squad.

"It's not far now, twenty metres and to the left is the entrance to redeemer's temple." Sam's holographic skull mask was activated, and her voice had transformed into an ominous tone by a vocal glitch routine running in her ortex.

A line of people seeking entry to the temple blocked their way down a lane to a non-descript, grey  two-story building.

Their target was the platform's resident Redeemer, who was also a Churchman and held high office within in the local clergy.

A Redeemer's role was to accept pax payment from the devout in exchange for special favours from God. Such favours included the forgiveness of sin; the granting fortune for an upcoming voyage; or even infliction of a curse for an unholy enemy or heretic. This particular Redeemer was known to the Death Squad as more than just a broker of God's will, they were known to trade in various other, considerably more tangible goods, including black market items like the long life override device.

The override devices were designed to mask excessive gefresh treatments and therefore, evade the attention of the death squad. Their use was risky as every application of the override came with a small percentage chance of failure. The death squad knew of this weakness and, as a result, many punishments under the terminatio die were made possible due to notifications from a failed override. Rather than crack down on the manufacture and sale of these devices, it was in the interest of the Church to turn a blind eye on their supply in limited numbers. Unfortunately for this redeemer, they sold a device to the wrong person, the identity of whom was of strong interest to the squad.

With a wave of his hand, Honi gave a signal for the temple's patrons to move out.  The line quickly cleared leaving the entrance free for the trio to enter.

Inside, more clients were lined up to enter the private parlour that was marked by a heavy curtain. It was in the room behind the curtain where the transactions with the Redeemer would take place. Two heavyset mercs stood either side of the doors. The private security operators were equipped with holstered sidearms.

"Everyone out!" Shouted Honi with his vocal enhancements booming through the room. The customers panicked, fleeing the building frantically  while giving the Churchmen the greatest berth possible.

The guards had fled their posts too, and the squad was free to enter the parlour without challenge. As Sam pulled the curtains, two ready mercs inside the room had their weapons drawn. But before either of them could even aim a shot, the first received an upward smash to the face with the butt of the acolyte's staff; from the sound of the impact, the strike had exploded bone, and the guard fell into a heap. The second merc dropped her weapon and reached to her throat to try and dislodge the blade that Sam had flicked into it with lightning speed.

Honi had his sword levelled in the direction of a stunned customer and the Redeemer who had been kneeling before a candle lit, life-sized idol of a naked and bearded wild man who knelt on all fours with fingers and toes ending with long bird-like talons. Both of the startled figures in the room had seemingly been in prayer before the Churchmen had entered.

The Redeemer wore the common white collared, black uniform of the clergy with grey-blonde hair. She had a dull, but friendly face that smiled as she helped her finely dressed patron up from his kneeling position, "It's okay. You may leave, and will not be harmed." She looked to Honi, the tallest and physically dominant member of the team for confirmation. Honi agreed with a nod, and the client moved out of the room with the speed and agility of a frightened chicken.

"Blessed be our beloved God, for you have finally arrived." The Redeemer Churchman did not seem at all fazed by her death squad colleagues as she casually moved to draw together the heavy curtains at the doorway. "There, that's better. We can now talk in private."

Their host motioned for the three to take a seat at a small round table in an alcove to the side of the room, "Please, would you do me the honour of joining me for a cup of tea? I'm keen for the latest gossip on the activities of that devilishly cunning Cardinal Beek. He's your superior is he not? We're good friends." She added smugly, "--you should know."

"I would take more care at choosing friends if I were you, Beek gave you to us. But, enough prattle priest," insisted Sam, "Tell us what we want to know and we'll be on our way."

The cornered priest was losing her edge, asking nervously, "As easy as that is it? So I tell you who purchased the override responsible for that mess at Skye, and I will live? Free to go about my business?"

"I didn't say that."

"No, I didn't think so. Nevermind, I thought it might one day come to this. I have protection." She shouted to the statue at the alter, "Robot! Kill!"

At the command, the grotesque idol that the priest had been worshiping stood awkwardly and stumbled forward from its recess. Fully automated weapons and especially those that took humanoid form had been forbidden galaxy-wide since the Robot Wars. This model, while in heavy disguise and not particularly life-like, seemed to be an antique battle routine and was deadly; its attacks were always on target and spontaneously fatal. Luckily for the squad, the embellishments that had been welded onto the robot hampered its offensive capability for just a moment, enough time for the acolyte to spin forward and, in one fluid motion, remove her heavy robe and toss it about the machine. The robot became tangled and an easy target for energy bolts from Honi's blade and Sam's knife thrower. The machine whizzed and spat beneath a smouldering cloak before becoming silent and still.

The Churchmen turned their attention to an openly disappointed and nervous redeemer who had moved to the far corner of the room and was preparing to reach for what likely would be a weapon concealed on the bookcase.

"Don't move a muscle," ordered Sam from behind her holo-mask. "The best option for you now will be to tell us, without any further incentive, who purchased the override device."

The Churchman knew that the threat was real and terrible and so was quick to ensure her death would be fast and if she were fortunate involving minimal pain. "It was a trader named Pongo Pygmaeus. He has fled on his yacht to only God knows where. But please--"

Before the Churchman could finish her sentence Honi sent an arc of lightning into a surprised priest. As the violet, blue energy streamed from the fingers of his gloves, the victim fried.

"Just great Honi, you fool." snapped Sam when the fire show eventually stopped. She disabled her mask, "We needed her alive so we could verify the name. For all we know, this Pongo character could be a deception."

Honi also turned off his mask and grimaced, "Damn, sorry Sam. I guess I'm not very good at this interrogation thing. Beside the acolyte is distracting the hell out of me". He winked at the slim, buxom, and near naked figure of their junior teammate. She wore nothing other than a thin modesty tube around her upper torso and waist. Her smouldering robe lay ruined about the wreck of the machine adding, even more, smoke into the room.

"We've got to get you something to wear." Offered Sam to the acolyte who was attempting to improve the effectiveness of her underwear with an awkward covering of her arms.

"Na, don't bother. I like her shiny body out in the open." Jested Honi.

But the Acolyte didn't take his comment as a joke. She bent down to retrieve her weapon, stepped up to an unexpecting Honi and pushed him up against the wall with the staff across his throat cutting off his airway so that he was unable to breathe. She shook with rage, "What am I to you, a piece of meat!? I just saved your life; you should treat me with some respect!"

The knee to the stomach she received from the trapped Honi knocked the wind out of her, and the acolyte fell to the ground gasping.

"You stupid girl!" Raged Sam, "He could have, and probably should have, just killed you right then and there." Sam stood over the beamer fuming, "And for what? Because you've got some high expectation of being treated with good manners?" The acolyte groaned, and Sam shook her head in disgust, "Well, let me tell you something, the fact that you've got your flaps hanging out right now is what just saved your life. Take it from me, use your sex. It gives you power over dicks like this idiot."

"Hey! I'm not a dick, and I'm definitely not an idiot." asserted Honi as he rubbed under his chin.

"Yes, you are. You men are all are dicks and your dicks make you idiots." 

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