"Yes and no. I don't think they would hold up in our courts or yours as strictly speaking Aaron didn't develop the Portals on his own. Having said that, his work advancing Tihan's energy ideas could really bear fruit and I don't want anyone else to lock it up, after all this system already has enough problems with market dominance. I'd hoped that Aaron’s work might even become open source, free to all and that would really remove the stranglehold that Reubus has on the region with his energy monopoly."
It didn't escape Regan's attention that Hilary's eyes seemed to glaze over at just the mention of Reubus's name. "Hilary, you're not falling for Reubus are you?"
She laughed wickedly. "He is a business bad boy isn't he?"
Regan dipped her head and looked at her suspiciously. "You don't sound too unhappy about it; babe is there anything you need to tell me?"
"Oh Regan, a lady never talks about such things." And she winked lewdly.
"Hilary! Don't tell me you've fallen for his greasy charms?"
The gracious lady looked disappointed. "Truthfully, no - but he's not so greasy really. You can't blame him for being good at what he does and I can think of worse things than such a liaison."
"Just be careful babe, Reubus is always maneuvering for business advantage and I'm not sure you'd be happy having your reputation and name associated with him."
"Regan, I wouldn't mind a cyber tumble if it presented itself but I'm not about to fall for a charmer. The Orbital comes first, and you're not far behind." She smiled reassuringly.
Regan rose in one smooth motion, not even using her arms yet staying perfectly balanced, as she gloried in the strength of those beautiful legs. In a second she was back in business mode addressing the coming meeting with Reubus.
"Have you heard anything about his plans Hilary, how is Reubus doing with his business overall?"
"He's frustrated Regan, no question about it. The loss of Tihan Orbital for his planned system transport hub has really set him back but he hasn't lost hope. Regan, Tihan is the problem, he's struggling to make the interest payments on their debts and Reubus is threatening to invoke penalty clauses which will make the situation far worse. I have been helping but I can't afford to risk this Orbital too."
"You mentioned penalty clauses?"
"Yes - it's just the standard money lender type of thing. Tihan remembers Reubus talking about them but he never thought he would reach the position of being unable to pay. If I wasn't carrying him financially the debt would already be triple."
"Hilary, you can't be throwing away money covering his interest surely?"
"No of course not, I'm taking positions in Tihan government corporations too, exactly the same kind of thing Reubus is trying to do."
"And Tihan is happy about that?"
"He has no choice really but, as I said to him, better the Dahlia you know than the Reubus you don't."
"Hmm - I guess so."
"Regan, if I don't do it then Tihan will fall to Reubus and at least I'm limiting my interests to less than fifty percent in each business."
"So that means Tihan will still be running things in each case?"
"Yes - unfortunately."
Regan stopped pacing and screwed up her mouth in frustration. "That clearly won't work darl, Reubus is right, I don't think Tihan is up to it."
"I agree but I didn't think you'd be happy for me to take a higher percentage."
"Hilary, you did the right thing, and with the best of intentions but clearly the problem will get worse for Tihan before it can get better. Go for fifty one percent, controlling interests from now on. We will look after Tihan."
"I'm glad you said that, and Regan - there's something else." Hilary hesitated, a look of concern on her gracious face.
"What?"
"It may be nothing, but Reubus seems to be lifting his military spending."
"Oh really?" Regan did another stretch while she pondered the new information. "I guess there's no point in delaying my meeting with him; he'll be expecting action and I need to get my own feel for what he's up to. Hilary, if I'm not back within the day - find Ham."
"Of course dear - be careful."
They exchanged smiles, and then Regan slid back to the floor to settle into a lotus pose. She rested there a moment, a picture of serenity . . . then departed for Reubus leaving the powerful android form behind.
* * *
As visits to Reubus Orbital go, this one proved most disturbing. Instead of finding the one Reubus, either in avatar or android form as usual she found four versions of Reubus waiting for her, all android copies. More disturbing was finding he had also copied himself into the regan android she had seen on the earlier visit. It was naked, soiled and sickening.
Reubus showed no concern over her arrival and seemed either unaware or uncaring of how inappropriate the situation was. It was obvious to Regan that he was trying to stack the meeting in his favor and trying to put her on the back foot. To have him strutting and posturing in a female android, particularly one strikingly like herself was insulting. Fortunately the whole act was so camp it undermined any purpose he may have intended and Regan found it slightly amusing. In fact it raised questions as to Reubus's sanity. It didn't help that the Orbital Mind also chose to speak through the scantily clad version as if there was nothing unusual about the behavior. To have the old male Reubus voice issuing from a buxom female completed the insane picture and Regan couldn't help herself. She laughed out loud.
"You find something funny Regan?"
"I'm sorry Reubus, I do find it hard to stay serious when you choose to meet with me and speak from an android version of myself; particularly when the voice is several octaves below my own." She tried to smile warmly, and failed.
He seemed not to notice. "I find that I quite like the form and function of the female, and it has proved useful in several negotiations, if you know what I mean." The android smiled lasciviously. In the background she could see the female Reubus lounging into a chair, a draping position with one leg over the arm looking practiced and ready for action. Regan shuddered.
"In any case Regan dear," the voice now came from a Reubus android behind the large desk, "business is business and I sense from your demeanor you are not here to partner with me as I'd hoped."
She again tried to smile but it was difficult; perhaps his attempts to unsettle her were paying off after all. "I won't ask you to clarify what you mean by 'partner,' my friend, as you know I've been out of the system for some weeks busy on other projects. I simply wanted to catch up again, test the orbit of the Orbital so to speak." And again she delivered her most charming smile.
"Regan, we both know that you have come via Dahlia, and what has my dear friend told you? We are becoming quite close you know, Dahlia and I, I'm sorry, you know her as Hilary I understand. I like Dahlia, I find her quite feisty." As he said the words the Regan android stood and walked seductively around the table, stopping beside the male she was addressing. He draped one arm around her, the act being quite pointed. It was as if he were pointing out that as he had Dahlia and this Regan android . . . Regan dear, you are no longer required.
And then suddenly, point made, he was quite solicitous again casually pushing the female aside and standing. "Regan," he shook his head, "why do you resist such an obviously useful liaison - we could be so good for each other? The opportunities for us would span whole systems of the galaxy; working together we could achieve so much."
"Reubus, what is it that you want to achieve - riches? What good are they to you, and you already have so much. Is it power? How much power do you need, and for what purpose? Reubus please, simply work with us, work with everyone for the good of the galaxy." She softened and tried to draw him in. "You have plenty my friend, you are loved and respected, surely what you have is enough?"
"Is it enough for you Regan?" His demeanor seemed to harden. "Your own influence continues to grow, your power and reach grows stronger and wider with each passing period. How is it acceptable for your power
to expand without check, while you seek to curb the power of this simple business Mind?"
"Reubus, you have it wrong, I have little formal power and that of my business is limited to my own system. That people choose to follow my lead is something over which I have no control. You cannot be envious of influence that I haven't sought or coveted. And even if you were envious; taking advantage of others, seeking to dominate and exploit by monopoly - these aren't the ways to gain the influence you seek."
"I can see you won't be persuaded to join me Regan. Your personal power is impressive and you have the people following you, but there are other forms of power. I am good at what I do, be careful that your own pride doesn't come before a fall."
He stood and stepped back from the desk; the female android slid in before him and lay over the surface. Realizing what he was about to do Regan stood quickly, shocked as he flipped the loose skirt up over her hips. For the briefest of moments she locked eyes with her doppelganger on the desktop then didn't wait a second longer; she disappeared.
* * *
On return to Dahlia Orbital Regan allowed Hilary to rummage around her thoughts reviewing the meeting with Reubus. A look of disappointment on Hilary's face as she reached the meetings disturbing end proved misleading and it led Regan to commiserate unnecessarily.
"I'm sorry Hilary, bad boy he may be but he's lost it. There is self obsession there and a degree of delusion that disturbs me; but I can see why you might be upset."
"You were premature, Regan."
"I'm sorry?"
"Premature - in leaving the room - couldn't you have waited just a moment longer?"
"Hilary! I wasn't going to wait in that room a microsecond longer, not with what he was about to do to that android, and an android that looks just like me in case you hadn't noticed."
"Yes, well, I was just wondering, you didn't happen to get a look at his . . ."
"Nooo! What is wrong with you?"
The gracious lady slumped into a depressed lotus position and rested her head in her hands. "Regan, you have no idea. Everyone seems to think I don't have needs or interest in male company - but I do. Most of the Minds in this system are intimidated by me and those that aren't intimidated are, well - there is only one, Reubus. You have Ham so he's gone and anyway he treats me like a sister - so what is a girl to do?"
Regan crouched and stretched out an arm to rest over Hilary’s shoulder. "Be patient babe, you know you will be living a very long time. Things are changing so quickly now and think about it, we're reaching into the Orion Nebula, a system populated with advanced Minds, who knows who you will meet?"
Hilary sniffed and then serenely rose like a ghost to stand beside Regan and they embraced.
Regan stepped back and held her at arm's length. "Now, Reubus is looking to take over this star system by fair means or foul, I'm sure of it. You need to watch out babe that he doesn't maneuver you into a corner. I know you more than have the measure of him when it comes to business, as long as you keep your wits about you; let's see you give him a run for his money, okay?"
Hilary perked up with the encouragement but her mind was already elsewhere. "That's an interesting thought - about the Orion system I mean, thank you Regan, I'd like to visit there I think."
Regan smiled. "Well, think about it, via that processor on Charlie you are already on your way there as we speak."
A broad smile broke out on Hilary's face. "Yes, yes of course I am, that's true."
"Now babe, I'm leaving you to the business and going after Ham; are you okay?"
A nod was all that was required to satisfy Regan, and she was gone, with new coordinates, to Fifino.
* * *
It was by now a simple matter to hone in on Ham's location. She knew he had gone investigating and Fifino was the destination, but what was he up to? Latching on to the now familiar signal of his presence and jumping blind meant arriving who knows where, so mentally she prepared herself for anything. As it turned out she found herself in a typical government office, the likes of which could be found anywhere in the galaxy. Tihan, as acting Orbital Mind on Fifino, usually presented as the young soldier for Ham and today was no exception. His eyes lit up as Regan materialized behind the beautiful man.
Ham didn't even bother to turn. "Regan, you left this to me so what are you doing here? You just can't stand being without me can you?" Now he did turn and smiled.
"I know you don't need me Ham, but I'd finished with Reubus and thought I'd join you."
At just the mention of Reubus's name Tihan's eyes lit up, pathetically hopeful, "Did you manage anything Regan - will he back off?"
She shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry Tihan, the answer is no, in fact he seems all the more ruthless and determined. Hilary is still in a position to back you up though, and I suggest you go with her. In fact you could do worse than enter into a full partnership of sorts; she has a very sharp business mind while you are an excellent administrator. Be open to her suggestions, she really is trying to save your butt."
"Oh, she isn't interested in a partnership with me; her tastes are, shall we say, a little more edgy." He seemed disappointed.
"Yes, well I was thinking more of a business partnership anyway. Let's move on shall we - how did you get on Ham?"
"I got nothin and you know how that annoys me!" He did look disappointed. "This Leith seems to a reasonable trader with a small piece of quite a few pies on Fifino. I wouldn't call him a wheeler and dealer, certainly not a big wheel in the scheme of things. But he does seem to have the ear of people you wouldn't normally expect to be interested in a small fry like him. Why they talk to him, I don't know and even with my nefarious excellence in sculling around the available data it seems he is squeaky clean."
"Well that's good isn't it?" Tihan asked, surprised that Ham wasn't happy with the discovery.
Both Regan and Ham just looked at him and shook their heads sadly. Ham leant forward on Tihan's desk and eyeballed him. "Tihan, this is what gets you into so much trouble, you need to realize no one is completely squeaky clean. What is it you say Regan - when it comes to sentient minds you should always be prepared to be disappointed but you should never be surprised? You should assume everyone is hiding something, the question is what and is it important? That I can't find anything is suspicious in itself."
"Ha - So if everyone has something to hide, what about you Ham?"
Ham laughed. "I rest my case, Tihan." He turned back to Regan. "Everything about the records on this man suggests the data trail around him is continually being swept clean, and there is another thing. The volume of his business conducted with the other Orbitals is relatively small, and yet he travels frequently between them on business trips."
"You think the business is just a cover for him?"
"That would be my pick, I think he's an operative, the question is for whom?"
"And why based here on Fifino, he's a Coran after all?"
"I think it's likely he was an operative for the old Fifino himself before I dispatched him. He was probably a key link between the Coran emperor and this Orbital. Since both those old bastards are gone I'm picking he's working for a new master."
"Reubus?"
"I was hoping you'd suggest that, shall I deal to him?"
"No Ham, blimey - don't jump to conclusions too quickly. As far as we know Reubus has acted lawfully in all his business dealings to date and he's been very successful. If he can do that acting legitimately, why would he need a dark operative?"
"Regan, we just said it, no one is squeaky clean, and in fact to me it's suspicious if they look that way; Reubus is no exception much as I respect him. In business sometimes shifty things do happen, I don't need to tell you that surely?"
"It's not the way we operate."
Ham shuffled slightly. "No, no, of course it's not."
She looked at him doubtfully but decided not to pursue the issue. "Ham, I hear you, but we can't be sure Leith is working for Reubus, this man could be working for anyone.
The thing that concerns me is his interest in Aaron and the way he seems to have lured the whole family here. What's his game?"
"Regan, if I may?" Tihan waited for permission to speak.
"Yes of course."
"We do know Leith has a compound on Fifino, quite a substantial compound in fact. It has very effective shielding and operates outside the normal Orbital network. Perhaps he will take them there."
Regan looked shocked at Tihan's naivety. "You think? Tihan, of course he will, and how did he get permission to shield the compound from you?"
"Well, they felt it was necessary for business security, industrial espionage and all that, and I agreed."
"Do any other businesses here have such shielding?"
"Well, no; none at the moment, but others have asked."
"Tihan, in future say no, absolutely not. You are an unbiased Mind of the highest integrity and can be trusted absolutely. The only reason they would seek that kind of shielding from you is because they are up to no good."
"That is exactly what I was telling him when you appeared Regan."
"No you weren't." Tihan protested. "You were saying you were going to take them out."
"Ham, we are not going to take them out. We need to watch them, gather more information. So, Tihan, from now on monitor all data traffic to and from that compound. Even if it's encrypted see if you can identify where it comes from or where they're sending to. You may have to track the data all around the Gliese system but stay on it. You do control three of the Orbitals after all and Hilary will work with you so it shouldn't be too difficult; and Ham, there is no system that given time you can't penetrate, so stay on it. If I agree to you leaving a copy of yourself here, can I trust you to keep it to the one?"
"Of course Regan, when have I ever let you down?"
"In that case, you and I need to get back to the Behemoth. Marin and Leah will be watching Aaron and the family on the Lazy Passage, there's a copy of you there too in the saucer and if one of you remains here we should have everything covered." She rolled her eyes at how confusing things could become.
Regan's Reach 4: Avarice Page 18
