EMPIRE: Investigation

by Richard F. Weyand

  “Holy shit. This is a huge scoop. We need some confirmation on this, though. We can’t run with something like this without checking it.”

  “Well, we know the Earth Sector Governor took his own life yesterday. We also know they shut down hyperspace travel in the entire sector. Everybody’s reporting that. This gives a reason for several things that otherwise make no sense. And it says an Imperial Guard general is acting sector governor.”

  “Yeah. This Ann Turley. Who’s she?” Entwhistle asked.

  “She was a colonel when she overthrew the Groton Insurgency eleven years ago. And she knocked over the government on Julian six, seven months ago, then was president of the planet until new elections could be held.”

  “I remember that. This is the same woman?”

  “Yeah,” Hammer said. “She’s apparently the Emperor’s personal go-knock-over-this-government operative.”

  “No shit. All right. See if you can get through to someone in the acting sector governor’s office and verify this.”

  “And then we run with it?”

  “I’ll have to talk to Mulgrew. There’s some GNS people listed here. Hell, Mulgrew may want to talk to Stauss and make sure his liability insurance is paid up. But if this is real, it’s the biggest story I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been in this business thirty years.”

  Hammer called Imperial Fleet Base Dalnimir looking for the acting sector governor at her last reported location. The switchboard put the call through to Paul Gulliver, as they had been instructed to do. Gulliver, physically still in his Howell Culligan disguise – he’d had no time! – answered with his mousiest Paul Gulliver avatar. He looked the professional minion to a T.

  “Sector Governor Turley’s office,” Gulliver said.

  “I’m Joe Hammer with GNS. I’m calling to verify a story.”

  “I can refer you to the press office. Hold, please.”

  “No, wait. I just need a Yes or No on whether massive arrests are planned.”

  Hammer pushed the arrest list to Gulliver, which the simulation modeled as Hammer handing him a multi-page document. Gulliver scanned down the document quickly, then he looked up, his eyes wide.

  “Where did you get this?”

  “So this arrest list is real.”

  Gulliver visibly struggled to regain his composure, to finally say, stiffly, “The sector governor’s office will neither confirm nor deny this document. Goodbye, Mr. Hammer.”

  Gulliver cut the connection.

  Entwhistle called Xavier Mulgrew, the Publisher for GNS, and Mulgrew in turn called Dieter Stauss.

  “Hello, Dieter.”

  “Hello, Xav. What’s going on?”

  “We have a news article that came in from one of our investigative reporters, and I’m trying to confirm it. I thought you might know something about it or give me some guidance on it.”

  Stauss raised an eyebrow. What sort of news article would Xav Mulgrew need Stauss’s input on?

  “Let me see it.”

  “It’s from that reporter you sent to us a few months back. Jan Purny.”

  Mulgrew pushed the article to Stauss. Stauss looked it over and whistled.

  “Well, I can see why you want to check it out. If it’s true, it’s a huge story, and if it’s not, and you publish it, it’s a ton of trouble.”

  “Exactly.”

  Stauss checked, and it was mid-day in Imperial City.

  “Stay right here. Just give me a minute.”

  Stauss put in a meeting request to the Empress. If this was from Jan Purny – that is, Ann Turley, which is to say, Section Six – it may be in the Throne’s best interests to publish it even if not true. Best simply to ask.

  The Empress took his meeting request and Stauss found himself in the simulation of a small office, standing in front of the desk. Seated at the desk was the Empress Consort Amanda, in an expensive and stylish business suit. They had met there before, at the beginning of the Julian affair last year.

  Stauss bowed his head and spread his hands at his sides.

  “Milady Empress.”

  “Be seated, Mr. Stauss.”

  “Thank you, Milady.”

  Stauss sat and Amanda Peters raised an eyebrow at him.

  “And what brings you to me today, Mr. Stauss?”

  “Stauss Interstellar owns the Galactic News Service, Milady. We have received an article from Jan Purny, Ann Turley’s alias. I wanted to make sure it was OK to publish it.”

  Stauss pushed the article to the Empress, which the VR simulated as him putting a multi-page document on her desk. She looked at it briefly.

  “Yes, Mr. Stauss. It is OK to publish this. As a matter of fact, it is in the Throne’s interest that you do so.”

  “Thank you, Milady. I need trouble you for nothing else today.”

  Peters nodded.

  “Goodbye, Mr. Stauss. Thank you for asking.”

  The Empress cut the call, and Stauss was back on the other channel, in the middle of his call with Xavier Mulgrew.

  “Publish it, Xav.”

  “It’s true, then?”

  “Oh, yes.”

  “Very well, Dieter. Thanks.”

  Hammer and Entwhistle reported back to each other. Hammer related his phone call with Gulliver.

  “So the office flack was shocked I had this information, George. No way around it. He demanded I tell him where I got it, then gave me a rather stiff ‘neither confirm nor deny’ statement and hung up.”

  “Well, Mulgrew called Dieter Stauss, and Stauss made a call to someone and confirmed it. He has better contacts than either you or I – the Emperor himself showed up at his dad’s funeral, don’t forget – so that’s that.”

  “So we publish?”

  “Yes. And don’t change a damn word. Something like this, truth or falsehood could hinge on something as simple as a word change or sentence order. Run with it exactly as-is. That’s what I have the Go for. And do it quick, before somebody else gets it.”

  “All right, George.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Jan Purny’s article was the lead story in GNS’s VR newsfeed across all human space.

  GALACTIC NEWS SERVICE

  ***** Breaking News *****

  EARTH SECTOR UPHEAVAL

  MAJOR CORRUPTION SCANDAL

  TOP OFFICIALS ARRESTED OR DEAD

  MORE ARRESTS IMMINENT

  GNS – Stolits, Dalnimir, Dalnimir Province, Earth Sector.

  – by Jan Purny, GNS Investigative Reporting Division

  A huge corruption scandal in the Earth Sector has resulted in the arrest of major figures in Earth Sector governments. Hundreds of additional arrests are imminent. The Earth Sector Governor committed suicide in the face of the scandal, and the Dalnimir Provincial Governor died fleeing Imperial Navy forces attempting to detain him....

  Once the news article was sent off to GNS IRD, Ann Turley called a meeting of those who would be her new base and division commanders. They met in a small conference room, the nine of them seated around the table.

  “I apologize for the time for some of you. It’s getting pretty late here on Dalnimir as well, but this won’t wait.”

  Turley gave them the same summary she had given Admiral Zhang and General Walsh, who got to hear it a second time. She also presented her authority as acting sector governor as well as commander of all planetside Imperial Forces. She then pushed the arrest list to them all. In the simulations, she handed out paper copies of the multi-page document.

  “Here is the arrest list. Prominent on it you will find your commanding officers and several members of their staff or reporting structure. This is first on your priority list. Arrest them and put them in the brig. Do not let them remain in their quarters. The commander’s housing on base is yours, and you need it as a silent but powerful affirmation of your authority.

  “Do not in any way take No for an answer from anyone. Imperial service is not a democracy, it never has been, and we’re not making it one now. I have sent out no
tice to all Imperial forces in Earth Sector that you are in command. A position at this level is a bit of a stretch for all of you, and nobody understands that better than I do. I never attended sector governor school.”

  That got a lot of chuckles and broke the tension in the room.

  “Insubordination cannot be tolerated. Any such go right in the brig with the others. A couple of early examples will solve that problem. Yes, you will make mistakes, as will I. We’re only human. The Emperor himself made this point to me yesterday, and he affirmed your commands to me this evening. But the only way you can truly fail here is not to command.

  “As for the arrest of civilians. The Imperial Guard has activated its reserves, which has usually meant the Imperial Marines but in this crisis extends also to the Imperial Navy. The Imperial Guard is the primary protection against treason. So the civilian arrests are also your responsibility. The local police, prisons, jails, and courts have all been corrupted. So you need to arrest the civilians on the list, and put them in your own brig with everyone else. Expand your brig facilities to include extra buildings if you must. Empty deployment buildings will serve.

  “Fleet Admiral Kotov is completely on board and is taking his orders from me as sector governor. At my order, the Imperial Navy has put in place rules for passengers and crews spacing within the sector. Captains bear responsibility for ensuring no fugitive from Imperial justice escapes on their vessel, and the penalties are severe, including impoundment of the vessel and loss of their captain’s papers. Stauss Interstellar will also put in place sanctions on their captains and crews aiding and abetting fugitives from Imperial justice. I expect a number of these fugitives will show up at spaceports trying to get off planet, so you might send an arrest detail there and bag them as they’re tagged trying to board.

  “In carrying out these arrests, we have found that even for high-profile cases a company of operations-ready APCs usually squelches resistance. A platoon may do just as well in other cases. In any event, again, you are not to take No for an answer. This is not a birthday party, and attendance is not optional. The use of deadly force in apprehending these people is authorized. Do not risk your people for these criminals. If they resist your forces, kill them and anyone who supports them, and collect the bodies.

  “For the people in your custody, you are not to honor any writs or orders from any court, including the Imperial courts. These people are being held on Imperial Warrants, under the Emperor’s system of high justice, and the courts are therefore without jurisdiction.

  “I have personally spoken with His Majesty twice in the last twenty-four hours, and the Emperor is not amused. Treason and corruption are threats to the peace of the Empire and the well-being of its people and are the highest of crimes. We must ensure these people do not escape His Majesty’s justice.”

  It was almost midnight when Ann Turley dismissed her commanders and dropped out of VR. Gulliver was in the living room waiting for her.

  “You’re still up,” Turley said.

  “Of course. We slept in, remember.”

  “So what’s new? I feel like I’ve been in meetings all day.”

  “Well, there is this rather salacious news story about a huge corruption scandal in Earth Sector. It’s GNS’s lead story.”

  “Already? That’s fast. Did they change anything?”

  “No. I think they were afraid to.” Gulliver grinned. “I wonder what confirmation they did to run with it. Other than calling me, I mean.”

  “No telling. Well, we’ll see what all the fallout is from that. In the meantime, I’m for bed. You?”

  “Sure. I was just waiting for you.”

  “Good,” Turley said. “I really need to release some tension.”

  “I think I can help with that.”

  “I was hoping you’d say that.”

  The Media

  When he dropped out of Governor Turley’s meeting, General Walsh considered the best way to carry out his orders. He did have a Military Police component, as did Admiral Zhang. There were a number of arrests to be made on base, but many more in the city. And Major Parnell’s Fourth Battalion had been involved in the first arrests, and was normally assigned to base security anyway. Zhang decided to use them to carry out additional arrests while the motor pool prepared other APCs for action.

  Second Regiment’s Colonel Audey Boyle hadn’t reported to General Walsh before, but Walsh knew Boyle a bit, and he seemed a good sort. Competent. And, like Walsh, he wasn’t on the arrest list. Walsh called him to a meeting in VR. Boyle joined him in a simulation of the commander’s office.

  “Good evening, Colonel. Sorry about the hour, but we have some things that won’t wait.”

  “I was up, Sir. A lot going on. I’ve seen the orders making you commanding officer. Congratulations.”

  “Thank you, Colonel.”

  “There’s also a big news story that just hit the GNS newsfeed, Sir. That many more arrests are imminent in Dalnimir Province. In all Earth Sector, in fact. Is that true, Sir?”

  “Yes, Colonel, and it’s on us to get it done. We have the MPs here on base, which leaves us all the civilian arrests to consider. It’s an extremely sensitive situation from a political perspective. Major Parnell seems to have done a very good job last night in the initial arrests. I was thinking we should use his Fourth Battalion to get started, while getting the motor pool working up additional APCs to get one of the other battalions mobile. we can then fold them under Major Parnell as force commander.”

  “That works for me, Sir. As you say, he’s done this already, and results count.”

  “All right, Colonel. Get all that in motion, with the MPs, with Parnell, with the motor pool, with another battalion commander. I want to get started first thing tomorrow.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  That under way, Walsh put in a meeting request to Admiral Zhang. She took the meeting, joining him in his office simulation.

  “Good evening, General Walsh.”

  “Good evening, Admiral Zhang. I knew you would still be up, and I thought we could coordinate a bit on the arrest problem.”

  “I appreciate that, General. I’m in a bit of a bind. Dalnimir IFB has a huge complement of Navy personnel, but they are mostly ship crews in deployment buildings, and are under the immediate command of other officers all across the Empire. My own command is mostly support personnel to support those crews. I don’t have a combat component, and I have very little mobility. I do have a sizable MP component, though, as we have to keep things in bounds on all those shore leaves.”

  Walsh nodded. The million or so Imperial Navy crewmen on IFB Dalnimir all reported to someone else. Zhang’s command was the support element – all the supplies and warehousing personnel, the physical plant maintenance, the delivery people and garbage details – everything it took to keep those million crewmen housed and fed.

  “And I have combat elements, Admiral, and mobility, but I’m short on the police element required to carry out all these arrests. Combat elements can get themselves in trouble doing police work. The issues are different, and they’re not used to it. Major Parnell’s done well so far, but I think that’s because he’s Imperial Guard, and they have police training.”

  It was Zhang’s turn to nod. The Marine component on IFB Dalnimir was much smaller – a single division – but it was primarily a combat unit, and had all the mobility and force projection equipment that went with it.

  “General, we normally have eighty thousand sailors on shore leave at any given time. If I suspended shore leaves for a week, they wouldn’t like it, but they’d live. We’ve had to do it before. But that would allow me to detach my Military Police element and put them under your orders for the arrests. With your mobility and combat depth, I think we have a winning combo there.”

  “I think that would work out really well, Admiral.”

  “All right, General. Well, let’s get the on-base arrests taken care of, and then you can have the Navy MPs. In the meantime, my sup
port people can ready a couple of empty deployment buildings for additional brig space.”

  First Sergeant Fred Murphy still had the overnight watch in the motor pool.

  “What’d I tell you guys? The most likely thing to happen after somethin’ that unusual, that unexpected, and that out of the ordinary, is the same damn thing except more so. THAT’s why we prepped those thirty-seven APCs for another outing, and been workin’ up eight more of ‘em. So line ‘em up, ‘cause in the morning they want fifty-three ready to go for Fourth Battalion.”

  “Why fifty-three for a battalion, First Sergeant? That’s more than they need, isn’t it?”

  “Don’t you read the news, Szymanski? They’re gonna be makin’ a lot more arrests. And if they got thirty-seven APCs full up with Marines, where they gonna put the crooks, huh?”

  “They’re gonna use APCs for paddy wagons, First Sergeant?”

  “Yeah. One for each platoon. It’s not like the crooks’re gonna break out of ‘em, is it? So let’s get these here finished, and then we still need another eight. Let’s go.”

  The morning of the second day after their late evening deployment into Stolits, Fourth Battalion was once again on its way into the city. Major Parnell, as the force commander for this outing, was in the APC-CV, so he’d have a better, more complete view of the operation. Fifty-two APCs were in his column, three for each of the sixteen platoons, rather than two, and a command APC for each company commander.

  His city map was peppered with arrestee location icons, sorted into three groups by color. Today was media arrests, and the three groups were editors in red, reporters in orange, and publishers in yellow. Editors would be first, but they would pick up any other arrestees in the same location while they were there. Parnell watched them move about, at the beginning of their day, as the battalion rumbled toward the city. When they got close, he marked sixteen clusters and tagged them all by platoon.

  Parnell keyed his command channel.