Chapter Twenty-four
Tam read the message from Admiral Amburny and smiled. It was a report of the effectiveness of the new policy and a very good brief of what it was that didn't look like it was. She'd ended it with a note that the new orders had been a surprise, but the wisdom of them wasn't and crews were delighted. She did think a fleet payroll draw account in each sector was a good idea. They were going to run out of cash for shopping fast. Tam yelled for a staff meeting and the new policy and credits were on their way to every sector within minutes. He held a press conference. As usual, his was a bit unusual.
"Sit down and let's get this out. We've got evidence all over the empire that someone is spending billions of credits to break up the empire. Quiet! The object seems to be, reduce the size of the fleet by reducing the size of the empire, to prevent whoever that someone plans on physically attacking yelling they want to become an empire sector, and need the fleet while they write the treaty. They've been running a too-successful hate campaign against any group of persons different enough to single out, with the object of getting some world to pass a law infringing on their rights and forcing the empire to take action. At that point, the empire would have been interfering and on the side of the people who they were trying keep away from their children because everyone knew you should. We have thousands of local ordinances against homosexuals and the Shadill as evidence of how close it was to being a success. Part of that campaign is the empire is in Empire Sector and the rest of them pay taxes, so nobles can have lovely balls. From now on, I want every social newscaster to note who paid for the lovely ball they report. I want a lot more notice paid to the fact we are a working aristocracy. Fleet personnel and marines stationed on fleet ships will be granted leave, a few at a time, for a few hours or a day of R and R on any station or world which a ship passes closely enough to do so. Fleet wings will 'wave hello' in passing to those to which they are not close enough. The most effective method in dealing with this is tell people exactly what has been going on for about fifty years. Thousands of people were financed to spread bigotry. Pay isn't necessary if that financing includes shuttle trips to docking stations three days out of five, very nice lunch and dinner, and lots of cash to buy drinks for people who don't know they're going to pay for them by listening to a diatribe of hate. A large number of people have been taking very nice luxury cruises about twice a year with the same job, spread bigotry. The heaviest concentration of this attack on the ethical foundation of the empire was, of course, in the border sectors. However, organized crime seems to have a too well-laid plan for expanding the market for drugs on university campuses in the interior sectors. It begins with an effective technique to create a housing shortage. The persons given the technique don't know that's who's financing and wouldn't until drugs began to be dealt out of apartment complexes they built and they were told cover it or confess and spend years in rehab. The probability of success of these plans was so high we're sending warning to all worlds and unions within sixty days' journey of our borders, along with a statement a yell they need help is enough and they don't have to join the empire to get it. If they're interested in a trade treaty or an alliance, they can figure out how they want to word it and we'll look it over. We have no plans for expansion and never did. It just sort of happened. I'm not saying we won't allow worlds to join the empire, just it's not necessary to get the help of our fleet, if it's needed. We don't have time for questions. Get it out. This time, you're the defense force that needs to move fast."
A private yacht requested a nice berth for a day or two of shopping on Gerridy Station. The TC duty controller looked at the image of the yacht bridge on the screen, gave the captain a nice berth and shuffled berth assignments for scheduled ships. Shuffle was in the job description. He smiled a bit wryly. The ring in the ear of the big, beautiful woman was a bit of a disappointment and it had nothing to do with the wealth obvious in the tasteful bridge.
Mandy docked the yacht and Lola checked the hatch connection, then both went to change clothes. The others were waiting in the 'living room' and already dressed "well, but not wealthy." They hadn't gone straight to Gerridy from Silvern Docking. They'd waited a day for the fleet wing to respond to Anverd's message, nine to give the fleet wing's message to the palace time to travel and then loafed a bit, as well. No one on the Nightband had really been surprised the fleet wing had been at the closest point to Silvern on its patrol when Anverd sent new orders. It just seemed reasonable it would be. He, of course, had known exactly when it would be where.
"We're ready. What's the plan?"
"The Toscan chapel first, Lola. Considering what we learned on Silvern Docking, they may have been battling to maintain their policy of marrying any couple who proved they were adult empire citizens and were willing to vow fidelity. I don't really know anything about them other than that, but I'm sure I like them."
"We all are, Shel. We may not agree with all the tenets of their faith, but we definitely agree with their principles. I've got eighty white-gold rings, the unit that does the whole thing, an extra power cell and two demo 'ears' for the minister to practice using it."
"We may be after the fact, Li. There has been time for people to get here and ask them to do it, but I rather doubt any moved quite that fast because it would not be an inexpensive trip and travel arrangements do take a bit of time. Time for word to spread is not a consideration because I think trans-space comm is slower than word of mouth and becoming more sure of it all the time. However, I do expect some people to have been working very hard to convince others the 'official word' is a fiction created by 'those' people."
"I'm a bit worried they may have been too successful, Shel. A very large number of the people who come through here are both wealthy and influential."
"You think we may find evidence of the drug we suspect they have here, Tommy?"
"Yes, Lola, I do. This is very close to two planets where we suspect it's being used, one in Yarrow and one in Forester sector. I think Shel may have understated the difficulty the Toscan chapel has maintaining its policy. The Toscan church may be the target of choice for Forester sector, as the Shadill were in Yarrow. They're in sympathy with 'those' people. Be very careful eating, drinking or letting people get close enough to use an inject. Try not to hurt them if they attempt it. They may be sure they're doing you a favor, or not even realize they're doing it."
"True. When Ven showed us what she came up with as possible, I wanted to yell it wasn't, then for the fleet and marines, when I saw it was. We all know she needs a sample to even learn if a counter is possible, but she doesn't want to hunt it as residue in our bodies. Chief Larkenscho would be very aggravated if that happened after telling us we'd learned to pay attention well enough it should not. I didn't learn that meant our unarmed combat instruction was complete until we were about ready to leave Nightband."
"You didn't tell us that, Shel."
"I was told not to mention it until we'd worked together enough to realize that didn't mean we wouldn't get better with every practice of every technique as long as we practiced correctly, Mandy. I think three days was enough to prove it to us."
"It was for me. My body finally quit arguing those two moves didn't go together and I didn't have to think about overcoming the disagreement yesterday."
"We noticed, Lola. You suddenly didn't have to catch up a tiny bit in the middle of that routine. That and the bit of confidence the news gives us is why I decided it was time to tell you. Let's go find a chapel."
Gerridy station was a glittering shoppers' paradise filled with temptations from more than twenty worlds in two sectors. They noticed a slight oddity in the selections available in various places, but decided shops specializing in goods from one sector or the other made sense considering the clientele would be most interested in showing off things from the other sector. It took them awhile to find the chapel. It wasn't listed in the station directory. When they found it, they went to
work helping the elderly man clean the doors of something ugly yellow-green and smelly.
"What is it?"
"Rotten grivy eggs. Thank you. Who are you?"
"Governor Thiretess Boer Hadlain."
"What?!"
"Shh. Captain Shelter Hadlain. We're here to ask the aid of your church for a large number of empire citizens. We're already working on stopping this kind of thing. Have you heard the information the imperium is disseminating on the funding of the campaign of bigotry at the base of it?"
"My statement I believed it was from the empire is probably why I'm cleaning doors."
"We had a suspicion people would be working very hard to make sure no one believed it. There's a strong possibility they're assuring it with a chemical compound that doesn't allow people to doubt what they tell them. There's also a strong possibility they don't know they're using it to assure it."
"Dear God, grant us aid. They are and they don't. I've seen it. I've seen people who staunchly defended the rights of all persons one day espousing bigotry the next and those totally shocked by the reversal espousing the same two hours later. Only the most vocal though, so I have a suspicion the substance is expensive and not in great supply on the station."
"Expense doesn't even slow them down. Supply is probably much larger than you think, but ordinary people aren't who it's to be used on, unless they become a problem. We suspect it's in major production on nine worlds and may have reached population saturation on all of them. We don't know where they get the money, but are beginning to suspect they have the planetary income of those nine worlds to fund their plots."
"Tommy has a tendency to state common opinions we hold before we learn we hold them, but he's always right about them."
"I'd invite you in to talk about why you came, but conversation is less likely to be overheard out here. Station security is sure the church is guilty of sedition and always listening for proof. I'll ask forgiveness for being pleased to realize they don't have any choice but believe it. What do you wish to ask of the church, Captain?"
"That it perform group marriages for people who want to vow fidelity within them. Most will be of three or four who have been families and marriages in all but legal terms for years. We have a supply of rings like ours and a device for putting them in and welding them that requires only positioning it correctly and pushing a pad, but most will probably bring their own. We told one, who knows some who wish it, size and placement were not optional, but material and design were. She noted she had three tiny rubies which would be a nice wedding present. We also brought practice 'ears' and a spare power cell for the unit, which you shouldn't need for at least a year, even if you get very, very busy. We'd like the church to examine the idea of marrying two or three married couples, who have worked together to provide common security for all their children and deserve the legal and financial benefits a marriage would give those children. There is no imperial law against it, as there is none against group marriage. People just can't find anyone to perform it. We ask the church examine the second idea because Li thinks it's silly for couples to have to go through the expense of divorces to be able to get married as a group. Considering the benefits to the children and the tax advantage given family-owned businesses, it would be worth it to do it. Vows of fidelity within the group marriage shouldn't be a problem. They aren't among the Shadill."
"Among the Shadill?"
"They're personal vows between two and witnessed by the rest of the family. Most large Shadill marriages have two or three vowed couples in them. That's from a monograph written by a Shadill anthropologist on her own culture. It's evidently much more widely read in other sectors than this one. In fact, university libraries in other sectors seem to be the only ones who had it."
"Lola was very disgusted by that and a number of university libraries, city libraries, planetary libraries and, of course, the Imperial Library now have copies of it. She didn't ask them if they wanted it. She said she was too mad to risk a no answer and deciding that was the only thing they should have in their anthropology catalogs. We said, 'Oh,' and agreed it was probably wise."
"I think I would have as well, Captain. I can't speak for the church. I can perform marriages for those who come to me on the assumption the church will approve, while the idea is under consideration and the church will not... revoke them, even if I get reprimanded for making the assumption."
"The imperium will move to do it, if necessary. We're just asking you first because it can't require a vow of fidelity and we believe that's important."
"I think we will, and I'm not worried about a reprimand even if we don't. I'm an old man and most ministers are enjoying retirement at many fewer years than I have, but the church asked me to accept one more task because I'm a very stubborn old man and this place needed one. I've been here seven years, two years longer than is usual for assignment to it."
"You're the only representative of the church here?"
"Yes, and if I wasn't so old, egg on the doors probably wouldn't be the limit of expressions of displeasure at my presence."
"Comm remote Nightdancer to Nightband, scramble and lock on send. Land Imperial Drug Enforcement agents, at least a hundred. Security is enforcing bigotry and have no choice. The drug is here and they can't notice how many who visit leave with opinions they can't doubt, thousands, maybe millions, of them. Out. Made it. No trace."
"A... hundred drug enforcement agents?"
"Would you rather have a wing of the fleet and a couple thousand marines? This station has been taken by the enemy. You're a member of the independent resistance. If you'd tried to organize one, there wouldn't be any. The doors are clean. Let's go inside and invite security to interrupt us. I'd like to see how the influence of the drug stands up against the influence of a credit rating."
The security monitor duty officer was nearly gleeful when the Shadill group showed up in the Toscan chapel. They were finally going to get the proof they needed the two were in collusion and guilty of sedition. It didn't occur to him there had to be a government against which that crime was being committed for it to exist. It never had, to any of them who were sure the Toscan church and Shadill were guilty of it.
He checked on the Shadill and blinked at the screen. He couldn't make sense of what it said. He decided to ignore the statement they were members of a group marriage, but not Shadill. It had to be wrong. They had Shadill rings in their ears. Everyone knew no one would take the chance anyone would mistake them for members of that disgusting culture and traitorous race. He queried Instel Bank and got another answer that didn't make sense. A few extremely successful corporations and planets had alpha alpha ratings. People didn't. He checked the ship registry and it was from Silvern. That made sense. Then he hit the value of the yacht and got confused again.
He started over, then ran the diagnostic program to find out why the comp was giving him 'crazy' answers. It couldn't find anything so he called a tech to see what was wrong with it. She ran in the door and went to work immediately, of course. She called his supervisor when he yelled she was "party to the plot," when she told him there was nothing wrong with it. When the supervisor stated she had better cooperate and name the members of her "rebel cell," she ran out of security and for the Toscan chapel. She'd listened to what they'd been saying while the sec officer raved about "breaking the code and finding out what they're really plotting."
"Help me! I told security there was nothing wrong with their comp and they said... I'd better confess and name the other rebels. They'll know I came here. They're watching you. You were talking about people who love each other and they were looking for a way to 'break the code.' I'm sorry, but you... at least sounded sane."
"We are. No one has had a chance to give us the drug that makes it impossible to doubt something one is told, no matter how insane it is. Reverend Tassherty, we've gotten you into a lot more difficulty than we intended."
&nbs
p; "Captain, they can't really hurt me. I wouldn't find incarceration particularly arduous. I'm too old for pain to last very long. I know I've done my best to lead a good life and have total faith that's rewarded because my life has been filled with the rewards of it. This young woman, however, is a different story."
"He's right, Shel. She's a total innocent, but no reason or proof can change their absolute surety she's guilty of something once they've decided it."
"Tommy's right. I'm sorry."
"You didn't do anything to apologize for but dock. What the hell is going on?"
"Well, you heard the description of the drug that has probably been in use for about the same fifty years as the hate campaign the imperium is spreading word about has been funded. Gerridy Station is evidently the place it's most useful to assure the influential influence exactly as desired when they leave. Station security can't notice it and people hired by security probably can't by the time they get here. Do people know they're giving people a drug? Probably not. If we can see it, the imperium does. Will it do something about it? Undoubtedly. Can we do anything but wait for it? Not really."
"Hands in the air! You're under arrest for treason! Any resistance will be dealt with... What are you doing?"
"Surrendering. You said we were under arrest."
"Yes. Any resistance will be dealt with by forcible restraint. All weapons are set on... maximum."
"I didn't doubt they were, Officer. It's illegal unless we're armed and in the act of perpetrating a crime of violence, but I didn't doubt they were."
"What treasonous act against the empire or the emperor are we charged with?"
"What?"
"The definition of treason is aiding the enemy of one's government or sovereign. That's the empire and the emperor. What in our discussion of the need of people who love each other and their children was aid to the enemies of the empire?"
"We'll find that out when we break the code."
"Give it up, Lola. The only thing that confuses them is our surrender. Our obvious unarmed state makes setting weapons on lethal excessive preparation, but that's all. Be prepared for them to suddenly become completely convinced surrender is resistance. The probability is persons arrested for treason are all to be killed resisting arrest, before someone overhears them asking what enemy they're accused of aiding, or what authority a private, contracted, space station security force has to arrest persons for a crime that imperial law says even a planetary law enforcement agency cannot, merely hold persons and evidence in custody, until imperial law enforcement agents arrive to determine if arrest is required, and that's in time of war. Of course, we know the empire is under attack and a drug has been used to--"
A few seconds later, Shel gave Tommy a rather disgusted look and got a grin in return. He said he was sure there was a 'trigger' word or phrase and it seemed wisest to warn them and try to find it inside the chapel. Reverend Tassherty smiled and said he hadn't had pleasant company for awhile and asked them if they'd join him for dinner. Shel sighed and shook his head. He suddenly had Tal in his arms. He was shaking.
"We didn't hurt any of them badly, my Talisman. Hopefully, Ven will find a way to help them all. Meanwhile, I have no idea what to do with them or how many more will be coming."
"No more. That's all of them on duty, including the one who's supposed to be watching the monitors. When he moves, will you hang onto me til I stop shaking too?"
"If you need it. I'm Shel."
"Kiri. What they're saying isn't from the empire is from the empire, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is, but this is the empire."
"What?"
"Lola, you made the distinction. You explain it."
"What they're saying is from the imperium, the entity which does what treaties that created sectors of the empire require. It's not a government or an administration. It's the emperor, the fleet, the marines, Imperial Records and the Imperial Library. That's the imperium. This is the empire. The imperium can't really stay out of politics in Empire Sector because it spends so much money on worlds there, but it doesn't have any governmental functions at all. It never did. The empire started as a group of traders who got fed up with piracy, appointed the best commander among them king, because it made him groan and they liked him, and kicked the pirates out of the cluster where they did business. The worlds yelled they didn't want them to go away. The king said he wasn't going to rule anything period, but he was willing to do what he had been doing, send ships and people to defend them, as long as they didn't oppress their people and they educated their children. His nobles, the other traders, said they'd help, if they didn't have to quit their regular jobs. A genius wrote a contract. She said a kingdom was one nation, but an empire had several in it so it should be called that. That's the Empire Sector treaty and Imperial Records and the Imperial Library were part of it. The imperium needed to know how many people needed protecting and the worlds were following the rules, and a library would help assure knowledge was available to all. The library is noted as being the probable reason the first emperor signed it and let them call him Emperor Vasmon the First. His wife knew him very well. The empire is all the sectors, worlds and people within its borders. The imperium is basically a contracted security force that requires those it works for not oppress people and educate all children. The only people directly supported by imperial taxes are the imperial family, currently the emperor and his new wife, because he doesn't get paid. Everyone else supported by those taxes is an employee getting a set wage and a few people who fall through the cracks in planetary social services, because they come under protecting all citizens of the empire."
"That's not what my history text said."
"Yes, it is. It's just been stuffed with dates, the names of every person present, every skirmish they fought, which were all named and called battles, and everything else the people who wrote the texts could find to make it sound important. How many semi-drunk traders sitting in a spaceport bar yelled yes when his best friend suggested they call Vas king and what his wife came up with to get him to let them call him emperor, just aren't the type of questions history teachers like to ask. So they ask the names of the persons present when Vasmon the First was titled king by acclamation and the titles bestowed upon those who would follow him to defend the worlds. Sounds better than, 'I'll get you for that Gerben. You're a duke. Honsko, since you think it's so funny, you're a baron.' Since their crews were laughing uproariously at the tables around them and they did need some kind of 'I tell those two, they tell you six, you tell those nine what to do,' and they really didn't like military titles, they all got stuck with them."
"Excellent, Lola. That's exactly how it happened."
"Eddy told me, Shel. She said the one thing the historians won't use as a reference is the logs that are the start of the imperial family's personally-kept history, but they avoid the history pretty carefully too. She said it's hilarious in places it's acutely dry in history texts and others it's pure mad and move fast and the texts are 'carefully considered plan of action was put into effect.' I do intend to beg to read it someday."
"You... know someone who... knows the emperor well enough to ask?"
"Yes, Kiri, I do, or I wouldn't already know they're funny in places."
"Oh, that's right. Are they going to wake up soon?"
"The ones I put out about a half-hour. Anyone sooner?"
"Those two women. About fifteen. I just couldn't hit them harder than that, Shel."
"I understand perfectly, Tal. I had to remind myself we needed time to figure out what to do with them before I hit anyone hard enough to put them out. The man?"
"About an hour. I was in a hurry. He was behind the others and aiming at you."
"I love you too. Suggestion, Tommy."
"Let's find a luggage cart. We'll lock them up in their holding cell, change the lock code and erase the security log from the time we walked in here."
"I can help. I know the comp codes."
"I can fix dinner for eight. I'm a rather good cook."
"Thank you, Reverend Tassherty, but we ate very well just before we docked. I'm sure you understand why."
"Yes, I do."
"I'd like to have dinner with you."
"Excellent. I'll get started on it, Kiri. Just knock on that door. I'll be listening for you."
"He's lonely."
"Yes, Kiri, he is. It rather hurt to tell him no, but I have a suspicion dinner for the six of us would severely deplete the contents of his pantry. One guest won't and I think you'll enjoy his company, as much as he will yours. Give Lola the codes and go keep him company while he fixes it. We'll try to take you completely out of this and we'll stop any monitoring of his quarters from there."
"I suppose feeling a bit guilty because I'm supposed to be in the office if they call is sort of silly under the circumstances."
"It's a confusing situation, but we saw a ship out there that we're pretty sure is help coming, or we'd be running for ours and yelling for it."