The Quicksand Singularity ArQive: Array.init:0

A0T5.5 Clean House (Abridged)

Scratching his beard, Ullifrikh could only wonder as to what, or who, had obliterated the former smuggler's terrestrial domicile in such a display of excess. The crater was easily twelve metres deep, fifty across. It was as if the unexploded bomb Ullifrikh's predecessor had removed from Voldir's garden had mysteriously returned and with a vengeance.

Fragments of engine components and shards of thermally coated hull lay about the crater, confirming the ship was toast and Voldir had taken his final flight. Grimacing, Ullifrikh realised he would miss the old rascal.

Though the notorious trader had been out of the contraband game for over a century, Voldir's penchant for bringing home all the bizarre and the dangerous contraptions to be found in places like New Rio, Throj, and Kaidani IZs had made him a regular feature on South Alfar-Hakvidr's Public Nuisance board.

Ullifrikh looked over the scene again, scratching his beard, unable to shake the feeling of responsibility. People from all across County South Alfar-Hakvidr had warned him that something like this would eventually happen. They'd implored him to do something— anything—about it. He'd had the same concerns, expressed them even. All the way up to the Governor's desk, but there was nothing to be done.

After his last stint in prison, Voldir had kept his nose squeaky clean. He didn't bring back contraband anymore. Nothing explicitly so, anyway. His flights were all meticulously logged, he paid all his taxes, dues, and fees, and all his licences had sterling records. All his customs claims were spotless, inspections were flawless, hell, his record with the Starport Safety Inspection Bureau was the best in the biz. The only thing on his record for the last century was an expunged traffic ticket he'd received in the next county over for driving with a burnt-out tail-light. Smugtub was so clean, it made Læfeln suspicious enough to bring him in for questioning.

Ullifrikh remembered being dragged into the station that day. It was after Jaaing clocked in for her shift. She saw Læfeln working Smugtub in the interrogation room, stepped in to see what was up. It took the both of them to calm the detective down after turning Voldir loose.

Looking over the crater, Læfeln's words played back in Ullifrikh's head. No one is this clean, Cap! No one! Certainly not a guy with a rap sheet like his! He's got to be tampering with our records!

He wasn't. Everyone knew it. Two docades in the slam may not have been enough for the hardened crooks of Alfarsstvo to clean up their acts, but it seemed to have done the trick for Voldir. That and Ullifrikh's threat if Voldir ever set a single toe out of line again.

Seeing cold, weeks-old destruction, Ullifrikh couldn't help but think back to the suits who'd shown up to Jaafarek's. Though he couldn't place why, he knew they'd been here first, and while the embers were still hot.

Smugtub Voldir had sold Jaafarek the goods that got both of them killed. Ullifrikh couldn't prove it, but he knew it. He knew the Guvs knew it too, that they were chasing the same ghosts. What he couldn't peg down, though, was the incongruity of it all. He'd reviewed every manifest and claims declaration Voldir had submitted, and his last shipment was spotless. A few books, a contraption of questionable make and purpose, some pieces of local art, and an assortment of curios, cultural artefacts, snacks, and beverages from New Rio. Taxes paid, inspections passed, nothing flagged.

Returning to his vehicle, Ullifrikh resolved to ask Voldir's neighbours—what few there were—what, if anything, they might have witnessed. Given Voldir's penchant for the dramatic, and the rusty old tub he piloted, Ullifrikh had little hope anything useful would come of it. A re-review of his last customs declaration was in order too.

As he drove away, Ullifrikh resolved to get to the bottom of this. Whatever this was.

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Talvo_04.meme

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"Still working the Jaafarek case?" Læfeln asked, startling Ullifrikh.

Removing his glasses, Ullifrikh looked at the detective standing in the doorway.

"You really ought to let it go," Læfeln said, "Guvs are handling it."

"I know," Ullifrikh grunted, putting his glasses back on.

"You know they can rejuve your eyes, right?" Læfeln commented.

"Got any more revelations to share?"

"Yeah," Læfeln answered, "County Comptroller is here. Wants to talk with you."

"About what?"

"Guess."

"Fuck... Send her in."

Læfeln leaned out of the door and gestured.

"On her way," Læfeln said, stepping out of the door frame.

Ullifrikh lifted his gaze from the case files only long enough to see a short, wispy woman in a tailored dress and flashy heels walk into his office. She hadn't gotten rid of that frilly haircut either. This was going to be less worth his time and more unpleasant than—

"Sheriff! So good of you to see me," she said in a squeaky voice that made Ullifrikh's skin crawl.

"Anjinjaa," Ullifrikh grunted.

"I see you're still obsessed with Jaafarek and his...associates," Anjinja mentioned, ensuring to emphasise her disgust.

"Yups," Ullifrikh responded.

"You ought to let it go, Ullif," Anjinja said.

"Why are you here, Anji?" Ullifrikh asked.

"Lingering sentimentality," Anjinja answered. "Deadline for ballot registration is today."

"That so?"

"Yes. Are you running? Or resigning?"

Ullifrikh lifted his head to look his ex in the face.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"I don't know what to think anymore," Anjinja answered, "so just answer the question."

"I'm busy, Anji," Ullifrikh responded, "see yourself out."

With an exasperated sigh, Anjinja stood up, slung her purse over one shoulder, and made for the door.

"No taunts this time?" Ullifrikh spoke up.

"Like any lingering sentimentality, it seems even those are wasted on you," Anjinja replied, the poison so often in her voice absent. Only a hollow resonance of disappointment remained.

The door shut behind her and Ullifrikh returned his attention to the photos scattered on his desk. Somewhere in this mess was the clue he needed, the breakthrough. If he could just find it, he could crack the case wide open, expose the secrets GSIU was trying so hard to cover up. This was beyond just Old Jaafarek, beyond Voldir, beyond Fingers and Dozer.

GSIU was behind this. They didn't want anyone to know what Smugtub had found, what he'd sold Jaafarek, what they'd killed all of them for. Dirty secrets. Dirty little secrets.

Ullifrikh clenched his jaw. Rage filled his veins just thinking about Jaafarek. His cabinet of curiosities was a local gem, and GSIU destroyed it and for what?

He had to find it.

He had to.

And he would.

For Jaafarek.

For South Alfar-Hakvidr.

For everyone.

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