Galaxia

by Kevin McLaughlin

  This had been a tricky point. If they had insisted on taking her to jail, she would have had a much more difficult time, and the delay could interject more variables. Simple and to the point was best.

  Two more jacks came running up, but her two captors guarded her like dogs over a bone. They were not going to split the reward with anyone.

  The crowd grew as they walked towards downtown. A vehicle came to pick her up, but by that time, there were probably over a thousand people pacing them, a good portion camming the scene. Overhead, a news drone appeared.

  There were probably fifty jacks present, and after some discussion, the senior jack decided that walking was just as good.

  As they entered Prosperity Square, where Michi’s journey really began, five black-uniformed fuckdicks in riot gear blocked their path and demanded that Michi be turned over to them. The one on the end, not saying a word, was Chopra, and Michi thought she could feel his eyes burn into her.

  The jacks were having none of it, though, and pushed past the federal officers, escorting Michi up B Street and into One Propitious Interstellar. They moved around the Cornucopia Fountain and to the front doors where a flunky, a high-ranking flunky, but a flunky none-the-less, awaited her.

  The jacks had taken an almost festive air as they brought Michi forward.

  “And what is this all about?” the flunky asked.

  “I need to see someone higher on the food chain,” Michi said with what she hoped was a tone of disdain. “Like the CEO.”

  The crowd, many who had their PA directional mics trained on her, hooted and hollered at her words.

  “I’m afraid you don’t have much say here, Miss MacCailín, and you are going to enjoy being our guest once again,” he said, his voice dripping venom.

  Oh, they picked a good one, Michi thought despite the intense situation.

  “I think you had better contact your bosses. Ask them about the Blue-99 in the vault.”

  This was the key. If the worm hadn’t made it, and if they even checked, the algae in the vault would be fine, and she would be back in the hands of the FCDC. If they worm had arrived, but didn’t work, she’d be back in custody. But if the worm had functioned as designed, then the algae in the vault, the foundation batch, would be destroyed.

  The flunky hesitated, and Michi could see his emotions war with each other. After several moments, he spoke into this throat mic, then came back to an easy stance, feet apart, hands clasped in front of him, the very picture of cool, collected control.

  Do they have a school for that, she wondered as she tried to portray the same degree of control.

  They waited, staring at each other, Michi matching the flunky’s easy smile. Behind them, the crowd was getting restless. It took almost ten minutes, but the flunky put his hand over his ear to cut out the crowd noise. He nodded, said something, then looked up.

  “If you will come this way, Miss MacCailín, the CEO will see you now.”

  The crowd erupted behind them as the people shouted. Michi couldn’t tell if they supported her or they thought she was going in to be given her just desserts. She held out her bound hands to the jacks. They looked to the flunky, who nodded. Off came the zipties. Two more jacks, but jacks on steroids and in designer uniforms appeared, and the street jacks muttered, but stepped back. Michi hoped her two jacks would still get their reward.

  The four of them walked to the elevator. Before getting in, one of the jacks searched her for weapons. Her bammers and top couldn’t hide much, but he was still thorough. He pretty much checked everything, but with a manner that left Michi not feeling violated.

  They rode up to the 50th floor, hallowed ground within the company. A woman in another tailored suit awaited them, and without saying a word walked them to the right, down a corridor, and into a conference room with a glass wall, giving a beautiful view of the city. Michi ignored it, instead, turning to the four men sitting at the end of the huge stone table. She recognized David del Solar, the CEO of Propitious Interstellar.

  “Just what the hell have you done, young lady?” the man sitting next to the CEO said.

  “It’s not what I have done that’s important; it’s what you are going to do to save your precious company,” she said as she armed herself for battle.

  Chapter 40

  Michi got out of the company hover without a word and looked up to the condo where she knew Doug was waiting. She was empty, an emotionless husk. She—no, the people—had won. They had gone up against the most powerful entity on the planet, they had challenged the very Federation, yet somehow, unlike as on Ellison or Fu Sing, they had won. Part of Michi realized that and was amazed. A bigger part of her felt like she had lost.

  It hadn’t been easy, but as the three roommates had known, the company had no choice. They had to give in if they wanted to survive without damage as a major Federation fabricator. The trick was to make sure whatever the company agreed to would be upheld and there would be no adverse consequences once things settled down.

  There had been screaming and threats in the conference rooms. “Traitor” and “saboteur” might have been the least-inciteful names she had been called. When Mallory Yamauguchi, the company CFO had accused her of trying to destroy the company, she had bristled and attacked back.

  “It’s you who are trying to destroy the company, not me! The company is the lifeblood of the planet, and we need the jobs. My own family made their living servicing the company. We need you, just like you need us. We only want you to follow the charter and treat us, all of us, including Class Fours, as valued partners!” she had shouted, standing up, hands on the table as she leaned into the man, wanting to jump over the table and beat him senseless.

  David del Solar had called a recess to let things calm down, telling the others to leave. Alone with Michi, he had asked her just what they wanted. Still fuming, Michi hadn’t trusted the CEO’s frank demeanor, but had given the brief outline that Doug, Tamara, and she had come up with. It had been based on previous demands from various opposition groups, and it gave only the basics.

  He had listened and then invited her into his office. Sitting on his couch, the two of them had communicated, not merely talked. David listened to the arguments she had prepared, but Michi had also listened to his concerns. She was holding the company hostage, a knife at its throat, but the two of them were calmly, and rationally coming to some sort of middle ground.

  Michi had wanted a number of things. Strict adherence to the charter was non-negotiable. She wanted some sort of independent oversight of charter and company policies and action, and that oversight entity had to have real power to enforce adherence. She demanded that Class Four workers have the real ability to pay off their indenture. The three of them had considered demanding an end to the indentured class of worker, but that was ingrained in the Federation, so they retreated back to what they thought they might actually achieve.

  David had pointed out that the Class Four program enabled people mired in poverty and hopelessness to get a fresh start, and if the company couldn’t get their investment back, there would be no impetus for them to offer people that chance. He hadn’t insulted her intelligence by pretending that the company didn’t use shady and even illegal methods to keep the indentureds in thrall.

  With the jacks so involved with day-to-day living, something had to change. Michi had demanded that the jacks be cut in strength and only have authority on company property. To fill the void, city police forces would be beefed up where they would take care of civil protection. With the company the ultimate power on the planet, Michi had known this would not make a huge difference. The city governments, even the planetary government on Dundee, were all funded by the company, so any enlarged city police force would still be beholding to PI, but at least the symbology of such a change should be a significant step. To her surprise, David hadn’t even argued the demand.

  Despite their surprisingly civilized discussion, she had known the man wouldn’t hesitate to crush her as soon as
the threat to Blue-99 was over. She had to protect not only herself, but all the people who had risen in protest. This was the tricky part. He had been only talking to her then because with one push of a button, the rest of his precious algae would be gone. If she and Doug followed through and incapacitated the worm, they would be vulnerable.

  Michi had told David that she wanted full immunity for any person who had joined the protest as well as the survivors of the attack on the Marines. She also wanted restitution for those killed and injured. Specifically, she named Doug, Tamara and her. David had raised his eyes when she mentioned Doug and Tamara, but said nothing. On another personal matter, she had told him she wanted her family’s property restored.

  One thing she didn’t request was immunity for common criminals. Without it, she could be prosecuted for Gerile Fountainhead’s death. As far as she knew, though, only Tamara and Cheri knew that she was his killer.

  Restitution had been a sticking point. People who were injured during a legal protest was one thing. His security was responsible for protecting the people, after all, so that could work. But attacking the Marines was a different matter, totally illegal, and not even something that the company could address. That was a matter for the Federation, not Propitious Interstellar They had gone back and forth on this for almost 30 minutes before his logic made enough of an impact that Michi had withdrawn the demand.

  On his side, David had demanded full cessation of any protests, a full return of the workforce, and most of all, the destruction of the worm. Michi had readily agreed, adding the caveat of protests by people she could control. She couldn’t be responsible for every person on the planet, but she had agreed to make another camcording asking for peace. As far as the worm, she had reminded him that she didn’t want to destroy the algae, so when they were finished, she would give the order for its destruction. She had also left him, though, with the inference, at least, that a new worm was waiting in the wings should the need arise.

  Two hours after the two had started, they had a framework to end the conflict. David had called in for some snacks and told her he would bring in his legal team to write up the agreement.

  “We should get a Federation lawyer for that, don’t you think?” Michi had asked innocently. “The FCDC would probably be willing to supply one.”

  Michi had known that David would want his own team writing up an agreement if they got that far. But it would be hard to argue against a Federation lawyer being brought in. She waited for his response. Getting an outside lawyer was probably vital to her survival.

  She hadn’t had to wait long. With barely a pause, David agreed, with a smile on his face that Michi had to admire as looking natural. David had made a call to the FCDC chief of operations, and a legal team was dispatched. While they waited, and with David’s permission, she had called Cheri, outlined the situation, and asked that she and Su come over. To her credit, Cheri hadn’t demanded a full explanation but quickly agreed.

  Forty-five minutes later, the nitty-gritty had begun. David and Michi had recorded their conversation, outlining the agreement. Michi had thought that pretty clear. But with the company lawyers, Su, two other lawyers Cheri had brought along, and the city attorney there, it had been amazing how so many people could have so many different opinions on what had just been said on the recording. The FCDC lawyer, as chief facilitator, had to make several decisions when the rest of the squabbling lawyers could not come to an agreement.

  One key factor, at least for Michi, Doug, and Tamara’s safety, was the civil penalty should anything happen to them—and that meant anything. The company lawyers and representatives had screamed that they could not be penalized if Michi had a massive coronary, for example. But as “massive coronaries” could be easily induced by people wishing her harm, Michi was not going to back down.

  “You are just going to have to hope that doesn’t happen!” she had shouted. “Maybe you should put me on your health maintenance plan!”

  It took David stepping in and telling his staff that he accepted the condition before they had been able to move forward.

  The civil penalties had been a key to the entire agreement. The law could sometimes be bent, as the company had shown over the years. But a contract was a contract, and if there were a monetary penalty to be assessed if a specified event happened, then the contract would be honored. Huge corporation or individual, the Federation would not take sides.

  With that paragraph in place, if anything happened to Doug, Tamara, or Michi once the contract was signed, the company would be hit with huge payments. That was the best Michi could do to protect the three of them.

  At 4:10 in the morning, which was amazingly quick for the scope of the agreement, representatives of the union, the mayor, the senior NIP member in jail, and representatives of several other protest and civil groups, had been called in. The Federation administrator had already caught a shuttle from Dundee, and had already arrived, so the Federation was represented as well.

  David and Michi had stood together as the contract was read out loud. Everyone present had a copy on their PAs, but the reading was a tradition. After it was finished, Michi had stepped forward.

  She had looked down at the paper copy. It hadn’t seemed like much. What had happened to her dreams of throwing the company, throwing the Federation off of Kakurega, of full independence? Had she sold out? All this really required was that Propitious Interstellar abide by the existing charter. Everything else was window dressing.

  Well, it’s the best that I can do, she thought as she signed her name and looked into the retinal scanning beam.

  David hadn’t hesitated but signed as well. Then the long string of ancillary signatories came forward. With David and Michi’s signatures, the contract was in effect. However, as others outside of the company were affected, they had to sign as well to bind their organizations to the terms. The union vice-chairman had balked, saying he wanted to bring the agreement back and study it, but after a quick conference with several other people there, he changed his mind and signed.

  Michi and David had shaken hands for the camcorders, and it was done despite the huge odds against them. Fu Sing, and even Ellison had been crushed, but somehow, they had averted that fate and gained some benefit, if not outright won.

  Michi asked for a PA, and connecting to Doug’s disposable PA, and after only a slight hesitation, she had given the code words to stand down the worm.

  “Our Blue-99 is safe now?” David had asked, trying to sound calm even if Michi could hear the stressors in his voice.

  “Safe and sound,” she had assured him.

  Michi had been rushed to a backdrop that had been erected, and with David, the mayor, and the Federation administrator standing behind her, had recorded her pleas for the protests to stop and for people to get on with their lives. She never used the word “won,” but she assured people that the company had seen the righteousness of their concerns and had agreed to address them.

  As soon as she was done and the recording stopped, David had actually shaken her hand.

  “I can’t say I’m happy that this happened, but it is what it is,” he had said.

  “Arinomamade,” Michi said quietly.

  “Yes, arinomamade,” he had said, surprising Michi that he knew what the word meant. “But now we have to move forward. If I want to meet with you, I trust you would be willing?”

  For maybe the first time during the night, Michi had been surprised. He wanted to work with her? He was the CEO of Propitious Interstellar, and she had just hurt them. She was his enemy, right? And now, he might want to work together?

  What game is he playing now? she had wondered.

  She had cautiously agreed to meet if needed. He had thanked her and told her he had a car for her to take her to where she wanted. Once again, she had hesitated, unsure if she could trust him. But the contract had been signed. She had agreed and was whisked to the condo.

  She wasn’t sure how she was going to tell Doug. She wanted t
o delay the inevitable, so she took the stairs instead of the elevator. She started to, at least. The emotional toll of the last day and night had affected her body, too. Michi had to stop on the fifth floor and take the elevator the rest of the way up.

  She hadn’t opened the door yet when Doug burst out and grabbed her in a bear hug. She clung to him, mindless of his excitement.

  “We did it, Michi! I never actually thought we would win, but this is brills! I’m, I’m, I don’t know what I am, but it’s pretty freaking great!” he shouted, pulling her around in a circle.

  She just clung to him, her tears falling unnoticed onto his shoulder.

  “Tamara’s going to be ready to party!” he said, drawing out the “paaarteee!”

  “Doug, listen to me!”

  “Michi-baby, I’ll listen to anything you’ve got. Give me all the details! Was del Solar crushed?”

  She grabbed Doug and pushed him back to arms’ length. He noted something in her eyes, and he stopped hopping up and down.

  “Tamara’s not coming,” she said somberly.

  “What do you mean? She’d going to be late?” he asked uncertainly.

  “She’s dead, Doug! She was killed by the jacks trying to get away after infecting the system.”

  Doug, with a look of shock on his face, slowly dropped to sit on the floor. “No,” was all he said.

  Just before Michi left the 5oth floor of One Propitious Interstellar, Virag Chopra had approached her, saying, “Sorry about your friend, Miss Veal,” his expression indicating anything other than sorrow.

  “Sorry for what?” she’d asked, a feeling of dread coming over her.

  “Oh, you hadn’t heard? Maybe I ‘d better wait . . .”

  She had grabbed him by the collar and yanked him forward until their faces were centimeters apart.

  “If you know something, tell me now,” she had hissed.

  “Certainly, Miss MacCailín, if you insist. It seems as if your friend was caught inserting something into the organics control system. She tried to run, and, unfortunately, the company security shot and killed her,” he had said, a smile on his face.