CIA00.7

===Jadi Morok and the Dark Sapphire===
===Chapter Seven : "It's Thicker And It's Everywhere"===
===by Wiliam Howells===
Jadi gazed out at the dark water, the evening sun glinting on the waves.  He breathed a lungful of the sea air, exhaling slowly, his thoughts lingering with Kirena. He was sure she was in trouble. He didn't know why he was so sure, but he 
knew it was true and he was intent on finding her, no matter what. And then there was the stone the Doctor had given him on Deremar. The premonition had spooked him. He felt a small twinge of fear and suppressed it.
He saw a flash of light out of the corner of his eye. Turning towards it, Jadi felt the force of the explosion. The accompanying bang lasted less than a second, but he felt it reverberating in his ears as he ran, horrified, towards the source of the noise:  the cliff top where he had left Menha.
As he approached the smoke-covered cliff edge, he was greeted with the stench of burnt flesh. Bits of charred limbs were scattered in front of him, blood drying on the burnt grass.
Deathly pale and retching, Jadi Morok turned away.
* * *
"My name is Vedaspel," the man in the sharp suit said, shaking hands.  "Pleased to meet you, Master Nabov."
Tiren Nabov sat behind his small, bare desk. "Well, Mr. Vedaspel, what can I do for you?"
"Firstly," Vedaspel began, his expression becoming more sombre, "my sympathies to you on the death of Miss Narranov."
Nabov nodded slowly. "Yes, yes... I only just heard myself. Terrible shame. A very useful contact to have." He paused in thought before continuing. "She said you were anxious to see me about something?"
"Indeed. I have a proposition for you."
"If it's a Pitch, I'm already very happy."
Vedaspel smirked briefly. "Oh no, not a Pitch. I think you'll be interested though. I'm sure we can come to a mutually beneficial arrangement."
Nabov licked his teeth idly and eyed Vedaspel with suspicion. The stranger seemed very conservative about the amount of information he was supplying. He yawned.
"Am I boring you?" his visitor asked.
"No, no," Nabov hastily replied with a grin. He yawned again. "Sorry, I'm just a bit tired."
Vedaspel leaned forward. "You look it." He watched as Tiren Nabov slumped forwards in his seat, a broad smile crossing his face. "Now, Nabov, listen to what I have to say."
* * *
Jadi Morok, Acting Grand Master of the Guild of Poetic Justice, sat alone in his sister's office, chewing the corner of her slim computer notepad.  He was hungry and fatigued, but he had more important things on his mind.
Sighing with indecision, he tossed the notepad on the desk and booted Kirena's computer. He logged on and checked his mail. Two new messages.
The first was a verbose mail from DereCard Services informing him that he had exceeded his credit limit. He ignored it.
The second was short and to the point: "Intersection of Winterbrook Street and Spaceport Road.  2245 today."
Jadi checked the date stamp on the message. It had been sent that 
morning.  He glanced at the small clock on the screen and hurried out of the office.
* * *
A chill breeze was blowing down Winterbrook Street as Jadi stood on the corner. He jumped up and down a few times in a vain attempt to warm up.
Someone had been following him since he departed from the Guild of Poetic Justice. Bounty hunting had sharpened his senses. He shivered and hoped that his stalker - presumably the same person who sent the e-mail - would get on with whatever it was they had called him for. Even if it was a trap, he wished they'd spring it before it started raining.
Jadi was almost relieved when someone grabbed him from behind in a stranglehold. He didn't struggle.
"Where's Kirena?" a voice hissed in his ear.
"I don't know," Jadi replied simply. "Please let go, Garret."
The grip on his throat tightened. "Josiv Adirun Morok," his brother said before releasing him and pushing him roughly away, "you are a flid."
Jadi turned to face the brother he hadn't seen for the best part of a decade. "So you're speaking to me again then," 
he stated.
Garret Morok was a tall, well-built individual. He had closely cropped, light brown hair and a markedly square jaw. "So, the famed bounty hunter is easily taken from behind," he noted, eyeing his younger sibling. "You should've gone into 
terraforming."
"You should be more tactful with your approach," Jadi told him. "Had I not recognised your footsteps, presumably despite your clumsy attempts to walk silently, I might've killed you."
"And I'm the Ice Queen of Vhora."
There was an uneasy silence.
"What happened to Kirena?"
Jadi shook his head solemnly. "I don't know. I've been trying to find out."
"Suddenly you decide to come back the Kapone," Garret said disdainfully. "Next thing I know, Kirena's vanished and you have no explanation except that you've been doing your best."
"I'm looking into it, Garret. Unless you want to risk being shot at, abducted, blown up, or otherwise damaged, I suggest you stay at home and leave this to me."
Garret snorted. "Just because I'm a member of the Guild of Culinary Arts doesn't mean I'm a bloody housewife. Just because I'm not a professional bounty hunter doesn't mean I can't look after myself." He unholstered a small blaster to 
emphasise his point.
Jadi shrugged. This sort of alliance could re-open all sorts of wounds that time had nearly healed, but Garret wasn't giving him much choice.  And he could do with the company on the monorail to Lochrador.
* * *
"Had it been any other Guild," Garret told Jadi as he gazed out of the carriage window, "I would have been very annoyed:  as the oldest of the family, I have first call on cases of clan-sibling privilege, in case you'd forgotten. You hadn't, of course. However, much that I love Kirena, I think this Guild of hers 
can only be a bad thing. And now you're stuck with it." He turned his gaze to the seat opposite. Jadi was snoozing. 
Garret kicked him and he awoke with a start.
"So, little brother, what's so special about Lochrador?"
"Someone I'm looking for is there."
"Who?"
"Er... I don't know, to be honest."
* * *
The sun was beating down. He wiped the sweat from his brow and hurried after his companions. He stumbled in the sand, his heavy backpack unbalancing him slightly.
The woman glanced back and noticed him trailing. She halted the man and together they waited.
He caught them up and gratefully accepted the woman's pro-offered water bottle.
He woke up. For the first time in over a month, his dream had been peaceful. No nightmares.
Did this mean he was getting better?
He smiled and watched the swirling patterns in the blank, white ceiling. 
* * *
"I'm glad you brought us all the way out here for a reason other than the view." Garret and Jadi were descending a flight of steps down to Lochrador bay. "After all, it would be naive of me to think that you'd stupidly led me on a wild goose chase while Kirena may be in serious trouble."
"Shut up, Garret."
"Don't take that tone-"
"Shhh!" Jadi hissed, stopping abruptly, his brother nearly colliding with him. "Listen."
Garret steadied himself and listened. "What?"
Jadi strained his ears. As the sound got rapidly louder, he recognised it.
"Duck!" he shouted, pulling Garret off balance and knocking them both down the last few steps.
A fast-moving projectile shot over their heads and embedded itself in the beach.
"Thank you," Garret said grudgingly. "That was close."
"Don't speak too soon," Jadi told him. "It hasn't detonated yet."
To Be Continued...