A Glimpse of the Future
18 Apr 2016Jim Beaumont
Myself, Merc and Oppo were sat in a coffee shop at Odu, sampling a blend I had picked up when I did the rares trading the other day. A subtle aroma, but with a heavy punch the Any Na coffee was an acquired taste. Not Mercs.‘This is quite vile I have to say’
‘It’s not that bad good lord’ protests Oppo.
‘I've had nicer swamp juice’
Just before the debate could really get going, Pastolis wandered over with a puzzled and pensive look about him. His mind was obviously troubled, and he was definitely looking for us or me.
‘Greg, how’s you?’ I asked
‘Could be better I suppose, but then again it could be a whole lot worse too. Can we chat Jim?’
‘Take a seat, have some coffee. It’s the Any Na blend’
‘Not that stuff. Rancid. And privately if you don’t mind, about the stuff we discussed before’
‘See I told you!!!’ shouts Merc
‘Heathens the pair of you’ Oppo defends
‘I’m happy for these guys to hear anything Greg, they know most of it anyway. There won’t be any revelations I don’t think’
A curious look passes Merc’s face. There is actually plenty to reveal, but neither Merc nor Greg know this. But why not now.
‘As you wish, but I’ve warned you. And the warning is to you two as well’
‘Oppo, looks like you’re going to need that shite’ Merc laughs
‘How much do you know, aside from what I told you, about that list Jim?’ asks Pastolis
‘Are we referring to that list of ship reg’s are we?’ asks Merc, I nodded.
‘Back when I was working for Greg here and Duta, he offered me a courier job but wouldn't be too displeased if it didn’t make its intended destination shall we say. Anyway, in among doing other jobs I missed the deadline. So I opened it up to find a list of ship reg’s. But they had been tampered with. So I made a note of them, curious as I am, and vented the original to the black’
‘So that is where you got the list from. We’ll that thickens the plot a little. Only just I have told Jim whose ship is in that list. Duta’s personal ship.’
‘Ooooo’ says Oppo. With a big gulp of Any Na.
‘Way back some Duta suspected a group were working against the ruling faction, but in the black and not up front with normal propaganda. His network identified a group, and he set about isolating them, and then to remove them. We were intercepting messages, and obviously their mail. Which is where you came in Jim. We needed someone, just a normal guy doing his thing to run certain jobs not knowing what they were really doing but reliable. So you did plenty of tester jobs. Then when you went to meet Duta for the first time, that was the proof of reliability. Slowly he was narrowing down who the leader of this group was. So that package containing the list was intercepted, although I didn't know the contents at the time, the recipient duly noted and then given to you. Hoping you wouldn't send it, the intended would no doubt get in touch declaring they hadn't received it and Duta would know the other end too. A lot of packages left, and intel came back. I didn't know most of it, just of it.’
‘But what about that episode of sending me away to scout out a place?’ I asked.
‘Duta suspected it was a conduit for messages and arms. You went there and did just the job. Turmoil. Not a place for acting as a conduit, far too unreliable. What Duta did not bank on was you upping sticks permanently after you began to see through his plan with regards to you and your mates here. He had to start over again. In the mean time the Minister wasn't happy with results, and I became the scapegoat because I recruited you in the first place. So thanks for that. Back to the list though, have you any idea who sent it?’
‘None at all to be honest. Wishing I had kept the original now but alas, I was hoping you might shed some light on that now’
‘Afraid not. Which kind of leaves a hole. But rest assured, Duta will, or he’ll be close to knowing. And he will be watching carefully. The other thing he will be watching is the progress of the WP, he will be aware of the work you three have been doing and will most definitely know what I am up to and the fact I am working for the WP now.’
‘Worried?’ I ask.
‘A little if I am completely honest. More so for my family than me. What is the scary thing is the Commies and their insatiable appetite for expanding their little empire. This latest move is not in the direction I thought they would be going for sure. And straight towards Duta is the most troublesome aspect for me personally. He will think I am behind it. Regardless of my lowly position.’
Merc, Oppo and me just grinned at each other. Pastolis looked a little surprised.
‘It is not a laughing matter gents.’
‘Well, I don’t think he will believe that you are somehow guiding the WP towards him. He isn't that stupid to think you now run the WP. The Commies are making a lot of people happy around this area. But the problem they have is this place is the only large station they own. Everything else is outposts in shitty little systems with little market value. And in order to finance and serve all these little shitty outposts, they need another big system and station. But where? Towards the bubble and bring the Fed into war? Not likely. Way too soon for that. So that means outwards. And a big station with a strong economy and resources.’
‘Oh my god, you are actually talking about Duta. Are you bleeding mad?’
‘Not at all. You see, it’s the logical place. Out on the fringe with nothing around to challenge. The systems they are already in act as a buffer. It would become the hub of the Communist Workers Party. Slowly but surely as they have moved around, the commies are isolating him. And he will know it.’
‘You are nuts. All of you. And the longer this carries on, he will suspect you were the underground movement all along. Christ, I'm beginning to wonder.’
‘Well we weren't. But we might as well be now.’
‘But how are you going to get the leadership of the WP to follow your wishes? They aren't going to listen to some mercenary/trader who wants them to go here or there.’
‘Gentle nudges with trade, the odd war or two. That war in 802 came as a surprise!’
‘No it wasn't Jim. I could have sworn you predicted that one’ chuckled Oppo.
Pastolis was reeling now.
‘Okay so we kind of pushed it Oppo’
‘You did you mean’
‘Granted I did’
‘What the hell did you go and do that for? You don’t just go about starting wars. Are you mad?’
‘Why? To end the economic good run that was happening, to release the WP rep’s in 10-11 to move out. They were ready but being held back by the good times. What was the real shock was that they went straight to the Purple Rats. I was expecting 10-14 first. But hey ho. All the better. Mad? Spitting feathers, hopping style. Duta used me and these two to meet his own needs. You included to some degree. In fact he used you too if you look at it. But I bet he never saw any of this coming. As you say though, I’ll bet a few Cr he does now. And it is coming. Sooner or later. So my advice Greg, is get on board the ride, or move out with your family.’
‘You are mad, the lot of you.’
He started to get up, bewildered by what he had just heard. He never expected the conversation to go this way. I think he even thought that he was about to make the revelation and all this caught him out.
‘Before you go Greg, and please don’t take offence by all this. I appreciate your help over the last months, and would receive any future help gratefully. None of this is about you. You were as much a pawn as we were. I’d still like to know who sent that list if you can help.’
‘You have to be joking, you think I am likely to put my neck on the line after what you have told me. I’ll be sticking to my day job for now thanks’
And with that he walked away. Possibly for good, who knows.
‘Dam this coffee is good’
‘Don’t talk bollocks Oppo’