“Not only that, but if you send paid goons after us again, like you did last summer, I will follow the trail killing everyone on it until I get to you,” Saul threatened.
“I didn’t do that,” Artemus said.
Two guards ran over to break up the fight, but Fiona waved them away.
“Don’t lie to me,” Saul said as he let Artemus slide down the wall. “We know your mother is a Swordsman spy.”
“That’s not true!” Artemus retorted.
“She has regularly reported to the Swordsmen embassy at New St. Louis since before you were born,” Fiona asserted calmly.
“How can you know that?”
“The most fanatical, efficient, best organized intelligence gathering organization in the history of the human race. Centuries of paranoia on a cultural level honed to a level previously inconceivable and continually justified on a daily basis.” Fiona quoted an expression she had often heard from Saul.
“Eretz!” Artemus spat the word. “The planet of the Jews. What do they know?”
“Enough to know that you should not trust either Zelda or Harold. They are not your friends,” Saul replied.
“And you are?” Artemus sneered.
“No,” Fiona assured him. “We are your enemies and would kill you given half the chance if it not for the fact that your murder would be devastating for the company. Your accidental death, however, might not be so bad. Better the enemy you can trust than the friend you can’t.”
“That’s comforting.” Artemus said sarcastically.
“Look at it this way,” Fiona said. “if what you are doing is in the long term health of the company as a single unified corporation, then we will work with you. If you attempt to split this company up and hand it to the Swordsmen or organized crime, you should watch your back.”
“You can’t threaten me,” Artemus challenged.
“I can and I did. Remember this. The entire Solomon family and the people associated with them think you sent those two unfortunate idiots Saul had to kill. Their intelligence gathering skills are much better than mine. The only reason you are alive now is because we called them off,” Fiona informed him.
“I am not afraid of them.”
Fiona smiled. “Others have made that mistake. Artemus, we can disagree, but for the good of the company and its people, we must keep it together. Assassinations are bad for business. Not pleasant for the victim either. Saul needs to change out of that flight suit into some real clothes and I need something to eat. Good day, Artemus. I will see you in the meeting room.” She grabbed Saul’s arm and dragged him away.
CHANGE OF COMMAND - CHAPTER THREE
SAUL AND FIONA STOPPED by their quarters only long enough for Saul to change into business attire and then headed to met Saul’s parents in the Queen Elizabeth’s galley. Rachel had long ago decided that even in port she was more comfortable on her ship than she was moving into the station for the few weeks they might be docked before they went out again. This was an opinion shared by almost all of the company’s security service pilots.
Rachel wrapped her arms around her son when he arrived. “I am so glad you are back. When you sent us the first reports we were afraid they would catch you by surprise.”
“Almost did. Fiona spotted them before I did. We’re both lucky to be alive,” Saul said.
“Fiona, we’ve kept your mother informed as best we can,” Isaac, Saul’s father, said. “She’s been pulling some secret missions lately and we can’t always find her.”
“She writes me when she can. I know she’s worried. I think she’ll be glad I’m here. You know the saying about keeping your friends close but your enemies closer. She’s said that to me several times,” Fiona replied.
“She’s right,” Rachel said. “I hear the widow and the baby she took to travel with her are doing well.”
“Her last letter said that the widow met a guy in one of the ports they visited recently and decided to stay. She’s traveling solo again. I think she’s happier that way,” Fiona said.
“Sabrina always kind of a loner,” Issac mused. “Except when it came to you.”
“If we decide we need her, she’ll find a way to be here,” Fiona said.
The door opened and the members of the “Fourth Battle Wing” entered. Gabby, Saul’s sister, lead the group as she had become their de-facto leader. Their cousin Barney followed with Caroline and Delmar right behind.
“So, bro, did they wet their pants when you showed up?” Gabby shouted.
Saul laughed. “No, but they were not happy to see us.”
“That Artemus is up to no good,” Barney said.
“I wish I could punch that Zelda every time she snarled at me,” Caroline added.
Rather than join in the trash-fest, Delmar said, “You better eat if you’re going to get back in time.” He pointed at the buffet set out for them on the table.
“Ah, Delmar, must you always be so rational?” Saul quipped.
“No, but I’m hungry and you must be starved,” Delmar replied.
Rachel’s comm buzzed for her attention. “Saul, your ship is calling for docking instructions. Where would you like them?”
“If you don’t mind, I would like them to attach to the Queen Elizabeth,” Saul said.
“Consider it done,” Rachel said.
“Mom, you know, Grandma was right. Rebecca and Michael are perfectly matched. I have to figure out a way to keep them together,” Saul said.
“Well, since I am the commander of the defensive security service, and you are commander of the offensive Third Force, I think we should be able to find a place for them,” Fiona said.
“More than likely,” Saul agreed
“What about Sylvia and Stanley?” Rachel asked.
“There’s a match made in heaven. I couldn’t ask for a better crew than the four of them,” Saul said. “I think you will like them. They are hard working and sharp. They keep us on our toes.”
“That’s a full-time job,” Rachel laughed.
“We’ll need all the help we can get,” Saul said.
“No doubt,” Fiona affirmed.
“Have you developed a strategy for dealing with your siblings yet?” Isaac asked Fiona.
“No, meeting an enemy across a field of battle with missiles and lasers is not the same as confronting them across a board room table. Too much is at stake here to move too quickly. I want to establish my power base, but I am not sure I want to use it yet,” Fiona replied thoughtfully.
“Well, bro, now that you’re here I think Warren will assign us to you and we have a little power network of our own which we can bring to your aid if you need it,” Gabby said.
Saul put his arm around his sister and said, “You’re just itching for a good fight.”
“Well, yeah, and you’re not?” Gabby laughed.
“Yeah, me, too.”
“Good,” Gabby agreed.
Saul and Fiona sat down to eat and when they were done promised that they would return to the Queen Elizabeth’s galley after the meeting to be re-united with their crew and the rest of the family who were currently standing watch.
Saul and Fiona arrived at the conference room door at the same time Artemus did. They were preparing to verbally accost each other when they heard loud voices from inside the room. Without being asked, the guard opened the door for them.
A giant of a man, as big around as he was tall, Freighter Captain John McGee was shouting at the top of his lungs at one of the Triton reps who was half his size and who was shouting back with equal strength. Groups of pilots had backed the other Triton reps against the walls and were engaged in equally intense shouting matches. Saul surveyed the room, put his fingers to his lips and blew an ear piercing whistle which abruptly brought the arguments to a halt.
“Where did you learn to do that?” Fiona asked.
“The Academy,” Saul said smiling.
Artemus turned to Fiona. “Well, sister dear, you seem to have created a firest
orm,” he said sarcastically.
Fiona scratched the back of her neck, letting her hand slide down to the top of her clear polymer throwing knife like the ones all members of the extended Solomon family carried between their shoulder blades. “Yeah, I do that a lot.”
Artemus stepped back in response to the implied threat of the knife. Part of the reputation of the family Fiona had married into was based on their deadly skill with these knives. Artemus had seen Fiona and Saul practice with their knives and understood their power. “Perhaps we should work together to resolve this difficulty.”
“You lead. I’ll follow,” Fiona said sweetly.
“Thank you, sister, dear.”
“You’re welcome, brother, dear.”
Artemus and Fiona took their places at the table. Harold, Kevin and Barbara followed suit. The remainder of the family still had not returned. All eyes turned to Artemus. “The others will be here shortly. In the interim, choose one representative to speak for all. One for the pilots, one for harbor personnel and one for Triton. Did I miss anyone?” The groups separated and chose their representatives. That Captain McGee was chosen to represent both the pilots and harbor personnel was not a great surprise to either Saul or Fiona. They had traveled with him and his wife from here to Earth five years ago on their way to the Academy and knew the respect with which the rest of the captains held him. This respect was part of the reason they had chosen to enlist him in their plan to secretly return to headquarters.
The remainder of the family arrived and took their places. Saul wandered to the back of the room and the display of ship models that filled the wall. Artemus called the group back to order. “Captain McGee, we have heard from the Triton people how wonderful this plan is. You apparently disagree. Would you please explain your concerns?”
Captain McGee appeared nervous. “Ladies and gentlemen of the board, we agree that the current system of loading each freight container into the holds takes too long and the process of cross loading from one ship to another is keeping our ships in port longer than they need to be. The current amount of damage that cargo, ships and containers sustain during the loading process is not acceptable. Shipyard workers are twice as likely to die wrestling containers into the big holds than they are from all other causes put together.” He motioned to the people from Triton. “So far we agree.”’ The lead rep from Triton nodded his begrudged agreement.
“We think the basic concept of bundling the containers into larger groups for attachment to the exterior of the freighter instead of fastidiously stacking them individually in the open hold makes sense. We still agree.” The lead rep from Triton nodded.
“Where we differ is the design of the modules and the method by which they are attached to the body of the cargo ship carrying them.” He looked at the Triton rep who nodded.
“We have two concerns. The first is that the pendulum action of winching the assemblies into the holds will tear apart both the ship and the cargo containers. The second is that handling an unpowered uncontrollable assembly of that size is asking for damage to both the ship and the cargo.”
“Captain McGee, please explain to us whose physics may not be as good as yours, why you think this pendulum action could be a problem,” Artemus said.
“It’s easier to show you.” Captain McGee removed a lace from his boot and tied an empty coffee mug to it. He ran the end between his fingers and started the mug swinging gently. He then pulled up on the string and the cup’s swing became wilder and wilder until it smacked not into the gap between his fingers, but into the side of his hand.
“Picture that with a hundred tons of cargo.”
“So how do you prevent that?” Artemus asked.
“You either have the cargo drive itself or you have it pull itself in with a winch on the cargo.”
“You mean that if the cargo winched itself in to the hold it would not swing like that?” Artemus asked.
“That is correct.”
Artemus turned to Kevin, “You’re an engineer. Do you agree?”
“Yes,” Kevin said simply.
Barbara nodded her agreement.
“So how do we solve the problem?” Jared asked.
“The assembled containers need to be smart,” McGee offered.
The discussion deteriorated into a debate over the feasibility of designing smart cargo assemblies.
As the argument raged around him, Saul calmly picked up the model of the Queen Elizabeth. He remembered the first time he had seen that model and his surprise when he realized how huge a ship she would be when she was finished. Miniatures of the P I ships his sister and her group used, and that he had used to rescue his mother after being captured and tortured by Swordsmen, were still in the tiny holds. He gently removed one of the three cargo ships that had been attached to Queen Elizabeth’s frame in an array and examined it. The real ship that this represented was a slightly modified cargo carrier made by Triton Industries.
“Captain McGee?” Saul interrupted.
“Captain Cohen?” McGee replied in surprise as Saul had been silent for the discussions.
“Captain, McGee, how smart would the container assembly need to be? Would it need to be as smart as one of these modules?” He held up the section of the model with its hatch doors open.
“No, it would not need to be that smart,” Captain McGee said.
“But it could be,” Saul pressed.
“Yes.”
“What if instead of arraying three of these behind the control module, we arrayed six of them? Then, the modules could be independent ships for the short runs to the smaller depots and combine together for the long runs. Once a cargo is sealed at its point of departure, it would not necessarily need to be unloaded until it reached its final destination. The modules could be remotely controlled from a tug using telemetry from both the tug and the mother ship to ensure a safe attachment. Then, each mother ship has as many engines as it has modules plus its own. A failure of anyone would not necessarily prevent the delivery of the load on time.”
Kevin had quickly drawn a sketch and edited it as Saul spoke. “The Queen Elizabeth’s drive system has been remarkably reliable compared to other ships its size. There is merit in this idea.”
Barbara said, “This new ship could be built out of ships for which we already stock parts and would not have to make a huge investment of parts inventory.”
“If I understand this correctly,” Jared said. “You would have these small ships gather the cargo from its various departure points. Pilots would deliver the module to the mother ship and perhaps return with a module headed back to the origination point.”
“I hadn’t thought it through that far,” Saul said. “Makes sense.”
“So, each large ship is a portable freight depot,” Jared mused.
“In a manner of speaking, yeah,” Saul replied.
“Captain McGee,” Artemus said when it appeared as if the conversation had ended. “What do you think?”
“I think the devil is in the details, but there is a factor to consider. Since the small freighters can be loaded in the light gravity of many of the planetary moons, the loading process is therefore safer than loading in weightlessness.”
“I believe we have an action plan,” Artemus said. “I move that we charge Kevin and Barbara to work with the Triton people to develop an attachment system for the cargo modules they currently provide us based on the design of the Queen Elizabeth, without the weaponry of course. Any cargo pilots who are in port will be consulted before the plan is presented.”
The motion was quickly seconded and passed.
Fiona smiled ingratiatingly at Artemus and whispered, “Keep it together and we can accomplish anything we set out to do.”
Zelda knit her eyebrows together and scowled at the private conversation to which she was not a party.
The freighter crews were released to return to duty. The discussion turned to an issue Timothy was having with fuel shortages in some areas where freight traff
ic was increasing due to the successful efforts of the Colony Service. The free-wheeling and open discussion lasted for a half hour before the motion was made to authorize the funding Timothy would need to resolve the issue. Further items before the group included promotions for some senior staff and several commendations for job related performance. As they wrapped up for the day, Artemus reminded them that tomorrow they would be devoting their attention to capital appropriations.
Fiona pulled Timothy aside as they left the meeting. “That was brilliant!”
Timothy looked as if he did not know what she was talking about. “Excuse me?”
Fiona said, “You controlled that conversation so it looked like we made the decision, but we merely retraced the steps you had used so we came to the conclusion you wanted. I could never have done that!”
“Growing up the youngest in this family does have its advantages,” Timothy said.
“You’re not going to answer me directly are you?” Fiona pressed.
“Did you ask me a direct question?” Timothy asked.
“Did you control the conversation?”
“We covered a lot of territory that was not germane to the issue at hand,” Timothy dissembled.
Fiona tried to meet her half-brother’s eyes, but he turned away. “Timothy, remind me to never cross swords with you.”
“Fiona, if you and your people do your jobs and me and my people do ours, there should never be any reason for any of us to, how did you say it, cross swords?”
“Timothy, whose side are you on?”
“I am not on anyone’s side. I have been assigned a task to do. I do it. You have been assigned a task to do. You should do it. You military types see everything in black and white. The rest of us don’t. Maybe that’s useful when you’re out there in combat, but for the rest of us it gets in the way. If you are working with me, today, we will work together. If you are working against me, today, we will conflict. By locking in friend and foe, you cause yourself trouble.”
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