Harga replied, "That is your decision."
I looked at Cal. "If you had a Gammatin to back you up, do you think you could clear out the levels up to 84? The two thugs that were running those levels will be leaving within the hour."
Cal replied with a bewildered look, "A Gammatin?"
I nodded. "If you feed him, he will swear loyalty to you. All I ask is that you keep this in mind: if you use this opportunity to enrich yourself or your family at the expense of others, I will come looking for you. I have other business to attend to. Do you think this is something you can handle?"
Cal had an enthusiastic expression as he looked over at the Gammatin, now getting to his feet. "With a Gammatin? Yeah, I could do that!"
I smiled. "Good. If you have any issues, just raise me on your arm pad comm. And get our friend Harga here cleaned up and fed."
Cal and his group of family members disappeared around the corner with the Gammatin lumbering along behind them.
Garrett said, "I had no idea Gruntas could fight like that. Your reflexes are far beyond that of anyone I have ever seen."
I rubbed my fists. "I would greatly appreciate it if you never mention to anyone what you saw here. Gruntas do not like others to know of our abilities. There is only one other being I fear, Garrett. That would be my wife or any other angry Grunta woman. Their wrath is not so subdued as mine."
Garrett laughed. "Well, then. Let us hope that we never anger them. By the way, why did we really come down here? What connection do you have to these people?"
I replied, "I was assigned an apartment here. All the citizens who live here, they should not have to live in fear of their lives when in their own homes. The deplorable conditions don’t bother me as much as the fear I saw in people’s eyes. We all need a safe place that we can go when things get tough. If I can make these lower levels into such a sanctuary for the residents, perhaps I can derive some security from that as well."
Garrett nodded. "You may end up with a lot of people on your side, but could you count on them if things get rough? These aren’t fighters."
I placed my hand on Garrett’s shoulder as we climbed the endless stairs toward level 68. "Every citizen has within them the ability to fight for their own life. What better motivator could one wish for? Most only need leadership. Good leadership can build courage, and courage is what makes an otherwise mediocre fighter into a good fighter."
Garrett smiled. "So, you are building an army down here? Are you planning an overthrow?"
I shook my head. "I don’t know what I'm planning at the moment. I know the difference between right and wrong. I'm just trying to put things in order. With order, I can make and enact a plan. With chaos, there are too many variables involved."
Garrett stopped. "Hey, how often are elections held on this station? If we can make order of the lower levels, maybe we can get you elected as Governor of this station. Now, that would be a plan that brought order!"
I replied, "As I have stated before, I would make a poor politician."
Garrett continued his climb. "You probably would. I was thinking about me. Governor is a powerful position, even out here. Imagine the resources I would have at my disposal to use in my search for Joni if you were Governor. I know it’s a crazy thought right now, but we just liberated fifteen levels of citizens down here. That has to be a quarter of the population on this station. Those are citizens who would vote for a Beutcher ticket!"
I stopped and thought for a moment. "I have to admit that it is an interesting idea. It would make getting you those credentials an easy task."
Garrett laughed as he shook his head. "It’s funny how life can twist and turn you in so many directions in such a short time. We’ve just been exiled, and we are now talking about running for high office."
I said, "Correction, I have been exiled. You at least have the freedom to move about somewhat at will."
Garrett again laughed. "Freedom. Yeah, freedom is something that I don't have. That’s something we both seem to only have a little of out here at the ends of the galaxy."
As we rounded the corner onto the level 68 hallway, I began to think about what other areas of my life needed order. Bay-68 was one such area. Malcom Barber was a force that was standing between having a secure flight deck and a slit throat. I would have to deal with Malcom while continuing to build a case against the Governor.
Garrett spoke as we approached the
Mabel
. "What are we going to do about your friend over there? I’ve seen hatred in a man’s eyes before; he is burning with it."
I replied, "I suspect we won’t have too much trouble finding something that will make him go away. He may be dangerous, but he isn’t very subtle about it. He is probably already planning my demise. I will just have to stay one step ahead of him."
Over the following week I was able to bring four more ship’s captains to my cause. The Governor was not well liked by those in his employ. I heard repeated stories of deliveries that were not paid for and constant intimidation by the Governor’s cronies. Finding those who were willing to turn on the Governor to save their own skin was an easy task. I had mountains of data collected that showed the Governor to be as corrupt as they came. A general election for the elected seats on SS241 was only two months away.
After a two-day inspection binge, I made my way up to the security offices to see the Captain. "Rex, I have seven new reports for you today. They are ready for your signature."
The Captain pointed to a stack beside his desk. "Drop them there. I will get to them when I’m able."
I sat down in a chair in front of the Captain. "Sir, I was wondering what the office would be like if we had computers. What would it take, from a budgetary standpoint, to outfit this place?"
The Captain stopped his work and leaned back, placing his two upper hands behind his head. "There are five detectives and three staffers, plus myself. We would need units for everyone, including support. And with as long as it has been since we had them, there would have to be a training budget. I ran the numbers several years ago, only to be told no. I believe it was something like twenty thousand credits, plus five hundred credits per month for maintenance and updates."
I replied, "Would it be worthwhile to ask for it again?"
The Captain chuckled. "The Chief has already told me to not bother. The Governor has no interest in spending his budget on the needs of this station. Everybody up the line from me seems to have a vested interest in things staying the way they are. Sometimes you just have to work with what you're given, Butcher. Life isn’t always fair."
I stood and looked around as the Captain got back to his paperwork. "I appreciate the information, Captain. Maybe one day things will get better."
The Captain laughed. "Don’t ever give up on those dreams, Butcher. I did, and look where it got me! And stop calling me Captain. It’s Rex!"
I nodded as I turned toward the door. "You should find the reports in good order, Captain."
The Captain yelled as I left his office, "Butcher! I took the time to read over some of your prior ones. You do good work! It’s good to know that at least one of you detectives down there still cares! Maybe you could spread a little of that wisdom around to the others!"
I nodded and waved as I continued out of the security offices.
When I arrived back at Bay-68, Malcom was waiting for me. "Look, Beutcher, I demand to know who that is that’s staying on your ship! That is government property!"
I stopped and leaned in close. "He is a government agent for the Saltons. He is here looking for partners in a scheme to move large amounts of bleurgh. Would you like to be involved?"
Malcom stepped back with a worried look. "No. No thanks. The people who deal in that stuff are crazy. They are ruthless as well."
I smiled. "Are you saying you are scared?"
Malcom replied, "Scared enough to not get involved with them. Once you are in, they own you. Nobody owns me."
I had a sudden flash of respect for Malcom Barber. Was there a part of him that wasn’t rotten to the core? Or was he just smart enough to not traffic in bleurgh? The scowl that developed on his face when Go went walking by was all that was needed for that modicum of respect to disappear. For whatever reason, he despised my maintainer.
As I walked over to the
Mabel
, I raised Cal Hoog on the comm. "So, how is our little cleaning project coming along?"
Cal replied, "It could not be better. We have cleared the thugs all the way up to level 72. I expect to be at level 68 by the end of the week. Things have already begun to change. I acquired a large amount of paint, and we have almost finished painting the hallways on 99. Neighbors are helping neighbors. People are once again talking to those who live around them. It’s like a different world down there."
I smiled. "And how is our friend Harga doing?"
Cal laughed. "He said he loved to bash heads, but I think he likes painting more. He is nonstop with a sprayer. When we go to evict people, he just stands there. That is more than enough to make them leave. I think he is much happier without his club."
The following day, I took Garrett out to look for a ship. We gave the vessels for sale on the station a quick once-over before determining that they were mostly junk. After receiving information that a trader on Halgon II had a good selection of fast ships, we landed at the spaceport and took an airtaxi to the trader’s lot. With forty-two ships for sale, it was an impressive operation.
Gort Walli spoke as we approached. "Welcome to Walli’s World!"
I wasn’t sure why, but the introduction made me laugh. "My associate, Mr. Williams, is interested in a personal transport with a decent-sized cargo bay. We would like to see what you have available."
Gort Walli was a Padgitt. His lower half resembled a three-legged stool. His upper torso was short but thick, with huge muscular arms that nearly drug the ground. He was a knowledgeable salesman, knowing the intricate details of nearly every ship on his lot.
Gort said, "We will start with what I believe is the best we have. It’s a Bantam Regala. It was once the personal transport of the Governor of Effica Colony. Unfortunately, she had some run-ins with the wrong people, and her family didn’t want to keep any reminders of her travels. I sold her the ship originally, one of the only new sales I have seen in recent years. Anyway, the ship is in excellent condition and has been completely cleaned up on the inside."
Garrett winced. "Cleaned up?"
Gort pursed his lips and replied, "Her demise happened on this ship. A single blaster bolt scattered her insides throughout. As I stated, it has been thoroughly cleaned since that occurred. The Governor was assassinated, and the colony sold off as slaves. I have doubts as to whether the individual that resold me the ship was an actual relative, but they had all the paperwork."
Garrett nodded. "Thank you for your honesty, Mr. Walli. I'm familiar with what a blaster can do. If it has been cleaned, that won’t bother me. What good can you tell me about her?"
Gort Walli went on to describe the shields, propulsion system, nav computer, and amenities. Having previously belonged to a Governor, the interior was well kept, bordering on luxurious. After a quick test flight, Garrett was sold. A short negotiation ensued and the ship was purchased.
On the flight back to SS241, I raised Garrett on the comm. "Do you have a name for her?"
Garrett replied, "I have to go with
Jess II
. I’ll just call her the
Jess
again. Now we just need a full identity for me."
I thought for a moment. "Since I identified you as Mr. Williams back there, how does that sound? Pick a first name to go with that, and I will see about getting your information into the security database. There is so very little security and such shoddy record keeping that I doubt I will have any problems. We can make you a trader from Effica. Since that colony was looted and everyone dragged away, it should be an easy cover to keep."
Garrett looked back at the ship’s cabin. "How about Ded Williams. Should be easy for me to remember. Has a good sound to it."
I nodded. "Ded Williams, a trader from Effica. As soon as I get that information entered in the security system, I can give you an identity token for your credit store. After that, I'll get you that introduction to get into the Governor’s fleet."
Garrett put the
Jess
through the paces on our ride back. She was sleek, and fast, much faster than
Mabel
, and her accommodations were far superior. Shortly after our return, his new name and that of his ship was entered into the station’s database.
By that afternoon, Ded Williams had been introduced to the Governor and had his first transport job. He would be flying to the Andover colony to retrieve an emerald statue. The Governor had acquired the expensive piece of art by nefarious means. Ded Williams would be flying it back because his ship was now the fastest transport working for the Governor. Over the next month, he would be given many of the premier hauling jobs.
During that time, many of the thugs we had evicted from the lower levels had attempted to pressure the station Governor into taking action on their behalf. The Governor, however, didn’t care. So long as the people stayed out of his way, he would let things run themselves.
With only a month to go before elections, he was not prepared for the storm that was coming his way. He had been in charge so long, he could not comprehend a last-minute challenger coming into the picture.
After a lengthy discussion with Cal Hoog, it was decided that he would be the candidate to take on the Governor. His work on the lower levels had made him highly respected among the station’s citizens. There would be no announcement of the candidacy until I had full confidence that the Governor would not be a problem. Nearly half of the captains who flew transport for the Governor were now under my guidance.
I was preparing for an inspection run when I received a visit from the Governor’s men. "Mr. Beutcher. My name is Brad Wells. We are here from Governor Marcos’s office. We have a few questions for you."
I looked over to see Malcom ducking behind his ship with a big grin on his face.
I replied, "Ask me whatever questions you like, Mr. Wells. I am here in service to the Governor."
Brad Wells nodded. "It has come to the Governor’s attention that you have been a participant in organizing citizens of some of the lower decks. This has become a concern for the Governor because of complaints he has received. What can you tell me about your efforts?"
I smiles. "I was involved with a group on my level. I have an apartment there, and it seemed there were a lot of squatters who were causing trouble for the other residents. I just lent the super a hand for a day. I haven’t been involved since that time. Has there been some problem?"
Brad Wells continued, "That is what we are looking into, Mr. Beutcher. Also, we have received reports that you are targeting ships that have been doing transport jobs for the Governor."
I replied, "That is true, Mr. Wells. I am new to this sector, and I thought it might do service to the Governor to make sure the captains he was hiring were not getting him into trouble. I have turned in a number of reports on this so far. He should be pleased that there have only been minor infractions."
The two men looked at me suspiciously. "May we see the balance in your credit store, Mr. Beutcher? There has been an inference that security personnel have been shaking down transports for credits."
I held out my credit store. "Have a look. It’s kind of embarrassing, it’s all I have."
The men looked at the credit store balance and smirked. "We have also had a report of a suspicious liaison with a captain who is now in the employ of the Governor. Are you familiar with a Mr. Ded Williams?"
I replied, "I am. I met him several weeks ago. Through discussion, I found out he was in the market for a ship. I had done a recent inspection and was told of a dealer on Halgon II. I was interested in the process—you know, I might want to own my own ship one day—so I took Mr. Williams out there. I know I used a government vessel, but I did two inspections while out. You can check the reports. Is there a problem with, Mr. Wells?"
Brad Wells brought up a holo-display on his arm pad. "Nothing that would concern you, Mr. Beutcher. The Governor just likes to be on top of things that are going on here on his station. He has a sworn duty to protect its citizens. As for you, Mr. Beutcher, I don’t think the Governor has any issue with you at this time. We will, however, be watching you closely."
I smiled and nodded as the two men turned and left.
I walked over to Malcom’s ship and sat in the new chair he had acquired. "Mr. Barber. You can come out from behind there now. I know it was you who sent word to the Governor that I was trouble. I’ll have to say, it was a nice attempt at having me removed."
Malcom came around the side of the ship. "Obviously it wasn’t effective. Look, I don’t know what you are up to yet, Beutcher, but I’m going to find out. And when I do, you are going to be moving on from this place."
I shook my head. "I’m afraid you are wrong, Mr. Barber. I know that you have been shaking down captains for credits, but I have other business to attend to. So, for the time being, I will stay out of your business if you stay out of mine. Keep in mind, though, if the time comes for us to butt heads, I have a much bigger head than you."
Malcom Barber scowled as he looked down at me. "Get out of my chair!"
I stood and walked back to the
Mabel
as Malcom’s eyes burned holes in my back. It would take him some time to come up with a new plan. I hoped it would not be until after the coming election. I had a few surprises in store for the crooked politician running SS241.
As the election approached, I began to organize my case against the Governor. His men had made repeated visits to Bay-68, but had not returned to him with anything of substance. I, on the other hand, had overwhelming evidence of his thievery and corruption.
Thirty-six transports loaded with stolen property from all reaches of the sector had been logged during a three-month period. I had twenty-eight captains giving a recorded statement that they had been ordered by the Governor himself to transport the goods to SS241. The election was almost upon us, and the Governor, to his knowledge, would once again be running unopposed. It was time for me to put my plan into action. I requested a direct meeting with the Governor concerning several of his captains and corruption. The Governor took the bait.
After a ride up the elevator to level 1, I entered the Governor’s office space and was escorted into his personal office.
The Governor spoke. "Mr. Beutcher, I have been hearing good things about you. Please sit; I have been told that you have information on some of the captains in my employ that you would like to share."