“The empire finally allowed their creation,” Mylea continued, “Since they were patented they allowed EBio to sell their finished product. It’s complicated. But in the end run EBio sold not the biopeople themselves; but the cost of creating them as an indentured servant. That got them around the Galactic Council’s rules on selling sentient beings.”
“Many worlds started to allow the biopeople to have their contracts bought and sold. Mostly those world that were still in phase one or pioneering stages and there was a need for large amounts of manual labor. Some worlds like Trena here didn’t allowed the biopeople to be indentured servants. In fact if a bioperson transients through our space with their contract holder and wants to leave their owner all they have to do is go up to any
Mounty and ask for help.”
Jill nodded remembering what she had been taught about the biopeople.
“EBio has sunk planets full of money on the research and development of the bios and they see that tech as theirs. They have ruthlessly protected their patents and trade secrets. If they don’t, they won’t have a company. That’s where the Closers come in! EBio executives use closers to make sure no one steals their product and competes against them. You can’t blame them for that!”
”Now back to the question you started with,” her Aunt brought her back to their conversation. “EBio’s Closer Teams.”
“A Closer Team is how EBio takes care of escaped clones and company renegades,” Mylea continued. Although she had known about closers for maybe four crimens, it wasn’t until she became a Mounty did she really learn about EBio. She had learned the biopeople were charged for their creation, education, and very life. When they were developed, EBio sold the bioperson’s charge sheet to anyone needing the bioperson’s skill set. Often the bioperson never was able to redeem their charge sheet, dying in bondage. If that wasn’t slavery she didn’t know any other way to describe it. She also learned about the closers.
“They are trained to recover property or to eliminate threats to EBio. Usually they kill the bio or person; thus closing their files. That’s why they are called Closers. People look the other way; Closer sounds much nicer than murderers or assassins.”
Jill stared at the thonian. The angry face bore no resemblance to her loving Aunt Mylea. She had never seen such a face on the woman before. She started to say something, when she realized that she couldn’t put her thoughts into words. Her mouth hung open as her brain rushed to catch up.
“Aunt Mylea I have never heard any of this,” Jill slowly said as the landing craft launched out of the space station.
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Her aunt replied. “EBio never publicly called these teams Closers. They call them special security teams.”
“Oh,” Jill said softly. She did remember hearing about EBio’s specialty security teams. “And one of these teams is hunting my Dad and Lisa?” “Yes,” Mylea replied.
Jill pondered what her surrogate aunt why saying as the landing craft cleared the space station. Jill looked out the window and saw all of the ships, waiting to be loaded or unload to continue on to their next port of call.
“Why do they want Dad?” She asked.
“It has something to do with Lisa.” Mylea answered truthfully. She and Lisa were very close; but her friend had never discussed why EBio wanted her so badly.
“Oh,” Jill replied, “Lisa again. Is she going to get Dad killed?”
“I am not really sure,” Mylea respond, “There is some danger. Even without the closers, Michael’s position as the Marshal, he is only second to the Queen in authority. That makes him a target for some of our nut cases. So he automatically got a protective detail as did your mother and sister. You’ve got one also.” She nodded to the where the three agents sat, “Jill, this very important. They are there to ensure your safety. So don’t try to get away from them, or deceive of them your whereabouts. It could mean your life.”
Jill looked to where the agents were seated. “Are they my … team?”
“Yes,” Mylea answered, “Jenny and her team will be your shadow.”
She looked the young girl in the eye and spoke to her young friend, “They are there for your protection, and your family’s safety. Don’t try to ditch them, or get away from them. Between the people who are not too happy about the evacuation and the Closers it could get very ugly.”
She didn’t quite understand; but Aunt Mylea had always looked after her as if she was family. She finally nodded her head, “I understand I think.”
Mylea knew her young friend didn’t really understand it all. Only time would help her understand the realities of her situation.
Jill looked over at her aunt. Then it hit her. Aunt Mylea had picked her up. Not only had picked her up but was wearing a uniform that Jill didn’t expect. Her aunt and uncle were Thonian Space Service Military Police Officer, not a Trenaport Mounted Patrol Officer. What was she doing in that uniform and more importantly why was she on Trena?
She started to ask when her aunt excused herself to go to the lavatory. When her aunt returned the young man who had driven them to the landing craft, spoke to Mylea.
“Chief,” the Mounty spoke to Mylea, “We’re not going to land at Serenity they want us at Fletcher.”
“Okay,” Mylea said. She wondered why they were not landing at the palace.
“It seems that Duke Horton, Lord Ramsey, and Lord Wallace are meeting with the
Queen,” Her driver answered her unasked question. “They have the palace pad tied up.” “Thank you Tony,” the thonian replied.
“Aren’t those three people causing Dad a lot of trouble?” Jill asked distracted from the questions she wanted to ask.
“More grief than trouble,” A surprised Mylea asked. She didn’t expect that question from the girl, “I am surprised you know those three nobles’ names let alone that they were giving the Queen and your dad so much grief.”
Jill shrugged, “There wasn’t much to do on the ship except read the news, when the ship dropped out of hyper, and made contact with the universe.”
“I see,” Mylea commented. “Duke Wallace isn’t too bad. Neither is Duke Charles. They just want to make certain that we’re doing the best we can for our people. Lord
Ramsey,” Her aunt paused for a moment before she continued with some exasperation, “Doesn’t believe the evacuation is needed. He thinks we can shelter in place and can survive the bombardment.”
“If it was one or two asteroids,” Jill injected remembering everything she had read on her way to Trena, “that might be possible; but not from the thousands that are going to hit the planet. Lord Ramsey has been on Dad’s case ever since he was appointed marshal!” “Yes he has,” Mylea agreed.
Then Jill realized with her father being the Marshal of the Trena Constabulary, her aunt now worked for him. He was after all the top cop for all of the Kingdom of Trena. Her Aunt Mylea had always been the unit commander and her father worked for her aunt. Then she remembered that she had read where her Aunt was his second in command for the evacuation.
“So you’re Dad’s second in command,” Jill asked. “What’s it like working for
Dad.”
Mylea looked at the girl before she answered, “I didn’t know I was in the news!”
“Only once when you accepted the appointment to be Dad’s deputy,” Jill answered, “And executive officer.”
“I see,” Mylea responded. “It’s a challenge for both of us. I am so used to being in command; it is sometimes hard to let Michael be boss. I was his commander every time we have been together. Even here on Trena I was both a higher ranking officer as a deputy chief, higher grade officer as a chief. Up until now he was not even in my direct supervisory chain. Now I am in his direct chain. We’re making it work.”
Jill was about to say something when the landing craft came in over the Princess Falls. It took her breath away! It a dark line filled the horizon. It was almost like t
his was the place where the world ended, and there was nothing else beyond it. Then suddenly they were over it and they could see the ocean and the water falling into it a heavy mist obscuring the base of the falls. Jill wished she could see the falls from the ocean in a boat so she could witness the awesome display of nature. As the landing craft made its approach to the sprawling base they were going to land at Jill felt fortunate to have seen the falls that created Princess Bay.
The landing craft settled to the ground and taxied into an open hanger. That surprised Mylea. She figured they would go to the flight line and leave the small space ship out in the open. When the landing craft was secured and the ground crew opened the main hatch, the agents sitting near the hatch disembarked first. Making sure that it was safe for them to leave the landing craft. Once out of the Elsy Jill noticed there were a lot of people in the hangar. None of them were working on the landing craft that had their sides open. It looked as if the work on it had been interrupted. None of the people except her aunt were in any type of uniform.
“This way Chief Atomi,” a striking red head showed them to the door where the two plain clothes men were standing watch. The door was labeled, “1st Lt. Jerry Hooper, 3rd Landing Craft Maintenance Squadron Production Team Leader.”
Inside the crowded office her father waited for her. She hesitantly took a half step as she entered the office as realized her dream of being with her father was no longer a dream.
“Marshal,” The red head called as she opened the door, “Chief Atomi, and Miss Wilson.”
“Thank you Georgia,” Her father said, “Tell the team we’ll be moving in a half an hour or so.”
“I’ll tell Mac,” the protective agent replied leaving.
“Michael,” Mylea said, “I didn’t notice anyone watching us at the station. Well, I thought I saw that closer Kellogg; but he disappeared before I was certain. We sailed through customs with no hitches.”
She could tell that her old sergeant was mad at her. His posture and expression said that he was more than a little upset at her. She recalled, she had not seen that look on his face since the then staff sergeant Michael Wilson had read her beads that first time on Gregory’s World when she had rushed that drunk with the laser riffle. She was about to say something when he began to speak.
“Chief Atomi,” Mike said icily cold, but the look from his old friend had told him he had better not start. It dawned on him that Mylea instincts about how to handle people were often much better than his. Also Jill had been part of Mylea’s family since his child was a toddler. She couldn’t give Jill the treatment if she had been ordered to. Shaking his head as if to clear it, he continued, “Mylea, thank you very much, for picking up Jill.”
“You’re welcome Michael,” Mylea replied wondering if becoming her old friend’s deputy was a wise thing. She turned to Jill, “When you get settled look me up I’ll take you to dinner. We have some catching up to do. I’ll tell Lam that you’re here. She’ll want to see you!”
“I don’t know when that’s going to be!” Jill said dejectedly, “That depends on what
Dad’s going to do. If he doesn’t send me back to Mars I may be grounded forever!”
“Close,” Michael said, “Not quite that long; but you may be old and grey before I let you out of someone’s sight! Thanks again Mylea. Lisa wanted me to ask you come to dinner tonight.”
“Sure!” Mylea replied, “I’ll bring Lamile! She’ll be happy to see Jill!”
Mylea left then and Wilson turned towards his daughter, the two of them alone for the first time in years. He marveled at how much she had changed and wondered if she really still thought of him as her loving father. “I promised both Lisa and Mylea I would not be a hairy beast with you. I agreed with them that I couldn’t turn you over my knee and tan your fanny like I did when you were very little. I am also aware that while you may be the age of some of my youngest recruits, I can’t treat you like one.”
“Jill,” He ran an exasperated hand through his greying hair, “it’s a good thing for you, that people owe your grandmother and me some favors. You were never alone. Once we knew you were headed here, there was someone from imperial security with you the entire time. Even on Rio Lobo where I understand old Thunder got you a little excited!”
“Are you talking about the hooker that tried to set me up in business, that might be an understatement,” Jill said, “I never knew her name. Did you ask her to do that?”
“No.” her father a smile crossing his face, “Thunder is a professional associate of mine. She propositioned you on her own. I heard about it later. She sent me a message saying she was sorry if she had frightened you too much, but she needed to convince you to skedaddle to safety.”
Jill looked at her father not certain what to say. She looked in his deep blue eyes unflinchingly, taking stock of him. Almost forty eight years old graying at the temples, he had kept in shape. As he stood up, she suddenly remembered how tall her father was; nearly six foot six, and not an ounce of fat on him. He came to her and hesitatingly hugged her. He stepped back and lifted her face to look at him. There was seriousness in his eyes, but there was nervousness about him also, that suggested to her, that she might just get through this in one piece, and get to stay here on Trena.
“You scared the crap out of me.” He said, “Don’t you ever run away like that again! Once we knew where you were going we had things under control, but there are people who would take obscene pleasure in kidnapping you, and using you for any number of purposes. You are old enough to understand that not all the people you meet are who they say they are. You scared the crap out of us.”
“I am sorry,” the girl apologized, “I didn’t mean to worry you!”
“I know,” her father replied looking down to her as he towered over her. His expression softened as he spoke, “It is time that you learn some things, before you make any other foolish decisions”
She wondered what he was going to tell her. What her aunt had told her was causing her some turmoil. Now her father was going to explain even more things to her. She wondered when she would ever get the chance to think about the things Aunt Mylea had told her. She quickly sat herself down on a nearby chair, looking up toward her father.
“Jill,” Michael sat down on the couch. “I asked that your grandmother not tell you some things until I felt the time was right. We never talked about your other grandparents; you were only told they weren’t around and couldn’t be a part of your life. We also never brought up my mother. My mother, my birth mother, we were estranged before you were even thought of. She was rich beyond your wildest dreams. I didn’t know I was rich! I didn’t find out until shortly before I retired. I inherited all her riches. Shortly before I discovered Lisa in my brig I found out that I was the sole living heir to the Hazelton fortune. The Judge Advocate General requested that I meet with him. Not sure why I was being called into the JAG’s office, I talked to one of the sergeants who worked in the office and found I wasn’t up on charges.
“Still wondering why I was being called in the JAG spaces I went to the meeting.” He paused for a moment then continued. “I was surprised that not only was the JAG there; but so was the commandant, General Alphine. The JAG put it quite plainly. He suggested that I should retire from the Marines. I had enough time in, and with my injuries I could take a medical disability I could retire any time I wanted. I asked why? It was the commandant who explained, that with my recent inheritance I could be a disciplinary problem. They were politely telling me I had to leave.” He paused as if he was gathering his thoughts.
“I asked how long I had to make a decision. General Alphine said they were in no hurry; but they weren’t going to wait forever. I said I understood and started to leave pondering what to do. Before I left the JAG suggested I talk with a Major Stanley Prescott.
He had been briefed and would be able help me. They really didn’t want to cashier me.”
“So I went to see Stan
,” Jill thought she knew her father was talking about. There was a Stanley Prescott who was her grandmother’s attorney who she’d met a couple of times.
“He explained why the Marine Corps were asking me to retire,” her father continued getting her attention, “It was for my own good as being independently wealthy could cause problems if you were to stop being the outstanding marine I was. I was the only noble marine NCO. That caused some problems since most nobles were officers. So in the end run, as much as I didn’t want to, I put in my papers.”
“I was waiting to begin my terminal leave when Lisa showed up in my brig,” He paused again, smiling again, as he continued. “She had been arrested for impersonating a human being and a Navy Corpsman. Biopeople are prohibited from joining any of the imperial services. I don’t know how she pulled it off; but she did! So that caused some conniption fits. The only punishment for the offense is to be discharged from the service.
She didn’t fight her discharge and I figured I would bring her home to Mars.” “But that didn’t happen,” Jill injected.
“No it didn’t.” her father groused, “I had finally gotten my head around my good fortune. I was even looking forward to working for EBio. Then we got word Martha Hozenbur was coming to pick Lisa up. I called EBio and told them I had Lisa and I would bring her to Corporate.
“They couldn’t tell me no,” Her father said, “When Lisa told me why she was impersonating corpsman, I knew I couldn’t take her back to EBio. I wanted her to turn state witness; but she refused. I still don’t know the whole story!” Jill could hear the frustration in her father’s voice.
“We had to leave the empire.” He continued, “We had to go somewhere, where we could live without fear of EBio capturing us. When left the empire we didn’t know where we would wind up. I had to leave you with mom for two reasons. One it was too dangerous for you to be with us. The other reason is that one of us me, or you had to be here so that our fortune wouldn’t be stolen by EBio and used to cause greater harm. I was aware of some things that the general public isn’t. It was one of the reasons I left the marines and looked forward to being part of EBio. Getting the evidence we needed to close the company down! As you know that didn’t happen!”