Murder, Khlein Style: Flight of the Maita, #29

By C. D. Moulton

Tab and TR respond to a plea for help from a Feach. It seems a Feach has been kidnapped – after supposedly witnessing a "Murder, Khlien Style".

Critic comment
This was a truly fun book. Tab as a bumbling Maitan verged on the hilarious. I could picture that woman's face as he described the reason for the colors on the map.
– IA  Rtng: ****

• Language: English
• Publisher: C. D. Moulton
• Release date: Jul 11, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201794989

Book preview

Flight of the Maita

Book twenty nine

Murder, Khlien Style

© 1989 & 2019 by C. D. Moulton

all rights reserved: no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any other information retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright holder/ publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Tab and TR respond to a plea for help from a Feach. It seems a Feach has been kidnapped – after supposedly witnessing a Murder, Khlien Style.

Critic comment

This was a truly fun book. Tab as a bumbling Maitan verged on the hilarious. I could picture that woman’s face as he described the reason for the colors on the map.

– IA  Rtng: ****

Contents

About the author

A Call to the Agency

Arrival at Khlien

Finding the Basic Facts

Confusion

Tab Returns as Tab

Setting Up the Scam

Scamming the Scammers

Moving About

Playing the Game

The Trap is Armed

Lie Detection

In the Lionesses Den

Relaxation

About the author

CD was born in Lakeland, Florida, in 1938. He is educated in genetics and botany. He has traveled over much of the world, particularly when he was in music as a rock rhythm guitarist with some well-known bands in the late sixties and early seventies. He has worked as a high steel worker and as a longshoreman, clerk, orchidist, bar owner, salvage yard manager and landscaper – among other things.

CD began writing fiction in 1984 and has more than 300 books published as of 3/15/16 in SciFi, murder, orchid culture and various other fields.

He now resides in Puerto Armuelles, David, and Gualaca, Chiriqui, Panamá, where he continues research into epiphytic plants and plays music with friends. He loves the culture of the indigenous people and counts a majority of his closer friends among that group. Several have adopted him as their father. He funds those he can afford through the universities where they have all excelled. The Indios are very intelligent people, they are simply too poor (in material things and money. Culturally, they are very wealthy) to pursue higher education.

CD loves Panamá and the people, despite horrendous experiences (Free e-book; Fading Paradise). He plans to spend the rest of his life in the paradise that is Panamá

- Estrelita Suarez V. de Jaramillo – 3/15/2016

CD is involved in research of natural cancer cure at this time. It has proven effective in all cases, so far. It is based on a plant that has been in use for thousands of years, is safe, available, and cheap. He has studied botany, and was cured of a serious lymphoma with use of the plant, Ambrosia peruviana.

Information about this cure is free on the FaceBook group, Natural medicine research. CD asks only that all who try it please report on its effectiveness on that group.

A Call to the Agency

What the nine hells is this crap about? Tab, robot detective generally in the form of a Swaz, an amphibian being from a world called Swaville (SWAH-vuh-leh) by the Emperor Maita, also a machine intelligence (Now you, the Zulians, my partners and I know that, but don't spread it around) asked the air acidly We were supposed to meet Lineth two whole days ago! Where is she?

Am I expected to answer asinine questions? TR (TRD-60, Tab's ship, friend, partner and usually part of Tab) replied sarcastically. If I knew where the nine hells she was we'd be there! You certainly can be an obnoxious ass, sometimes!

I'm just trying to think. You don't have to be so damned cranky! I could learn a lot about obnoxious from you!

Are you sure she called from here? I should've been in on the damned thing! She shouldn't have called EC and Maita shouldn't have patched her through to Z's damned terrace for you! I always handle our jobs. One time you try to handle it yourself and it's so screwed up we may never find out what the hell's going on!

"Okay, right. I should've pulled your immense consciousness out of that stupid repair mode and put the internals on so you could direct-trace. You were there in the repair bay getting those new ideas of yours installed, you remember. You always do that trace bit and it doesn't ever mean anything! It's always a waste of time and little else!"

Oh? TR asked with really strong sarcastic overtones.

Except this time, Tab added. So Maita took the call. Did it occur to you Maita may have traced? Maybe Maita did what Maita always does when it gets a fastcom message for anyone?

It did. I checked with it. We're on our way to Khlien – wherever the hell that is. Oh, yeah. Got it!

Arrival on Khlien

The ship came into Khlien Port at sunset to  where the call originated that brought Tabori R. DeSixtee, robot detective for the emperor and his private spaceship, TRD-60 – who is separately intelligent and is a full partner in the detective agency. Everyone knows by now that TRD-60 is independently intelligent, but few know Tab is a robot.

Lineth, a Feach female, friend of the emperor's crew (Z, the Terran member, describes the Feach as looking like nine foot tyrannosaurus rexes, whatever that is) and medical researcher extraordinaire sometimes came up with very strange problems she referred to the T-K Detective Agency.

The K in that is Kit, another robot made in the guise of the reptilian Kheth and his ship, T6. The two usually worked together on these things, but Kit was off on some planet where they'd found a distress beacon broadcasting in the old Krofpth Empire language. The satellite broadcasting was more than a quarter million years old (Book twenty eight: What Now?)!

Maita was preparing to go with the Mentan, Thing and the Terran, Z, on some adventure of their own so Tab and TR would have to handle this one alone.

They were assigned pad D-9. TR settled into the area and set up sensors only it, T6 and Maita had. They checked out the internal com system that was in an almost untraceable band so TR could hear and see everything Tab did and vice versa. They could talk through the system, too. They were almost always linked, making the use of TR's memory banks immediately to hand for Tab as well as allowing TR to record everything Tab saw, heard, tasted, felt, smelled or thought so long as Tab didn't deliberately cut off the thought transmission part. They played their insult games and played juvenile tricks on one another and the rest of the crew so there were times when the sharing of the thoughts would definitely take the fun out of it.

What are the people here like? Tab asked.

Mixed. It’s a planoformed trader world, TR reported. Type M two or three. Pleasant place in a lot of ways. Mostly Eacherons, Frimites, Exits, Elits, Jornians, Bentans and a few of almost anything. Mixed in the housing, too. Not one of the places where each race has its own section or anything. Much like Tltle and Sentah in that respect, but not catering to tourists. You can go in as yourself or as another Swaz or I can modify you. Whatever way will work. We can wait until there's something to base a disguise on. We don't have any idea what this is about so I'll let you make that decision.

Tab, being a robot, could be modified tremendously in TR's med-shop when the situation seemed to demand it. The language, customs and so forth of the people could then be directly programmed into the robots which could make them indistinguishable from organic beings. There's even an elementizer grid inside of Tab's mouth that makes it possible for him to eat and drink like any organic. He has also had lovers and can perform well in those areas. He is an exceptionally well-made being.

I'll go in as a Swaz, but I'll carry the Eks Trah papers, Tab replied. I can go as an officer for the empire checking the traders guild's machines and recorders. I can read them without suspicion that way. We can maybe find something through their machines. They record pretty much everything about this port so we'll be able to know when she arrived and when she left – if she left.

Yo! TR replied. I’m using minimal disguise myself. Zeenan P luxury class. That makes you rather wealthy, but the Eks Trah papers are for a University graduate so you'd be expected to be rich and decadent – well, rich anyhow. You can add the decadent part to fit your personality and can stay in character without a lot of extra concentration on details. (Tab gave it the middle finger salute most mammalian races shared – as well as a lot of other races.)

TR or T6 can place various features on the outer parts of the saucer-shaped ships to disguise themselves. The Zeenan ships are the finest and most expensive ships made. A Private Luxury Class ship would cost much more than most medium-sized corporations make in a year. A graduate of the famous University planet could command a salary beyond the dreams of most greedy people.

Which is bound to draw a hell of a lot of attention! Tab cried in exasperation. "Cripes! Why do you do things like that? Most people in the empire – or out of it for that matter – never get the chance to even see a P luxury!"

Because no detective would do anything to stupidly call attention to himself like that, TR replied innocently. I guess I didn't think.

Tab grinned to himself as he went from the ship toward the records building. He produced the papers and was given access passes for arywhere he might want to go on the world – not that it was necessary. There was little crime in the empire, therefore little restriction to movements. The machines were simple records keepers and dispatch agents that assigned pads, times, routes etc. They were very powerful things in themselves.

First, to act in a normal manner, check into a hotel. The one from which Lineth had made the call was a good one. It had the facilities to handle most races who were oxygen breathing medium condition beings. It had a very good reputation and was best known for the truly exceptional restaurant in the ground floor. A lot of the natives ate there regularly.

Tab went to the desk, which had a living clerk to deal with the various races, took a room and asked if the Feach medical researcher was still there.

The Feach? the clerk asked. "There were two here earlier. One of them is out, but the other is still a guest. Vorts. He is in suite four oh six, the floor above your own room. He may be resting.

Should I ring his room? I believe he is there.

Please do, Tab said. I would have a word with him. It is a matter of interest and possible importance. Tell him I'm Eks Trah and have a letter from TK.

A moment later the clerk said that he could go right up. Vorts would expect him.

Vorts was a nervous person – an unexpected trait in a Feach. He was evasive to an extreme, claiming no great knowledge of Lineth other than that she had been working on a critical research project for Pseundrug Corporation of Feach. They were traveling together this trip merely for mutual convenience.

Finally Tab opened his pouch and handed Vorts the papers with the emperor's personal seal and signature that proclaimed him to be special agent Tabori R. DeSixtee acting under direct orders of the emperor himself. Tab explained he had come in response to Lineth's request to the emperor and was incognito.

Vorts made a massive sigh, then started to talk. Relief was evident in every gesture. You can't know how very relieved I am you're this Tab person who Lineth was trying so hard to contact lately, Vorts explained. "I don't know what's happened to her! She told me how she's been in mortal danger before and you and your partner saved her. She said if you showed up and she wasn't around I was to answer any questions you asked and was to do absolutely anything you suggest without hesitation.

"I realize you mustn't be known to be here and will retain a closed mouth about you. That there is danger I cannot doubt. Lineth is the very last person in the galaxy I would ever accuse of any hysterics or timidity.

"Where to begin? I guess I should start with the first murder.

What do you know about this already? How much has Lineth told the emperor?

"The first murder? Tab asked, perking up. I don't know anything except that Lineth asked for me to meet her, but never arrived. I was told by the emperor he had traced the call here so I was to come. I'm to find out what's happening and am to work with Lineth. She and the emperor are pretty close friends as well as are the rest of the emperor's crew. I don't know anything more except the emperor and the others are off on one of his adventures and I'm on my own. Kit's on assignment elsewhere, too. Whatever's happening is up to us to handle.

You're obviously nervous so tell me the whole story. Don't leave out any small detail because they often are much more important than the big ones.

"Then I'll tell you from the first moment we accepted the assignment out here. Let me get it all in proper order in my own mind. I've sort of rehearsed what I would say, but that doesn't do any good when a person's nervous.

"There's a strange medicinal plant growing on the planet Groufros. It has great value to peoples of reptilian ancestry – or amphibian, which should interest you. It has some value to even mammals from its ability to regulate the body's use of carbon dioxide catalyzation for heart pacing. It seems to control the rate of reception in the primary sensor mechanisms. It therefore can be used to control body heat production, too. It's an overall control agent for the energy cycles of most beings and hasn't proven overly toxic to any beings we've tried it on.

"In short, it's a most valuable plant and is one of those things with extremely delicate biochemical structures that cannot be synthesized. It's not known to grow elsewhere and all attempts to transplant it have met with failure, though Lineth and myself believe we can find a place for it if we're given sufficient time. It isn't a very hardy grower in its own native habitat.

"Lineth suggested the emperor might set up a clonal laboratory to produce the plant through meristematic procedures. He does that kind of thing.

"Lineth, who I have had the greatest good fortune to have worked with on another project concerning a like phytic agent, was selected to lead the project and of guaranteeing delivery of the plant in useful form, which meant moving along the route it must follow to reach Feach and Ternz who are also doing research on the drug and determining the safest and most effective way of transporting and storing the delicate material. The Ternz agent has asked that we, being more familiar with these kinds of things, should investigate the entire process and all of its various locations. As it uses stasis chambers during transportation we have to be most careful of conditions at all times.

"I am somewhat knowledgeable about the plant, but Lineth will know every atom and where it falls on the chains.

"Groufros was, logically, our first stop. We were able to arrange for the proper preparation of the plants and to design a large stasis chamber there to store the materials until we are prepared to move them. The stasis chamber is of sufficient volume and efficiency to guarantee that a good supply is processed and ready for immediate use in cases of great emergency. Groufros is also centralized enough to the N and P arms of the galaxy that Hospital ships could save important hours if they could pick it up there.

"Lineth, as she is so very well-known to all involved with medicines in the whole of the Maitan Empire, was able to utilize the influence with Emperor Maita himself to contribute the special ship with a built-in stasis chamber to assure safe delivery of the plants. Due to the limited use of the drug at this time it most certainly would have proven prohibitively expensive for Feach and Ternz to have purchased such a ship, though we surely would have done so without the help of the emperor. It would just have taken much more time and wouldn't have been nearly so perfectly designed for the purpose.

"Zeena and New Zule, as always, donated much of the material and expertise, though the drug is of limited or no use to either of their races.

"Everything was going so well! Lineth is an exceptionally masterful person so was able even to intimidate most of the bureaucrats – Groufros uses bureaucrats instead of the empire machines for much of their useless paperwork. You know what results that always brings.

"I was amazed at how very easily she overcame petty resistances these people tried to emplace to our project. The emperor's seal and signature holds as much weight there as yours do with me, which is extensive even in understatement. Lineth has no timidity about waving that seal around and making very thinly veiled threats to those bureaucrats who dare to obstruct her. You know her so you know how she is.

"We were preparing to leave Groufros to come here. I very well remember the sudden change that seemed to come over Lineth there just four hours before our departure. She became nervous and unsure of herself and seemed to be watching. I don't know what for. I imagine you detectives know all about that ever-so-cautious watchfulness when one is afraid.

"I thought then that Lineth was greatly frightened of something. It seemed she was more frightened for someone than of someone if you understand.

"There was a murder at the port a very short time before our departure and while we were waiting to board the ship. A Bentan citizen. It was an unusual thing in several senses. Any murder is very rare in these kinds of places and the method was most odd. I recall as though it were now happening before my eyes how Lineth so strangely asked the port guard what was happening there. Intense and concentrated is as close to a description as I can give of her odd demeanor then. Expectant.

"She was told there had been an accident and that a citizen had died. She wasn't very interested at that time, but a moment later she heard the dead person was a Bentan. She became somewhat agitated upon hearing that, but we'd had no contact with any Bentans there so I would have put it aside. There are bound to be deaths in places where literally millions of people pass yearly. Statistics demand it. We had no idea it wasn't a natural death of some sort.

"Then she went to the area where the death had taken place and stated we are medical experts who would like to have all the facts. Demanded the information in fact. The guard was preparing to send us away when