by M. D. Cooper
From her research, she knew that S&H Defensive Armaments had been doing business in the Silstrand Alliance for several centuries and was highly respected. The representative who was waiting for them looked as though he may have been with them that entire time.
“Pleased to meet you,” The man said as they approached and extended a wrinkly hand. Cargo shook it firmly, followed by Tanis—who was surprised at how paper-thin the man’s skin felt.
“My name is Smithers,” the man said. “I represent S&H Defensive Armaments. Welcome to the PeterSil Mining Platform.”
“I’m Cargo and this is Tanis, thank you for taking the time to meet us here,” Cargo said with a warm smile.
“This is my associate, Ginia,” Smithers gestured to the much younger woman accompanying him. She smiled warmly as she shook their hands.
“If you’ll step this way, we have transportation ready to take you to our showroom.” She led them to a dock car and they settled within its cabin. Ginia gave it verbal instruction as to their destination and the car took off, weaving through the dock traffic, its dampeners creating a perfectly smooth ride for its passengers.
“We’re grateful for the dockside greeting and transportation,” Tanis said. “Do you treat all of your clients with such hospitality?”
“We have various levels for various classes of clientele,” Smithers said. “There was mention in your message to the station’s docking control regarding interest in trading nano technology for weaponry. Typically, only a higher level of clientele is interested in such transactions.”
Verbally, they spoke of pleasantries. Smithers and Ginia made observations about the local economy and the upcoming elections for the Silstrand Alliances Senate later in the year. Tanis listened intently while Cargo stared out the windows, apparently un-interested in the star cluster’s politics.
“So are you in favor of Silstrand increasing its territory then?” Tanis asked, after Smithers indicated approval of a politician who was running on a platform of adding new worlds to the combine.
“Purely from a trade and economy standpoint,” he replied. “If we increase our territory, then we will have more tariff-free trading partners. Alliance organizations will also be favored in bids for the supply and construction of any government facilities in new member systems.”
Tanis knew what that meant; more defense contracts for S&H to land. The small talk continued for several more minutes until they arrived at S&H’s section of the station. They stepped out of the transport and into the lobby of what seemed more like an upscale banking establishment than a weapons supplier. High quality holos showed rotating images of various products, from personal armor to orbital defense emplacements.
Smithers and Ginia led them through the lobby and down a hall to a private showroom with low couches surrounding a holo tank. The room was dimly lit, with glass and steel artwork perched on the tables. Several small platforms, serving finger food, hovered around the room.
Smithers beckoned one with his finger and it floated over to him. He selected some cheeses before leaning back in his chair.
“Please,” he said with a wave of his hand. “Help yourself. Would you like anything to drink? Ginia will have someone fetch it for us.”
Tanis signaled one of the platforms to float her way. Outside of FTL and gravity drives, this was the first piece of impressive technology she had seen in the ninetieth century. She hadn’t expected anti-gravity generators to be so small.
“I’ll have a glass of white wine, something light,” she said after selecting some crackers and fruit. Cargo requested a mixed drink with liquors Tanis had never heard of. The drinks arrived within moments, carried by a slender woman dressed in only a thin gauze outfit.
Angela sighed.
“…so as you can see we are able to offer the latest in several defensive and offensive technologies to suit your needs. What specifically were you interested in?”
During their flight across the system, Tanis had accessed several resources and catalogs to gain a better understanding of ninetieth century weaponry capability. She had a shopping list ready to go. Cargo had checked it and added a few suggestions of his own to fill it out. Surprisingly, or perhaps not surprisingly, Flaherty had also offered advice on what would be useful as well.
“We’re interested in your ER71 Defensive Suite for starters.” Tanis leaned back with a slice of apple and what she hoped was cheese. “We’re going to want a dedicated gravity generator to go with it and the ten centimeter defensive lasers.”
She could tell that she had Smithers’ attention. Ginia tilted her head and manipulated the readouts, bringing capabilities and prices up on the holo.
“Would you like the GE-875 or the GE-885 grav generator with the suite?” She asked.
“I was hoping we could get the GE-960,” Tanis replied. “From what I understand, it’s smaller and has a higher output; space is an important consideration on our ship.”
Ginia’s eyes widened. The GE-960 was three times the price of either of the other gravity generators.
“We’re also going to need to replace our current SC Batteries with the SC-R 911s. I understand they have roughly three times the capacity of our current SC-R 790s?”
Smithers nodded, his eyes dancing as the tally on the holo increased. “Yes, they are the best we have in this corner of space. You said you were considering offensive armament as well?” Cargo’s eyes were showing emotion too, mostly incredulity, and a sort of glaze as he looked at the price.
“Yes,” Tanis answered. “We’re interested in the thirty-centimeter laser system. I believe our ship’s layout will require us to mount ten of them for full coverage. I’d also like to get fore and aft AR-17 missile tubes, the four-centimeter rail guns, and fore and aft RM launchers.”
Smithers’ previous look of pleasure turned to one of skepticism. The tally was easily four times the value of Sabrina. Ginia was also eyeing the total with a smile, but where Smithers looked like he was considering charging them for the
food and seeing them out, she looked very excited.
“And how will you be paying for this?” He asked.
“We will provide full documentation and disclosure of a valuable nano tech which no one within a hundred light-years even dreams of possessing. We will also disclose our source for this tech as well as documentation indicating our license to distribute both the source technology and sell development and distribution licenses.”
Smithers’ expression shifted. He still didn’t appear completely mollified, but neither was he going to end the discussion.
Tech was one thing; the ability to develop and distribute products based on that Tech was something else entirely. Tanis smiled and reached for her wine glass and drained its contents. Taking the glass in her hand, she repeated the act of absorbing its matter and fabricating a small handgun.
Smithers’ expression shifted to one of almost pure joy, and Ginia’s face was now rapt with amazement. With a cough, the older man recovered his composure—a bit quicker than Tanis would have liked.
“That looked truly amazing, would it be possible to see it again, and then be able to test the results for any signs of trickery?”
Tanis nodded. “I understand your skepticism. If you’ll provide another glass, I’ll give you a matched pair.”
“Actually,” Smithers said. “Please make a…replica of a six chamber projectile weapon from the nineteenth century. That way we can be assured there is no sleight of hand occurring.”
“Based on the size I’ll need two glasses.”
Ginia nodded, and a minute later, the servant came in with a tray of empty wine glasses. Angela suggested she use three, and Tanis activated the field in the palm of her hand, dissolving each glass into it. She then added a silver fork, two deviled eggs, and salt to her palm. Moments later, she produced a gun, and then six bullets, which she slipped into the chambers. Handing it to Smithers she said, “Be careful. It’s loaded and functional.”
The old man whistled in appreciation. “I assume the technology includes not only the nano, but the information on such rapid reorganization of the molecules?”
“You’ll get everything required to repeat such a feat, except for the power source.”
Smithers nodded. “I assume you won’t object if I have our technicians examine these articles.” He indicated the guns.
“Be my guest.” Tanis replied.
From there they got down to ‘brass tacks’, as Smithers put it.
Cargo demanded that the work be done in under forty-eight hours; a timeframe which Smithers claimed was not possible. Ginia proceeded to draw up a work schedule, which showed the work would take two weeks.
“I don’t see how it is impossible.” Tanis said. “This station surely has all of the technical ability to do the installation. The technologies I have to offer will more than offset any costs, probably a thousand-fold.”
Smithers was a top-notch negotiator. Despite his awe over Tanis’s tech, he was still haggling over every point of the contract they were drawing up. “I believe I’ll need to see the documentation on your license to distribute the source tech with ability to develop and redistribute before I can negotiate further. I’ve never seen anything like this before, but I don’t want to commit to this only to hear it announced on the Link tomorrow as something that another firm has developed with licenses prohibiting us from using it.”
Tanis nodded and transmitted a full non-disclosure to Smithers over S&H’s secure net. “I’ll need you to physically and digitally sign this NDA before I can discuss the source of the license.”
The NDA was very strict and binding in every system that S&H did business—and most they didn’t. Smithers frowned as he reviewed it and sent it off to his legal team for further examination. They discussed minor points regarding the install while they waited. Legal had a few revisions, one that Tanis agreed to and several she refused. In the end, they had an agreement and Tanis disclosed where her nano came from.
Smithers really did lose his composure this time. “God Damn it! That explains where you got this tech! But why are you on that crummy little yacht?”
Cargo bristled at that, but Smithers hardly noticed.
“It belongs to a friend who has been having…pirate troubles. The weaponry we’re getting from you will be used to fix some of those troubles and get her out of a jam.”
Smithers nodded. “That explains why you need the tech, but why are you interested in this, and where is your ship?”
Cargo laughed. “Isn’t that the hundred trillion dollar question?”
“The work in two days and I’ll speak highly of S&H to my superiors when it comes to future trading. If I have to wait longer than that I’ll let them know transactions with your firm were difficult.”
Smithers sighed. “That’s one hell of a bargaining chip. Very well, forty-eight hours and you’ll be decked out in the best S&H has to offer.”
Tanis and Smithers worked out the final aspects of the contract while Cargo took a car back to Sabrina with S&H’s implementation coordinator and head engineer. When Tanis arrived back at the ship a few hours later, the dockside was strewn with old components and crates full of new ones. The minute she stepped through the lock Tanis was accosted by Cheeky.
“I don’t care what Thompson says, you’re amazing.” The pilot said. “I can’t believe you got them to agree to your entire list.”
“Think they’ll actually be able to meet the two day deadline?” Tanis asked.
“They will or we take their installation team with us. There’s no way we’re gonna leave the captain longer than that.”
“I got them to provide us with a full antimatter fueling as well, and with the increase power on the shielding systems, we should be able to accelerate much faster.”
“I’d better check the tuning on our AP nozzle then. We may need to upgrade that.”
“Over plan. We have unlimited credit.”
Cheeky rubbed her hands together. “I may not be able to contain myself.”
Tanis laughed and let Cheeky get back to her glee over the upgrades. As she passed the galley, she overheard Thompson and Nance arguing with Flaherty.
“I don’t care what her motivations are. She has no right to just take over the ship with the captain gone. Cargo is practically letting her run the show, and who knows if Sera’s still alive anymore?” Nance’s voice rose to an unpleasant pitch and Tanis stopped before she walked past the doorway, not wanting to eavesdrop, but too curious to back away.
She really needed to know how the crew felt about her. If there were even half a chance that they’d turn on her, she’d walk off the ship right now and buy transportation to Bollam’s World. The information she had for the Intrepid was too important to lose just because of some pissing contest about who got to be in charge of the rescue mission.
“She’s right,” Thompson said. “I don’t know why Sera ever even dealt with The Mark. Look where it’s gotten her now.”
“You need to relax.” Flaherty said. “Tanis isn’t the problem. Getting Sera back from Rebecca is all that matters. Tanis is trying to help. Without her, we may as well just write the captain off because we have no way of assaulting a fortified station.
“You don’t know that. We should have squeezed that Drind guy more. Did you know that she convinced Cargo to let him go? They even gave him a reference so he could find work on the station here.” Nance said.
“That was a good tactical plan. He is now indebted to us and less likely to cause us any trouble. Keeping him would have been a problem as his loyalties aren’t clear enough to have him around in a battle. If things go poorly, he could turn on us at a critical point.” Flaherty’s voice remained calm and steady.
“So you’re admitting things could go poorly!” Nance said.
“It would be foolish of me to assume otherwise.” Flaherty said. “I may not be a major from the Terran Space Force, but I’ve seen my share of battle, and I know that one liability will offset a dozen good me
n. We are well rid of Drind no matter what possible uses for him you can imagine.”
Nance didn’t have a response for that right away. There was the clinking of cutlery on plates for a few minutes before she spoke up. “It’s possible that I’m taking my frustrations out on her, and I’ll keep that in mind. But I still don’t like the way she just takes charge, it’s not her place.”
Flaherty chuckled. “She has no choice. It’s who she is. You don’t advance as an officer in the navy unless you have a good head on your shoulders and know how to use it. She sees a situation that needs her expertise and she takes charge.”
“You can defend her all you want,” Thompson said. “It’s not making me like her any better.”
“You don’t have to like her,” Flaherty said with deadly calm. “You just have to not mess things up when it comes to rescuing the captain. If you do, you’ll have me to worry about.”
Tanis didn’t wait to hear more. She slipped back down the ladder and took a different route to the bridge that didn’t pass the galley. She hoped that Flaherty’s calm could offset some of the more volatile crewmembers, or this was going to be the worst rescue of all time.
READY AND ABLE
STELLAR DATE: 07.17.8927 (Adjusted Years)
LOCATION: Sabrina, PeterSil EK Belt Mining Platform
REGION: Silstrand System, Silstrand Alliance Space
Two days later, Sabrina was fully decked out in the best S&H had to offer. Tanis had even wrangled a full charge on the SC batteries, and added mines to the defensive countermeasure system. Cargo filed the final disembarking entries with the PeterSil platform and they undocked for the tug to take them out.
On the bridge, Cargo sat in the captain’s chair, his expression was one of grim determination, but underneath, Tanis could see more than a little trepidation.