\No, no. It’s a mystery. You have to visit to get more.\
I groan, wanting to share the fun drink with Zia, but I take the message as the bait that it is. Once we got past the military-employee burdens, we watched a movie and threw food at the screen of the b-level movie.
As much as I would have liked to hang out with her more, I have much business to get to in the six weeks until their ship arrives in Sol. Ugh, traditional warping takes so long. My own shuttle can do the transit in two weeks if we’re lazy. A single jump if I want to burn out a few things and destroy some otherwise rechargeable crystals. Aria is basically mil-tech, so I shouldn’t complain about her limitations. That said, Aria has a schedule for me that I’m not fond of. I have a meeting with the allied LA gangs that came at me two weeks ago, and I have a judgement session with the Governor the week after.
“Next time you go on a diplomat tour to save face, I’d appreciate if you left me behind”
“You literally asked to come with me on my next Astoria visit, Patience. I also know that you booked a few ‘experiences’ to add some danger and gravitas to your visit.”
“Okay, going on that hunt, while the most terrifying thing of my life, was worth it. Made some connections, they have a foraging arm of their business, and there were some cute hunters that wanted playmates.”
“Oh, gross. Do not explain.” I que up the flight plan, including a two day stop in Moiriax, and let Aria do the rest. Astorian traffic control requires a User to pilot the ship in sub-geosynch maneuvering, so I have to pay attention for ten minutes. Ugh, the inconvenience. These days, the Astoria pattern is set in buoys, so there is no warping out of lane if you want to maintain your ability to operate without a local pilot. Those bastards are expensive and required for anything sub-geo over 20k tons. There is a reason there is a geo-stat station around the planet, and another around Mercy.
“Are you going to need me in Reno? I could use a few days at Elsewhere to manage my whole life?”
I snort at that. She has been on a whirlwind since she signed on. “How’s your assistant search coming? And I can only promise two days. I do need you in Reno, as I don’t travel solo with men, so if you absolutely need to stay in Elsewhere, I can call Paris down from Humboldt each day.”
“Please? I mean, could you? I desperately want to un-scatter the corporate quagmire you created and hire people to un-muck it with and for me?” And I tell you, watching a forty-something woman plead with you, is a new and humbling experience. I maybe ask too much of her.
“Ugh, fine. Have reasonable requests. Hire me two assistants, one for each company. I’m keeping you as the executive assistant ‘cause I like you and trust you.” The naked honesty is awkward for me, but this seems like the right situation for it.
“You’re charming. Am I restricted to women for these positions?”
“No, not at all. I just can’t personally handle a male personal assistant. My company liaisons can by any race/gender.” It’s hard to look at someone when you’re trying to explain that my slight sexism is trauma-centric, while not admitting to it.
“I got you. I’m going to message Paris, telling him you’re calling an audible and that he’s more on-call than 24/7 duty?” She checks to make sure and I nod.
The days in Moiriax are mellow. I drop onto Clotho by the crystal factory and find a place about 10km away to nestle my brewery in a crevice on the more seismic side of the moon. It’s maybe four times the size of my microbrew in Elsewhere, but it’s also hardened with artificial gravity plates and some geo-mechanical generators. I deliver-in-place the various items I need after the building, and all in all it was easy, but expensive. I set up a batch to ferment and after two weeks, filter and transfer to cold storage until I can get back for the alchemic process.
***
I’m getting to the point where I want to abandon Earth for the hassle. That said, eighty percent of the hassle is in my decision to be a multiple settlement owner—even knowing that people are a pain in the ass.
“Jack, I’m fucking serious dude, back off Deputy mode and talk to me.”
He rubs his face, looks at the wild bazaar on my Humboldt property and shakes his head. “There are supposed to be taxes on all of these goods, and I’m sure that half of them aren’t legal!”
“This isn’t Reno, buckaroo, and Reno declined to be a part of my alliance, so they don’t get the trade bennies. What else?”
“No, Kimber, Nevahrado does care, they just didn’t mind when what you were doing was small.”
“Yeah, I’ll talk with the comptroller or the Governor about it. Talking Deputy to Deputy isn’t going to resolve anything. You want some bbq? The mountain lion is apparently fresh.” I point over to a stall set out on the public grounds in front of the Humboldt government hall.
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He huffs and shakes his head. “No. That’s supposed to be a protected animal. Just . . . can we just head to Reno for the meeting now?” His resignation is obvious in the tired grunt he finishes with. I can’t help but smile at his utter discomfort at trying to handle me.
Twenty minutes later, we arrive at the docking tree at the edge of the Capitol District and ride the elevator down to street level. There’s an attendant waiting for us and he radios in when we walk out toward the street. He holds his ear like a terrible security guard, then waves us to follow.
To the man’s credit he leads us to the Senate Hall instead of the Governor’s office: I would have been lost in minutes without him. The room is bio or chip-coded, I notice as the man scans his palm before admitting us to the room.
I recognize the Governor, his assistant, the two people from my holo-chat with the gang leaders, and Sheriff Winchester, but I don’t know the twelve other people in the room. Was I supposed to bring more that Paris with me?
“Kimber!” The Governor exclaims. Greeting me more as a settlement leader than a Deputy, though, is a change of pace for the man. “These business people have interest in aiding in the stability of the southern region, isn’t that grand?”
“Bill,” fuck him. If I’m ‘Kimber’ instead of deputy, or Settlement Owner, he doesn’t get to be Governor. His face sours appropriately. “These people are gangsters. Let’s not put lipstick on this pig and get to the real conversation.”
Winchester’s mustache practically catches fire with the glower he levies at me. I smile my brightest smile and turn away from my sometimes boss.
“Uh, sure. Both . . . companies came together to petition Nevahrado for a business charter. I find their terms quite reasonable . . .”
“Bill, shit or get off the pot.” He looks so flustered in a time-wasting fish gawp that I turn to the man and the woman that I have talked to before. “So, you two, tell me what you got Bill to agree to and we can talk terms.”
The woman who made a less than favorable first impression with me smirks and advances on me in a hip swashing gait. “Miss Novarro, we have negotiated that as our organizations are larger, we should be responsible for regional security and policy. Local agreements should be honored to aid the transition, and should . . .”
I flare my eyes and pulse divine aether into the air. “Lying to me is worthless, Sienna Kane. You want the responsibility of Vegas? You can have it. What I won’t allow is you trying to dictate law to me. Nevahrado is the closest law I recognize. But even if you control Vegas, I am still the Deputy of the Southern Region.” I glare at them, knowing that the conflict will chafe immeasurably.
“Yes, well, Kimber, due to a charitable donation, they have negotiated a replacement.” The Governor is right to be nervous. I pierce his whole life with my new eyes and find that ‘charitable’ and ‘donation’ are both falsehoods. I also find that his earnestness in replacing me is true. He wants me gone or under heel, and he feels that this will put me under heel. Empress, is this new eyesight a fucking trip.
“No worries Bill. I serve at the pleasure of the Sheriff’s office, and should he agree?” Winchester nods. “I am out of your hair.”
“You will still be on contract for the judgement services in Colorado Springs.” The man says.
“As the contract was based on my having the authority to judge, I believe my contract is recently voided.”
The chubby man grins with a sinister tilt to his head. “Those words were not in the contract we discussed.” Interesting.
“Sure, I’ll entertain that. Let us see shall we?” I summon the scroll that we agreed to and unroll it. There are several caveats that said the government would abide by my judgements, but not on my authority to do so. Huh, I’ll be a stump. “Seems correct sir. But there appears to be something you’ve overlooked, just here.” I point to the lines that say they agree to uphold my judgements. He leans in to read it and I touch his face.
“[Pass Judgement]” I whisper to the man as I fall into his psyche.
Handshakes. So many handshakes, lies and ink on the dotted line. A few deals gone wrong, and many, many deals to line his own pockets.
I want to claim his Ill-gotten gains for the government of all settlements he’s affected and to brand the man as a cheat for the rest of his days.
As close to that as applicable, yes.
A surge of mana leaves me and the man before me is wide-eyed and speechless. I crouch down to his level and peer into his eyes. “Now remember, Bill. My contract says that Nevahrado will back my judgements.” I pat his face to reinforce the embarrassment of the supposed most powerful man in the room.
I take my tin star from my chest and put it in my pocket, not quite petulant enough to flick it into the boards at Winchester’s feet. Instead, I send the information, packets and recorded squabbles of my former region to the Sheriff.
“Sienna and partner in gang, good luck. My security services will patrol and enforce my expanded territory,” I turn to the sheriff, “for all of my settlements. If you escalate before talking with me, I will respond with extreme prejudice. Ask Jake what I mean if you are unsure.”
I start on my way out of the room, a full head of fire in my veins as I move my feet. Winchester seems to have other ideas.
“I can’t let you leave after assaulting the governor.”
“By my agreement with the Territory, it’s not assault. It’s justice.”
“He was not a part of the agreement, and I’m going to have to arrest you.”
“Here, read the agreement he made. Tell me if you think that everyone in the room that I am to judge in isn’t culpable. I just delayed my judgement, Sheriff.”
He spends a few minutes reading and re-reading. “This agreement is quite vague in regards to whom is ‘presented for judgement’.”
“I agree. So, you letting me go?” The man sighs.
“You’ll be escorted to your transport, and after that, you will not be allowed in Reno again unless you are specifically invited to do so.” I look him in the eyes and search for any untruth or dishonesty to find that he’s literally never lied or intended to mislead me. Shit, that’s a lot.
“I can handle that. It’s a shame that you hopped back into a politician’s pocket, I was starting to like you.” I know the parting shot will grate on his sensibilities, but he literally let a couple of gangsters buy my Deputy spot. I really should be madder about this, but I got so thoroughly outmaneuvered that there’s no arguing to be done.
I can’t believe I got fired.