{"id":330,"date":"2013-03-03T00:00:17","date_gmt":"2013-03-03T05:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/?p=330"},"modified":"2013-03-02T13:07:00","modified_gmt":"2013-03-02T18:07:00","slug":"nine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/?p=330","title":{"rendered":"Nine"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

To ensure the safety of the people I\u2019m responsible for, I\u2019ll move mountains, asteroids, whole fucking planets<\/i>.\u00a0 I don\u2019t care what it takes.\u00a0 I took responsibility for these men and women and I will not walk away from that just because some hostile board of directors is asking me to.\u00a0 There\u2019s five thousand people counting on us to do the right thing by them.\u00a0 I\u2019m going to do what\u2019s right for them right now.\u00a0 To hell with everything else.<\/h3>\n

— David Brinson, Jr., owner of Brinson Technical, c. 2057 AD<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

5 Decem, 5249 PD<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI don\u2019t care what it takes to do it, pull up stakes and start moving that dry dock to the jump point.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tim winced at the shouting.\u00a0 Whoever was behind the opaque glass wall of the Mission Systems office didn\u2019t sound like they were having a very good day.<\/p>\n

Then again, if I was being accused of some kind of ridiculous collusion to destroy a planet, I guess I wouldn\u2019t be having a very good day, either.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean you can\u2019t do it?\u00a0 Do you have any idea what we\u2019re doing right now?\u00a0 Do you understand<\/i> what we\u2019re doing right now?\u00a0 I don\u2019t care if the entire Chinasian armada is in your way, you move that station.\u00a0 If they blow you out of the sky, consider yourselves the second round of victims in the war that hasn\u2019t been declared yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tim winced again as he lifted a hand to rap lightly on the frosted glass door.\u00a0 The man beyond it kept talking.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t think that they\u2019ll risk that at this point, but I do<\/i> think that the hostile takeover\u2019s not that far away.\u00a0 Get the installation moved now.\u00a0 Offer anyone who doesn\u2019t want to come safe passage to New Earth for their families and their belongings and make it clear to them that if they choose that option, they are no longer employed by Mission Systems.\u00a0 Understand?\u201d\u00a0 He paused a beat.\u00a0 \u201cGood.\u00a0 I need to go, station security is probably here to find out what all the racket\u2019s about.\u201d<\/p>\n

A few seconds later, the door slid open and a black-haired man, olive-skinned with dark eyes surrounded by bruise-colored rings peered at Tim.\u00a0 One brow slowly arched as he studied him, then the man said, \u201cCan I help you with something, Inspector?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI certainly hope so,\u201d Tim said.\u00a0 \u201cMay I come in?\u201d<\/p>\n

The office\u2019s occupant stepped back and waved him inside.\u00a0 He was dressed in dark gray slacks and a matching jacket in a stylish cut, but the material itself was sturdy, as if this particular executive<\/i> was more used to hard work with his hands than the hard work of corporate politics.<\/p>\n

That explains a great deal.<\/i><\/p>\n

His host dropped into the chair behind a metal and glass monstrosity of a desk.\u00a0 \u201cHow can I help you, then?\u201d<\/p>\n

Tim slid the door closed behind him and paced to a spot two feet away from the desk\u2019s edge, directly across from his host.\u00a0 \u201cA name would help.\u201d<\/p>\n

The man smiled.\u00a0 \u201cMine, I presume?\u00a0 Cosimo Scarelli, Corporate Controller for Mission Systems LLC in Q-sector.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTimrel Winston, Inspector First Grade.\u201d\u00a0 He eased closer and extended his hand.\u00a0 Cosimo\u2019s grip was firm as he rose to shake Tim\u2019s hand before settling back into his chair.\u00a0 \u201cSounded like a rather heated conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cosimo glared at his comm for a moment and shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cSome of my subordinates are dragging their heels with regards to moving operations to the outer reaches.\u00a0 They don\u2019t understand the gravity of the situation in New Earth space\u2014but I can\u2019t blame them.\u00a0 The propaganda machines do their job rather handily, don\u2019t they?\u201d\u00a0 He lifted his chin to regard Tim with a wary look.\u00a0 \u201cAre you here to tell us that we\u2019re doing something illegal in moving our operations?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all,\u201d Tim said even as he filed that little tidbit of fear away in the back of his brain.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood, because if you were, I\u2019d be sitting here telling you that you need to take that up with my father, not with me.\u201d\u00a0 Cosimo smiled and crossed his arms.\u00a0 \u201cWhat can I help you with, Mr. Winston?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to get out to the Eridani Trelasia system.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cosimo\u2019s smile vanished and his eyes narrowed.\u00a0 \u201cThe Commonwealth isn\u2019t seriously buying into that insane theory the propaganda machines are putting out, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Tim\u2019s brows shot up.\u00a0 \u201cBeg your pardon?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh come on.\u00a0 I know you\u2019ve heard it.\u00a0 They want us all to believe that the Colony and the Rose Foundation had something to do with the Whispers getting bombed to smithereens.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey,\u201d Tim echoed, a hint of question in his voice.\u00a0 Cosimo threw up his hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course.\u00a0 The folks who really<\/i> did the deed.\u00a0 If you listen to some of the old-timers, it\u2019s Mimir and the war all over again.\u00a0 I know who I believe when it comes to all of that rot.\u00a0 Who are you<\/i> beliving?\u201d<\/p>\n

Tim squared his shoulders.\u00a0 \u201cThe official position of the Inspector General\u2019s office is that this is an open investigation and we are looking into all possible, credible<\/i> leads.\u00a0 I was led to believe that there may be some individuals on E-557 that may be able to assist me in my investigation into the death of the Whispers.\u00a0 But it\u2019s hard to get in touch with them if I\u2019m not there<\/i>, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s always long-range comm.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot secure enough for my purposes,\u201d Tim said.\u00a0 \u201cThis investigation is the type of thing that really can\u2019t be handled at a distance.\u00a0 I need to be there<\/i>.\u00a0 See their faces, hear their voices\u2014and know that I don\u2019t have some kind of conglom hacker listening in on my conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cosimo grinned.\u00a0 \u201cSomething tells me that paranoia just might keep you alive, Inspector.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHere\u2019s to hoping.\u00a0 Can you help me out?\u201d<\/p>\n

The grin melted into a frown.\u00a0 Cosimo stood and headed over to a bank of computers recessed into the rear wall of his office and brought one of them to life with a touch and a code.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know, Inspector.\u00a0 I\u2019ve got to check the flight rosters and see who\u2019s heading out and when\u2014and if they\u2019ve got room for a spare passenger.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t have to be a passenger.\u00a0 I know my way around a ship well enough to be of some<\/i> use.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cosimo chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cI wasn\u2019t aware that the Inspector General\u2019s office was hiring men of many talents.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMen and women of myriad talents,\u201d Tim said.\u00a0 \u201cThey have been for about forty years, give or take, when Orwell Kant realized that they needed to be doing a lot more than looking at simple financial irregularities and rooting out political corruption.\u00a0 The homosphere got pretty dangerous for an Inspector back then.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know your history.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a hobby.\u00a0 Man can\u2019t learn from the mistakes of the past if he doesn\u2019t know what mistakes were made.\u201d\u00a0 He drifted up behind Cosimo, watching the other man as he tapped his way through a half dozen screens to pull up what must have been ship schedules and routes.\u00a0 \u201cThe sooner I get out there, the better.\u00a0 Something tells me that this particular mission is somewhat time-critical.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can only imagine so.\u201d\u00a0 Cosimo\u2019s brows knit.\u00a0 \u201cI have a cargo hauler debarking from here in two days that I can probably get you a berth on if you don\u2019t mind heavy lifting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I\u2019m big and bad enough to handle that,\u201d Tim said.\u00a0 Besides, that way I\u2019ll get a good idea of what the folks on the front lines for Mission Systems are thinking of corporate\u2019s sudden move to shift operations out to Eridani Trelasia.<\/i>\u00a0 \u201cYou know, there\u2019s something I\u2019ve been getting a little curious about.\u00a0 Indulge me?\u201d<\/p>\n

Cosimo glanced back over his shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cYou can ask.\u00a0 I don\u2019t guarantee an answer, Inspector General\u2019s office or not.\u00a0 You\u2019re not investigating us so I\u2019m not actually under obligation to answer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tim smiled wryly.\u00a0 \u201cNo, it\u2019d just make my life easier.\u00a0 Couldn\u2019t have been easy to get permission from investors or<\/i> the Rose Foundation to shift operations to Eridani Trelasia.\u00a0 Is your whole operation moving there, or just pieces?\u201d<\/p>\n

Cosimo glanced back at the computer and took a deep breath.\u00a0 He exhaled it slowly before answering, his eyes focusing on some distant point that didn\u2019t exist.\u00a0 \u201cIt started out as just the Comanche operation.\u00a0 My father is the vice president of operations for the company.\u00a0 None of our investors liked having such a vital installation sandwiched in the middle of what could be a major skirmish zone if Chinasia and Idesalli ever decided to start taking pot-shots at each other again.\u00a0 We\u2019d been in negotiations with one of ranking Psychean Guard survivors to provide the Foundation with the ships that the Guard had paid for before the war, the ones that hadn\u2019t been delivered.\u00a0 That\u2019s where it started.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a pretty big jump between giving the ranking Guard survivors what they\u2019d already paid for and moving operations out to the far reaches, though,\u201d Tim observed, crossing his arms and leaning against a blank expanse of wall just shy of the monitors.<\/p>\n

Cosimo smiled ruefully.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s true.\u00a0 But the investors made a miscalculation when they detailed my father to be the one to handle the negotiations.\u00a0 He\u2019s been fascinated by the Rose Foundation and their mission for as long as I can remember\u2014read everything Quizibian ever wrote, read the treatises and the charters and the testimonies and all of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure at what point he started to believe, but I know the moment he set foot on E-557 for the first time and when he saw how people there lived, he was sold on the idea, body and soul.\u00a0 He came back and told the board everything.\u00a0 A few of them were reluctant, but he just kept talking and they agreed that since the installation at Comanche wasn\u2019t in an idea position, it might be a good move to shift it to Eridani Trelasia.\u00a0 The asteroid belts out there are full<\/i> of resources\u2014enough for fleets<\/i> of ships the likes of which we haven\u2019t seen since before the Second Exodus.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo it\u2019s a smart business move.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, without a doubt.\u201d\u00a0 Cosimo shut down the screens and leaned against them, his posture mirroring Tim\u2019s as he crossed his arms.\u00a0 \u201cCorporate sent my father in to negotiate.\u00a0 He talked the Foundation into letting us move the installation in-system.\u00a0 Anyone who\u2019s willing to live by the Foundation\u2019s rules and charter will be allowed to live on the planet proper, the rest can decide to live on the station.\u00a0 There\u2019s some talk about building an arcology, but no one was actually sure that we\u2019d need it.\u00a0 I guess there were a lot more people who\u2019d been inspired to think the way my father does than anyone suspected.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat still doesn\u2019t explain how this went from one<\/i> installation to all of your operations moving.\u00a0 What happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Whispers,\u201d Cosimo said.\u00a0 \u201cThe Whispers changed everything.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

To ensure the safety of the people I\u2019m responsible for, I\u2019ll move mountains, asteroids, whole fucking planets.\u00a0 I don\u2019t care what it takes.\u00a0 I took responsibility for these men and women and I will not walk away from that just … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-330","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-two-ashes-to-ashes"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s25yjF-nine","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/330","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=330"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/330\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":332,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/330\/revisions\/332"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}