by T J Bryan
Silvi paused a moment, "Abel I know desperate times call for desperate measures but is this right? A child?"
Abel looked at both Silvi and Helen carefully. "I have looked deeply into Farn Mayers history. Are you familiar with it?"
Silvi replied, "Other than she has a strong history of service to the Commonwealth I have not looked in any detail. What does that have to do with Nomi?"
"Fran Mayer joined the EmVac auxiliary at age thirteen. That was a young age, but not unusual given our lives in a vacuum. By age fourteen she had three citations for rescue. Four adults and one infant. The infant actually had been blown out of the habitat, its' hooded carrier caught on a stanchion just outside the Habitat. Farn took the initiative and entered the void and rescued the child."
"Commendable," said Silvi. "I didn't know that."
"By fifteen she was promoted from the EmVac axillaries into a full companionship within the EmVac Brotherhood. That was a record then. Soon after she increased her commitment to the Commonwealth by joining the Police Cadets at 15, and then a years service in the volunteer 'bed pan' patrol at the hospital."
Helen thought a moment, "Yes, Farn is really an extraordinary young woman. But that has nothing to do with Nomi."
"Doesn't it?" Abel asked.
Abel could see that both Helen and Silvi were adamantly opposed to bringing Nomi on board given her age. Abel continued, "Farn was saving lives in the most dangerous circumstances in our system at the age of 13. She continued her life saving work and now she is about to become a fully certified crew member as an ES operator. Would you deny her that position because she just turned 17 last week?
Silvi did not respond. Helen did, "That makes no difference. Nomi is different. You know many of the reasons why, and I know many you do not. She is not a suitable candidate for the astrogators position on the dangerous trip to Girots. I won't allow it."
Abel stood, "What if Dilli comes with her. You said yourself they are inseparable. What if we bring both of them on the journey to Girots?"
Helen thought a monment, "She is still a child."
"Kids grow up fast in a vacuum Helen."
Abel's vid-com chimed. He reached for it and saw that the Terrence Van Vos Head of the Fabricator's Guild and an old childhood friend was on the line. Abel tabbed the open channel. "Terry. What's up?
Terry's face appeared on the screen and he was obviously worried. "Chief" he called Abel, "something is up. Piet Peters has been spreading rumours about incompetence, fraud, and abuse in the navy for the past week. And now they are going to interview him on the mid-afternoon news. Just after the news bulletin. Piet has asked for a half hour and that is most unusual. Abel, something is up and you need to watch this."
Abel thought a moment, "Yes, Will I'll take a close look."
Helen who had overheard the vid-com spoke, "You need to do more than just watch Abel. I know that old unscrupulous hack Peters. You cannot just listen, you need to go down to the broadcast, and confront Piet directly if he makes any false claims. After all I think 'false claims' is his middle name."
Abel, who hated confrontation, decided Helen was right. He stood and headed to the broadcast studio located in the Community Center.
The mid-morning news was a low key affair and the broadcast usually consisted of bulletins, titbits of news, a recipe or two, and a local interview often with a politician or a small business owner who was anxious to promote their business or position. Rarely was anything of importance broadcast. However viewership was high as most folks had their lunch while watching Stephen Klein host the mid day news. Stephen was a short man with thinning hair who was adept at reading bulletins and asking softball questions during his interviews. Stephen was a well meaning man, Abel knew, but one without a keen observers insight, or the intelligence to delve deeper into an issue. That was probably why he was so successful. The mid day news was after all entertainment in an isolated society that had only old videos and in some cases ancient holovids to watch from the Encyclopaedia Gallectica.
Abel arrived at the tiny broadcast station before Peters. The station was simply two converted rooms in what had been the Apartment Registry Department before they fully automated the function. One room was quite small and contained a control booth separated by a window from a slightly larger room containing a microphone, camera, table and several chairs. Stepehn Klein sat in the room and Abel could see he was practicing reading the days bulletins concerning the arrival of the algae sludge from Dios, the birth of twins to the Anderson family, a nice story about Wilmer Decker who was celebrating his 100th year with EmVac, and several other stories. The control booth was empty but Abel knew that in moments an intern from the middle school would show up to manage the technical aspects of the broadcast which were far from demanding.
Abel rapped on the window separating the two rooms. Stepehn looked up. He was surprised but motioned Abel to enter.
Abel spoke first, "Hello Stepehn. I understand the Piet Peters will be on your show this afternoon. Do you mind if I join in the show?"
"No, no. You are always welcome Chief, I mean Admiral. It's been a while. Not since" Stephen paused a moment, "well, not since that fire last year at the Pierpont home. Ugly business that. No, your welcome on our show any time. Piet should arrive soon and I understand he wants to speak about our Navy. He says he has some accusations to make, and now that your here we can address the whole matter."
Stephen always struck Abel as a cipher, or a man without any true dimensions, beliefs, or strong opinions other than being wanted or appreciated by his viewers.
A few moments before the broadcast, which Able knew was rarely on time, a somewhat surly teen arrived and sat in the control station. Moments later Piet Peterson arrived. Piet had in his hand a note card undoubtedly containing his charges against Abel and the Navy. As Piet looked into the broadcast booth and saw Abel his face froze. Abel could see his face flush red as his body tensed. Piet had not expected the First Admiral of the Obsidian Commonwealth Navy to be present to respond to his accusations. But clearly Piet had come this far and was determined to proceed regardless of Abel's presence.
Piet entered the studio and sat. "I thought we had an understanding Stephen." Piet glared at Abel who stood.
"Piet, we are the citizen's voice, and I know you have some claims of abuse and fraud in the Navy and Chief Stoneman, I mean Admiral Stoneman, has been so kind as to come to the station to present his point of view."
Piet glared at Abel, "I don't think Abel should be here. He is biased and one sided in his views of this failing effort at building a so called navy."
Abel had never seen Stephen stand up to a demand, but in this case Stephen seemed to have more spine than Abel though possible.
"Piet I want you to have your voice heard by the citizens. And I want Admiral Abel's voice heard as well. So let's get onto it."
Stephen pointed to the control booth and counted down from five. When he reached zero he began to speak into the microphone.
"Good Afternoon, This is Stephen Klein with the afternoon news. On today's program we have Piet Peters of the Auditing and Financial Control Bureau as well as Abel Stoneman, First Admiral of our new Obsidian Commonwealth Navy. But first the news."
Stephen began reading the bulletins and news. At one point he ran a recording of Taylor Anderson commenting on how happy he was at the birth of twins. The last item on the bulletin list was the announcement that the Assembly would be meeting in extraordinary session in three weeks to address the growing food shortage.
"We have with us today in this extended broadcast Piet Peters of the Auditing Bureau of the Commonwealth and Admiral Abel Stoneman. Now Piet I understand you have some concerns about our navy development. Can you please tell our listeners about your concerns?
Piet began with his usual faint praise of Abel as a good chief of ES, but soon began to question his suitability as an Admiral of the Navy. He repeated his discredited claim that the only 'starship captains' competent for suc
h a position were only to be found in the Pilot's Guild. Abel did not respond. There was no need. The Pilot's Guild was at this point entirely discredited.
Soon Piet launched into an attack on the navy's delay in posting a starship to the Dello Portal to receive the Bountiful. Piet claimed that if a ship had been present as the Bountiful arrived she would not have been attacked and that her voyage would have been a success.
Abel interrupted Piet's narrative by explaining that the ship exiting the Dello portal had been destroyed before entering the system and that posting a ship at the portal would have done nothing to stop the destruction. Further Abel pointed out that the ships now under command by the navy were at that time in deep freeze, unmanned, and unobtainable as the sentinels still ruled the void.
Piet huffed and went on to make another point. He claimed that the recruiting effort for the navy crews was inefficient and wasteful. Why disrupt thousands of Collegium students critical to the economy of the Commonwealth when only a few were needed. Surely the Admiral knew the skills he needed and should have selected perhaps a dozen or so students as recruits. There was no need for such a disruption.
Abel responded to the accusation explaining that the skills needed were rare and required sifting though the willing recruits from the Collegium, After all Abel pointed out thousands volunteered and he could hardly turn them away without taking their applications into consideration.
Piet was getting desperate and then went on to the claim that the entire navy was eating 'high off the hog', consuming steak, coffee, and pie, including bread and pancakes while the populace was reduced to 2,500 calories a day. Piet was almost shouting at this point.
Abel calmly responded with the explanation of the closed cycle processing system of the ship. Abel decided that such a complex explanation needed a punch to get his message through so he suggested that Piet come aboard the Ragnarök and eat 'shit' with the rest of the crew. Abel could see Stephen flinch with the mention of the source of the food available on the ship.
Piet went on to list a dozen other small complaints, none of which amounted to anything significant. But Abel knew that just throwing out random denunciations would hurt the navy building effort. Too many folks might imagine smoke and then fire where there was nothing but clear air. No, even as Abel refuted Piet's claims he knew damage was being done.
Soon Stephen concluded the broadcast with his signature sign off and Piet stood and stormed out the door not giving Abel a chance to speak with him. Abel shook his head. What was Piet up to with all this nonsense Abel wondered?
Abel thanked Stephen and left the Community Center and walked toward Nelson's Park on the way back to his home.
As he passed the monument to the blow-out that had killed his family he leaned over to brush his hand against the names of his wife and children
Something shattered a corner of the monument just above his head and a loud sharp report followed. Years of police training kicked in as Abel fell to the ground, reached for his vid-com and pinged the ES station. "Shots fired. Nelson's Park. At the monument."
Seconds later another loud hard report and again the monument took a hit just above Abel's left shoulder. Abel knew by the sound of the retort and the impact of the bullet on the monument that it must be a chemical rifle, and that such a weapon was extremely rare, and found only with the police force and in the museum. Abel remained low to the ground but heard only silence.
Regardless of the weapon, it was clear to Abel that someone or some group did not want Abel as head of the navy. Why he wondered? What does anyone have to gain by retarding our effort to restore critical supplies to the Commonwealth? It made no sense to Abel, other than whoever they were they would not hesitate at assassination.
Chapter Twenty Seven
Jamon System - Assembly Chambers - Year 3245. September 18 ET: 18:53
The opening of the Assembly meeting had been a raucous affair with the galleries packed and 60 assembly members were present. Two members were absent. The Chairman had to repeatedly shout for order but eventually the shouting and yelling ceased and the Chairman called the Assembly to order. By prior arrangement the Chairman recognized the representative from District 4, Philpot 'Phil' Njall, who served on the Executive Committee. Victor, Abel, and Njall had spoken in the previous week and Victor fully expected that the Anti-Abel faction would move toward a vote of 'no confidence' in the Admiral. The Chairman did as he always does and lined up sufficient votes through conversation, confrontation, and coercion to ensure that such a vote failed. However the motion would be damaging to the navy effort and potentially more damaging to the relief of the Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth was syndicalist by nature but with a resident's component as well. Each profession had a seat at the council as well as the five districts of the Habitat. Assembly members were elected within their professions and served a term of sixteen months. The Commonwealth was a democracy and a meritocracy. On several occasions in the history of the commonwealth factions had tried to assert dominance and push the democratic nature of the community aside in favor of one faction or the other. Inevitably these changes were overturned and full democracy restored.
Hard lesions had been learned over the almost 400 years since the founding of the Commonwealth and the one lesson everyone knew by heart was that in a vacuum incompetence killed people. The only way to avoid the incompetent and to preserve lives was to operate on a meritocratic basis. Only the capable will survive was a common aphorism.
As an 'extraordinary' meeting of the Assembly the usual agenda was suspended and the Council free to discuss the current state of affairs and propose any solutions thought reasonable, or unreasonable.
Phil Njall began by addressing the Assembly from the podium. He began by reviewing the current situation including the delay of the Bountiful, the available food supply, the successful efforts at initiating food production on Dios, and the establishment of the Navy. Upon mention of the Navy several members shouted disapproval, but Abel who sat at the dais two seats to the left of the Chairman could not determine who was shouting. Abel did see Piet Peters who sat silent with his arms folded across his chest in what was a defensive posture.
Njall continued and presented a comprehensive summary of the food supply and the current restrictions imposed by the delay or destruction of the Bountiful. As he summarized the supply of various foodstuff rounded to the nearest metric ton, shouting erupted from a corner of the lower gallery. Unable to clearly hear what the shouting was about, Abel did hear the word 'shame' repeated over and over again by a cluster of visitors in the gallery.
Following Njall's presentation the Assembly Question and Answer period followed with perhaps half the sixty person assembly calling out to be heard. The Chair recognized Miners Guild representative and navy supporter Gabby Ozols. Gabby asked Njall a few questions of clarification that had been arranged in advance by the Chairman. Then followed a series of questions and brief answers concerning the food supplies in store and the amount of production the algae plant at Dios could produce. There was more shouting in a portion of the gallery. Clearly some organized group was unhappy with the answers.
The representative of the Medical Alliance of the Collegium, Dr. Freydis Auber was called upon by the Chairman to summarize how long their food supplies might last under present conditions. Freydis spoke at some length about calorie intake and daily physical activities. She ended her presentation with the bleak assessment that the coming months would be difficult and that the food supply would probably last another 12 months, but only if they adopted further rationing restrictions. The gallery faction burst into a chant. "Go now, go now," the group chanting drowning out the remainder of Dr. Freydis' presentation. She sat down in frustration and dismay.
The Assembly burst into a chaos of yelling and shouting. Abel thought he saw Tremont Vin of the Plumbers and Pipe Fitters Union punch Gabby Ozols in the chaos that swept the Assembly floor.
The Chairman let the raucous confusion continue
for a moment and then ordered the Sergeant at Arms to kill the lights and then turn them back on. The sudden plunge into darkness managed to return the Assembly's attention to the dais.
"I now ask Admiral Abel Stoneman of our Obsidian Commonwealth Navy for a status report," the Chairman intoned in his best basso voice.
The room fell silent as Abel rose and took the podium. "Members of the Assembly, as you know during the past months the OCN has been preparing two interstellar ships to seek relief by soon departing for Girots. Our preparations take time and in order..."
The gallery and a few Assembly members began chanting. "Go now. Go Now. Go Now." The chant was so loud Abel could not hear himself. It was useless to continue although the majority of the Assembly was anxious to receive the latest information. Abel had distributed a detailed summary of the Navy's plans earlier in the morning, but he knew that many of his supporters and even his detractors wanted to be heard.
Abel shook his head and looked to the Chairman for direction. Victor signalled that he sit down, it was useless to proceed.
Abel saw Shyam Bloggs representative of the Food Synthesis Guild turn to the gallery and wave his hand. The chanting immediately stopped.
"I move a motion of no confidence in Abel Stoneman formally Chief of ES."
Both Victor and Abel expected the motion.
"I second the motion," shouted Alos Dekker.
Earlier the Chairman had decided to prevent any debate on such a motion, but he could not deny the motion going forward. While forcing no debate was very much against the Chairman's principals, he knew that any extended debate could only damage the navy plan and potentially delay any departure to Girots. The last thing the navy needed now was disorganization and unrealistic expectations. Best to nip this protest in the bud.
A vote was called, and as each Assembly member stood to cast his vote Abe noticed that Piet Peters remained motionless and when his name was called he said nothing. He was abstaining from the vote. The only other abstention was Alos Dekker himself who had rushed to the toilet as the vote was being taken. He did not return until after the motion was completed. The no confidence motion lost 32 to 14 with 12 abstentions. The result stunned Abel. Not that there were 14 in favor of the motion, but that 13 had abstained. In Abel's mind it was clear that 27 members of the Assembly could not support the navy's current schedule.
