Grey Jack, the World is Grey
02 Jan 2020Rex-Cramer
I was in the hanger working on the rail guns on Frodo with mounting parts scattered everywhere when I heard the pressure door slide open. I peaked out to see who was coming and Kayley strode in looking a little stressed."Tinkering on the Challenger? Got some serious action coming up?" she asked.
"No, just working a bit on the RG convergence. That last CZ with Edwin the lower rails just were not grouping in. I think I can do a bit better.", I said giving the mount release a heave to lock it back in place. "So, What's up?"
She had a cold expression as she looked up. "I was wondering about that 90 million credits that showed up a few weeks back?", she said. "I kept assuming there would be some paper coming that backed that up but It's been weeks and so far nothing?"
"Damn it", is the only thought that ran through my mind and all I could come up with is "An off-the-books kind of job... you know."
"Well see, that's the thing. It's not really off the books is it? Since it's my job to run the books, I get a little ticked off when other people take a dump on them and leave me to clean up, and don't even start to open your mouth and lie. I know damn well that Narada didn't leave the hanger the last 3 weeks and that flying refinery just about the only way we ever bank that in one go.", she railed off putting me back on my heels a bit.
I recovered and tried a new tack, I mean I'm the commander here not her, "Hey, just cool your damn thrusters there. It was off the books work for us to help secure funds to pull that damn T-9 over from Colonia. After those two jackass investors pulled options the minute we started that freaking meeting, I was out close to 350 million, and facing as much to pull the T-9. But look, I'm not going to run around justifying myself to my pilot. We needed the cash and I had an opportunity to make some quickly so I took it. This isn't fairytale land out here, half the jobs were asked to do involves shooting someone. What do you think this sucker is for", I rattled out pointing at the Challenger and hoping to keep the upper hand here. "Oh, it's all ok because this or that controlling corporation or government says 'shoot this guy down'? Nothing out here is clean, or black and white good vs bad and you ought to know it.", I said now even a bit smug.
She looked down at the floor and sighed. "I know that money came in. I know the mining ship was locked down. I KNOW the cargo containers ended up back here. I KNOW the company that dispatched them back handles refinery operations exclusively.", she said as she looked back up. "So I know that whatever was refined, all 128T of it, was NOT mined by us. You get the picture now?", her voice lowering but getting darker.
I was stunned for a moment. There was nowhere left to go to keep this to myself. There it was, that idiot at the station I sold at must have sent out the load for processing and tagged the containers to return to my port. Was this his first day on the freaking black market customer desk or something? Kayley being pissed might now be just one of many other problems inbound. "Fuck me!", is all I could get out loud.
Kayley's expression had changed, not cold, but sad and It completely pushed over my wall of indignation. I started to say "Look, the job was not mine really, I was just there to run interference if needed and collect what I could. I never actually..."
"Stop", she said cutting me off. "You're going to tell me how it wasn't really what it looks like. How the lines are blurry out there and we do what we have to to make it.", she said as I now ended up looking down. "Thing is sir, there is a line. Blurred edges or not, there is a line and there is another side of it. I can't work on that other side. I won't. You want to hoist the black flag, well you won't be the first or last, but you will do it without me along for the ride." She said. "This is not an ultimatum, I know you can hire another pilot tomorrow. This is just what 'is'. It's a fact I want you to be aware of."
"You are not 'another pilot' Kayley", I snapped but she was gone, her expression remote and shut-down.
"I said what i needed to say boss. If you intend to do more of this... 'work'.... then I hope you'll be good enough to let me know I need to look for employment elsewhere. If not, then I'll clean up your fucking mess and see you AT THE OFFICE tomorrow", she said as she turned on her heels and walked off.
I was left standing there red faced, with a knot the size of an RG round in my chest.
"Well done Cramer, well done indeed."