First Command (40 page)

* * * * *

      
Friedrich Debran met with Roger Delphant in his office on board the executive transport.
 
Mr. Debran was in an upbeat mood.

      
“Roger, I don’t know if you noticed that there were two yellow suns off to starboard as we made our approach.
 
I would bet that our friends here haven’t made a proper survey or claim on any planets or exploitable asteroid belts that might be there.
 
Get our usual survey specialists energized and in here quickly.
 
I want those systems surveyed and filed with the GR courts as soon as possible – as in days Roger, not weeks.”

      
“Yes, Mr. Debran, I’ll see to it immediately.
 
I know just who to contact.”

      
Mr. Debran thought to himself that there were trillions of credits to be made here if he could move quickly.

Chapter Fifteen

      
Steven Maynard met with Friedrich Debran in the main administrative building.
 
Mr. Debran made no pleasantries and launched right into his presentation.

      
“Mr. Maynard, the one constant in the Galactic Republic is the need for more land and resources.
 
Earth is over-populated.
 
The original ten new worlds are approaching over-population, as are several of the second tier worlds.
 
They are constantly seeking out new habitable worlds for settlement of excess population.
 
They’re willing to pay generously for open land on which to settle these immigrants.
 
I propose to make effective use of my contacts in the Galactic Republic, on your behalf, to offer land that you make available to me.
 
I will collect all funds, arrange transport here, meet any planetary clearance procedures you establish, and settle the new immigrants here.
 
When they are happily settled, I will provide you a complete accounting, and keep only a 30% commission.
 
Besides, with your surrender to the Galactic Republic, your supply of workers dries up.”

      
Steven Maynard studied Mr. Debran’s written proposal in front of him while he listened to the briefing.
 
At Mr. Debran’s pause he said, “Mr. Debran, I like your proposal.
 
There is one minor change we would like to make.
 
We would like 300 million credits up front to ensure you are focused on our mutual benefit.”

      
Friedrich Debran stood up.
 
“Do you think me a fool?
 
It will be years before I’d make any return on that investment.”

      
“No, Mr. Debran, I do not think you a fool.
 
Do not think me one, either.
 
You stand to make trillions of credits from this agency.
 
There is over 3 billion excess population on Earth and the ten first tier worlds and half that number in the second tier worlds you speak of.
 
If you made only a credit per immigrant you would recoup your entire investment and then some in a few months.
 
Of course, we both know you will receive much more than a credit per immigrant.
 
300 million is our price.
 
Take it or leave it.”

      
Friedrich Debran had been a shrewd negotiator long enough to know when the negotiation was over.
 
He had been willing to pay much more for this deal, so he was still coming out ahead.
 
He reached his hand across the table to shake Steven’s hand and said, “We have a deal.”

      
In a few moments the necessary changes had been made, the credits transfer verified, and the deal signed.
 
Both sides were happy.

* * * * *

      
Thorson returned by midday, and Steven pulled the lawyers into his office and began work on the surrender negotiation preliminaries.
 
The Admiral waited patiently for an hour, then demanded the negotiations begin.
 
Steven, Thorson, and the team of lawyers sat down at the conference table opposite Admiral Minacci, Kelly, and the 3rd ALG JAGs.

      
The negotiation went swiftly with Steven agreeing to every term the Fleet JAGs insisted on.
 
Maynard’s lawyer offered a few changes to the document, mostly dealing with recognizing the existing government of Barataria and respect for its laws.
 
By early evening, the documents had been verified by both teams of lawyers and agreed to for signature tomorrow at the surrender ceremony.

      
The Brotherhood’s lawyers also presented certified copies of Barataria’s non-aligned world charter, finalized filed claims on three adjacent solar systems, filed application for GR membership, and appointment of Francis Jesse Thorson as the Ambassador-at-Large for Baratarian and GR relationships.

      
Now all that was needed was the thumbprint acceptance tomorrow at midday, to make it all official.
 
Roger Delvane sat down with Admiral Minacci’s protocol officer to iron out the details for the ceremony tomorrow, while Kelly and the admiral retired to the guest quarters that had been made available to them just across from the parade field.
 
Steven Maynard had invited them to dinner at the best restaurant on Barataria, and Kelly had requested invitations for CPT Chen, LTJG Cortez, and Alistair.

      
While Kelly was changing he heard a knock on his door.
 
He opened the door to see Mary Chen in her hot weather dress uniform.
 
It featured a white hat and shirt worn outside the waistband of the red skirt, which showed off Mary’s shapely legs.

      
She strode by Kelly without asking.
 
Kelly shrugged, closed the door, and continued getting dressed.
 
He wore his blue-black pants and a T-shirt, having not yet put on his uniform shirt.
 
Mary sat on the bed, smoothing her skirt to prevent wrinkles.

      
“What can I do for you, Mary?”

      
She laughed and said, “Well, I’ve been trying to get into your bed for a while now and this is as close as I’ve gotten.
 
No, I got ready too soon and was becoming stir crazy in my room.
 
I hate these events.
 
I never know how to make polite conversation.
 
I hope you don’t mind the company.”

      
“It’s alright.
 
When in doubt, ask if the weather is normal.
 
People love to talk about their weather to strangers.
 
If that dries up, compliment them on something cultural you’ve seen as you’ve wandered around the city.
 
I would recommend asking them about the ruins of the previous civilization.
 
Ruin View is the name of the restaurant.”

      
She shifted slightly on the bed, causing her skirt to hike up and expose more of her nice legs.
 
She said, “Thanks, I’ll use those.
 
As you might have imagined, my Dad was not big on protocol or niceties.
 
He was a legend in the Marines, but not for his tact or diplomacy.”

      
Kelly pulled on his shirt, buttoned it, and tucked it in.
 
Mary got up off the bed to help him get it tucked evenly across the back.
 
When they both looked in the mirror and were satisfied with their appearance, they left the room.

      
Alistair and Connie were in the corridor.
 
Kelly had noticed the two becoming quite chummy in the last week.
 
He wished them the best.
 
Their duties wouldn’t allow much chance to be together after Alistair was delivered back to his ship.
 
The Vigilant’s patrol schedule and the wide-ranging assignments of a Reporting Officer would make future meetings rare.
 
They looked happy in each other’s company, so Kelly kept his thoughts to himself.

      
They met the Admiral in the lobby, and waited a short time for Mr. Delvane to arrive with a ground car.
 
The ground car was a luxury model and they all fit in the passenger’s compartment with no crowding.
 
Mr. Delvane kept a running commentary of local sights and places of interest.
 
Kelly elbowed Mary so she’d pay attention.

      
Shortly, they arrived at the restaurant and Alistair had a sheepish look on his face.
 
Kelly asked what was the matter when they all got out.
 
He mentioned that he had been here quite recently.
 
Kelly could only imagine what that meant.

      
They had the restaurant to themselves.
 
Mr. Maynard met them at the door.
 
He escorted the admiral into a small, intimate bar and got a drink for him.
 
He had arranged for all their counterparts to meet them at the door and similarly escort them to the bar.
 
Kelly’s unfortunate counterpart was the Torpedo Ship Wing Commander.
 
A handsome, but celibate, Ascetic Presbyter, first-class, escorted Mary.
 
A Torpedo Ship Flight Commander was Connie’s escort.
 
Ambassador Thorson escorted Alistair.

      
After a couple of drinks and some polite, but sometimes restrained conversation, all were ushered into the dining room by Mr. Delvane.
 
The dinner was marvelous, a delicious four-course meal of soup, roast meat with local vegetables, salad, and a dessert.
 
Kelly noticed the Ascetic Presbyter had no problem consuming the fine food.
 
The Admiral asked if he could compliment the chef and a short pudgy woman in white chef’s clothes was brought out to meet him and share a glass of wine.

      
She was only slightly embarrassed by the effusive praise heaped upon her by the Admiral.
 
Then she saw Alistair at the end of the table.
 
She walked up to him, slapped him on the back, and said that he did look them up as he promised and this time he did come in through the front door.
 
An awkward moment was diffused when Alistair replied that he just had to come back to sample more of her exquisite cuisine.
 
She beamed.

      
After tables were cleared and brandy had been served, Steven asked the admiral about the K’Rang.
 
He asked if they had any evidence the K’Rang were going to advance into the Star Cluster.
 
Admiral Minacci replied that there was a K’Rang fleet poised just outside the cluster, but that they had yet to exhibit any behavior that signified they were preparing to move into the cluster.
 
Steven vowed to place all Baratarian forces under Admiral Minacci’s command if the K’Rang made any move into the cluster.
 
The Admiral thanked him for his faith in him.
 
He told Steven that he had requested a cruiser squadron be sent to reinforce him.
 
Now, if they only get here before the K’Rang moved.

      
The dinner broke up.
 
The Admiral, Kelly, and Mary were dropped off at the guesthouse, while Connie and Alistair were taken on to the Vigilant.
 
Kelly changed into his duty uniform and met Mary to walk over to their respective charges.
 
Kelly made a quick walk through of the Vigilant; saw all was as it should be.
 
Mary made a similar walk through of her unit berthed on board the AS-500, and returned with Kelly to the guesthouse.

      
Kelly awoke alone in the early morning light.
 
A fully dressed Mary Chen leaned over him, kissed him, and said, “Go back to sleep.
 
You have two hours before the alarm goes off.”

      
She said she was going back to her room to change into her physical training clothes and go for a run.
 
She asked if he would care to join her.
 
Kelly rose up, kissed her, and said he’d already had enough exercise keeping up with her.
 
He’d pass on the run.

      
She asked, “Would you like to help me get cleaned up after my run?
 
You could scrub my back.”

      
Kelly smiled at the thought, but passed.
 
He would probably be back on the Vigilant for breakfast.
 
“Why don’t you join me there after you clean up from your run?”

      
As she headed out the door, she said, “An unmetered shower together would have been a lot more fun.”

* * * * *

      
The time for the ceremony approached.
 
Kelly called his crew into formation and inspected their uniforms for the ceremony.
 
Mary’s inspection was formal and highly regimented, while Kelly’s inspection was relaxed and matter of fact.
 
Kelly was impressed with the way she could slap the heavy M57 blast rifle from the arms of her Marines and twirl it like it was a plastic toy.
 
When it came to a stop she let go and it hung in the air for a split second, then the Marine grasped and cycled the weapon closed and safe.