Discovery part 6 by Ronald Faltus

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This man could probably kill without a thought, especially if he figured out why Gareth was tailing him. So, why was he risking his life any way?

The query grew in strength as Gareth walked, the chilled night air clearing his thoughts. Why was he so concerned with Sand's rummaging through graves for trinkets to hawk? They weren't his ancestors, and aside form the distastefulness of it all, it really wasn't hurting anyone. Eventfully he would try to unload the goods on the wrong person, someone who new what a Nasab bracelet. The UAS would be contacted, and Sands would permanently disappear, punished for desecrating their ancestor's eternal rest. Why did it have to be him?

The answerer came to him in a quick mental image of the current suffering on Vergos, a plight that he was partially reasonable. People that he knew, worked with for years were dying, and he was abjectly unable to do anything about. He could throw all his weight and expertise into helping, but it would amount to nothing. He was a single individual and he would be completely swallowed by the Vent-Nor corporate machine. Concerned only with distancing themselves for the plague, any connection between the archeological dig and the disease would have to be eliminated. And Gareth knew he was probably the last remaining active piece of the puzzle. The second he resurfaced to help, he would show up on Vent-Nor's radar, and that would be the last time anyone would hear about Gareth Kahle.

But here, he wasn't confronted by the largest company in the galaxies, but by one lone man. Albeit a man that could crush Gareth with one swing of his fist, but one man none the less. Somehow the odds of success seemed so much more in his favor. This is were he could make a difference, a positive contribution to the galactic community. Was it enough to make up for Vergos? No, that would be a penance he would be paying for the rest of his life. Stopping Sands was only a start.

There was also the added benefit that he could get away without having to confront his nemesis. For all its failings, antiquated design and slow speed, The Scry did have one thing going for it, its complex sensor array. Once at the spaceport, all he would have to do is see which ship was Sand's. Then after take off, he could use the sensors to track his exit vector. Even with all the congestion in orbit, it would be an easy task for The Scry's computers. Then once Sands warped away for the system, Gareth would follow him. Being designed to scan for faint interstellar anomalies, the array would be able to pick up his trail at each transit point, searching for faint emissions Sand's ship would release each time it dropped out of warp, changed trajectory and reengaged its static drives. Akin to following bread crumbs, hypothetically speaking, as long as The Scry didn't fall too far behind and let the trail dissipate, Gareth could follow him anywhere in the universe. Then it would be a matter of attaching the coordinates of his destination to an anonymous communication to the UAS and let them take care of him.

The immense concrete wall of the space port shifted into view as Gareth and the rest of the taverns patrons rounded the last corner. Like small streams flowing into a larger river, his group met up with others that must have originated at different seedy dens thought the city. A dull pounding began to throb in Gareth's head, a signal that the walk had begun to pumped the alcohol though his system, causing his body to begin the transition from inebriation to hangover. A mind blowing migraine was sure to follow, and Gareth hoped Sands was in a hurry to get off the planet. He wasn't sure he could hold himself together long, especially if Sands procrastinated.