Even before she’d had a chance to exult in the access the codes granted her, she heard disaster approaching. The suite door leading from the common room to the corridor slid open.
“How could you have been so stupid?” she heard Xarbon demanding. “These people are criminals. What kind of enforcer leaves criminals alone in his brother’s quarters?”
Whatever else the executive might have said cut off when Anton closed the door. “It has a manual lock, but that’s not going to hold for very long. Did you get in?”
“I’m in. Keep them off me as long as you can.”
Jackie accessed the slate through her pinplants. They were the best that credits could buy: fast, with incredible throughput, and far more capable than the basic models.
With the co-processing and additional storage space in her head, she could search the drives much more quickly than a normal person. If there was any evidence of Xarbon’s betrayal on this slate, she’d find it.
As focused as she was on the task at hand, Jackie still heard the pounding on the door. They’d figured out where she and Anton had gone. It wouldn’t be very long before they overrode the manual locks and forced the door.
There was so much data. An entire corporation’s worth. Searching it would take years for a normal person. With all the specialized hacking programs she’d picked up on her trips into the Galactic Union and her top-of-the-line capabilities, she was able to locate all references to the Dire Wolves in thirty seconds.
And there it was. A complete record of Yestrellian Corporation’s dealings with the Dire Wolves. Everything from the contract to recordings of each of their meetings. Hundreds of files.
Knowing her time was short, Jackie copied everything into her internal memory.
As the files began copying, she looked for the one with the most recent timestamp. It turned out to be an after-action report of some kind. It was dryly written in corporate speak but held exactly the kind of shocking revelation she knew had to have existed.
At that moment, the door to the cabin crashed open and armed guards rushed in. Jackie verified the last of the files had finished copying and sent a command to the slate to re-encrypt the drive cluster with her personal code. No one would be erasing any data on it now.
She’d barely done so before the guards dragged her out into the common room. A pair of them held her arms painfully behind her. Anton had four. Playtime was over.
Xarbon stood glaring at Anton, ignoring her as if she were only a sidekick. His brother, on the other hand, focused his attention on her.
“I must say that you’ve proven more resourceful than I’d given you credit for,” the executive snarled at the ex-FSB spy. “Now you’ve broken into my private quarters and attempted to access confidential corporate files. I can’t begin to imagine how many years you’ve just earned yourself in a Gtandan prison.”
Anton glanced at her, no doubt wondering if she’d found anything useful. He nodded when she smiled triumphantly.
“Actually, I’m not certain that’s true,” she told the Gtandan executive. “It’s probably been a long time since you’ve reviewed the contract your company signed with the Dire Wolves. Did you know there was an audit clause?”
The alien made a gesture with his arms that she couldn’t read. Maybe it was his race’s equivalent to a shrug.
“So what?” Xarbon asked. “That doesn’t excuse your actions. It only allows you to petition for access to the company files.”
“Not petition,” Anton disagreed. “The language is quite clear. It authorizes the Dire Wolves to review the files associated with their contract and their mission in cases where they suspect some kind of inappropriate conduct.”
Jackie smiled. “Just in case it’s not obvious, we suspect inappropriate conduct.”
“That doesn’t excuse corporate espionage and breaking other laws,” the executive snarled. “It means you can approach a planetary court to compel access.”
“Planetary courts in your pay,” Anton said. “I filed the appropriate paperwork, but you paid the judge to ignore the law.”
Xarbon smiled wickedly. “I suppose that’s one way to view the situation. It still does not give you the right to do any of this.”
He turned to his brother. “I am, of course, pressing charges. You’ll take them with you when you leave. I trust you’ll keep better track of them this time.”
Jackie cleared her throat. “Before anyone gets carried away, I should mention that we’re contacting the Mercenary Guild as soon as we come out of hyperspace to raise the issue of your breach of contract.
“I found the proof I needed to prove you intentionally betrayed the Dire Wolves in contravention to your signed agreement.”
She used her pinplants to send the relevant file to the networked video screen. “According to this report—which was sent directly to you—your people used the Dire Wolves as a misdirection to one of your competitors. You made them think a third party had hired my father’s company to attack them.”
“So? Misdirection is no crime. That would be true even if the files you claim as evidence weren’t completely fabricated. Someone turn that video screen off.”
Enforcer Jardis held up a hand. “No. I want to see what this report says.”
“You can’t possibly believe her,” Xarbon snarled. “She’s a common criminal, and I’m your brother.”
“Then the evidence will back your claim,” Jardis said flatly. “Continue, Miss O’Hara.”
She swallowed. “Your brother told the targets the Dire Wolves were coming in exchange for signing the trade agreement he wanted. He never intended for the attack to succeed. He just needed the target to believe a third party was after them.
“He arranged for my father and his people to walk right into an ambush. And I mean that literally. Your brother gave them the Dire Wolves’ planned flight path and highlighted the best place to surprise them.”
Jackie glared at the executive. “The Mercenary Guild takes a very dim view of outright betrayal and breach of contract. The penalties spelled out in the agreement you signed with my father—”
“Are irrelevant,” Xarbon interrupted. “The contract was withdrawn because the mercenary company failed to even make an attempt to complete the work I contracted them for. They never even arrived in the target system and no one can say with any certainty exactly what happened to them.”
“I know what happened to them,” she said coldly. “You murdered them. Just as surely as if you’d put a gun to the back of their heads and pulled the trigger.”
Xarbon gestured toward the door. “Everyone get out. This farce is over.”
His brother didn’t move. “It’s over when I say so, brother. I find the evidence presented thus far to be compelling. I want to read the rest of this document and see what else these two have to sustain their charges.”
The guards holding Jackie tensed when a dozen beings walked through the door leading into the corridor.
Xarbon glared at the newcomers. “What is the meaning of this? Get out!”
“These are my associates,” Enforcer Jardis said. “They’re here to make certain everyone remains civil while I complete my investigation into these accusations.”
He walked to the monitor and began reading the document more closely. He gestured for Jackie to scroll it as he reached the bottom of each page.
Once he finished, she replaced it with a copy of the contract. She highlighted the clause that allowed them to pursue access to the files for an audit.
The enforcer turned back toward his brother. “You disappoint me, Nedget. You didn’t even try to conceal your involvement in this terrible crime. You actually acknowledged receipt of the secret report. Talk about corporate policy taken to ridiculous extremes.”
Xarbon sneered at his brother. That was the only word Jackie felt was appropriate for the expression on his face.
“Don’t you dare lecture me! I’ve achieved success beyond your pathetic dreams. I won’t allow a di
sgrace relegated to chasing criminals for pocket change to lecture me. None of this means anything. By the time we finish docking, all of this will go away.”
“We shall see,” Enforcer Jardis said thoughtfully. “In any case, as a duly-appointed enforcer of the Peacemaker Guild, I find that you have violated your contract with the Dire Wolves mercenary company.
“I am officially changing its status to fulfilled and finding you in breach of contract. I realize that I should technically classify the final condition as lost, but that wouldn’t be fair considering your betrayal.
“All the relevant financial penalties are now due. Including, I might add, the payment in full for the mission itself. Based upon the language and precedent in contract law, that is going to be a substantial amount.”
“I will, of course, challenge that before the guild,” Xarbon said coldly. “You can rest assured that no payment will be made during my lifetime. These documents are falsified.”
“Again, we shall see,” Jardis said agreeably. “By my order, I am also placing you under arrest for complicity in the murder of every member of the Dire Wolves under Gtandan law.”
“To preserve evidence for your trial, you will be held in close confinement aboard this ship and not allowed communication with anyone until after my agents seize the official files from your servers at the Yestrellian Corporation. I’ll take the slate from your room as well.”
The enforcer gestured to his men. “Take them away. Remember, no messages in or out.”
Jackie expected some form of resistance from Xarbon’s security team, but they released her and allowed the enforcer’s people to herd them away.
Once the three of them were alone, the alien smiled at her. “Contrary to what my brother believes, I find the evidence you’ve presented to be most compelling. He will pay for his crimes and so will everyone involved in this tragedy.
“While I can certainly understand how the Galactic Union often appears to many of its citizens, not everyone is out to take whatever they can. Though the Peacemaker Guild does take money to keep the peace, even between the guilds, that doesn’t mean justice is for sale.”
They stood in silence for a moment before she spoke. “I hope you’re telling me the truth. I grew up without my father because of your brother. My partner lost everything he’d worked for and all his friends, too. No amount of compensation will ever change that.”
The alien nodded. “Yet I can tell you feel satisfaction at seeing justice done. I meant every word about how impressed I am with your capabilities and determination. I’ve begun researching you more closely and feel that I already know enough about your character to feel comfortable making you an offer.
“The Peacemaker Guild isn’t just about pursuing and arresting criminals. Some of us are also tasked with gathering information and doing clandestine intelligence work. Such are my normal duties, so I have some appreciation for the skill it took to gather this information under such adverse conditions.
“I believe you could make a difference in many lives if I could convince you to assist me. The pay is terrible, the benefits so-so, but the satisfaction of seeing the guilty brought low is heady. Allow me a few days to sway you.”
The offer came out of the blue. Jackie had never thought about what she would do if they actually accomplished the mission. She wasn’t a mercenary. Hell, at this point, neither was Anton.
If they actually received the money for the breach of contract in the mission, she’d never have to work another day in her life. How boring would that be?
Anton shrugged. “It seems my schedule has opened up. If Jackie is willing, I’d like to hear your offer. To learn more about what you do.”
Enforcer Jardis clapped his hands on their shoulders and nudged them toward the door. “Excellent! All of this has made me hungry. Let’s find a quiet corner and refresh ourselves while we take the opportunity to get to know one another.”
# # # # #
Mark’s Introduction to:
PAINT THE SKY by Jason Cordova
I first met Jason at a LibertyCon four years ago and was immediately struck by what a dynamic character he is. I’ve wanted to write with him ever since, but as fate would have it, things just haven’t worked out. I was thrilled to find out from Chris that Jason was locked for this anthology. Jason’s bestselling works center around Kaiju, and if you’ve read my book Cartwright’s Cavaliers, you know they have a fond place in my heart. He has also released “Wraithkin,” the first book in the Kin Wars Saga series, through the same publisher as the book you are reading. The second book, “Darkling,” should be available soon.
The story Jason presented us tells the tale of a man who believed that simply buying the hardware for a merc company in the Four Horsemen universe was the key to instant success, and finds out that’s far from the truth. But we also find out what a few men in CASPers (Combat Assault Systems, Personal) can accomplish if they don’t have any choice. Along the way we see just how nasty life can be in a universe where it’s quite literally dog-eat-dog.
Find out more about Jason at https://jasoncordova.com/.
PAINT THE SKY by Jason Cordova
“Five?” Mulbah Luo asked incredulously as he stared at the bursar. “We only have five CASPers?”
“You heard me correctly,” the man across from him said, his face grim as he matched the steely-eyed business man’s gaze. “And what we have aren’t even Mark Eights. They’re Sevens.”
Mulbah sputtered for a moment, completely flabbergasted. He had expected the cupboard to be thin, but not entirely bare. He should have listened to his personal accountant’s advice before he bought the majority stake in the formerly-defunct mercenary company.
“Nobody goes into receivership in the mercenary business anymore, Mr. Luo,” the attorney had stated many months before. Mulbah had been so enamored by the idea of owning his own mercenary outfit, though, that he had steamrolled through the attorney’s objections and bought the former owners out. Much to their obvious relief, he recalled in hindsight. They had been almost broke, which was rare in the mercenary business, so it had been a fairly cheap purchase for the CFO turned mercenary company owner. Most companies were either fairly wealthy or completely destroyed. Getting an intact one, well…that had been the ultimate coup.
Or had it?
He pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled slowly, counting backwards from 20 as he tried to rein in his infamous temper. The Kakata Korps, formerly Mercenarios Ojo de Tigre, had just had its headquarters relocated to Liberia from Seville, Spain. It had taken him purchasing a full-sized warehouse outside the city of Monrovia to hold all the equipment that had come with the takeover. He had thought he was getting a treasure trove of gently-used military equipment. According to the sellers, he had. They had failed to mention just how ancient the “gently used” equipment had been, though.
He felt more like a man getting a belt sander applied to his rear end the deeper into the inventory he delved.
“Sevens are obsolete,” Mulbah muttered as he ran the calculations through his head. He had no idea just what sort of equipment would be needed for the contract he had bid on, but he had wanted to make an impression on the other mercenary units out there. His idea had been simple: take a low-risk, low-reward job and overwhelm the simple, non-violent aliens with his arsenal, then reap the rewards of a solid reputation down the line with more lucrative contracts and more overwhelming shows of force. With any luck, he had figured to replace one of the legendary Four Horsemen as top dog. Eventually.
Now? He shook his head and grumbled under his breath. “All we have is about a company’s worth of advanced combat armor and the five Mark Seven’s. It can’t get any worse, Zion. It cannot get any worse.”
“Uh, sir?” Zion Jacobs interrupted, his face still dour. He was one of the few administration men he had brought in with him who had passed the Mercenary Service Track, and though he was unfamiliar with the new company, his smarts and quick thinking had impressed Mulba
h long before. “You also lack transports.”
“We can rent transports,” Mulbah replied instantly. He had already figured that into the costs, at least, since interstellar travel through the gates was pretty much a given. In fact, most of the money from the current contract would eventually cover the transportation costs of moving his company through space.
“I meant that you have no transports to the surface of the planet you’re supposed to go to,” Zion calmly explained. “The drop-pods we have were fitted for Mark Fives. You’re going to have to land on the planet proper.”
Mulbah felt the all-too-familiar pulse of the large vein on his forehead, and knew he was about to explode. His hands shook, and he made a visible effort to not lose control. He took a few more calming breaths before he dared speak.
“Do you have any good news?”
“The CASPers all are equipped with dual MAC’s,” Zion answered quickly, referring to the Magnetic Accelerator Cannon that was the staple of all mecha in the field. “Double the firepower, so each suit could potentially be worth two.”
A Fistful of Credits: Stories from the Four Horsemen Universe (The Revelations Cycle Book 5) Page 8
