GALACTIC MARSHAL
by Hilltopper

CHAPTER 15

The pod door swinging open caused me to open my eyes. Linda was smiling down at me.

“Feeling better, Mary?”

I sat up and noticed that my injuries from that beating Karen gave me seemed to have pretty much healed. The pod was a good medical unit.

“Yes, much. Where are we?”

Linda laughed.

“You are not going to believe it. We just landed outside Basteria.”

My eyes opened wide.

“Karen came back to Fledora?”

“Yep, I’m not sure what she is thinking.”

Karen walked in from the control room. She glared at me.

“Back to normal I see.”

She then turned to Linda.

“Now you get to tell me why you stopped me back there and who this Marshal Harper is.”

Linda flinched.

“I told you, he is Mary’s boyfriend.”

Karen shook her head.

“Nope, not buying it. Since you are not from Fledora, you don’t realize what you just said. No Fledoran has a boyfriend. Try again.”

I couldn’t hold myself back.

“You’re mother did.”

Karen took two steps toward me and slapped my face hard.

“I’m not talking to you, bitch!”

She turned back to Linda.

“I want the truth and it better be good!”

Linda looked at me, smiled weakly then sighed.

“OK, Marshal Harper was sent to Fledora to arrest me. Mary picked him up and helped with his, uh, transformation.”

“You mean the council actually went along with having a male marshal on this planet.”

“Well, he was made to look female and no one was told any different.”

Karen eyed Linda a minute and shook her head.

“There is more to it. You are holding something back.”

Linda hesitated and then continued.

“You remember telling me about your mother and that you had a brother that was taken away?”

“Yeah, so?”

“Marshal Harper is your brother.”

Karen looked shocked then angry.

“Are you saying that my brother came to this planet and no one told me!”

Linda looked pained.

“Yes”

“So, the man who was Matt’s so called spouse was Marshal Harper and my brother?”

“Yes”

Karen turned to me.

“You knew this?”

“Not at first. It was a shock to me too.”

Karen started pacing and muttering. Finally, she stopped.

“I can’t believe that after all these years the council is still up to its old tricks. I am going to take them down if it’s the last thing I do.”

She looked at me.

“How could you possibly fall for a man?”

“I didn’t. I fell for Jonnie Harper. She is a woman.”

Karen stared at me a minute and then shook her head.

“Linda, take this thing and lock it up. I don’t care where. I’m going to The Midnight End to think things over.”

She placed a restraint on me and walked out of the ship. Two burly women came in. Linda glanced at them.

“I guess we better do as she says.”

I nodded and we exited the ship with the two ‘guards’ right behind. Linda took me to a small house behind The Midnight End. It looked like an old guest house. We went in and she removed the restraints.

“I’m real sorry about this. Karen is acting really strange. She was always nice to me.”

“Don’t sweat it. She has a hatred for my mother and, by proxy, me. It is causing her to become irrational.”

“Yeah, I can see that. Do you think that Marshal Harper will come here?”

I smiled big.

“Yes, I do. Jonnie will come for us no matter what.”

Linda grinned.

“You really love him, don’t you?”

Mary shook her head slightly.

“I fell for Jonnie who is a woman, but I have found that I love the person no matter the gender.”

Linda looked at me slyly. I blushed a bright red.

“Oh boy, you both did it, didn’t you?”

I blushed even deeper.

“Yes”

She smiled.

“Good for you. Whether it’s John, Jonnie, Rusty, or Gina, she is a wonderful person and someone I call a great friend.”

Linda suddenly got a surprised look on her face.

“You don’t think Gina will come back here, do you?”

I thought a minute then nodded.

“It would be the prudent way for Jonnie to come here to find us. Yes, I think we will see Gina. Does Karen have any idea who Gina is?”

“No but it will be real bad if she finds out.”

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I left Mary and went over to The Midnight End. I was not sure who the real Karen was any more. I knocked on her office door and walked in. She looked up at me and smiled.

“Did you get our prisoner settled in?”

“Yes, I locked her in the old guest house.”

“Good! Do you think this Marshal Harper will try to spring her?”

“It’s a good bet.”

“Hmmpf! My brother! What a joke! The council is playing you for a fool but I have a plan.”

Karen did not elaborate so I went out into the bar. I had a bad feeling. Nothing much happened over the next couple of days. I stayed part of the time with Mary and mostly left Karen to her ‘planning’. I was sitting at the bar when a very familiar figure walked in the front door.

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I got off the Basteria shuttle and started to walk into the town. I thought about last time and decided that maybe walking was not a good idea. Spotting the local transportation, I headed that way.

“Team leader, I am taking a taxi to The Midnight End.”

She acknowledged and I walked up to the first taxi.

“Where can I take you, honey?”

God, they are the same every where.

“The Midnight End, please.”

She looked me over and shrugged.

“Sure, hop in.”

We were there in no time. I thanked the driver and walked to the front door. I stopped a few feet away. I really did not want to do this. I wasn’t even sure who would be here. I steeled myself and walked through the door. I was trying to adjust to the low light level when I was wrapped up by a banshee.

“Oh, Gina, your back!”

Linda whispered in my ear.

“Karen’s here. Be careful.”

I nodded and then talked out loud.

“Linda, I thought you had left.”

“I did but now I’m back. You looking for a job?”

I laughed.

“After my release from medical, this was the only place I could think of to go.”

“Well, I sure missed you.”

Karen must have heard the commotion because she stuck her head out of her office door. Spotting me, she got a huge smile on her face. She rushed over and hugged me tight.

“God Gina, where have you been?”

I faked a smile and tried to breathe.

“I got hurt in that mine cave in. They just let me go this morning.”

“Come on, let’s go into my office.”

I followed Karen and Linda into the office. Karen turned to me and her eyes narrowed slightly.

“I heard some terrible rumors about you.”

I looked surprised.

“What?”

“I was told that you were here undercover working for Detective Mary Brown.”

I tried to look puzzled.

“I don’t know where that came from. She was the detective that took me to medical at the capital when I was rescued from that mine. After I was better, she tried to get information out of me but I didn’t say a thing.”

Karen broke out into a smile again.

“I knew they weren’t true. It’s so good to have you back. Are you OK now?”

“Yes, all healed up.”

Karen looked over at Linda.

“I think you have something that needs doing, right?”

Linda glanced at me and then back to Karen.

“That’s right, I better get going. Gina, we will get together later.”

She hugged me and left the room. Karen looked me up and down then smile big.

“You look really good. That dress is perfect for you.”

“Thank you.”

“I have some things I need to take care of but I want us to have dinner together. Your room is still waiting for you. Go over and tell Mona to give you the key.”

She then bent down and kissed me. I tried to look pleased but it now felt like I was kissing my sister. I giggled (where did that come from?) and went out. I walked over to the boarding house. Mona was waiting for me and handed me my key.

“Welcome back, Gina. You were missed.”

“It’s good to be back.”

I went up to my room and tried to unlock the door. I dropped the key and bent over to pick it up.

“I think this is how it started last time.”

I looked between my legs and saw Linda standing in her door way. I stood up and grinned.

“I hope it doesn’t end the same way.”

“Put your stuff away and then let’s walk to our spot.”

“OK, be right with you.”

I just threw my things on the bed and we went out the rear door. We walked to the water fall with out saying anything. Once there, Linda sat on a rock.

“Karen is planning something but she has not brought me into her confidence. I don’t think she trusts me any more.”

I shook my head.

“Do you know where Mary is and is she OK?”

“She’s fine for now. She’s locked in the old guest house behind The Midnight End but she always has two guards.”

“I have a team standing by but I can’t risk them coming in yet. Karen wants to have dinner with me tonight.”

“I was afraid of that. She still has a thing for you, you know.”

“Yeah, I could tell. This is very awkward. Maybe I can get my team to cause a distraction before anything happens. Do you think you can get Mary out?”

“I think so.”

We sat and watched the water for a bit.

“I’m glad you brought me to this spot.”

Linda nodded.

“I’m glad I did too. I still think of you as my best friend though things are a little more complicated now.”

I laughed.

“No kidding.”

“What happens after this is over?”

“I wish I knew. I do know I want to be with Mary. If she stays on Fledora, I will too.”

Linda sighed.

“After all you both have been through, the council will likely have some big questions.”

“Yeah, I have some for them too.”

“I guess we better head back if you are going to make your dinner date.”

“I reckon so.”

We walked back to our rooms and parted. Once in my room, I informed the team of what I needed. After washing up, I looked in the mirror. Shaking my head, I heaved a big sigh. I sure hope this works!