Spinward Fringe Broadcast 0: Origins

by Randolph Lalonde

  “Are those standard rates?” I asked, sitting back in my chair.

  “They're what we can afford, Captain,” the Governor replied. His assistant stopped working and looked at me expectantly.

  “I'll be honest, it's less than half of what we are normally paid, but we didn't join your side in this to profit,” I stood and offered him a hand. “Thank you for covering our expenses. We'll take it in United Core Worlds currency.”

  He shook my hand and smiled back. “Thank you for assisting in the defence, Captain.” The mood in the room lightened a little and his assistant got right back to work on his thin tablet. “Now, I'm wondering, what kind of expedition are you on? I've never seen a ship like the First Light. Do you have sponsors?”

  “We're independents. I'm the primary shareholder on the ship and all the other owners are crew. Most of the time, we only trade with free ports. We do some mercenary work, but only when we have to. That kind of thing makes you as many enemies as it does friends. Speaking of which, we've never gone up against the Vindyne before. Can you tell us anything about them?”

  “Well, it's just ‘Vindyne.’ ‘Vindyne Industries’ and the ‘Vindyne Corporation’ depending on which end of the monstrosity you're talking about. They're an expanding corporate entity out here. Thanks to them, and a couple smaller competitors, there aren't many free ports left in this sector. We've managed to keep our interests free, but Vindyne has closed in all around us. Until last year they would just buy a share of our crops. Their business was welcome, but as their needs grew, the prices they were willing to pay have lowered.

  “They declared us hostile when we refused to sell at half the guild rates and shipped everything to their competition. Now there's no negotiating with them. They've taken worlds before, relocating all the colonists, separating them into placements where they become slaves. That's when the people they take don't just disappear entirely.”

  Eliza spoke, her speech slightly slurred, “The legal ground they stand on is shaky. Their claim is that we are not properly utilizing the resources we control and that the under utilization is a criminal act. Vindyne sees themselves as a governing body, not just a corporation. They argue that the needs of their current citizens outweigh ours. They believe their needs warrant a takeover since we produce thousands of times more food than our population needs. Our counterpoint is that by offering our organic foods and other products at fair prices that are lower than the cost of materializing food for their population on a daily basis, we are helping them. Our government even offered to advance a quarter season's crop to them to be paid at an undefined date. It would have been enough to feed their entire populace, billions of people, for a year.”

  The Governor continued right from where she left off. “They'd have none of it, and why would they? They have the firepower to take whatever they like. Our neighbours can't afford to lend a hand either. No one in this sector can afford the negative attention of Vindyne. They are connected to most interplanetary corporations in this area and collectively cease trade with anyone who assists their enemies.”

  “It's a good thing trading with corporations isn't a priority for us,” Oz said, toasting with a mug of hot chocolate.

  “So, they engage in territorial warfare and slavery. I'm happy I'm on your side,” I said with a smile. “Do you have the authority to conduct trade, Governor Finnley?”

  “I do, but that's also dependent on what you have to offer. What kind of trade do you normally conduct?”

  “Technology mostly, anything we can get our hands on that will improve our circumstances. It's hard for independent outposts to stay up to date with corporations doing most of the research and development these days.”

  “What kind of technology would you be able to offer us Captain?” William the assistant asked.

  I was about to answer when Doctor Lang touched me on the shoulder. “If I may, Captain?” I gestured for her to go ahead.

  She moved to the seat closest to Elise, the Governor's daughter. “Do you mind if I ask why you're in a hover chair?”

  Elise smiled through one side of her face while the other side remained slack. “I have a nervous system degeneration condition called Sodian syndrome. It started before I was born and has badly deviated my spine.”

  “May I scan you Elise?”

  Elise's eyes rolled to look at her father, who nodded. “Go ahead, Doctor.”

  I watched as Doctor Lang held her hand up in front of Elise for a moment then brought up a hologram projected from the medical console on her arm. There was an internal physical representation of Elise there, which reflected what she had described. There were also icons and other details around the three dimensional portrait that only someone with years of medical training could understand. Doctor Lang selected and navigated through several different menus, assessing information taken during the brief scan and finally smiled and nodded to herself. “We can halt the deterioration and remove the disease from your system. As for the degeneration, it will be easy to restore your fine motor skills and muscle control for your upper body. Getting you out of the chair may take more work, but it's possible. We could discuss it later if you like.”

  The Governor stood and looked straight at me. I'll never forget the look in his eyes. I could have asked for anything, he would give it to me. “What do you want Captain?”

  I didn't think about it, I didn't have to. “Nothing. I'll make it happen for you and pass on the information so your people can learn from it. If you need to call it anything, call it good will.”

  Elise's arm gestured wildly and she tried to shift in her chair to face Doctor Lang more directly. She was trying to say something but was very excited, and for the life of me I couldn't think of what I could do to calm her down.

  I didn't have to. Doctor Lang leaned forward and gave Elise a gentle hug. She calmed down after a few moments. “Thank you Doctor. Thank you so much,” I heard the young woman whisper.

  After a long moment, Doctor Lang sat back down beside Elise. “I'll send all the information about the procedures to your physician if you can tell me how to get it to him.”

  “If any expertise is needed, I can have Doctor Lang or another qualified crew member help for as long as we're here.” I added.

  The Governor tapped on the table and brought up a sub display over the top of the animated topography of the ice flows. He selected some information and a diagram and slid his finger a few centimetres in Doctor Lang's direction. The sub display slid across the table to stop in front of the doctor, who read it then instructed her medical console to send the information to Elise's physician. “It's on its way, and he should have no problem contacting me if he has difficulty with any of the research or treatments.”

  “Thank you Doctor. I think this will be a beneficial trade negotiation for your crew and my people. I know a lot about my daughter's condition and where our medical science falls short. Your home world must have made some very important medical advances for you to have cures for one of our most debilitating ailments. I'll accept the cure for my daughter, but I'm sure our council will want the rest of your medical database as well and I'm sure they would gladly trade for it.”

  William whispered something to the Governor, who nodded and continued. “My assistant thinks this negotiation has taken an emotional turn, and I have to admit he's right. I think an hour would be suitable for an adjournment. The sentries can escort you to the accommodations we have put aside for you and your crew.”

  Chapter 3

  Rethinking

  We were led through part of the outer hallway of the station, where Minh-Chu and Derek joined us. The pair of sentries who led us was dressed in dark grey canvas uniforms. Each had a sidearm and a very military air about them.

  For part of the journey there were windows all along our left side, overlooking the vast ice flows. On our right hand side the wall was replaced by a railing. We could see three levels below to a grand concourse with dozens of shops, kiosks and auction platforms.
It was difficult not to stop and take a better look.

  Everything that could be built out of wood or stone was. The storefronts, the brick in the floor, the platforms and even the digital interfaces had wooden housings. This was a people who enjoyed nature and were proud of their strong connection to their world. There were places in the galaxy where wooden fixtures and natural grown materials were an extreme luxury, but it was everywhere you looked in Concordia.

  After a few minutes we arrived at the double-door entrance to a large apartment. It was decorated in colours of gold and beige, with a two part circular sofa in the centre for six people on either side, a holographic projector in the center, and other, smaller seats and tables arranged in a central pit. Two sets of stairs led up to several bedrooms, and there was a kitchen off to the side that easily rivalled the one Minh had in his restaurant. In the center of the seating pit, circling the holographic projector, was a table covered with fresh flowers, fruit and vegetables.

  On Freeground what was on that table would have been worth a small fortune. Organically grown food was rationed to citizens. What we could spare was sold to traders at a high premium. I had heard that food grown on Freeground was nothing compared to something grown on a fertile planet, and as we entered the room our group stared at the table. Jason and Minh were the worst, the latter of whom even pointed as though no one else had seen it. I looked at Oz and shrugged. “Dig in, just don't make yourselves sick,” Oz instructed.

  Minh and Jason practically ran at the table, one grabbed a pear and the other snatched a package of smaller black berries. I walked by the table to the window and took a nice red apple on my way by.

  We had all been affected by the scene in the board room.

  “I have never seen anything like that, not ever,” Oz said to Doctor Lang.

  “I recognized what she had, though I've never seen it so advanced. We cure that affliction in the womb on Freeground now. It doesn't even have a name there, just a numerical designation.”

  “Well, if that were the only reason for us being here, it would have been enough. Thank you Doctor, I'm glad you came along for the trip.”

  “Oh, you can take me on any planet-side mission from now on. That sort of thing is why I became a doctor,” she said as she looked through the scan results. “In about three days Elise will feel like a normal girl above the waist, and with some therapy we might be able to readjust her physiology so almost all traces of the syndrome are gone. It'll take some work on her part, but from just meeting her I think she'll have the dedication to get through the therapy,” she paused for a moment before going on. “Her physician just sent me a reply. On preliminary examination, he doesn't feel comfortable performing the treatment himself, or confident that his people have the facilities to manufacture the drugs required. If you don't mind I'd like to contact Doctor Anderson and relay the details of what has gone on here. I'm sure he'll be happy to help.”

  “I'm sure he would. You'd better bring him up to speed. Besides, I'm sure he'd love to have a hand in this,” I took a bite of the apple and the taste was so rich I nearly fell over. Materialized food was never quite the right texture and fruit was especially difficult to duplicate.

  “Anyone notice how few questions the Governor had about where we come from? What we're doing here?” Jason asked as he peeled an orange.

  “They're probably focus-scanning our ship with some kind of planet-side station right now, if they hadn't done it before we landed,” Oz replied. “There's only so much you can hide. The characteristics of the metal in our hull will probably tell them that it's from the Blue Belt, and that's about a two month trip from here in hyperspace.”

  I looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

  “What? I can't know a bit about engineering?”

  I finished chewing a bite of apple. “Well, you're right. They probably know that we're about as alien to this area as a Findarian slug. I'm sure they'll have a lot more questions for us before we're finished here.”

  “How much do you think we can tell them?” Minh-Chu asked.

  “Not as much as I'd like to. I hope we can convince them that we have no nefarious purpose here without going into too much detail.”

  “Well, treating Elise and offering our medical database for a reasonable trade will go a long way to that end,” Doctor Lang said.

  “It will. Maybe that's just the thing. I know the medical database is worth a hell of a lot more, but I'd be happy with instructions on how to shield the First Light and the parts to do it. Since it's not a weapon we're asking for, I think that'll be an easy trade.”

  “You could always ask for the schematics to one of those antimatter cannons, maybe some antimatter to get us started,” Oz said quietly.

  “You and I both know that antimatter is the most costly substance in the galaxy. That might be like asking for a stake on their planet, especially since they probably use it for a lot more than weaponry. For all we know it’s their primary form of propulsion, or planetary power.”

  “Still, you are curing the Governor's daughter and providing medical information well past their stage of development,” Jason pointed out as he wafted the orange under his nose and let the fragrance fill his nostrils.

  “As much as I'd like to, I'm not going to walk in asking for weapons in trade for medical technology. If they ask for something else of equal value, maybe, but trading cures for weaponry just doesn't seem to fit with the spirit of our mission.”

  “I thought our mission was to--”” Minh started, but was stopped by a harsh look from Oz, who used the infantry hand signs for. “unknown foe listening.”

  The exchange silenced everyone in the room and a very dark feeling that had been festering in the back of my mind for a while grew a little faster. Hiding it was impossible.

  “What's wrong Jonas?” Minh asked. If anyone could tell when my mood was starting to darken, it was him.

  “It might all be for nothing. Trading medical technology, offering cures, even helping them stand up to their enemies. Vindyne will be back. Judging from the coordinated retreat and how outnumbered they had these colonists, I'm thinking that things are going according to their plans. They'll return and I get the feeling that not even those antimatter cannons we saw on the way in will defend against them.”

  It was like I cast a shadow across the entire room. Everyone stopped and looked at me. I paced along the length of the large windows. “The plan was to come in, find out what they needed and trade for shield technology or whatever they have to offer. Maybe pick up some fresh fruit for the crew and a little something for Ayan at the market.”

  “Still a good plan,” Oz shrugged.

  “Right, until the part of us leaving them behind to face whatever Vindyne have planned for them,” I stopped and looked out the window across an amazing view of blue waters, a sky with just a few clouds, and mountains reaching high in the background. “Look at this! I know technology and new resources are our main priority, but wouldn't a friend like this system of planets be just as valuable?”

  “Don't take this the wrong way, but a drop of water in that ocean makes about as much difference as we would in a fight, on the ground or with the First Light. They've been defending this world for decades. Probably a couple centuries now.” Oz retorted.

  I put my hand on the window and felt the cold through the glass before my vacsuit glove compensated. I jerked my hand away, but not because of the sudden chill. A realization had struck me. “Look at this! It's glass. Glass of all things! I'm sure this kind of construction is just fine for a farm house, but for a port this size? It's a strategic target and they don't know how to make anything harder? One vacuum to atmosphere missile and this place is rubble! There's no way they built those cannons themselves, in fact they probably bought those ships we saw too.”

  “But how do we fight? Even if we have the best ship in orbit, we can't hold out a corporate fleet,” Jason asked quietly. “What can we do?”

  I thought for a while, looking
off across the vast ocean. “Alice, patch in Ayan and Doctor Anderson and display them on the most central holographic projector you can access.”

  “Yes Captain, I'll get them on right away,” Alice replied from my arm console. A moment later the holographic projector in the middle of the room came to life. It looked like Ayan and Doctor Anderson were standing back to back above the projector, rotating slowly. The height difference between the two had never been more apparent. Doc seemed to tower over her while she seemed miniature, a full head shorter and more. “How is it going down there, Captain?” Ayan asked. “I hear things are taking an interesting turn.”

  “You could say that,” Minh managed around a piece of fruit.

  “They're going well as far as the negotiations are concerned. We've already made a couple friends here. As Doctor Anderson knows, we've found that our medical technology is far advanced compared to theirs, and there is at least one problem we can solve for them.”

  “Yes, and if you can get Elise to the ship we can probably have her upper body motor functions back to an average level in the space of a day or two. With some physical therapy to tune her fine motor controls, she'll be playing table tennis with the best of them after a few months. Any chance we can bring her aboard?”

  I hadn't even thought about using our medical equipment to treat her, it would be faster and our entire medical team would have access to her during the treatment. The problem was that the senior staff had agreed that having outsiders on the ship would expose them to a lot of information we didn't want to share. I looked at Oz and saw he was hesitant as well, “I don't know Doctor, there's a lot we don't know about these people. Bringing people aboard may be premature, though it does bring me to my next point. I don't think these people can stand up to the kind of force Vindyne has shown us. They have some solid planetary defence weaponry, we saw at least one antimatter cannon, but I doubt they developed and manufactured it themselves.”