It was time to call in some favors. There was just too much about this mission that could not be explained by using the standard channels. I went to my office where I could work in private. “Computer, find me Karathlathornka.”
Suddenly a massive cat-like humanoid hologram appeared before me, one that would easily tower over any man. Karathlathornka was an old, but still quite vibrant-looking, Cathratinairian, an almost extinct species that lived on the edges of society. Most of them avoided all contact with other species, as they saw them as inferior and unworthy. This one though (I did not know if it was a he or she or genderless) seemed to know just about everything that was happening anywhere in the known galaxy. Karathlathornka was completely fearless, and was the only one I thought I could go to for this kind of information.
“I see the great and mighty Vydor has finally realized he needs help,” Karathlathornka said.
“Greetings, Karathlathornka. I take it then you already know what I plan to ask?”
“You have been assigned to a top position in the Navy and are being sent on a suicide mission. It is easy to extrapolate from this that you need answers fast.”
I always did my best to keep a totally expressionless face, but revelations like that never made it easy. “Good, then you have already done the work and have those answers?”
“Maybe. Why should I tell you?”
“Our normal agreement should hold here, unless you think that you no longer need it?” This caused him to recoil slightly, and I knew that was a bad sign. He really held all the cards in these negotiations; he could have easily just claimed ignorance or fed me bad information if I pushed too hard. Time to switch tactics. “Look, I have no intention of breaking that contract, but you are of course right about the suicide mission and, if I am to continue our agreement, I need to survive.”
He seemed to think that one over a bit, as if weighing the possibility of not having me around. I wondered if he had found another way to get what he needed. He sighed, then said, “As you already know, I still need our agreement to stand, so sit back and I will tell you the tale of how you got where you are today…”
He produced information from extremely classified reports on the colony that we were approaching, many of which I was not authorized to know the existence of, never mind to read. The wealth of information at Karathlathornka’s disposal was always nothing short of miraculous. I was thinking that one day I must discover his sources.
When he had finished his report I said, “On a more personal note, be careful. It seems that people who get involved with this end up having ‘accidents.’”
“Vydor, do you honestly think I got this information for you by being careful? I will be fine. You had best be concerned with your own hide.” And with that he ended the transmission.
I thought back to our first meeting, how timid and foolish I was, but darn lucky. I had been working in the field as an apprentice when my instructor was assigned to an emergency meeting. A call had come in for him …
“This is Cadet Vydor, the lieutenant is out right now …” Just then I lost the power of speech when a massive cat-like creature appeared before me. His bright orange fur, spiked head, and massive claws were far more impressive than anything I had to offer.
“Where is he?” the creature demanded.
“Well, um, he was called to a meeting …”
He responded with a bone-chilling roar, and I struggled to remind myself that it was only a holographic display and he could not harm me. “Maybe I can help you?”
“YOU? Help me? HA!” he said.
“Well, why not? I have full access to his computer …” That got his attention.
“Full? Hmmm … perhaps you can help me, but then I would owe you and it’s bad enough being indebted to him.”
Interesting, I thought. This must be one of the lieutenant’s informants, and if so it would be a good thing to have him owing me. I moved to the lieutenant’s computer and said, “Well, it is your call of course, but it seems to me you would not be calling here unless you needed something, and I might very well be able to find it for you.”
“What string are you going to attach to it, human?”
“That is not a question I can really answer without knowing the value of what I am looking up, but let’s just say that someday I may be in need of information and then you will supply it.”
He seemed to ponder that a bit before replying, “All right, that seems fair. Call up the records on …” This started me on a wild run through the computer banks until I found the information he wanted, and at the same time I stumbled on the agreement that he had with the lieutenant.
As he was getting ready to end the call I stopped him, saying, “Look, the day will come when he cannot make good on your agreement. When that day comes, find me. I can make it happen.” I was mostly bluffing, but I could not pass up this opportunity for an informant.
To that he simply nodded and broke the connection. It was years later before he contacted me and told me that the lieutenant had lost his ability to fulfill the agreement and was calling in my promise. I had no idea at the time of his value as an informant. I thought I knew, but I was greatly underestimating him.
Back then at that chance introduction I could not have known how great a find he was. As I sat there pondering the information he had given me, it occurred to me that my career so far had been one lucky chance after another, almost as if someone was orchestrating a huge play in which I was a helpless puppet.