“This ship is loaded with special features Doris. And those features are only the tip of the iceberg of what I am about to tell you. You have shown that you can be trusted and that you put a full effort into the job that has been given to you. For that you have earned my respect. I haven’t discussed this with my Council of Governors yet, but I think it’s time we made you a full-fledged citizen of Defiant.”
Doris gave an odd look, “Of what? Defiant? What’s Defiant?” I went on to tell Doris of our nation, of our dreams and aspirations. I told of how we mistrusted the politicians of the Grid and of the technology we had come to have. I told of how it could not be trusted in their hands.
I then moved on to discuss Admiral Zimmerman, Cortes and the Ranger. She then sat in stunned silence as I recounted our fights with the Milgari and our new cooperative agreement with the Dakar. She looked at me suspiciously when I let on about my true identity.
When my lengthy speech was finished, she was shaking her head. “I want to say that you are just feeding me a line, but I was just flying at 320 SOL and I was witness to that massive trench we dug on that moon back there.” She ran her hands through the hair on the sides of her head. “It’s like you are from this whole different fantasy world or something. This is stuff that I could not have even imagined when I got up this morning. And you are telling me that it is all real.”
I replied, “It is very real Doris. Men and women have fought and died for what we are trying to do. And if you ask me how I brought all this together in such a short time? Well, I’ll have to tell you… that one is a stunner to me. It seems like things have just fallen into place and continued to build with no end in sight. Most days I don’t know what it is I am doing, but the people around me seem to, so I just continue on, stepping in whatever direction feels right at the time.”
“And if you are worried about how you fit in with all that I have told to you then I will hit you with this, I want you to be our eyes and ears on the Grid. Start shell companies, hire snoops and I will give you a budget that you could only dream of. And that ship you wanted… I’ll be asking Gy to make you one that is similar to this.”
“You will be getting a new tittle to go with your new job. You are now Vice President of Martool Mining and Commodities Company. You will receive a fat salary and a pension plan. Your job will be to nose into every detail of the politics of the Grid. If Michael Felix sneezes I want to know about it. I plan on starting to move a lot of commodities through the Grid and spending a lot of credits to line the pockets of politicians.”
“If we find a sleeze-bag in office I want to get him or her on the payroll and start having them vote our way. I know it’s a tall order I am throwing out there to you Doris. But I have every confidence in your ability to make it happen. You will have the full support of our team behind you to assist in any decision making. If we can pull this off right, Michael Felix will be in “our” pocket!”
Doris’s eyes lit up with the thought. “Hmm. That would almost make it all worthwhile just on its own. I used to daydream of having such power over him. Might be nice to one day be pulling his strings!” She stuck out her hand for a shake to seal the deal, “If you think we can do this, then I am all in!”
I continued to fill Doris in on our plans for the Grid. Upon our return she would have a new mission. Her efforts would be put towards the hiring of workers who would in turn be given the job of finding and hiring investigators. The investigators would then be given the task of digging up whatever dirt they could on Grid politicians and federal workers. Any advantage that could be gained by the leverage of knowledge was an advantage that we wanted.
On Defiant, we had several traders who had been moving our ore. I would assign one of those traders the task of being Doris’ right hand man. It would be his job to work with her to move as much of our commodities through the Grid as possible. We would need cover for the money that was to be thrown at politicians.
When we arrived back at the Grid Doris immediately went to work on hiring in people she trusted. Shell companies would be formed and investigators brought in. Doris would be speaking to the investigators in private. Only she would know their assignments and whatever reports they delivered to her workers would be delivered sealed and passed along to Doris through a deliveryman of her choosing. It was all designed to give that extra layer of deniability.
After leaving Doris to her new work, I made my way to Jasper’s. I had hopes of bumping into Ashley Elizabeth. A warrant for my arrest was still active, but for some reason I was no longer in fear of being caught. I had a well-established identity to fall back on as Rex Bumbalee. My only weaknesses were my fingerprints and DNA, both of which were on file.
The fingerprints could be changed and I had been in discussions with George on doing just that, but the DNA identification was permanent. If Doris was successful in her mission I hoped to have the warrant withdrawn and the charges dropped. Until that time came I would only need to watch where I placed my hands.
As I sat in Jasper’s, I saw several of the older pilots I had previously worked with. I bought them a round of drinks as they had no idea of my prior identity. They quickly opened up about Michael Felix and the hardships his control had brought with it. If you weren’t playing by his rules you weren’t playing at all.
One of the old pilots, Kurt Daniels, spoke up, “I tell you, I have to beg that guy for work now. Seems he has been purchasing ships of his own and enlisting young pilots for a pittance to fly them. They don’t care about the pay and they certainly don’t care about us. And we can’t pick up any stray deals because his delivery times are somehow much shorter than ours. I don’t know how, but his crews are getting out there and back in record time.”
The conversation suddenly put a thought in my head. I wondered if there would be a way to slow down a ship using negative ions. I would make the suggestion to Gy and Rita, asking if something could be attached to a ship or perhaps a beam fired from a distance. Michael Felix was expanding his use of the optimized ion engine and it would only be a matter of time before the knowledge of how it worked leaked out. Loose credits had a way of opening people���s mouths.
There was also the possibility of obtaining his copy of the document for the ion engine and then hiring away all of the people he had working for him that knew how it worked. It would take a coordinated effort to snatch the tech back from him, especially since it now flew in four Messenger ships. I would ask the Colonel if any of his men had prior experience in the intelligence service, if so, they would be starting a new task upon my return.
The late afternoon hours soon turned to evening. As a last effort to see Ashley Elizabeth I made my way to the SCore office that Doris had mentioned that Ashley frequented. I sat on a bench in the bustling hallway and the two boys I had previously hired to drop off a message came up and sat on the bench next to me.
“Hey, I remember you. You gave us five credits for dropping a message in there.” I looked at the kid and shook my head, “Sorry kid, you must have me confused. I’m not from around here.” The kid grinned and shook his own head, “No, you are him. I don’t forget a face… say, you wouldn’t have any more jobs for us would you? I’m 12 and he’s 11 and it’s tough to find anyone who needs something done around here.”
“We get out of school at 4PM and our moms work, so we got nothing to do until they get home at 8PM.” I looked the kid in the eye, “Are you supposed to be out here? Isn’t there some after school thing you can do? A sport or a club? I bet your parents don’t know you are out of the apartment.”
The younger of the two had a worried look on his face, I continued, “Don’t worry kid. I’m not here to rat you out. I tell you what. I have another job for you. There’s a blonde that works in the SCore office over there. How about you two go in and see if she is in there anywhere. Nose around; tell them you are looking for your Aunt and that she is a tall blonde and very pretty. If you see her or they point her out just say “That’s not her.” and walk
out.”
“When you come out the door, point down the hall that way if she was in there or down this way if she was not. And don’t look at me, just look down the hall.” The older kid held out his credit store, “What’s in it for us?” I smiled as I loaded 20 credits onto it; his eyes got big as did his grin. He grabbed his friend by the shoulder and they both ran towards the SCore office.
Several minutes passed with no sign of the kids, I began to get nervous. The younger kid then came bolting out the door straight into a passerby. He was knocked sprawling onto the floor along with the passerby’s packages. The older kid then came out behind him and pulled him to his feet. He glanced my way and then pointed down the hall in the other direction. The two boys then ran in that direction.
Seconds after the commotion, Ashley Elizabeth emerged from the office looking in their direction. She questioned the man they had run into who was collecting the packages that had been knocked from his hands. He had nothing to offer. She then looked back down the hall with her hands on her hips before turning to go back into the office. I sat on the bench for another two hours before she again emerged.
She turned and began to walk my way. After a quick glance in my direction she slowed and approached with a smile. “Hi. Mr. Bumbalee was it? Ashley Elizabeth.” She held out her hand. I stood and took it into mine, lingering slightly on the release after a gentle but firm shake. It was soft as I remembered.
“Hello Miss Elizabeth. Good to see you again and I must complement you on your hair. It seems you always have it together when we meet.” I had a sudden fear that I was pushing the conversation too far. She was gorgeous as usual, but it was forward of me to say it with her only meeting Rex Bumbalee once before.
She smiled and began to speak, “What brings you to the Alpha section today Mr. Bumbalee?” I gestured for her to join me on the bench, “Please have a seat. I am here on business. Our commodities company is attempting to open new markets here on the Grid. We have various ores, gemstones and we may be interested in expanding into transport.
Our company, Martool Mining and Commodities has done well in the outer worlds of this sector and others and we are looking at expansion as well as current sales growth.”
“If you are interested in gemstones Miss Elizabeth, I may be able to swing a wholesale price on something if you like. Diamond or emerald earrings would go nicely with those blue eyes.” Ashley turned up a smirky smile. “What woman doesn’t like those things Mr. Bumbalee, and it’s a kind offer, but I’m afraid my company frowns on gifts, or discounts for that matter.”
I had her cornered for the question I wanted to ask, “Oh, and what business is it that you are in? Those restrictions usually come from having the Grid as your employer. Is your line of work federal?” Again, Ashley smiled, “No, it is consulting work where I have high end clientele that value my integrity. Without a level of trust it becomes difficult to function in the environment I work in.”
I nodded my head to the obfuscated answer “I see, does your employer have a name? My company may be interested in some of your consulting services at some point in the future. You might find working with us on a project both profitable and enjoyable.” I smiled.
Ashley remained cool and collected with her response. I could immediately tell she was very practiced at what she did. “I have a card with a number that you can call. I am personally a subcontractor, but I am always looking to expand my business connections.” She placed the card in my hand and then stood, “I hate to rush off Mr. Bumbalee, but I have other business to attend to with a client this evening. If you wish to discuss enlisting my services, please contact the number on the card.”
Ashley smiled as she walked away. Her walk was a thing of beauty unto itself. I had to shake myself away from staring as she strode off down the hall. I placed the card in the pocket of my suit and headed back to Alpha Bay and the Wren. I was soon on my way back to Defiant.
Chapter 5
When I arrived back at Defiant the Colonel had word from our scout ships. It was bad news. Twenty-two days earlier the Milgari had counter attacked the The Dakari fleet at Mortel. Of the 75 ships the Dakar had stationed there, only 16 had managed to escape. A Milgari fleet of more than 500 ships had arrived without warning.
The Teldaki Marines that we had left on the planet were wiped out by more than half a million Milgari soldiers. The fighting lasted for five days before the overwhelming force took complete control. The remaining Teldaki citizens had been forced back into work in the mines. Word had come from the Dakar that the next coordinated attack was canceled. They were massing a force to protect their next closest star system.
I felt bad for the Teldaki Marines. It felt like we had abandoned them. They had been provided with weapons and supplies. But we had taken all of our transports home as the technology on them was not something we wanted to lose. They had been trapped on their home planet with the only option being a fight to the death. It was disheartening.
Our biggest problem in planning for engagements deep in the Pollus sector was the amount of time it took to send or receive information. It was a 16 day journey out or back and our ships flew at a speed that was as fast as our best communications speed. If something happened in the Pollus sector it took weeks before we found out back at home.
Our automated factories continued to hum, turning out Raiders and transports. We continued to bring in new recruits, but those recruits were largely limited to Grid citizens. We were here to fight for a cause, a Human cause. And while the outcome would affect every being in this arm of the galaxy, most were ignorant of what losing to the Milgari and Torrians would mean.
I had just come from a staff meeting where we had discussed the latest developments. “Frig. I think it���s time we rode out there to take a look at the new Milgari Armada. While 500 ships is not an immense force, it does tell us that we cannot just take a planet and expect our enemies to sit back and accept what we have done. It also begs the question of how will we defend a star system that we have captured. I think the answer is that we can’t.”
Frig nodded in agreement, “I have been wondering about that myself Sir. We can amass a force to strike at a fleet or a single star system for that matter, but we do not have the resources necessary to hold one. I believe our strategy has to be adapted to the type of battles that we can fight and win. We cannot be liberators Sir. We just do not have the manpower.”
I continued to talk as we walked towards my office, “I think you are right. We either need to go on a massive recruiting and ship building binge or we need to enlist the help of others.” Frig stopped and looked at me, “Are you suggesting what I think you are suggesting Sir? Are we talking about the Admiral? If so, I am not sure that he has the resources to defend more than a single star system either.”
“During our encounters with the Prassi it did seem that he had a sizable fleet, but the Milgari ships have weapons that are now more powerful than ever. I sometimes wonder if it would be worthwhile talking to the Durians. We have the funds to spend on technology. Perhaps they could provide us with something that will give us an advantage in some way.”
As we continued to walk I thought about Frig’s proposal. If the Durians were selling tech to the other species, why would we not seek out the same? I replied, “That is an excellent idea my friend. Our only problem is with finding a Durian to strike up a deal with. They seem to show up when they are looking for you, but they are difficult to find if you are looking for them.”
Frig concurred, “You are right Sir. But I think we should return to the places we have seen them before. Marcon comes to mind. Perhaps if we show up there they will make themselves known. If we are unable to make contact, we can leave directly from Marcon for a journey to the Pollus sector.”
Frig had the supplies for the trip stocked and we headed out towards Marcon in the Swift. When we arrived we leased a private hangar and Frig stayed with the Swift as I went looking for any sign of a Durian. I entered three dive bars th
at were frequented by off-world travelers and hit pay-dirt when exiting from the third. The Durian was in the main hall and was moving quickly away from me. I followed.
He rounded a corner into an alley and then ducked into a shop through the back door. I quickly entered through the front and stepped up to the sales associate. “Hi, I have a deep interest in talking to the Durian that just entered the back of your shop. The young Marconian looked confused, “Durian?” I replied, “Yes, he just entered the back door of this shop. Please go back and let him know that he has business waiting out front.”
The associate turned and walked through a curtain into the back of the store. More than a minute passed before he emerged. “He said he is in the middle of something if you could give him about five minutes he will be out. Can I show you any of our wares while you wait?”
I shook my head and then remembered that no Durian would be found occupying the same space for five minutes straight. I turned and ran out into the hall just in time to see him disappear around another corner. I sprinted after him and caught up just before he ducked into another door. “Hey, I may have some business to discuss.” I pulled out a small bag with Diamonds which got his attention.
“Please follow me, quickly.” He moved down another hall and again turned a corner into an alleyway. Several seconds later he was wrapping on a door with what I could only guess was a secret knock. When the door opened I followed the Durian inside. “What do you want Human?” Six large Marcon Miners then stepped through the door behind me. “Tell him Human. Tell him before we pummel you for harassing our friend!”
I held up my hand with the bag, “I came to discuss business with the Durian, private business.” I then quickly drew my blaster and held it to the forehead of the Marconian in charge. “If I need any assistance I will let you know.” The Durian looked at him and gestured that it was OK. The Marconian and his five friends then left the room.
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