Solbidyum Wars 3: Pirates of Goo'waddle Canals (22 page)

“I think you’re right.  Let’s do it,” I said.  “I still don’t like the idea of us carrying this unknown package, though.  We have no idea what it might be.  If it’s a simple gem-smuggling operation, I don’t mind, but if it’s something that could harm others, it causes me great concern.”

“It’s highly unlikely it’s anything like that.  The governments on these outer planets are relatively loose.  Big business and large mining and agricultural cartels are the ones that really run things, and they tightly regulate prices and the movement of goods.  This creates a real opportunity for a black market for most items and goods, but the harsh methods used by the cartels to deal with those that get caught make it a very dangerous business.  The cartels have their own patrol ships and police forces that search for contraband.  They stop and search ships regularly and even cooperate with other cartels by reporting when they find something that impacts another cartel’s areas of interest.”

“So if I were smuggling gems and was stopped by a fruit grower’s cartel who found the gems during their search, they would report me to the mining consortium?” I asked.

“Not only would they report you, they would detain you until mining consortiums’ security forces showed up.  There are actually inter-cartel agreements that outline protocols for reporting anything they discover.”

“What happens to those who are caught?”

“It could be almost anything, depending on whose goods you’re trying to smuggle.  Sometimes you may get away with a severe beating; other times they may trash your ship and leave you helpless on a derelict craft; or they may seize you and your crew to be sold as slaves.  They have even been known to cut off an arm or leg, or blind you in one eye… or, if you cross them on a bad day, they may just blow up your ship with you on it.”

“And the local government doesn’t intervene?” I asked, somewhat dumbfounded.

“No, not really.  Without the cartels’ money and backing, the local governments couldn’t survive at all.  As it is, the local governments provide little more than a police force to quell domestic problems and control the people.  They maintain the spaceports and some streets and a few of the utilities within the cities and they keep a small military presence as a defensive force.  But, for the most part, the government is a puppet to the cartels.  The water and sanitation systems are independent and cartel-run, as are the medical facilities on the planets within this system.  Each cartel operates their own banking system and, if you work for a cartel, you use only the bank of your employer.  They do, however, allow pawn shops to exist and operate independently.  Of course, if you don’t work for a cartel but are lucky enough to have some money, any of the cartel banks will gladly take your money.  But you won’t get terms as good as cartel members do.  We’ll need to open an account with at least one cartel bank here, if we wish to do business.  I would suggest that we open accounts with two separate rival cartels; that way, if we should get on the bad side of one and they freeze our funds, we will still be able to draw on the other.”

“This all sounds barbaric to me,” Kala said.

“You have no idea just how barbaric, but you’re about to find out,” Kerabac said.

Up until this moment in my life, since leaving Earth, I had not been on the surface of very many planets.  Megelleon, Alle Bamma, Plosaxen and Gaimse were the few where I had actually set foot.  Of those, only Alle Bamma was a non-aligned planet and was most certainly of a primitive nature.  I think I was expecting Ryken to be similar to Federation planets, only less sophisticated and organized.  What I encountered when we left the ship was an assortment of things ranging from the primitive to the ultra-modern.  Vehicles of all types, styles and models moved about the spaceport landing area, loading and unloading cargo.  An ultra-modern conveyance might be parked at one ship to unload goods, while next to it an animal-drawn cart and human slaves were loading another.  Ships of all types and condition also lined the spaceport.  Some were sleek and modern, and others looked like composites of junk that barely looked capable of flying even a short distance.  Compared to the other ships at the spaceport, the
RASSON BEDAN
appeared to be slightly above the middle range in style and condition — certainly nothing that would draw any special attention.

“Alright, you lazy bastards, get to it and load these crates on the truck!” Endina yelled at Marranalis and me, as she stood poised in the cargo hold doorway with her hands on her hips.  “Be careful with those crates — you break a single bottle and I’ll break your skulls…”

“Damn, she’s good,” Marranalis muttered under his breath as we began transferring the cargo to the truck.

“Let’s just hope it convinces any onlookers that we’re just a bunch of sorry slaves doing our jobs,” I said.

Under normal circumstances, selling our cargo to bars and clubs would never pay the expenses for the operations of a ship and crew like the
RASSON BEDAN
; but the likelihood of anyone paying close attention to our activities or checking up on our transactions was slim.  Anyone looking our way would witness Kerabac doing business with local merchants and businesses; beyond that no one would be interested how much or little we were actually making or selling.

The ride into the city to make the delivery was an eye-opener as well.  The truck was a rental from a local shipping company, who also provided the driver.  Endina rode in the cab of the truck and gave him directions as we moved through the city.  Marranalis and I were required to ride in the back of the truck with the cargo.  Endina had given us strict warnings in front of the driver: “Don’t even think about taking a sip of that liquor.  If I see even a single bottle with a broken seal when we arrive, I will peel the skins off both of you in thin strips until there’s none left.”  Her delivery was so well performed that even the driver looked scared — and he wasn’t even a slave.

Kerabac, Kala, Sokaia and Padaran preceded us in a luxury conveyance, as would be typical for any self-important Ruwallie Rasson trader and slave owner.  Marranalis and I were free to look at the sights from the back of the truck as we navigated the dusty streets of the city.  Perhaps the term ‘street’ is a bit misleading, as the real streets were segmented through various parts of the city.  The areas controlled by various cartels were obvious; those sectors were finished with paved streets, sidewalks and street illumination.  Modern buildings surrounded by landscaping gave the appearance of affluence here; but just as quickly as we entered cartel territory we passed into an adjacent neighborhood webbed with dirt paths for roads, rundown shacks and dilapidated buildings.  Some appeared to be abandoned; but amid the shadows were forms moving about, indicating that these decrepit areas were indeed inhabited.  Before long we made another turn to find ourselves once again on a paved street lined with business establishments. 

At one point I noted several naked women chained to a wall outside one building.  I commented to Marranalis about it and he explained that they were slave prostitutes, who were displayed on the street to draw in clients.  As we progressed farther along the street, the business establishments became more attractive and sophisticated. 

We came to a sudden stop.  Endina got out of the truck and walked ahead to Kerabac’s conveyance.  The two of them spoke for a moment before she returned, after which our driver pulled the truck around Kerabac’s vehicle and into a small alleyway behind a building.  We waited there several minutes before a door opened at the back of the building.  A rather large man exited, followed by Kerabac and his female slaves, Kala and Sokaia, who were naked from the waist up and otherwise clad in only short skirts.  I assumed the man was Howebim; I could hear him talking as the group approached.

“So let’s see how good this stuff really is,” Howebim said.

“It’s the very best,” Kerabac said, his white teeth gleaming in the sun.

“
Hmmph, we’ll see about that.”

“You!
Tagar!  Bring one of those cases here and open it!”

For the briefest of moments, I forgot that “Tagar” was me.  Then, realizing I was supposed to be doing something, I acted somewhat sullen as I shuffled to the stacks to pick up a case.

“MOVE!” Kerabac snarled, “Or you’ll feel the shock of your collar!”

I moved a little faster, sliding the case closer to the edge of the truck.  Then I ripped open the cover and retreated to my corner.  Kerabac moved forward and removed a bottle, handing it to Howebim.  He held the bottle up to the light and peered into the amber liquid as though by sight alone he could taste the liquor inside.

“It looks like the real thing, but there’s only one way to verify whether this is authentic.”

“Go ahead and taste it,” Kerabac said.  “It’s pure
Andarian whiskey – the best there is – and I’m willing to sell it to you at 30% below what your usual suppliers here do.”

“Thirty percent?!  You must have stolen this to be selling it at that price,” he said as he removed the cap, “… not that I care, as long as the stuff is real.”  Howebim waved the open bottle under his nose before lifting it to his lips.

“Ahh, by the stars, that’s the best damn liquor I’ve ever tasted.  How many cases you have here on the truck?”

“Twenty,” Kerabac said.

“I’ll take them all.  You got anymore besides these?”

“I’m afraid not,” Kerabac lied, as the remaining supply would be needed for later trades.

“Damn shame,” Howebim said, smacking his lips as he took another sip.  “I’d’ve bought every bottle you had at this price.  Have your slaves carry the cases inside; one of my men will direct them to the liquor storage.  While they’re doing that, I’ll get you your money. 

“You mentioned to me when you were here earlier that you are heading to Goo’Waddle next.  Is that still your plan?”  Howebim turned toward the door as Kerabac followed. 

“Yes, it is,” Kerabac said.

“Would you be interested in making a little more money?  I have something that needs to be delivered there,” Howebim said.  “I’d like you to take a package to my brother, Agama.  I’ll pay you nicely for your services, if you can manage to keep anyone from learning that you’re a courier for me…if you know what I mean.”

Howebim and Kerabac entered the door where one of Howebim’s men stood by, waiting for Marranalis and me to bring in the cases.

“Alright, you lazy
rothsnide mongrels, you heard the man.  He wants these cases inside.  Get your asses moving,” Endina yelled.  “And so help me, if you break a bottle…!”

Marranalis and I carried the cases inside and followed Howebim’s man to a storage room stocked nearly full of cases of liquor.  We were directed as to where to stack the cases, as Howebim’s man glared at us.  I tried to look bored and downtrodden, as I carried out my task, all the while trying to take note of the contents of the room.  While the majority of it seemed be liquor and other spirits, I noted several boxes of what appeared to be rocks tucked away in a dark corner.  I suspected that they were probably crude gem rocks from one of the local mines and that, as Kerabac suggested, Howebim was acquiring and smuggling the gems to his brother on Goo’Waddle.

Marranalis and I returned to the truck and Endina instructed us to get in the back and wait.  A few moments passed before Howebim and Kerabac returned with Kala and Sokaia in tow.  Another man behind Kerabac was carrying a small box about a half-meter square that he placed in the back of the truck with Marranalis and me.

“Don’t let anything happen to this box.  Got it?”  Kerabac growled at us.

“Yes,” both Marranalis and I mumbled, our eyes downcast.

“You sure you won’t sell me this one?” Howebim said, as I looked up to see him stroking Kala’s breast.  It took every measure of restraint I could muster to keep from leaping out of the truck and flattening him.  Kala had her eyes averted and was looking up with a look of disgust on her face.

“No,” Kerabac said with what I could tell was a forced grin.  “In spite of her insolence, this one is my favorite; I wouldn’t sell her at five times what you already offered.”

“Pity,” Howebim muttered.  “I could make a fortune renting her out to some of my clients.  Oh, well.  I’m still getting a good deal on the liquor; and if you deliver this package successfully, I may consider using your services to complete other similar deliveries.  Just make sure you get it to my brother, Agama, by the deadline, as you promised – and without anyone knowing about it.”

“You can count on that.”  Kerabac lifted his arm, displaying the secured courier wristband.

“Yeah, that’s what the last courier said that I hired.  He’s no longer with us.”

The trip back to the ship was uneventful, though I did note several places that appeared to be walled communities with guarded gates.  Through the gates I saw large homes and well-groomed grounds; it was obvious that those who lived inside these boundaries lived a far different lifestyle from those on the outside.  It made me think of my own incredible wealth.  In spite of the enormous wealth of these extremely powerful cartels, I could buy this entire planet and many more like it.  I pondered whether I was as guilty as they were in living the lifestyle I did, while others in the galaxy lived in conditions that were even poorer than what I was seeing here.  While I slept free in my own bed on my own ship or my sprawling estate, there were people out here suffering in terrible, unspeakable conditions —many living their entire lives in the chains of forced labor and slavery, like the prostitutes we observed earlier.