Outriders Page 38

  “Of course. Have a pleasant day, Mr. Vanderlin.”

  Winston closed the transmission and crossed his legs, eyeing the pleasing cityscape through the window. Free accommodations did not concern a man possessing Winston’s incalculable wealth. His lingering frustrations lay with the implications of this brazen intrusion. What if these protestors decided property damage and vandalism were not enough and elected to target Winston himself? He would not be the first powerful business figure to face kidnapping or assassination, and vowed to improve his personal security for the duration of his time on Jiaolong.

  Evie materialized above one projector in a medley of swirling purple, drawing his attention away from the peaceful vista. “My apologies for the intrusion, Mr. Vanderlin. I have received a priority communication from Vice-President of Operations Alessandro Caravallo.”

  “I’m able to take the call. Put him through.”

  Evie disappeared and a holographic representation of Alessandro emerged in her place, programed to stand at one-third height so the entire image fit within the confines of his passenger compartment.

  “Sorry to interrupt, sir. But this couldn’t wait.”

  “I seem to be hearing nothing but apologies today. What’s the reason for your transmission?”

  “I’ve heard from our informant stationed in Parliament. A motion was hurried through earlier today during debate period that was censored from the public broadcast, citing security concerns.”

  “I’d imagine this is liable to foul my mood.”

  “More than you know. Its contents included a proposal to grant mining contracts for the Tuathan territories to a consortium of four smaller companies and three crown corporations based in the Cad Goddeu, Wu Di and Tiamat star systems.”

  Winston smashed his quivering fist against the door and gritted his teeth. “What justification could they possibly have to deny our company an exclusive deal?”

  “All three systems are suffering a recession at present, and such a lucrative contract was heralded as an opportunity to improve the economies of those member planets. It seems several parliamentarians are also hesitant to award one corporation the right to extract resources on so many worlds. I’m told by our informant the word monopoly was tossed around more than once.”

  “So they think to exclude Triaxus entirely? These poverty-stricken businesses don’t possess the necessary capital, work force or technology to even begin contemplating such a complicated venture. We alone can cripple Tuatha’s ability to wage war and save the Confederacy from a protracted war. And they want to dismiss us? They want to insult us? After all we’ve done for their government?”

  “No vote has been undertaken yet, sir. This suggestion may be defeated.”

  “Who put the motion forward?”

  “A veteran representative from Thoth named Richard Tomlinson,” responded Alessandro. “I know little about him. A member of the governing party, though he isn’t among Sima Jiaying’s voting bloc.”

  “Can his loyalty be bought?”

  “Unknown. His record is one of…unexceptional consistency. No remarkable achievements of note, though no glaring mistakes or scandals either. He has ridden the middle road of mediocrity for three decades.”

  “Approach him with an offer and investigate his personal life for weaknesses that can be exploited. One way or another we’ll seek to destroy his proposal before Parliament undoes all we’ve worked toward.”

  “I’ll make the arrangements.”

  Alessandro inclined his head and vanished as the holograph closed down and left the cabin quiet.

  Winston punched one button on his armrest, opening a channel to the sealed driver’s area. “Margaery?”

  “Yes, sir?”

  “Change of plans. We’re diverting course elsewhere.”

  “Of course, Mr. Vanderlin,” she replied. “Where to?”

  “Sima Jiaying’s office.”

  “Will she be expecting us?”

  “I think not. Park on her private landing pad whether you’re granted permission or not. I’m in no mood to be dismissed today.”

  “At once, sir. Arrival time is approximately twenty minutes.”

  Winston sat in stony silence for the duration, his shoulders and back a knotted jumble of tensed muscles. An exclusive contract to exploit more than a dozen untapped star systems, all brimming with metallic-rich asteroid fields, diverse terrestrial worlds and gas giants awash in lucrative helium-3 and deuterium, was his destiny. No sickeningly altruistic, gallant do-gooder and a queue of poorly managed companies would seize this fortune from him. Not after all his sacrifices and false flattery, not after the hundreds of billions expended to expand the corporation’s armada and position itself as the frontrunner.

  Jiaying should have contacted or summoned him the moment she vacated the Parliament Spire. Her campaign for the chancellorship hinged on contributions from Triaxus, which in turn depended on his corporation being awarded this contract. If Triaxus lost its bid, so too did Jiaying. Winston could not help but be concerned at the realization she neglected to inform him of this development.

  Perhaps she hoped to squash the countering legislation before it germinated, or maybe she sought to untangle from her dependency on Triaxus. If Jiaying used her influence as Minister of Trade and Development to award the contract to these desperate companies, she would earn unending appreciation from their leaders. Triaxus would be removed from the equation after already channeling considerable funds to her war chest, and Jiaying could position herself as the champion of the downtrodden and harbinger of positive change. The unconditional support from three entire star systems and their populations might even outweigh the benefits of an alliance with Triaxus. His enterprise possessed greater resources than most entire worlds, yet owned no tangible votes in an election.

  He knew Jiaying was a shrewd, uncompromising politician when he approached her, yet this was a calculated betrayal. Perhaps she even encouraged this Tomlinson to voice the proposal. If so, Winston would be neither appeased nor denied.

  “On approach,” Margaery announced. “Their controller attempted to dissuade me but withdrew his objections soon enough. They aren’t obstructing our landing.”

  Winston grumbled his acknowledgement and immediately regretted the brisk dismissal. Margaery was a loyal, capable employee entrusted with his life. Allowing personal frustrations to cloud his treatment of her and similar staff members was a characteristic less capable leaders demonstrated. The news from Parliament was adversely influencing him, and given his almost eighty years spent working in the industry, petulance and a lack of control were not supposed to be his weaknesses. Such unstable flaws were exhibited by younger men and women less deserving of admiration.

  His limousine descended to a smooth landing and Winston exited onto one walkway jutting from the Governmental Financial and Trade Complex. No one awaited his arrival, though admittedly he had traveled here with minimal notice and no appointment. Courtesy could not be expected in all circumstances.

  Winston crossed to the entry and climbed fifty floors in an elevator to the level housing Jiaying’s office. Her frazzled personal assistant scrambled from his desk wearing an expression of exhausted despair and tried to impose himself between Winston and the doorway.

  “I’m afraid you cannot simply barge in if you aren’t listed in Ms. Sima’s itinerary. You’ll have to schedule a meeting in the coming days.”

  “I’ve neither the time nor inclination to even bother humoring your request.” Winston brushed past the trivial gatekeeper, knowing the man had no legal right to lay a hand on him. “Stand aside.”

  “But, sir—”

  Winston flung the door open and entered to find Jiaying sitting at her desk surrounded by the pale glow from her active computer terminals.

  “I’m sorry, Ms. Sima,” said the assistant. “Short of calling security, I couldn’t prevent him from entering.”

  “It’s okay. Mr. Vanderlin may remain.” She directed a dismissi
ve though polite smile, in her usual tepid manner, toward her employee. “Thank you.”

  Jiaying waited for him to depart, erased all traces of kindness from her face and leveled cold eyes at Winston. “Did I not make my wishes to you clear, or are you so obstinate and self-absorbed that you refuse to cooperate with simplistic directions? Is this behavior a misguided inflation of your capabilities or pure, unrestrained spite?”

  He strode closer and stopped on the opposite side of her desk. “I’ve come about the proposal put forward today to deny the contract to Triaxus.”

  A slight furrowing of her brows suggested genuine surprise that he knew details regarding conversations conducted in private. Winston had played a card kept close to his chest, however unwise the decision, and in doing so revealed he possessed informants in Parliament itself. A necessary gambit if the admission revealed Jiaying’s duplicity.

  “I’m dealing with its ramifications,” she asserted.

  “By excluding me.”

  “By not involving a political neophyte who has no perception of how matters are resolved in government. By not wasting my time bandying words with a man who holds no legitimate influence. Yet here you are, thumping your chest and detracting from my ability to mitigate this potential crisis. If you wish to help, leave my office and let me return to the task at hand without unnecessary distractions.”

  “Is that what I’ve become to you? An unnecessary distraction?”

  “Don’t think yourself clever by attaching unintended meaning to my words. You remain an ally of considerable importance who still stands to gain more through cooperation. Which is why finding you in here criticizing my capabilities and commitment to our cause is all the more perplexing.”

  “The entire venture only remains our cause if Triaxus is given the exclusive contract. A stipulation you assured would not be difficult. Did you lie in order to gain my trust and resources, or has the task proved beyond your competency?”

  “You truly know nothing about politics, do you? I can’t make a proclamation as you do, without transparency or consultation. I cannot lead on a whim. I face harsh criticism and scrutiny daily from colleagues, adversaries, my constituents, the public and media outlets I don’t control, which forces me to justify every choice. Guaranteeing Triaxus receives the contract will be difficult. I’ll need to undermine the abilities of several minor companies while promoting the benefits only your corporation can provide. The line is a fragile one to walk. If you fail to grasp the delicacy of my position, I suggest devoting some of the time you’re keen to waste on researching politics. I can give you a list of authors who simplify the concepts and language so even a child can comprehend.”

  Winston wanted to lash out at the nearest object within reach, though quelled the urge and maintained his composure. “Do you delight in heaping insolence on others?”

  “Do you delight in questioning the motives of your supposed partner? Trust me to do my job, Winston. I earn enough doubt from Members of Parliament without having you add to those suspicions.”

  “And if you fail? The fiasco would not irrevocably harm your campaign for chancellor, but it would result in punishing losses for Triaxus. Would you show the same caution while risking my future as you would your own?”

  “Thanks to our bargain, my future is dependent on yours. I wouldn’t needlessly jeopardize your objective for the sake of mine. The decision might put us at each other’s throats, which serves the interest of no one.” Jiaying stood, clasped both hands behind her back and stared through the window at a cityscape crisscrossed with shuttles and skylane traffic. “Continue to make yourself valuable to me, and you have nothing to worry about.”

  “Once again, your response is a request for me to place my faith in you.”

  “I’ve delivered thus far, have I not? Patience, Winston. The motion to grant mining rights to the motley collection of companies from those impoverished systems has not received a vote. I’ll see that the proposal is quashed during our next session of Parliament. Triaxus will be given the exclusive contract.”

  Winston felt a fist tighten at his side, though knew continuing to argue the point would achieve nothing. Precious little of his rage subsided, and yet Winston had no choice but to accept the minister’s promises. “You’d better stay true to your word.”

  “I always do, as you should have learned by now.” Her head turned slightly, though not enough for Jiaying to glimpse Winston over her shoulder. “Good day. You may show yourself out.”

  Chapter 28

  Clara snapped awake from fitful sleep when an insistent alarm warned her the starfighter was preparing to exit faster-than-light travel and return to realspace. She stretched her stiff neck and massaged feeling into aching leg muscles before the Stiletto interceptor decelerated and stars again became fixed points on the horizon.

  WE HAVE REACHED OUR DESTINATION IN THE TUATHA STAR SYSTEM.

  “Activate our scanning equipment and receive communications across all frequencies,” she instructed. “Find me a hotspot.”

  EXCESSIVE HEAT SIGNATURES AND ENERGY OUTPUT DETECTED. LEVELS ARE CONSISTENT WITH ACTIVE NAVAL BATTLE BETWEEN WAR FLEETS.

  “Can you determine the location, Tonk?”

  WITHIN FIFTY THOUSAND KILOMETERS OF THE MOON CREIDHNE, ORBITING THE JOVIAN GAS GIANT AENACH TAILTEANN.

  “Delbaeth has military facilities on Creidhne. Elathan Fleet Command must be targeting the beryllium and iridium mining operations to cripple their war effort. Are you able to guess fleet compositions from here?”

  AVAILABLE DATA AND SCANNING INSUFFICIENT TO ESTIMATE WITH A REASONABLE PROBABILITY. HEAT LEVELS SUGGEST FULL FLEETS OF NO LESS THAN TWELVE CAPITAL WARSHIPS ON EACH OPPOSING SIDE. RADIATION AND THERMAL OUTPUT FROM AENACH TAILTEANN ARE DISTORTING SENSOR RESULTS. INFORMATION WOULD BE MORE RELIABLE AGAINST THE NEAR ABSOLUTE ZERO BACKGROUND TEMPERATURES OF SPACE.

  “If that many starships are confined in one area, then that’s where we’re heading.”

  WOULD IT NOT BE IDEAL TO BROADCAST DIRECTLY TO YOUR GOVERNMENT ON ELATHA?

  “Stopping needless death and destruction is why I’m here. I need to speak to the fleets and convince them they’re being manipulated. I have to try forcing a ceasefire, and that means appealing to the officers in command. The ones who are accustomed to making crucial decisions on the spot. Approaching my government will do nothing but start longwinded debates.”

  MY PROGRAMING COMPELS ME TO ADVISE AGAINST TRAVELING WITHIN THE VICINITY OF AN ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT AREA. THE DANGER WILL BE SEVERE.

  “I’m not planning to fly straight through the middle with cannons blazing. We’ll maintain position on the periphery and hope someone is willing to speak with us.”

  INPUTTING CALCULATIONS FOR A FASTER-THAN-LIGHT INSYSTEM MICROJUMP. PREPARE FOR ACCELERATION.

  The Stiletto leapt forward amid blurred stars and returned to realspace within moments, its canopy overwhelmed by a colossal gas giant of churning orange and brown. An intricate ring system encircled the planet around its north and south poles rather than the equator, and even from her vantage point Clara could see the largest moons of Aenach Tailteann, some grander in diameter than terrestrial worlds.

  Creidhne floated ahead and below, a scarred surface of frost deposits and cryovolcanoes housing Delbaethi research and military facilities. Blackened, incinerated craters and structures bore the telltale sign of saturation orbital bombardments, though certain defensive networks remained operational and continued launching torpedoes and electromagnetically accelerated projectiles at the attacking Elathan fleet. Defending Delbaethi warships engaged the aggressors at ranges in excess of several thousand kilometers, while nimbler frigates, corvettes and gunboats swept among the fray to exploit weaknesses and concentrate their fire on the undefended sterns of capital ships.

  “Can you access their transponders?”

  YES.

  “Put the information on my screen.”

  Clara scanned the class designations and names until she noticed an E
lathan cruiser that served as flagship for the Maelstrom Fleet. “Establish an unencrypted channel with the Sentinel at full signal strength.”

  WILL YOU ALSO WISH TO CONTACT THE DELBAETHI FLAGSHIP?

  “I don’t think I’m able to yet. Their firewalls and cyberwarfare systems will be on high alert against an intrusion into their network, and I’m not familiar with Delbaethi communication channels. I’d need to wait for them to notice and contact me, unless you happen to have the ability to bypass their security protocols and identify the message as high priority.”

  SUCH RESPONSIBILITIES DURING BATTLE WOULD FALL TO STAFF WORKING IN VARIOUS WARSHIPS’ COMBAT INFORMATION CENTERS, THOUGH THEIR EFFORTS WOULD BE VIGILANTLY RESISTED BY TECHNICIANS ON OPPOSING VESSELS. I LACK THE NECESSARY SOFTWARE TO ATTEMPT SUCH A TACTIC.

  “That’s what I thought. Focus on the Sentinel and let me know when you have the connection.”

  Pulsar-class fighter-bombers screamed in tandem toward an Elathan destroyer while its own anti-starfighter batteries pounded the swarm into molten flotsam. Those that endured the onslaught unleashed their torpedoes at point-blank range, tearing through the destroyer’s kinetic buffer and graphene hull. Flames blossomed from serrated breaches before dissipating in the total vacuum of space.

  A signal light gleamed on the visor of Clara’s flight helmet, signifying a secure link was established. “This is Lieutenant Aylett hailing Elathan Quasar-class heavy cruiser Sentinel. I have critical information regarding the war that changes your orders. Please respond.”

  Kinetic projectiles fired from rail cannons on the moon’s surface shelled an Elathan frigate and ripped through the hull. The warship’s own batteries continued assaulting the ground facility even as explosions erupted amidships. Sapphire plasma trails flashed high above the moon in all directions from dueling starfighters whirling above warships and diving toward Creidhne.

  “I repeat, this is Lieutenant Aylett hailing—”

  A brusque voice answered from the battlecruiser. “Unidentified Stiletto-class starfighter. You are not cleared to broadcast on this channel or approach the current conflict zone. Alter your vector or we will respond with lethal force.”