Chapter 10

The liner landed late the next night, two women stepped off heading for the king’s palace. Unknown to them eyes were closely following them, curious as to where the man that was usually with them was. Knocking at the palace door, it was slowly opened a mousey looking man peeking out then rushing out to hug Nissie.

“I heard you were coming back here, you should have called, I’d have had rooms ready for you and your master, by the way where is Mr. Mark?” he said.

“He is still on the ship, he was quarantined, some type of fever was all we were told, Sam and I had instructions to come here and prepare for when Mr. Mark was released.” Nissie replied.

“Does he need a doctor? We have several of the best now plus, the new med bots we added a month ago.” The man said.

“No, father he doesn’t, they have some of the best on board the ship. We were assured by Mr. Mark and the liner company that Mr. Mark should be released in 1 to 2 days.” Nissie replied a little depressed that Mark wasn’t there with them. Nissie and Sam bade the man good night and went to a room that was prepared for them. Sighing Sam and Nissie entered the room and placed all the devices that Mark had told them to, activating them they both got ready for bed hoping that Mark would contact them soon.

Two miles away an angry man was punching the wall where was that asshole? quarantined? There was no way that Mark could get that sick with no warning. Looking over at the couple on the floor near the corner of the room Tantka was red faced Damn that ass! leave it to a true amateur like him to get sick and die! It wasn’t fair, Mark was his to kill Damn it! Grabbing a scanner Tantka started to scan the whole area where the ship was. A few minutes later his scanner started beeping, looking at the readings 3 times he started to curse. Son of a bitch, they were supposed to meet so he could kill Mark after of course, he signed the papers.

Tantka had to admit this com that Mark had made was extremely advanced, studying it for almost a week Tantka had gotten ideas for a few things his self. Ha! Let him come with this new tech and ideas he had, Mark would never be able to beat his tech now. Laying down Tantka was more confident than he’d ever been with an evil smile he fell asleep. A few minutes later there was a shimmering near the couple, Arthur Doraland looked up and nodded, Just as suddenly the simmering was gone and another wrist com was outside the shield. Deactivating his Arthur reached out and grabbed it activating it as fast as possible. Within seconds an alarm was going off, with Tantka jumping up and looking over his equipment.

Satisfied, Tantka laid back down falling asleep immediately. Arthur smiled adjusting the new com, this ought to be interesting as he watched the readouts on the com expand. On board the liner Mark took a break from working on his new machine, smiling he thought that everything was preceding according to schedule. Looking down at the screen he sighed this new program was the most complicated he’d ever written. Hell it was even more complicated than the eradicator virus since no one on the council knew of it, then Mark was sure that they wouldn’t try to stop him. The problem was if he didn’t cover all the bases in the code, it could spell disaster for everything living on the planet. For almost 2 weeks now he’d been writing and rewriting the program he had the first half set up perfect, the distribution of it was set, the second half still had way too many glitches.

Deleteing the first 3 lines he once again tried to smooth out the problems he was encountering. Damn it! He was always good at the code but each time he ran the second half something turned wrong and the out come was a 99% death rate to the planet. Sitting back he thought back to the almost same problem he’d had with the eradicator virus.

Thinking he remembered that he’d been talking to Nissie about most of the city being wide open and ... that’s it!

Turning back he started typing with a vengeance, two hours later he was testing it, three fourths of the way through there had been no glitches, smiling Mark knew he was finally on the right track.

The next morning Tantka awoke and started working on a stronger shield like he had diagnosed from the com that he’s taken from fat boy’s mother, damn what a simple bitch! After he deactivated the shield they had around them, Tantka was thinking about killing fat boy’s father and using his mother over and over. He’d record it so he could torture fat boy with it over and over for years. Stepping over to the couple Tantka held up a scanner taking readings he adjusted another machine nearby. With an evil laugh Tantka started the machine laughing, soon old man soon she’ll be mine to use again and again, plus you, you old bastard will be able to watch while I take her then I’ll kill you and put you out of MY misery.

After fifteen minutes Tantka’s look of glee turned to a snarl, adjusting the machine for the third time nothing was working, what the hell? Looking at the readings, son of a bitch! Tantka stomped to another machine Damn it! That fucking fart boy had built an oscillating circuit into the wrist com there was no way he could deactivate it!

Growling Tantka pulled a plasma gun and fired at the shield, the plasma charge hit it and just bounced off eating a hole in the floor. Mouth agape Tantka was looking at the readings, wait a minute! The energy readings were different from what he’d gotten, when he first cornered the couple and they’d activated the com.

“Hey asshole,” Tantka yelled at Arthur Doraland, “You aren’t tech savvy, how the fuck did you make the com oscillate and change the energy signature?”

“I have a name you lame ass!” Arthur yelled back at him, “You should know that my wife and I are very important dignitaries we will be missed.”

“Important, My ass! I checked your records you aren’t that important, I am sure that fart boy will miss you but no one else. If anyone makes a move on me here this whole building is rigged to vaporize, so don’t think anyone is coming,” Tantka spit back at him.

Sighing Arthur knew that the king would be worried and probably had troops mobilized to free them. Arthur just hoped that Mark had a plan to get them out, though this new com was amazing, twice the output, twice the shield strength, complete toxin and gas filter. Even with all the reports he had on new tech he’d never seen anything this powerful.

The next day Mark walked off the lined a smile on his face he’d tested and retested all night long, he’d projected everything he could think of at it, then, run through the comp and came up with a few almost impossible.

Hailing a speeder Mark made his way to the palace to see the king, he had a bit of unfinished business with him.

Walking in Mark touched a device at his belt to make sure that they wouldn’t be interrupted. Walking in Mark told everyone to leave he had to talk to the king alone, several guards made a move toward Mark and were almost frozen to the spot.

“Now then when I release you I suggest you leave or we’ll have you removed unconscious, understand?” Mark snapped, most of the men tried to nod yes, the few who didn’t received a scowl from Mark, they immediately consented.

The room cleared, Mark advanced on the king touching the device again the room was isolated and escape proof.

“I assume you know why I am here? Besides the fact that a homicidal maniac is lose on your planet who wishes my death.” Mark said between clenched teeth.

The king nodded, “I have the funds to pay you, though it will bankrupt the treasury, I can now pay you.”

Mark nodded glad that for once the king was taking this serious, “Ok, I have evaluated the services that Nissie has provided to me, I have taken into account what was owed, and what she has done. I’d say that you owe me 15,000 less than before it won’t bankrupt you but I have watched and your profits have started increasing each export. I think you’ll be ok.”

The king brought out his credit comp and Mark brought out the contract that the king had made with him. After the credits had been transferred, Mark wrote the contract complete then entered it as official. “Nissie is no longer my slave, I have released her as of now but you must also in her presence,” Mark was hoping he didn’t have to force the king’s hand to get Nissie released. Calling Nissie, her and Sam entered with Mark reactivating his device, they drew nearer Nissie had a look of concern on her face.

“Mr. Mark? May I ask what’s going on?” she asked confused more than she’d been in a long time.

“The king and I have finally completed our contract, you are no longer a slave, you’re free now.” Mark said happily, though he wasn’t sure how she was going to take it.

“What!?” Nissie screamed, “No!!!! I want to be yours, NO!!!!!!!!!”

Mark was a little shocked and reached for Nissie as she slipped from consciousness, toward the floor.

Gently laying her on the floor, Mark quickly pulled a med scanner from his pack, scanning her he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that she was not ill. What the hell was going on? Now Mark was actually starting to feel stupid. Sam looked over at Mark and saw the look of total confusion.

“Please tell me you know why she passed out,” Sam said incredulously at her brother she couldn’t believe as smart as he was he didn’t know!

“No Sam, I don’t,” he replied surprised at his sister.

“Here I thought you were smart!” she smirked at him, “you really don’t know?” Mark just shook his head no, “she loves you!” she exclaimed.

A little stunned Mark stared at Nissie. “she loves me? Why? I’m nothing special.”