If there’s anything Uncle Jim can do. Part 5.
29 Nov 2021Wulthus
JB paused as he mulled Falcone’s motion over in his head.Jamaica Inn were comfortable and didn’t need to rack up more favours with Arditezza. Lambur was a “Bridesmaid” system for JB’s organisation. Courtesy of their Red friends of the local communist armies, they were free to take the spare assets of the Lambur System so long as they didn’t push for control… just another part of bubble politics you had to swallow from time to time.
JB appreciated that Falcone was willing to sing for his dinner rather than take a hand-out. JB had faith in Falcone’s ability to get his organisation back on their feet, it was the main reason he wanted Falcone to start running up a tab with Jamaica Inn. Lambur was of no interest to Jamaica Inn but there was plenty of use for good pilots who wanted to hide out… most of his organisation was made up of pilots who wanted to start afresh away from the middle of the bubble after all.
-“There’s always a home for your family with ours,” JB began, trying to sound as comforting as possible, “We need gardeners, clipping the lawns; trimming the trees, keeping our grounds tidy…”
Gardening was a common term for keeping controlled systems in order… keeping native factions low and Jamaica Inn in the majority… having extra pilots fulfilling this essential part of maintaining systems was a weight off his own shoulders if Falcone agreed.
-“It’s not a glamorous job but it’s work for your family if you want it?… Just till you get on your feet, of course?”
Roberto couldn't help but smile hearing the slang term J.B.'s crew uses to describe actions taken to destabilise their opposition. False flag operations, blackmail, hot cargo runs, arson at times, compared to gardening. A chore considered meditative by many cultures of the known world. The irony was just too sweet for Falcone to handle it.
Taking care of someone else's back yard was indeed less-than-glamorous work for the group with already established reputation like La Arditezza, but, as the men have established earlier, in their situation, it was simply lesser of the two evils.
Roberto waved his hand in a dismissing manner.
-"Eh, screw the glamour. Weed control is what we do best. Deal."
As he finished his sentence, Falcone reached for his empty glass from the table. He then proceeded to examine the tableware his interlocutor had prepared.
-"J.B, J.B., J.B...." The man released a deep sigh. "What the actuall fuck. Are you seriously going to make me raise a toast to our profitable future with water?"
JB gave a cheeky smile, accompanied by a cheeky wink, then took the bottle of gin from the small wooden box.
Things could’ve been a little more profitable from this exchange if he’d had been given better intel from his contacts, got a stronger deal if he’d known from the start that Falcone was enduring a shitstorm induced by the departure of Saverio… but, on the other hand, things could have sparked off if he’d pushed the wrong buttons. An important lesson JB’d learnt early on about bubble politics was that the best victories are the ones earned without ever having to go to war.
JB still got his victory, he got a small army of accomplished pilots to work for Jamaica Inn Movement… La Arditezza got a safe bolt hole, hidden deep in a briar patch of Communist systems, from where they could rally and start afresh. JB would be able to take this back to his bosses and receive that all important pat-on-the-back.
~ By Wulthus, J.B.Threepwood