Read Star Risk - 02 Scoundrel Worlds for Free Online

the last."
    "Correct."
    "What does the current one look like?"
    "He's single once more," King said. "His third wife left him for his dueling opponent."
    "Tsk," von Baldur said. "You should always finish off your enemies. Or, at any rate, shoot them in the groin."
    "Or else," King suggested, "either keep your trousers buttoned or learn to pick less generous women."
    "Men aren't that smart."
    The liner lowered toward a huge dock, a U-shaped open-roofed hangar.
    Goodnight, standing with the others in a long line near one of the passenger locks, looked out an uncovered port.
    "Looks like it's raining out there," he said. "At least at the moment, Montrois is a gray, rather ornate-looking world, as far as I can see."
    "I can use a little real weather," M'chel said. "Recycled air gets to me after a while."
    The liner's antigravs whined up the scale, and the ship settled into its mooring slot. A roof slid across the hangar as the ship's locks opened, and a speaker bayed: "All passengers, have your customs declarations ready. All passengers, have your customs declarations ready. After collecting your luggage, move to any open booth. After collecting your luggage, move to any open booth."
    There was supposed to be somebody waiting for them to spirit them through problems. But so far, no show. King started to worry about what would happen when any given case of their gear was opened.
    But an officious man, who'd evidently been given a picture of the team, came bustling up just as they were getting in the customs line, as Reynard had promised.
    "Mr. von Baldur and company?"
    "We are."
    "I'm Deacer, from the Department of Foreign Affairs. I'm also a member of ex-Premier Reynard's party. I'll help you clear customs without the necessity of dealing with any minor officials. I assume you're carrying nothing but personal possessions."
    "Thank you, sir. We are."
    Baggage lifters were found, and their gear, which was quite considerable, was piled on them. Pistols were concealable, but blast rifles, rocket launchers, crew-served weaponry, and mortars could get bulky.
    Uniformed men bowed them through a gate, and they were out on the streets of Montrois's capital of Tuletia, sheltered from the rain by an overhang.
    "Now for a lifter to your hotel," Deacer said, looking about. "Ah, there's�"
    He broke off as three shots echoed off the stonework overhead. Deacer crouched, and four of the Star Risk operatives went flat, Jasmine going down just after them.
    A man waving a gun ran out into the street, ducking past lifters. He jumped in one, and it took off, ignoring the outraged whistles from the cab rank officer and two belated shots from policemen.
    "My god," Deacer said in horror. "Murder, in broad daylight! What are things coming to! My god!"
    "Yeah," Goodnight said flatly. "A tragedy. You four hang tight right here."
    He pushed through the gathering crowd, looked down at the corpse. A gray-haired man lay flat on his back, a look of complete surprise on what was left of his face.
    Goodnight looked about the corpse, made a wry face, and went back to the others as policemen ran toward the scene.
    "Interesting," he said. "As we were coming off the ship I happened to notice that guy who got his head shot off. He looks� looked� a lot like you, Freddie, which is why I noticed him.
    "A lot, a lot," Goodnight went on. "Close enough to be your brother."
    Von Baldur had picked himself up, brushing off muck from his trousers. "I assume there was no sign the murderer stole anything so we can relax in the assumption it was a mere robbery?"
    "Nope," Goodnight said. "His pockets weren't turned out, and he dropped a wallet with his tickets in it when he got plugged. I saw an Alliance passport sticking out of it, so the shooter probably wasn't somebody local with a grudge who heard his target was coming back into town."
    "We are blown, then," von Baldur said, helping Jasmine up.
    "Looks like," Goodnight said. "We surely should operate on that basis."
    Grok