Clidepp Requital (39 page)

"Merely?" Caruthers echoed.

"And remember, the generator may have been disassembled to help disguise its presence."

"This is going to be one
giant
headache," Weems said.

"Yes, it is," Sydnee agreed, "so let's wrap it up as soon as possible so we can go home to the
Denver
."

~ Aug 24
^th
, 2286 ~

"I've found the
Gatherer's
AutoTect signal, Captain," the tac officer said.

"Helm, cancel all forward speed. Leave the envelop intact," Sydnee said.

"Where are they, Tac?"

"They should reach this point in roughly two days."

The
Justice
had been crisscrossing space ahead of the
Gatherer's
estimated position for hours before finally detecting her AutoTect signal. Every ship broadcasted an AutoTect signal ahead of their ship to avoid collisions with other ships either in their path or which would be crossing their path. The signals repeated continually, broadcasting current position, speed, and course. When the Raiders were capturing freighters and passenger ships, the signals were stopped because of the information it provided. But when the pirating was ended, the AutoTect signal system was reintroduced and, in fact, mandated anew by the GA Senate for all vessels traveling in GA Space. Other nations had adopted the system, and it had become required almost universally throughout the known galaxy.

"There's no sense waiting here for them," Sydnee said. "Give Navigation the proper coordinates from their signal and let's go meet them."

"Aye, Captain," the tac officer said.

"Helm, when we get near them, cancel the double envelope and match their speed with a single envelope. Maintain a twenty-five-thousand-kilometer distance between us."

"Aye, Captain."

* * *

"Trans-Galaxy
Gatherer IV
," Sydnee said on the primary ship-to-ship frequency, "this is the Space Command ship
Justice
. Cancel your envelope and prepare to be boarded for inspection."

The image of a distinguished-looking Eurasian in a freight captain's uniform appeared on the large bridge monitor. "This is the
Gatherer
. Captain Taka Choi speaking. What's the purpose of this inspection? We've never been inspected this close to the center of Region-One."

"The purpose of this inspection is the same as for all inspections. It's to inspect your ship for illegal cargo."

"We're carrying nothing illegal. Our company has never been fined or even charged for carrying illegal goods."

"A stellar past is not an excuse to disobey an official order to heave to."

"We're on a schedule. We can't afford to stop while Space Command looks for something that doesn't exist."

"We won't know it doesn't exist until we search."

Raising his voice slightly, Choi said, "I'm telling you it doesn't exist."

"And I'm telling you to heave to."

"You don't have the authority to stop me. You're wearing the uniform of a Lieutenant Junior Grade."

"I'm wearing the uniform of a Space Command officer. I'm the captain of the
Justice
, and I've given you a legal order to halt your ship for inspection. If you fail to comply, I'll be forced to stop you and impound your ship."

With a disparaging look, Choi said, "If you're the captain of a ship, it must be a reclamation vessel. We don't stop on orders from junk-haulers."

"The
Justice
is not a reclamation vessel. We're fully armed with missiles and laser arrays. If you force me to take action, I will."

Raising his voice again, Choi said, "If you fire on me, I will file a formal protest with Space Command and our GA Senator."

"You're assuming you'll be alive after your ship is blown apart."

Choi screamed, "You wouldn't dare fire on me."

"This is getting us nowhere. I've given you a legal order, and you've refused to obey. We will now stop you forcefully. I hope you survive to stand trial. Helm, prepare to execute an envelope merge. Tactical, prepare to fire the laser arrays. Target the main ship only. We don't want to damage the cargo."

Before locating the
Gatherer
, Sydnee had instructed both men to ignore commands to do anything of the sort unless she included the word Zulu in the order but both were to pretend they were preparing to follow her orders. She had been pretty sure the freighter captain would refuse to obey orders to heave to by a Lieutenant(jg).

"Tactical is ready to fire, Captain," the tac officer said loudly, for the benefit of Choi, who was still on the communication link.

"We'll be in position for the envelope merge in eighteen seconds," Caruthers said loudly, also for the benefit of Choi.

"Captain, wait," Choi suddenly said. "We'll heave to for inspection."

"Tactical and Helm, cancel the envelope merge order. A wise decision, Captain Choi. When you've cancelled your envelope, open the larboard hatch of your maintenance bay so our interdiction team can enter your ship. My Marines will be coming over in a Marine Armored Transport. We'll also bring over a full-sized habitat container You can then close the bay and resume your voyage. Our people will conduct their search while you maintain your schedule."

"We can continue traveling while you search? Is that a new policy? We've never been permitted to do that before."

"Terrans are creatures of habit. We're taught to halt ships when conducting searches because that's the way it's always been done before. In the past, there was more reason to do it that way. But our ships are faster and more efficient now, and the people conducting the searches are better protected from harm. I have a certain amount of latitude as a ship's captain. I've checked the regs and there's nothing that
requires
an interdiction vessel to keep merchant vessels from continuing their travel while we perform our duties. It's not our goal to delay your trip. When the ship's captain cooperates with me, I'm happy to cooperate with him or her."

"Thank you, Captain. I'm sorry for giving you a hard time earlier. I promise I'll be more cordial in the future if this new policy becomes a standard."

"That's good to hear, Captain. I'd like you to transmit a manifest of your cargo. It will save time."

"Of course, Captain. I'll see to it immediately."

"Thank you, Captain Choi. Contact me if you have any questions or difficulties."

"I will, Captain. And thank you."

"
Justice
, out."

"
Gatherer IV
, out."

Sydnee took a deep breath and relaxed in the command chair. It had been tense, but she'd known all along the
Gatherer
would yield. They were unarmed and had little choice. They couldn't win in a fight against a DS ship, even if they had torpedoes hidden in phony cargo containers.

"Maintain twenty-five thousand kilometers distance, helm," Sydnee said. Caruthers knew the regulations and would have done that anyway, so the order was just for the bridge logs. If Choi decided to file a protest of her threatening to destroy his ship, she wanted the log to show she was doing everything by the book.

"Aye, Captain," Caruthers said.

When the
Gatherer
suddenly canceled their envelope, the
Justice
disappeared ahead of them. Caruthers had to turn the ship around and return to where the
Gatherer
had stopped.

Normally, Space Command officers oversaw all aspects of an interdiction inspection, but the
Justice
was short on Space Command officers, so Kelly MacDonald and her noncoms would take responsibility for conducting the search. Since they were only searching for one thing, a great deal of expertise in uncovering smuggling deceptions wasn't as important as it usually was.

As the
Justice
came to a halt, MAT-One unlinked from the ship and headed towards the
Gatherer
. The Marines had boarded in anticipation of traveling to the freighter after loading everything they would need for the search. Within ten minutes, the MAT entered a maintenance bay five kilometers behind the main ship.

Unlinking the habitat took a little longer than expected. Lt. Barron had trained in the process, but now it fell to the tac officer to perform the duty. When the habitat unit was at last free, Lt. Olivetti guided the remote-controlled tug to the link coupling and locked on. She then expertly guided the habitat into the
Gatherer
's maintenance bay. The cavernous bay was empty except for the MAT, a shuttle, and two tugs, so it wasn't difficult to maneuver the habitat inside the ship. If the freight haulers wanted the habitat unit in a different position, they could use oh-gee freight blocks to move it after the bay was pressurized.

With both units inside, the freighter was permitted to close the maintenance bay. Once sealed, the
Gatherer
requested permission to rebuild its envelope. Sydnee nodded to the com chief and he relayed the approval. Two minutes later the envelope was complete and the freighter resumed its course towards Centrasia.

* * *

Weems had to wait until the maintenance bay was pressurized before allowing the MAT's occupants to deploy. As per standard operating procedure, the Marines piled out of the MAT as soon as the hatch opened and took up positions around the ship as bored maintenance workers returned to their jobs and looked on with non-threatening poses. An interdiction search was an old story to any who weren't on their first cruise.

MacDonald contacted the
Justice
and got a short list of the first containers to search based on an examination of the manifest listing. She divided her people into four teams and all headed for their assigned containers.

When the first team arrived at their assigned container, the staff sergeant opened the hatch and climbed down. Halfway down the ladder he stopped and looked around. Lights had come on as soon as the hatch had been opened so the contents of the first level were visible. He groaned silently as he looked at the task ahead and multiplied that by thirty-three hundred, which was the approximate number of containers being transported by the freighter. He wondered aloud if they'd have the entire job done by the time he was due to collect his pension.

Since the first containers to be checked were the most likely to contain the generator, the Marines did an extra thorough job. Crates had to be opened and then resealed after being assured by Lance Corporal Addams or Chief Luscome, who was still aboard the
Justice
, that the 'machine parts' inside weren't part of the missing generator.

The Marines didn't quit when they were scheduled to go off-duty. Instead, they remained at their task until they were done with the container. As they wearily climbed back out of the container and it was closed, the staff sergeant sealed it with special wire seals that contained a tamper switch. The small device would send a pulse if anyone tried to cut the wire or bypass the switch. When the interdiction was over, they would return and retrieve all the devices.

The idea of bringing over the habitat proved to have been a brilliant inspiration. Instead of trying to sleep in the MAT, each Marine would sleep in his usual bed after getting a hot meal in the mess area.

* * *

"Captain," Captain Choi said to Sydnee on the day following the first efforts to locate the generator, "your people won't tell us what they're searching for. We know this isn't an ordinary interdiction effort. Perhaps we can help."

"We know Trans-Galaxy is a solid company with an excellent reputation for never knowingly transporting contraband. I would gladly welcome your assistance, Captain, but we're under orders not to discuss the matter with you or your crew."

"I understand, Captain. I simply thought we might speed your effort if we knew what you were looking for."

"Perhaps it would, and I appreciate your generous offer, but I can't accept."

"A shame."

"Yes. To make our presence on your ship as unobtrusive as possible, I've ordered my people not to interfere with your daily operations or interact with your crew in any way that would take them away from their duties."

"I want to apologize again for my arrogance and rudeness during our first conversation. Naturally, we will support your search in any way we can. You need only ask."

"Thank you. Captain. I appreciate it. Good day."

"Good day, Captain."

* * *

By the end of the seventh day, the Marines aboard the
Gatherer
were dragging. They had been working day and night and had only completed checking the containers that the
Justice
's computer speculated were
most
likely to contain the generator. They were now beginning to check containers at the stern end of the cargo section with the intention of working their way forward to the bow. Sydnee had decided to progress in this direction on the possibility that the generator was in a container added near the end of the loading. But in reality, containers could be attached in almost any order, and entire cargo sections could be separated to make space for other sections prior to departure.

Sydnee had spent her days watching images from the helmet cams of the Marines performing the search operations. She wanted to request assistance from other ships with larger interdiction staffs, but it was still early in the effort. Perhaps if they didn't find the generator in three more weeks, she could justify requesting help. But by then her Marines would be worn out if they maintained the pace they had followed so far, or they might begin to be less thorough in their searching. She would have to come up with a solution before it reached that point.

When she heard a chime in her left ear, she touched her ring and said, "Marcola."

"Syd, it's Kel."

"Hi, Kel. How are you doing?"

"I'm beat. It's been a long day, but we completed another seven containers."

"You and your guys have been doing a great job. We've been watching the images from the helmet cams. All searches have been thorough and by the book."

"Yeah, but at this rate we won't even have completed a third of the containers by the time we get to Centrasia. We need help if we're going to get this job done."