Chapter 29

It was good to be home on Vreekoos after our little excursion to Arconia. We had not been bothered by the Protectorate’s internal security, though I suspected that they had checked us over ... along with a good few other ‘foreigners’ in their search for Myrialis and her mysterious bodyguard. One of the things we did do was take a tourist trip on the Spire as Kirim really wanted to, though we didn’t leave the international base at the bottom. We had barely got home and unpacked when we got an invite (summons) to pop up and see Amantil, no doubt for a debrief.

“Serenissima,” we greeted her appearance after we arrived.

“What have I told you about formalities?” she asked with a grin, before giving us hugs and Kiria a cuddle.

“Always best for a first greeting, just in case you have others here,” I replied. “Where’s Herrick?”

“Busy tracking down leads in the documentation you got to us,” she replied. “Currently he’s looking again into the injuries sustained by Yaros, the son of High Bureaucrat Spinnec as there is a connection to the Killios Cabal and this mysterious Vandaman alias.”

“Oh yes, I did wonder if it was sabotage at the time, but ImpSec found nothing,” I nodded.

“It still looks like nothing, other than a payment made and a notation mentioning Spinnec at the time of the incident. But these people are good. After all, they nearly got to me and we still aren’t sure how he got the clearance to breach security or if there were others.”

“No records at all?” Kirim asked. “I thought that was impossible, there’s always a trail.”

“As I said they are very good and somehow they can compromise the AI records, which suggests help here at a very high level,” Amantil shrugged.

“Well, we already knew it was an inside job,” I nodded. “But Spinnec at least opens new avenues of enquiry.”

“If there’s anything to find.”

“Take it Spinnec didn’t have any enemies?”

“He has a few, but they’re only political ones and they get along well enough away from the High Court.”

“What about his son?” I asked thoughtfully.

“He’s not out of school yet,” Amantil replied looking puzzled.

“I think I see where Dave is going here,” Kirim added. “Did Yaros cause a problem for another child of a High Bureaucrat, Noble or Corporate? Like keeping him out of the Grav-ball team. Ridiculous as that sounds?”

“I don’t know, it’s a hell of a lot of money to pay for something like that though, particularly as it didn’t kill the boy.”

“The injury to Yaros did keep him out of the school’s championship final,” an AI informed us.

“Who benefitted?” Amantil asked.

“Yaros’ school still won. He was replaced by Polo, the son of High Bureaucrat Urrot. The members of the squad all got fame and recognition, though none are ‘known’ sons of any of the High Court.”

“Urrot is known as a total nonentity,” Amantil mused thoughtfully. “That’s not to say he isn’t an effective High Bureaucrat of Stellar Area Two. But, if it’s a cover, then it’s a damned good one as he has no power base on Vreekoos, travels a lot and has no seeming ambitions other than to do his job to earn his rejuve.”

“Known sons?” I enquired.

“It’s possible that one might be a son of one of the elite males ... as it were,” Amantil explained. “Only the mother and father would know as the genetic records of the elite are held sacrosanct from inspection and enquiry.”

“Why’s that?”

“To prevent scandal as most of the elite are unlimited breeders and they won’t like the lower classes knowing what a bunch of libertines a small majority of their so called betters are.”

“Ah, the one rule for us another rule for you scenario,” I nodded.

“Very much so. I don’t interfere so long as they do their jobs, plus if they aren’t complaining...”

“Would having a college grav-ball medal make much of a difference in someone’s life?” Kirim asked.

“Not outwardly, though it would open a few doors to a slightly higher first post in a career path.”

“Does seem extreme,” Kirim added.

“People sometimes will go to extremes for family,” I replied.

“Timings too good for us not to take a look,” Amantil added.

“Hope something turns up, it can’t be easy for you knowing someone’s out to get you,” I agreed.

“I cope. Thank you for helping out on Arconia.”

“It was a pleasure. Myrialis sends her regards.”

“The information was quite detailed, though I take it that wasn’t all she was after?” Amantil replied with a nod.

“There was a hell of a lot else on the datatab, yes. Which is why I made a copy whilst taking it to the Gershonian Embassy,” Kirim replied with a giggle and handed the copy over.

“Sneaky, when were you planning on telling me?” I chuckled.

“Oh ... about now,” she grinned. “You couldn’t keep an ‘I’ve got a secret’ look off your face if you tried.”

“That’s why I don’t lie, I always look guilty when I do,” I laughed, not at all put out.

“Thank you, Kirim,” Amantil added with a grin. “I’m sure it will be useful to ImpSec.”

“No problem, Manny.”

A lift then opened and Herrick walked in to get our combined greetings.

“There’s nothing obvious about what gain could be had by the attempt to kill or injure Yaros. As for Polo It’s even likely that he is the son of Urrot as there is a distinct likeness,” he answered after we quizzed him.

“Damn,” was all Amantil had to say.

“Look to see who else gained an advantage. Did Urrot cut short a visit to see his son play in the final, or Spinnec miss a vote or High Table appearance?”

“Meritocrat Spinnec did miss a High Table appearance when he was summoned to visit his son at Medical Resource,” the AI spoke up. “Urrot was delayed a day as he watched his son.”

“Who took his place and what was the outcome of the trial?” Amantil asked.

“Meritocrat Shanzar of the Terraforming Bureau was co-opted instead. The trials that day were all to do with a dispute on placements within Municipal Services.”

“Municipal Services again. I keep hearing about stuff that has to do with them,” I muttered.

“Did Shanzar influence the verdicts?” Amantil asked.

“It is possible, he did speak out for further investigations of Municipal Services, rather than fining them and referring them to you for another audit,” the AI replied.

“Someone is hiding something,” Kirim spoke up. “Which part of Municipal Services was being disputed?”

“Data Communication Department. There were a number of complaints about delays in data transfers from Corporates which they felt could have affected their share prices.”

“Interesting,” Herrick murmured.

“AI, has this dispute been resolved?” Amantil asked.

“No, Serenissima. It is still ongoing.”

“What’s the hold-up?”

“Several of the bureaucrats being investigated broke away with Cillort. They died on Kansdoorf when Cillort ‘sacrificed’ them to aid his escape.”

“Do we have any idea who benefitted from these delays?”

“There were several investors who got lucky and were able to sell or buy on the basis of the financial data being delayed. But no proof as yet if they had inside knowledge.”

“How many?” I asked.

“Two thousand four hundred and thirty seven.”

“How many are actual real people and how many are pension funds, or investor groups?”

“Nine hundred and two are known investors, the rest are companies with links to pensions and insurance investments.”

“Can you check which of these companies have shareholder lists of known people?”

“Checking...”

“Where are you going with this Dave?” Herrick asked.

“Two things,” I replied. “One, Cillort’s funding and the second, where the funding for the assassins is coming from as I’m sure that ImpSec has been watching for money transfers.”

“All except one company has full lists of investors,” the AI finally replied. “The exception is the Imperial Mining Conglomerates investment fund.”

“Never heard of them,” Amantil frowned.

“They specialise in rare and precious metals, Serenissima. They are currently looking to buy into the mining of Coriola and Actilonia. The investment arm though does not limit itself to mining.”

“The assassin was paid in precious metal,” Herrick stated. “It would be easy enough to sell it away from the Empire and pay our enemies from it. Plus it sounds like they are insider trading to make their profits rise too.”

“Do we know who owns or runs it?” Amantil asked.

“No, Serenissima. They have never published a list of executives or of shareholders, it is not a legal requirement that they do,” the AI replied.

“So it might just be one person creaming the profits?” Kirim asked. “Then again, who do you call if you wish to speak to the boss?”

“Management is named, though not the owners or shareholders. They do publish a list of investors, which is a legal requirement,” the AI added.

“Begin a careful observation of Imperial Mining Conglomerates, please,” Amantil ordered the AI. “Herrick my love, see what Impsec can dig up from our prisoners too, particularly payments in precious metals and gemstones.”

“Of course, Manny, we’ll do it quietly too.”

“Good. If IMC aren’t the ones after me, they’re definitely up to something fishy,” she nodded.

After what was essentially a debriefing, I headed down to Medical Resource, whilst Kirim took Kiria to our local child development unit to meet the other mothers in our block and introduce their offspring to each other.