"Let's be clear, Colonel," Tabby said. "We're not making any accusations."
"Mr. James, would you be open to an audit of your data streams?" A thin, dark skinned female officer asked.
"With some limitations to keep our company records private," he said.
"Aswa, is this something you could start on right away?" Marsh asked.
"Yes, Admiral. If Mr. James would provide access, I will execute an audit. To your question, Mr. James, I will set up the parameters to avoid exposing corporate information. We only desire to understand the veracity of the data streams. The nation of Nuage respects all people's right to privacy," Aswa answered.
I had no idea if it was her first or last name and didn't appreciate not having my HUD available. She stood and walked around the table to where Nick sat and placed a mid-sized reading pad in front of him. I recognized the interface to our ship's systems. Nick gestured and typed, finally holding the pad up to Aswa.
"Hold on to that. Now that I have access, I'll run my audit as you present the information requested," she said, returning to her chair, leaving the reading pad with Nick.
"Colonel Festove, any objection to us proceeding?" Marsh asked.
I was interested in the Nuage military hierarchy, I'd assumed that Admiral was above Colonel in their reporting structure, but Marsh was deferential in her treatment of Festove. It reminded me of how much I didn't like bureaucracies.
"No. I believe Ms. Nilovila's audit will address the issues I have with the truth of the presentation," he said.
"Mr. James, please proceed," Marsh said.
Nick swiped a video sequence that I was starting to become overly familiar with. He'd reorganized it and was starting with our sensor data that showed the trace elements we'd tracked entering Cape of Good Hope's engines. He'd artfully caught Karelia's transponder signature, showing Oberrhein as the flag issuer.
"Hold on a minute," Festove complained. "You're not even in Tipperary. How is this relevant?"
Nick paused the playback and I sat back in my chair. It was going to be a long evening.
Two hours later we finished getting through the ten minute sequence. I'd started to understand Festove's general issue. He was in charge of Nuage Air Defense and they'd only enjoyed a decade of peace with Oberrhein.
"Is there any reason to believe those ships aren't Oberrhein?" Marsh asked, looking at Festove.
"Ms. Nilovila, are the signatures confirmed?" he asked.
"Yes, Colonel."
"It would be a dangerous game for anyone to pretend to be Oberrhein without their permission, even if it were technically feasible, which it shouldn't be," he said.
"Mr. Stephano, have you heard back from the Oberrhein ambassador?" Marsh asked. We hadn't heard a single thing from the final Nuage officer who was seated at the table.
"Formally, no. Informally yes," he said.
Marsh sighed. "What did they, informally, say?"
"My contact has requested a meeting with Mr. Hoffen and Mr. James in the neutral location of Nannandry," he said.
"Explain," she said.
"My apologies, Admiral. For the sake of our guests, I'll have to cover ground that you already understand. With your permission?" he asked.
"Understood," she said.
"Hold on. We should not be including outsiders in our internal discussions," Festove said.
"Unfortunately, Oberrhein has made that decision for us," Stephano answered.
"Colonel, let's give him some latitude," Marsh said.
Stephano continued, "To grasp our current issue, you need to understand how Oberrhein is organized. Unlike Nuage with our centralized government, the Oberrhein nation more closely resembles ancient feudal Europe. That is, each state of the Oberrhein nation is generally referred to as a fiefdom and overseen by a lord. Within their own fiefs, the lords are left to govern as they see fit.
"I've heard rumors of a new fief emerging, one that is space-bound and not planet-bound as is the rest of Oberrhein," Stephano said.
"Didn't you think Air Defense should be informed about a new threat?" Festove asked, fighting to keep his composure.
"With respect, Colonel, until today, I've not had any verification of this rumor. I believe what we're seeing is this emerging fief and that Petar Kiirilov, is the lord of that fief. His actions against Loose Nuts are consistent with other Oberrhein encounters," he said.
"How does this impact them?" Festove asked looking directly at me.
"Mr. Turnigy, Oberrhein's ambassador to Nuage, has requested a meeting with Mr. Hoffen. It seems that Lord Kiirilov has overstepped his authority."
"What could Turnigy want with them?" Festove asked. His use of the word 'them' was starting to grate, as if we were some sort of pariah.
"Perhaps you should have read the memo I published about the arrival of this small company – Loose Nuts," Ambassador Stephano replied.
"Forgive me. Perhaps I'm behind on my reading related to emigration. I hardly see how it could be relevant to Air Defense," Festove said.
"Ordinarily, I would agree with you. But in this case, the company Loose Nuts was one of only three corporations awarded a Letter of Marque by Mars Protectorate in the last sixty years," Stephano said. "Their recent history reads more like a work of fiction than anything else. If I hadn't vetted the information myself, I would not have included it in my rather lengthy memo to the senior leadership."
"What are you saying, Stephano?" Marsh asked.
"It is quite simple, really. We should do the same thing Mars Protectorate did. We should invite Loose Nuts to sign a Letter of Marque that we would issue on behalf of the nation of Nuage," he said.
"What in Curie's damnation is a Letter of Marque?" Festove spouted. His AI obviously picked up the question because I could see his eyes scanning text in front of him. Inwardly, I chuckled and tried not to let it escape.
Wait for it …
"You want to give them license to take out pirates in the name of Nuage?" Festove asked. His face was beet red.
Stephano's voice was calm as he replied. "I believe they've identified themselves as buccaneers, as opposed to pirates. But, either way, that is exactly what I'm recommending. By signing this letter, Loose Nuts would be obligated to present any prizes taken to Nuage. Think of all the intelligence we'd be able to gather from those ships. Everyone benefits and it costs us nothing."
"And if they attack innocents?" Festove asked.
"If it happens within our airspace, we prosecute them. Otherwise, we bring criminal charges to the Tipperary Criminal Tribunal on Curie, just as we would without the letter. Frankly, I'm surprised you're not more interested, Breshev. It's a brilliant system that gives us complete deniability. There is almost no risk to us," he said.
"What do they get from it?" Festove swept his arm indicating the five of us.
"Legal ownership of the prizes. Think of it this way, they are incentivized to remove the bad elements of space so they can grow stronger and more prosperous. Instead of running from these buccaneers, they will want to eliminate them. Our influence would spread into the Descartes asteroid belt without a single credit of capital being expended."
"I don't like it," Festove said.
"You don't need to. We would run the program through the intelligence and diplomatic branch," Stephano said.
"We certainly won't make a decision tonight," Admiral Marsh said. "Mr. Hoffen, Mr. James, Ms. Bertrand, Chen and Masters, we are grateful for your help this evening. I feel compelled to tell you that everything we've discussed in this room must remain confidential and I would greatly appreciate it if you refrained from sharing it with others. As you are not citizens, we cannot legally compel you, but I can say that it could affect your visa status with Nuage. Captain Gray, would you escort our guests back to their hotel?"
As annoyed as he'd been, Colonel Festove shook our hands as we left, as did the rest of the senior officers. He even thanked me personally for bringing the matter to their attention. To say that it w
as a confusing moment is to understate it. I would never understand politicians.
"Are we hot-tubbing?" Marny asked after we'd collected weapons and earwigs and stepped onto the elevator.
"The spa is beautiful," Ada said. "Luc, are you joining us?"
"I have to be up by 0800 this morning," he said. I looked at my HUD and was surprised to see that it was 0200. It had been a five hour meeting.
"You could stay for an hour…" Ada said and looped her arm into his. He was a goner. No one could resist Ada when she wanted something.
"No fair," he said.
"I believe your Admiral wanted you to have eyes-on for as long as possible. I'd have to wonder if you're actually duty-bound," Marny said, making me smile.
When we arrived at the hotel lobby, I requested that the concierge replicate swim suits for all of us. Tabby chose a pattern that I would have shied away from as it felt pretty revealing for the women, but I certainly wasn't going to object.
"We can change in our suite," I said, handing the suits out.
"These look pretty small," Marny said.
"I believe the French invented the word 'risqué,'" Tabby answered. "And besides, we'll be in an aerated tub."
Marny smiled, recognizing she'd been played.
The suits covered more than I'd originally expected, although to be fair, it was just barely more than what I might have thought to be the minimum. I'd seen Marny and Ada in vac-suits that left little to the imagination, but these suits were a whole new level.
"Don't be getting too distracted," Tabby said as she slunk in behind me. I turned to look at her and my breath caught in my throat. I'd seen her undressed plenty of times, but it never really got old. She placed her hand under my chin and pushed my mouth closed. "And for the record, that's the right reaction."
Tabby playfully grabbed my hand and we half ran down to the spa area, leaving the rest of the crew to follow.
The hotel's spa took up an entire level in the Star-Side Tower. The deck was translucent, as if someone had melted pockets for water to sit in on the large circular surface. It was late enough that we had the entire room to ourselves, although it looked like it could easily host forty or fifty bathers.
I jumped into the central pool behind Tabby and realized I had no idea how to swim. I recognized my trouble immediately and thrashed around, trying to bring my head back to the surface. Nothing I did had any affect, or so it seemed. I managed to get back to the surface a couple of times, but still choked on the water.
I felt a strong arm grab me from behind and fought against it. I couldn't be drawn back down. The arm, however, was inflexible. It wrapped around my neck, pulling me. When I broke the surface and was dragged back to where I could stand again, I calmed. It was Marny standing behind me.
"I guess that answers the age old question, Cap," Marny laughed as she pushed me to the side of the pool.
"What question is that?"
"If Tabby jumped off a cliff, would you follow?" Marny said.
"I don't know what I was thinking."
"I'm guessing you were allowing other parts of your anatomy to do your thinking," she said.
"Frak, what happened, Hoffen?" Tabby asked as she swam up to me.
"Can't swim. I guess I forgot," I said.
"Oh, babe, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"
"Roger that. Marny pulled me out," I said. I hoisted myself up and sat on the edge of the pool. "Hot tub?"
"We need something to drink," Tabby said.
"There's room service," Nick said. "What do you want?"
I noticed that he hadn't jumped in the pool either.
"Just something. I'm mostly hungry, but wine would be nice," she said.
"Beer for me. Wine gives me a headache," I said.
"I've got it," Nick said.
"Where's Ada?"
"They're over there," Marny said, pointing to a hot tub on the very edge.
Tabby placed her hands on the side of the pool and lifted herself out in a single motion.
"When did you learn to swim?" I asked.
"I was in the Navy. Everyone in the Navy swims," Tabby said.
"You were in Mars Navy," I said.
"Tell that to my C.O."
We walked over to Luc Gray and Ada. "Mind if we join you?" I asked.
"Sure," Ada said.
The tub had been built into the wall and we had a spectacular view of the stars above as well as an amazing view of the clouds below, which from this vantage point appeared to be glowing.
"Why do they glow?" I asked.
"It's only fully dark for six hours. We're high enough that Tipperary illuminates the clouds, causing the glow. It's just starting now and it'll break above the horizon in about two hours.
"Everything about Nuage is gorgeous," Ada said.
"It sure is tonight," Luc said.
He stayed with us until we agreed to break it up at 0400. As it was, he would only be getting three and a half hours of sleep. I felt guilty as Tabby and I lay back in our luxurious bed. I might have had a difficult time sleeping after the meeting, but the spa and drinks had done their job.
At 1300, I awoke to the smell of food. I pulled on my new civvies and slipped out into the common room. Marny and Nick were at a high table, next to the window, looking out over the clouds.
"Sleep well, Cap?" Marny asked.
"Not sure I even rolled over once," I said. "You run already?"
"Aye, and a little weight lifting. They have a great workout center. I was thinking, perhaps we should do a little swim training with the two of you," she said.
I glanced at Nick who had the look of someone who had given in to the inevitability of the moment.
"Sure. But I'm starving," I said.
"I received a comm from Ambassador Stephano," Nick said.
"What'd he want?" I asked.
"He'd like to drop by and talk with us," he said.
"What do you suppose he wants?"
I heard a knock at our door.
"You can ask him yourself. I think that's him."
I was closest, so I opened the door. It was indeed Ambassador Stephano. He was wearing a more formal looking uniform than he had the night before.
"Good afternoon, Ambassador. Please come in," I said.
"Greetings, Mr. Hoffen. Thank you so much."
"To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?" I asked as I led him over to Nick and Marny.
"I wanted to find you right away so that I could extend to your company the offer of a Letter of Marque from the people of Nuage," he said.
"Did you find any issues with my last set of changes, Jacques?" Nick asked.
"No, Nicholas, you've a keen mind and your changes are fair," he said. I wanted to roll my eyes at the excessive buttering up.
"Liam, are you good with this?" Nick asked.
"I've always thought of myself as a privateer."
NANNANDRY
"Try to relax, you need to float in the water. Remember, most of your body needs to be submerged," Marny explained for the millionth time.
I'd spent most of my life floating in zero-g and the concept didn't even remotely resemble what she was trying to get me to do in the water. It was our fourth swimming lesson and at least I could swim enough to keep my head above the surface while taking a breath.
"It's harder for spacers," Tabby observed. "The planet-born were all much better swimmers. You'll get it eventually. At least you won't drown."
"Aye. Not in a pool, he won't. Perhaps we could stay away from oceans, lakes and the like," Marny said.
Marny was an excellent swimmer. In the Marines, it had been part of her physical fitness regime to swim a few kilometers on a daily basis. It seemed she could swim forever under the surface of the water, ending up ridiculous distances away from us when she finally surfaced.
"What's wrong with oceans and lakes?" I asked. "Wouldn't it work the same?"
"That it does, but the water moves in the oceans and even the best of swimmers meet th
eir match in an angry ocean," she explained.
"I think I'll stick to space," I said, pulling myself out of the pool. "It's much more forgiving."
Marny laughed. "Only to a spacer, Cap."
"What do you think about Ada and Captain Gray?" Tabby asked the question generally, but I knew she was fishing for Marny's answer.
"He's a handsome man. I just don't know if he's a free enough spirit for our Ada," Marny said.
"Have you heard something?" Tabby asked in a hoarse whisper.
We'd moved poolside where Nick had taken up residence on a chaise lounge and looked to be asleep.
"They've been out every night. There's something going on," Nick said without opening his eyes.
"What about Selig?" Tabby asked, sitting sideways on a lounge.
"Ada doesn't seem the miner's wife," Marny said. "No offense to Silver, Cap."
"Did you get a load to Nannandry settled?" Nick asked. We were changing the subject.
We were due to set sail tomorrow and had a clandestine meeting with Oberrhein's Ambassador Turnigy in the afternoon at Nannandry.
"Sort of. We're going to be light and barely cover fuel to the surface. On the flip side, however, I've a spec load of raw materials. The market rate is excellent," I said.
"How are we paying for it?" Nick asked. "I didn't think folks in Nannandry took credits."
"They don't, but we've a nice load of precious - nearly eighty thousand credits of the stuff. We can darn near fill the hold with raw materials for that," I said.
"Aren't you going to flood the market?"
"Not even close. Trade between Nannandry and Nuage cities is almost all bartered goods. Nannandry supplies raw materials for Nuagian refined goods. We're offering a material Nannandrites don't have access to. There's almost no mining done on Grünholz so they're willing to trade over market price for gold, platinum and even silver," I said.
"Show me," Nick said.
"Certainly." I flicked the research I'd done and the orders I'd put together.
"Nicely done," Nick said. "This could really be a thing for us."
"Agreed. We could even open it up to the rest of the Descartes belt once we deal with Oberrhein," I said.
"You mean Petar," Nick said.
Buccaneers (Privateer Tales Book 8) Page 24