“I’m not a sector governor, Governor Turley. I can’t call the Emperor any time I want and tell him there’s a problem here. If I complain to Imperial Navy Headquarters Center, I’m told it’s my job to coordinate with civilian authority. If I don’t go along with the scam, then the civilian leaders complain to the Navy and I get removed early and my career is ruined. ‘You should have done a better job of getting along with civilian authority.’ What a load of crap. But that’s what happened to the last Navy commander here, and probably the one before her. And if I take their money, turn a blind eye to all their shenanigans, and just do my job, then it’s also my fault. How the hell is that supposed to work?
“I shouldn’t have any interaction with civilian authority here at all except for smoothing out any issues over shore leave in town or the like. Our job here is to support ship crews in the deployment buildings and to support the fleet with refueling and missile restocking and rotation. That’s it. Why the commanding officer has any responsibility to or coordination issues with civilian authority, or why the Navy thinks that’s important, is a mystery to me.
“The civilian authority reports to the Emperor. The military leadership reports to the Emperor. I’m as loyal to the Throne as any man alive, Governor Turley, but the Emperor’s policies put us all in one hell of a bind out here, and there’s no way out but to destroy your career, one way or the other. And meanwhile the corruption continues either way.”
Turley nodded.
“One question, Admiral Pachner. What did you do with the money?”
“I gave it to a charity in Stolits. They give out free meals and free food to people having hard times. I never kept a dime. I was just trying to keep my career. Unsuccessfully, as it turns out.”
Turley joined Gulliver at the townhouse for lunch. The staff continued to bring in meals from the bigger kitchen of the commanding officer’s residence around the corner. The food was excellent, to the point it was like eating out at a fine restaurant for every single meal.
Which reminded her she was going to have to get back on an exercise regimen soon or these new uniforms Vincennes got for her soon wouldn’t fit her.
Turley brought Gulliver up to speed on the interviews, then threw her hands up in the air.
“It’s a complete mess. The commanders can’t not take the corruption money or they get reported to the Navy or Marines for being hard to work with and get removed. If they do take it, they’re open to charges of corruption themselves.”
“How were Daltrey and Pachner?”
“Daltrey was depressed and Pachner was pissed. I can’t blame either one of them. It’s a toss-up which way I’d go myself. Probably pissed.”
Gulliver nodded.
“There goes my little plan of putting in the opposition. It would just be shift change at the cash register.”
“Exactly. So what do I do now?”
“The first thing I would do is send the video of those interviews to the Emperor.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely. He said he’d be there to help you. Send the interviews to him and then ask him tonight what the hell you do now.”
Bobby Dunham – the Emperor Trajan – got into the office that morning and saw the mail from Sector Governor Turley. He watched the videos of her interviews with General Daltrey and Admiral Pachner.
Partway through, Dunham forwarded the mail on to Amanda Peters – his wife, the Empress – and Darrell Hawker, the Co-Consul, with a request they view them and then the three of them get together. He also sent the interviews on to Sanford Hayes, the head of Investigations, with a request he view them as well, in preparation for a meeting later.
Dunham watched the rest of the interviews and found he had to sympathize with Daltrey and Pachner. The Empire, through a combination of policies and regulations, had put them in an untenable position from the start. That had been part of why all this had managed to metastasize under the radar for so long.
And, of course, ‘the Empire’ meant that he, Dunham, had put them in that untenable position.
Dunham, Peters, and Hawker met in VR channel 22, the simulation of the Emperor’s office.
“You’ve both seen the videos?” Dunham asked.
“Yes, Sire,” Hawker said.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Peters said. “The question is, Now what do we do?”
“That’s a good question, Milady. Clearly Governor Turley can’t go ahead with Mr. Gulliver’s plan to put the opposition party in power. That wouldn’t actually change anything.”
“Yes, Sire,” Hawker said. “And we also need to do something about the civilian authority’s power to effect commander changes. That’s what allowed this all to stay undercover so long.”
“Don’t forget to have Mr. Hayes go back over prior commanders, Sire,” Peters said, “and see who was caught in the gears over all this. We need to make amends.”
Dunham sighed.
“All true. But we also need to think about how to fill those positions. Sector Governor. Provincial Governors.”
“And not just in Earth Sector, Sire, if what we suspect is true,” Hawker said.
“I think they have to come from some other sector, Sire,” Peters said. “And not just any sector. An old Sintaran sector. Can we make sector governor in the DP a career move up for provincial governors in the old Empire? They can’t all move up to sector governor here.”
“And the provincial governors Governor Turley needs, Milady?”
“What position do people step up to provincial governor from, Sire? Don’t we have some of those here who are career-blocked and would want the bump?”
“That’s a good point, Milady. We’ll have to check on that as well. There’s going to be a delay in getting relief out to Governor Turley then.”
“I think we have to do it, Sire,” Hawker said. “We need to get some standards in place out there.”
“Well, that’s the beginning of a plan, at least,” Dunham said.
“What about the other former-DP sectors, Sire?” Hawker asked. “Do we audit them as well?”
“I’m not sure I have cause enough given my own standards, Mr. Hawker.”
“Why not audit everybody, Sire?” Peters asked. “All the sector governors.”
“Sort of part of the job, eh?” Dunham asked. “Perhaps. We’ll have to ask Mr. Hayes how much work is involved in at least running a preliminary check. You know, catch the big ones.”
Dunham shook his head. What a mess.
“What do we do about Daltrey and Pachner, Sire?” Hawker asked.
“We need to do something, Sire,” Peters said. “They didn’t dissemble or lie with Governor Turley. And without their honesty, we could have made a big mistake.”
“Another big mistake,” Dunham said. “Yes, we have to make some accommodation there. I put them in this position in the first place.”
“Actually, Your Majesty,” Peters said, “I have an idea about what to do with Daltrey, Pachner, and the other commanders.”
Amanda’s Idea
“Ma’am, we have the media people the Marines picked up this morning checked into the brig,” Admiral Zhang said. “We were wondering if you had any instructions with regard to them.”
Ann Turley’s interviews with Daltrey and Pachner were fresh in her mind. They had learned a lot talking to them.
“Yes, Admiral. Let’s get some people in there to interview them privately, one at a time. Try to characterize their involvement for each of them. Were they following orders and got a payoff for being good little boys and girls, or were they the paymaster or ringleader? That sort of thing. I think it will help determine the punishment that makes sense in each case.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
Turley also had a meeting request in to the Emperor with regard to the interview videos. She knew Imperial City was out of sync with Stolits by about twelve hours, so she should hear from him sometime toward eleven or twelve that night. She and Gulliver had a quiet dinner in the townh
ouse that evening. Tonight it was cheese-stuffed ravioli in meat sauce, with garlic bread and a Caesar salad.
“So you meet with the Emperor tonight?” Gulliver asked.
“I think so. I haven’t heard yet, but he’s probably just getting up now and hasn’t seen the videos yet. I figure another four hours or so.”
Gulliver nodded.
“I wonder if he’s come up with anything.”
“He and the Empress,” Turley said. “She can be pretty amazing, with the stuff she comes up with. Like our little collaboration. Speaking of which, I’d like you in the meeting tonight.”
“Are you sure I’m welcome on the other end?”
“We’ll find out. I put your name in the meeting request as well.”
“So that’s tonight,” Gulliver said. “What’s on the agenda for tomorrow?”
“Arresting the crooked cops and judges. The ones who were getting paid to twist the law. I mean, you expect politicians to be crooked, but police? Judges? That’s a hot spot for me and His Majesty.”
“Makes sense.”
Turley looked at him, tipped her head. He had shed the Howell Culligan disguise and was now back to being the incredible disappearing man, Paul Gulliver.
“So it’s back to Paul Gulliver. You know, this whole disguise thing is kind of intriguing. I could have a different man every night.”
“It would still be the same old moves, though.”
“Good,” Turley said, laughing. “Then I wouldn’t risk any loss of performance.”
The meeting notice came in after eleven, and it included Paul Gulliver. They VRed in from the living room of the townhouse and found themselves in the simulation room with the investigation map, sitting in the viewing seats with Sandy Hayes, the head of Imperial Investigations.
Or maps, rather, Turley thought.
There were four independent investigation maps now. The labels above each indicated the sector. The Earth Sector map was by far the biggest, but Campo Sector, Fremd Sector, and Mantua Sector had their own maps as well now, and they were growing as she watched.
As Turley was taking that all in, the Emperor and Empress appeared in their chairs at right angles to her line of sight, as before.
“Remain seated,” Dunham said.
He looked over at the maps, taking in their current status, and sighed. Turley was glad she didn’t have his problems. She only had one sector to worry about.
“You seem to have uncovered a much larger problem than any of us imagined, Governor Turley,” Peters said.
Dunham nodded.
“Fifty years ago we went from a strong-center model to a strong-sector model, and the corruption moved right along with it.”
Dunham turned to Hayes.
“Mr. Hayes, something came up in an earlier meeting. With everything else you have going on, I wonder if you could handle this as well. Run a sort of high-level check on the other seventy-five sector governors as well. Take what you’ve learned from all this–“ Dunham waved his hand at the maps “– and apply a quick check across all Imperial sectors. See what else we turn up. Get it all out there at once.”
“Actually, Sire, that’s not that hard now we know what to look for. If we find evidence the sector governor is involved in corruption, do you want us to follow it as well?”
“Yes, Mr. Hayes. Let’s follow where it leads. But no broad breaches of privacy unless you pick up evidence of corruption with the sector governor.”
“Understood, Sire.”
Dunham nodded and turned to Turley.
“Governor Turley, I think it’s clear to all of us from your interviews with General Daltrey and Admiral Pachner that Mr. Gulliver’s idea – as brilliant as it is – won’t work after all.”
“Yes, Sire. We would just be changing who’s running the cash register, not actually putting them out of business.”
“Indeed. So I’ve decided to bring in provincial governors and sector governors from outside. I have preferred generally to use local talent, one might say, for civilian appointments, but this is clearly no longer possible in much of the former Democracy of Planets. They are reverting to their old ways. And we have plenty of qualified people in the old Sintaran Empire and some of the better-run former Alliance nations who could use the career path.”
Turley nodded. That made a lot of sense to her.
“It does mean, though, Governor Turley, it will necessarily be some time before I can get replacements out to you. The closest are probably a month away.”
“I understand, Sire. I don’t think that will be a problem. Most of the day-to-day functions of government run well enough by themselves without interference from the high mucky-mucks. Uh, no offense, Sire.”
Dunham chuckled.
“Indeed, Governor Turley. I have often thought so myself. In this case, however, it appears I should have been more hands-on. These people got away with way too much before I asked that you get involved.”
So their original assignment did come from the Emperor.
“To that point, Sire. We are arresting all the people on the list. We brought in the media people today. We’re interviewing them to get a picture of what their roles were. The police and judges will be tomorrow. We will then still have the actual politicians and bureaucrats to go. Have you given any thought to what the punishments are to be?”
“Some, Governor Turley. The ringleaders we have. They and the police and judges are the greatest offenders. Perhaps the publishers as well. The people who set the agenda, who created the environment in which the others had to find a way to live. They will be dealt with harshly. The rest, probably not so much. I want to have people look at those interviews once you’ve conducted them.”
“Very well, Sire. And General Daltrey and Admiral Pachner?”
“Actually, Milady Empress had some thoughts there, Governor Turley.”
Dunham waved a hand to Peters, and she explained her idea. Turley couldn’t help but admire it.
“I think that would work splendidly, Sire.”
The next morning before breakfast, Turley sent a meeting invitation to all eight Marine and Navy commanders from the provincial capitals. They were all currently in the brig. Turley specified dress uniform for the meeting, to take place in one hour. She and Gulliver then had breakfast. After breakfast, Turley logged into the meeting. Gulliver was monitoring in management mode.
All eight commanders were there on time, and all used their avatars in dress uniform. Turley’s avatar appeared in an expensive executive business suit, her avatar from her days as a vice president with Kendall, the agricultural supplies giant and subsidiary of Stauss Interstellar, which was also the one she had used as president of Julian. They were seated in a small classroom or viewing room, while Turley was in the speaker’s well.
“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen,” Turley said. “Thank you for attending. There’s someone who wishes to speak to you. Please stand for His Majesty, the Emperor Trajan.”
The officers all shot to their feet and stood at dazed attention as the Emperor and Empress appeared in the speaker’s well, seated in leather club chairs.
“Thank you, Governor Turley,” Dunham said. “Be seated, everyone.”
They all sat and stared, rather stunned by the sudden turn. Four-star admirals and two-star generals, none of them had met either the Emperor or Empress before, even in VR. The Emperor who had been their Emperor throughout their careers, throughout their entire adult lives, having taken the Throne when they were children. And now here they were, the eight of them, alone with His Majesty.
Turley sat as well, off to one side, and watched.
“You all took oath to the Throne. That was more than thirty years ago. You have served your entire lives obliged to the Throne by that oath. The eight of you represent more than a quarter-millennium of service to the Empire.
“I am awed by that, and I am in your debt.
“Most people do not understand I am similarly obliged by that oath. To you. To g
ive you fair treatment. To ensure the lives you have dedicated to service are respected. I understand it, however, and you should understand it.
“I have recently become aware I have failed you – you eight and others – in my obligations to you. I wanted to meet with you today to apologize. I did not hold up my obligation to you, the obligation I took on when accepting your oaths to the Throne. For my failure to you, I am truly sorry.
“It was not explicit policy, or some careless order, that broke my obligation to you. It was, rather, the accumulation of rules and regulations, custom and tradition, that put you in an untenable position through no fault of your own. Those rules and regulations, those customs and traditions, must change.
“I am therefore convening a general-staff-level commission, to study those rules, regulations, customs, and traditions, and recommend to me and the heads of your services the changes required to ensure this does not happen again. This commission will also investigate how others in similar positions have been hurt by this situation, and recommend ways to do right by them.
“I can think of no one better to form that commission than you yourselves.
“Therefore, I am promoting each of you one grade from your current position. I am striking any unfavorable information from your records over this incident. And I am directing you to proceed to Imperial Fleet Headquarters Center to take up your new duties.
“And now, if you would come forward, I would like to congratulate each of you personally.”
The Emperor and Empress stood, and the officers perforce stood as well. They came forward one at a time, to shake hands with the Empress and the Emperor, old enough to be their parents, and who, to their surprise, greeted each of them by name.
When the congratulations were over, the Emperor addressed them all.
“Be seated.”
The officers all sat as before.
“Thank you for your service.”
The Emperor and Empress spread their hands at their sides and bowed their heads to them, then dropped from the channel.
Turley walked out into the speaker’s well and addressed them.
EMPIRE: Investigation Page 18