by Andrew Mack
Argo and Syren walked thirty meters to where Octavious and Kaya Killian were waiting. Twenty meters behind the siblings were eight of Kaya and Octavious’s soldiers. All of them were armed with rifles. As Argo got closer, it was clear Octavious and Kaya were very surprised to see him. Argo and Ambassador Syren stopped six meters from the siblings. Octavious, after the initial shock wore off, gave a half-smile, and said, “Argo Hassara….I thought they were sending someone important?”
Argo half-smiled right back. “That is what my sister is for Commander Killian. They only send me when they don’t care about the body count. (now looking at Kaya) And who is this eye candy? I didn’t know you could afford such attractive talent.”
Kaya squinted her eyes in anger. The smile on Octavious had disappeared. “Your intelligence team is failing you, Argo. This is my second in command, my sister Kaya.”
Argo kept smiling, looking directly at Kaya. “Not my usual preference, but after a bottler of wine, I might change my mind.”
Kaya had already had enough. “There is no amount of wine on my end. I’d sooner go home with Ambassador Syren.”
Ambassador Syren blushed, mostly in discomfort. Her usual negotiations never went like this. Argo, smiling, said, “I’m pretty sure the Ambassador doesn’t have the same hardware I’ve got.”
Kaya, never smiling, replied, “I’m willing to bet.”
Argo, continuing to smile, and countered sarcastically. “I like the spunk. When you get done wasting your time with this leader of the Red Ring Rise, I can show you the best hour of your life.”
Kaya continued to stare down Argo. She gave a very small hint of a smile, and replied, “An hour or two minutes? Either way, I wouldn’t even fuck you with my brother’s dick, but I bet you’d like it if I did.”
After a few seconds, Argo continued, “Just don’t forget the wine, Princess. (Then looking at Octavious) Your sister is a bitch, but she has a bigger cock than you. My intelligence information is just fine, Octavious.”
Octavious continued to stare down Argo. “Noone in our group goes by Red Ring Rise anymore. We refer to ourselves as the Valmay Group.”
Ambassador Syren interrupted. “Valmay was a village in the Bosa Provence. After an unstable mining accident led by the Majakee Lords, the entire village was lost, killing hundreds. The leaders of the neighboring villages collectively pleaded to the local government to suspend operations and restore the full power of the Mining Guild. The Majavkee Lords all but laughed, vowing to kill all these village leaders who defied them. They labeled them to the press as The Valmay Group of Opposition, ones against the economic gains of mining. They (pointing at the siblings) use it as a battle cry, simply calling themselves the Valmay Group.”
Argo glanced at Syren before returning to look at the siblings. “I honestly don’t give a fuck what you call yourselves or what they did….”
Kaya interrupted, “You mean the sacrifice of an entire village for monetary gain?”
Argo was now annoyed. “Their sacrifice, their energy, or whatever the shit is you guys recycle, I am not here to talk about accidents and villages. This is not the Council floor.”
Octavious interrupted, “The term Valmay Group is a badge of honor. We do not forget the souls that were lost at the hands of the Majavkee Lords’ greed.”
Argo took a deep breath and said, “Are we really gonna keep talking about death?”
Kaya intruded, “We could talk about killing you...?”
Argo raised an eyebrow. “Princess, where is that gonna get you?”
Octavious responded, “Careful Argo....”
Argo paused, then stared at both of them before continuing. “Make no mistake, my father, the Council, and most people on this planet would love nothing more than to see the both of you hanging from a noose. Some adage about cutting the head off a snake.”
Octavious then responded, “What possibly makes you think you’d get out of here alive?”
Argo looked behind the siblings. “What is that…., ten on one, I like my chances. I’m confident I would still have my hands to pour my wine and enough time to find some miserable fucking whore to suck my cock before sunset. But, on the remote chance that one of you kills me, well...., the shit storm that would create. The Council and my father would have every reason to send an armada to extinguish you fuckers from existence.”
There was a long pause as everyone stared at each other. Finally, breaking the tension was Ambassador Syren as she said, “I feel that maybe we got off on the wrong foot….”
But Argo cut her off. “Ambassador, you are no longer needed, leave us.”
Syren looked at Argo, then at the siblings. She then bowed her head and walked behind Octavious and Kaya, towards the other soldiers behind them in the distance. Argo looked at Kaya. “You too, Princess, time for the men to talk.”
Kaya, in a cold dead stare, grabbed the ring on her side and just whispered, “I’m pretty sure I have the biggest cock here, you said so yourself….”
Argo looked amused. “Wow, Octavious, does she hold it for you when you piss too?”
Octavious only replied, “I trust her with everything, Argo. She stays.”
Argo let out a sigh. “ Very well, what is it that you want?”
Octavious pounced at the chance while never taking his eyes off Argo. “All Majavkee Lords stripped of power and their territories. A return to the Avolian Mining Guild and a withdrawal of AuFa forces, with an independent peacekeeping force put in its place. Not SS.”
Argo just smiled. “Why don’t you just ask if we can hang them by their balls from the highest tower in the city, Octavious? I don’t think I should have to pay extra every time I kill a whore during services rendered, but unfortunately, the madam is pissed, and father says I should be more gentle. We all can’t get what we want.”
Octavious half smiled again. “Can’t get anything without having to run to Daddy?”
Argo gave a quick snort. “That’s fucking humorous. My answer to this problem is to take one of my SS units through your land and cut every one of your fucking heads off. Don’t kid yourself, Octavious. It’s Daddy’s mercy for you little shit’s that is keeping me on a leash.”
Kaya interjected. “The Majavkee Lords are killing this planet, and nothing short of their complete removal will…..”
Argo stopped her. “The Majavkee Lords are not going anywhere. They make too much money for themselves and the Council. No one is sympathetic to their removal. Your negotiation ends there.”
Octavious then replied, “Then we will take our chances…”
The siblings turned around and were about to walk away before Argo quickly interjected, “Octavious, don’t be an idiot.”
The siblings turned around again. Octavious looked at Kaya first before looking back at Argo. Argo continued, “We know you are mining Vait. But the AuFa has every tunnel blocked. The embargo is preventing you from selling any substantial quantity of it. My sister is about to pass an initiative that will triple the efforts to find Taz, your partner in this mess, and a military invasion that will see most of your people die. Is that what you want?”
Octavious responded, “We both know Taz is no longer with us, and that he hasn’t been for a while.”
Argo took a step forward. “Perception is reality.”
Kaya and Octavious looked at each other. There was a pause before Octavious looked back at Argo. “What does the Chairman propose?”
Argo looked at both of them. “Keep your lands. The AuFa, along with my troops in the SS and with the Quill blessing, will keep the peace. In return, we take control of your mining facilities. Your advisors can stay on to assist in the production and verify amounts. The Council will pay you double what we are paying the Majavkee. Publicly, half the money goes to your mining group so that we can save face with the Majakee. Privately, the other half goes to you, personally
, with your sister, if you choose, to keep this agreement.”
Kaya looked astounded. “You think you can buy us?”
Argo looked astounded as well. “In my experience, everyone can be bought. The deal would make you two some of the richest people in the galaxy.”
Kaya countered, “Rich, yes, but never able to look into the eyes of the people that lost families and friends in Valmay.”
Argo then asserted. “Who gives a fuck? The Majavkee don’t care, they sleep just fine at night. If you feel that bad, give them some of your money or build a memorial statue.”
Octavious then questioned, “And what of the Majavkee Lords? They go unpunished for all of their crimes? How can we trust you to keep the peace?”
Argo looked puzzled. “What crimes? Making money? The Majavkee Lords stop shooting at you for starters. They stop going into your territories. All of you make a shitload of money.”
Octavious now smiled. “The Majavkee Lords, I assume your engineers as well, will continue to bleed this planet dry until there is no Vait. There is no price for the environmental damage you are inflicting on Avola.”
Argo was still baffled. “With that kind of money, you can leave! Buy yourself a vineyard in Torsalli. (Looking at Kaya) Go find yourself a man and make little cocksucker soldiers, or whatever it is that gets you off. You want a cause Octavious, how about survival? Because there is no chance you do if you say no.”
Kaya took two small steps forward, stared Argo in the eyes, and said, “Remember this Argo, as the moment I decided I will not rest one minute until I stab you right in your fucking heart.”
Argo half smiled again. “I’d win, either way. I’d go out with a hard-on if that happened.”
Kaya kept her hand on her ring. Argo now put his hand on his. Octavious took three steps ahead, putting a hand on Kaya’s shoulder. Now looking at Argo, he said, “Not now Kaya, our day will come. Tell your father we will not be bought. Remove the Majavkee Lords, restore the Guild, or pay the consequences.”
Argo just continued to look before shaking his head and mumbling ‘Are you fucking serious?”
Kaya and Octavious took two steps back before turning around to walk back to their soldiers. Each of them had their rifles ready as if they could sense the escalation in the talks. As they got about another five steps away, Argo yelled, “Octavious, last chance. Take the deal, or they will hunt down every last one of you.”
Both the siblings turned around. Octavious half smiled and was going to say something, but Kaya had beat him to it. “I don’t think you or your Father have the balls to do it. But I will be right here waiting, Princess, if you do.”
Argo almost laughed as he watched them walk away. Then he muttered to himself, ‘Fucking bitch.’
Argo turned around and walked back to the transport ship. He was walking up the ramp when he heard Lieutenant Walva begin speaking. “My Lord, your father, is expecting a complete briefing on your meeting with the Killians. If you could be so kind as to let me know the details, I will be happy to……”
Just then, Argo spun around, grabbed Walva by the head, and slammed him against the side of the ship’s entrance. Walva was in a daze, as Argo pinned his head to the side of the ship. Argo grabbed his ring with his right hand and made a dagger. He then released his left hand from Walva’s throat, grabbed into his mouth, pulled out his tongue, and in one swoop, cut Walva’s tongue off. Argo then threw Walva onto the ship. Walva was bent on all fours, wailing, bleeding profusely from his mouth. Leahy, who had witnessed the whole thing, just followed Argo up the ramp. Argo, only looking forward and not at Leahy, said, “Leahy, find someone to clean him up after you get me back to the base.”
Belinea 4.7
Avola
Lowell Province, Sector 9 Mining Center
Still in their mining suits, Sterling’s entire crew were around a long table in the break room. Most were sitting, but a few were standing. One of the members said, “Thirty Golda’s, that is it? For the month?”
Sterling replied, “For the quarter. So fifteen on the crew, each of you gets two Golda’s.”
Another member said, “What about you, Sterling?”
Sterling shook his head. “I promised you guys bonuses. I know you have worked hard.”
The first member said, “That’s not a bonus, that’s bullshit. Besides, you have a family too, Sterling.”
Sterling shook his head again and took a sip of his coffee. He quietly said, “We will figure something out.”
Just then, Donovan walked into a small break room, where other miners were having their lunch. Through the window, you can see the Avolians operating the big robot rock crushers, drilling through the mountains. Donovan grabbed a beverage and sat down at a table by himself across from Sterling’s crew. One of the miners stood up and yelled, “Donovan. What did your cousin say?”
Donovan took a sip of his beverage. “He doesn’t know. He is going to get back to us.”
The man, confused now, walked over to Donovan and sat down across from him. “Get back to us? What does that mean? Are we getting anything?”
Donovan stared at the man for a few seconds, not responding. The silence was deafening.
The man noticed Donovan wasn’t going to say anything, so he continued in a whisper. “Donovan, what good is providing information on the location of the Vait your cousin steals if we get nothing out of it?”
Sterling got up and said, “I do not need to hear any of this. You guys have a good evening.”
Sterling began to walk out as Donovan said to the other miner, “He will give us protection. As well as any food or clothing that we need. You would rather side with the Majavkee?”
Sterling stopped in the doorway and listened to what the member of his crew said. “The Majavkee are not the problem, what they are paying us is. Everyone in this room is working twice as much, twice as hard, to get a few crumbs more than what we were making before. We already have food and clothing. Your cousin has to understand that.”
Donovan then tried to reason, “Do you really understand? Fighting a war, no one will back him on so we can get things back to how they were. He needs weapons, ships, soldiers. Are you going to fight?”
The man leaned back, insulted. “If Octavious can’t even pay us what we were making before, then why fight? He is no better than the Majavkee.”
Donovan leaned in and looked at the man. “I just came from a Quisessa for one of his men. They are dying for us. The Priests trust him. Ambassador Syren trusts him. We have to trust him.”
The man grew angry, his voice slightly louder than the whisper before. “The Majavkee are Belinean Quill. Of course, our Priests will not side with them. They will side with whoever protects them, whether its Red Ring Rise or anyone else. And we will do the same. If Octavious cannot protect us from the Majavkee Lords, then it is suicide on our part to provide him with any more information on our mining operations.”
Donovan responded, “Then you go tell the Priests how you feel, your lack of loyalty and principle.”
The man stood up and looked down at Donovan, as if ready to hit him. Sterling yelled, “Enough, let him go. Fighting among ourselves is not going to solve the problem.”
His crew member paused and looked at the rest of the miners at the table. Quietly he said, “Principle does not provide me the wealth to get out of this miserable shithole and give my children a better tomorrow.”
The man walked out, as Sterling followed. Everyone left in the room was looking at Donovan now. He had never felt more alone. As he slowly got up, he threw his beverage out and walked out of the room. Putting his mining hat back on, a man approached him, dressed in SS gear.
“Donovan, right?”
Donovan nodded. “I am Captain Leahy of the SS, can I see you in private. We have some unauthorized transmissions we want to talk about.”
Belinea 4.8
Belinea, The Capitol
Chairman Hassara’s office
Chairman Hassara was sitting down behind his desk. Tempest walked into the room and immediately questioned her father. “You wanted to see me, Father?”
The Chairman did not take his eyes off his screen. “Yes, Tempest. Take a look at this.”
The Chairman had next to his desk a 3-D image that popped up. “This is the security footage from the Space Port at Torsalli.”
Tempest began watching the footage. A few seconds rolled by, with several ships going in and out of the space port. “What is it that I am looking for?”
Then on the hologram was an explosion of one of the ships on the dock. It was very bright, catching Tempest off-guard. Chairman Hassara continued. “That.”
Tempest whispered, ‘Shit…’ underneath her breath.
The Chairman continued again. “It was the Earth Ambassador Bird’s ship. We believe he is dead.”
The screen went away, and Tempest looked at her father. “Taz?”
The Chairman answered. “We believe so.”
Tempest continued, “I guess my conversation with Ambassador Yi about Bird was not needed.”
Chairman Hassara stood up. “No, apparently not. I will need you to do a briefing for the Ambassadors. The Admiral has specific notes on the bombing. Initial reports look like an internal explosion from inside the ship, so no telling how he got a bomb in there in the first place. I sent a message to Malovex. When he gets it, he will go directly there to find out what happened. The BRG will do a full investigation.”
Tempest nodded. “The Ambassadors are going to be outraged.”