by Daniel Gibbs
Miri Gaon would have had another reason to not sleep, had she known about the call going on just a block or so away in one of the other Alien Quarter residences.
Allan Kepper was not a big man, but he was probably the most terrifying one most people came across. The vacant look in his sky blue eyes made him seem lifeless, or perhaps more accurately, soulless. There was rarely a trace of emotion on his face.
This was not true of what was within him. If emotion rarely showed on his face, it was because Kepper trained himself to keep them away from his expression, lest he warn those around him of the burning urges within. Urges he kept in check until he could fulfill them, and when he did, the removal of his self-repression drove him to acts even he was surprised by.
That he was a sociopath was undeniable. Some might instead use the term psychopath. Sadist, he accepted, although only his victims ever saw him go that far. He was, after all, a cautious person.
Now he sat in front of his vidlink, the call being routed through numerous proxy sites as always. On the other end of the call was Chantavit Li. Commander Chantavit Li of the Bureau of State and Social Safety, External Operations Department, the agency responsible for foreign intelligence and operations in the League of Sol. Li was of mixed Indian and Chinese descent, with a darker East Asian skin tone, while Kepper's was more of a swarthy light tone. When he spoke English, it was with a light Anglo-American accent. "You're paying an awful lot for one spacer."
"I'm paying for her condition," Li said. Like always, he spoke as if he were inherently superior to Kepper, and the expression on his face matched. As if he were an overtaxed teacher explaining something to a particularly stupid or unruly child.
Kepper sometimes considered how entertaining it would be to wipe that look off Li's face, but again his caution restrained him. The League paid well for his services, better than most, and he was starting to run short of funds again. Besides, having to keep killing the agents they sent to murder him would get tiresome. "Simple grab and bag, your people pick her up?"
"Yes. She must be intact. We need to debrief her and ensure she is capable of facing a proper punishment for her crimes against Society."
"Right." Kepper didn't roll his eyes. “Society,” to him, was overrated. "Alright, money's good. Got an image?"
Li tapped something off-screen. Kepper's digital reader confirmed he was receiving a file. He checked it. The image of a woman with pale bronze skin appeared. She looked Semitic, and with the name, Kepper guessed she was Hebrew. "Huh. Another deserter?"
"Worse. It's why we're not paying for termination but capture. She has a lot to answer for, Kepper."
"Right." Kepper smiled wryly at that. "Well, you're the employer. I'll get to work."
"See that you do, before she slips away. Li out."
Li's image disappeared. Kepper used his digital reader to transfer the file to the holo-viewer, giving him a better look at his quarry. She was an older woman, at the beginning of middle-age, he'd guess. No older than forty-five. She wouldn't necessarily stand out. But given the file, she was likely going to show up at the ISU center, if she hadn't already. He'd start hunting her there.
He idly wondered how much of a screamer she was, but he shut that thought down with practiced efficiency. It was a grab and bag, not a grab and cut, so no time for urges.
As always, the job came first.
Chantavit Li was no sooner done with Kepper than he got the automated message from his contact. He read the text on his secured reader, the light of the reader the only illumination in his living quarters in the League embassy in Gamavilla.
Subject has secured crew to find the target. Will bring target here. Will message when target is on planet.
Li shook his head. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised at his ally's willingness to show initiative, regardless of his expressly-given instructions. It was, indeed, quite difficult to get government officials to behave. But he would not risk the capture of Miri Gaon to whatever bumbling thugs his ally sent. She was too smart for that. Too capable. No, Kepper would do. He was a vicious beast, but he was a controlled one at least.
The entire thing made Li feel sick, and it reminded him of why he hated this work. He detested being involved with the Lusitanians, and the Galters, and the Hestians, and every other anti-Social planet in this blasted region. They were all fractious people in need of the unity of Society, and he looked forward to when they were saved from their own base impulses.
Li was, like many in his line of work, a true believer. He believed in the collective mission of Society, to bring peace and order and prosperity to Humanity and other sapient species through the enlightenment of Society. To end the calamitous effects of crass, selfish individualism, and ensure all had their place in the grand unified tapestry he'd grown up within. While Miri Gaon's capture, debriefing, and death would not necessarily bring forward the day of victory, at least not by itself, it would serve as a further deterrent toward those who would defy Society.
After all, they were little more than animals. That was what individual beings were. Scared, foolish animals, seeking base desires or empty superstitions to stave off the terror of mortality. Li, on the other hand, knew he was going to die one day, but he felt no fear at that. Society was what mattered.
Society was immortal where individuals were not.
It was with that thought that Li returned to his other duties. Admiral Hartford's plan was nearly ready, and he would have to play his role to bring it to fruition, to ensure the success of Society.
15
Henry waited until their first jump before he called everyone together. Cera and Yanik would be observing from the bridge while everyone else joined him in the galley. He broke the news to an audience of frowning faces.
Tia's frown was the worst. "Just what have you gotten us into, Jim?" she asked.
"I don't know yet," Henry answered. "This whole situation is a complete—"
"—a complete clusterf— cockup, if you ask me," Felix began, then corrected himself. "Christ, Jim, how could you make a deal with that fascist?"
"Because she had us by the balls," Henry replied frankly. "You and Jules were going to be arrested as enemies of the state. She threatened the others too." He glanced at Tia. "Especially you. She talked about handing you over to the Hestian government."
Tia paled and swallowed nervously.
"I suppose Brigitte and I would be handed over to the League as well," Oskar said quietly, knowing that meant death for him and possibly her. "I understand why you've done this, sir."
"But we might get made by the League anyway," Brigitte said. "You're telling me this spacer we're after is some former Coalition super-spy they're hunting?"
"Something like that," Henry said. "And from what I've seen of Ms. Karla Lupa's record, it looks like she might be a legend. The kind a retired spy would use."
"This just keeps getting better and better," Felix said.
"If we help someone they have a KC order on, doesn't that mean the League might declare us enemies too?" asked Piper.
"Distinctly possible," Henry said.
"Then,” She paused. “We'll never be safe." Piper glanced around at the others. "They'll never let us go. We'll have their agents after us everywhere."
"Jim, this is a bad job," Tia said. "I can feel it. If we go through with this, we're going to suffer for it."
"If we don't, my brother gets thrown in a hole and probably shot," Felix pointed out. He glared at Tia.
Tia glared back. "Your brother should wise up and get out of Lusitania, then! And if he wants to be a religious martyr so bad, well, let him! I didn't sign up to die for your religion!"
"At least my brother's got a real cause, one that makes lives better!" Felix's voice was growing heated. "The only cause you ever fought for was dictatorship!"
"Dictatorship?" Tia's cheeks reddened. She rose to her feet, her eyes full of anger. "You want dictatorship? Just look at what the corps do to my people! Including some of your
precious 'freedom-loving' capitalists in the Coalition. We were fighting to free ourselves from oppression!"
Now Felix was on his feet too. "You’d end up oppressing yourselves anyway! You Socialists always form dictatorships; you can't help it! You always want to tell people how to—"
A loud whistle interrupted Felix. Henry pulled his fingers from his lips and bellowed, "Both of you, sit down and shut up!"
Still glaring fiercely at each other, they obeyed.
While they returned to their seats, Henry looked over his assembled crew. He could imagine the look on Cera's face as well, the worry and concern she would have. Once it was clear he had their full attention again, he said, "When we get to Sektatsh, you can choose to leave. I'll pay for your liner ticket and give you full references."
"But you won't let us come back," Piper noted.
"No." Henry shook his head. "I need people who trust me. Who'll stick through these jobs, thick and thin. You want to run, that's fine, but that means you don't trust me, and I can't have a crew that doesn't trust me."
There were glances around the galley. Some were uncomfortable. They'd been together for a long while now, gotten used to each other, and even faced danger together. But this, this was something else. Facing pirates and the like was one thing. Drawing the attention of the galaxy's most powerful totalitarian state, one with a reputation for developing vicious grudges and the army of devoted fanatics willing to act on them? That was another.
Henry tried to inject sympathy into his voice as he continued. "Listen, I know you're frightened. I'm scared to death myself. This is the kind of shit I try to stay out of. But people I care for are in danger, including all of you. If we cross Caetano, she's not going to stop at kicking us off Lusitania. She'll have people gunning for us too. It's a point of pride for her, not just pride but survival. She can't afford to look weak to anyone. So, yeah, I'm finishing this job."
"How are you going to satisfy Caetano, Vitorino, and Coalition Intelligence all at once?" asked Oskar.
"I'm not sure," Henry admitted. "I'm sorry, no guarantees there. All I can say is I'll make whatever deal best fits the situation. I'll do what I have to in order to get us out of this predicament, alright? Even if it means dropping Gaon off on Lusitania and taking right off for the Jewels."
There was a chuckle from Piper and a grin on Vidia's face. "The Jewels," aka "the Jewel Box," were a cluster of stars far to anti-Spinward of their region of Sagittarius-Centaurus, so named centuries before due to their appearance from Earth. It was the farthest known extent of Human exploration to the Anti-Spinward, a journey of months through the Coalition, Saurian, and Tash'vakal systems, and then a whole stretch of independent space. "And just what kind of work do you think we'll find out there?" Piper asked. "Crucians and Laconians don't take kindly to strangers."
"I'd hope to find something nearer," Henry said with a grin. "But like I said, whatever I have to for this crew."
That drew nods from the others.
"I'm with you, Jim, you know that," said Felix. While he initially faced Henry, his eyes drifted over to Tia, a challenge in them.
Tia returned the glance. "Like I said, this job's going to go bad," she said. "But it wouldn't be my first lost cause. I'm with you, Jim."
One by one, the others indicated their agreement. A brief crackle came over the intercom. "Cera and I are in concurrence, Captain. We will remain," Yanik announced, his words formed with a slight hiss.
Henry smiled. "Alright, then. Everyone who's due, get some rack time. It's five jumps to Harron, so we'll be there in about two days."
Everyone departed, save Felix. "Thanks, Jim," he said. "I know my brother's being a stubborn ass."
"As I said before, it runs in the family," Henry replied.
"He's got more faith than the two of us combined."
"He always has." Henry went to one of the refrigerators and pulled out a couple of cans. "Here." He tossed one of them.
Felix caught and stared at it. "Non-alcoholic beer, Jim? Really?"
"No alcohol on duty," Henry replied. "You and I are due on watch in an hour, remember?"
"Right." Felix sighed and opened his can with a hiss. "So, I guess I'm about to get chewed out for what happened with Tia?"
"She's my First Mate, Felix. Your boss, when I'm not here." Henry opened his beer while Felix took a drink. "You've got to work with her, and politics be damned."
"Listen, I know she means well. People like her always do. They always convince themselves they're the special ones who will make it work, and they never do."
"Maybe not, but…" Henry drew in a breath. "I've been to Hestia, Felix. Just after that revolution failed. It was bad. She's got every right to want to change things there."
"I've heard the stories," Felix said. "As bad as they sound?"
"Worse. The off-world megacorps, they built an oligarchy masquerading as a democracy, and they use it as justification to treat the Hestians like disposable tools more than people. They restrict agriculture to make the Hestians reliant on food imports. They arrest people for growing unauthorized food or hunting game. It lets them use starvation to control the population. They force them all to work in mines for crap wage and pay them in company scrip, so they have no choices."
"Bastards," Felix grumbled. "Yeah, I'd rebel too. But her friends went too far. The League should be all the example people need about what happens when you give the government too much power."
Henry shrugged. "From their perspective, a new government powerful enough to control or expel the megacorps is the only way to freedom. Otherwise, the megacorps will wave their money around and walk right back in." Henry took another drink, during which Felix said nothing. "I saw what they did to the rebels they caught, Felix. Public punishment details. They worked a lot of them to death, humiliated them publicly, as in literally putting them in stocks and the like to be shamed by their communities. Sometimes forced their neighbors, relatives, to help, while they cut food imports across the planet as punishment and fired native Hestians from all but the lowest managerial positions." Henry swallowed. "Honestly, they behaved like the bloody League. It wasn't like they had to fear another revolt; they'd just crushed a rising, and they had all the guns."
Felix said nothing, but the scowl forming on his face was enough.
"So yeah, when I met Tia, I signed her on," Henry continued. "She's never made me regret it."
"Sounds like it wouldn't have been easy. She's got no love for the Coalition."
"I didn't approach her as someone from the Coalition," Henry said. "I found her on Darien when I was getting the Shadow Wolf's registry renewed. Broken, hurt, angry." His look turned distant. "I wasn't much better at the time. If it hadn't been for Uncle Charlie, I mean, I'd have been just as bad as her."
Felix laughed softly, thinking of Charlie Henry with fondness. "So you decided to pass on the goodwill just as the good Lord intended, and be her Uncle Charlie?"
Henry chuckled in reply before taking a drink. After swallowing, he shook his head. "That was the plan. It didn't quite go that way, in the end. But in time, I ended up with the best XO I could ask for out here. And you've got to admit her contacts have come in handy."
"Yeah, they have. I guess she's earned some tolerance, given what her world's like." Felix shrugged. "I just could never turn away from a fight on that issue. You know that."
"Boy, do I ever," Henry said, chuckling again. "I still remember that big argument you and Mister Tanner got into back in our senior year."
"Man was the worst Economics teacher ever," Felix insisted.
"School board didn't think so."
"Statist pricks, the lot of them."
Henry kept laughing.
After being relieved from watch duties, Tia briefly considered rest before deciding she needed to wind down first. She grabbed a soda from the galley fridge and headed to the rec room. It was astern of the galley, the last room before you got to the aft engineering spaces. Built to the same size as the
galley, with a floor space of about seventy square meters, the rec room had an old reconstructed jukebox Henry brought from Tylerville with a digital music database tied to the interstellar network when comms were available. Beside it was a pinball machine. One wall had several printed books and a server for a private database of literature for the crew with a pile of cheap digital readers linked to it. The third wall was taken up by a holoviewer, one of the excellent, high-fidelity models that the entire crew had pitched together to purchase. Currently, it showed a visual of an ongoing ship battle in space, with space fighters zooming around.
Piper was the only other occupant in the room, seated in one of the three recliners. She had a can of something, Tia couldn't make out what, and a plate with crumbs from a sandwich already consumed. For the moment, she was engrossed in the program, but that changed when Tia walked into her line of sight to approach the bookshelf. Piper paused the program and watched Tia pick a printed volume from the shelf, a well-worn one. As she walked by, the book in hand, Piper made out the title. "The Failings of Capitalism?" she asked. "What's that about?"
"It's from New Aragon, written by a trade unionist leader from two centuries ago," Tia said, sitting down with the book. "It was one of the first books I learned to read English from."
"Sounds a bit heavy for a little girl."
Tia shook her head. "I was thirteen. I was just about to get my first job. A cleaning job to help my family feed my younger siblings." Tia looked over the text within without quite seeming to read it. "My uncle Guillaume gave it to me as a gift. He had a management job at the ore refinery in Schneiderbourg." She let out a small chuckle. "He rose about as high as a Hestian could in those days. His bosses never knew he was with the movement." Seeing the uncertain look on Piper's face, Tia closed the book. "I didn't mean to interrupt you," she said.
"You're not," Piper replied. "I was just watching the latest episode of 'The War Patrol'."
"You mean the Coalition propaganda show?"
"Fun Coalition propaganda," Piper corrected playfully. "It's so funny to see the things they mess up."
