Messinants

by S. H. Jucha

  “Please, Captains, let’s not make any rash decisions,” Evan urged. “Perhaps this should be a conversation that you have with the commandant.” He couldn’t conceive of Harbour returning to Emperion to dump the ship’s slush, but, then again, he considered that she was an empath and maybe they thought differently from other people.

  “I agree with you, Evan,” Harbour replied. “Wait one.”

  Birdie muted the comm call and looked up at Harbour.

  “Birdie, get me the commandant, priority one,” Harbour ordered.

  Dingles covered his smile with a hand. A priority one call from a ship’s captain required the commandant on the comm instantly. If unavailable, the decision passed to Major Finian, his second-in-command.

  “Commandant Strattleford, please state the emergency,” Emerson intoned officiously

  Harbour signaled to Birdie, who added the commandant’s line to the conference call.

  “The emergency is yours, Commandant Strattleford,” Harbour announced forcefully. “You’re on the comm with Captain Cinders and Evan Pendleton. We’re being told that your previous orders of blowout and restrictions still apply.”

  “Those are conditions necessary to ensure the safety of Pyrean citizens,” Emerson stated.

  Harbour would have loved to have been in Emerson’s office, at that moment. Realizing that she wanted to hurt him caused her to tamp down her anger.

  “Uh, Commandant, Evan Pendleton here. The captains’ objections are valid. They’ve not returned to Triton in a year, and the crews have been mixing.”

  “In which case, it might be best to quarantine all four ships,” Emerson replied.

  “You’re right, Captain Harbour, we aren’t appreciated,” Jessie said. “I’m ready to order my ships to reverse course.” He was happy Emerson and Evan couldn’t see the grin he wore.

  “Reverse course to where?” Emerson asked, confounded by the turn in the conversation.

  “Captain Harbour has indicated that she’d prefer to dump her load of slush on Emperion rather than accept your conditions, Commandant,” Evan stated hurriedly, the pitch of his voice rising.

  “That’s a bluff, Mr. Pendleton. Get a hold of yourself. There’s no way these captains would forgo the amount of coin they’re about to receive,” Emerson stated confidently.

  “You’re right, Commandant,” Harbour said evenly. “It is a bluff. But, I’ll tell you what I will do if you don’t rescind your directives. I intend to reverse course and station this ship about fifty-thousand kilometers out. Then I’m going to make daily broadcasts to all of Pyre. I’m going to make the case that I’m sitting on a huge load of slush that the YIPS desperately needs, but I can’t deliver it because of you. And I’m not going to state your crazy reasons. You’ll have to explain them over and over to every stationer whose path you cross.”

  “I can see those concerned stationers now, Commandant,” Jessie said. “There are the investors, who want the terminal arms built and who want their ships built. Then there are the residents, who will worry that the station’s generators or drive engines will shut down for lack of reaction mass. You’ll be a busy man.”

  “I think you’re forgetting about the commandant’s friend, Captain Cinders,” Harbour said conspiratorially.

  “Oh, you mean Governor Panoy,” Jessie said in mock surprise. “That’s true. She’ll be wondering why her agri-dome construction material isn’t forthcoming. Yes, you’re going to be an extremely busy man, Commandant.”

  Jessie was hoping that Harbour said nothing more, and she was thinking the same thing about him.

  It took Emerson a while to succumb. He’d muted the comm line, while he trashed his office in anger. He’d have been happy to let Harbour try her broadcasts. He thought he had the superior position … Pyrean citizenry safety. But the mention of Lise Panoy’s reaction to the holdup of her agri-dome had done it.

  “The directives are rescinded,” Emerson announced tersely. He was about to cut his end of the call, when he heard Harbour say, “We’ll need that in writing to both of us, Commandant. Furthermore, you’ll make a Pyre-wide announcement of the same message.”

  When Emerson failed to respond, Jessie asked, “Is that a yes, Commandant?”

  “Fine,” Emerson replied hotly, cutting the call.

  “Evan, Dingles tells me that we’ll be stationary in a little under thirteen hours,” Harbour said pleasantly. She used sign language to indicate to Birdie to end the transmission to the YIPS, and Birdie acknowledged the request in the same manner.

  “Well played, Captain Harbour,” Jessie said, knowing her bridge crew was listening. “I don’t think the stationers are going to welcome us with open arms, but at least we won’t be guilty of defying the commandant’s directives.”

  “We still have a couple of challenges, Captain Cinders. The Belle isn’t capable of docking on a JOS terminal arm, which we don’t want to do anyway with Rules on board. I’m sure the commandant hasn’t forgotten about her. But, at least, I can have Danny load our shuttle with passengers and supplies, which will make it more convenient for your crews.”

  “My ships can take on the heavier things you need, Captain. Ituau has Dingles’ new shopping list. Remind your people to travel in small groups if they venture aboard the JOS. Cinders out.”

  -13-

  Stamerson

  The YIPS unloaded the Belle and the Pearl. Afterwards, all of Jessie’s ships docked at the JOS, and the crews spent some downtime on the JOS.

  More of Harbour and Jessie’s spacers encouraged their families and partners to transfer to the Belle, which was stationed off the JOS orbital platform. The lure of free room and board encouraged many, but it was the stories of a comfortable environment and the camaraderie of spacers, empaths, and residents that convinced most to make the transfer.

  Danny Thompson, the Belle’s shuttle pilot, was busy ferrying stationers and their personal property to the colony ship. Nadine, Yasmin, and Lindsey acted as the greeting parties, settling the stationers into their cabins, familiarizing them with the colony ship, and finding them useful outlets for their skills.

  Sasha Garmenti, Aurelia’s sister, eagerly volunteered to help the adult empaths with the new residents, but every woman politely refused. The last thing they wanted was to have the stationers step off the shuttle and be welcomed by a young empath, who would deluge them with inordinate waves of good cheer. With Lindsey’s tutelage, Sasha was improving her control, but when she got excited, those skills were suddenly forgotten.

  The YIPS payout from the Belle’s first slush haul had shocked Harbour. It was much more than she had expected. This time, she anticipated a more generous deposit in the colony ship’s general fund, and she wasn’t disappointed. The bonus and extra tanks ensured the deposit of an enormous amount of coin. The total made Harbour smile; it made the Belle’s residents giddy. The bounty of their free room and board was considerably improved by ever-fattening stipends.

  Harbour communicated to Dingles, Danny, and her engineers of the amounts available to them from the general account. They set about spending it with a will — more crew, maintenance supplies, and much-needed equipment upgrades. The best expenditure, as far as the spacers were concerned, was the expansion of the cantina, which Maggie of the Miner’s Pit oversaw.

  Danny and Bryan met with a well-known ship architect to discuss shuttle designs that would suit the Belle and still be capable of collar docking with Jessie’s ships. To the designer’s surprise, Danny paid his fee in full and specified that the project was now his priority.

  On the morning of the sixth day after the Belle took up station off the JOS, Harbour boarded Danny’s shuttle for the station. It was her first return to the JOS since the vicious attack on her by Terror, aka Terrell McKenzie, an ex-security corporal. Her nerves jangled, as she climbed the shuttle’s steps.

  Dingles, who was behind Harbour, saw her shivers, and he whispered, “It will never happen again, Captain.” In reply, he felt gratitude sweep
through his mind.

  Once the shuttle docked, Harbour stepped onto the terminal arm, surprised to be surrounded by a phalanx of spacers. She presumed they were aboard for personal reasons. Determined hostility poured off the spacers, and Harbour gathered her power and settled them. She witnessed fists relax, fingers open, shoulders slump, and steps ease.

  When Harbour reached the capsule, Dingles requested that she wait. A group of spacers went first. Harbour and Dingles, with more spacers, followed in the second capsule. Then the remaining spacers transited the ring in the third cap. Once assembled on the other side, the group marched down the main corridor, taking up two-thirds of its width. Stationers gave way, crowding against storefronts.

  Every stationer was well aware of what had happened to Harbour at the hands of Terror McKenzie, and most of them could understand the spacers’ reactions. They were making an announcement — you’ll not touch our captain again.

  The first time Harbour had visited the JOS after her election to the captaincy, she’d been embarrassed to be accompanied by a few spacers. Now, the much larger number of them that surrounded her gave her a sense of comfort.

  Dingles saw Harbour’s steps shift from tentative to confident, her stride opening. That’s right, Captain, he thought. You’ve taken good care of us, and we intend to do the same for you.

  When the group entered a side corridor, they filled its width, and stationers stepped into doorways to let Harbour and her spacers pass.

  While Harbour and the Belle’s spacers headed for their destination, Cecilia followed Liam’s directions on her comm unit, odd as they were, to reach a clandestine meeting. She hadn’t been told any more than to be at the location marked on her station map at the appointed time and to tell no one.

  Cecilia glanced at her map. One more corner and she should arrive at her destination. She made the turn and slowed her walk. A group of spacers crowded the hallway.

  “Sergeant, this way please,” a tall, weathered spacer said. He touched an embedded, red button, and a hatch, which was set into the wall, slid aside.

  Cecilia nodded to the spacers, as she passed. In turn, they tipped their caps, hats, and various other headgear to her. Inside, she was greeted by a woman with a prosthetic arm.

  “Welcome to the Miner’s Pit, Sergeant. I’m Maggie, the manager. What can I get you to drink?”

  “Water, please,” Cecilia replied, as she recognized Liam waving to her from a far table.

  Cecelia made her way to the table and stood at the edge.

  “This is the Sergeant, whom I spoke of earlier,” Liam said to Harbour, introducing Cecilia.

  “My thanks, Sergeant, for your efforts in freeing Aurelia’s family,” Harbour said, rising and extending her hand.

  Cecilia politely replied, a moment before her mind was awash with appreciation, and she couldn’t help the grin that stretched across her face. Next, she was introduced to Captains Stamerson and Cinders. As she sat down, she tipped her head toward Devon, who rounded out the table.

  Maggie sat water in front of Cecilia, who eagerly gulped some to wet her suddenly parched throat. Then Maggie disappeared into her office, closing the door firmly. With the hour too early for the Miner’s Pit to open, the members at the table had the cantina to themselves.

  “An unusual assembly, to say the least,” Henry Stamerson commented. He was glancing around the table, but when Jessie and Liam directed their gazes toward Harbour, he turned expectantly to face her.

  “This meeting has no official standing, Captain Stamerson,” Harbour said. “We expect you to take no action, either as the head of the Review Board or as a private citizen. The people around this table have been instrumental in discovering critical information that it’s time to share. Major Finian, why don’t you start?”

  Liam took a sip of his water. He wasn’t sure that Harbour’s idea to share with Captain Stamerson was a good call, but he was tired of sitting on his knowledge with only two other security people on his side. He began by laying out why he decided to record the commandant’s calls.

  Henry was shocked to discover he was being made a party to illegal comm recordings, but he held his tongue. The major’s suspicions weren’t any different than his own. “What did you learn, Major?” he asked.

  Devon played three of the most pertinent recordings for Henry, which is when the captain understood the critical nature of the meeting. He heard definitive proof of the commandant conspiring with the governor to foster sway of the domes over the stations. As an ex-spacer captain, he was sickened by Emerson’s actions. But, before that emotion could take root, Henry experienced a sensation of calm. He glanced at Harbour. The corner of the empath’s mouth quirked in a smile before her face smoothed again.

  Next, Liam detailed the suicide of Lily Tormelli, the commandant’s involvement with her, the suspicion that Lily’s patches were intended for the commandant, and the squabble between Emerson and Lise over the JOS streak distributors.

  “No wonder the commandant seemed perplexed when he requested warrants and I told him that I’d already issued them to you,” Henry said. “It was opportune that you received that informant’s message, Major,” he added.

  “Yes, it was,” Liam replied, schooling the expression on his face. “The relationship between the commandant and the governor seemed to be souring, and we decided to help its deterioration.” Liam laid out how the comm system had been used against Lise, and what they suspected Lise would think of the tinkering with her device.

  “From the perspective of a Review Board member, I can’t even begin to total the number of misdemeanors and criminal acts that have been perpetrated,” Henry said. That the captain didn’t appear angry gave Liam some relief.

  “My turn,” Harbour announced. It took a little longer for her to tell the story of the Belle’s missing library documents. She ended by asking Henry, “Did you find out if the original files that matched the copies I gave you were handed over to the commandant?”

  “It took a while to get Emerson’s cooperation, but I got access to what Lise uploaded to security,” Henry replied. “There were no matches. If Lise possessed the original files, she’s keeping them.”

  “I don’t wonder,” Harbour replied. “Those are explosive documents. She’s hoping no one else has copies.”

  “I’m losing the thread here,” Devon said. “What’s so critical about these missing library files?”

  “They’re the original plans for the Pyrean government, or wherever the colonists made planetfall,” Jessie said. “The architects of the colony ships ensured that the ship’s captain, who would oversee the landing, had the authority to direct the election of the new government leaders … president, representatives, and judges.”

  “It’s my belief that the domes’ founders stole those files from the Belle’s library so that they could set up their own political structure, without the yet-to-be-revived colonists becoming aware of what had been usurped from them,” Harbour explained.

  “If I’m understanding this correctly,” Cecilia said, “these files repudiate our entire political structure … governor, commandant, and, pardon me, Captain Stamerson, but even the Review Board.”

  “No apology necessary, Sergeant,” Henry replied. “You’re correct in your understanding. Captain Harbour and I have discussed this very thing. And, here’s the interesting point,” Henry added, leaning forward, placing his forearms on the table. “If Pyre’s citizens wanted to implement the directives in these files, it would be up to the captain of the Belle to govern the process until the directives were satisfied. In other words, Captain Harbour would temporarily become Pyre’s leader.”

  Around the table, heads turned to stare at Harbour, who looked as if she was going to be sick. A snicker escaped Cinders’ lips.

  “Wow, President Harbour,” Cecilia commented softly, trying out the title.

  “Please don’t say things like that, Sergeant,” Harbour urged.

  “So where do we go from here?” Liam
asked.

  “I’ve heard nothing so far that can legally be brought against the commandant or the governor,” Henry commented. “Major, you arrested the streak distributors, correct?” he asked.

  “Yes, Captain, along with three cargo crew members who aided them,” Liam replied.

  “Is there anything in what they’ve told you that incriminates Emerson?” Jessie asked.

  “The cargo crew are talking, but they haven’t much to say,” Devon replied. “They earned coin sneaking the packages past inspections. Apparently, they didn’t care to ask what the packages contained, as long as they got paid. As for the streak distributors, they’re not talking.”

  “Has the commandant impeded the investigations into streak distribution or the Tormelli suicide?” Henry asked.

  “Negative, Captain,” Liam replied. “He’s run a parallel investigation into both. It’s unorthodox, but entirely within his purview.”

  “Then, at this point, we’re at a stalemate,” Henry concluded. “We know of the nefarious activities of the commandant and the governor, but the evidence is illegally obtained. It can’t be presented before the Review Board. If you did,” Henry said, eyeing Liam, “it would mean your career and anyone else who aided and abetted you in the collection of that information.”

  The expressions around the table were desultory, except for that of Harbour, who wore a satisfied smile.

  “Something I’m missing, Captain?” Henry asked.

  “For now, Captain Stamerson,” Harbour replied. “I believe your analysis is correct, as far as the Review Board is concerned.”

  “What else is there?” Liam asked.

  “The court of public opinion,” Harbour replied. “I think we have to expose to Pyrean citizenry the egregious aims of the governor and the commandant’s complicity. It will be difficult, and we must be careful.”