Episode 118. Part 3
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Tuesday, 07 Feb 2519
Kuiper II Class, Summer’s Gift
07:30 hrs, local time
Breakfast the next morning is a quiet affair. Christian hasn’t come back so we’re eating our own cooking. Arden does the eggs and they’re not half bad. Karen left at first light to go back to her ship, leaving Rick her wave number: it’s been fun, call me! He eats his breakfast and slips some of the protein paste to his alligators sitting in his lap. Rina’s too keyed up to join the others, barricading herself in her room.
Christian strolls aboard soon after.
Christian: (pleasantly) Good morning.
Nika: Mornin’.
Christian takes a good look at everyone and stops.
Christian: What’s going on?
Arden: Last night Rina ran into someone, or someone ran into her, and she thinks he may or may not be after her.
Christian: (rolling eyes) Can you give me any more detail?
Arden and Nika simultaneously: No.
Nika: And she can’t either. We could barely get it out of her.
Arden: She says he has something to do with some fringe organization that tends to be very…aggressive in their punishment nature.
Nika: The Lex Talionis.
Christian: Ah. Well. Since I’ve had a pretty good breakfast already, I’ll go talk to her.
Nika: She may be hung over. Careful.
As any highly educated person would tell you, loosely translated Lex Talionis means “An Eye for An Eye” or “Tooth for Tooth”. Christian squirrels that away and knocks on Rina’s door. She doesn’t answer. He keeps knocking.
Christian: (calling through her door) I can do this all day. I’ve had a really good breakfast.
There’s the heavy scrape of something pulling away and Rina buzzes Christian through. Christian enters and finds her crammed into a corner of her bunk, her back to the wall, trenches dug and barbed wire up. Her eyes are red and haggard from lack of sleep. Christian pauses on the threshold a second before closing the door behind him. He takes the only chair in the room and sits.
Christian: So. Who was he?
Rina says nothing, her lips thin.
Christian: Who do you think he was? Who are you worried that he was? (A beat) My understanding is you’re the only person to survive your ship. You gave me that impression. That you are aware of. (See Rina’s Personal Log, “Confessions”—Maer)
Rina: (cautiously) As far as I know, yes.
Christian: Then it couldn’t have been—I doubt he’d have recognized you. It’s been years, I understand.
Rina: I don’t…I don’t know what to think, to tell the truth.
Christian knows that the Lex Talionis are a civilian organization modeled after Eli Wiesel’s Nazi hunting group of the Pre-Exodus days, and are actively engaged in hunting down Browncoat war criminals. They objected strenuously when General Amnesty was given after the War, declaring one cannot give amnesty to butchers and murderers. They are pretty extreme in their methods and being on their List is not, therefore, a good thing. And now Rina’s saying they’ve found her.
He sighs.
Christian: He already knows you’re on this ship and he can just blow it up. (Hooking a thumb over his shoulder) That being the case, you’re not safe in this room. In fact, you’re safer out there, because at least out there you have the chance to stop him. Now, come eat.
He stands and extends a hand.
Outside in the passenger lounge, everyone else is comparing notes. Rick gives a description of what he saw—briefly—as he caught up with Rina. It’s not much, more a fleeting impression of the Lex Talionis man, rather than a full-on description. Nika muses the man may just be crewing on one of the ships and not local at all, and it’s her guess that the run-in was completely by chance. Arden speaks up, saying chance or not, this will have repercussions on all of us. Nika agrees, saying Rina’s already freaked out as it is.
Realistically, there are two ways this can shake out. Either the man from last night is a full-bore Lex Talionis ‘vindicator’, the hunter-down of Browncoat criminals….or he’s a wanna-be who hangs out on the Cortex, feeding the Lex Talionis information right along with the other wanna-bes. The Lex Talionis have many sympathizers, on many worlds, and there’s no telling if any are on Beylix, or who they are. Such is the nature of shadow organizations.
Christian’s managed to coax Rina out of her room, sit her down and put breakfast in front of her. Rina takes a bite and pauses. Arden apologizes for the food.
Arden: I’m sorry.
Rina: What is it?
Arden: I’m not sure. Call it hash and eggs.
Rina: It doesn’t have tofu in it, does it?
Arden: I don’t think so.
Christian: (exasperated) I don’t buy anything with tofu in it! For the last time—!
Rina: (ditto) I can still taste it.
Looks like things are swinging back to normal. Christian takes a chair and sums up.
Christian: (to Rina) So… there may or may not be someone who wants you dead, I’m guessing. Do you think he’s someone who blames you for the Janus?
Nika: (to Rina) You said you recognized the patch.
Christian: Was it from that ship?
Rina: (shaking her head) No. No, no. We…we were… We were all Alliance on that ship. This is…He asked me about the Janus. He asked me where I was from.
Christian: Are you worried about that? (off her look) Yes, obviously you are.
Nika: I would say it’s certainly not the ship that’s the problem, based on the fact she thinks he’s a Browncoat hunter.
Rina: No, it’s—
Christian: (to Nika) And you were a Browncoat. He might not have seen you, and he may not be after you.
Nika: ‘Were’? Some of us still think the Alliance is not quite playing fair.
Christian: Ignoring that for a second, let’s just say that you were ranked one, once. In a military that no longer technically exists.
Arden: As opposed to a wanted one.
Nika: Right. As far as I know I’m not wanted. Except for the fact of my loyalties, there.
Arden: Yeah. Wanted by no one, but me.
Nika: (drawling) Thanks.
Rick: Well, now…now that’s out in the open….
Christian: Focus.
Dragging back on topic, people.
Rina: Let’s just say that someone I knew on the ship, back when I was still Alliance….his family could throw as much money as they wanted into any group they wanted, to hunt me down.
Nika: Who is this?
Arden: Um…Alliance? I thought you were on the other side?
Nika: She was on both sides.
Arden: Oh. I didn’t know that. I’m not trying to pry. I’m just trying to understand.
Rina: (sighing) I’m trying to understand. It was supposed to work…
Arden: Taking a wild stab at it—you were working for the Alliance, something bad happened, you ran, you wound up working for the Browncoats.
Rina: Something like that. It..it’s just … (words fail)
Arden: And there’s a certain section of the Alliance that’s probably not pleased with that.
Nika: Right.
Rina: I’m sitting here and I’m trying to think...how did they find out that I was still alive?
Nika: Nobody necessarily found out anything.
Arden: Nobody necessarily did that.
Rick: Nobody knew who you are, they just thought you were a Browncoat.
Nika: This guy could probably just be crewing on a ship that just happened to come here. It doesn’t mean he’s here because he recognized you.
Arden: (pointing at Rick) Yeah, he was just walking around and people recognized him.
Rina: No, he specifically asked me if I was from the ship I lost.
Nika: Not the point. It could still have been a coincidental meeting.
Rina: He was looking right at me.
Nika: (Buh-Duh!) Yes! You’re a girl!
Christian: Here’s what happened: the man very likely is crewing on a ship here.
Rina: Either way, I’m not leaving this ship til we leave the planet.
Christian: I’m not saying you have to leave the ship. So… he saw you. Quite possibly the Lex Talionis keeps a database on those they consider criminals whose deaths were not verified. And probably vaguely recognized you from seeing that. And wanted to find out more. Now I’m not saying that’s not dangerous, I’m saying he did not follow us to this planet.
Nika: The Verse is big…but not that big.
Meaning it’s not that small. Odds are that Christian’s right. Rina subsides.
Christian: And by the way, she doesn’t want to be here.
Nika: I’m sorry?
Christian: I am absolutely certain she doesn’t want to be here.
Arden: I know Rina doesn’t want to be here.
Rina: Sirtis Mir.
Arden: Oh.
Christian: Sirtis Mir. I got to talk to her last night, very briefly. But I’m absolutely certain that there’s something forcing her into the marriage. What it is, I don’t know.
Nika: And the Guild, of course, has no idea. Like what he could be blackmailing her with.
Christian: There shouldn’t be anything to blackmail her with.
Arden: It could be as simple as her parents are—
Nika: No, it wouldn’t be something that simple. It would have to be something she’s ashamed of.
Arden: I said it could be something that simple. As…her brother is in slavery somewhere and he has the key.
Christian: It is possible. We all have family we would do anything for.
Arden: Those are the biggest levers on anybody, including ourselves. It’s something you care about.
Nika: Christian. Is there someone at the Guild you can get a hold of and get a bit of background on her?
Christian: I have all the background I think I’m going to get. This far out, by the time we got it, the Festival would be over. As far as the Guild can tell, there’s nothing to blackmail her with. They’ve checked and her family seems fine. And he didn’t threaten to kill them.
Nika: But she seemed in distress?
Christian: No. But that doesn’t mean that she’s not.
Nika: There’s a difference between being held against your will by information, and being held by physical threat.
Christian: No. For instance, she said to me: “He’s giving me everything I need.” Not “What I want.” Need. Small differences in choice of words. Most people wouldn’t pick up on.
Nika: I’m one of them.
Christian: “Everything I could need” may mean a library with books to read, musical instruments to play, videos to watch, or a horse to ride. Luxurious accommodations.
Rina: Everything but her freedom.
Christian: But what she wants….
Rick: Maybe it’s tied to his factory. The Philosopher’s Stone.
True. It could be anything, really.
Christian: There are very subtle things saying something’s wrong….She knew who I was, for instance. She didn’t want her family coming, she said they were eloping and—
Nika: Wait, wait, wait. You have a high-profile Companion eloping?
Christian: Exactly.
Nika: How common is that?
Christian: It’s not common for Companions to get married. My parents are actually very rare. Not that they married each other, but that they got married at all. It could be Sirtis is acquiescing because he thinks it’s romantic. But Companions don’t get romantic. We’re not giddy over anything.
Arden: That’s not to say you couldn’t be.
Christian: Her Training would have failed completely if she were. She would have never gotten her license. I’m sure. Well, I can’t say 100% sure, because anything’s possible, but 98% sure.
Arden: One thing I’ve learned is, there are no absolutes.
Christian: Are you absolutely male?
Arden: Yes.
Christian: Then there are.
Nika: That brings up the question, then. What exactly is he using to coerce her?
Christian: Yes. We have to find out what he’s using. He’s very protective of her. She touched me for two seconds and he had her out of the room. And it was a simple hand on my arm.
Nika: Was it because of you?
Christian: Yes. Because I was a male she was interacting with.
Nika: Which leaves it up to me to get close to her, ’cuz Rina’s too twitchy to get there.
Christian: I’ve seen this sort of thing happen before. When people deal exclusively with a single Companion, or any business partner really, they start thinking “Mine”. It’s a very easy transition to make.
Arden: I think separating them would be fairly easy to do.
Christian: No.
Nika: Not that kind of arrangement. Arden, my sister’s husband managed on a ranch of twelve people to keep my sister completely isolated—from 12 people on a relatively small homestead—to the point that she hadn’t spoken to the ranch foreman in six weeks. It is not hard to isolate a single woman from everyone around her so that she doesn’t speak to anybody.
Arden: But she spoke last night.
Nika: Did she speak to somebody?
Arden: Yes.
Christian: She spoke to me only after I arranged for a detailed and in-depth discussion between Landis and my..um…friend.
Nika: That is a controlling personality. He is not going to let her go.
And we’re back to square one. How do we get close to Sirtis Mir if Landis has her isolated, or under his eye or under someone else’s eye whom he trusts? Landis and Mir will be at the art gallery opening, walking around in public with others in public. Couldn’t we mingle with Mir there? He said he wanted to be there early, because there would be fewer people there to accommodate…or to approach his fiancée. If we’re there when he’s there, he’ll see us coming…but we would still have an opportunity to speak again to her. Especially if it was Nika who approached her—as a female, she would seem less a threat to Landis than a male would.
So who would we get to distract Landis in a conversation so Nika can move in?
Rick: Does he like alligators?
We don’t know. What we do know, however, is he’s a man trying to start a business. He’ll always be looking for investors who want to help him expand his vision of the Rim. Arden tells us that from everything he was able to glean from the party last night, Landis isn’t cultivating investors as shareholders. Instead, he’s getting his friends and acquaintances who want to get in on the ground floor and be a part of it. Rick suggests he approach Landis with the offer to be a spokesman, to endorse Landis’ product. As a celebrity, he could be a great asset to the man.
It could work. Rick could explain his presence on our ship as an eccentric desire to ‘rough it’ across the Verse. He’s certainly got celebrity enough to get away with that sort of thing. Besides, as a celebrity, he could certainly convince Landis he’s got money to burn, even if he does not. Investor and celebrity spokesperson—all one nice irresistible package. Of all of us on this ship, Rick is our best chance at a distraction.
Nika points out that Arden may be able to help in that regard, based on his interest in getting more information resources out to the Rim would coincide with Landis’ vision of improving the Rim overall. Working in tandem, Arden and Rick could keep Landis entertained long enough for Nika to approach Sirtis.
Furthermore, Nika is from ranching stock and Landis owns a ranch. Since Sirtis is living on the ranch, has a horse for riding yet rarely goes out, perhaps Nika can present herself as a suitable chaperone for Sirtis’ horseback outings. That’s just one of many gambits Nika could use to engage Sirtis in conversation. No matter—if the men do their part with Landis, Nika can take care of her end with Sirtis.
Christian will make himself very visible at the gallery, making himself the obvious threat that Landis will feel compelled to deal with and leaving the others free to do the job.
Rina announces she’ll stay aboard the ship and coordinate comms from the bridge. Nika’s not fooled for an instant and says she’ll keep an eye out for the man from last night. Rina describes him again: six or six-foot-one, 180 to 200 pounds, blue eyes, long grey and white hair, several days’ stubble. Likely an engineer—he had the hands for it. The jacket with the patches.
All we need now is to get to that gallery opening. Landis plans to be there at 9AM. It’s nearly that now. We’d better hurry.
Even though there are fewer people at the gallery than would be later on in the day, it’s still not easy to get Landis off to the side. There are others who have gotten to him first and we have to wait our turn. Sirtis Mir is amazingly enough walking alone, ostensibly admiring the artwork. She’s under Landis’ eye, but it is possible to talk to her out of his hearing. In fact, she’s talking to Madame de Proust when we arrive. One gets the impression that Sirtis isn’t enjoying herself as much as she’d like, but as a Companion, she has the grace to put a good face on it nonetheless.
The Chao-Marshalls are there as well. They’d attended the party the night before and had moved through the society easily. Their presence would not seem incongruous at the gallery opening at all. Besides, Sylvia was positively eager to see a gallery on the Rim. “Quaint” was how she’d put it. And now she can judge for herself how quaint it really is.
There is conversation to be had with the gallery goers. Including a debate over the impact Landis’ development of the Rim would have on the natural beauty found on the Rim’s planets. How much of the environment should be saved as pristine territory, preserved for future generations? How much should be developed for industry and trade? What sort of balance can be struck? Since each terraformed planet and moon possess their own unique quirks, each planet and moon is unique overall and full of reasons to keep as pristine as possible. It makes for a lively debate—especially after Rick joins in as an advocate for animal and plant life.
Landis gives as good as he gets, firmly in the industrial development camp. But he’s also able to agree that beauty needs preservation and protection. Some planets and moons are just too valuable to pave over and park a factory on.
Nika meanders over to Sirtis by degrees, keeping an eye on the men who have been obviously hired by Landis to protect his fiancée. They assess Nika as someone inconsequential, so she makes it to Sirtis’ side uncontested.
Nika leans in conspiratorially.
Nika: As interesting as all this is, I’d much rather be outside riding today.
Sirtis: Oh? You’re a rider?
And that’s all the opening Nika needs. She admits to growing up on a ranch and being a rider, though she’s less able to indulge in the activity these days. Sirtis replies she’s still a novice. Nika asks if she enjoys her horse. Sirtis supposes it has its appeal. Nika grins and says that she finds that when she’s out on her horse, just riding and letting the horse have its head, it’s possible to leave everything that’s bothering her behind. Just get out in the field and let the wind run through her hair. Liberating.
Sirtis: That must be nice.
Nika: You don’t get to run with your horse.
Sirtis: Oh, I ride. But my household concerns keep invading and for whatever reason, the horse doesn’t distract me as I would hope.
Nika: (sincerely) I’m sorry to hear that. What kind of household do you run? (A beat) You’ll have to forgive me. I’m relatively new to these sorts of gatherings.
Sirtis: It is a ranch.
Nika: I gathered that. Is it a large spread?
Sirtis: It is. Quite large. My duties on the ranch rarely extend beyond the ornamental nature of the household, but I find myself preoccupied by events nonetheless. But surely you’re not here to hear about this. What do you think of Mr. Morse’s art?
Nika: Well…. At least something’s being done with most of it. Otherwise it would sit around as piles of junk.
Sirtis: Then you’re not a fan of this form of art.
Nika: I much prefer landscapes, I think. You know….my friend, he mentioned you’re from Osiris.
Sirtis: Your… friend?
Nika: Yes. Christian. He mentioned meeting you last night.
Sirtis: Oh, he did.
Nika: He said he very briefly had the opportunity.
Sirtis: Yes, yes.
Sirtis looks nervous now, and one of her bodyguards comes over and addresses her.
Bodyguard: Excuse me, but is this person bothering you?
Sirtis: Oh, no. She’s fine.
Nika: (to the guard) We were just talking about the horses. Do you like to ride?
Bodyguard: (suspicious) No. Too much rockin’. But I’m not really here to talk. So. Are you a friend of Miss Mir’s?
Nika: No. We were just admiring the same piece of artwork.
Bodyguard: You seen that one over there?
Nika: (looks) Yes, I actually have.
Bodyguard: Well, you might want to take a better look at it.
Nika: (raising a brow) Geez. Think you’re much, ain’t ya?
Bodyguard: I have my responsibilities. Enjoy your time here.
Nika: (quietly laughing) Absolutely.
She turns to bid Sirtis a polite goodbye but the other woman has already moved on. Thus dismissed, Nika leaves. Maybe she can fall within Sirtis’ orbit again later.
Meanwhile, Christian wanders over to the Chao-Marshalls as if by chance and tags along with them for a little while as if meeting them for the first time. They stop before a piece of art and stand as if admiring it.
Sylvia: (undertone) So. Have you had a chance to meet your friend?
Christian points out Sirtis Mir to them.
Sylvia: (quietly) Her? (looks again) Really. This is interesting.
Mark: It is. I mean, obviously.
Sylvia: Weren’t they an item for years? It seems odd that she would have cold feet at this stage. Although I guess those Companions make pretty good money.
Mark: But still, he’s worth more than what she could ever make.
Christian explains that their arrangement would have been business, that though she could certainly enjoy his company Landis wouldn’t have been her only client.
Sylvia: So you think he fell in love with her or something?
Christian: I think he…enjoyed having her company. And wanted to make it permanent. I’m sure he thinks he’s helping her.
Sylvia takes another look at Sirtis.
Sylvia: A scandal. Falling in love with a Companion.
Christian: I suppose. Usually in cases like this, the client engages the Companion’s services as an exclusive contract.
Sylvia: Yes, I figured he’d had something like that before, since they were always together.
Christian: No. She took other contracts.
Sylvia: Interesting.
Mark: Well, well….
Sylvia: (leaning in close) Do you think she’s being held against her will?
Christian: I think there’s something unusual going on and I would like to know what.
Sylvia: So what can we do to help you?
Christian: I’m honestly not sure at this point. You obviously know about Mr. Landis and his business dealings. I think part of the big problem is he’s got bodyguards on Miss Sirtis and she’s not free to speak.
Sylvia: (eyes narrowing on the scene) Hm. Pretty interesting sight….
She pulls Mark aside and has a whispered exchange with her husband. Christian keeps an eye on the artwork and bends an ear toward the Chao-Marshalls.
Sylvia: I think we can help these people.
Mark: Oh, come on—
Sylvia: Give me a chance.
Nika pulls up behind Christian and says she’s going to try to make another run with Sirtis, but she’s not sure the bodyguard will let her get close. The Chao-Marshalls rejoin them. Sylvia’s looking determined and Mark’s expression is that of one entangled in a bad idea.
Sylvia: If we can get you into his ranch…will that be valuable?
Christian: That would be very valuable. I can’t imagine he’d have her watched as much in the safety of his own home.
Sylvia: Hmmm…. Do you have some money we could invest, or at least say we’re going to invest? Since you are our transport, you might be able to lend us your shuttle at least.
Christian: Yes. Of course.
Sylvia: I’ll see what I can do. It won’t happen til tomorrow, of course, but…
Christian: Certainly. I appreciate it but please understand that you are under no obligation whatsoever and please don’t do anything dangerous.
Sylvia grins a tight little grin and pulls up her left sleeve just a touch. On her wrist is an Alliance Naval Special Forces tattoo.
Sylvia: (steely) We didn’t fight to liberate this Rim for nothing. It’s not the haven for slavers that it used to be.
Hell, yeah!
Christian and Nika trade a look: who knew Sylvia was such an awesome bad-ass?
Christian: Of course.
He gives the Chao-Marshalls a critique of the art currently in front of them and they move on to the next piece when he’s done, making their way back to Sirtis. Nika drifts over to Arden to fill him in on this latest development with the Chao-Marshalls.
Arden is taking in the art, following behind the artist and listening to the man’s informal discourse, and is surprised by the complexity of it. Some pieces can only be seen properly if standing at a certain distance away. Someone behind Arden asks the artist why he never sells his art, and Morse replies selling his art would damage his artistic integrity. His muse would not approve. Truly, if he started selling, the businessman in him would take over and he could no longer enjoy making the art for itself.
Landis and Mir depart the gallery after about an hour, their social obligation to see and be seen dispensed with.
Rick gets into a heated argument with one of the more pro-industry advocates, taking the side of the natural habitats and the flora and fauna found within, and the untold opportunities they offer to the pharmaceutical and bioengineering fields. The industrialist starts listening and then speculating on the usefulness of pristine forests and fields…and fisticuffs are avoided.
The Chao-Marshalls are also successful. Before Landis and Sirtis leave, the older couple obtain an invitation to the Landis ranch and gain permission to fly directly there. A blessing. It wouldn’t do to be shot down on approach. Sylvia is looking forward to the morrow’s jaunt. Mark is less sanguine, but backs his wife. They did hope to find adventure on this trip, after all. It seems they’ve found it.
Back aboard the Gift, Rina’s packed her duffle—she’s thoroughly rattled and wants to be ready to bolt at a moment’s notice. If she has to cut and run to spare the crew, she will. It’s a shitty deal, but she’s dealt with it before and she’ll deal with it again if necessary. Her packing done, she paces the upper deck, mentally distancing herself from everything homelike aboard. She can’t afford the emotional apron strings. Yet, on her latest circuit around the decks she can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right with the ship. It’s not sentiment over leaving. It’s a genuine internal nudge to go troubleshooting.
She stands in the engine room….nothing hinks her there. Likewise the bridge, which whispers the all-clear. A quick lope around the decks turns up nothing. Something keeps tugging at her, though. A hunch that won’t go away yet won’t reveal itself. Rina stops and clears her head…and it comes to her: Check the hull. Port.
The airlock.
She grabs her gun and takes the stairs down at a run. She hits the inner airlock door controls and brings up her gun front and center, prepared to shoot anyone inside. It’s empty. She steps in, closes inner door before engaging the outer. Daylight and air flood inside as it opens and the unmistakable aroma of aerosol propellant hits her nose.
Someone has spray painted the Lex Talionis symbol on our outer airlock door. It’s fresh and her finger comes away with red paint when she touches it. Next to the symbol a skull and crossbones gleams wetly and the meaning is clear.
The Lex Talionis has Death-marked the ship.
Rina closes her eyes, stands in the open doorway and waits for the bullets to take her. Nothing happens. So…it’s a psychological war.
Right.
Rina takes a turn around on the ground, double checking the undercarriage. She finds nothing more inimical than a few blades of stubborn grass and the can of spray paint the Lex Talionis used to mark the hull. She picks it up to dispose of later and climbs back aboard the Gift to get the cleaning supplies. There should be something in their stores to get that damned paint off the hull.
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