Balder; And the River of Fire

By Rich Olsen

United Affiliation of Planets Space Marshal, Major Heather Robinson has solved the murders on Poseidon, but still does not know who the Administer of Murder Inc is located. The trail takes her to Balder, and Linaeus, where she had been the post captain a few months there.

On Balder, she is about to arrest someone for felony invasion of privacy only to discover they were killed when someone set off a powerful DNA destroyer. It killed everyone on that floor and in the offices above and below it.

Heather is going to arrest another man for the same thing only to discover him and his family have also been killed by a different DNA destroyer.

The Major in command of the Space Marshals on Balder ask Heather if her team could look into some missing children. She agrees and someone tosses a body out of a flying vehicle a block from the Space Marshal Post with a warning from Heather that she will be next. There is also a price on her head, 50,000 credits, no questions asked if she is killed. That results in fast draw shoot outs on the streets of Balder with over twenty people trying to kill her.

Heather also discovered that the River of Fire is a 900 degree river of hot lava in an underground cavern that is running on the surface of the cavern that sadists are using to kill people and torture women.

Finally Heather and her team tie everything together, catch all the actors responsible and discover the Administer of Murder Inc. He started it because the realized he could make thousands of trillions of credits if Mister Yebooh is killed. It was this administer that killed Yebooh, not his wife and Heather’s team arrests the real killer and drops all charges

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rich Olsen
• Release date: Jun 29, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215845189

Book preview

The first part of the case was closed. Heather and her team had arrested the paid killer and three of the five clients that had paid to have their husband, wife or father killed. All of them had taken a plea. They all agreed to plead guilty to murder and would be sentenced to life on a prison planet without parole. The planet would not be Hades. Hades was an artificial planet to far from its star, Anshar, to support life on the surface.

On Hades, the population, the prisoners, lived inside the planet. Outside, on the surface, the temperature was around absolute zero. There was no air, water or food on the surface and you were subject to the vacuum of space. If you tried to escape and found yourself on the surface, you could live fifteen seconds, max.

Inside the planet the population was mostly murderers and other violent prisoners. It was the prisoners that ruled Hades and made the laws. The guards were robots and they did not care if you killed another prisoner or not, and neither did the UAP, the United Affiliation of Planets. You were sent to Hades for life without the possibility of parole, so the sooner you died, the less the UAP had to spend on you……for food, water and oxygen. Like its namesake, Hades was Hell.

UAP Captain Heather Robinson, the leader of the Division Three Homicide team that made the arrest, was the one who decided to allow the murderers to make the deal for life without parole on a planet other than Hades. The reason was because the paid killer was another Space Marshal named Jafar Kerecz and has spent 19 of his years as a Space Marshal. It wasn’t that Heather felt sorry for him but he had been a good Space Marshal for 18 years of his career. She was not going to give him immunity or let him off, but she would allow him to live his life in a prison planet other than Hades.

For the last 5500 years Heather Robinson’s soul had resided in the bodies of gay sadistic men who tortured young girls and women to death. In some of her past lives her profession was the state torturer. In other past lives it was what she did for pleasure. She had been Jack the Ripper and the Marquis de Sade. She had also been a prison guard in one of Hitler’s concentration camps who killed Jews and young girls. Heather had managed to go 5500 years without paying for her bad karma and, in her belief, fooling God and Fate and choosing the body she would incarnate into.

In her last life she was UAP Space Captain Nicole Jones, a ravishingly beautiful woman. What Nicole had not known was Fate allowed her to fool God and not repay her bad karma. Now it was time to do just that.

Nicole was the captain on the same team that Heather commanded. Nicole only got sex related crimes, usually somebody murdering and raping women. Nicole always set herself up as bait because what Nicole did know was subconsciously she was looking to repay her bad karma. In the end Nicole did when Satan in the guise of Samael Moloch spent 100 years torturing her before he allowed her to die. The last thing Nicole Jones did was to select the fetus of Heather Robinson to reincarnate into.

Heather had the unique ability to remember her past lives at least back as far as 5,500 years. She could remember being tortured by Satan for 100 years although Nicole had died 34 years ago. When Nicole reincarnated she picked a body that was born one year before Nicole because Nicole was in love with Gabe Boucher, her partner, so Nicole incarnated into Heather’s body so Heather would become a Space Marshal Captain, command her team and be with Gabe.

What Satan and Fate had failed to tell Nicole was Heather would not be Nicole. Heather discovered she did not love Gabe and Gabe did not love her. So now six months after Nicole had resign from the Space Marshals to marry Samuel Moloch, Heather Robinson was now the leader of this team.

Since Heather had remembered what Nicole went through, and that gave her a second chance to make up for all the bad karma she had created in 5,500 years, Heather felt it was only fair to allow Kerecz the opportunity to go to somewhere other than Hades to pay for his crimes. Since she did, she also decided it was only fair that those that paid to have someone killed should have the same opportunity as Kerecz..

This part of the case was closed and it was time to find the administrator of what Heather called Murder Inc, the Company that provided the killers for 250,000 credits. It appeared as though that was on the planet Balder where Heather has spent three years as the Post Captain before taking over this team. On Balder she hope to find out who was running Murder Inc and who paid to have the other two victims on Poseidon killed. She hoped to finally bring justice to all the murder victims on Poseidon, close down Murder Inc and end the case.

Before she could do that she had to talk with an AJM, an Assistant Justice Minister. It was not Heather that had interrogated Haley Yebooh after she was arrested, it was Gabe. While talking to Gabe she discovered that Haley had taken the plea deal, but she kept saying she was innocent she was framed, the stuff on her computer was not done by her and she had no idea what her stepson Boone was talking about in regard to the will.

Heather had gone to Doctor Sofie Stoyanov, one of her computer techs and someone who was more beautiful than Nicole Jones, to see if it was possible. When Sofie said it was Heather had no choice but to go to the AJM

After meeting with her, the AJM asked Heather what she wanted. Heather said, you need to hold off on Haley’s plea agreement until I can go to Balder and find out who is the administrator of Murder Inc is, and exactly who paid to have doom Yebooh killed.

You have doubts that it’s Haley Yebooh? the AJM asked.

No, all the evidence points to Haley Yebooh having killed her husband. The dark web chats to arrange the murder and the payment of 250,000 credits are on her computer, so I think she’s paid to have her husband murdered. However, in the case a couple of months ago in the styrene explosion Doctor Stoyanov was convinced that Richard Ryan was the killer but it was based only on her gut feeling. I told her our job was to collect evidence and eliminate the suspect or get enough evidence that even you can’t lose the case.

Cute, the AJM replied

What this means is I can’t tell her one thing and do something else. After talking with Doctor Stoyanov, she tells me that if she was to hack into Haley’s computer she could plant that stuff including the 250,000-credit payment. That gives me a doubt that I can’t overlook and I have to make sure she is the killer. Therefore, I’m asking that you just keep her in jail and not accept the plea until we solve this case and get the indisputable evidence that she paid to have her husband killed.

And just how long should this take? the AJ M asked

Hopefully no more than two or three weeks, Heather replied. Trust me, I have no desire to spend any more time on Balder along with this team than is necessary.

I’ll have to inform her lawyer of this.

I understand, Heather said. She’s already agreed to plead guilty and accept life in prison, just tell her that this will be time served towards her sentence.

The AGM smiled at that idea. Keep me informed, he told her

As soon as this team returns from Balder. She told him and left the room for her team meeting before the trip.

Chapter Two

Thrope had told Heather how this was going to work. She would introduce Heather and then she would make a grand entrance. Heather was nervous, she didn’t know why but she was. A minute later, she nodded. When she did Thorpe handed her two different badges, one said Captain and the other had Major in the center of the gold star. Finally, Thrope gave her two different ID cards. Then she looked at Heather and asked if she was ready. She said she was.

Thrope walked into the room and Lieutenant Lantz Griffith called out attention and everyone stood. I’m guessing you all know who I am, Thrope said. "However, in my years in the Space Marshals I’ve learned not to assume. Therefore, for those of you that do not know me, I am Lieutenant General Claire Thrope, the person in charge of Division Three teams. I am also the person that supervises the Robinson Homicide Team therefore it is my great pleasure to introduce the leader of this Division Three homicide team Major Heather Robinson." She emphasized the word major.

Heather walked into the room clipping on her new ID to a round of applause and everybody on their feet saying congratulations Major Robinson. She went to the front and began by saying, this is only temporary, the reason General Thrope made me a major is because there cannot be two captains on a Division Three team. When everybody looked at her funny she continued and said, perhaps I failed to mention that Gabriella is now Captain Gabriella Mikhailov. She went over, congratulated her and handed Gabriella her captain’s star and ID.

Again, there was cheering and padding Gabriella on the back. Thorpe then said I should tell you major, Lieutenant Griffith knows the proper way to act when I walked into the room. He announced my presence and told everybody to stand.

That Claire, is because they don’t know you as well as we do. Heather said and she could see a look of shock from Griffith’s team that she would call Lieutenant General Thrope by her first name, especially in front of everybody.

"Now for the bad news, Lieutenant Milkhailov, like my promotion yours is only temporary. Everyone will notice the addition of Lieutenant Lantz Griffith’s SWAT team. Captain Mikhailov will be the person in charge of SWAT for this mission. For those of you who do not know we are going to Balder. Now let me tell you a little about Balder and how things will be done.

On Balder we will always travel in pairs. You will always wear full SWAT gear when you are on duty and go outside of the hotel or the post. If possible you will always wear under whites under your SWAT gear. The reason for Lieutenant Griffith’s SWAT team is because there will always be two SWAT Marshals in the hotel at all times. Those two SWAT members will be in SWAT mode when they are working. When we are outside of the Post or the hotel, on duty, one or two SWAT Marshals will always accompany us. I would prefer those Marshals to be in SWAT mode also. Captain Milkhailov, you and Lieutenant Griffith can get together and make up those assignments

Everybody on my team knows that I was a captain on a Post on Balder and you have heard me talk about how dangerous Balder is. You have also heard that I lost no Marshals in the three years I was there. However, this is different. This time the actor will know that we are there for him, to arrest him and send him ……or her to Hades. As a result, our actor may want to try and take us out before we can arrest him or her. That is the reason there will always be to SWAT Marshals in SWAT mode in the hotel or accompanying us. I want to ensure the actor cannot get in the hotel or send one of his paid killers in to kill us.

Heather looked over her group of 30 Marshals. "Make no mistake if you let your guard down Balder will kill you. I do not wish to frighten anyone but like when we were on Mars if you let your guard down and become too relaxed the planet will kill you or at least those on the planet will kill you. I know we just started, but I want everyone to take a break so that message can sink in.

Ten minutes later everyone was back in place and Heather said, "I hope that all sinks in and it’s not a lesson that you have to learn the hard way. Now I’ll tell you what I know about Balder and then I’ll let Sofie tell you all those boring facts.

"Balder is the Wild West planet. It is like the United States of the late 19th century. Similar to the United States at that time there are such places as New York City, large cosmopolitan and urban areas that are sophisticated ……civilized. There are areas that would be considered San Francisco, large cosmopolitan and sophisticated areas in the bad parts of Balder. Finally, we have Dodge City or perhaps Tombstone, and in some cases it could be Tombstone meets Dodge city.

"Much of the planet is a combination of Tombstone mixing with San Francisco or just Tombstone. The murder rate is high but not like the murder rate on Mars. Instead, it is mostly claim jumpers, but there is cattle rustling and your normal run of the mill crimes. Many of those towns are too small for a Police Department, but there may be a small Sheriff’s Department. Most of that area is patrolled by Space Marshals.

"Billions of years ago when Balder was a new planet it was bombarded by asteroids from other parts of the solar system and the Galaxy. These asteroids contained heavy metals as well as other metals and noble metals. There is a lot of gold as well which is believed to be the results of collisions of neutron stars elsewhere in the Galaxy

"Some of these are rare earth metals that can be found on the surface but most must be mined anywhere from 10 to 20 feet below the crust. Other metals are found hundreds of feet below Balder’s crust. The deep mines are usually owned by large companies. It is the smaller mines 10 to 100 feet that proved the most problematic. People are just discovering where there are minerals, gold, silver, and other noble metals. They stake out a claim and work that claim. The problem is Balder has attracted a whole host of ne’er do wells for the purpose of stealing other people’s hard work. They figure it is easier to steal it then to do all the work to produce it.

"There are places where different metals will pass for currency in bars, restaurants, and shops. UAP credits still work on Balder and when different metals are brought to the surface they are brought to a claim office which determines their value and then pay them, always in UAP credits. However, some claimants will also use the minerals such as gold and silver, as currency, or they use the Balder pound. The British pound symbol from before the UAP is used or the symbol for the Boulder pound. However, the currency of the Balder pound most resembles the American dollar in that the currency ranges from one pound, 5 pounds, 10 pounds, 20 pounds, 50 pounds, 100 pounds, 500 pounds and 1000-pound notes.

"Criminal gangs will roam the streets looking for people with Balder pounds or people that were not smart enough to cash In their minerals from their find. Some of these gangs may be gangs hired by the big mines to keep the little guy from hitting it big. Their purpose is to steal the Balder pounds or the minerals from the surface miners, shooting them if necessary, so they can take what others worked for. In some cases, these actors will follow a mark to their claim and then claim jump them, usually killing them in the process, or waiting for the mark to land at his claim.

"Space Marshals are attacked because they are the law and order and the actors do not want that law. There is a fast draw mentality from the days of the Wild West also. In some of the smaller towns the person that rules it is the person with the fastest draw. The difference between Balder and the Wild West is lasers do not miss at 186,000 miles a second. Therefore, the fastest on target draw will win. Usually, these fast draw actors will have their laser pistols set to kill. Almost everyone on Boulder, at least the Wild West part, carries a laser pistol. The normal laser pistol is in a Balder style holster which rides low on the leg for a fast draw. Some of you may have noticed that I also wore a holster with the pawal in the middle of my waist with the butt of my pawal facing my right hand. That is the true balder fast draw holster, but you will not be wearing that.

The Wild West portion of Balder is about two thirds of the planet. When I said it is the Wild West do not think of dirt covered streets with dust blowing in the air, a saloon with swinging doors and a whore house at the end of town. Most of the smaller towns on Balder are the same as on any other planet. There are flying vehicles, there are airlanes, there is everything you would expect to find anywhere else and on any planet in the UAP. The big difference is there are gangs that own the streets looking for marks that they could rob and everyone is wearing a laser pistol most of them set on kill.

"One interesting fact, which is almost meaningless. Balder was named for the Norse God Baldur, the God of Light, and also connected to the cycle of life and death. Baldur is the son of Odin and Frigg. For some reason, the ‘ur’ at the end of Baldur has been changed to ‘er.’ That is why the cities and towns on Balder are named for famous Scandinavians from the past.

That is what you need to know about Boulder. I will now let Sofie tell you about the planet itself.

Chapter Three

Sofie walked to the front and went into lecture mode. "Now that Major Robinson has taught us all the fun parts about Balder, it is my job to tell you all the boring parts about the planet." She smiled and looked at Heather when she said that

"To begin, Balder is the fifth planet in the Chac system. It is known as the Wild West planet as Heather mentioned. The day is 23 hours but the minute is only 59 seconds. The Balder day is one hour 22 minutes and 41 seconds shorter than the Earth day and it orbits Chac 150 million miles away. The Balder year is 588.75 days and it has a negative leap year every four years. What that means is once every four years there are only 587 days. There are 84 weeks in the year each week is 7 days long and there are 20 months. Fourteen months have 30 days and six months have 28 days. It is.94 the size of Earth and the average temperature is 57.1 degrees. That is eight tenths of a degree cooler than Earth. That means that Chac is hotter than Sol since Balder is only slightly cooler than Chac even though it is one and a half times further away from its star. The gravity of Balder is.975 that of earth so the gravity is less but barely noticeable.

"It is believed that Balder is younger than earth by about half a billion years. The reason for this belief is there are no land animals on Balder but there are fish that would be considered vertebrates in the ocean. As a result, all of the land animals have been imported from either earth or other inhabited planets.

"Another reason for this belief is because there are two maybe three main landmasses. The landmasses appear to be moving towards a super continent as occurred on Earth with Pangea. Pangea formed about 350 million years ago and broke up about 175 million years ago. Therefore, the belief is Balder could be anywhere from 500 to 300 million years younger than Earth.

"As I just stated there are two to three landmasses on Balder, which they call continents just like on Earth. One of them, Odin, is where we find the Capital of Balder, Hammarskjold. The other two continents Frigg and Thor are connected similar to Eurasia on Earth. Odin and Frigg are separated by about 1000 miles, Odin being northwest of Frigg. Frigg and Thor are separated by the Loki Sea. They are about 15 miles apart, Thor being South of Frigg. I would tell you that a boy can’t be too far away from his mother but Frigg is the mother of Baldur not Thor. Thor’s mother was Jord.

"There is an island chain in the Jord Ocean called the Freya Islands. Two of them, Nott, and Fenrir, are almost as large as the Continent of Australia on Earth, about 2,500,000 square miles. There are four islands over 5,000 square miles and about 20 smaller islands in the chain.. The Jord Ocean is on the west coast of Odin, about 2,000 miles away.

The Heimdall Ocean has three islands the size of Greenland, Hel, Vidar and Vale. In that ocean is the Fiaga and Jormungarnd chain. Each have a few islands in the four to five thousand square mile area, but they are mostly smaller volcanic islands. Heimdall is on the east coast of Frigg and Thor. Finally, there is the Nickar Ocean.. Nickar is a Teutonic god, I think they ran out of Norse gods, so they used Nickar. It is in the southern part of the planet, including the south pole. There are islands, mostly volcanic islands in Nickar, but no chains. The land to water ratio is sixty-five percent water, so almost 66 million square miles of land. There is less water and more land on Balder than on Earth in both size and ratio. Those are all the boring facts about Balder that Heather didn’t know, or decided were too boring for a major.

Thank you Sofie, very informative. I didn’t know all those things, Heather admitted. I guess being a major doesn’t make you all knowing. It’s a good thing I have a doctor to tell me all the things I didn’t know. Then she looked at Claire, General Thrope, will you be traveling with us to Balder?

No major, I will be heading back to Earth. I think between a new Major a New captain and an all-knowing doctor you do not need me.

Then we will be leaving for the spaceport in about an hour. I have been told that the jump ship General Thrope and Lieutenant Griffith’s team came in is big enough to hold everyone, as well as our vehicles and equipment. Therefore, we should be leaving for Balder in about two hours. You can get something to eat here on the Space Station or you can just eat on the ship. That’s all I have.

Chapter Four

Two hours later Heather’s extended team was in the jump ship and strapped into the recliners for de-docking. The first meal was three hours after leaving, the second meal was three hours after the jump. As soon as they made the jump Heather ask the astrogator what time they would be arriving at the Space Station above Balder. He told her team could depart the jump ship about 02:50 Balder time. Heather ask the astrogator if you would send a message to the major in command of Balder saying that she would be in his office approximately 03:27 hours. She shook her head and said, it seems like we always arrive in the middle of the night. Oh well, not my problem, she stated.

Then she asked Sofie who was the major in command of Balder now. Greco was still the Major when I left for Earth, and I know he isn’t in command now.

I think he may be in command of Hades, Sofie said and smiled. She asked her laptop and told Heather it was Major Werner Sarr.

What can you tell me about Major Warner Sarr? Heather asked.

Major Sarr is 51 years old …..,

Not on the fast track, Heather interrupted.

No, he spent ten years as a lieutenant before taking the captain’s exam and then spent seven years as a captain, before he passed the major’s exam. Before Balder he was the major in charge of the Sin System.

Slow system, Heather stated.

"Yes, and apparently he decided that Balder would be better for his career than Zorya,

Well, he can’t see this as a retirement posting, Heather said. So, he must be hoping he can make a name for himself, maybe turn around Balder. Well, I hope he can.

The jump ship docked right on time. Heather had told Gabriella and Lieutenant Griffith that they would be going down to the planet to meet major Sarr while everything was unloaded. Half an hour later at 03:27 hours they were in Major Sarr’s office.

Sarr look at the three Marshals in his office. One, the man, was in uniform and said he was a lieutenant, the other two had no uniform or sign of rank. Sarr sighed and looked at Griffith. Lieutenant, it is 03:27 hours, and I did not request a Division Three team. Why are you here and couldn’t this wait until morning?

To his surprise it was one of the two women that answered. Major, why is it that everyone that tells me what time it is does not seem to realize it is also that same time for us. We are not on New York City, Earth time, and we came from Poseidon. We are here to find the administrator of what I call Murder Inc. It is, we believe, a dark web site that will kill anyone for ₢250,000. (₢ is the UAP symbol for credits.).

Sarr looked at her confused. "First off, who are you, and I never heard of this Murder Inc.

I am Heather Robinson, I am the leader of this Division Three Homicide team. With me is my second in command and SWAT leader, Gabriella Milkhailov and Lantz Griffith is the leader of the Griffith Division One SWAT team.

Sarr looked at Heather and said, "You’re the Heather Robinson that was the Captain of the Linaeus Post on the Continent of Thor?’

Yes, Heather told him. She still had not told him she was now Major Robinson,

And you’re a lieutenant or captain?

Heather sucked in a breath, held it and let it out. Neither, I’m Major Heather Robinson.

Sarr looked at her in shock. He didn’t outrank her. They don’t have detective majors.

They do now, at least temporarily. She showed him her star and ID, both said Major on it.

Sarr stared at it, clearly shocked. Why are you a major?

Because there cannot be two captains on a Division Three team, and this is Captain Gabriella Milkhailov. She is in command of all the SWAT Marshals.

I see, and why do you need fourteen SWAT Marshals? he asked.

Because, Major, Balder is an extremely dangerous place. This team is not here to keep the peace or enforce the laws of the UAP or Balder. We are here to arrest the person that will take your 250,000 credits and then kill the person of your choice. This man or woman has to know they are looking at Hades if they get caught, and it is our job to catch him or her. What is another death to this person. He or she accepted 250,000 from five clients for murders on Poseidon. His paid killer was a Space Marshal that had been a Marshal for nineteen years. Therefore, killing more Space Marshals means nothing to him or her. It is this team that he or she will target. When I knew I was coming to Balder I told General Thrope that and that I wanted a Division One SWAT team to help Captain Milkhailov protect the members of my team and General Thrope agreed.

So, you now have 26 Marshals I have to house. It was a statement not a question.

Thirty-one, I have four computer techs, not two, two telepaths and an aide. I have the aide because on different cases I was in command of more than just this team so I needed an aide that could answer anyone trying to contact me.

And who is paying for these 31 Marshals? Sarr asked, fearing the answer."

"Those Marshals are coming out of your budget major, just like they came out of Lieutenant Colonel Furtado’s budget on Poseidon. On Poseidon I had 41 Marshals because I had a Division Three robbery team with me as well.

Before you get upset, let me remind you that they are coming out of your budget but you won’t be penalized for it. General Imari knows that I am here to catch this killer and I have 31 Marshals on this team that you’re paying for. He’s not going to penalize you for something you have no control over. Trust me, Major, you have no control over this team. It would make no difference if I was a captain or lieutenant, I do not report to you, I report to Lieutenant General Claire Thrope. She is my boss.

Fine, so you are here and I have no control over you. Can you at least tell me about this Murder Inc?

Of course, Major. I don’t want to give you the wrong idea. All reports about the progress of this case go through you. I will give you a communications disk to send to Earth with your other communications, It will contain my report for General Thrope. You are free to read it and make a copy for your own files.

Thank you, Major, so what can you tell me about this Murder Ink,

Not much really, what we know is that Doctor Sofie Stoyanov, one of my computer techs, traced their metadata back to Balder. We don’t know if this Murder Ink administrator is on Balder or some other planet. It is possible that the websites on other planets directed them here and from here they automatically went to another planet, or they are here. If we discovered that Murder Inc is located on another planet then we will be out of your hair and your budget.

Okay why would they automatically go to another planet?

"Remember, I’m not a computer tech, but as I understand it, the lasermail disc would arrive via a communications jump ship. At that point, the disc would be copied onto a different lasermail disc and put on an outgoing communication jump ship to the next planet automatically.

Alright, so what is the next step? Sarr asked

"My four computer techs under the command of Sergeant Seo-jun Kalpar will search the dark, deep and surface webs for links or whatever to this website. We know for a fact that there are at least two different websites on Poseidon directing people to Balder and one website on Vakarine directing them here as well. At this point it is our belief that each planet has at least two websites getting people here. My computer techs will search for the website and when they find it on Balder they will see if they can match the website’s IP address to an actual physical location on the planet.

"At that point, the rest of the team will be involved, gathering whatever evidence we can and making an arrest. When we make an arrest we will get the names of the other two clients, plus see if there are other clients who paid to have people killed and if they have any other paid killers and shut down the website and that will close the case and again we will be out of here.

Chapter Five

I understand, what will the rest of your team do until your computer techs give you a physical address for this Murder Inc?" Sarr asked.

Whatever we are needed to do. It could take a couple of hours or a couple of days or weeks. As I said I am not a computer tech, but having had discussions with Doctor Stoyanov I’m sure she would say the same thing.

Why isn’t she in charge of the computer techs then Sarr asked.

Because Sergeant Kalpar has had the command classes. Also, while Doctor Stoyanov has her Ph D in searching and hacking, Sergeant Kalpar is almost as knowledgeable. When it comes to computer search, I ask Doctor Stoyanov, Heather told him.

Can you investigate another case while you wait for your computers to search the location of this Murder Inc? Sarr asked.

Yes, if it isn’t too time consuming, do you have something that needs to be investigating?

This time it was Sarr that took in a deep breath, held it and let it out. Heather figured that meant it was something minor that he was almost embarrassed to ask, or something major and serious. Finally, he said, three children, two boys and a girl age 13 and 14 were abducted and later raped and murdered. Both boys had semen in their anus and stomach. The girl did also as well as semen in her vagina. A substance was used to destroy the semen, partial DNA was left, not enough to get an identification, but I am told it is different DNA, at least four different men. I was going to send a request for a Division Three team when I arrived here in my office in the morning, but now you are here and if you could look into this I would appreciate it. I realize you are a Major and this case may not be important enough for this team, but if you could it would be helpful.

Heather just stared a moment or two, in shock. "Major, I can assure you the kidnapping, rape and murder of three children is not something I or General Thrope would consider minor, I will have my telepath contact her and let her know we will be investigating this case also. Where did this happen?

In your old stomping grounds, Linaeus.

Heather sighed and then shook her head. Well, at least I know most of the Marshals at the post. We will be staying at the Space Tower there if you could contact them. Let them know we need nine large suites and eleven small suites. I would like them all on one floor. We’ll return to the Space Station and get our things and head to the space port in Hammarskjold. You will be kept apprised of our progress. Also, if you can send the case files and all the data to my Communicator, I’ll send it to everyone on Lieutenant Griffith and my teams.

Thank you, Major, I’m sorry if we got off on the wrong foot. Since we are both majors, you can call me Werner. I noticed you are only wearing one holster, not your……infamous middle of the waist holster."

Thank you, Werner, I’m Heather, but you know that. As for the other holster, you mean this? She opened her blazer, revealing a second pawal in a holster in the middle of her waist with the butt facing her right hand. She smiled at him.

Sarr shook his head. Oh Christ, are you as fast as I heard?

Since I’m still alive I guess the answer is yes. Hopefully, I won’t have to find out and hopefully you can make a difference on Balder.

Thank you, I hope so also, but I’m not having any success.

It’s the nature of Balder, Heather replied and then said they would be leaving and again told him they would keep him informed.

Chapter Six

Upon returning to the Space Station Heather went to her assembled team and said, "as you can see we have a second case here on Balder. After we get our hotel rooms we will meet in whatever conference room is available to us and will discuss this case.

"I don’t foresee a need for everybody to have six suitcases, so I will tell the crew of the jump ship that I need them to remain in the Space Station so anybody that wants to leave suitcases in their can. I do not foresee a need for winter gear here but you will need all of your SWAT gear and under whites. We will also need to go down to the planet wearing our under whites. So, everybody take about half an hour to 45 minutes to change, decide what luggage you are taking and then we will go to the shuttles. Remember, I can’t get six suitcases in my suite, and I’m a Major now. That means if you are sharing a small suite, you can’t take all six suitcases.

"When we land, Captain Mikhailov, I want the SWAT vehicles out first. Doctor Stoyanov, assume somebody at the spaceport will be watching us land and possibly contacting an actor or two about us. They may contact the actor concerning Murder Inc, concerning the abduction, rape and murder of children, or about something entirely different. If you can possibly get the location of the actors they contacted I would appreciate that.

"Once at the Space Tower we will land in the front and I will go in and secure our rooms. as I said, if possible they will all be on one floor. We can then take the vehicles to a parking area. Once again SWAT first. I want two SWAT Marshals by the vehicles in SWAT mode while the rest of us go in. Once we have checked into our rooms and everything is put away, the two Marshals in SWAT mode will be replaced with two others so they could do the same thing. Then we will have a meeting. That’s all I have and remember being lackadaisical can get us killed. This is balder! We will survive if we don’t let our guard down. I realize it may be stressful so I will do what I can to get people time off to relieve the stress. That’s all I have, meet back out here in 45 minutes.

Almost an hour and a half later The shuttles were coming into land at the spaceport in Linaeus. Hammarskjold was 6,000 airmiles southeast from Linaeus, Linaeus was six hours ahead of Hammarskjold, so it was about 13:00 in Linaeus as they approach the spaceport.

Heather had eight SWAT vehicles, two shuttles had four SWAT vehicles and one Forensics’ vehicle and the third vehicle held the rest. When the shuttles were 300 feet above the ground, Heather said, "It’s your show, Captain. That was transmitted to everyone over their Communicators.

At that point, the rear of two shuttles carrying the SWAT vehicles opened and the SWAT vehicles flew out the rear and took defensive positions around the three shuttles. They were also looking for anyone that might be on a communicator.

Command, SWAT Six, I have a vehicle one mile east of the spaceport with two occupants. One is on a communicator, Heather heard. SWAT Six was two of Griffith’s Marshals. Heather had not yet had time to learn their names.

Sofie, Heather said.

I’m on it. Seo, you got anything?

I have the vehicle, I have a transmission. It is on the 425 Terahertz range, which is infrared radiation, Seo-jun stated.

Four hundred twenty-five terahertz, that is Space Marshal frequency, Heather replied, shocked. Normal communicators are only in the microwave range, 300 MHz to 300 GHz

Yes, Seo-jun replied.

Can any of our computer techs build a communicator in the 425 THz?

Sure, if we can get the parts and a blueprint, but that is just about impossible.

Got them, Sofie, said, followed by, they are gone, but I got their identifier.

Seo-jun, did you get their transmission?

Not all of it, what I got was, ‘Marshals landing in three shuttles, at least eight SWAT vehicles, a large Division Three team.’ The last part may be a question, I’m not sure.

How did you know, Heather? Sofie asked, amazed that Heather had figured this out.

I didn’t, but you never underestimate Balder. My guess is someone on the Space Station saw us dock and when he discovered we were headed to Linaeus, he contacted someone so they could learn more.

Heather, the identifier belongs to a group of twenty-four Space Marshal Communicators that went missing about seven or eight months ago from a Post in Fenrir. Sofie told her

Fenrir is one of those 2.5 million square mile islands in the Freya chain in the Jord Ocean. It is southwest of Hammarskjold. Fenrir is about 10,000 miles west of Linaeus and about 2,000 miles west and south of Odin. It is about three time zones later than Hammarskjold, Heather said. It is one of the three post in the Freya chain.

Sounds like a good place to steal Communicators, Gabe said.

Yes. No one knew how it was done when I left. I don’t know if anyone was arrested for that or not, Heather said and went quiet. The shuttles were landing.

Chapter Seven

The shuttle landed and the doors opened so they could drive out but Heather just sat there. Something wrong? Gabe asked.

These actors probably know we are going to the Space Tower in Linnaeus. If we go to a different hotel, 31 Space Marshals will not go unnoticed, especially to the people that want to know why we are here. We could go to a different hotel but they would figure that out, so we go as planned,

"Are they from Murder Inc?’ Gabe asked.

"Maybe, or they could be the pedophiles that raped and killed the kids. The thing is I doubt either knew we were coming here. They could just be cautious. It could be a different group of actors that committed a different crime and are afraid we are here to arrest them. Too soon to tell.

Are there other Space Marshals, Gabe asked. Obviously the administer of Murder Inc has no compunction about hiring Space Marshals to carry out his nefarious deeds.

Gabe, I’m impressed. Compunction, and nefarious in the same sentence, and you threw in deeds. Also, your right, he or she has no compunction against using Space Marshals for his intermediaries.

Intermediaries, That’s good, Gabe agreed.

Heather drove out of the shuttle and stayed on the surface streets. The Space Tower was just a few blocks away. There was no reason to fly there. "We’ll all talk about this after we check in.

Less than ten minutes later, the sixteen vehicles pulled up to the Space Tower in Linaeus and Heather exited her vehicle. When she did she saw two SWAT Marshals go from SWAT mode to white mode. Heather had her helmet on and saw that it was Gabriella and Max. The three of them walked into the hotel.

There was a sign that said no laser pistols allowed in the hotel. There were also weapon detectors at the entrance. Heather also knew they were in the elevators, turbo lifts and stair towers with signs saying if you had a laser pistol the doors to the lobby would not open. Heather walked through and the detector went off and stopped. A mechanical voice said that it had detected a Space Marshal pawal. The three of them continued inside.

Once inside, two men wearing a SWAT type coat came over. It was the standard security version of the SWAT jacket. In Heather’s opinion, it was worthless. If she was intent on killing them she would shoot them in the head or legs. One of the men looked at the three Marshals and saw from the badges that one was a major, one was a captain and one was just a Marshal. He figured it was Sarr, his captain and someone else. He had no idea why Sarr was here and had never seen Sarr wearing a Balder style utility belt for his pawal. Major Sarr, what brings you to the Space Tower?

Heather removed her helmet. Hello, Edsel, I see you are still wearing that useless jacket.

Edsel Asato was shocked and it showed on his face. Captain…… I mean Major Robinson, congratulations on your promotion. They said you left to lead a Division Three Homicide, not that you became a major. As for the vest, I can’t wear my SWAT gear in here and this is what the company requires.

I am leading a Division Three Homicide team, as a major, but it is only a temporary promotion. This is my team’s SWAT commander, Captain Gabriella Milkhailov and SWAT Marshal Max Nilsen. This is Space Marshal Edsel Asato,. One of the Marshal from the Linaeus Post

SWAT captain, I thought Division Three had sergeants as the SWAT commander.

Heather smiled. This is a special team. It’s good to see you. Now I need to check in.

Heather noticed some people staring at them and the exchange while others were oblivious towards them. I’m Major Heather Robinson…… she began when she reached the front desk.

Yes, Major, Major Sarr told us to expect you. We have twenty rooms, nine large suites and eleven small ones,. They are on floors……

There has been a change of plans, Heather said. I need a whole floor and it is a floor without a garage entrance, and we are closing the floor to everyone but this team. That includes elevators and turbo lifts. One of my computer techs will put an override on the elevators and turbo lifts preventing them from stopping there, Heather informed her.

The desk clerk just looked at her, not knowing what to do. It took a few moments but she finally said, that isn’t possible, I do not have any empty floors.

Then move the people, I’m paying for the entire floor.

I don’t think you understand……

No, you do not understand, I want an entire floor. I don’t care which floor it is as long as it does not have a garage entrance. If you can’t do that get me someone that can."

I do not have the authority to empty a floor and move people….. she began.

Then get me someone that does, Heather told her.

She had seen Space Marshals in full SWAT gear many times before, including in the hotel, but she had never seen anything like this. She had also never heard of a Division Three team led by a major, only lieutenants. I’ll get the manager.

Sounds like a good idea. Heather agreed.

A few minutes later a woman wearing a business suit and showing some cleavage appeared. She was in her forties, appeared more Middle Eastern or Spanish than African, with blond hair and brown eyes. She had a rather pretty face. Her suit was clashing, blazer clashing with her blouse which clashed with her pants. While Heather could not see them, she knew she was wearing six-inch stilettos that probably clashed with everything else. The suit clashed so much that you missed the cleavage she was showing. Hello, Heather, or would you rather I call you Captain Robinson in front of your Marshals?

Actually, Nelleke, It’s Major, but Heather is fine. I find it interesting that you show that cleavage and then wear all those clashing colors and anyone that looks at what your wearing does not notice it."

Major! I’m impressed. As for my décolletage, I’m sure that those I want to see that décolletage will notice it. I must say you are fetching in your white SWAT gear.

Décolletage, now I’m impressed, everyone on Balder is using big words, but then you always did, Nelleke. The reason I have involved you is because I need to rent a whole floor, one that does not have a garage entrance, and I will have my computer techs shutting off all access to the floor for anyone but us.

Nelleke Gettings sighed and looked at her desk clerk. We have no vacant floors, Ms Gettings. I told her that.

So, Heather, we have no empty floors, what do you want me to do?

Nelleke, I need 20 rooms and I’m willing to pay for 48. Move the people.

We know that you aren’t personally paying. You’ve discussed this with me. Sarr is paying, but in the end Balder is paying and that means taxpayers like me.

Nelleke, Division Three teams are one of Space Marshals and the UAP’s best customers……

Because we give you a discount.

"And you still make money on us. Now I’m going to pay for 48 rooms and use only 20. That means the UAP……or Balder is going to pay you to keep 28 rooms empty. I can go to another Space Tower, there is one in Nielson, but it is about 1,000 miles away, so that is 20 or 25 minutes one way. Also,