The BridgeBook III: The Starhell Mutinyby euhal allen |
Table of Contents Chapter 5, part 1 appears in this issue. |
Chapter 5: Tricks of the Trade
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* * *
Me’Avi was ecstatic; finally there had been a discovery of an actual mining base in the fringes of the Cernon Sector. The BGS report lay on her desk in front of her. There were pictures of buildings only half dismantled and machinery abandoned where it was, when they detected the approach of the BGS fleet.
Landing patterns showed that there had been upwards of thirty or more ships there, just as the BGS analysts had predicted. Papers, relevant papers, had been found showing the locations of the other abandoned mines and the plans to dismantle and remove some places not yet found. In fact, an Evacuation Handbook, bearing the name Starhell Confederation, had been found only partially destroyed in a garbage dump.
Now the Ministers of the Council would have to listen to her. This Starhell Confederation had to be found and englobed before it caused more trouble to the Galactic Council. Already she had a bill on her desk to shift ships and crews away from the other search areas and into the areas remaining unsearched of the Cernon Sector. And in that bill were orders to bring in all the vessels on long range search to help find these renegades.
That would mean that within a year or so, the LaScena would come in early, too. It had been over sixteen years since she had been aboard the LaScena and visited with her captain, Uncle Elif and his lovely wife, Aunt Sora. What wonderful tales they must have to tell now.
Just thinking about this good couple who had raised her after she had been told of the death of her parents made her anxious to see them once more. And this time it would be her turn to be the hostess and provider of entertainment for them.
* * *
Janine stood on the shore of the sea and looked out over the waters towards the distant side, a strait between two continents. Shaking her head, she almost could not believe that not too long ago this was a great valley of stone that took a couple of days to walk over. Now it was a part of the new seas and oceans that girdled Starhell.
Turning, she looked at the day’s guest of honor, Charlie Philips and smiled at the old man. Crazy as he seemed to be, he had learned in his long life never to give up on a puzzle and that there was a solution to almost any problem but probably not the one you wanted. It had given his mind a flexibility that was a marvel to everyone on Starhell. And today they were going to say thanks to him in a way that had already caused his face to shine.
Soon, Harrigan’s Whelp and Alexei’s Pride were floating over the waters of the strait and Katia, the original Dream Singer, began to sing one of the old songs that had motivated so many people over the years.
Soon, another voice, belonging to a person known only to most of the populace of Starhell as ‘their Dream Singer’, joined in and the duet made a lump form in every throat. As the song neared the end of the second verse Katia’s voice faded out and the new Dream Singer carried the song to its end. It was a fitting ceremonial recognition that the mantle had been officially passed and that Katia would never sing those songs to the populace again.
Then, at the end of the song the new Dream Singer began to speak in melodious voice that was almost, but not quite, singing. Her words spoke of the great progress that had been made in making this new world Earth-like and how one person had repeatedly found solutions to quandaries that others thought impossible. Then she spoke the words that would name the body of water forever for that person. Forever forward this place was to be known as Philips Straight.
Charlie got up to thank them for the honor and another great event happened; for the first time in the memory of everyone there, Charlie was speechless.
* * *
The Galactic Chronicler’s office was swamped with information that was coming from the different search areas as well as other information that was coming from Kolneer’s investigation into the strange way that all the Cernon fringe colonies had paid for themselves. Nothing fit together well, and he was now no less tired of the whole mess than he had been at that first conversation that he had with Kolneer over the situation.
Deep down something was bothering him from many years ago, something he had read once that he knew was impossible, but impossible as it was, could be the answer. He just had to bring it back to his mind and examine it more thoroughly if he could.
Having decided that, he sent the problem back into his subconscious self and let it stew as he had so many times before. It almost always worked; the missing piece of information almost always popped up and gave him the key to the problem he was working on. If only it didn’t have anything to do with Grand Minister Katia Shapirov. Every time he discovered something that might point her way, she somehow came out of her grave and shredded it.
* * *
The BGS base was filled now with the equipment that had been from the mostly intact mining base left by the escaping Starhell Confederation rebels. It was systematically being taken apart to the greatest degree and examined in the labs. Serial numbers, those that had not been erased were being traced and evidence of the possible complicity of local Sector groups was being investigated.
Then the news of three more finds was causing the commandeering of more facilities to accept and examine those pieces of equipment as they became available. Around the BGS there was a new feeling of accomplishment and surety. Soon they would have the evidence to track down these mutineers and take them out.
It was the biggest assignment that the agency, traditionally used to tracking petty smugglers and mobsters, had ever had. All the heads of the agency were already anticipating their promotions and new importance to the Galactic Council. And each was sharpening his writing devices to make their new budget requests very legible and clear. Even the least confident of these was requesting at least a doubling of his resources.
* * *
The Oversight Committee, burdened with the everyday directing of the projects on Starhell, found that they could no longer care for those and do the planning of the steps needed for future projects. Therefore, in need of relief, they began to look to creating an Operating Committee to handle the day to day things and to insulate them and give them the time to direct the overall progress of terraforming Starhell.
The first contacted was Li Guo-fan, since he understood the necessity of keeping on top of the details in order to do a quality job, and he was directed to search out a number of others who could be counted on to make sure the everyday things were done. His first nominee to the board was Katrina of the Siberian village people.
“She,” he told the Oversight Committee, “being a healer, knows that in caring for others, one must find the source of the problem and seek to solve it from that point. Also, I have sought a recommendation for her from Olga and Natasha Borisovna. They are here and you may ask them if Katrina is qualified.” The Oversight Committee agreed and assigned Katrina to help Li Guo-fan find and recommend another five members by the end month.
Katrina, a bit nervous but determined to do well, asked why they just didn’t include Charlie Philips right now but was told, gently so as not to discourage her, that Charlie was not in the running for any such position.
“Charlie,” Katia added, “has made it clear to this Committee that he had enough to do in getting Starhell to produce foodstuffs enough for the people and that he was not interested in doing other things until he succeeded in that particular job. Considering our now more limited access to Earth, we agree with him. The production of crops enough to feed us is more than enough a job for any man, even one as talented as Charlie.”
* * *
As Minister to the Galactic Council from New Earth, Me’Avi had introduced her bill to confine the search for the Starhell Confederation to the Cernon Sector and saw the shock as the information about the Confederation penetrated the thick skulls of those who had been ready to write off the whole Starhell problem as a hoax.
Shortly thereafter, armed with the increased funding, the BGS began adding the equipment and agents it thought it needed to bring the crisis to a close in the shortest possible time, knowing how legislators suffered from short memories of old crises if, and when, new ones came up.
When the three new finds had been added to the previous find, the New Earth’s minister’s stature and popularity rose to new heights and comparisons between her and her loved and famous grandmother became common. Here seemed to be the person slated to lead the fight against this new enemy of the Galactic Council. Here seemed to be the leader who had the foresight and courage to carry on and lead the people to victory.
Somehow, to a people who had not had a real crises in so long that there had been no one living who could remember one in many generations, the affair created a new excitement in life and a new sense of direction for the population of the worlds ruled by the Galactic Council. If the situation had not been so serious, one would not be surprised if the populace had voted thanks to the perpetrators of the predicament.
Certainly, Me’Avi Shapirov, basking in her new-found fame, began to see the fulfillment of her dreams of gaining the office of Grand Minister upon the end of the present occupant’s term. That this goal was not in agreement with the goals of that present occupant was hardly of any concern to Me’Avi. After all, it was on the watch of Grand Minister Pwirkavi that this crisis had come and he would be left with the blame for it as she climbed over him to take his place.
* * *
Kalvin Shapirov, finally landing on Doris, was in the greatest hurry to find his new protégé, Michael Fellini, and carry him off this ugly and rough planet to New Earth, civilization’s center of Musical talent. How he had managed to write what he had here was a wonder and Kalvin reveled in the thought of what Fellini would write under the guidance of himself.
Finding a taxi, Kalvin gave the driver the address to the Fellini residence and was shocked to, only a few minutes later, find himself at an airport following the taxi driver’s instructions in chartering an air transport to the village in the mountains where Fellini lived.
Hours later, after a trip that seemed to Kalvin to have crossed half of Doris’ unsavory territory, he could see the village where he was to land, and, because it was now so late, find a room at the local inn. He would have to wait until the next morning to find Fellini. That he did not complain about because he was so tired now that a good night’s sleep would be most welcome.
Not being a place where tourists came, the village had no inn. However there was a local boarding house that had a room with several cots that could rented be by those unfortunate enough to need them. Kalvin, after a meal almost inedible to a person of his tastes, lay on his rented cot and learned new thing about the concept of discomfort.
The next morning, asking about the whereabouts of the Fellini home, he was informed that an air-car could be chartered for the trip up to their home for a reasonable price. Kalvin, with no other choice, paid the ransom price sought and, a few hours later found himself standing in front of a small house on a remote farm.
Knocking on the door, and, after explaining who he was, he was welcomed into the house by an older, but attractive woman, who introduced herself as Mrs. Fellini, and offered some homemade bread and a cup of refreshing tea. For the first time since he had come to Doris, Kalvin felt he was in a place where he could relax just a little bit and, sipping his tea, he asked to see Michael Fellini.
“Oh,” replied the woman, “I am afraid that you will have to wait a while to see Michael. He is up on the mountain working with the animals. I have no way to call him down, and it will be some time before he will come home. Perhaps you may like to look at some of the things he has written while you wait.”
“But, madam, the air-car that I have chartered. The driver has informed me that he will stay no longer than an hour. If it is longer than that I can not stay. Are you absolutely sure that you can not call Michael down?”
“Maestro Shapirov, that is no problem. We have an extra bedroom and there is an air-truck coming in the morning to take some of our stock to market and they will have plenty of room for you in their cab.
“You just enjoy your bread and tea and I will tell your driver to go on back; that you will be staying the night here.” And, stepping out the door before he could even object, she did just that.
* * *
Katia’s holoform appeared in Administrator’s Tinker’s office and sat down. “What do you think, Hi,” she asked, “of this brouhaha erupting in the Galactic Council? Where did those mining camps the BGS found come from and who came up with that ‘Starhell Confederation’ nonsense?”
“It’s not from any of our people, Katia. I have checked and everyone is just as puzzled as we are. It does keep the Council from looking in our direction but if their paranoia becomes great enough we may have a greater fight on our hands than we counted on when they do find us.
“You seem to have some sources that we can’t touch. Maybe they can give you some information. Could you try them?”
“Yes, Hi, I can. I just wanted to be sure that it was none of our people being cagey before I did.” And, with that, she disappeared from Hi’s office.
Seconds later, aboard Harrigan’s Whelp, while Katia was trying to figure a way to get in touch with Jo’Eya, a Door appeared and the wanted person came in, looking angry.
“Katia, we are supposed to be working together. Why are your people causing all this foment? We almost had the Galactic Council convinced that Starhell was a hoax and now we have all these false mining sites showing up and this ‘Starhell Confederation’ is scaring the pants off almost every Minister in the Council. It is trouble like this that we don’t want.”
Katia appeared, and sitting down in a chair, said, “So your people don’t know either!”
* * *
Kolneer, standing unobtrusively at his boss’s door, waited until he was grudgingly noticed.
“Against my better judgment,” said the Galactic Chronicler, “you may come in and increase the burden of my office. That is what you are here for, is it not?”
“I am afraid it is, Sir,” Kolneer replied. “But then you are the only one who has the authority to act on the information that I have gained. And, after all, it is your office.”
“The humans, Kolneer, have a saying about people like you. It is from one of their ancient languages. It goes, Et tu Brute, or something like that.”
“Ah, what does it mean, Sir, if I may ask.”
Copyright © 2005 by euhal allen
