Solbidyum Wars 3: Pirates of Goo'waddle Canals (17 page)

I paused for a moment after Kerabac finished speaking to digest what he had said.  “I’ve been thinking about how to best approach finding Logden and the solbidyum.  If my hunch is right, Logden is hunkered down somewhere, trying to find a tactic to escape.  He needs to sell the solbidyum, but he can’t solicit the sale without the Brotherhood finding him.  He can’t leave the system, because the Brotherhood is stopping everything leaving the area.  My idea is this: we take the small freighter in the hangar, doctor it up to look like the ship of a questionable smuggler, load it with various cargos that we’ll pick up someplace — maybe lots of rare vintage liquors that are not easily synthesized — and fly to these planets under the guise of trade.  We’ll make sales to bars and other places where rumors circulate quickly.  We will, of course, have the ship rigged with an RMFF and cloaking system; then, when we make a deliberate, uncloaked attempt to run the Brotherhood gauntlet and leave the system without submitting to their search.  Of course, they’ll fire upon the ship.  Just as the charge hits the RMFF and creates its usual light show, we instantly cloak and return to one of the planets.

“Before we embark on the mission, however, we need to take the freighter out with one of our fighters to give it a few low-level laser shots in non-critical areas, just to scar it up a bit.  Once we return to each planet, we boast how we’ve been running the blockade and getting away with it, and how we have a trick that works every time.  Sooner or later someone is going to ask – if it works so well, how did we end up with the laser scars.  We reply that was a near-miss resulting from our own stupidity, but we have that issue resolved now.

“I suspect that, by now, rumors about what the Brotherhood is looking for have leaked out.  If not, we’ll start the rumor ourselves that they are looking for solbidyum.  Then we toss in that we would like to get our hands on the solbidyum ourselves, as we know of a non-aligned planet on the far side of the Federation where the leader is offering a huge reward for anyone who can get him some.  If Logden is hiding in the area, it shouldn’t be too long before he seeks us out to get him and the solbidyum off the planet.  But I don’t think he will tell us his true intent.  He will probably try to learn the location of this ruler who wants the solbidyum, but for this he will definitely have to come to us.”

“OK, I think I understand what this plan is leading up to, but I have two questions: Why are you telling this to me and not Wabussie, Marranalis and Stonbersa? And second, what does this have to do with slavery?”

“The reason I’m talking to you first is that the plan depends largely on you.  I want you to pose as the owner and captain of the freighter; and to truly pull it off convincingly, you need to have slaves.  I’ve noticed that, while I have seen may races of people in the Federation military, you are the only one of your race I have encountered who has had a career in the Federation service; so I suspect that people will be far less suspicious of you being an undercover agent – even less so if you are dragging around a few slaves.  I won’t mention it to anyone else until I first know you’re onboard with the idea.  There are still a lot of details to work out; but at this point I want to know if you would be willing to do it before we plan any further.”

“Yes, I can see lots of things that will need to be addressed.  Where are the slaves coming from, for one.  And I don’t think I can treat any slaves the way my fellow Ruwallie Rasson treat theirs.”

“They won’t be real slaves – and you won’t have many.  I’ll be one of them.  Your slaves will not be for sale; you will have a few to serve as manual labor — myself and Marranalis, for starters, and maybe two or three others at the most.  I’m assuming that not all of the crew on the Ruwallie Rasson trader ships are slaves, otherwise
the captain would end up dead pretty quickly.”

Kerabac grinned.  “You’re right there.  My grandfather was still alive in the days when slavery existed on my planet.  He spoke about trips with slaves and the precautions that were needed to prevent uprisings.  I actually know a bit about trading, as he was a trader, though he wasn’t involved in anything exotic or illegitimate that I know of.  When I was a teen, he took me on a three-month trip to one of the outer non-aligned worlds where I was able to see him bartering for goods first-hand.

“It was the first time I had ever seen one of my fellow Ruwallie Rasson with slaves.  I had never seen anything like it before, and it was rather traumatic for me.  All the slaves wore electronic collars that could deliver excruciating shocks and all wore wrist coms linking them to their master.  Every Ruwallie Rasson had at least one female slave, and every female slave I saw was totally naked, except for the collars and wrist coms.  It was rather apparent by the way they were being fondled and groped that their function was to serve their masters’ pleasure.  I don’t relish the idea of having to put on an act like that.”

“Hmm.  I see what you mean.  We have a number of trained females on my security team — I won’t force any of them to play that part, but I will ask for volunteers and hope for one brave soul.”

“Tibby, it’s not like you think.  I will have to shock and beat you and the others at times just to appear to be the real thing.  If you aren’t scarred and bruised, no one is going to believe our act, and that’s going to hold true for the women, as well.”

“But surely not all of the Ruwallie Rasson are cruel and brutal to their slaves?
Back on my planet, when slavery existed in my country, not all of the slave masters treated their slaves brutally, even though the slavery itself was wrong.”

“Not so among my people.  Only a few slave owners were less inclined to be brutal to their slaves; perhaps a few even paid small wages to some of them and saw to their needs in old age.  But that was the rarity, and not the rule.  The Ruwallie Rasson who left when
Ginet joined the Federation were of the crueler mindset.  They’re basically arrogant egotists with no real regard for anyone.”

“Well, I have plenty of scars, if that helps,” I said, indicating some of the visible scars on my arms where I had been stabbed by Lexmal on the
DUSTEN
and slashed on the arm during the attack on Kala and me at the senate dinner.  “I even have several really nasty ones where Lexmal stabbed me in the chest; and if I need to get batted around a few times to have some bruises, I can take that as well.”

“OK, but what about the women?  How many women onboard do you think have scars? As soon as they get a scratch, they’re headed to a med unit to ensure there is no scarring.”

When he said this, the thought momentarily took my breath away.  I knew one woman who did have a scar, and a nasty one at that — one from a wound that nearly took her life.  That scar was on one of the best fighters I have ever known — a true warrior in every sense.  It was Kala.  I saw instantly the look of shock and dismay in Kerabac’s eyes as the realization hit him.

“Oh no, Tibby, you wouldn’t ask her to do that — you couldn’t.”

“Kerabac, I was once told by one of my commanding officers when I was in the Navy on Earth to never ask anyone to do something you are not willing to do yourself.  This isn’t exactly the same situation, but the principal is the same.  How can I ask other female members of my crew to volunteer for something I will not allow Kala to do?  As much as it terrifies me, if she volunteers — and I am pretty sure she will — I will have no choice but to accept her.  She is the best we have of the women — and you and I both know it.”

“Tibby, you are a stronger man than I.  I don’t think that if I found myself in your position, I could do what you are suggesting.  But if you go through with your plan, I will do everything I can to help you.  I will be your slave master.  I just hope I can make it all look real.”

“I’m hoping Cantolla and A’Lappe can help us out with some gimmicks that will make things look much more brutal than they actually are.  But if not, we will do what we have to in order to make this work.”

After speaking with
Kerabac I discussed the plan with Wabussie, Stonbersa, and Marranalis.  Then, early the next morning, for the first time in the ship’s history, I called an all-hands meeting.  Those not at duty stations assembled in a small events arena that situated near the ship’s common area.  I had been aware of its existence; but as far as I knew, no events had ever been held in it.  It was designed to hold many more people than we had on the ship, so only one side of the arena seating was used for the assembly.

I stood behind a small podium in front of the assembled group.  Behind me hung a large screen with my live image on it, and I knew that the same view was being broadcast to the duty stations of the few individuals who were not able to attend.

“As you are all aware, we are on a mission to recover a grain of solbidyum intercepted during delivery to Duepras.  At the moment we have every reason to believe that this theft was the work of a pirate named Logden and that he is hiding on one of the three worlds of Ryken, Yentum or Goo’Waddle.  The intelligence we have been able to gather thus far indicates that Logden is also being hunted by the Brotherhood.  They have surrounded the region with warships and are stopping all ships leaving the area to search for the solbidyum.  Basically, Logden is trapped on one of these three worlds.

“The objective is to find Logden and the solbidyum before the Brotherhood does.  The mission will require a dangerous covert operation, for which I will need volunteers to serve in various roles.  No one is required to go on this mission and you will not be thought less of if you do not volunteer.  The mission will require a group of us to be disguised as the slaves of a Ruwallie Rasson trader.  We are going to modify the freighter that we carry in our hangar to appear as a trader’s ship and Kerabac has volunteered to be the trader.  He will also need a crew, most of whom will serve as trade associates.  I would like one of those crewmembers to be Nibarian, if possible.  In all, I’m hoping that at least three of you will volunteer to act as associate crewmembers for this mission.

“Those posing in the role of crewmen will be at moderate risk.  The major risk falls on the next group of volunteers, those disguised as slaves.  I’m hoping for candidates that are highly skilled troopers or, at least, individuals who are well-trained in martial arts and the use of numerous weapons.  We will need both men and women in this category.  I will be posing as one of the slaves, but we need at least three or four others.

“Now…there are specific requirements for those who serve undercover as slaves.  First, we need persons with obvious body scars.  The slaves will wear only modest to no clothing and the scars will need to be visible.  As part of the ruse, it will be necessary for us to also bear bruises.  During the course of the operation, it may be necessary for us to be beaten or shocked at times to appear genuine.  We will be fitted with slave collars that have shocking capability, but the strength of the shock will be dampened – remaining only strong enough to know that a current is being delivered, so it will be necessary for us to provide a convincing act that it’s a full strength shock. 

“The beatings, however, will not be reduced in intensity; the crew will be required to deliver real blows and the slaves will be expected to tolerate them and maintain their cover without wavering.  We will at all times be expected to behave and act as slaves.  For this to appear genuine we will also need at least two female slave volunteers.

“I will not accept anyone for this assignment who is a caretaker or parent of small children.  Please consider in your decision that this is a most dangerous assignment; we must present a flawlessly believable image without blowing our cover at any point in the operation.  Anyone wishing to
volunteer please see me in my study after this meeting is over.  Does anyone have any questions?”

I glanced around the group and a woman in the middle of the group raised her hand.  “You have a question?”

“Yes, sir.  As I understand it, female slaves of the Ruwallie Rasson are often fondled and groped openly in public by their masters.  Will the women who volunteer for this mission have to undergo that level of violation?”

“They will have to undergo whatever it takes to make this mission a success.  I’m not going to make this appear better than it is.  When we are all alone, you will be treated with the same dignity you receive here on this ship.  But when in the public eye, we will have to present all of the characteristics and mannerisms of the slaves of a Ruwallie Rasson.  For the women slaves, yes, this may mean you will be groped and fondled, possibly by other Ruwallie Rasson, as it is customary for fellow slaveholders to allow each other to fondle their female slaves.  It will also be necessary for the female slaves to sleep in the same room as Kerabac, if we are off the freighter and staying in an inn or hostel.  But be assured, you will not be required to have a sexual relationship with him as part of the undercover role.  Even at that, I know this is asking a lot of any woman here, but it needs to be done.”

A man near the back row raised his hand.  “Yes, you.  Your question?”

“Yeah… Ahh…the male slaves.  What exactly will they have to do?”

“Kerabac, maybe you should answer these questions, as you know more of the history and typical actions of the Ruwallie Rasson than I do.”

Kerabac stood and walked out to the podium.  I stepped aside so he might stand behind it.

“First, I want to say that the only reason I have consented to this mission is because I understand First Citizen Tibby’s plan.  While I abhor everything about the nature of this undercover approach, I clearly see the necessity and the probability of success for his plan.  I agree to participate only because I believe in what he wants to accomplish; but understand, I hate what it will require me to do.  You want to know what the male slaves may have to do and endure.  First off, you will be beasts of burden and will be required to perform all sorts of manual labor.  You will receive blows and kicks for just about any reason — moving to slow, moving too fast, or looking me or any Ruwallie Rasson in the eye.  You will not be treated kindly in any way in public.  The women slaves will be required to wait on me hand and foot and will all have a proximity device in their slave collars that will not allow them to get more than twenty meters from me at any time without receiving a shock.  For the men, the range is greater and can be switched over to one of the crew when they are supervising your labors elsewhere, but you’re still limited to eighty meters from whoever is responsible for you.  If we were using unmodified collars, the strength of the shock could range from mild to fatal; but as stated before, these will be modified — just strong enough to let you know when it activates so you can put on a convincing act of agony.  Any other questions?”