Chapter 20
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Gretchin spoke over the comm. “Well, how was your first time out as an intel officer, Mr. Beutcher? That was a gutsy move with the lifepod. And the higher-ups were impressed with your report.”
“It wasn’t like I was at risk. In fact, the group of Igari I connected with were very pleasant people. My cover story was tight, and the novelty of them being around a Grunta for the first time set them at ease with their talk. I don’t know that I would have such luck elsewhere.”
Gretchin smiled. “I think you're a natural, Mr. Beutcher. If they perceive the likelihood of your being a spy as small, they will tell you much more than otherwise.”
Joni said, “Do you have any more outings scheduled for us like that one? I would love to give that a try.”
Gretchin shook her head. “I don’t know if that will work for you, Miss Salton. Since Humans, your family, are in control of this sector, it may be difficult for a Human to gain the trust of others. Knog is an outsider, even though he works for the government. Gruntas are viewed as very independent, placing them above suspicion to some degree. We have another assignment scheduled for tomorrow. Take the remainder of the day and relax. You have both earned it.”
The following day, Gretchin had our new orders. We would be making a trip out to the Orwall system to perform random inspections. I had to wonder if it was the Saltons’ way of telling the Orwallians to “watch it” or just that they were being watched. Either way, I didn’t much care for being stuck in the middle of a potentially political dispute. Politics on such a grand scale had a tendency to get people killed. I didn’t want myself or my charge to be one of them.
As we arrived in the system, Joni said, “OK, let’s pick out a ship and get started. We have three to choose from. Two are outbound and one is inbound.”
“Let’s start with the inbound vessel. Chances are it is returning from a delivery and is largely empty. Is it a freighter, ore hauler, or transport?”
Joni shook her head as the ship came into full view of our sensors. “It’s not any of those. It’s a destroyer. Why would a destroyer be out here?”
I pulled up the display. “It’s an escort. They must have a valuable cargo going out that needs protection. It could be a load of blaster amplifiers.”
Joni gave a look of concern. “Why would we send a single destroyer for that after seeing what the pirates did with that cesium hauler? I would think that if it was blaster parts being shipped, we would have a more powerful escort.”
“They might not want to draw attention to it, or perhaps that destroyer is one of the newly upgraded ones.”
“I think we need to see what's on the manifest of the ship it will be guarding. If it’s what we think it might be, then I think we should shadow them.”
“It looks like they won’t be escorting either of the departing ships. Let’s pick out one of them for a search. We can follow after the destroyer when they leave.”
We pulled alongside a small freighter and signaled an all-stop. The freighter complied, and we soon found ourselves standing in the docking bay. The manifest administrator came down from the bridge with a scowl on his face.
Balu Hossa, the administrator, said, “We just filed this with the port authorities. We have a tight schedule that we need to keep. What is the meaning of this inspection?”
The Orwallians were a short, stocky species who had a muscular build and a jet-black skin tone. Their eyes were constantly shifting, as they liked to be fully aware of their surroundings. As one of the first species to sign the AMP accords, they had been granted the responsibility of ion amplifier production.
It was said that only a handful of Orwallians knew the actual secrets to their manufacture. Those individuals led lives that were watched every moment from the time they accepted the job until their deaths. It was a high honor to know, and after two thousand years of guarding the secrets of ion amplification, those secrets remained fully under the Orwallians’ control.
I transferred the ship’s manifest to my arm pad holo-display. “As I'm certain you're aware, cooperation with random inspections is the law. The sooner you comply and answer questions, the sooner we can get you back en route to your destination. Let’s start in the back with Bay-6 and work our way forward. It looks like you have a load of food stores designated. I didn’t think Orwall was an exporter of agricultural product. I’m interested to see what it is.”
Balu replied, “It’s Bakka root. Some worlds treasure it as a spice. It has been growing in popularity in the past few years. Personally, I think it has a disgusting taste, but some people obviously disagree.”
As we entered the storage bay, I selected a container for a scan. “I would think farming would be beneath most Orwallians. You have a lock on ion amplifiers; why would you need to be selling anything else?”
Balu huffed. “Until recently, we didn’t have to. Our trade was robust and our product always in demand. The Saltons have been seriously restricting trade of late, and with the new tax structure we're struggling. For centuries we have been an importer of foods and consumer goods. With trade restrictions and new taxes, the prices of those products have gone up threefold. The common citizens are struggling to feed and clothe their families.”
I nodded as the scan came back clean. “I had no idea Orwall had such troubles. I tell you, Balu, it’s hard to shake off some of the old notions we had from the AMP. So much has changed in the last decade that you have to wonder where things are going. They can’t keep going in the same direction.”
With my statements, the manifest administrator of the Callits changed his tone. Instead of anger at me, it was directed at the ruling family. I mentioned my stay on Zanus and the Orwallian visitors that had been there only days before. He was completely unaware of anything that wasn’t being broadcast by the Orwall media. The common citizens didn’t have time to delve into politics. They were just trying to survive.
The Callits fully checked out and was soon on its way. I sat in my pilot’s chair, writing up my report.
Joni said, “You were ripping into the New Alliance and my family pretty hard back there. Is that the way you really feel?”
I chuckled. “There was a little truth in there, but it was mainly an effort to build trust with Mr. Hossa. What I find interesting is the different perspectives I keep getting from each of these planets and colonies. The state of affairs is far from what we are led to believe by the SS5 media statements. If your uncle doesn’t begin to make changes soon, I think we 'll be looking at an all-out revolution. Although, I don’t think it will be an organized one. It could easily be every planet for themselves.”
“My uncle has his team of handlers around him all the time that prevent anyone from speaking to him. I'll advise my father about this when I talk to him next. He meets with my uncle daily. They have to know what’s going on out here. How could they not?”
I pulled up the nav screen with the other vessels in the Orwall system. “The decisions you make are only as good as the information you have. It could be his handlers are incompetent and ill informed, or perhaps they have their own agendas. What seems obvious to us might be hidden to them, as their time is spent with political operatives and diplomats.”
Joni sighed. “Maybe it’s time they had some new people around them. It just doesn’t seem like it would be that hard to change things for the better.”
“I believe I'll have a talk with my wife next time I speak to her. She should make at least the minimum of preparations for our family if something such as a rebellion or revolution comes. The Grunta are a self-reliant people, but just like every other planet in the New Alliance, our defenses come from the New Alliance.”
“On a different subject, we have a freighter coming out that's heading directly for SS6. Standard shipping lanes would send it past two other colonies, Amber Theft and Rollika, before reaching the station. It doesn’t make sense to fly directly there; that's high-risk space with f
ew travelers.”
“Set a course for her, and we will check it out. That destroyer escort is just sitting there. We have time.”
The all-stop signal was sent and the freighter slowed. Joni maneuvered the Daunte into the docking bay and we were soon standing on the deck. The captain came down from the bridge with the manifest administrator.
The captain approached. “What is the meaning of this? We left port ten minutes ago!”
Joni replied, “Under the laws of the New Alliance, we have the right to search any ship at any time after it has left port. You have been selected for a random search. May I see your manifest, please.”
The captain pushed the administrator behind him. “You may not. We are in Orwall space and under the treaty signed with the New Alliance. All traffic flows within our territorial borders are subject to the laws of Orwall only. We remain forty million kilometers inside that space. You are in violation of the treaty signed by the Salton family and the rest of the New Alliance. Get back in your ship and leave!”
“You have our apologies if that's true, Captain. Give me one moment to verify.”
I pulled up information on the Orwall system and any shipping treaties that were in place. I was surprised to find the amendment to the treaty that the captain referenced.
“Indeed you're correct, Captain. It seems we have overstepped our bounds here. I apologize; we will withdraw immediately.”
After boarding the Daunte and exiting the docking bay, Joni said, “So, what do we do now?”
“We wait. The border of Orwallian territory is only forty million kilometers away. If the captain crosses that border, we'll inspect his vessel. If he chooses to stay, we'll have to keep an eye on him. I would have to believe he is carrying contraband of some sort. Otherwise, his schedules would have demanded he allow an inspection just so he could get it over with.”
For an hour we sat beside the Murwall as its captain kept her in place.
The general comm channel alert sounded. “Inspectors, this is the captain of the Murwall. I have filed a harassment complaint against your vessel. You continue to sit in place in a move to further intimidate us. If this harassment doesn’t stop, expect a visit from an Orwall representative.”
“That is your prerogative, Captain. However, we will remain in this position until such time as we choose to leave. When your ship crosses that border out there, you will be under our jurisdiction. At that point, this becomes my sector, and we play by my rules.”
The captain huffed as he closed the comm channel. Fifteen minutes later, a diplomatic vessel was heading in our direction. When the ship had come alongside our own, I lowered the Daunte’s ramp. A representative of the Orwallian government made the transfer and climbed the steps up through the gravity wall. Raptor stood at attention.
The Orwallian said, “Mr. Beutcher, my name is Abvus Molly. Captain Dwellony tells me that he informed you of the treaty rights of the Orwallians to govern our own territorial space. He has filed a harassment complaint against you; why do you persist in sitting here in violation of our laws?”
Joni wanted to speak. I held up my hand to stop her.
“Mr. Molly, we are not in violation of any Orwallian laws. Our inspection was premature; we apologized and left the vessel immediately. Our presence here is a lawful one. While the treaty allows inspection rights by your people in your space, it also allows free travel in that space for all. We are merely expressing our right to that free travel.”
Abvus Molly frowned. “I'm afraid this will be the trigger for an unfortunate event, Mr. Beutcher. My people have had enough of the overbearing hand of the Salton family. A congregation is awaiting my return for a vote to rescind the treaty and to withdraw from the New Alliance. Your people will be notified of the outcome of that vote once it is done. If the path to secession is chosen, the price of ion amplifiers will skyrocket. The availability of those amplifiers will also likely be restricted in the Salton family sectors.”
“If the Orwallians choose to secede, it will not be because of our presence here. I don’t know what it is your captain has on that vessel, but once it leaves Orwallian space, it will be inspected. It has to pass through Salton family space to get anywhere else.”
Abvus Molly smiled. “I’m afraid you underestimate the power of trade in a required commodity, Mr. Beutcher. In order to keep the flow of ion amplifiers moving out to the other families’ territories, nine of the twelve families have already preliminarily agreed to a free trade and protection pact. Any attempt to stop the flow of ion amplifiers will be met with severe damage to the relations of the Saltons with the others at a minimum. Orwall will once again be a free planet, with its people in control of their own destiny.”
The Orwallian representative turned back down the steps and was soon heading back to the planet.
Joni said, “This is not good news. The Alpha sector will be thrown into chaos without a good supply of amplifiers. They're a staple of everything that operates with ion power, which is everything. My uncle will have no choice but to recognize their freedom and embrace a new trade treaty, under their terms. Having some control over the amplifier trade has been a big point of leverage for my uncle during negotiations with the others. If that vote goes through, we just moved from a position of power to a position of weakness.”
“Take us in close to Orwall. We need to open a direct comm channel through those portals to SS5. They won’t be able to stop the vote, but we should at least be able to give them a few hours notice about what's transpiring out here.”
A comm was opened, and Chief Jamia was quickly on the other end. “Are you sure about this, Mr. Beutcher? If so, I have to move this information up the chain immediately. This is dreadful news.”
“Sorry, Chief. I’m afraid it’s true. I expect to hear the results at any time. There was word this was triggered by our presence here, but I have no doubt this vote was happening either way. I would expect trouble as well from Zanus and Cardello. They're the closest neighbors and are both close to the Orwallians. I would bet if you check ship travel records, the Orwallians paid a visit to Cardello as well.”
Jamia sighed. “Let’s hope this doesn’t happen, Mr. Beutcher. It might start an avalanche of secessions. We could end up as a security station that has no real function. All our salaries, pensions, and benefits would vanish in an instant, as well as our jobs. Be careful out there, Mr. Beutcher. Things could get ugly in a hurry.”
As the chief closed out the comm, Joni said, “Hey, that destroyer is moving out. I don’t see any other ships going with it. I bet they're pulling out. The Murwall is turning toward Cardello. Should I set an intercept course for her?”
“Send us out at a different angle. I want them to think they're in the clear. We can catch up to them in free space. I'm interested in what they have on that ship.”
Half an hour later, we quickly closed on the Murwall. Joni broadcast the all-stop signal as we pulled alongside. The captain did not yield. I sent a signal for a core shutdown, and for a second time it was denied.
Joni said, “Wow, that’s two ships with those circuits removed. No wonder they didn’t want us doing an inspection. Looks like we'll have to go in there hot.”
I brought up a diagram of the docking bay area. “Fly us in at this angle and swing the tail of the ship around over to here. I think we should expect some small arms fire.”
Joni followed my command and quickly had the Daunte positioned exactly where I had asked.
“Now, set those cannons to minimum and start taking out anyone who is threatening.”
Joni replied as I stood, “Where are you going?”
I pulled on my helmet. “I’m heading to the cargo holds to see what’s so important. If they start shooting, try to keep them pinned down over in that corner. I’m going down the ramp-way and out through this corridor behind us. If you can keep them from crossing that bay, I can pull a fast inspection of all eight bays on this boat.”
As the ramp-way lowered, sev
eral ion bolts shot out from the corner opposite our own. Joni returned fire, pushing the crewmen and their weapons back down the hallway toward the bridge. I sprinted down the corridor and turned down the first bay inspection hall.
Once through the doorway, I had an immediate answer as to what the Orwallians were shipping. “Joni, I'm looking at cases of blaster tips. A quick estimate of this bay says there are four million of them in here alone. I’m heading to bay two.”
“I have them corralled in the hallway for the moment. Make it quick, we'll want to get out of here soon.”
I rushed to the second bay and found the same cargo as in the first. The Murwall was transporting blaster tips, the main piece of a blaster weapon, toward Cardello. It would build enough blasters to outfit a rather large army. I skipped the remaining bays and hustled back to the Daunte and up the ramp-way.