by Jucha, S. H.
* * *
Reiko allowed her guests, Drake and Jaya, places at her table but not the comfortable chairs of her salon, and the point was not missed by Drake.
“You wished to speak with me, President Drake,” said Reiko, after serving her guests some hot thé. Not caring for the coming conversation didn’t mean to Reiko that the courtesies shouldn’t be observed. It was a lesson delivered over and over again by Franz and Renée.
“As an outsider to the Harakens, I’m interested in your opinion of them and, specifically, President Racine’s mindset,” Drake said.
If Will wasn’t his friend and president, Darryl might have reached across the table and slapped him. In a conversation with Maria only a few days before the Rêveur entered the system, Darryl expressed his concern about the pressures of the job on Will’s demeanor. Maria had warned him that it was easy to lose your way as president when you realized your every decision could help or harm the future of your people.
“Darryl, a president has to hang on to his core beliefs in what’s right, no matter the size of the problem faced. Remind Will of that every opportunity you get … he’s not talking to me anymore,” Maria said sadly.
“An outsider?” Reiko said, echoing the president’s words. She took a sip of her thé, while she considered her response. “When I arrived on Haraken, every Independent, who stood out because they were the only Méridiens, and every one of Alex’s core New Terrans accepted me from day one. It didn’t matter who I was or who I had been. If I wanted to join them, I was accepted. Do you have any idea how good that felt?”
Reiko meant her question to be rhetorical, and her guests had the good sense not to respond. “Every day, while in the UE’s forces, I had to prove my command worth, my qualification to lead. On Haraken, only the best qualified receive a position … no politics, no nepotism. So, when the Harakens advance you, your authority is accepted.”
Drake started to say something, but Jaya placed a hand on his forearm to forestall him.
“When I arrived on Haraken,” Reiko continued, “I wondered how long I would last before I was pleading to return home. Now, I believe Haraken is my home, and you’ll have to step over my dead body before I let anyone harm the planet or its people.”
“I can appreciate your sentiments, Captain Reiko, you’re a loyal individual to those you see who are deserving of it,” Will said. “But the Harakens aren’t the only ones in need of loyal and experienced individuals such as you.”
Jaya’s surprise must have shown on his face, because when Reiko noticed his reaction, her face shifted from anger to mirth, and she broke out in laughter.
“That’s what you wanted to ask me … you wanted to offer me a job?” Reiko said, still laughing.
“I’m serious, Captain. We need help building a strong system, one not dependent on other human cultures, which bear no relationship to us,” Drake said, trying to control his indignation.
“Apologies, President Drake,” Reiko said sobering. “You’re generous to offer me an opportunity at New Terra after such a short meeting with me, but I was serious about my earlier statements. Haraken is my home, in a way that Sol and the UE could never have been. You might notice that my partner, my lover, is a New Terran, who immigrated to Haraken. That was his choice too.”
“I would like you to think about it, Captain. My offer remains open,” Drake said.
Reiko nodded her head in understanding. “Since we’re being frank, President Drake, I’ll offer you my opinion on your efforts to gain independence in this corner of the universe inhabited by the Méridiens and the Harakens. Forget it.”
“I’m sorry, forget what?” Drake asked.
“Forget trying to go it alone. You have pleasure palaces operating within the law but distributing illegal drugs. Your criminals are setting up clandestine clubs in Espero and killing one another when discovered. They’re kidnapping Haraken girls. In short, you’re not able to manage your society’s technological boom. Join with the Harakens. Merge your systems.”
Franz knocked on Reiko’s cabin door in consideration of her guests, but he had also commed Reiko, and she signaled her cabin door open for him.
“Captain, Mr. President, Minister, how’s it going?” Franz asked politely.
“Just fine, Commander. We’re having a nice discussion,” Reiko replied
To Franz, the New Terran officials appeared anything but fine. Concussed might be the more appropriate term. Then again, his Earther lover was an intimidating woman when she wanted to be. “Sers, President Racine is requesting your presence on the bridge,” Franz said.
-20-
The girls were lounging on the beds when the suite’s door opened quickly and a well-dressed Kadmir walked in, accompanied by a drone cam operator and two security personnel.
“And how are we doing?” Kadmir asked, clapping and rubbing his hands together. When he didn’t receive a response from any of the girls, he said, “Come, come, now, there’s no reason to be glum. You’ll soon be returned to your president’s care.”
“When?” Eloise blurted.
“Soon, but there are some issues to work out first, and I need your assistance to ensure the process goes smoothly,” Kadmir said.
“What do you need from us?” asked Christie. She was dubious of Kadmir’s motives, but she thought that pretending to be cooperative would serve them better than resisting.
“Ah,” Kadmir replied, warming to the moment. “These are delicate times. Your president is obviously upset at the kidnapping of Haraken people, especially his sister, and his temper is well-known.”
“Only with fools,” Amelia said.
“And I won’t argue with that,” Kadmir said congenially to Amelia, “which brings me to my point. The fool in this case is Peto Toyo, the man who ran the illegal club that you entered and the man who kidnapped you. What’s important is that President Racine is assured that his ire should be directed at Toyo, and that my people and I had nothing to do with these events.”
“So, essentially, you want us to convince my brother that you are blameless?” Christie asked.
“Why, yes, since it’s the truth,” Kadmir replied, smiling and nodding.
“But we don’t know that what you’re saying is true,” Amelia challenged. “We were first taken from a freighter to a location in restraints and comm isolated, then restrained and isolated when we were brought aboard your shuttle, and finally deposited here, locked in another suite. How are we to know that these events are unconnected? The treatment seems the same to us.”
“I see your point,” Kadmir replied, “but I ask you to keep your eyes on the endpoint … your return to your people. So, if you aren’t comfortable helping me in convincing your president of our innocence, then I would ask that you do nothing to inflame him.”
“I can do that,” Eloise said anxiously.
“I take it that we will be on a vid comm with my brother,” Christie said, pointing to the drone.
“A necessary step to convince President Racine of your well-being,” Kadmir allowed.
“So you’re asking us to behave during the vid,” Amelia said.
“Yes,” Kadmir said, opening hi
s arms to implore the girls.
“You’ll have our cooperation during the vid,” Christie said.
“Wonderful,” Kadmir said, clapping his hands together. He nodded to the drone operator, who whispered into his comm, and everyone waited for a link to be established.
Cordelia received the comm request for President Racine from Udrides and immediately linked to Julien.
“Pardon, Ser, President Racine,” Julien said, interrupting Alex’s discussion with Renée, “you have a comm request from Udrides. Cordelia identifies the origination point as the pleasure domes. I’ve let the operator know that you will be contacted to take the comm.
Alex ran his implant location app and found Franz approaching the bridge.
Within moments, the foursome entered the bridge. “I have a comm call from the Udrides domes,” Alex said to Drake.
“Azul Kadmir,” Drake replied.
“That’s what Julien indicated based on your corporate records of mining companies. Mr. Blue was the individual who Toyo’s people originally claimed was the man behind the illegal club in Espero.”
“Julien, just me on the vid,” Alex ordered.
Julien nodded, and a dapperly dressed man with dark, wavy hair down to his shoulders appeared standing in a well-appointed room.
“Thank you for taking my comm, President Racine,” Kadmir said, with a polite nod of his head in greeting. “I am Azul Kadmir, humble owner and operator of Udrides Resources, a mining concern.”
“How can I help you, Ser Kadmir?” Alex asked.
“I believe it’s I who can help you, President Racine,” Kadmir said.
Christie ground her teeth. Kadmir’s posturing riled her temper.
“In the course of events, it came to my attention that Peto Toyo, who operates an establishment on Jolares, was attempting to set up his illegal practices in your beautiful city of Espero. By the time I was made aware of this, I heard from my sources that Toyo had taken three Harakens, whom he was holding in his domes.”
Kadmir smiled invitingly at the vid drone, expecting some sort of reaction from Alex, but a glance at the monitor revealed the president’s face was locked in a stony stare. Had Kadmir possessed an implant, he would have been privileged to feel what Alex was thinking.
“Much to my delight and with my resources, I was able to spirit the girls away from Toyo’s possession. And here they are,” Kadmir said, with a flourish of his arm. The drone operator widened the shot and moved over to the bed. Christie was bracketed by Amelia and Eloise. They appeared to be no worse for wear, except that they sat quietly, staring into the drone’s eye.
Implants burned with messages among the Harakens aboard the Tanaka, which Alex ignored.
“You can see that they are alive and well, President Racine,” Kadmir said, enthusiastically, stepping into the vid’s frame.
“I wish to speak with them,” Alex requested, as politely as he could.
“Ahem …” Kadmir said, stepping to the side. The drone operator followed him, excluding the girls from view. “By mutual consent, the girls and I, we’ve agreed to wait on that, President Racine. I’m anxious to return the girls to your care, but I have some concerns.”
“What are your concerns, Ser Kadmir?” Alex asked.
“I wish it understood that we took no part in the abduction of your young women. We’re merely the rescuers, and when they are in your custody, they can confirm that in detail, I’m sure.”
“If that’s true, then you have no cause for concern,” Alex said, boring into Kadmir’s eyes.
“Ah, but there it is … the truth according to whom? Who’s to say that Haraken truth is more accurate than New Terran truth?”
“I’m not interested in a philosophical debate about truth, Ser Kadmir. Do you have requests that detail the transfer of the girls?”
“Yes, I do, actually.” The drone cam moved in close on Kadmir and the bon vivant façade dropped away. Staring back at Alex was the face of the real Mr. Blue. “These terms are not negotiable. You come to me; I don’t go to you. You bring one traveler and only one traveler, and you come personally. In fact, you’re the first person off the traveler.”
Kadmir took a step back from the drone, and the false smile returned. “These requirements are merely to protect me and my people. Your temper, President Racine, when you feel someone has wronged your people or others is legendary. I do not wish that anger injudiciously directed at me or my people. If you come, I will expect your word, man to man, New Terran to New Terran, that there will be no retaliation against my company or its pursuits.”
“When and where, Ser Kadmir?” Alex asked.
Kadmir nodded his head to the side as if to acknowledge that Alex accepted his conditions. “My bay is full of shuttles and two travelers are expected with guests soon. I apologize for the delay, but we are a small, growing concern and space is still a premium for us. I will confirm with you when my administration has an opening available, President Racine. In the meantime, I will ensure that your girls are well looked after.”
* * *
The comm panel beside Toyo’s bed bleated. He was a heavy sleeper and snorer. If the comm didn’t make a racket, as if the panel was being strangled, Toyo would never hear it. He rolled over and slapped the call icon to accept the comm.
“Yeah,” Toyo said in a sleep-drugged state.
“This is Barnett,” a male voice said.
Toyo snapped awake and sat up. Barnett was the male impersonation of Lisa Sparing, Kadmir’s mistress. Lisa was using a one-time, voice-locked modulator. Toyo delivered it to her along with a sizable down payment, which Lisa required he send to a newly created, private account on Niomedes.
Lisa would have programmed the device by speaking into it during the setup routine. Anyone finding the modulator and powering it up would discover its components disabled. Only Lisa’s voice and her password moments after turning on the device would preserve its integrity.
Although Kadmir’s mistress for the past four years, it took Lisa only half of the first year to discover that Kadmir would tightly control her expenses. She had found no way to accumulate the retirement money she hoped for when she agreed to leave New Terra and live with Kadmir on Udrides.
Toyo approached Lisa through a patron who frequented his pleasure domes and who had a penchant for the wilder forms of entertainment, which invariably drained his account of credits. In return for wiping out his debt, Toyo gave the patron a lavish account with which to play at Kadmir’s domes. Over the course of a year, the patron was invited several times to meet with Kadmir and his mistress, Lisa. It took time, but finally Toyo got an offer to Lisa.
Expecting it would take time to secure a source so close to Kadmir, Toyo was surprised at Lisa’s immediate response. She sent word via the patron of a named bank account and a deposit amount, and Toyo wasted no time transferring the requested down payment.
Their agreement had been about a half-year ago. Toyo’s patron had delivered the voice-modulation device and its operations procedures on his next trip to Kadmir’s dome, and then, soon afterwards, the middle-aged businessman met with an untimely accident on New Terra.
“Yes, Barnett,” Toyo said, forgoing any pleasantries. If Lisa was using her device, the information she had was critical.
“I’ll be taking some time o
ff for vacation and could use the funds you owe me,” Lisa said, her voice a seamless imitation of an average New Terran male voice should anyone pick up on the comm.
“What portion?” Toyo asked.
“All of it,” Lisa replied. “I’m monitoring my account now.”
Kadmir’s mistress was going to run for it, and she wanted the entire half-yearly payments Toyo had promised her that were to be delivered over the next three years.
“That’s quite an advancement of our payment schedule,” Toyo said, searching for a way to get more details about Lisa’s information.
“This is a lifetime opportunity for me that I don’t want to miss out on. It’s a potential career changer, if you know what I mean.”
Toyo switched the comm to his desk, donned a robe, and picked up the call there. He tapped his finger on the comm panel, thinking of his options. With the recent events on his mind, Toyo decided it wasn’t time to be parsimonious. “Well, Barnett, I wouldn’t like to see a man miss out on a career opportunity. I’m paying our debt in full … transferring the funds now.”
“Got them,” Lisa said moments later, Méridien technology at work.
“So tell me about this new career you’re interested in investigating during your vacation,” Toyo said.
“Well, before I can enjoy my time off, I’ve got to take care of some urgent personal business. I found out my wife is cheating on me with my business partner.”
Toyo’s heart skipped a beat. He was thinking Lisa found out about his deal with Kadmir and was warning him of something she should know nothing about. “I thought you had two business partners. Which one is she in bed with?”
“She’s cheating with —”
Toyo heard a sneeze on the comm.
“Sorry, got a case of the sniffles,” Lisa apologized.
“That’s a shame. You should take care of that,” Toyo replied. Lisa was talking about Roz “Sniffer” O’Brien, who got his name because he was known for smelling out trouble. “So does the other partner know that your wife is playing around?” Toyo asked.