The Burning Crown (Stone Blade Book 4) (7 page)

Fyrelm winced at that but McReely merely smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, Luke. It does pain me to ask but ask I must." He handed each of them a datacube. "This is the extent of what I've found so far. Please help me investigate this as best you're able. Luke, House Edders is as capable and tenacious as its roots to the Founding. Savn, nothing escapes House McReely's notice. Whatever Josef Fadding is planning will not bode well for any of us and blind surprise will only sauce it worse."

"With pleasure and with honor!" "Absolutely!"

"Thank you both," said Fyrelm sincerely, "Make no mistake. House Varl is cunning and devious past all sanity. Our ignorance of its plans makes it even more dangerous. I shall do all that I am able to distract, but do not assume I'm successful at it. Step cautiously and tread lightly."

Edders and McReely both nodded and Fyrelm killed the garble. The three of them spent a few more minutes in pleasant conversation but only a precious few.

***

Josef Laird Fadding stared coldly at the man across the desk from him. Ken Tobart stared right back, unintimidated. Outremin stood to the side of the door, facing the men and glad not to be a part of the conversation. Or lack thereof.

"Your numbers are quite impressive, my Laird," said Tobart, finally breaking the silence.

"Less so than they should be. They will improve ere long."

"As you say, Laird Fadding. That is what concerns us."

"How so?" Alliance, convenience or otherwise, be burned! Fadding was ready to draw steel over Tobart's words and demeanor.

"Please, my Laird," said Tobart, "I mean no insult. The simple fact is that my friends and I have taken severe... consequences when our profits reach the point of excess. That tends to foster patience and caution, most especially given the nature of our business."

"Then perhaps you should have allied yourselves with House Binkor-Sud."

Tobart shook his head. "Doubtful, my Laird. They're bankers. They would desert the course at the first sign of trouble."

"Then you should make fabulous partners."

Tobart's mouth tightened but he kept his control.

"I think not, my Laird. We chose our partner well and with due and considerable deliberation."

"Indeed." Fadding nodded. "Then do not doubt, Master Tobart, the strength and resolve of the Great House of Varl. The other Houses are weak and willful, filled with sniveling fools who lack the stomach for true power and greatness.

"In the veins of House Varl runs the blood of the man who forged the Crown of Stars and defended to his death the worlds it enfolds. We will not fail! We will not fail to reward our friends beyond their dreams nor will we fail to reward our enemies with suffering beyond death."

"Your words speak well, my Laird, but what of the other matter? After we dispatched the first message we did find evidence that our secure net was compromised and data stolen. We do not yet know the full extent of it but any disclosure would be... most troublesome."

"That matter has been handled, Master Tobart. With finality. My agents discovered the traitors most quickly and pursued them throughout Crown space. They had no time to rest or communicate and they died in a most convenient fashion." Fadding shifted his gaze to Outremin. "Is that not true, Sir Beau?"

"It is true, m'Laird. Convenient, tragic and absolutely final."

"Excellent," said Tobart, "In that case I can inform my partners that we are clear for continued production and profit."

"Indeed." Fadding smiled with apparent sudden inspiration. "Message them by LINC, Master Tobart. Inform them of your positive news, certainly, but remain here. I would be most honored to have you and your party as my guests. That will give you a closer and more personal view of our... endeavors."

Tobart considered this. "I would love to accept your offer, my Laird, but certain elements within the League would not find our presence... tolerable."

"The League?" Fadding's smile turned markedly superior. "Do not concern yourself with such trivialities, Master Tobart. The League is of no consequence to you whatsoever, I can assure you of that personally! Even when our plans ripen and yield fruit you and your associates will be safe here. Heh. What better place to watch them unfold? Besides, I dare say House Varl can offer you accommodation far in excess of that to which you are accustomed."

"A most gracious offer, my Laird. Such a civilized break would be most welcome. Thank you."

Then Tobart stood and bowed.

Chapter 3. Sewer-Swishing

Piotr Wayne Karr, scion of the Noble House of Edders, watched with almost-indifference as a hard-muscled man with a scarred and disfigured face examined the documents on his cube.

"Dimarr, is it. Looking for work. According to this you're plenty qualified for not much at all. What makes you think I have a job for you?"

"House Varl's showing plenty of profit lately. That means they need people to help 'em make it. I'm people and I'll work plenty hard."

The scarred man half-snarled. "You want to work here, you say it right, nubb! It's the Great House of Varl. I got your name. If the Great House of Varl wants you we'll call."

Karr rose and left, not bothering to hide his indifference. He did hide his elation! All the data he had pointed here as the place to start. His own Luther Laird Edders, who personally welcomed him when he swore fealty to Edders so many years ago, had summoned him. There, along with Savn Laird McReely he explained the nature of their request. Request! He told them they honored him and that he would happily serve his Laird and House. Then, when he learned he'd work against House Varl and on behalf of House Brightcrown, he doubly reiterated himself. By the stars and seas he'd not fail them!

What Roger Parl did report before he vanished led to Tourmalin Shipping Interstellar, a company owned by and operated solely for House Varl. After Parl started his investigation he vanished. Karr, therefore, would trace Parl's steps and do his best not to vanish.

Outside the building, Karr walked to an old and dented hover and dropped into the passenger seat.

"Well?"

"Negative problem," he said, "Apparently they don't think I'm qualified either."

Lacy Blue smiled and lofted the hover. Both she and the vehicle came courtesy of House McReely. And she, like the hover, held many surprises beneath the surface. By her look she had more than a few drops of Edders blood in her family but she didn't claim it. When he thought to burn some of Varl's commercial nets she suggested a frag virus.

"Their loss, darling. Are you thirsty yet?"

"Plus-plus, dear lady. Finding a job with House Varl is drying work."

She also flirted as naturally as she breathed, didn't mind when he returned it and didn't take it seriously. Important since they'd likely be together for quite a while.

"Polar!"

'Choggi_g Ac_o_s the Le_gue' flashed the hologo in front of Chugbarn's Chog and Data Shoppe, which was not Karr's first choice for food or data, but at least it was convenient. She hit the fresher while he ordered food, drinks and a moderate pipe. Besides their Delightful Dozen, a menu consistent across the League, this one also boasted some common Crown selections. Blue sat down just before their food arrived. He separated their orders while she jacked in and meshed her terminal with his.

"Movie or music," she asked, sipping her Grape Equalizer.

"Music," he replied.

As they dined they each watched two small indicators at the bottom of their displays. They hit four different Varl companies and, with the exception of Tourmalin, their virus fragments had plenty of time to work. Though easy to prevent, a fragmentation virus was insidious when deployed and almost impossible to remove once it got a foothold in a system and connected to its other parts. The frag virus contained in Karr's resume came courtesy of House Edders' Aggressive Technology division. The burner who developed it also included a warning to keep it well away from any Edders net. By Karr's reasoning, inserting it within a net's outermost security would double or triple its chance of success; it had no worries about any security on external ports and pipes.

"Bonusjack, my dear," he said, "The bait site just reported four pings. No obvious traces or backburns so I shall consider it a success."

"Cryonic. Pious question: stay here or move? I'd personally prefer to wait until the fragments are fully synchronized and the nets recovered from it."

"Excellent thought. Let's visit the port; I want to check some schedules."

The Faircoast Down main commercial starport bustled with activity. Not surprising given its population, trade, industry and location as the Crown world closest to the rest of the League. That also made it one of the prime points of interest for questionable Varl activity.

Avoiding the port proper, Karr and Blue headed for the adjacent administration complex. They found ample crowds there as well, which meant plenty of cover for investigating. They located the small office suite belonging to Tourmalin and even found an empty data kiosk not far away. Karr jacked in and paid hard coin for an adequate pipe.

"We could have done this from Chugbarn's," said Blue.

"Truth, m'lady, but we'd also be fighting three extra layers of security." He fiddled with the terminal. "Heh. Even better! Since this kiosk is close to Tourmalin it has several brochures and shipping forms for it. Keep your eyes sharp, dear. This might cause a... Nak plus-plus! I have an unsecure but unmonitored connection to their office net!"

Blue kept a careful guard as Karr promoted himself and began slirping data.

"We're now inside one of their offices," he said without shifting his attention, "NOT in a kiosk outside. How tragic."

"Indeed," she said, meshing her terminal to his, "Speak forth, noble sir. What do you need me to do?"

"Grab cargo links between Tourmalin and BinSu, Imix Lines and Fallstar. Go back two months or to the first serious wall."

"Slib," she said, visibly puzzled, "but can't we use the virus for that?"

"Can and will, my dear. I want to check what they claim they shipped and traded against what they actually did. Once we have the manifests we can see what they did, or at least what the manifest says they did!"

Blue whistled through her teeth. "Clev-er. That's a lot of data to sift but once we do we'll have full details on everything they've shipped and to whom!"

Before long the day workers left and the evening ones arrived. The crowd didn't diminish but it slowed some. No building associated with a starport ever closed but the evening and night workers did relax and that attitude infused everyone. At Karr's suggestion Blue found another kiosk and began gathering data relevant to their principal queries.

By the time Karr finished darkness had fallen hard. He cut himself a cheap door in case they needed it, unlikely, but the security didn't twitch. He collected Blue and the two of them headed back to their hotel, got some tea and meshed their terminals.

"I have a curiosity," she said, lighting a drugstick, "You collected a lot more data and detail on Tourmalin transactions involving Fallstar and Tourmalin-Fallstar involving other companies. Why?"

"They have a suspicious record, carefully concealed. Over the past few years they've had a lot of incidents, all handled and covered, working debt-runs for Binkor-Sud. They don't advertise the fact but they owe a lot of credits directly or indirectly to Binkor-Sud banks."

"I'm surprised Binkor-Sud doesn't just buy 'em out. If their debt is that bad the shareholders should jump at the chance."

"Binkor-Sud doesn't offer good chances that way," said Karr bitterly, "Believe me on that one. Besides, with the company on its own the bank doesn't have to pay costs. Just collect their payments and use the company when it's convenient. If I'm not mistaken, the bank receives a tax credit for the credits they write off for a debt-run. That's a double-win on their part."

"I see. I also see that you may be on to something, my friend. Just over the past three months BinSu and Tourmalin mysteriously acquired lots of cargo Fallstar lost. That's just the public records. There are also forms filed for 'loss prevention and recovery' with fees, debits and credits listed but no specific cargo. It looks legal but smells sour."

"Floppers. They're sewer-swishing. It's a tax and tariff scam small companies use to hide small profits."

"Ahem. Make that 'small
dishonest
companies,' dear. McReely employs loss-recovery auditors to prevent that very thing!"

"Ouch! Sorry, m'lady." Karr half-stood enough to bow. "My apologies to House McReely as well. Of course you know about sewer-swishing."

Blue grinned.

"But why would huge companies like BinSu and Tourmalin be interested," he continued, serious now, "Unless there's something there besides the profit."

He swapped a predatory grin with Blue. Now they had a target!

***

James Wilkison, captain and part-owner of the light trader
Warmwind
, checked his manifest and cursed. He received it earlier from one of his company's managing partners along with all the necessary authorizations and clearances. Another debt-run with little potential for extra profit on the side and he had other problems, too. He considered returning the lot along with his resignation, but no. He owed Artie, the partner and quarter-owner of the company itself, honor beyond a few inconvenient assignments. At least Artie also sent authorization for some maintenance. Besides, he couldn't sell his equity in the ship for anything close to its worth and certainly not enough for a down payment on another.

It didn't help matters that three of his crew contracted some awful intestinal virus. The medics restricted them to their billets but they could hardly move from their bunks. Those same medics assured Wilkison that his crew would recover, in time. The company would take care of them until they returned, certainly, but that still left him short three crew. He didn't particularly want to hire from the local pool, past experiences taught him that lesson hard, and the high priority of the assignment left him precious little time to interview many independents.