The Riss Gamble

by C. R. Daems

  “I’m merely a messenger, Anton,” Rares said with a slight smile, which acknowledged the distinction without repudiating the rebuke. “It’s the Elders of Clan Baptiste who are very disappointed. They’ve invested over two hundred million credits arming and outfitting the Puff Adder and the Sidewinder. Are they wrong to expect a reasonable return on their investment?” When Anton failed to reply, he continued. “Last year my trading activities produced a fifteen million profit. During the same period, your raiding activities returned only ten. Perhaps the Elders would be better served building merchant ships.”

  “We had a run of bad luck,” Lucien Ja’Kazak, Captain of the Sidewinder, interjected.

  “I don’t believe the Elders consider destroying a merchant ship worth over fifty million credits in prize money bad luck.” Rares held Lucien’s stare.

  “They were armed and fired on us,” Lucien responded, although his response lacked conviction. He was first to break eye contact.

  “Rares has a point, Lucien,” Anton acknowledged, slamming his hand against the table. “The Sidewinder has reinforced armor-plating and twenty times the weapon power. You could have easily disabled the merchant with your thirty- or fifty-centimeter lasers. You didn’t have to use missiles!”

  “The Elders’ point exactly. If temper or fear prevail over the good of the clan—” Rares stopped as Lyna Ja’Kazak came out of her chair, knife in hand, eyes blazing with rage. Lyna served as Lucien’s second-in-command and was the only woman officer on any raider-class ship. She was quick to temper and as deadly as the snake her ship had been named for. Only Lucien’s hand on her arm stopped her forward momentum.

  “You no longer wish clan protection, Lyna?” Rares asked with his first real smile. Everyone at the table knew a person declared “without clan protection” lost their clan name, was banned from the clan’s home planet, and placed under a “fatwa” calling for his or her death. Attacking a messenger of the Elders certainly warranted such a declaration. Lucien pulled Lyna down into her seat, before she could move or respond.

  “We accept that we may have overreacted to the merchant firing on us, but no one on the Sidewinder is a coward.” Lucien’s voice quivered; his face flushed with anger. Like Lyna a moment before, he looked close to losing control.

  “Good enough. I’ve done my duty and delivered the Elders’ harsh message. Now I’ll deliver their succor. Let me introduce my granddaughter, Angela Ja’Oyrat, who’s one of the Elders’ agents.” Rares paused to acknowledge her before continuing. “At her request, we visited several planets in the Tragos sector. I think you’ll find her observations interesting.”

  All eyes turned towards Angela. She was a beautiful young woman with shoulder-length golden hair framing a delicate face, long, shapely legs, and an hourglass figure. She rose, intentionally slow and walked over to the conference room’s sidebar, where she refilled her glass. Like the shifting displays of a spectacular sunset, she seemed to morph from Rare’s demure granddaughter to high-paid model, to a professional companion, and finally to a mousy-looking woman. Heads shook in disbelief as she reseated herself. It had been a masterful performance.

  “Will a hundred million credits be enough to start?” Angela asked, while her sky-blue eyes studied her long thin fingers and beautifully-manicured fingernails.

  “What do we have to do for one hundred million credits?” Anton and Lucien asked simultaneously. Everyone was now staring at Angela. She looked up, acknowledging her audience. It was obvious from her sparkling eyes, the color in her cheeks, and the wicked little smile, she reveled in intrigue and its challenges.

  “The miners on Corona have almost a year’s supply of Xundexium stockpiled. The merchant ship Star Dancer is scheduled to pickup the Xundexium in exactly twenty-five clan-days from today—fifteen E-days.” Angela checked a small handheld device using a little wand. “If you arrived on time, you could acquire the Xundexium and the Star Dancer. The Xundexium is worth at least ten million credits and the Star Dancer another sixty-five.”

  “No escort?” Anton’s eyes narrowed while he fiddled with his unruly beard. Everyone knew Xundexium was used to produce the battle metal shielding used in spaceship hulls; therefore, big ugly warships guarded shipments.

  “It’s kind-of-a-secret that their escort, the Gyrfalcon, won’t arrive until the Star Dancer is scheduled to depart for Eden three days later. The Captain of the Gyrfalcon doesn’t think he should have to wait while the merchant does business,” Angela said with a shrug.

  “Kind-of-a-secret?” Lyna Ja’Kazak asked with a frown on her hawk-like face.

  “Since I know it, how much of a secret can it be?” Angela said with raised eyebrows, which produced general laughter and eased the tension.

  “And the other twenty-five million?” Anton asked, leaning forward in his chair.

  “Saipha,” Angela replied, to everyone’s shock. Ironically, Anton’s grandfather had raided Saipha some fifty years ago, hoping to steal a rare Gorillai pelt. Not only had the raid turned into a disaster, but Saipha’s defenses had been substantially improved as a result.

  “I’d rather try to capture the Gyrfalcon,” Anton blurted and received general nods of agreement. “Since the Riss Nation accord, Saipha has better than average defenses and little worth the risk. But now that you’ve brought it up, tell us what you discovered worth twenty-five million, and how we’re going to acquire it.”

  “The trouble with having these well-armed raiding ships is that you always think in terms of force,” Angela said with a sad smile, intended for rather slow children. “The raid on Saipha will require a little more subtlety and a little less brute force. Two Riss-humans are being returned to Saipha forty-five E-days from today. The going price for a dead Riss-human is around five million; however, the price for a live Riss-human may be as high as twenty-five.” Angela stopped to sip her wine.

  “Angela is being conservative. A live Riss-human in good condition may be worth as much as fifty million if we can get the United Free Nations—UFN—and the Johaba People’s Union—JPU—to bid against each other,” Rares said.

  “How are they arriving?”

  “They’re being delivered on the Peregrine, a Defender class Light cruiser. The navy will deliver the two Riss-humans to the army garrison at Lanfal.” Angela consulted her handheld. “If you had a team on planet before they arrived, it should be an easy matter to ambush the six-to-eight-man detail on their way to the Riss enclave in the Superstition Mountains.”

  “I’ll drop off your team and return later to pick them up. Of course if they get in trouble, I won’t be able to help them.” Rares said. A not-too-subtle reminder he was a merchant—and spy—not a raider.

  “Dorin, tomorrow you’ll get with Sergeant Rynom and put together a team to go with Captain Rares to Saipha. Captain Lucien and I’ll plan our visit to Corona.” Anton raised his glass. “To Clan Baptiste and their agent. May we continue to prosper and multiply.”

  “To Clan Baptiste,” six voices responded with glasses raised in salute.

  Chapter 10

  No one spoke on the way to the Captain’s office. I felt drained. I loved Thalia and didn’t regret joining with her. The tattoo caused the problems. It reminded people I was different and branded me an alien.

 

 

  I couldn’t contain a laugh, which produced strange looks from my escort. The SAS’s perfect solution obviously wasn’t quite so perfect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  I laughed and received more strange looks. When we arrived at Captain Gebauer’s office, I found the Captain, Commander Riddler, his XO, Lieutenant McInnis, and Corporal Owin. Without comment the Captain began.

  “Lieutenant Reese, I formally charge you
with provoking a fight with a senior officer, fighting with intent to kill, and gambling,” Captain Gebauer stated with a smile of satisfaction. “How do you plead?”

 

  “Before I answer, I’m requesting that the charges and subsequent testimony be recorded and under oath,” I stated quietly.

  “I’ll decide how to conduct this proceeding, Lieutenant!” Gebauer shouted.

  I looked at Riddler and then back at Quentin.

  “Why Lieutenant Reese?” Riddler asked.

  “It protects me and also everyone involved. Recording the testimony prevents me and others from claiming we didn’t say or didn’t mean some part of our testimony. It also precludes any possible confusion as to what I or they said,” I replied. “The fact that lying under oath is a felony subject to prison time should encourage the truth. Besides, if I’m guilty, the Captain should want this proceeding recorded to prove he was right—that Riss-humans are an abomination.”

  “Lieutenant, I’ve never said any such thing. You’re being insubordinate,” Gebauer shouted.

  “You’ve two Riss-humans under arrest, although neither the Riss nor the Riss-humans have been charged with a crime, and you told me I would be joining them in the near future. What other conclusion can I draw? If you wish, Sir, I would be glad to have this issue resolved by an SAS inquiry,” I said and continued before he could reply. “It’s my right to have it recorded. More importantly, under the SAS treaty with the high-Riss, it’s demanded.”

  “It’s within her rights under fleet’s articles, and her Riss’s right under SAS treaty. I see no reason the witnesses against her shouldn’t be willing to testify under oath,” Riddler said.

  “Colonel Quentin, Lieutenant Reese is to be confined to her quarters. The court martial will be held at 0900 hours tomorrow. It’ll be recorded and I’ll preside,” Gebauer shouted and turned away.

  * * * *

  Back in my room, I sat thinking about the coming court martial.

 

  < Captain puppet on strings of prejudice.>

  Thalia sent a picture of a wooden puppet dressed in navy whites, dangling from strings, and being manipulated by a hooded figure. It made me laugh, easing my tension.

 

  * * * *

  “I, Captain Karl Gebauer, declare this court martial in session. Lieutenant Nadya Reese, a Riss-human, is accused of three counts of misconduct. Count one: provoking a fight with a senior officer. Count two: fighting with the intention of killing him. Count three: gambling on the outcome of the fight she provoked. Commander Riddler is the designated prosecutor. Colonel Quentin has agreed to represent Lieutenant Reese. Before we start, does the accused have anything to say? I’m willing to be lenient if you’ll admit your guilt.”

  I stood and looked around the room. There was standing room only. I sat in disgust.

 

  Riddler proceeded to call McInnis to the stand and administered the oath. McInnis claimed I’d started the confrontation and judging from the way I’d attacked him, it had been my intention to kill him. On redirect, Quentin stood and smiled.

  “Lieutenant McInnis, was the boxing match refereed?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “Were you and Lieutenant Reese wearing four hundred fifty-gram-weight gloves for the fight?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “Did you agree to three, three-minute rounds?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “Then you’re claiming that Captain Gebauer’s directive C21 permits fights that could result in death?”

  “N-no, Sir.”

  “Then how can you claim Lieutenant Reese intended to kill you?”

  “I guess she couldn’t have.” McInnis shifted in the chair.

  “Did you consent to the match with Lieutenant Reese?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “Doesn’t Captain Gebauer’s directive C21 clearly authorize supervised boxing matches to settle disputes?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “Under those conditions I don’t believe it matters who started the argument; however, for the record are you willing to swear under oath that Lieutenant Reese started the confrontation? Before you answer, I would warn you there were several creditable witnesses to the confrontation, and lying under oath is punishable with confinement and lost of rank.”

  “W-well, maybe I said some things first that I shouldn’t have,” McInnis stammered.

  “Captain, I move to have charges one and two dismissed. Lieutenant McInnis has admitted he started the confrontation. Besides, your directive was designed to settle argument without anyone being seriously injured, much less killed,” Quentin concluded, shaking his head. “Lieutenant McInnis’s charges are the most ridiculous charges I’ve heard in my twenty-two year career.” Quentin returned to his seat. Gebauer looked like he wanted to kill someone.

  “Charges one and two are dismissed. Lieutenant McInnis is fined one thousand credits for wasting this court’s time.” Gebauer glared at McInnis, as he sat back down.

 

  “Commander Riddler, what about the gambling charges?” Gebauer asked.

  “If Corporal Owin is willing to perjure himself, we could proceed. We searched Lieutenant Reese’s quarters and checked her ship’s account. We didn’t find the thousand credits that Corporal Owin claimed he paid her for the wager on the fight. She does have over a thousand credits in her account—”

  “It appears Corporal Owin wasn’t lying,” Gebauer said, pointing a finger at me.

  “No. We traced the money in her account. She’s probably the most frugal person on this ship. The money has been deposited from her pay over the past five years. She spends almost nothing on herself. In addition, Corporal Owin has never had a thousand credits in his account. Lastly, if we’re going to prosecute everyone who bet on that fight, we may have a mutiny. At least half the ship’s complement placed wagers on the outcome. I suggest you fine Corporal Owin for lying and dismiss the charges.” Riddler shook his head and sat.

  By the end of Riddler’s summary, Captain Gebauer’s face had turned purple. The case against me had evaporated, and he needed someone to punish.

  “Corporal Owin, you’re fined one thousand credits for making false charges. Lieutenant Reese is cleared of all charges. This court martial is adjourned.”

 

  Gebauer had held the court martial in Bay 28 and allowed anyone connected to me to attend. I presume he’d planned to disgrace me in from of them. I turned to see a lot of smiling faces, Wasps from my workouts, and most of the shuttle maintenance crew. When I turned back, Quentin leaned towards me and whispered.

  “You need to be careful, Reese. You’ve become a lightening rod for people’s fears, prejudices, and appear to be right about the Captain. He’s a good Captain, but he seems obsessed over the Riss-human project. His attitude will embolden others to take action.”

  * * * *

  “That freak needs to be taught a lesson. A real lesson, one that puts her in the hospital for the rest of this cruise,” Owin slurred as he and his two friends staggered into the head. “I wish I were pissing on that bitch lieutenant rather than in this urinal—the damn Captain too. He practically kissed me when I said she’d been gambling. If she’d been found guilty, I bet he’d have promoted Lieutenant McInnis and me. Instead he fined us. I’d gladly pay one thousand credits to have her killed.”

  “I’d have put her in the hospital if Valk hadn’t stopped me,” Blackstone said. “Now that she’s kissing his ass, she thinks that she’s better than us.”

  “That would be fun.” Owin laughed. “Screw her first.”

  “Maybe that would be fun, but we’d have to kill her,” Blackstone s
aid. “Otherwise she could identify us. The Captain would be pleased, but we’d be in brig for the rest of this trip.”

  “We need to determine her schedule and catch her alone where no one’ll bother us.” Blackstone frowned. “I think it would be easier to kill her and stuff her some place no one will look, or space her. The Captain certainly won’t spend a lot of time looking for her.”

  * * * *

  I was back to my normal routine the next day. In the workout area, I noticed a lot of thumbs-up as I entered the room. It lightened my mood. I had made a few friends and a found a few more who didn’t hate me. When the class finished, I saw Quentin waiting by the door.

  “Reese, walk with me back to my office.” Quentin nodded towards the door.

 

 

  “Your planet of origin is Corona, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “I’ve just learned that raiders attacked the colony two weeks ago. The miners put up a good fight and killed five, but they lost forty-five and another twenty-six were wounded. Furthermore, the raiders kidnapped six young women. I thought you’d want to know, and...maybe see the list of those killed, wounded, or abducted.” Quentin held a paper but didn’t give it to me. I reluctantly put out my hand. I didn’t want to look but I had to know.

  * * * *

  Later in my quarters with tears trickling down my cheeks, I finished reviewing the list. I recognized names of people I’d worked with and shared meals, friends I’d been close to, and others who’d help raise me. Two of my best friends were on the list of those missing and believed kidnapped.