CHAPTER 7 – OVERPLAYING ONE’S HAND
16:22 (Universal Time)
Wednesday, December 6, 2334
West Passengers Ring Reception Area
Vehicle Deck of the A.M.S. NOSTROMO
Docked to the orbital Space terminal of Icelandia
Trappist-1 System, 39.6 light-years from Earth
Natalia Vasilyeva checked again her electronic list of the passengers supposed to board the NOSTROMO from Icelandia’s orbital Space terminal and shook her head in incomprehension: 208 passengers of all ages were supposed to have bought a ticket to travel aboard the NOSTROMO and boarding had been announced a good ten minutes ago, yet nobody had showed up at her reception area. She finally contacted Tina Forster, who was presently on the bridge.
‘’Tina, this is Natalia, at the West Passengers Ring Reception Area. Something is wrong here: passenger boarding has been announced nearly eleven minutes ago inside the orbital terminal, yet I still have nobody here and I see no incoming vehicle traffic up the entrance tunnel. What about our cargo loading operations?’’
‘’We have started to load in our cargo bays bulk ore containers a good hour ago. Let me check with the orbital station’s traffic control center.’’
On the bridge, Tina was about to contact the station’s control center when Spirit opened a link with her on the main display screen of her command chair.
‘’Sorry to barge in like this, Tina, but I also heard Natalia’s inquiry and I then decided to connect myself with the orbital station’s internal security cameras system.’’
‘’Connected yourself? You mean that you hacked it?’’
‘’Paah! Connecting, hacking: play of semantics. The reason we are not getting our scheduled passengers is that the local police force is blocking them from getting into our ship. Instead of buses full of passengers waiting at the opening of our western entrance tunnel, this is what is waiting there.’’
Tina became nearly instantly furious when an image taken by one of the internal cameras of the orbital station’s passenger terminal appeared on her display screen: now visible on it was a large convoy of police vehicles loaded with armed officers.
‘’What the fuck is that?’’ she asked to herself before connecting herself with the ship’s security command post, on top of staying in line with Spirit.
‘’Ahmed, put our whole internal defense force and systems on top alert but make it discreet: no loud alarms or flashing signs. We have a large local police force detachment poised to invade us via our western access tunnel. Here is a video link of that force, taken from an internal orbital station’s security camera hacked by Spirit.’’
Ahmed Jibril, whose head and upper torso was visible on one of Tina’s secondary display screens, quickly swore out loud as he examined the video link provided to him by Tina.
‘’Holy shit! I can count over 140 policemen armed with disintegrator weapons. They could cause a lot of damage to us once inside our ship. What are your instructions on how to handle them, Tina?’’
‘’First off, I want to avoid as much as possible any deaths or serious injuries…to anyone. We will use strictly stun weapons and other non-lethal parts of our arsenal if those bozos actually invade our ship, including our ping-pong program.’’
Ahmed Jibril had a mean smile on hearing the words ‘ping-pong program’.
‘’Understood, Tina. I will set that program to level four at first. I doubt that they will want to experience a higher level once they will have tasted the level four one.’’
‘’Right! Deploy all of our security androids but tell them to use only stun guns unless I say otherwise. We will now wait and see what these local cops will do.’’
Tina was about to add more but was cut off by Spirit, whose voice showed some urgency.
‘’Warning! A police heavy weapons tactical team of 43 officers has just joined the waiting group of 142 officers near the entrance tunnel’s opening. I see ten vehicle-mounted disintegrator cannons as part of that new group.’’
‘’ARE THESE IDIOTS CRAZY OR JUST PLAIN DUMB? Spirit, connect me at once with the communications channel of that police force. I am sure that you have also hacked that link as well.’’
‘’I effectively have, Tina. Here you go!’’
The head of a mature man wearing a police multi-function helmet then appeared on her screen. At first, the police officer, who wore the rank insignias of a police captain, appeared surprised and confused by that intrusive link inside his command net. He then apparently recognized who he was looking at, an angry look then appearing on his face.
‘’Captain Forster, you are on a police channel. Leave it at once!’’
‘’You will be the one leaving with your bunch of goons, Captain Frazetta. Why are you blocking from boarding the passengers due to travel on my ship? And why do you have a heavy weapons tactical team with you? What kind of stupid game are you trying to play?’’
‘’Me and my men are here to serve an arrest warrant in your name, for having defied an executive edict from the Chairman of the High Council. I also have orders from the planetary governor to search your ship and disarm every security android found aboard it.’’
‘’Captain Frazetta, do you realize how stupid and foolhardy what you just said is? First, that executive edict of yours does not legally justify any attempts at making arrests or at executing search warrants. It simply stripped away citizenship status from my androids. Seconds, do you think that your goons will be able to intimidate, let alone overwhelm a ship and internal security force that has successfully destroyed Space Predator ships and has taken by assault more Predator ships? Do you really want to risk such an encounter, Captain? If you don’t want to end up with eggs on your face, or worse, then I strongly counsel you to withdraw with your goons right away and to allow those waiting passengers to board my ship, so that I could honor their tickets. You may also remind your precious governor that your planet’s ore shipments may end up gathering dust at this terminal if I pass the word to other heavy cargo captains, who are all friends of mine by the way, to stop picking up your ore altogether. Your choice!’’
Looking dismayed at first, the police captain debated mentally for long seconds about what to do before nodding his head once, reticence clearly visible on his face.
‘’Very well, Captain Forster. We will withdraw now and will let your passengers board your ship. However, be ready for legal consequences following your act of resisting arrest. I…’’
Having had enough of that clown, Tina cut her link with him off, then spoke to Spirit.
‘’Spirit, can you please check that these local cops effectively withdraw away from our ship and that they are letting our passengers enter the ship?’’
‘’I’m on it, Tina.’’
Some three minutes later, Spirit returned online to speak with Tina.
‘’Good news, Tina! That police force has effectively withdrawn away from this part of the terminal and the first buses loaded with our passengers are now starting to roll up our access tunnel.’’
‘’Thank the stars! Some common sense, at last!’’
‘’Are you going to do some counter-action to this, Tina, so that we don’t have a repeat of this incident?’’
‘’I sure will, Spirit. However, contrary to these idiots, I will use political means rather than brute force. By the way, good job with that system hacking, Spirit.’’
‘’All in a day’s work, Tina.’’
14:40 (Universal Time)
Friday, December 21, 2334
Office of the Chairman of the High Council of the Spacers’ League
City of New Dawn, planet Providence, Alpha Centauri B System
Paul Stein felt a shock when his father, Jacobus Stein, nearly kicked open the door of his office of Chairman of the High Council: not from concern at seeing his 88-year-old father coming on his own despite his gradually worsening health but from shear surprise. In truth, their father-son relationship had not been very good in the last decade and was still on a downward slope, thanks to some severe disagreements between the two of them about how to conduct the family business.
‘’Dad? Why are you coming here like this? You should be taking care of your heart condition.’’
‘’Why am I here? Because of your latest series of costly blunders, that’s why!’’ spat back the ageing geological engineer and mining magnate after stopping right in front of his son’s desk.
‘’What costly blunders?’’ protested Paul, making his father frown deeply.
‘’You want me to refresh your memory? Fine! First, you picked a totally unnecessary fight against what is possibly the most popular person in the Spacers’ League: Tina Forster, who is considered a hero by nearly every Spacer.’’
‘’Now, wait a second, Dad! Her security androids force had the potential to become a huge internal security risk for us. They had to be cut to size and…’’
‘’I believe that we are talking about the same security force that boarded and took by assault Space Predator ships and then helped rescue the survivors of our battle fleet after their disastrous battle with Space Predator ships, right? And this after the NOSTROMO saved in-extremis Providence’s population from being butchered by those monstrous Space Predators. If Tina Forster ever decided to run for the job of Chairman of the High Council, she would be voted in by popular acclamation in an instant. However, she is too honest and modest to ever get into politics. Second, you and your dumb sister Marge tried to have the local police in Icelandia storm the NOSTROMO while it was docked and loading up the ore mined by our corporation, ore that represents our core business. Thankfully, that police commander leading the boarding force found enough brains to decide to withdraw without trying to force his way aboard the NOSTROMO to arrest Forster. If he and his officers would have gone in, I can certify you that Forster and her security androids would have served them their heads on a platter. Did your sister really believe that a bunch of pot-bellied cops would have lasted long against androids able to assault and take a Space Predator ship?’’
‘’Captain Forster was defying my authority by insisting that her androids were both legal citizens and sentient beings, contrary to my executive edict. Marge had enough legal justifications to have Forster arrested.’’
‘’So you say! However, you know as well as me that your argument is total bullshit and would be laughed out of any honest court of law. I said ‘honest court of law’ because you have been busy lately in placing your sycophants around our justice department and our courts. Third, because of that stupid stunt in Icelandia, the NOSTROMO is now refusing to bring cargo and supplies to the Trappist-1 System or to carry out the ore mined by our corporation. Worst, the captains of most of the other heavy cargo ships in the Spacers’ League had joined her out of solidarity in boycotting the Trappist-1 System.’’
‘’There are plenty of other cargo ships available that are still willing to carry our ore and supplies, Dad.’’
‘’Oh yeah? A new orbital space terminal was due this month to be carried to Icelandia, after having been completed at the Avalon Space Yards around Earth. The problem is that this space terminal was designed and built so that it could be carried as a single module to Icelandia by a Class-A super heavy cargo ship. Do you know how many Class-A super heavy cargo ships there are in the Spacers’ League? TWO! The NOSTROMO and the JUPITER’S CHILD. Now, surprise surprise, the NOSTROMO is refusing to take the transport contract for our new orbital terminal. As for the captain of the JUPITER’S CHILD, I just learned that he is also refusing to take up that contract. Now, if we want to see that new terminal arrive in Icelandia, it will have to be returned to the Avalon Space Yards to be split into smaller parts compatible with Class-B heavy cargo ships, something that will cost us an extra 1.7 billion credits…before transportation. That will wipe out most of our anticipated corporation’s profits for this year. Well done, Son!’’
Now red in the face, Paul Stein shot up on his feet to confront his father.
‘’IF YOU THINK THAT I AM SO BAD AS CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF OUR CORPORATION, WHY DON’T YOU COME AND SIT IN THIS CHAIR IN MY PLACE?’’
‘’Flash news, Son: I just took back control of my old corporation. Remember that I still kept a majority share of the corporation, so that you could avoid paying extra taxes on your personal financial assets? Well, I just exercised my options and am returning to the helm of Pallas Mining, long enough to find someone truly competent to serve as its new CEO. As for your position as Chairman of the High Council, I also spoke with my old friends in the High Council and asked them to hold a vote to impeach you and throw you out as Chairman. You both fucked up and deeply disappointed me, Son, and you will now pay the price for it. I will not let you ruin the work of my whole life by your bigotry and stupidity.’’
Paul, stunned speechless for a moment, finally tried to protest again.
‘’The High Council will never have the guts to impeach me, Dad. I have…’’
The buzzing of his desk comms box then interrupted him. Jacobus Stein made a smirk then and pointed at the comms box.
‘’You better take that call, Son: I believe that it is the Deputy Chairman, Vladimir Gasparov, calling.’’
Cold sweat appeared on Paul Stein’s forehead as he stared at the still buzzing communications box. He finally sat back and grabbed the box’ handset, putting the call on ‘private’ mode.
‘’Chairman Stein speaking!’’
While his father couldn’t hear what was said at the other end of the line, he could easily guess what was being said by his son’s body language. After a rather short and terse exchange, Paul Stein put down slowly the handset, his face pale.
‘’I… An emergency meeting of the High Council has been called for four P.M. this afternoon. I will have to go to it.’’
‘’I believe so, Son.’’ replied Jacobus Stein, his expression severe.
16:35 (Universal Time)
High Council’s chambers
Spacers’ League government building, city of New Dawn
‘’…Executive Armstrong, of the Jupiter Corporation?’’
‘’Aye!’’
‘’Governor Sheraz of New Shouria?’’
‘’Aye!’’
‘’Executive Forster?’’
‘’Hell yes!’’
Tina’s spirited answer to the impeachment vote being held by the High Council earned her a falsely severe look from Deputy Chairman Vladimir Gasparov.
‘’A simple ‘aye’ will suffice, Tina.’’
‘’Aye!’’
‘’This now leaves only one vote to be made: mine. I vote ‘aye’ to impeaching Chairman Paul Stein for gross abuse of authority. The results of the vote are: sixteen ‘aye’ and one ‘nay’. Chairman Paul Stein is thus found guilty of gross abuse of his authority as Chairman of the High Council and will have to leave his post before six this evening, Providence Time. I will assume the chairmanship by interim until a vote can be taken to name a new chairman. The results of this impeachment proceedings will be immediately broadcasted to the general public and around the administration by the Senior Clerk of the High Council. This emergency session of the High Council is now adjourned.’’
The members of the High Council then got up from their chairs and filed out of the room, leaving behind an utterly destroyed Paul Stein, collapsed into one of the chairs lining the walls of the chambers. Once out, the members gathered around Tina to congratulate her and shake her hand. Only one member did not come to shake her hand: Marge Stein, who had been the only ‘nay’ vote. Vladimir Gasparov, whom Tina had helped a number of times in the past, waited to be last before shaking hands with her.
‘’You are now rid of a big worry, Tina. Be assured that I will officially annul this stupid Executive Edict Number 12,306 at the first hour tomorrow morning. Your security androids are now again citizens in good standing of the Spacers’ League.’’
‘’That is the best outcome I was hoping for, Vladimir.’’
Gasparov smiled and nodded his head.
‘’Now, go back to your ship, Tina. You belong in Space, not in some political house on intrigues.’’
