Ride The Rising Tide (The Maxwell Saga) (12 page)

Steve grinned. “The generosity works both ways. You see, they’re officially being provided to you, not by the Fleet, but by the United Planets mission to Radetski. The UP puts out a request to its member planets whenever it needs something for a peacekeeping mission. Sometimes it’s donated without charge. Other times — almost always, in the Fleet’s case — the Commissioner in charge of the mission will come to an agreement with the donor on the fair market value of the equipment or materials concerned. He’ll award that value to the donor in the form of a credit applicable to United Planets annual membership dues.

“Being a military service, we aren’t a member of the UP, so we advertise the credit to Commonwealth member worlds at a discount. One of our planets will agree to supply goods and services to the Fleet, to the value of ninety per cent of the UP credit. It’ll buy them from its own manufacturers and suppliers, of course — they make them to our standards, and we make sure there’s good quality control in place. We then exchange the UP credit for the goods and services.

“
Everybody wins. The planet makes ten per cent profit on the deal, which pleases its Treasury and helps us gain its government’s support in the Commonwealth Senate for the Fleet’s annual budget. Its manufacturers get more work and hire more people, which generates more profits and salaries, boosting the planet’s economy and tax base. The UP gets what it needs — and, in this case, so does Radetski. The Fleet gets new goods and services it needs in exchange for older assets it doesn’t need any more. The market value of those assets is often higher than their depreciated value on our books, so we make a profit on paper. Finally, we earn goodwill from all the other parties involved. What’s not to like?”

Gavril chuckled. “It sounds very complicated, but in the end, you’re right; everyone’s happy. I am, too. There’ll be lots of opportunities for pilots as we expand.” He patted the brand–new pilot’s wings on his left chest. “Another year or so of experience and I’ll be a pilot–in–command, like you. After that, who knows? I’ll stay here until our new government’s in full control, but then I might look for employment on a merchant freighter. You said you were a pilot in the merchant service, didn’t you?”

“Yes, although not for very long before I enlisted in the Fleet.” Steve’s face grew somber as he remembered the Bosun. The void in his heart left by Vince’s death had grown easier to bear over the years, but had never been filled. To divert his thoughts, he changed the subject.

“
You’re speaking much better Galactic Standard English these days. Your accent is a lot less heavy than it was.”

The Radetskian blushed slightly. “I get a lot of practice in your language up here. That’s also useful if I decide to join the merchant service, of course. Galactic Standard English is spoken almost everywhere, isn’t it?”

“It’s one of three standard languages — the other two are Spanish and Mandarin. It’s a toss–up whether English or Mandarin is the most widely used.”

The Radetskian nodded. “Not many people speak my home language nowadays — at least, not on other planets. Macedonia was a very minor member of the Central European Hegemony, on its southern flank. The Hegemony refused to allow Macedonians to join the Scramble for Space, although several hundred were exiled to an island on Radetski.”

“Well, if there’s anything to the ‘life after death’ theory, perhaps the shades of your Earth–bound ancestors will be proud to see you in space at last.”

“
I’d like to think so. You’re not a believer?”

Steve shook his head. “The Benedictines who ran the orphanage where I was raised did their best to make me one, but… no. I’ve seen one real good friend die. I reckon, if there was any so–called Divine justice in the universe, he’d still be here. I’d like there to be life after death, if only so I could hope to see him again, but I don’t know. I’ve seen nothing to convince me that any religion is true, and there’s no solid evidence — only other people’s unproven and unprovable theories and beliefs. I’m not saying there isn’t anything there, you understand; only that I’m not prepared to commit myself to anything on such flimsy grounds.”

Gavril nodded thoughtfully. “Perhaps one day you’ll find evidence that persuades you. I saw enough good, even in the midst of the evil that surrounded us on Radetski, to make me believe there must be something or Someone out there to inspire it.”

“
If you ever find out for sure, let me know.”

“
You won’t be here much longer, so I’ll have to work fast.”

Steve laughed. “You have a point. I’ll be leaving in three weeks.”

“You’ll take more with you than when you arrived. Your medal was well earned. Has your wound healed?”

“
Pretty much. That nanobiotic glue they use to stick flesh together is great! It disinfects, cures, binds and heals all at once. Ten days after the injury I can only just see the scar, and then only if I look real hard.” Steve glanced at the cutter’s bulkhead time display. “Hey, I’m enjoying this conversation, but we’ve got a briefing in half an hour. Try that cartridge again.”

“
Very well.” Gavril bent, looked along the sides of the cartridge to make sure it was square to the rails in its socket, and pushed tentatively. The fuel cartridge slid into the socket, stuck for a moment, then slowly moved inward as the automatic loading mechanism engaged.

“
Yes! It worked this time.”

“
Nice going. OK, let’s button this up, secure the floor plate, then get showered and changed. We can’t show up for the briefing looking like grease monkeys!”

~ ~ ~

The briefing took place in
Grasswren’
s diminutive mess hall. Warrant Officer Dhruv, the ship’s executive officer, officiated. He would lead the boarding and search party tomorrow. Also present were two Petty Officers who would lead sections of the team, plus Steve as the pilot of the cutter that would transport everyone. Gavril accompanied him to learn more about the planning involved in such arrangements.

Dhruv called the meeting to order. “All right, people. We’ll rendezvous with
Leona
, a million–ton Medusa–registered freighter, as soon as she enters Radetski orbit tomorrow morning. She’s on her way in from the system boundary as we speak, carrying six cutters and six cargo shuttles for Radetski’s government of planetary unity, plus all the arms and other equipment needed to outfit two battalions.”

The mention of a Medusa-registered ship gave Steve a sinking feeling of apprehension, but Dhruv didn't seem worried.  He continued, “Her cargo includes two thousand bead carbines with twenty million rounds of ammunition, support weapons of various types and sizes, four hundred patrol vehicles and transporters, and several thousand tons of general supplies. It’s all been donated by various UP member worlds. The UP assembled everything at their regional staging base on Nova Iberia, and contracted with
Leona
to bring it all here as a single shipment.

“
We need to get this inspection done as quickly as possible, because this is a high–priority cargo. Our Marines have been training Radetski’s unified forces for a couple of years, and they’ve been patrolling alongside us for the past three or four months. As soon as they have their own weapons and equipment, they’ll take over planetary security from us, and we can go home. You can bet our Marines are looking forward to that! The cutters and cargo shuttles will form the planet’s first orbital transport squadron, to work aboard the depot ship and patrol vessels.

“
The UP’s already inspected everything. I expect the Nova Iberia transit seals will still be affixed to every container, so I don’t see why we can’t simply check them quickly, then sign off on the whole shipment.”

Steve frowned. It looked as if the Warrant Officer wasn't aware of Medusa's long history of misconduct. He raised his hand.

“Yes, PO Maxwell?”

“
Sir, how much do you know about Medusa?”

“
Nothing. Why do you ask?”

“
Because, Sir, if I were a smuggler wanting to get contraband into or out of Radetski, or sell weapons to terrorists here, I’d fall on my knees and thank whatever Gods I believed in when I found out that a freighter from Medusa was coming here. It’s one of half a dozen planets where spaceships can be bought and sold with no questions asked, often for much less than their commercial value. They’re re–registered there, given new names, new gravitic drives to change their emission signature, and sometimes structural or cosmetic alterations, then re–sold on the legitimate market. I was a merchant spacer before I joined the Fleet, Sir. Merchant spacers regard planets like Medusa as thinly disguised havens for pirates and other criminals, where they can sell stolen ships and goods at minimal risk to themselves.”

Dhruv frowned. “So you’re saying the planet’s ships aren’t trustworthy?”

“Sir, if
Leona’
s a Medusa–registered ship, I respectfully submit that’s grounds for suspicion in and of itself.”

The Warrant Officer’s frown deepened. “But she was chartered by the United Planets! Surely they wouldn’t charter a ship if she might be suspicious? They’ve got too much to lose.”

“That depends on who does the chartering, Sir. You or I would think that way, but a minor UP bureaucrat who’s told to simply get the goods from planet A to planet B might figure that saving a bundle on freight costs was all that mattered. There might also be bribery involved, Sir. It’s happened often enough.”

Dhruv nodded reluctantly. Scandals involving bribery, corruption and mismanagement in the UP bureaucracy were so frequent as to barely rate a mention on news bulletins any more, unless the sums involved were very large or the details more than usually intriguing.

“I take your point, PO,” he said slowly.

Sitting beside Steve, Gavril raised his hand. “Sir, may I add something?”

“Of course, Gavril, go ahead.”

“
Sir, irrespective of the vessel involved, if I were trying to smuggle arms to terrorists on Radetski, what could possibly provide better cover than a legitimate arms shipment? Wouldn’t it be easier to sneak illegal weapons planetside concealed amongst the legal deliveries? A high–priority shipment might be even better, because I’d expect the arrival inspection to be hurried in order to speed up the delivery.”

Steve nodded vigorously. “Sir, to add to what Gavril says, if any merchant spacers might be open to bribery to help smugglers get an illegal shipment past an arrival inspection, I’d expect Medusans to be more likely than most to be among them.”

Dhruv sighed. “You do realize that if we go through her with a fine–tooth comb, it’s going to cause all sorts of delays — not to mention irritate a lot of UP Mission officials and administrators?”

“
Yes, Sir, I guess it will.”

Gavril said slowly, “Sir, may I suggest this is about something more important than delays? If we don’t check this ship thoroughly, and PO Maxwell’s fears prove justified, and weapons reach the terrorists from aboard her, how many people on the planet will pay with their lives? I’ve seen too much of the terrorists’ handiwork. I don’t want to see any more, Sir.”

Steve choked up for a moment. “Sir, what Gavril said really hits home with me. There were a man, two women and two small children lying dead in the square of that town ten days ago. The kids couldn’t have been more than a few years old. Another young girl was wounded — I flew her out aboard my cutter. She was asking for her mother, whom we later found out was one of those killed in the square.” He could hear the raw anger in his voice, but couldn’t help it. “Sir, we daren’t risk letting that happen to anyone else.”

Dhruv put his elbows on the mess table in front of him, interlaced the fingers of his hands and rested his chin upon them, thinking hard. At last he sighed. “This is above my pay grade. I’m going to take it to the skipper. PO Maxwell, you’d better come with me. The rest of you, carry on until I get back to you.”

They found Senior Lieutenant Parasurani in his tiny office, laboring over the patrol craft’s weekly returns. He listened carefully to Warrant Officer Dhruv’s summary of the problem, then looked at Steve.

“
You’re sure about Medusa? You wouldn’t trust one of their ships on principle?”

“
Not just ‘No’ but ‘Hell, no!’, Sir.”

Parasurani’s eyebrows climbed. “As emphatic as that?”

“Yes, Sir. Ask any honest merchant spacer. They’ll confirm it.”

“
That’s interesting, because there are people aboard
Baobab
with that background. If they agree with you, that’ll be pretty powerful supporting evidence to lay before Captain Innes.” He stood. “We’re going to have to take this to him — he’s our Force Commander on this station, so any decision is ultimately his responsibility. PO, stand by to run Warrant Officer Dhruv and myself over there, please. Mr. Dhruv, please alert Chief O’Neal to take over until we return.”

“
Aye aye, Sir,” Steve and Dhruv responded as one.

“
Oh — and change into Number Two uniform, PO. Captain Innes may want to speak with you.”

“
Aye aye, Sir.”

~ ~ ~

Steve waited in the anteroom to Captain Innes’ spacious office suite aboard
Baobab
. Senior Lieutenant Parasurani and Warrant Officer Dhruv disappeared inside, and he heard the rumble of conversation through the closed door. Captain Innes’ voice rose several times. He sounded less than happy.