The Diary of a Space Scoundrel: The Puzzle Completes
29 Mar 2020Seth Bradwell
We all sat in a circle in Milah Love's office, the six of us just about comfortable in the relatively small space. Milah served everyone a mug of Void Extract Coffee from her personal supplies. "Okay, let's start from the beginning. I know there was an attack on Moon Dock in HIP 71938 attributed to the Brothers of HR 5473, and thanks to Misters Bradwell and Morgan I eventually became aware that this was part of a wider struggle within the Social Partnership of HIP 71931. Other than that I am still in the dark, Mr. Bradwell returned at around 09:30 today but I heard nothing from him other than requests for updates regarding his work partner, Mr. Morgan. The good Captain finally decided to grace our station at about 18:00 hours, but I had no chance to get any further information before I was requested to await the arrival of an unknown craft with a security detail, which subsequently turned out to be Ms Tokareva and Misters Briggs and Farron. So starting from the top, who is going to go first?"Morgan looked at me. "Seth? You were the one doing the work after I got the power down."
"So it was you!" said Marlon angrily. "I hope you have a good reason for this!"
"Wait until you hear the whole story, Marlon. This was part of a covert intel gathering operation." I replied.
"Covert? The whole base was on alert! Everyone thought the Brothers had come back! Why couldn't you have just requested the information? I would have had access to the relevant files." said Morgan, still indignant.
"If I asked you directly, one of Martin's goons would have offed you within half an hour. Indeed, they would have got you anyway if it wasn't for the brave actions of Anastasia and Nate here." I said, calmly.
"Okay, so go on then." said Marlon.
I go on to explain about how I broke into to Martin's office, stole the personal data from his terminal, including incriminating communications between him and Allan Heenan, and why it was imperative that Marlon knew as little as possible until he was safe from reprisals from Heenan and Martin.
"Heenan, eh? Can't say I personally know the man but he is known for his ruthless ambition. Can't say I am totally surprised that Martin is embroiled in his little scheme either, he would sell his mother into slavery if it would enable him to advance a further rung on the corporate ladder. But Heenan is a very influential, and therefore dangerous person. We need to be cautious in planning the next move, for all our sakes." said Marlon ominously, now looking quite humbled at how close he had been to death, and how little gratitude he had shown his rescuers up till this point.
"So, next up I think is Morgan." I said.
"Well I escaped after a run in with the usual skimmers, as you can see." said Morgan, rather boastfully. "After my getaway I set off for a meeting with a contact at Blue Vision which I prearranged two hours before we left, rendezvousing in a planetary ring off one of the gas giants orbiting '931 B. Close enough to get a message across to headquarters, but far enough to avoid unwanted attention. Whatever happened at the result of my meeting must have worked since Marlon is with us now as I speak."
"And that took you a whole day?" I asked.
"I had reasons, Seth. I knew that my presence in '931 would not have gone unnoticed, and indeed I saw three Partnership Authority vessels heading my way as I low waked out. I hung around to lead them away from my contact, and then gave them the slip, by going back via the scenic route, while taking a detour to Col Muffer, where on knowing the plan to spring Marlon was in progress I decided to go and hack those data points you mentioned during our first trip. What I found was interesting, it doesn't directly incriminate anyone in the Partnership but I found details that a large delivery of battle weapons to the Brothers took place barely 24 hours before the attack on Moon Dock." said Morgan.
"Thanks for telling me." I said, cynically.
"First rule of espionage, inform everyone of your actions on a need to know basis, even your closest allies. Now, I think this is where Mr. Farron comes in." said Morgan.
"Thank you, Mr. Morgan. I indeed got an encrypted message informing me of the danger Mr. Briggs was in at around 10:30 this morning, however a few hours earlier I was informed that Moon Dock would have an unsuspected visitor." said Nate Farron.
"Believe me, I had nothing to do with that. I just asked to meet with someone at Blue Vision, even encryption isn't foolproof." replied Morgan.
"Well, whoever you contacted, Mr. Morgan, must had got a hunch you and Mr. Bradwell were up to something." continued Nate. "So I was informed this morning that in the event you would turn up at Moon Dock that we were to assist you by any means possible. Thankfully because of the attack, the Partnership and Blue Vision agreed to pool our resources and we offered to provide a token security detail around the base whilst Partnership security helped with repairs."
"That probably played into the hands of Martin. He could blame you and Marlon for any breaches of security, and indeed frame it as an attempt by Blue Vision to take over Moon Dock." I interrupted.
"Needless to say it meant that I was able to ensure you would have an easy escape path, and I was also able to override the security locks on the Partnership's administration building." finished Nate.
"Well if it hadn't been for your timely intervention then I would probably be in one of Yates' cells, assuming I was still alive after being subject to his 100% successful and ultra-infallible interrogation techniques, so you have my thanks. As does the woman in the distinctive Krait that kept a security Viper off me long enough to make my escape, who has still yet to speak." I said.
"Thank me when we are all safe and alive and everything is done, Commander Bradwell. Anyway, this is how I came to be embroiled in this mess of yours..." Anastasia began.
Personal log of Anastasia V. Tokareva - 27/03/2306 17:30
I had a message from Nate Farron at 05:30, just stating that he was calling in that favour I owe. Just what I needed with everything going on this moment, with the base still recovering from the attack and the population growing more and more restive as that fool Martin fails to provide reassurance. No one would dare touch me but the tension is obvious for all to see. I have my suspicions this has something to do with the sudden departure from those two mercenaries who I spotted chatting to Marlon Briggs the evening after the attack. At least Briggs' answer to unrest is more sophisticated than to go out and shoot some people, and then shoot some more if that failed to work, unlike his predecessor who I keep holding out the tiniest of hopes that he finally gets his comeuppance. Anyway I was instructed to be in my ship ready to launch - and barely an hour later all hell breaks loose again as the power goes down. I was tempted to lift off there and then but was instructed to remain on standby by Farron. All I can do is wait and be ready to lift off should anyone attempt to storm my ship. Finally I get the word to go and protect an escaping SRV, which was under attack by a security Viper. I take off and my suspicions are proven right as I see Seth Bradwell 15 Ks from the base trying to avoid the Viper's fire whilst heading to his ship as fast as his SRV would allow. The Viper was now concentrating its fire on his own ship, which was defenceless without its pilot. I move to engage the Viper - but under strict orders to not destroy it, and draw its fire away from Bradwell. Thankfully after a few railgun shots the Viper is more concerned about me than him, and he is occupied long enough for Bradwell to get to his ship and to safety. I break away from the fight and then high wake to an uninhabited system where I accelerate as far from the star as possible until I was well out of detection range, where I contact Farron to ask what do I do now.
It took three more hours for Farron to get back. All I got was a curt message saying I should return to Moon Dock on his order, with anonymity protocols engaged. That is all very well but I have a bounty as a result of my engagement with the security vessel. System security will be after me when I return and there will be no guarantee my vessel would not be impounded. I hope he knows what he is doing, otherwise I will not forgive him should I wind up in Clough. It was another hour till I got that order. Farron met me in the hanger with half a dozen of his staff, and instructed me to accompany them to base security. Turned out that Yates had gotten away with his actions yet again and is now after Briggs' blood. We arrive to see Briggs being forced to kneel before Yates, surrounded by several of Yates' most loyal staff, all with guns pointed at Briggs - they were meaning to execute him. Farron fired a stun grenade which disorientated Yates and his guards, and we able to swiftly neutralise them and rescue Briggs, but Yates managed to escape yet again. We cautiously make our way to the dock, having avoided an ambush set up by Yates, and we then had to flush out a sniper who was awaiting us at the docks, thankfully Briggs picked him out with his holo-binoculars but he still lost three security officers in the process of extracting us.
We finally lift off, Farron managing to disable the security locks so I could launch. I was instructed to fly low and engage silent running, whilst boosting at every opportunity. I would have questioned his reasoning but my life was in his hands either way so complied. It was a good thing I did because I was barely 500m from the base when its anti-ship gun tried to fire at us. I responded with chaff and zig-zagging in order to try and stop the base gun getting a lock on us. After 10 Ks Farron said I could disengage silent running (a good thing as I was out of heatsinks and cooking up) and set course for HIP 73321, where I was to deliver him and Briggs. I agreed but made it certain that I had now fully paid the favour he owed. He acknowledged this, but strongly suggested that I go with them for debriefing, and then it would be up to me whether I played a future role in their plan. Till then I had no intention of any further involvement, but today's actions has left Partnership space off limits to me, and I do not relish the thought of what Martin and Yates have planned for Moon Dock. Briggs seems to be holding up but is obviously shaken by today's ordeal. Farron fills me in with what had gone on, how Bradwell had gone to great risk to acquire Martin's personal data, and how Morgan tipped them off about how both Martin and Yates had somehow gotten away with their respective negligence and brutality. This all has something to do with a greater plot within the Partnership hierarchy, how the Partnership was on the verge of a boardroom coup, with 'coup' being the operative word. Should they succeed then the commerce in HIP 71938, 71931, and many neighbouring systems will suffer as a result of their corrupt rule. There was even talk of an association between the coup plotters and various criminal factions, which has piqued my interest immensely, considering how my previous work in keeping said criminals at bay in the sector could all be undone.
"Okay," I said, "so now we have concrete evidence of a coup within the Partnership and have successfully rescued Marlon, all achieved at no small cost, what can we do now? We can't just stroll into Partnership headquarters and ask to see the Chairman to warn him that one of his senior staff is literally gunning for his job."
"I can see to that. I hold some influence with Chairman Byron Willows, and he should agree to my request for a meeting. Then it's a case of presenting the evidence. I also have a suspicion regarding where the Brothers of HR 5473 got those weapons that Mr. Morgan mentioned." replied Milah.
"The Bureau of HIP 73321 Conservatives." Morgan said in a venomous tone.
"Yes, your old friends and mine, the Conservatives." sighed Milah. "Whilst without proof we cannot move against them, not overtly at least, they are well known for being intermediaries between corporate interests who want dirty work done for them, and criminals willing to carry out said dirty work. Also in spite of our efforts to clamp down on the arms trade in our sphere of influence, battle weapons manufacture and trade continues unabated in the planetary bases and stations they control, in our very backyard as well."
"Martin has form for embezzlement too, and I know him and Yates sanctioned offensives against the Camorra that were seldom worth the cost. That could be how they raised the funds for this transaction." I add.
"Fancy another burglary job, Seth?" Morgan asked enthusiastically.
"It's not that simple." answered Milah. "Whilst your stunt worked in Moon Dock, the security had no reason to initially suspect you, and you also had help on the inside. Security around the Conservatives' holdings is extremely high, no one enters or leaves without their clearance, and their security has an automatic shoot-to-kill policy regarding any intruders."
"What about doing it the old fashioned way - hacking their data points?" I asked.
"That's feasible but their data points are highly protected, both physically and electronically. I can get my staff working on a decryption algorithm that will work, but it will take some time." replied Milah.
"At least we have a makings of a plan. In the meantime, I think we should just relax until we are ready to proceed to the plan. I am sure Marlon in particular will be grateful with a chance to come to terms with the situation."
"Thanks Seth, and I agree. It has been a very long day for me, and I will be grateful to not worry about whether someone is going to put a plasma bolt in my back for a few hours." replied Marlon wearily.
"Agreed, I also need to find a way to find out what's happening at Blue Vision headquarters. I can't guarantee they are safe with all that's happening. What about you, Anna?" asked Nate.
"I'm going to go back to my ship. Don't worry, I won't be going anywhere till at least the morning. I just need to be alone." said Anastasia quietly.
Milah was about to speak when suddenly the comm panel chirped into life. "Security to Love, receiving a live news feed from HIP 71931. You will want to see this." announced her Chief of Security. "Put it on screen." ordered Milah.
"We go live to our reporter regarding the developing hostage situation on Cauchy Horizons. Tara Thomson reports."
"One hour ago the docks at Cauchy Horizons were rushed by armed fighters from the Camorra. They have taken twelve hostages from the docking bay. Five minutes ago they televised their demands, which we now broadcast, albeit under duress since they say they will kill a hostage should we not comply. We do so with explicit permission from the authorities at the Social HIP 71931 Partnership".
The screen cut to the main concourse of Cauchy Horizons, by the entrance to the medium hanger, where armed fighters in Camorra markings were guarding the hostages. One of the gunmen, who appeared to be the leader, spoke to the camera.
"Our demand is very starightforward. We want Yates. Hand him over to us and all the hostages live. You have 24 hours. After that, one hostage dies every hour until you give us Yates." said the leader of the hostage takers.
I turned around to look at everyone to see if anyone had any ideas how to respond to this twist, only to see Marlon looking petrified. I ask if he's okay. My pulse raced as he gave his answer.
"Those Camorra scum... they've got my daughter, Selina!"