The Kaiser gave her a curious look. “Even after what Brandon did, and was trying to do?”
Countess Alexandra nodded. “I understand that Kat was responsible for a lot of that. She argued that it was a more fitting punishment for Brandon to see everything he lost in the hands of the rest of DA-CC. Especially those of her siblings. And I’ll take a bit of credit for myself. My earlier dealings with the Admiral Ann’s Revenge gave me a bit of leeway concerning this incident. So long as Brandon is out of the picture, they are willing to leave things as they are.”
“I’ve been hearing about your interactions with the Revenge for quite a while,” the Kaiser murmured.
“I thought Ernst was probably keeping you up to date.”
The Kaiser smiled and shook his head. “So what are we going to do?”
Countess Alexandra smiled. “Well first I’m going to introduce you to the heads of the Farflung System government.” She smiled as Ann and Sterling stepped forward. “My friends, I am pleased to present Kaiser Wilhelm IX, ruler of the Deutschland System and the planet of New Frankfurt. Kaiser Wilhelm, I am pleased to present Captain Annette Fairmont Stevenson and her husband, First Mate Sterling Silver Stevenson.”
The Kaiser stepped forward and offered his hand. “On behalf of my planet and people, I welcome you to New Frankfurt.”
Ann stepped forward and took the Kaiser’s hand and replied, “Kaiser Wilhelm, we thank you for your greeting.”
Sterling was next, and added clicked heels to his greeting. “Kaiser Wilhelm, I am pleased to meet you.”
“And I am pleased to meet you both,” the Kaiser replied. “What would be the proper title to address you by?” he asked, looking between them.
Ann answered. “For now, Captain is the only title we’ve used, Kaiser Wilhelm. We haven’t decided on any other titles.” She glanced at Sterling. “Something else for the ‘To Do’ list.”
The Kaiser smiled. “Founding a new government is a challenge few have faced. I understand that you have a family connection to the Confederate Government. Your brother might be invaluable in that respect.”
Ann bowed her head. “President Andretta suggested much the same thing, Kaiser Wilhelm.”
“Let’s get right to the point, shall we?” the Kaiser asked, and continued when both Ann and Sterling bowed their heads. “We would like to handle the trial of Brandon Von Rubenstein as quietly as possible. We can’t keep it completely quiet, nor do we really want to, but we’d prefer to avoid a media circus.”
Ann took a deep breath and nodded her agreement. “The less attention he receives, the better.”
The Kaiser bowed his head slightly. “Thank you. Some of my ministers are ready to do anything, no matter how legal or not, to placate you in this matter.”
Sterling gave Ann a sideways glance, then looked the Kaiser straight in the eye as he replied, “We’d prefer not to have to deal with him in any way. His treatment of Katrina, both before and after she joined our crew, was despicable. Fortunately, the rest of her family,” he glanced at Countess Alexandra and Lady Bettina, “has made up for some of it. Deal with him as you wish.”
Countess Alexandra smiled and reached out to lay a hand on Sterling’s arm. “Thank you. Brandon will never bother you again.”
The Kaiser was looking around with a puzzled expression. “Where is Katrina? I thought she’d be here.”
Ann, Sterling, Bettina, and Alexandra chuckled together, drawing a frown from the Kaiser. Bettina explained, “Katrina is getting acquainted with her new nephews and nieces. She’s upstairs buried in babies.”
The Kaiser joined the laughter, dispelling the last of the tension in the room.
*
The trial of Brandon Von Rubenstein was set for ten days later. During that time Ann and Sterling were busy negotiating with dozens of concerns. Opening Frisland to colonization, and possible exploitation, was going to take a lot of capital. Some were firms from New Frankfurt, but others had followed the Admiral Ann’s Revenge from Atlanta.
“Captain Stevenson! Captain Stevenson, a moment please,” a voice called out from behind Ann and Sterling as they were returning to the ship. They both stopped and four people hurried forward to face them. They stopped short of the six armed Kaiser Security Service personnel that Kaiser Wilhelm had assigned to them.
“May we help you, sir?” Ann asked.
It took a moment, and then Sterling said, “Mister Lewis. I wondered who Germanicus was going to send.”
Aaron Lewis bowed slightly. “Yes, well, seeing as we’ve had dealings before, it was deemed appropriate.” He smiled at Ann and motioned to the people with him. “These are my colleagues, Nancy Easterbrook, Michael Morehouse, and Jason Cordoba. We would like to begin negotiations concerning mining on your Planet Leander. We understand that Planet Clementine is already fully contracted.”
“You understand correctly,” Ann replied. “Come with us. We have everything set up in the wardroom for review.” She nodded to the security team leader, then walked into the ship.
Ann walked into the wardroom and looked around. Spotting Carrie-Marie, she asked, “Is Kat still planet-side?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
Ann shook her head and snorted in amusement. “We’re going to have to hire a new cook, Sterling. We’re never going to get her away from the babies.”
Sterling laughed with her, and then looked at Carrie-Marie. “CM, order us some food and drinks from the station.” They had continued to the briefing table and Ann immediately called up the hologram of Leander.
“Maritz has already contracted for mining rights on Leander. They are not, however, exclusive. Have you seen these scans before?”
“We have,” Mister Lewis said as the others nodded. “We are very interested in your assessment that Leander has rich deposits of gold and platinum.”
“I’m not surprised,” Sterling commented, drawing disapproving looks from all four of the GMM representatives. “Oh, don’t worry. Your secret is safe with us. Given the involvement of Amberson’s and their criminal enterprises, it’s not much of a secret anymore.”
Mister Lewis sighed deeply. “No, it isn’t. Still, it’s not something we speak about very often. Our proposal is to send a mining ship with robotic extractors much like the ones you saw in operation at Germanicus. Our interest is primarily in the gold, platinum, and silver deposits. One of our subsidiaries manufactures electronic components. The gold is needed there since there is still no better metal for the purpose.”
Ann nodded. “We know. You’re not the first to approach us about it.”
“Oh,” Missus Easterbrook asked. “May we ask who else has contacted you?”
“Marduk Mines is primarily interested in the fissionables and transuranics elements, but expressed an interest in the precious metals as well. New Kashmir Metals is interested in the same things. DA-CC has also expressed an interest in expanding their operation to Leander.”
Mister Lewis exchanged glances with his colleagues. “How long have you been negotiating?”
“Since we returned to the ship yesterday,” Sterling answered with a trace of humor. “Countess Alexandra of DA-CC expressed their interest in Leander as well as Frisland while we were on the planet.” He smiled as the GMM representatives exchanged glances again. “No, you aren’t first.”
Mister Lewis nodded. “We assumed DA-CC would express an interest, but the others are a surprise. How did they get here ahead of us?”
Sterling smiled. “We didn’t make a secret of where we were going after Atlanta. They have been waiting here for more than a week.”
Olaf and Denise joined them then, taking seats to Ann’s left. “Mister Lewis, it’s a pleasure to see you again,” Denise said as she sat down.
“Ah, Cap-No, it’s not captain anymore, is it? Miss Stabenow, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” Mister Lewis smiled and bowed his head.
Denise shook hers. “It’s not Stabenow anymore, either,” she replied with a grin. “Olaf fi
nally agreed to marry me.”
That threw Mister Lewis off balance for a moment, but he recovered quickly. “Congratulations.”
“Captain Stevenson, are these negotiations to be open to everyone?” Mister Morehouse asked.
All four of the Revenge officers focused on him, but it was Ann who answered. “The Larsson’s control twenty percent of the system. They have every right to be here.”
That set both Mister Morehouse and Mister Cordoba back in their seats. Mister Cordoba cleared his throat and said, “We were not aware that you didn’t have full authority in your system.”
Ann’s expression closed down briefly, and when she focused on Mister Cordoba, her eyes may as well have been laser cannons. “The ten crewmembers who were on board at the time of the accident each own ten percent of the system. While Sterling and I do have proxies from the rest of the crew for the purpose of negotiating contracts, each of them has every right to participate if they wish.”
“Of course, Captain,” Mister Lewis said to forestall anything unfortunate that the others might say. “It is just that things go more smoothly with fewer negotiators.”
Sterling said, “There are four of you.”
“A point well taken, Mister Stevenson,” Mister Lewis conceded with a deep nod. “Now, we propose a five year grace period with a five percent-”
“No,” Ann interrupted. “We’ve allowed DA-CC and Maritz grace periods to get things started in the system, but those are the only two we’re going to allow.”
“What do you mean?” Missus Easterbrook demanded.
“It means, quite simply, that we will not be granting any more exemptions or exceptions to anyone. The terms we presented to both Marduk Mines and New Kashmir Metals are these: Twenty-five percent of your net take from Leander.”
“Ridiculous!” Mister Morehouse all but shouted as he stood. “You bear no cost but you want twenty-five percent of-”
“Sit down!” Sterling snapped, cutting him off in mid rant. “Twenty-five percent of your net allows you to recover all of your costs and still retain seventy-five percent of your profits.”
“It’s outrageous!” Mister Cordoba began, but didn’t get to finish.
Missus Easterbrook silenced them both without raising her voice. “Sit down and shut up, both of you.” Both men shut their mouths with a snap and returned to their seats. “That is better.”
Focusing on Ann, she bowed her head briefly. “My apologies, Captain Stevenson, to you and your crew. It seems I chose poorly when I assembled my team. I am the Executive Vice President over New Acquisitions for Germanicus Mining and Minerals. Twenty-five percent is excessive, given the distances involved and the difficulty in extracting metals from Leander’s surface.”
Ann looked her in the eye then shrugged. “DA-CC, Marduk, and NKM have already agreed to these conditions. Maritz got a better deal because they are also sending a star-liner to act as a space station in Frisland orbit.”
Missus Easterbrook shook her head. “Still, twenty-five percent is excessive. We would be willing to go as high as ten percent after a five-year grace period.”
“I say no deal,” Denise muttered.
“Agreed,” Olaf said in a stronger voice.
Missus Easterbrook looked at Ann and Sterling, but the answer was clear in their expressions. “I cannot agree to twenty-five percent without board approval.”
Ann shrugged. “Then we have no agreement. Good day.” She stood and the rest of her officers stood with her, then they all turned away.
Denise looked over her shoulder at the stunned GMM team. “Mister Lewis, when you see your Mister Javier Tavana del Rio, remind him that GMM does not do business with tramp freighters.” Then she joined the others as they walked away.
Behind them they heard cursing as Thom and the security detail escorted the very disgruntled GMM team from the ship.
Chapter 35
THE DAY BEFORE BRANDON’S TRIAL WAS to begin, a different visitor arrived. Harriet Fairmont came aboard without prior notice. Not even a com-call to say she was in the Deutschland System. She just showed up at the dock and asked for her baby.
“Annie! Annie, there you are!” she called out as Balder escorted her into Control.
“Mom!?” Ann all but shouted as she stumbled out of her chair to embrace her mother. “Mom, what are you doing here?”
“Why looking for you, silly,” Harriet replied. “And where is that boy?”
“Right here, Ma,” Sterling said as he walked up, and was immediately enfolded in a hug. “Nice to see you again, too.”
“Sterling, you naughty boy. You didn’t even stop in to say hello when you were in Hobson’s.”
Sterling was suddenly a six-year-old boy again and said, “I’m sorry.”
She smiled at the tone of his apology. “Well, so long as you aren’t dead again, I suppose I can forgive you.”
“Mom, what are you doing here?” Ann asked again.
“Oh, I want to invest in your system, of course.”
Ann and Sterling shared a long look. “You want to invest in Farflung?” Ann finally asked.
“Of course. That silly resort has been turning a wondrous profit for the past few years. Enough that I can afford to build another satellite over Farflung. If, that is, I can reach an agreement with the system government.” She smiled and patted Ann’s cheek. “Close your mouth, dear. That’s impolite.”
Sterling recovered first and asked, “Ma, you want to build a resort over Frisland?”
“Oh, of course not, you silly boy,” Harriet replied with a grin. “I want to build a spaceport.”
“Mom, how could you-?” Ann began, but let her voice fade.
“Annie, that resort has been turning a very good profit. And since neither the Hobson’s Planetary Government nor ConfedSec could find out who that dreadful Pahna Mah’s partners were, it’s all been going to me. It seems that none of the partners want to be identified or associated with his dirty dealings.”
Sterling chuckled. “Imagine that. Where are you staying, Ma?”
“With you, of course. I just arrived from Hobson’s.”
Ann and Sterling shared another glance, then Ann took her mother’s arm. “We have room for you, Mom. Where’s your luggage?”
Balder chuckled. “I put it in stateroom fifteen, Captain.” Ann gave him a mild look, but he just laughed it off. “I couldn’t see you saying ‘no’ to her anymore than I could say no to my mom.” Balder froze as a horrified expression crossed his face. “Oh, that’s a terrible thought.”
Harriet shook her finger at Balder as she and Ann passed. “You be nice to your mother, young man.”
Balder sighed, “I see where she gets it,” as Sterling passed.
“Oh, yeah,” Sterling agreed.
An hour later, Harriet was in the wardroom enjoying coffee and cakes with the crew of the Revenge. She’d been very pleased to meet all of them, especially Katrina. “You’re such a wonderful cook, young lady. Wherever did you learn to make such delicious cakes?”
Katrina smiled deeply and blushed. “I learned here, Ma’am. Captain Ann let me experiment.”
“Very good, Annie. Encouraging such young talent is always a good idea.”
Mandy chuckled. “It hasn’t always worked out that well. She’s never poisoned any of us, but a few of her recipes got the ‘Never Again’ stamp from the rest of us.”
“Oh, pshaw! That’s the price of inspiration. It’d be a dreadful bore if everything always turned out perfect. Then there’d be no room for improvement. Young lady, you just keep on as you are.”
Katrina grinned and ducked her head in embarrassment. “Yes, Ma’am.”
“Well, since everyone is here, let me make my pitch.” Harriet sat up straight and took a sip of coffee. “I want to ship materials out to Farflung for the port. Such an odd name. No matter. I propose building a small spaceport. Just enough for ten or twelve small freighters like the Admiral Ann’s Revenge. Nice name, by the way. Fitting. I
’ve already purchased the bulk freighter YSL3620 and renamed her Narcissus. It was really only their twentieth ship, but they threw the ‘36’ in front of it to make them look bigger than they were.”
“Ma,” Sterling interrupted, “how big is the Narcissus?”
“She’s a big one, but she’s too old to keep in service. Too expensive to keep up the repairs.”
“How big, Mom?” Ann persisted.
“Three kilometers long and one across, with an empty mass of seven hundred thousand metric tons.”
The room was totally silent except for the gentle sigh of the ventilation system.
Sterling finally found his voice. “How in the universe could you afford that?”
“Oh, it wasn’t hard. Yvette System Limited Shipping went bankrupt. Seems some of the board of directors absconded with the bulk of their liquid assets not long after that nasty affair with the Amberson Cartel and left the Confederacy. Several lucrative contracts also fell through, and there was some talk of insurance fraud as well. The government wouldn’t bail them out because they were a small company, so the whole thing was sold off. The Narcissus was one of their oldest ships and I got it for scrap prices. Just nineteen million credits.” She grinned at the expressions around her. “One of Andy’s friends helped arrange it. Another provided me with a delightful set of plans.”
“Mom, what are you up to?” Ann asked.
“You’ll see. Now don’t interrupt. It’s rude.” She set a holo-projector on the table and keyed it to life. Above the table now hovered a huge ship that slowly morphed into a space station. The ship was an older design, with the engines, control, and crew’s habitat just a wart on its aft end, and the huge bulk cargo space sitting in the front like a sausage. It was the space-going equivalent of a tug pushing a barge. “The Narcissus forms the central hub, and also provides a good portion of the construction materials, especially hull plating for the outer rings. Only the crew’s habitat and engine room will be retained intact, and they’ll form most of the hub. The rest of the materials for the station will be shipped inside her.”
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