Working tittle Sirius

[nadinbrzezinski]

Short story... Not worried abuot work shopping this on an open board since this is for my gaming magazine

Sirius

by

Nadin Brzezinski

“Message received.” Connor Domingues slammed his PCOM closed. He looked around him. Serfs were everywhere, and he knew they’d love to kill him. A couple noticed his anger and averted his gaze as soon as he glared at them. They’d kill any who kept them in this hellish place. They might get their chance if things wer as bad as the message insinuated. He was not going to stay for the slaughter. He put his PCOM into the carrier on his belt and then closed his fist, until his knuckles were white. He turned and sprinted towards the Tyrone Lightly Armored Vehicle. The driver turned the vehicle on, and it rose on the hover skirts. The air came out and pushed small cyclones of dust away, and towards his pants.
“You all right boss?”
“Nope, Duke Perrin was arrested by Naval Intelligence five days ago. The charges against him are damn serious, in fact so serious we may see this scum celebrate in their own special way.” Domingues got into the car, waiting for his chief of security to get on board. His Chief was not privy to the message. It came from Headquarters for Connor Domingues, as he inspected this mining production facility.
“Their special way...what do you want me to do?” Jack Vishniak asked, a slight tremble in his voice. He was a security specialist, working for Perrin Mining Inc, but he never expected this. Nor did he expect to be excluded from the information flow.
“Close all access to the Underweb, and increase their work hours by twenty percent. If they’re exhausted they’ll have even less time to think or organize. Oh, and Jack we need to disappear records.”
“They’re sending people?”
“More like sent. Colonel Robert Sprague is waiting for us at Headquarters.” He came on a transport from New Washington. I’ve been informed that there are now five Federal Navy cruisers in system. They’ve taken over duties from the System Guard. We don’t control Feddies The Guard was ordered to port. They leave, the Navy has the authority to use deadly force. Captain Boticelli of the Gagarin ordered his ships into a general stand down. He refused to tell us anything, just that his people were cooperating with them Feddies.”
“MI-2?” Jack Vishniak asked, not realizing that the Guard was now compromised.
“Yep, MI-2.”
“What in Odin’s name did the Duke do?”
“I don’t exactly know, but if MI-2 is involved in more than just sniffing around the damn edges.” Connor Dominguez met the eyes of his security chief, who nodded. Both knew that MI-2 had jurisdiction over crimes committed by Nobles. They usually kept themselves busy with small fry, such as newly minted Barons, but they were going after a Duke, for Odin’s sake.
The Tyrone started down towards the underground tunnel. The hatch cycled and the car made its way into the pressurized underground tunnel Fluoros extended as far as the eye could see, and passed by at a fast clip. Domingues turned to his Chief of Security. “I don’t like it.”
“Can’t say I blame you boss.” The car slowed down, and the driver sent a signal to the hatch at the end of the tunnel. The signal cycled the hatch, and the Tyrone moved through it and into the Alpha Complex. There were tanks on the ground and the domes were closed from space. Red emergency lights flashed while the PA system droned on.
“...Attention residents, stay in your homes, martial law is in effect...attention citizens, stay in your homes, martial law is in effect...”
“What in Odin’s name is going on?” Jack Vishniak asked, his voice trembling. He pointed at the Fleet Marines, , some in ‘Frames. They were Light ‘Frames, but ‘Frames nonetheless.
“I don’t know.” Domingues said as the Tyrone came to a full stop. A Marine in full kit opened the door to the car and stood at attention. His assault rifle slung on his back, one that Connor Doningues didn’t recognize. His shoulder patch was that of a System Guard unit.

“Welcome gentlemen. Thank you for answering the call. Name’s colonel Sprague, with MI-2. I suspect you know why I’m here so let’s cut to the chase. Lord Domingues my people will allow you access to your office only to remove personal effects. Mr. Vishniak your people are under guard, for their own protection. You’re free to join them.”
“What in Odin’s name is going on?” Connor Domingues managed to mutte.
Colonel Sprague smiled. He loved this part of the job. “Your boss was arrested for selling out to the Confeds. He’ll be lucky if he does not slip on a bar of soap while in prison. The summary court martial did not recommend death, but only because he is still a Duke. I don’t know how long that will remain a fact. For the moment, I have orders. They include a careful investigation of this system and its business practices. I’d advise you cooperate Baron, or you wil join your boss.”
Connor Domingues paled by degrees. The overt use of force was meant as a message for him and his managers. He finally met the eyes of the MI-2 Colonel. “What do you want me to do?”
“Full cooperation. That is what I want you to do.” Sprague turned to one of his officers. “Captain Karzinsky will take you to your office, and ensure that you take only personal effects. You even try to take anything else, I will file charges. Is that clear?”
“Crystal.” Connor Domingues said after a long silence.
“Sir.” The Captain, a young woman wearing the uniform of the Tashkeni Marine Corp. said, as she pointed down the hall. The hall was lined by Marines in full kit. The fact that she wasn’t, though she wore a holster with a Katz 5 Service Gun, told Connor that they were serious.

“You realize that the Serfs will ahem celebrate.” Connor said as he put his wife’s holo in the provided box.
“How so?” Captain Karsinksy asked, her face hard to read.
“Where were you born Captain?”
“Keid III, My Lord.”
“Then you don’t know these animals.”
“Should I?”
“I’m trying to warn you. These animals will revolt, and kill at the first opportunity. They hate people like you or me.” The woman smiled for the first time. “You are enjoying this.”
“Sir I have no opinion on this. My Marine Company was given orders. We are following them. You seem afraid of violent death. What? Didn’t you do some time in the Military?” His eyes went down to her purple Bar. There were three stars on it. She’d been injured more than once in combat. Connor also “read” the rest of her ribbons. They included a silver star and a Bronze Star with a V.
“Supply if you must pry.” He finally whispered.
“Of course. Some of those animals serve honorably in the Keid III System Guard. I’m sure you knew that. Hell, some of those people are down here right now, are Second Battalion, Third Marine Keid III Guard. They’re patrolling the streets, in full kit.”
Connor saw the marine at the door. He turned to her, mouth agape in surprise.
“As the Colonel told you your boss sold codes. Right now the Feds are dealing with the crisis on Chara II. We were ordered here, we needed Marines. The Prince authorized bringing System Guard Marines. Many of them are ex serfs. Oh and you are right, they’d love to string you up from the highest tree. You are in luck, outside the agricultural pods, there are no trees on this damn rock. I’m sure reebar will serve.”
“What are you going to do with my security chief?”
“We are keeping you two separate. We will provide a lawyer, before we start the questioning. But you are in our list of suspects. Once you are done here you will be taken to your quarters. The MP will read you your rights.”
“Quarters?”
“For your own safety.” Captain Karsinsky smiled, “we would not want those animals to get to you, now would we?

Connor Domingues sat down on the bed. The small brown cardboard box with his personal effects was on the desk, which was bolted to the floor. He turned on the Holo, and was struck at seeing TNN’s signal broken by the Hess family crest. Lord Domingues knew this only happened when the Fist Prince made announcements to the nation. For the next ten minutes Connor listened to his ruler speak of horrors that not even he could predict.There were Aliens, a Confed attack on the capital system with thousands dead, and tens of thousands injured. Treason, the word stung. And it was treason by his boss, Duke Perrin. He felt tears coming down his cheeks. It was every man for himself. He stood, and walked to the door. “Guard!”
The door opened and the System Guard Marine met his gaze. “Get your Colonel.”
“Sir?”
“Just do it Corporal.” The Marine nodded, as he went on his COMMO. Domingues broke into a sweat, waiting for the MI-2 man to show up.
After ten long minutes the Colonel walked down the corridor at a leisurely pace. It looked as if he was talking as long as he could. He wanted to sweat him up. Finally Sprague stood in front of him. “Lord the Corporal said it was urgent.”
“Stop playing games Colonel. You knew of that announcement.”
“That is partially the reason we are here, yes.”
“What do you want?”
“My Lord, what exactly do you mean?”
“You’ve got the goods, don’t you?” Sprague smiled. “You want confirmation?”
“Indeed. “
“No charges.”
“I can’t guarantee that, but you’re small fry. I’m sure we can talk to the judge.”
“No prison.”
“That can be arranged. Do you need a lawyer?”
“For Odin’s sake, I think the last thing you want Colonel is a lawyer.”
“True. Lie to me though, and this deal is off.” Sprague turned and started walking down the passage way, whistling a tune.
The door closed, and Baron Connor Domingues sat down on the bed. Every man had a price, and they found his.

[Orrex]

1. I'm giving this a going-over, if you have no objections

I'll post back here in a day or so with some thoughts.

One tangential note: the link to your blog in your sig-line appears to be a little off, because it includes a comma at the end that throws off the address. FYI

on edit: And what's a "working tittle," by the way? :evilgrin:


Stay tuned!