The alleyways kept getting crowded as he climbed down the levels. In level 17, the crowd was particularly high. He moved away from the stairs and went to find the reason. It did not take him much time. This level was filled with shops and stalls selling anything that can be sold.
Ranging from clothes to jewels, one can buy anything from here as long as you have the money. Central city had 3 levels for traders and buyers, and this one was the highest. Meaning, this one was the costliest. Only the people, whose sons and husbands had high paying jobs in the Republic can afford to buy products from this level.
He strolled through level 17 for some more time, looking at people’s faces. No two faces were alike.
The marketplace was filled with humanoids, beings from Saturn and even some from Neptune.
Arjun looked at them, with a mix of pride and contempt, knowing that they would all be his subjects very soon. He leaned on a pillar watching people scamper for sometime. He had to be at a meeting someplace else, but since it wouldn’t be very princely to be punctual, he chose to be late.
To completely circle the level and return back to the staircase that he came from would take days or even weeks. So, he took one of the stairs nearby and resumed his descent.
As he kept descending, he came very close to the Earth Space Port. Several spacecrafts were docked in the port. Some were getting ready to leave. As the space port was built over the sea, Qwaks flew on top the ships, often pooping on them and the men. The white feathered bird was a nuisance to the port workers. In the distant sea, Arjun saw a huge launchpad being cleared and in the distant space he saw a spaceship moving towards the port.
Since it was miles in the sky, Arjun couldn’t identify its sigil.
He kept climbing down.
At level 25, he met PABLO. The fool waved at him from a distance. Arjun bit his teeth and smiled at him.
“Been waiting for you a long time man”, said Pablo as Arjun continued walking. Pablo caught up to him, expecting an apology.
“Have they arrived? “, said Arjun simply.
“Yes man. They are waiting for you”
Good, thought Arjun.
“Hey Loki, do you have any money for me man?”, began Pablo. He was not aware who his friend truly was. Arjun gave him a false name when he befriended him. The fool would get a heart attack if he knew, his friend Loki was really The President’s nephew.
“I am short of charges. My boss fired me again. I did nothing wrong, you know”, blabbered Pablo.
This was usual in Pablo’s life. He was a drug addict who lived in the lower levels. He seldom contributed to the Republic. It was a miracle he was not kicked out to the favelas yet. But Arjun realised how to put him to good use. Unlike himself, Pablo was born and brought up in the lower levels of the city. He knew the place like the back of his hand. He had even been to the ghettos. He knew every lowlife ranging from dacoits to rapists, but most importantly mercenaries.
Reluctantly, Arjun let Pablo lead the way. The low levels were full of dark corners filled with people lying on the roadsides. The sewage smell was nauseating to Arjun, but Pablo felt nothing.
They turned into one of the tunnels and Arjun realised they have reached the meeting place. From within the darkest corner of the tunnel, Sayeed emerged into the fading sunlight.
Arjun conveyed his salutation, by raising both his hands to his chest and pressing his palms with each other. Since this was the customary humanoid salutation, Sayeed did the same.
“Did you find it? “, began Arjun.
The man stammered a bit, before replying
” No sir. My men are looking for it. If it is still on Mars, we would have found it by now”
“And the spy?”, persisted Arjun without cutting him any slack. He already knew the answer. But he asked eitherway.
“He escaped. That’s for sure. But we don’t know if he had the device in his hand, when he left the quarters”
“So… we won’t know anything until we find him. Right? “
” As I said before, it is possible that the device was destroyed in the explosion. My men used powerful Cryonitrate. You should have seen the place. I am sure the device is a 1000 pieces now”, replied the man, not at all sure.
Arjun easily sensed this before replying, “I don’t care what you are sure about. Either find the device or KILL THE SPY”
Pablo, who was standing far away from the two men, turned around by Arjun’s sudden outburst. But he didn’t come near to them and stayed where he was. Even Pablo has a few manners, thought Arjun.
“I need some extra money to continue the assignment”, said the man.
“How much? “
“100, 000 charges. Two of my men are dead. I need to give some to their families.”
“Okay. You will have it in your account by tonight.”
The meeting was over. They exchanged salutations again and parted ways. The man stayed somewhere in the lower levels but Arjun had to reach the Palace at the top.
The climb up is always harder than the climb down.
War of the galaxy 