I replied, "We tell them to head back to Telfor and await orders from Jallis and Layda. I was thinking of asking Jallis to take over as the temporary Governor of the Feldons while having Layda do the same on SS241. This will mean big changes for this sector. We will need to convene another meeting of all the colony Governors. I’m thinking we have Go run the sector policing with the Talisans until Layda can get the security force there up to snuff. We can set up elections for two years out."
Garrett nodded. "Sounds good. What about the Saltons? What if they try to get involved?"
I sighed. "If we can keep things quiet and pay the Saltons their tax, we might just be able to have a smooth transition to elected officials. If they see Omega as something of interest, they will appoint their own Governor. That deed would probably put us right back into the same corrupt situation we had before. The good thing for us is that other than offering advice, you and I should now be able to look for Joni Salton."
Garrett offered a pensive smile. "I just hope we haven’t waited too long. A lot can happen in a few months, as we have just seen."
I replied, "Let’s get back to the station. I want to contact my wife and get these kids on their way home through those portals."
The ride back to SS241 went quickly with my attentions diverted to my son and daughter. Granda had won his first helocycle race against his siblings, while Shila had taken on raising the galligs. Her first run to market had brought in over eight hundred credits to the family coffers. Both were doing well with their schooling.
We landed in Bay-7 and made our way up to the Governor’s office. The workers who remained were sitting at their stations without knowing what to do. A quick speech to the staff had each of them outlining exactly what their position was meant to do. I promised no immediate changes to personnel, which served to calm nerves. The staff was largely Feldon and was relieved when told that a Feldon would be taking over. Layda would have a difficult time staffing needed positions with citizens of the station after the Governor’s prior purge.
With the offices in order, we walked to the Governor’s treasure collection. It was far larger than I had guessed. It was decided that word would be sent out, sector-wide, that the treasure existed. Any persons claiming that it had been stolen from their persons would be asked to show overwhelming proof of ownership before it would be returned. Word was also spread that if any person was caught making a false claim, the prison sentence, and possible execution, would be swift and harsh. Any contraband that remained would be sold at auction, with the proceeds going into sector security expenses.
Several days later, I was sitting with Layda on her first day on the job. "Are you ready for this?"
Layda laughed. "How could anyone be ready for this? If I learned anything in those slave mines, it was that you take every day as it comes. I’ve managed to put together a team of people who were in government back on Krakus. They will be helping me to craft my policies. Go has a team of Talisans coming over to help us get organized. He says their government offices run smoothly, so he thought we could make use of the way they set things up. I have to tell you, it’s going to be strange having Talisans working for me."
I replied, "From what I hear, they will be a big help. One thing you shouldn’t have to worry about on this station, at least for a short while, is politicians butting their heads, trying to take advantage of the disorganization. We know who was on the Governor’s payroll, and from what I’ve seen, they are too worried about getting knifed in the back to be getting involved in politics. I think if you can maintain a tight reporting regimen throughout your staff, you will find it’s easier to put out fires when they flare up. Treat your people with respect, and they will mostly respect you back."
Layda raised an eyebrow. "Mostly?"
I offered a pursed smile. "There will always be some who are difficult. You will just have to learn to deal with them."
Layda tilted her head. "How is it you know so much about government?"
I replied, "I spent my whole career observing the bureaucracy of the security service. The managers who served the longest and had the most respect of their staffs were the ones that respected their personnel, even with the many flaws that you find in people. A good manager will figure out how to work with or work around those flaws."
Layda grimaced as she looked down at the big desk in front of her. "Am I even ready for this? I worked in a clothing store on Gamminus before I was abducted. Add a few months in a slave mine to that, and you have a very thin resume."
I stood and walked around behind the desk, placing my hand on her shoulder and gently squeezing. "You will do fine. You are of good character and intelligence. Lean on your advisers for anything you don’t understand."
Granda and Shila came running into the office. "The comm to home is open!"
I lifted my arm and popped up the holo-display. "Hello, Getta. Before you speak, I have good news. Granda and Shila are here with me, and they are safe."
I panned the camera until the two children came into view.
Getta spoke. "And what of the abductors?"
I replied, "He and his men have been dealt with. And you would be proud of Shila and Granda; they were the ones that freed themselves."
Granda spoke. "Shila took out five of them! I took out one!"
Getta smiled. "I am just glad the two of you are safe. When will you be coming home?"
Shila replied, "We are scheduled to make the portal jumps tomorrow! We will have an escort with us, a Human named Go."
I turned the camera back on myself. "You should be proud. They handled themselves well. It will be an experience that they can carry with themselves throughout their lives."
Getta sighed. "You know it is our cultural norm to not talk about or praise violence. It will only make others seek us out."
I nodded. "I will reinforce that notion with the two of them. I was only stating that for you."
Our conversation continued for another fifteen minutes. When the comm ended, I had a less-than-thrilled look on my face.
Layda spoke. "That didn’t sound like it went too well. Why was she upset?"
I replied, "As a culture, we do not want to be seen as violent people or as warriors. We may be capable, but we do not want others to think it. We prefer to appear docile. If word gets out that you are strong, inevitably someone will come looking for a fight, or come looking for you to fight for them. We desire neither. Our way is to live in peace."
Layda replied, "I thought the Grunta were one of the original species that fought in the great War of Wars? Rumor is that your women are fierce warriors."
I nodded. "That is a rumor we have been trying to quell for centuries. When word gets out that a Grunta has been in a fight, everyone wants to know what happened."
Layda laughed. "It seems to me that fighting is all you have done since you were sent here. I would think that showing of strength to be a positive."
I replied, "It has its drawbacks as well."
The following day I said goodbye to Granda and Shila as Go led them through a portal. I had a twinge of apprehension and sadness as they vanished from my sight. It was not often that I was able to see my family members in person; a small part of me wanted to thank the now-deceased Governor.
With the governance of SS241 coming together, I traveled with Garrett to the shipyards on Dallex. A small freighter, able to be swept through the portal system, would be updated to provide the securities and defense we would want while traveling through the Alpha sector. The freighter would be loaded with ore samples and used as a cover for Garrett’s travels.
The engines of the freighter were modified to give her the highest possible speed, her computers were upgraded to the latest available models, and her cockpit and vital systems were surrounded by heavy plating. Should the freighter take fire from another ship, Garrett would stand a modest chance of escaping unharmed.
With the freighter updates moving along, I made a trip out to Telfor. Jallis was busy coordi
nating the moves of his people to the Feldon home world of Krakus, and to the planet of Effica. The Talisans were providing adequate food and care during the transitions. The mines of Telfor would be silent until the proper mining machinery could be developed, brought in, and set up. Raw unskilled labor was no longer available.
I remained under exile from the rest of the New Alliance. With so many changes under way in Omega, I had the desire to go back to do that which was familiar. As I walked into Bay-68, Malcom was sitting in a chair. Gerald held his familiar position, asleep in the chair just outside of his ship as well. Captain Rexigal Hallif came through the bay doors.
Malcom looked up. "This isn’t going to be good. Gerald, hey! Wake up!"
Gerald lifted the lid on his hat and peered at the approaching Captain.
The Captain stood in front of me. "Gentlemen, and I use that term loosely, get your asses out of those chairs and get over here. We have a lot to discuss about the changes that are taking place. For the next week, you will be taking your ships to Dallex for retrofit. They will be getting beefed-up armor and new systems, and I know I will probably regret this, but you will get a blaster cannon.
"The shipping lanes have had pirate problems for years. Our initial focus will be to clean up those lanes so that shipping in this sector can move about in a safe and secure manner. Once that happens, we can return to a regular inspection schedule. Things are changing, and we are going to be agents for that change. Tell me your concerns."
The Captain pulled a short stogie from his pocket and jammed it in his mouth.
Malcom spoke first. "We don’t have any training in dealing with pirates. What kind of armor upgrades are we getting? I don’t want to be fighting those people!"
The Captain raised his upper right hand as his upper left took hold of the stogie. "We have to shut down the pirate activity out here, or they will become more and more powerful. At the moment, the best we can do is to give you ships that can handle an encounter with them. I understand that we aren’t warriors and we aren’t trained in combat, but neither are they. If you come across a situation that is more than one on one, you will have the option of calling for backup or leaving."
Gerald spoke. "And what are we supposed to do with these pirates when we come in contact with them?"
The Captain smiled. "Well, Gerald, I expect that you will either arrest them or kick their ass. Look, we aren’t out to get ourselves killed at this, but the piracy has to stop. Clear shipping lanes will benefit us all."
I replied, "I have some combat training and would be glad to share what I know. Also, Captain, you said ‘get ourselves killed.’ That sounds like you will be joining us."
The Captain grinned. "That’s right! I’m retiring the desk for at least six months. You clowns think you get to have all the fun?"
Malcom shook his head. "This doesn’t sound like fun to me."
The Captain changed hands with his stogie and pointed. "Don’t be a wuss, Barber! We work for the security forces of the New Alliance. It’s time we started pulling our weight. We don’t have to worry about Talisans anymore, so let’s get out there and kick some pirate ass!"
Carter and Boglio arrived before the Captain had finished telling us our new tasks. The Human and Magonia were quickly filled in on what they had missed. Neither had any qualms about tackling the pirate issue. Both seemed eager to get under way.
Go had long since returned from delivering my son and daughter to their home. He would be running the ship modifications at the Dallex yards with the assistance of Garrett. I took the time to put together a training program for combat flying. When the upgrades had been completed, I took the team out for practice.
I spoke over the comm. "Remember, your heaviest armor is straight forward or straight back. Hits from the sides, top, or bottom are more likely to penetrate the hull. If you are going into action, make sure you have on your helmet and that you are buckled in. You don’t know when you might have a hull breach or a lucky shot that partially disables your inertial dampeners. Always try to be flying directly toward your target, or directly away.
"Now for the ion cannons. A good pilot will properly judge the direction and speed of his opponent. You can get a solid hit with an aim that is out in front of your opponent if they are moving. That will be how most of your manual shots, if needed, will be taken. You will have a superior weapon. Learn to use it. Most of the time your targeting will be on automatic, but you need to be prepared.
"Next, I will mention strategy and tactics. Our mission is to end piracy, not to kill all pirates. If you come upon suspected pirates, first attempt a dialogue with them. If they don’t respond, fire a warning shot. If they still refuse, try to target their engines, disable their ship. We want these people to cease what they are doing. If we can do that without having to kill them, all the better. Dead pirates tend to have angry relatives.
"Do not, however, put your life needlessly in danger. They are undertaking criminal activities; they are the ones who are placing themselves at risk. And as the Captain had previously mentioned, before finding yourself in deep trouble, call for backup. There are only five of us, six if we count the Captain, so first and foremost, keep yourselves alive."
Two days were spent targeting asteroids. Go was able to get the Talisan engineer to design a gun turret for above and one for below that offered full coverage against any attackers. With the addition of Garrett’s targeting algorithms, the cannons provided a decent offensive capability to a ship that previously had none. With the practice soon out of the way, we paired up and headed towards the shipping lanes that we knew to be frequented by pirates. I teamed up with Malcom Barber. None of the others would have him.
After arriving at the target area between Effica and Gantor III, Malcom spoke. "We’ve been here for three hours and nothing. With all the training and all the talk, I thought this would be nonstop action."
I replied, "If they were out here every day, no one would travel this route. We might have to spend a week here monitoring before anything happens, but it will happen."
Malcom huffed. "I don’t see why we have to be out here chasing pirates anyway. That’s not our job."
I shook my head. "It is our job. We work for the security forces. Our primary task might be checking ships for contraband, but our overall duty is to protect the citizens of this sector. Things have to change out here if civilization is to exist. We are the implementers of that change. Being a detective for the security forces is a service job. We aren’t paid to pick and choose what it is that we want to do. We just have to go out and do what is right and do what is needed."
I was a bit put off by Malcom’s remarks. His attitude was selfish and his morals were corrupt. When the first undocumented ship appeared on our sensors, it took every bit of convincing that I had to keep Malcom on station. Their target was a food freighter heading to Effica.
I spoke. "Keep your transponder off, and we should be able to intercept them at the point that I have highlighted on your display. Our ships should be faster than theirs, so they will have the option to either turn themselves over or die."
Malcom replied, "Yeah, or kill us. You do realize that the armor on these ships has not been tested. What if they did a shoddy job of installing it?"
I sighed. "Well, I guess at that point you die. If that happens, you aren’t going to care, so don’t let it bother you."
When the supposed pirates had taken up a position that would allow a raid on the freighter, I set our plan into action. Almost immediately our ship movements were picked up on their sensors. The two ships turned to flee and then stopped.
I hailed the pirates over the general comm channel. "This is Detective Beutcher with the Omega sector security force. You are being instructed to hold your position. An investigation into your activities has been activated."
The captain of one of the vessels came online. "It’s obvious that you can outrun us. So, we’ll wait for you here."
We arrived at a point that was ten
kilometers from their position.
I said over the comm, "Enable my scanner to tie into your systems, please. When a scan is complete, we may or may not choose to board your vessel. Will you comply?"
The captain nodded. "We will comply. We have done nothing wrong. But first, can you look over an item that we found on Gantor III? We came by it in an auction, and we believe it might be stolen. I will put it out for you to pick up and I’ll move away."
I replied, "That's an unusual request."
Malcom spoke. "Can you just shove it out through your gravity wall? We can take a look at it with our sensors."
I opened a comm to Malcom. "What are you doing?"
Malcom replied, "What I’m doing is moving this investigation along. You know, they could have easily been here to place something on that freighter, not necessarily to take something off."
I thought about Malcom’s statement as he spoke. "There, they jettisoned it. I’m going to go check it out."
The suspected pirate vessels moved away as Malcom pulled to within a kilometer of the meter-long metal device.
Malcom snarled. "Scan didn’t penetrate far enough to see inside. I’m moving in closer."
I replied, "Malcom. Something isn’t right here. I advise that you pull back from that until we know what it is."
Malcom laughed. "Yeah, well, I don’t have all day. If this turns out to be nothing, we just send them on their way."
I watched on the display as Malcom Barber pulled his ship up to within ten meters of the device.
Malcom began his close inspection of the device. "Scanning it now. It looks like—"
A bright flash filled my monitor as the device exploded, taking Malcom and his ship with it. The pirates had deployed a bomb of unknown makeup and then lured Malcom into their trap. I pushed my throttle to full as the two pirate ships split, heading off in different directions. I had closed to within firing range of the first ship after fifteen minutes of pursuit.
Two quick bursts from my ion cannon turrets ended the regress of the ship that had deployed the weapon. I pushed the controls over to pursue the other fleeing ship. After forty-five minutes, I had closed to within a hundred kilometers. At fifty kilometers I began to take shots at the pirate vessel as it changed its direction every few seconds. At twenty kilometers a close shot scorched an engine nacelle. At ten kilometers the pirate vessel began to fire back, its ion cannon no more powerful than a blaster rifle.
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