The Diary of a Space Scoundrel: The Storm Apporaches
01 Apr 2020Seth Bradwell
"Is what you are proposing mutiny? Because to me it sounds like mutiny!" said Marlon in bewilderment."More like what was once referred to on Old Earth as "industrial action", but in the case of the security staff, yes, mutiny if you want to call it that." I replied.
Marlon was unconvinced. "How exactly does this "mutiny" - let's just call it that for now, help to stop Heenan? Because the way I see it, a breakdown in order in Moon Dock will be the final nail in the coffin for the Chairman's career, if not Byron Willows himself." Marlon said glumly.
"This however can be pinned on Heenan, albeit indirectly, since Heenan's supposed favourite, Hector Martin, and his attack dog Yates are ultimately responsible for keeping order in Moon Dock." replied Morgan. "Also be aware that both men are extremely unpopular with many in the colony, and not just due to the events of the past few days. Under Martin's watch there have been a slow build of grievances among the community, such as low pay among the workers, a security policy that ranges from heavy-handed to downright repressive thanks to the aforementioned Mr. Yates, a failure to tackle the true cause of the ongoing piracy problem in the system because all effort is directed disproportionately at the Camorra, and finally base facilities that are so outdated and poorly maintained they are dangerous. All this combines to make a potent powderkeg, and all there needs to be is one spark to set the whole thing off."
"Okay, you've convinced me, after all, according to Yates, I am a mutineer myself. But this is not going to stop Heenan on its own. The board is not going to listen to a bunch of disgruntled rebels unless it serves their interest." said Marlon.
"This is where you come in, Marlon." I said. "You need to get word out to Willows about Heenan's plans. We should have all the evidence now, and if I am right, you have completed the final piece of the jigsaw, by finding the link between Heenan, Martin, that anonymous bank account in Zaonce and the Brothers of HR 5473's procurement of arms from the Bureau of HIP 73321 Conservatives?"
"I have indeed. Thank you Seth and Morgan for all your work these past few days, I had no idea what I was exposing when I sent you out to investigate the Brothers, that seemed such a long time ago, and such innocent days. If we were in the Core Systems or otherwise under the aegis of the superpowers, then this would be enough to get law enforcement to pursue a prosecution. But we are very far from the core, and therefore right needs to be backed up with might." said Marlon.
"Hence why I am proposing little little insurrection. This will help to undermine Heenan's authority, and provide us with the clout required to fight off those loyal to Heenan. In fact, I could see them sending both Martin and Yates packing from '938." I said, smiling.
"What about us in Blue Vision?" asked Nate, anxiously. "My boss is under house arrest and my people are being rounded up and detained. I hope you aren't going to leave us out to dry."
"Don't worry, I have thought about how to liberate your people. I guess they will be shipped off to Clough Reformatory in stasis pods?" I asked.
"Yes, but we certainly do not have the arms or personnel to stage a jailbreak." said Nate.
"Therefore I propose that they never get to Clough. All that is needed is for their transports to be interdicted, after which a boarding party goes in to spacejack the transports and take them here." I responded. "Oh and a good thing you mention arms, because you will all be wondering how we are going to arm your men and our insurgents back in '938. Just as well that even though battle weapons are forbidden here, this starport still manages to do a roaring trade in personal weapons, and I am sure Milah here will happily allow us to procure them with no questions asked."
"So that's Moon Dock and '938 accounted for." said Marlon. "But we are still the Social Partnership of HIP 71931. It's '931 where we have got to win our battles, indeed where we need to get to Willows before Heenan's goons do."
"'931's inhabitants have issues of their own." answered Morgan. "Whilst the overseers of the two outposts do not seem as negligent or corrupt as Martin in Moon Dock, all the issues regarding poor working conditions and a failure to tackle piracy still exist, causing restiveness amongst the community. In addition, Heenan is the one that has been pushing for further strikes against the Camorra even though it's other, larger criminal groups that are responsible for most of the piracy in the system, and I sincerely doubt the workers in Cauchy Horizons will appreciate learning the hostage crisis there was part of Heenan manipulating events for his own gain."
"We have no proof that Heenan allowed the Camorra to attack Cauchy Horizons." said Marlon.
"We had no proof." replied Morgan. "Whilst you were analysing that data I gleaned from the data points at Partnership HQ in Phillpotts Works, I was looking to see if there had been any strange communications going on between Heenan, his henchmen, and Cauchy Horizons. Well it turns out that in that last cache of data I was able to unearth," he said, winking at Anastasia, "I found some very strange orders, including granting extensive shore leave to security forces, a downsizing of the permanent force to be allocated elsewhere, mostly reassigned to HQ, and security checks at the docking bays to be reduced to a bare minimum. Essentially, Heenan and his people stripped Cauchy Horizon's security to a skeleton just before the Camorra attack."
"If what you say is true, then we have evidence that proves beyond reasonable doubt that Heenan is a traitor." said Marlon. "But how do we get hold of Chairman Willows? All of us except Milah are fugitives from the Partnership, and whilst she theoretically has clout with Willows he has been very elusive. That is of course before she let us use her station as a base of operations, and has been pretty much in on our plans from day one. Meanwhile, he is surrounded by enemies within and without."
"Well there is one thing I can say to reassure you all." said Milah. "It is very unlikely that Willows will be assassinated, regardless of the outcome of Heenan's plans. Heenan is more likely to have Willows go into exile, and it would be too obvious if he "disappeared" just after a violent internal struggle. Also if we can put down Heenan's plans with the resources we have, we may not need to necessarily communicate with Willows until we have done foiling Heenan's plot. However, you all have a lot to do, I cannot let Purple Electronics get officially drawn into this conflict and I still have a station to run, so my role in this is strictly an advisory one."
"We understand that, Milah," said Marlon. "We have several tasks ahead, which will need different teams acting simultaneously. Firstly we need to get the truth about what's happened in the Partnership out to our inhabitants."
"I can handle that, at least as far as Moon Dock and '938 is concerned." said Morgan. "Fugitive or not, I am still highly influential, and if Yates' goons tried to lay a finger on me it would be enough to cause a riot by itself. I am sure that Seth would be happy to accompany me and give Yates a good pasting?"
"It would be my pleasure, Morgan. I doubt that many people will be willing to defend Yates and Martin there." I said.
"Great, glad we can count on you two." said Marlon. "Who's for liberating the Blue Vision personnel?"
"Obviously you can count me in. But how, exactly? It requires specially trained, or foolhardy people to take part in a boarding party, and indeed deal with the crew of the transports. We need at least two of them as well." replied Nate.
"I have some contacts who revel in such tasks." declared Anastasia. "I can negotiate with them to get the job done, on the condition that expenses and responsibility for debts are solely attributed to Blue Vision. Also, I will have to borrow Morgan for a bit, because his roguish charm and past associations with these kinds of people will provide us with the leverage to get them to agree a deal."
"Let me guess, friends in low places. Well, it won't be the first time a legitimate corporation has hired pondlife to do its dirty work and it won't be the last. Go for it. But don't keep Morgan occupied too long, he is needed on '938." said Nate.
"I suppose I might as well not bother having security tail you, Morgan." said Milah in a resigned tone.
"Oh, do keep tracking him, Ms. Love. It keeps him on his toes." replied Anastasia, smirking at Morgan.
"Nice to know who your true friends are, eh Anna?" said Morgan, half joking, half snarking.
"I guess that means we have covered the first phase. Next we, by which I mean those opposed to Heenan's plot, need to take back '931." said Nate.
"Once we have dealt with Martin and Yates, we can move onto '931." said Morgan. "A temporary standing militia of loyal civilians plus those Partnership security who joined our side can look after the colony until reinforcements arrive, but they would appreciate a detachment of your Blue Vision security to assist them, Nate."
"I would be happy to offer any assistance available. If Heenan succeeds, Blue Vision as we know it is no more." said Nate.
"Good, good. So after you have successfully liberated and debriefed your staff, rendezvous with us in '931 with the bulk of your security officers, barring the one detachment earmarked for reinforcing '938, which can be put on a separate transport." said Morgan. "So that's phase two covered."
"Which makes the final phase going after Heenan, and finally getting to inform Chairman Willows of what he was up to." said Marlon. "We will have to work out that on the fly after assessing the situation after we complete the first two phases. But we are in a strong position."
"Do you think this will work, Morgan?" I ask him on the way back to the hanger.
"It isn't entirely risk free, nothing is, but it's our best shot." Morgan replied. "It's either that or start again in some other backwater, and I have come too far for that, and I am certain you feel the same way."
"Too right. If I wanted to run off, I would have done so the moment the docks reopened after the Brothers' assault of Moon Dock." I said.
"Bet you will be glad to go back to blowing up blocks of ice." said Morgan.
"I don't quite know about that. In fact there is a lot of things I need to redress once all this has ended." I replied.
"That can wait. Cause tomorrow, we go into battle, and I don't plan on dying." said Morgan.
"Nor do I. Hopefully by this time tomorrow, Moon Dock will be free and Heenan, Martin, and that dratted Yates will all be on their way to Clough." I said.
"Amen to that." said Morgan happily.