by T J Bryan
The SAR chosen was 1033. She was new build and appeared to be fully equipped but unused, or at least used very lightly. 1033 was the third ship they had examined the first two being damaged but intact. While checking out the SAR line they had retrieved from the damaged ships two additional sets of what looked like worn but serviceable vac suits. It had been a good day and Abel was tired.
The two engineering grad students had proven really valuable as they jerry-rigged a line to tow 1033 back to the Habitat. Now they were unloading the recovered vac-suits onto sliders to take them to the Collegium for evaluation. Abel had no doubts the suits were good, but caution was critical when you lived in a vacuum.
Farn Mayer, a police cadet, had greeted Able and the crew at the dock. Abel was uncertain of Farn's age but most Police Cadets signed up at the age of fourteen or fifteen. Many advanced to full time officers, but others joined for the comradeship and the fun of public service. Farn was the daughter of retired Officer Phil Mayer who had served on the force when Abel himself was a cadet. Farn's mother had died in a blow-out when she was young and her father died in a disastrous mine rescue a few years later. Farn had been raised by her aunt. While the Commonwealth was very much a meritocracy families tended to remain in the same or a related profession. There were obvious exceptions of course, Hellen Rabbah being one, given her father was a miner and her mother a fabrication operator. Abel's father had been an EmVac supervisor and his mother a cop. So he felt he had been born to his position, but the tests, evaluations, and just plain hard work that led to his position as Chief had not been easy.
Farn had been assigned the task of monitoring 1033 through the night and had brought with her an old plastic folding chair, a thermos of hot tea, a huge overcoat, and an old fashioned hard copy book. A romance novel Abel noted. Her uniform was spotless and her short red hair fell just below the tips of her ears in good police cadet fashion. Abel greeted her and said he would return in the morning hopefully before her shift ended. Farn suppressed what Abel knew was a smile as she stood tall, official and tried to be most serious. Farn saluted and Abel returned the salute.
After a short walk down two station levels he entered the Maintenance Dock just as Quark settled into her berthing cradle. Helen and a group of volunteers were standing outside the berthing bay. Lennie stood to one side carefully observing the ship taking in every detail. Abel noted Helen's crew were practicing donning and taking off the ridged vac suits. Better they learn now than fumble with the suits in the confined hold of the Quark. After a few minutes the bay had been repressurized and Silvi emerged alone from the hatch. Able had observed that Silvi was almost as good a pilot as her brother, however she was more cautious and clearly gave more thought to her actions than Lennie did. Lennie was instinctive in his flying. Abel had read once that even monkeys could be taught to fly and there was no such thing as a 'natural'. But Abel knew that this was wrong - Lennie was a natural. So was Silvi but in a different more reasoned way. Silvi had a command presence about her that Lennie lacked. Lennie made up for that in pure piloting talent. He was glad to have both of them flying Quark.
As Helen and her crew boarded for the second shift Abel set off to find a quiet place to call the Chairman and provide the evening update. The Chairman was undoubtedly asleep, but he did insist on a morning and evening update. Perhaps this time he could combine both in one.
...
Jamon System - Council Chamber - Year 3245. May 26 ET: Time 16:56
After eight days of intense work out in the forbidden zone the Chairman had called Abel to present to the assembled full council a report on the emergency activities to date. Abel knew that the Chairman had kept the Executive Committee fully informed, but had shared only the most basic facts with the full assembly. Abel sat three seats down from the Chairman on the dais above the speakers podium. He was an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee for the duration of the emergency edict. He looked at the wall clock. 16:56 and he had been sitting here for almost four hours as the council debated, discussed, argued, and insulted their way through the agenda.
The Council Chamber was confined to a circular half dome and the wall behind the dias joined the Telford Wall with its' enormous plastacene window providing a view of the distant stars, nearby asteroids, and the gas giant Chatoyant. On the main floor were seats for the 62 representatives of the Council and ringing the room were two tiers of visitors gallery and a small vid-com station that provided a feed to the entire Commonwealth. Abel had never seen the Gallery so full. As the hours passed the gallery began to thin as many of the citizens choose to return home and possibly follow the proceedings on vid-com. Abel recognized several of those remaining in the gallery including Larry Nillson, who was to be Lennie's co-pilot on the Singleton Race, and some of the relatives of several assembly members. Larry was wearing the same grease stained jump suit Abel had observed when they first met at the Public Dock.
Fillo Lang, a short rather stocky if overweight assemblyman representing the Energy League had been droning on and on about the need for replacing the electricity conduits prior to the installation of any new or revised Habitat energy source. Abel looked about the room and among the 46 representatives present no one seemed to be listening as they chatted to each other or simply dozed off. That the conduits needed replacement Abel doubted that anyone would disagree, but Fillo was allocated 20 minutes and he intended to use every second.
As Fillo finished, Tolon Klein representing the Metal Smiths and Smelters Guild, stood to propose a motion to approve the conduit replacement, pending an environmental impact study, fiscal review, and an engineering needs assessment. Fillo stood to second the motion which Abel knew he must have crafted himself before the meeting.
The debate on the motion lasted almost forty minutes and although no one seemed opposed numerous amendments, substitutions, and emendations were proposed and eventually rejected. The motion passed 39 in favor, with 6 abstentions, and 17 'not present'. One of the representative not present when the motion had been moved was Alos Decker who had excused himself to use the facilities and had not returned in time to vote. Somehow Alos always seemed to miss the actual vote on any matter.
At 18:36 the Chairman recognized Piet Peters who as head of Auditing and Fiscal Control of the Commonwealth. Piet was an unusual man with a rather long narrow nose, thin brown hair with a pronounced bald spot, and a tall lanky frame. A permanent scowl was always found upon his face which many said was due to his responsibilities in rooting out waste, fraud, and corruption within the Commonwealth. Piet had served in his position for almost forty years, not because he was particularly successful in that position, but because no one really wanted the thankless job. The only problem with Piet's charter, almost everyone understood, was that significant fraud and monetary corruption were almost impossible within the Habitat. Citizens were paid at the same amount in almost every profession with small, very small, increments added for either dangerous professions or professions requiring lengthy difficult study or training. Stipends also were paid for minor children and unusual needs often as the result of catastrophic injury or genetic malformation. If one were a fraudster there was no place to spend ill gotten gains because everyone in the Commonwealth easily knew what you made in salary and how much money you had to spend. That was not to say that fraud or theft did not occur. As Chief of ES and the head of the Constabulary Abel was all to familiar with crime, but fraud and corruption were extremely rare and almost always in petty amounts.
Piet was occasionally successful and found discrepancies that were more paperwork errors than waste or fraud, but he was obsessed with his work and took great pride in finding any discrepancy down to the nearest farthing.
Piet walked to the podium just below the Executive Committee dais, tapped the microphone too hard causing momentary feedback and then turned and nodded toward the Chairman. In his hand he held a sheaf of papers rather than a inter-tab. No doubt for dramatic effect thought Abel.
Piet turned to th
e assembly and began speaking in his reedy breathy voice: "Citizens of the Commonwealth, let me take a moment to congratulate our Chief of Emergency Services, our ES, Abel Stoneman, for the remarkable work he has performed in the last week. The recovery of a handful or more of useful vac-suits will find immediate use. As noted earlier tonight the several Fusion Engines that have been recovered will augment our current supply of energy and distribution. These are good things."
Abel knew the hammer was about to drop. They had recovered almost 200 vac suits and 23 fusion engines had arrived with more planned to follow.
Piet continued as he lifted the sheaf of papers high over his head, "I hold in my hand a list, a very detailed list at that, of the many items found by Abel. Some of these items are useful, but their utility cannot hide the disruptive and potentially dangerous impact on our economy, our finances, and indeed upon the well being of our citizens." Piet lowered his hand and looked intently at the first page of what was undoubtedly the inventory.
"I see on this list of useful items vac-suits. I congratulate the ES on this useful recovery, however on this list I also spy an electrical wire fabricator, a energy storage apparatus, gravitic suspension trucks for hauling rocks, a musical contrivance, and some kind of ancient medical contraption, as well as hundreds of items some strange and many obtuse, but all ancient. The list goes on and on. Now such items may seem useful at first, but what of the men and women that such gadgets will put out of work? Once again I thank the ES for their effort, but I think that the Council needs to first and foremost protect the livelihood of our citizens and perhaps just as important our traditions of hard work and fiscal responsibility. As a trained economist and practitioner of the 'dismal science'", here Piet stopped for a moment to chuckle at his own joke, and then continued, "Members of the Assembly I fear economic disruption and I dare say the word recession or perhaps economic depression if the unbounded import of these items continues. Unchecked, undisciplined, and ungoverned, we face economic catastrophe in the face of the import of these contrivances."
Abel was stunned when about a third of the Assembly stood and cheered. Clearly Piet had been lobbying hard for his position while Abel was hard at work uncovering the technology of the Greaysons that would undoubtedly save lives - hundreds of lives if not the life of the entire Commonwealth. Upon reflection Abel thought he should not be surprised. With the Bountiful overdue, and now with the depressing thought she may never arrive, many were out of work, soon be followed by many more. The only exception were those few designing a starship of their own, and until the design was complete and work begun unemployment would rise dramatically. Many were simply afraid of their isolation and looming time of troubles. Unemployment was an easy outlet for anger and frustration.
"I therefore move that with only a few exceptions, these being a limited number of vac-suits, perhaps twenty or so, and a few fusion engines, such as those needed to replace the failed units of the Energy League, and yes one or two for our glorious ship building efforts, all others on this list be embargoed... prevented from disrupting our economy and our way of life. All of these mechanisms are over 200 years old. Some as old as 400 years. They are old and potentially, if not actually, dangerous to the health of those who would labor under their grip. I call upon this Assembly to reject these ancient artefacts in the name of everything we stand for - thrift, hard work, dedication to our system, and fiscal prudence."
Abel heard more cheering as a few more stood in support of Peters. Abel turned toward the Chairman who simply smiled and winked toward Abel. Abel was about to object, but something in the Chairman's demeanour Abel found reassuring.
As the Assembly sat Alos Decker, who had returned from the facility shouted, 'I second the motion." More applause.
Tolon Klein stood and yelled, "I call the motion." More cheering.
Five Assembly members stood demanding attention. Three kept shouting "Point of Order! Point of Order Mr. Chairman."
"The Chair recognizes the representative of the Miners Guild, Mr. Gabby Ozols."
Ozols remained standing while the others calling out sat.
"While I agree with the motion put forward by our esteemed Auditor, I believe this motion needs full consideration and that perhaps a few additions to the motion are required in the name of prudence, safety, and fiscal responsibility"
The Chair spoke, "Do I hear an objection to open discussion on the motion?"
Alos Decker stood and yelled, "I object. Let us move upon the motion before any more harm falls to our Commonwealth." A dozen voices yelled out to call the motion.
The Chairman rang down his gavel. "Order. Order. We shall vote on moving the motion. Those in favor of limiting debate and moving the motion foreword please say 'Ay'. To Abel's surprise only a few voices were heard in support of moving the motion. Moments later the 'Nays' carried by a wide margin and debate was set to begin.
Half the assembly rose shouting for the floor.
"The Chair recognizes the representative of the Medical Alliance of the Collegium - Dr. Freydis Auber."
Freydis was the chief surgeon at the Medical arm of the Collegium and Abel held her and her team in great respect, but found himself amazed when Freydis spoke in favor of the motion. Freydis clearly understood the implications of the "doc-in-a-box" surgical units they had found in the supply ship, as well as a huge store of pharmaceuticals in stasis.
Freydis stood. " I see wisdom in the words of our Auditor, but I suggest we not be too hasty. Therefore I propose that we amend the motion to embargo Greayson advanced technology to exclude necessary pharmaceuticals and operating instruments as determined by the Collegium Medical Committee. While these instruments and vital drugs may be old I am assured by the Medical staff that they will save lives. Many lives."
The Chairman looked about the room. "Any objection?" Abel saw several of Piets supporters nervously stay seated as they looked to Piet for instructions, but Piet only looked ahead unreactive to Dr. Freydis' proposed amendment. It was hard to object to the saving of lives.
Moments later the Miner's Guild representative Ozols proposed that fabrication equipment needed to repair the failing stock of hammer drill bits and hydraulic conduits needed by miners also be excluded. He explained that in the past six years there had been seven deaths due to these failing units and that our local fab had no ability to manufacture replacements. He further suggested that perhaps a committee of the Miners Alliance should be allowed time to further examine the inventory and carefully select only those items necessary to continue production, especially in light of the coming shipbuild."
No one objected.
Elvira Turgis, from the Child Welfare Syndicate noted that a prosthetics fabricator and numerous items helpful in improving the health and welfare of our disabled children were also present on the list and that the Syndicate should be allowed to review the list and provide exceptions as needed.
Emmitt Wong rose from the dais and was recognized moment later. "As the Chairman of the Shipbuilding Design Committee I see on the list industrial plasma welders and binary atomic fusion connectors. Without these I fear we cannot construct our starship. May I suggest we amend the proposal to exclude these critical items and such other needed construction equipment as the Committee for the Starship Obsidian Phoenix may deem appropriate." No one objected and Emmitt sat.
Abel was surprised that the as yet undesigned starship already had a name; Obsidian Phoenix.
Abel took another look at the Chairman and realized that Victor had outsmarted Piet. By the time Abel was ready to give his short status report the motion had carried but every association, committee, guild, and organization had inserted so many exceptions that Piet's motion was meaningless. further at the suggestion of the Chairman, Abel as Chief of ES, was to police the system and ensure only those approved item were allowed into the Commonwealth.
Just as the motion passed Abel heard a loud clang coming from behind and above the dais in the direction of the plasticene window. A gentl
e breeze brushed his face. Instinctively he reached for the turtle neck tab and released the rebreather hood as his left hand pressed the stud on the O2 bottle at his waist.
It was a blow-out. Within moments the gentle breeze had become a howling wind. Papers rose from the desks streaming to a point high above the podium. Moments later a chair became airborne. Abel dived beneath the dais and grabbed hold of a stanchion that bolted the dais to the ceramacrete floor. Abel could feel the tug of the hurricane force wind pulling at his body. He knew he had to hold on only for a few moments before the atmosphere would be totally vented in the sealed chamber and the hard vac set in. Abel struggled to lift his head above the rim of the dais counter and his worst fear was affirmed. Several of those from the high gallery had lost their footing and were being carried by the force of the wind toward the break in the plasticene. One he recognized was Larry Nillson. In the distance the blow-out claxon sounded but as the air bled away so did the sound. Abel forced himself to stand just in time to see two bodies fall from the high gap in the Telford Wall window. The air had totally vented before the bodies had been carried out into the void. Both bodies fell. One fell his legs striking the edge of the dais while his body hit the floor hard. The other, whom Abel thought was Larry fell further away toward the left most passageway and hatch. Abel reached for his vid-com but knew it was useless without air to speak. Other than text he was unable to communicate with EmVac, however he also knew that a full turn-out team would arrive shortly. As the air became evacuated and the turbulence ceased Abel stood. The Assembly chamber was mess with chairs, papers, inter-tabs, and everything not tied down thrown about. Members of the assembly and citizens in the gallery were spread across the floor some beginning to stand and others not moving.