The Diary of a Space Scoundrel: Fitting the Pieces Together
28 Mar 2020Seth Bradwell
I look though all the data I acquired from the break in to Hector Martin's office this morning, as I had been doing since I returned to Birkhoff Ring. As Morgan and I expected, it completely blew open the conspiracy within the Social Partnership of HIP 71931. Allan Heenan was determined to seize control of the Partnership for himself, and from his communications with Martin, it was clear that Martin was set to be heavily rewarded for his cooperation. The conspiracy seems to have been developing for months:
From: A. Heenan
To: H. Martin
Timestamp: 08-11-3305 21:56
Subject: Opportunity
Greetings Hector, my dear friend,
How are you feeling right now? Do you think that the company is treating you with the respect and prestige that it deserves? I know I would be feeling furious, all that effort to keep the Camorra at bay and manage a population of restive miners, and not a sniff of a pay raise. I am sure you want more, and if you are willing to help me, I am more than willing to help you.
Allan
Martin seems primarily motivated by greed and a sense of supposed abandonment, and Heenan is playing on that. The exchange builds over slowly over the weeks as Heenan gains Martin's confidence. This is from just before the Brothers of HR 5473 attack:
From: A. Heenan
To: H. Martin
Timestamp: 22-03-3306 15:11
Subject: Get ready
Greetings Martin,
Something big is going to happen at Moon Dock tomorrow morning. When it does, just act natural, and remember, the greatest threat to the safety of this station is the Camorra of HIP 71931, okay?
Allan
From: H. Martin
To: A. Heenan
Timestamp 22-03-3306 15:27
Subject: Re: Get ready
What do you mean by "something big"? You better not be jeopardising the people in my station. I am still in but there is only so much that I can cover for until people suspect.
Hector
From: A. Heenan
To: H. Martin
Timestamp: 22-03-3306 15:32
Subject: Re: Get ready
Do not concern yourself what happens, just play your role and you will be soon rewarded. I can make sure that no one suspects a thing, and our beloved Chairman will be totally oblivious to our true intentions.
Allan
Martin seems to be pretty nervous but in thrall to Heenan - who appeals to Martin's greed to ensure obedience, I note, after reading their exchange after the attack on Moon Dock. Heenan isn't beyond threats in order to ensure compliance either:
From: H. Martin
To: A. Heenan
Timestamp: 23-03-3306 06:00
Subject: What's going on?!
What the hell are you playing at Allan??? You said that no one would be hurt, well no one was killed as far as I know but I have over 40 people injured, 9 seriously, and 6 System Security Viper pilots unaccounted for. Just over two hours ago we were bombarded, it's chaos here, people are trapped in their quarters, tensions are running high, and people want answers. I have got to go on air with that infuriating weasel De Bruyne in under an hour, what will I say to him?!? Don't you dare hang me out to dry!
From: A. Heenan
To: H. Martin
Timestamp: 23-03-3306 06:03
Subject: Re: What's going on?!
Relax, my dear Hector. Everything going as planned. When you are being interviewed just say you are investigating several lines of inquiry, and especially the Camorra. If De Bruyne is unwise and starts putting his nose where it doesn't concern him, I am sure your friend Yates can be relied on to teach him the error of his ways. By the way, as you are probably already aware, you will be summoned to headquarters to account for what has happened. Don't worry, I will meet you first and tell you what you need to tell them. If we play our cards right, I will soon be Chairman and you will be my right hand man. Just don't mess up and carry out my instructions, OK? You are in too deep to back out now, without my protection you could be held complicit for the entire plot, and no one within the top brass would argue otherwise.
Also included was evidence that they meant to let Yates off for torturing the young Camorra solider even though his instabilty threatened to derail the whole conspiracy. Worse still, Heenan and Martin were definitely planning to send Marlon into permanent retirement:
From: H. Martin
To: A. Heenan
Timestamp: 23-03-3306 14:33
Subject: A problem
OK, I have done as you have told, and De Bruyne was prodding me for answers but otherwise stayed within his job. I plan to ensure he never works in this sector again once I get my promotion though, especially after the favourable treatment he gave that stuck-up cow Douglas. However Yates' number two, Marlon Briggs, suddenly had an outburst of conscience after Yates went overboard with a Camorra solider he happened to nab. Now Yates is in a holding cell awaiting a disciplinary and I have now have a head of security that is more concerned about justice and high morals than enforcing our will like a good employee. I told you that Yates' loose screws would make him a liability one day! Loyal he may be, but he's a powderkeg who has just happened to blow up in my face! How do you plan to get me out of this hole then? Briggs needs to be dealt with and Yates needs to be put out of harm's way. I need an answer ASAP, the shuttle for '931 is set to leave in under four hours, I have bought time by focusing repair efforts away from the docks but can't hold out indefinitely.
From: A. Heenan
To: H. Martin
Timestamp: 23-03-3306 16:06
Subject: Re: A problem
Relax, my dear friend. You will be grilled a lot at your meeting with the board but I will be able to veto any sanction against you, and you will receive my fullest confidence. What is more, on your return to '938 you will be able to let Yates off with only the slightest reprimand. As for Briggs, he can be relieved of duty for disobeying his superior, indeed with Yates in the clear Briggs' actions are tantamount to treason. I am sure you and Yates can trump up some charges against Briggs, especially if he starts poking his nose around, and then all you need to do is arrange for the good sheriff to have an "accident", and I am sure you can leave that to Yates if this churns your stomach so.
Warmest regards, Allan
That last message chilled me to the bone. It's one thing to suspect someone of sinister intentions, it's another to know for definite. I really hope Morgan has found a way of getting to Marlon before Yates does, in fact he was due to arrive back two hours ago. I check with Milah but she has not seen any sign of him or his ship since this morning. All hopes rely on his connections with Blue Vision Services, we are now both wanted after this morning's raid so there is no way for us to retrieve him in person, and warning him over comms will just alert Heenan and Martin to our actions, and they would ensure that Marlon never got out of '938 alive. In addition Morgan and I would both have massive prices on our head, the kind of bounties that no interstellar factor can erase because our deaths are worth more than the money to them. I try and not dwell on this by trying to find out who was helping me this morning, I obviously had some kind of assistance to get me out of the Partnership's administrative building and possibly to ensure I wasn't facing the whole of Moon Dock's security team until I was on my way back to the ship. Then there was the Krait pilot that saved my skin by getting the security Viper off my ship. The ship was white but with blue and red trim, and a strange eagle emblem - not the Imperial eagle, but more reminiscent of Old Earth heraldry.
Another two hours pass and my eyes remain glued to the holoscreen, which is turned to the docking port's camera. I check again with Milah and ask if she knows of any bounties that he may have been incurred, or, worse, have now been claimed. Her response in the negative give me hope that he hasn't fallen afoul of the Partnership's security. But where is he?
It would be over 12 hours since we first departed Birkhoff Ring until Morgan finally arrived. I dash down to the hanger entrance where I am met by Milah, and look on with relief as Morgan walked down the ramp of the Revenge.
"Glad to see you are in one piece! Where have you been all this time? Is Marlon safe?" I asked.
"I think he is." replied Morgan.
"You think?" I asked, my frustration showing.
"We will all know in about ten minutes. Milah, there should be a Krait Mark II just behind me, with distinctive markings. When it comes in to dock, find out which pad it is due to arrive at, and get a security detail there, if that's no trouble?"
"I suppose that can be arranged." Milah said, shrugging her shoulders. She tapped her personal communicator. "Love to Traffic Control. Notify me of any Krait that docks at the station ASAP. Thank you."
"Aye aye Ma'am." came the reply from Traffic Control. "A Krait is coming in now, assigning Pad Zero-Five".
"Thank you." said Milah. "Love to Security. I want a full security detail on standby in the hanger at Pad 5." "Confirmed, Ms. Love. Despatching security team now." responded the station's Head of Security.
The three of us watched as the mysterious Krait slowly touched down, and I noted it was exactly the same ship that assisted me this morning. I could now make the ship's livery in full detail, and for the first time, read its name - the Cossack. As the magnetic grips held the ship in place the entrance ramp unfolded. Milah's security team stood with rifles in hand. "Set weapons to stun." ordered Milah. "That hopefully will not be necessary, Ms. Love. Tell your staff to keep their weapons pointed down unless they are confirmed as hostile." "They are my team, on my station, and obey my orders," retorted Milah. "and you of all people have no right to boss me around -"
"I think Morgan is right," I interrupted, "and I suspect that the people in that ship are friends."
"Well we shall soon find out." Milah said, unconvinced. "Guards, keep your weapons lowered but be ready to engage at the first sign of hostile activity."
The entrance ramp fully lowers, and three people slowly emerge, each with plasma rifles in their hands. I look on in awe as I realise the identity of the pilot that saved me from probable death - Anastasia Tokareva, the mysterious ex-Grom pilot who is even more of a loner than me. To her left was a stocky, rough looking man who was in the uniform of Blue Vision's security division. Just behind, flanked by both, was Marlon.
"Well done Morgan! I don't know what you did, but it worked! Let me get you a drink at some point." I exclaimed, feeling joy at how we had finally scored a small victory.
"Save that for later. First of all, we need to greet our guests, and get them in the loop." replied Morgan.
The trio approached us. Marlon was the first to speak. "So we meet again, Morgan and Bradwell. I would appreciate knowing what in the Void is going on here. To say I have had a tough day would be an understatement - there has been three attempts on my life, and that was before this charming lady and your friends in Blue Vision got me out of Moon Camp. By the way, that slimeball Martin and his rottweiler Yates have just taken control of the colony. Everyone is in fear for their lives, there was another attack this morning, and you definitely knew much more that you were letting on over these past few days!"
The man from Blue Vision security was next. "We are as concerned about the future of Moon Camp as you, Mr. Briggs. Needless to say you have to trust us to ensure that justice is served in Moon Camp. By the way," he said, addressing us, "Nate Farron, HIP 71931 Blue Vision Services, Corporate Security Division."
"Well I demand answers. If it wasn't for the fact that Yates himself was about to summarily execute me I would have said this was part of some coup!" said Marlon angrily.
"Listen to these two before you make such judgement, Mr. Briggs." said Anastasia. "They may not look the part but they have exposed a plot that leads straight to the heart of the Partnership, and should it succeed will bode ill for the entire sector."
"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen." Milah suddenly announced. "We have a lot to discuss, but my office is a far more comfortable, not to mention secure place for that, and I would be greatly interested to know exactly what is going on here myself..."