A12 Who Can Own the Stars?

by Mackey Chandler

  “Heather said to give you a lift, but I’m way too busy with work to entertain you. I sort of assumed you were taking some R&R when you came tomorrow, but you are welcome to go to the Fox and Hare as my guest, just tell Detweiler. Or, I understand there are plenty of dark clubs more exciting than the Fox and Hare or the Quiet Retreat. You should be able to start your vacation a day early without any trouble,” April advised him.

  The sudden kicked puppy-dog expression said it all. April’s mentioning dark clubs clicked with him. He suddenly understood that dumping April and Jeff mid-evening to go off with a dance floor acquaintance had changed their relationship.

  April knew he wasn’t terribly mature, but he’d been their guest. Treating their hospitality so indifferently was inexcusable.

  “Ohhh… that’s too bad,” Barak said. “But you live there all the time and can enjoy the clubs and handball courts and stuff anytime you can get away for a few hours.”

  “Central will catch up,” April said. “But I’m not ready to live there full time.”

  The rest of the flight was pretty quiet. Barak found a book to read on his pad.

  * * *

  For the first time in a very long time, Irwin thought maybe he was getting robbed. The fellow standing at the door was an obvious Earthie. He was so nervous that twitchy was an honest description. He looked through the glass doors, hand on the pull bar, his eyebrows scrunched together scowling about something. He also had on a gun-belt with leather so shiny and clean it had to be the first time he was wearing it. It probably squeaked. And the gun holstered on it looked all out of proportion to him. Irwin wondered if he needed both hands just to hold it up, never mind the recoil.

  The fellow looked up and down the corridor both ways and finally made up his mind to come in. It would be insanity to rob the bank. There was nowhere one might reasonably make a get-away. One could hardly rob the bank and go buy a shuttle ticket. And people who owned space ships didn’t need to rob banks. But as Irwin was starting to notice, logic and reasonableness had little to do with people’s actions. “Watch this one,” Irwin sent with his spex to his assistant. Just in case.

  “This is the Private Bank? I mean, not just the offices, but where you do business?”

  “It certainly is,” Irwin assured him. It was hard not to point out the gold letters beside the doors testifying to that. “How may we help you?”

  The fellow gave the whole office another once over before he looked back at Irwin.

  “Sorry, I’m just used to a different… format, such as a stand-up desk and teller windows. I wasn’t sure this wasn’t just corporate offices. May I open an account here?”

  “Of course,” Irwin said touching his screen to that program. “I’m Irwin Hall. Under what name would you like the account?”

  “Nathan Walters. That’s the name with which I entered Home if you link your databases. I want to make deposits from Earth accounts in several jurisdictions, but they are all password and number accounts. I’d be happy to continue using an anonymous account if you offer that. I’ve been targeted by elements on Earth that threaten to do me harm.”

  “We can do that, but if you are concerned about your physical security, it limits some of our services. For example, if there are agencies hostile to you who have your genome, I’d hesitate to use a taster card to access your accounts. Even with no name on its face, the card does contain your genetic profile in some detail to verify it is you holding it.

  “In particular, if you intend to visit Earth, I wouldn’t take such a card with me. It gives you access to the full value of your account, but you could be coerced to use it to strip your accounts or the data could theoretically be cracked in the event of your arrest to confirm your identity.”

  “What would you suggest?” Nathan asked.

  “We can create two accounts. The main one you would have a taster card if you feel you can keep it safe, or you can come in here to transfer funds in lesser amounts to an everyday card you can use at less risk.

  “I’m hoping never to go down to Earth again,” Nathan said with some feeling, “so I don’t think I’ll require that, but your flexibility is appreciated.”

  “What sort of funds do you wish to deposit then?” Irwin asked.

  “I was able to specify most of these funds be held as Australian dollars. There were some fees to do that but well worth getting out of depreciating euromarks. There is one account in rubles. Can you work with those?”

  “Yes, Australian dollars are fairly stable. If I may suggest, I’d have them converted to solars whenever our other depositors need to buy them to do business with Earth. For the rubles, I’d ask the other Spacer bank on Home convert to Australian dollars as the opportunity presents itself. The System Trade Bank has better connections with a non-government entity in the Russian Republic than we have. I can arrange that.

  “If you need funds immediately, I can advance some funds today so you have living expenses on the card. We are currently charging four percent for secured funds, for which your Earth accounts would be collateral. The currency conversions would be applied to the advance as they come in.”

  “I have a bit more than thirty thousand Australian. I’m not sure how long that will last me on Home. How much are you prepared to advance me?” Nathan asked.

  “That depends on the total of your accounts we are transferring of course,” Irwin said. “Do you have an approximation of their sum?”

  “They should be a little less than a billion and a half Australian dollars.”

  “Thirty thousand Australian should support you for a week if you get a lower tier hotel room in-spin. The two establishments on the newer half g level are cheaper. And you should buy a cafeteria card. They will take Australian dollars or yen, and I believe it is still around four thousand dollars a month. The food is quite good and subsidized by Mitsubishi. If you can find a private apartment floor share, don’t mind sleeping in hot slots, or are willing to take a room in zero g housing off Home proper, you could stretch that to three or four weeks. I’d offer you a ten solar advance, which is a quarter kilo, and currency conversions should cover that in the next two or three days.

  Nathan was waiting for some reaction to the amount he was proposing to deposit but there wasn’t any, not so much as a blink. He wondered if a floor share was what it sounded like and why the non-government entity in Russia was not a bank. He decided to let those go for right now.

  “That sounds good to me,” Nathan agreed.

  “I can beam that agreement to your pad, voice signed, or a hard copy print out signed or both,” Irwin offered.

  “Both please,” Nathan said because he wanted to see how it was done.

  “Touch the white pad to confirm your identity,” Irwin requested.

  “I, Irwin Hall bind myself to this agreement with Nathan Walters,” Irwin said. “Hold your pad near my screen like a cash transfer and it will auto load the file,” Irwin instructed. “Computer, print a hard copy too, please.”

  “You say please to a computer?” Nathan asked, amused.

  Irwin shrugged. “An eccentricity.”

  Irwin reached somewhere on the back of the desk and produced the document.

  “You should get a hanko when you get a chance,” Irwin said, holding up his own. “It’s considered good form and more binding on Home than just a wet ink signature.” He pressed and tilted the end of the device firmly on the contract so it printed and embossed an image. He reached in his desk again and produced a card. Irwin carefully pulled a tab to peel a film back and offered the card to Nathan with the taste square exposed.

  Take it from me by firmly pressing your thumb on the pad,” Irwin instructed.

  Nathan looked the face of it over. It was blank as he requested.

  “How do I check my balance?” he asked.

  “Touch it to any terminal and instruct it. You can tell it to do the transaction shown, ask for the account number, the balance, or tell it to deactivate,” Irwin said.
<
br />   Nathan held it up corner touching the screen and tested the number and balance to his satisfaction.

  “Shall we get some of the larger transfers started right now?” Irwin prompted him.

  “Oh, of course.” Thirty minutes saw the four largest done using his card, and authenticated, sufficient for Irwin to feel safe to advance the full loan to his card.

  “You might do the smaller ones yourself, or if you need help why don’t you stop back tomorrow?” Irwin suggested.

  “Good idea, but here’s the access code for the Russian account. I’d like your associate bank to handle that. They’re difficult. They don’t have an English site,” Nathan said.

  Irwin wondered how he managed before, but didn’t ask. “Your trust to handle the matter to your advantage is appreciated. It has been a pleasure to do business with you,” Irwin said. “You asked about data sharing. The bank does not share any customer data or identity information with Home. There is simply no Home law on the matter of banks. There are no corporations at this time on Home either.

  “One thing I might suggest. If you have not made a will, you may wish to designate an heir to the accounts. In the event of your demise that isn’t a bad idea. There is no probate court and accounts don’t revert to the state. If you don’t express a preference it amounts to a gift to us.”

  ‘I have no close relatives. If I designate the bank as heir can I get a better loan rate?”

  Irwin thought about that. “I see that is too troublesome a conflict of interest. Surely there is somebody who has done you a good turn, or a charity?” Irwin asked.

  “Yes,” Nathan, said smiling for the first time. “If something happens to me please give my account balances to Heather Anderson, Queen of the Moon.”

  That finally gave Nathan the pleasure of seeing Irwin surprised.

  * * *

  Hawaii didn’t have regularly scheduled shuttle traffic yet. North America in leaving their military bases took their shuttles along with everything else that wasn’t bolted down, bulldozed utility poles, hangers, and small buildings, poured concrete in the toilets and sewer lines, started vehicles with the oil drain plugs removed, and generally left their properties more expensive to reclaim than bare land.

  The civilian airports faired a little better, but only in the superficial things that wouldn’t look vindictive to the public. The control towers and navigational systems were stripped or trashed. Honolulu was still the only airport brought back up to international standards with equipment bought with very scarce funds. Neither did any Hawaiian company own a shuttle. Despite their struggling economy North America was pressuring trading partners to cut off Hawaii and refuse to establish air links with them.

  Nick returned through Australia, who refused to boycott Hawaii, taking a subsonic home because it was much cheaper. He was fortunate Hawaii had a businessman acting as a part-time consul, one of very few in the world so far. He was surprised at the ease with which he was given a temporary passport and boarding documents.

  The man listened intently to his story of how he came to leave Hawaii without planning it. He didn’t express any surprise where Nick thought any normal person would. That led him to believe either the man didn’t believe a word of it, had already heard the story, or this was his first unofficial debrief from Hawaiian Intelligence. The consul might very well have been recording it all and Intelligence would be busy analyzing it before he boarded the plane home.

  As expected, he was met coming off the plane. What he didn’t expect was Agent Meijer courteously asking him if he’d give them an interview. The agent even offered to come to his home tomorrow after he had a chance to rest from traveling.

  “You must have an office nearby or can borrow a conference room. Why don’t we do it now? My neighbor’s car was destroyed when we left and I’m not hiring a car for the long drive home. I’m going to stay in the city tonight and buy a car in the morning to drive back up the ridge home.”

  “You’re aware the car was destroyed?” Meijer asked. He appeared to be surprised.

  “It’s part of the story, and if you want it in any detail it’s going to take some time. Do you have access to somewhere with a couple of comfortable chairs, a bathroom, and a coffee machine?” Nick asked.

  Sometimes a subject was just too cooperative. Meijer wasn’t going to get a chance to bug Nick’s house, and he didn’t trust what other agencies might have the conference rooms in the international airport bugged. He’d been told not to haul the man into their headquarters and sweat him. Their secure rooms there were deliberately designed to be uncomfortable, unfriendly, and intimidating.

  “We’ll probably be talking through dinner then,” Meijer said. “It seems to me Hawaii will owe us a meal if we work late on official business, Mr. Minister. What do you say we go to Porto’s Brazilian Steak House, get a comfortable booth, and get to work? When we both get hungry, we can take a break and efficiently order right where we are working.”

  “I like how you think. Also, the Holiday Inn is on the very next block. I’ll call and reserve a room for myself,” Nick said.

  * * *

  It was early first shift when Jeff got back to Home. He was off schedule and wanted to nap, but now was the ideal time to see Phillip Detweiler and maybe the fellow Hussein from the Quiet Retreat. He called ahead and asked if Detweiler could spare him a few moments to talk and try some of his latest whiskey? He suggested Hussein would be welcome if Phillip wanted to invite him. He never felt he had a rapport with the man. Then, there was the fact that April had an interest in the Fox and Hare, so he favored it over the Quiet Retreat.

  When he arrived at the Fox and Hare Detweiler was sitting at the bar visible from the entry and waved him over. Hussein was there for which he was grateful. A few of the dark clubs ordered the vodka Heather made, and he supposed they’d buy his whiskey if it was good enough, but he found them kind of creepy and didn’t want to be too closely associated with them. On the other hand, he’d take any association with the two public and open clubs on Home as a positive. Jeff sat his bottle carrier on the bar and climbed on a stool.

  “You look a bit rough,” Detweiler said. More concerned than unkind.

  “I’m straight from the dock and the shuttle left at an ungodly hour. I’ll catch an hour's nap when I can today. There wasn’t any freight to be moved or anything to justify using a ship just to get there. I can work in transit as well as sitting at a desk. I know you guys are setting up for the day this early, and wanted to catch you before you are busy later.”

  Detweiler’s eyes did that flip thing to blink on a menu in his spex. “Henry, we need a couple of breakfasts for a guest and myself at the bar.” He looked a question at Hussein and got a nod. “Make that three,” he corrected. “Something simple and fast.”

  “Thank you,” Jeff said. “I brought my latest effort hoping you would give me your opinion.” He pulled out four bottles and pushed two to each of the men. “This is three years old and made using suggestions from the Earth Master I hired. I think it can be improved by another three or four years, but sort of doubt going ten or twelve years would make any difference. At least to most people.”

  Detweiler leaned over the bar and got two glasses. The bottle had a screw cap with a plastic seal and he broke it. The amber fluid looked much finer than the raw yellow color the sample a couple of years ago had. Detweiler deferred to Hussein and he rolled the liquor up the side of the glass watching the bead. He sniffed at it delicately and took a sip.

  “There are the classic tastes of caramel and vanilla. You’d assume it a whiskey at first sip. There is even a trace fruity flavor but the finish is raw and there’s considerable bitterness.” He frowned at it. “I taste the wood but it’s the sort of note you get with a cheap Chardonnay. Let me try it with some ice.”

  “Let me start with ice,” Hussein decided.

  Detweiler waited on Hussein’s opinion.

  “This reminds me of a whiskey we bought in my misspent youth,” H
ussein said. “Heaven Hill was the brand, cheap and passable. Especially the third or fourth glass. It does have a rough finish until your palate is numbed.”

  “I’m sorry it doesn’t pass muster,” Jeff said disappointed.

  “Sorry?” Detweiler said surprised. “You have made a rough but drinkable whiskey with just a few years of experience. You’ve nothing for which to be sorry. I won’t promote this as a sipping whisky but it’s fine for mix. Half the drinks people order have such strong flavors you could make them with anything and they’d never know the difference. What can you expect to taste over pineapple or cherry? I’ll take an option to buy a thousand liters in bottles and half that in carboys for the mix machine. I expect we’ll do a good takeaway business.”

  “That works for me too,” Hussein said quickly. “If I didn’t fail to speak up quickly enough. I hope Detweiler hasn’t bought up your capacity.”

  “No, I can meet that, gentlemen. I appreciate your candor, your orders, and thank you for breakfast too,” Jeff added as Henry arrived with their meals.

  * * *

  “Here’s everything from the Naito interview,” Meijer said. “The description of how it appeared from inside the ship is priceless, but Naito himself is so clean it’s disgusting. I’d have bet against any third-tier politician being that clean. I asked some rather pointed questions about what financial advantage this or that action did to benefit him. He not only answered them but look at this. You can see from the software he was genuinely hurt I’d suggest such a thing. He admits to wanting higher office but is painfully practical about admitting he is too young and inexperienced to gather any support right now.”

  His boss, Morton, examined the circled remarks in the transcript, and the program’s corresponding metrics. “I didn’t know it could show such a thing. I’ve never asked it interpret responses other than true or false, even with input from a cap.”

  “Probable emotional response is pretty deep in the settings. It isn’t as accurate as simple veracity,” Meijer said. “Capping him would have been pointless. I’m glad we didn’t. The deeper reading from a cap can turn a 40% evaluation into a 50% reading. But when you are getting solid unambiguous readings of 97% or 98% all it will do is shift it up or down one percent.