"Let's get out today and roam around a bit, have lunch somewhere outside the hotel and see some sights," Lee begged him again quickly, before he could suggest otherwise.
"Fine with me," he agreed, "It's ten minutes 'til noon, why don't you call up the news like Hiroshi suggested and see if they say anything about our world before we go out?"
"House, news on screen please," Lee called out.
"Local, Earth, system, or trans-stellar news?" a pleasant androgynous voice inquired.
"Trans-stellar," Lee said, then asked, "Don't you think Gordon?"
"I don't know. It's a big screen. Why don't you do split channels?"
"OK, house split screen and display most popular news channels, local, Earth, system and trans-stellar, with captioning."
Four windows opened with no audio talking over each other. The trans-stellar news was talking heads, with names under each on screen and a chat room style text box, but the captioning caught her eye, as the name of their ship scrolled past in the captions.
* * *
"The investors of Galan's Girl have already released their claims to public bid. They have a number of mineral discoveries in three different systems. High Hopes is in the explorer yard, but it is listed as in from Derfhome and marked on the trade board as carrying goods of Derfhome origin, so I don't see it having anything to do with the rumors."
"They also are shown on the public boards as crewed by two owners. The primary owners of record are not even present, so likely they went bust and it is here for a refit and possibly to hire crew. A two man crew rarely tries to prospect anything but gas giants and asteroid belts. So I agree there, Howard. The Chinese boat Unfolding Blossom came in similarly short crewed and with visible damage. I doubt they have any significant finds to report and are likewise in for a refit."
"That leaves the Pilgrim's Fortune out of Fargone, Dick. Do you like them for big news, big enough to schedule a press conference?"
"Absolutely, Howard, they came in on an Orion vector. It has been dry out that direction for so long, it's way past time for a hit. The crew won't be released out of quarantine until later today, so the timing fits. There is no keeping a cap on news once a big crew has liberty. It is a fifty-man Boeing hull that was gone sixteen months. Long enough to be far beyond the frontier and they are a syndicated company specifically searching for major finds, with one water world to their credit already."
"Well Dick, we'll know in another five minutes. The Commission has only twice called a press conference for anything less than a water world. The discovery of the heavy metal asteroids out past Thorn and the rich helium-3 finds in Benigan's system. Increased market activity suggests many investors agree with us about Pilgrim's Fortune. Everything along the Orion vector is showing an increase in volume and price, from real estate to ship service companies. The few free shares of the syndicate holding that ship hit their trading limits minutes after the news conference was called. Even the Fargone Mark is up significantly against Earth currencies."
* * *
"Look at the local news little gal."
The camera showed outside their hotel. There was a mob of people packed in shoulder to shoulder. Security people in padded jumpsuits were holding a line with stun wands and riot clubs, behind a waist high crowd barrier. The camera zoomed down to show details and the front row against the barrier all had mics in their hands and video cameras riding on their shoulder, or still camera equipment hung around their necks with their press cards.
* * *
"The press is gathering already outside the Holiday Inn, hoping for a quick shot of any crew members released from the Pilgrim's Fortune quarantine this afternoon," the caption read.
"Two members of the crew are system citizens, Cletus Yoho of Akron, Ohio – USNA and Alice Meriwether of Armstrong in our own Lunar Republic. Central News has been unable to get statements from any of their relatives. This promises to be a boost to the local economy, as well as system wide of course. The last discovery significant enough to boost economic activity was over three years ago, so whatever the Commission announces will be welcome in an economy that was suffering from a slowdown."
* * *
Earth News was a feed called Big3. It had a banner streaming with "Claims Commission conference live at 1200 – markets response positive – central banks up rates and margins to discourage speculation. Messenger drone services sell out ahead of announcement, as colonies get ready to rush news home. Outer system bidders rush to Luna to eliminate light lag in anticipated bidding."
The visuals showed scenes of the packed Commission field, with the neatly rowed ships casting long shadows.
System News showed a white haired fellow in an odd collarless jacket. The port behind him showed a pink barren landscape that had to be Mars. "This is why we need to go to a Dutch auction, with an extended bidding process," he said, waving his hands in a mechanical attempt to convey sincerity. "The current system actually favors other-system bidders, over our own out-system population. When that includes aliens it's more than political treason, it's racial suicide. Non-humans should not be allowed to bid on Commission offerings, unless there are no human bidders. The fact so many maintain a Lunar presence just for bidding, is a major source of this pollution of our home system. Have you been to Luna lately?" he asked with a disgusted look, "It's a blasted zoo, with all these clever animals running loose in the public spaces like they are our peers. If we are to....."
"Close System news," Lee said angrily. She sat and looked at the floor, fists clutched, angry and ashamed to look at Gordon even though the error was not hers. It still felt like some of it wiped off on her, just being human.
"Hey, hey, here comes the new conference," Gordon jollied her and scratched in a playful circle between her shoulder blades with a single claw.
She looked up and all three remaining screens showed the exact same feed. The banner running on the screen bottom informed them Adrian Bertrand was Official Spox for the Claims Commission. There was a beautiful rendition of the Claims Commission Seal carved on the front of the lectern and he was standing behind the lectern gripping it with both hands, looking terrified. Flags of all the member nations were lined up behind him. It was obvious public speaking was not something he relished.
Chapter 21
"Gentle people, citizens, visitors, occasionally we announce a discovery, that widens the opportunities and knowledge of our collective societies. I'm especially pleased to be able to tell you we have added another living world, a substantial distance toward Antares on the Centauri vector." He was reading but doing a passable job.
The noise of the crowd surged so strong it was heard distinctly through the microphone. Bertrand closed his half open mouth in surprise at the swell of it and let it subside before trying to talk over it.
"The North American flagged vessel High Hopes, has patented a Class A world with a compatible biosphere, that has been multi-site tested to be friendly. It has proved out for all the standard testing animals and has already supplied Human and Derf safe consumables."
There was another audible murmur from the crowd, but of appreciation instead of consternation. This one made Bertrand smile.
"All the particulars of areas open for bidding and contracts for support, are available on our site for download at the end of this announcement. Some critical items of course have been let on a preferred supplier basis. However over the next year we expect to take bids for approximately three hundred trillion North American Dollars. This world meets the guidelines to have bids let on the minority and small business plans, as well as using credits available to non-space nations. Mr. Hernandez of our asset evaluation team would now like to show you some still pix and then we will entertain a limited number of questions from the press pool and investors who have posted cash bidding bonds of one hundred million dollars USNA."
The screen showed landscapes, a sandy beach with rocky outcroppings dashed by surf, a valley with the glare of a wide river framed by mountains, a
plain with dense grasses that went flat clear to the horizon. Then a closer look at particular plants and animals, some obviously arranged as specimens. Then there were a few shots from orbit showing outlines of continents and closer looks at islands and river deltas. From there it zoomed away – reminding them it was a system claim, showing the one gas giant of which they had a good close-up and briefly running through the relatively low resolution telescopic images of the other surveyed bodies. At least they showed a disk.
Hernandez looked more like a prize fighter than a PR man. He had a nose that had been smashed by something and he'd never bothered to fix it. He was compact and thick necked and stood behind the lectern without apology for barely seeing over it.
"Let me run a few numbers past you. They will likely answer some of the questions you have and save us some time. This world is named Providence and is 1.08 G at mean sea level. The atmosphere is 1.02 Earth Normal for pressure. Oxygen 88% EN partial pressure, CO2 93%EN, N2 72%EN, noble gases make up the difference in volume for the low nitrogen. Land area 136% EN, but roughly equal or a bit less arable area. Orbital inclination is a bit less, but eccentricity is higher. One large stretch of Equatorial Ocean will likely generate significant seasonal cyclonic storms. There are two moons in locked orbit, the one significantly bigger than the other, but both combined massing less than Luna. Relative abundance of elements is undetermined, but a comparison of the ocean water solubles show an abundance of titanium, platinum group metals and a dearth of vanadium and selenium. There is no indication if those differences are from the composition of leach sites, or from biological action. Speaking of biological action, there is no survey of oceanic organisms at all. The land survey was done at four basic sites, on two of the three continents. The exam was curtailed after eleven weeks when the senior half of the team was lost to local fauna. This is not expected to be any hindrance to colonization. The organism in question simply showed unexpected herd behavior and overwhelmed a wire security fence that would have stopped an individual animal. They did not display herding behavior previously and indeed did not show in an infrared scan as being warm blooded animals. One of the survey team has hypothesized that they have adapted the ability to enter a cold blooded period to extend food resources and then revert to a warm blooded mode for pack hunting. Compounding the problem was that they do this nocturnally, so the phase change caught everyone sleeping. They had spent fifteen uneventful days at this particular location and with only four crew members didn't keep a night watch past the first two days. Since there were only four claimants we also have very few personal claims staked out, so almost the entire planet is up for bid. Are there questions?"
Not every hand shot up. Some were willing to let their neighbors ask the obvious ones. Hernandez looked a little put upon and made it obvious he was calling on a lady in the front to have done with her. "Ms. Eaton," he said pointing to her with distaste.
"Have you thoroughly eliminated the possibility of sentient life, before selling off this world that indeed, may belong to some other species?"
"Not to your satisfaction I'm sure madam. We have not searched the deepest ocean trenches nor waded through every swamp. There is no visible pattern of agriculture or herding, no indication the forests or grass lands are altered in any purposeful way. We have no combustion products in the air or visible plumes from artificial fires. Also there are neither visible artificial structures nor vessels on the waters of any kind, nor any sort of road past the usual game trail. I shall mention again that all our standard contracts hold forth the risk that if we do encounter an intelligence, who wishes us to leave, every bidder or buyer has to stand the risk they may have to abandon their claims with loss. We have no plans at all for contesting possession of a world with a native sentience."
She was waving her hand again but he shook his head no, declining. "I'm sure this will be an ongoing debate between us, but not today in this forum. You there, Mr. Fisher please.
"Who is the financing bank for the patent holders? Your release says that it is The Bank of Derfhome, which is at odds with the ship registry which shows The Discount Bank of Jerusalem and Credit Suisse – Ganymede at Derfhome, as the responsible party for any liens or debt the High Hopes leaves behind in a port.
"The patent holders stopped at Derfhome on the way to Luna to register their patent. They made an appointment to have discussions with their bank officer while there. I have an affidavit about what occurred from the crew, because it was of concern to us also. They presented themselves and the new officer of the bank in charge of explorer's accounts informed them their previous contact had been required to take a mandatory retirement, having attained seventy years of age. They were told that financing of exploration was no longer a part of the bank's business model and the bank wished to immediately terminate their business relationship as cheaply as possible.
"They were offered the cash in their port operating account, if they would simply agree to not transfer any more funds from their previously established line of credit. The bank was willing to forgive any balance outstanding and promised no liens on their vessel, or claims against any future patents in exchange for recovering that unused line of credit. They provided a very short clear document to that effect and it was signed and dated by four officers of the bank and publicly registered as all contracts are required to be on Derfhome. The ship registry data will be updated."
Mr. Fisher's mouth had progressively fallen open, until he now looked like a landed fish gasping, as well as boggle eyed. "But surely that is a fraud, if they hid their discovery from the bank!"
Mr. Hernandez picked up a slate he had on the lectern and pecked at it. "While he was being interviewed in medical quarantine upon landing, we had extensive discussions about this, as well as all the details of Providence itself. I have not met Mr. Gordon myself, but found him very well spoken on the interview records, so I'd like to quote what he said when asked if they had hidden their discovery from Mr. Christopher, the officer of the bank you mentioned."
"Mr. Christopher immediately offered us this parting of the ways before we could tell him anything about our discovery. We sat down in front of him and he inquired why the principal loan holders were not there to speak to him. When informed they were deceased he had no curiosity as to how that came about, nor did he offer any condolences to their daughter sitting before him. He ignored, or could not interpret the fact we had hung new voyage rings in our ears, announcing the discovery of a living world. He was frankly very quick to speak and very uninterested in listening," Hernandez paused and peered at Fisher as if daring him to interrupt.
"Rather than inquire about any discoveries, he lectured us on how investing in exploration was as irresponsible for a bank as giving a loan to go bet in a casino. He literally held up a hand to hush me from speaking, while he read our file. I don't see how we were obligated to advise him, to withdraw the generous offer he'd just extended. It was completely unsolicited. None of the other officers of the bank when called in, made any effort to inquire if he had made sure they were not losing any claim on a new discovery before releasing us and we had previous claims from other visits, which are producing income for them, yet they did not seem to consider that possibility worth discussing. Do we have some special fiduciary obligation to the bank, to advise them against making such an offer, of which I am not aware?"
"That seems like a reasonable question," Hernandez agreed. "Are you aware of any burden on them, not to accept a change of relationship freely offered by the bank? It seems that they had every opportunity with the survivors sitting before four officers of the bank, to make diligent inquiry about discoveries, before offering such a termination."
"He suggested we ask for security video from the bank if there was any question about what happened. Surely the bank keeps such records for their protection, as it has become very common to record all such customer meetings. I frankly doubt anything on such a record, short of an outright lie that they had found nothing, would trump the sever
ance contract they were offered."
Mr. Fisher didn't seem inclined, perhaps able would be a better word, to speak, so Hernandez went on. "Mrs. Yoder?"
"Is there any charter restrictions on what form of government shall be formed to govern Providence?"
"No, the ship and crew were flagged and chartered under The United States of North America. It is the policy of the USNA that all our colonies shall be self governing, once they have a population of at least ten thousand and can form any sort of government the locals are willing to vote in. It is our feeling that this is the only way to avoid the conflicts that were common in the terrestrial age of exploration. I'd point out that three out of four settlements that have formed under USNA control, have petitioned to maintain some form of relationship, rather than seek complete autonomy. We'd rather automatically grant independence, than wait until colonists rebel and seek it by force of arms. I think the experience of New France shows the wisdom of this. Mr. Kratman?" he called on another newsman.
Mr. Fisher had finally managed to close his mouth and when the camera showed Mr. Kratman posing his question he was visible on the edge of the screen levering himself out of his chair and stomping out of the conference early. His brows were scrunched together tight and his open mouth transformed into an angry thin line.
"There's a man going to kill someone," Gordon observed. "I just hope it's someone at Credit Suisse instead of me."
"When will there be someone returning to Providence and will there be a press presence in the expedition?" Kratman asked.
"The Commission is assembling an expedition to more thoroughly explore and map the world and system. The scientific vessel Stephen Johnson will transit with the materials for an orbital station grappled. The supply ships Inari Maru and Pacific Teal, under lease, will accompany her, as well as the armed USNA deep space cruiser Toronto. Provisions are being made for a lottery for two journalists, to accompany the expedition, as well as one of our choice. The one we choose will be aboard the Stephen Johnson and the lotto pool picks aboard the freighters."
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