All That Glitters Ch. 21

"Section 21 of The Unified Press Act of 2362," the man returned.

"I'm sorry, sir," Sanger informed him, "but that is not a law. That is an action stipulated by the press to ensure that media outlets do not step on each other's toes. It was codified by the major media networks in the courts to be enforceable against media networks, but the act was never meant to be and has never been enacted against non-media representatives, such as police forces.

"The act has been cited on numerous occasions by the media in cases against the police but has never engendered a single successful action against police forces," Sanger finished, to another angry outburst from the media.

"Enough!" Sanger shouted, after a few moments of listening to the media howl. "The main reason we used embedded media, was because tips indicated that local media was being paid by the Phiata Crime Family not to do stories on the syndicate. From the limited intelligence that I have personally glanced through over the last few hours, this HAS been born out as true. Media will be given an entire list of names of media personnel who have taken bribes to not report on the syndicates, or to report to the syndicates activities that they would be interested in.

"Some of those names are senior members of the various media houses on Liramor Prime. I will leave it to you to publish those names when they are released. It should be highly enlightening to the members of the media and the public." Sanger finished and then left the podium to pandemonium from the assembled media.

She knew that the media would not look favorably on her actions. Fuck it, she thought. It was time we outed them anyway.

Liramor Holdings Conference Room, Francis Liramor Memorial Building Liramor HQ, Liramor Prime

The senior members of Liramor Holdings, invited members of the media, Raymond Clark, Liea Samson, and Dr. Ohiraha Aruna were flitting around nervously as they waited for the distribution of the Terran show 'The News Watch', which normally included items of interest to other Union planets taken from the various networks on Terra.

This evening, they were waiting for the official release of the names of the 2483 Nobel Prize winners. In this case, the Liramor/Terra passenger run had collected the six o'clock edition not long after it was aired and brought it to Liramor Prime in time for the nine o'clock airing.

Several high profile news items went by before the one they were waiting for started.

"From Stockholm, the Nobel Selection Committee has named the recipients of the Nobel Prize for 2483," the announcer started, the image cutting to the feed from Stockholm in Scandinavia.

Liea recognized the face of Dr. Anna Jagandar, the Chair of the Nobel Selection Committee from the private communiqué that Ohi had received. The group waited on tender hooks as the nominations were announced until finally...

"For Physics, Dr. Ohiraha Aruna of Liramor Prime, for her contribution to the recent major improvements to Marilon Generators, now known as Marilon/Aruna Generators and to the FTL drive, the first significant improvements to either since their creation. These improvements will significantly advance human expansion and exploration over the next few decades. Dr. Aruna has advised us that she will be in Stockholm for this year's presentation ceremony."

Liea never heard the rest of the announcements as the room erupted in cheering, the party starting in earnest.

EVA Chambers, Golf Level, Liramor-23, Piscium System

Gerrard Guillemette was a tinkerer. He always had been. It was something in his mental makeup that made him do it. Whenever he saw a need for something, he built it. Gerrard had never profited from his little inventions, as the companies he worked for would declare that he had made those inventions on company time, even if it wasn't true.

After losing three rather lucrative inventions in this manner, Gerrard decided to make some money and settle down to tinkering as an occupation. So Gerrard was working as a miner on LMC-23. However, once a tinkerer, always a tinkerer. Gerrard had seen a need. Something that went on the outside of an EVA suit that would allow others to see the condition of the occupant's suit. An added level of safety.

It was simple really, a display that showed green, yellow, or red, dependent on the current environmental level of the suit. It was always important during an EVA to monitor your suit's environmental levels, however, in moments of intense concentration which happened all to frequently during an EVA, it was possible to lose track of your suit's condition.

Suits were designed to warn the occupant when you went into the red, but by then, it was usually too late to regulate the suits environment. An exterior colour coded patch would tell co-workers that they should intervene to help another. It was one of those ideas that everyone said, 'why had we not thought of this before?'.

While it was a deceptively simple idea, the implementation was not so simple. It consisted of a considerably tricky bit of computer hacking and finding a method of placing a colour coded patch that would react to the data and needed to function in space, as it would be on the outside of an EVA suit.

To Gerrard, this was a very simple issue. He built one for himself, and others asked him to build one for them. Unfortunately for Gerrard, any modifications to suits had to be authorized and confirmed by techs before being allowed to be installed. It was one thing to do that for your own suit, where you were putting your own life at risk, another thing to do it for others.

Gerrard found his foremen waiting for him one morning, ordering him to follow him and he knew he was about to lose another great invention. What he didn't expect was the level to which this invention went to, as Gerrard suddenly found himself face-to-face with none other than the Director, Fiona Marsh, in a conference room filled with many senior personnel from the platform and from the navy.

"M. Guillemette, I have been informed that you have built a rather ingenious device that could save lives," Fiona started, speaking principally in Standard for the benefit of the others in the room. "Would you like to tell us why you thought you should build this item, and how you actually made it work?"

"Ms. Marsh, the internal computers do not notify the occupant of an EVA suit about environmental issues unless they enter the danger level, a point at which attempting to alter the environmental controls can sometimes be too little too late," Gerrard told her. "Occupants are supposed to do their own monitoring, but at times of intense concentration, things can be missed.

"The device is a simple indicator that shows anyone looking at a co-worker if their co-worker's suit is getting out of the green zone, and they need to inform them to pay attention to their environmental controls. There is also an audible alert to the occupant, so that they can be aware of a problem developing before it reaches a critical level," he finished.

"I understand that you had to do some comp hacking to make this happen," Ms. Marsh stated with a frown. "Does this not compromise the integrity of the suits comp?"

"No, Ma'am," Gerrard replied. "The suits are sending data to an occupants wrist comp for future reference. I hacked into the respective app on my personal comp with a simple bit of coding, allowing the wrist comp to send data to an exterior feed, in this case, the external patch. If the patch turns yellow, for whatever reason, the comp includes an audible signal to the occupant. Something they don't normally get until the suits environments enter the red zone."

"The trick is in the patch. I had to find something that would change colour on demand, and not be affected by the hard radiation of space or other abhorrent signals to change colour and provide a false or conflicting signal. The solution comes from the colouring of the identification tags on the small ships, the Rockhounds and Survey Ships, which are of differing colours and only brighten when power is sent to them. I had to find a way to blend three colours but have only one showing at a time," he finished.

"I'm told the cost is negligible," Fiona said. "You have managed to make a safety improvement that is very much necessary, cheap, easy to use, and provides a margin of safety that we have not seen before. Most modifications of this type would cost a significant amount, usually several hundreds of credits per unit, which is why we don't see them. This is a simple, inexpensive, and brilliant use of readily available materials.

"I suspect that this is not your first foray into inventing things, is it M. Guillemette?" Fiona asked.

"No, Ms. Marsh," Gerrard admitted. "I have had three lucrative devices stollen from me by corporations that have claimed I made the device on their time and equipment, which in fact was not true. However, the courts sided with the corporations who only had to say that I worked for them to take my inventions."

"That will not be the case with this device, M. Guillemette," Fiona stated, matter-of-factly. "If you have already made four new useful devices, then you will likely make more. We will enter into contract with you for your idea and we will pay you handsomely for it, including royalties. You are about to become a very rich man, M. Guillemette, as your device will likely be placed on just about every EVA suit in space. The Liramor Mining Company alone has more than one and a half million miners and an additional half million maintenance workers who wear EVA suits. The number of miners in space exceeds fourteen million by the latest count which is constantly changing upwards. You also have maintenance workers, ship builders and others in EVA suits."

"Then there is the Navy, sir," Adm. Ramison said, taking over from Fiona. "There are over eight million Naval personnel who use EVA suits, not including the Marines. Who encompass another four million. You sir, are about to become quite wealthy."

Gerrard just stood there, blinking, he didn't know what to say, so said nothing, but a smile grew on his face as he looked around at those at the table. Maybe it is time to tell them about my other ideas, he thought.

PV The Valiant, Planet Hanover, Karen System, Seventy Light Years from Terra

The Valiant came into being over the planet with five other ships around her. The ships were all Valour Class ships, four of them escorting The Valiant and one other ship.

MCPO Sprawl was aboard The Valiant. He asked for and received permission for the six ships to use the Senior Officer's Shuttle Port at The Citadel, Folden Naval Base. Sprawl asked for FAdm Thenton to be in attendance when the ships set down.

Raymond could see that the MCPO was nervous, this was his last mission as a Navy rating, and one that gave him immense pride.

The ships settled at the shuttle port as FAdm. Thenton approached.

"Good Morning, Charles," Raymond greeted as he moved to shake Thenton's hand.

"To what do I owe this immense pleasure, Raymond," Thenton asked, amused at being called by his first name.

"I have brought Master Chief David Sprawl with me to give you his memo of resignation, and I have brought you a gift," Raymond informed him.

"Master Chief?" Thenton said, looking at the man.

"Sir, the task you assigned me, my last task, the fitting out of The Wanderer is now completed. As per the agreement we had reached, I am providing you with my resignation from the military based on age and number of years served.

"There is a note from Capt. Henadi Noor, informing you of the state of the ship, which she is quite pleased with, Sir," Sprawl finished.

"As am I, Master Chief," Raymond added. "You went above and beyond to support The Wanderer in her refit, and your ability to find torpedoes and missiles helped the ship stem the tide of the Second Battle of Liramor-23. Without those weapons, we would never have been in the system and never have contributed to the destruction of the pirate fleet.

"I have written a note to FAdm Thenton to recognize your work with a Sector Commander's Commendation, and the Officer of Military Merit. Unfortunately, they will likely be presented after you muster out," Raymond said with a smile.

Thenton took the electronic form of the memos into his wrist comp and gave a salute to MCPO David Sprawl, the last official salute of his career. Handshakes were made all around. Sprawl would be mustering out at the base on Liramor Prime.

"Now, what's this about a gift?" Thenton asked.

"Mr. Sprawl, would you do the honours," Raymond asked, putting an emphasis on the term 'Mister' now that Sprawl was technically a civilian in waiting.

"Sir, as you are aware, The Wanderer was granted the ability to carry four Valour Class ships aboard," Sprawl informed his boss, needlessly. "The class having proved itself during the Second Battle of Liramor-23 it is now being purchased by the Navy.

"By happenstance, one of the early names that came up is of significant importance to us, and to you, Sir," Sprawl finished and led Thenton around the ships blocking his view.

Thenton turned curiously as the men held back, allowing him to move ahead of them. Turning back around, Thenton came to an abrupt stop as he took in the name of the ship in front of him.

A hand gripped his right shoulder, and another his left, one from Raymond, the other from Sprawl.

"I cannot give it to you as a gift, sir," Raymond said from his left, "The Navy would frown on that. You'll have to pay for it, however, I thought you of all people, would appreciate having this particular ship as your personal fast ship."

"HUP!" Sprawl barked on Thenton's right. As the three men, one ex-captain, one active FAdm, and one de-activating Master Chief, gave a salute to the ship bearing the name of Thenton's daughter.

Senior Officers Mess, Folden Naval Base, Planet Hanover, Karen System

Thenton lifted a small glass of port to the officers from the six ships that had recently landed. "To the NS Julia Thenton," he growled, and the men replied in kind downing their drinks.

"The crew of the Thenton, sir," Raymond told him, as his pointed out each individual. "They are qualified, and it will be some time until other crew will be, so you will have to wait if you want to change out anyone.

"The commander of the vessel is Lt. (N) Brendon Palid. He has earned the Medal of Bravery in action against pirates and is moving up through the ranks. Working as your ship's captain will not do his career any harm. He has been through Junior Command School. With his record, he is the perfect candidate for you.

"The Thenton's Weapon's Officer is SLt. Julia Cross. She has experience on larger ships as a weapons officer and has been involved in several engagements with pirates achieving Mentions in Dispatch in several of those engagements.

"Your ChEng is Lt (N) Karla Norlance. She is an experienced engineer, but this is her first ship that she is the ChEng.

"Your ship's captain will have to introduce you to your ratings." Raymond finished.

Thenton nodded his understanding, as the ratings were not usually permitted in the senior officers' mess.

"You do realize that you have given another first away?" Raymond asked suddenly.

"Sorry?" Thenton replied, looking curious.

"By giving us the first Valour Class ships, ships that have real combat proven firepower, you have made us a carrier, sir," Raymond quipped with a smile.

Charles looked at him and burst out laughing. "Shit, young man, another first that should have been mine!"

The two had another glass of port, toasting the Julia Thenton, the proud admiral pointing to his new ship through the large windows, showing her off to the other senior officers in the mess.

The Wanderer, Liramor Prime, Liramor system

The Wanderer had its full compliment of crew, Marines, and VIP staff and was ready now for almost anything, the only missing personnel being the four from the UDC who were not scheduled to arrive on board until The Wanderer was to attempt contact with the aliens.

Recommendations from Raymond and Henadi, made from the review of the ship's performance during the Second Battle of Liramor-23, had added sixty Navy ratings and sixty Marines to their roster, bringing the crew to a total of 324, which included the four scientists now listed as crew.

The VIP compliment of sixty was now complete, as was the six personal staff of the two owners now that Raymond had found his own. They included a bodyguard, an EA, and a valet for Raymond and personal maid for Liea. Raymond didn't really need a bodyguard, so he hired Analisa Talbot more to coordinate security on the worlds which they would be visiting as most of the member worlds of the Union had an affiliate of the Veteran's Security Company. Through the affiliate offices, she would be able to arrange security similar to what they were used to on Liramor Prime. With the sixty-six VIP staff, and the two owners, the ships compliment now stood at 392, needing only the four UDC candidates to bring it up to its full compliment of 396.

With 500 separate quarters for crew, not including the VIP staff who had their own quarters in the VIP area, the ship had an abundance of space available should the need arise.

The Wanderer was ready to wander and Annette had helped them set up the party circuit, a schedule of worlds and people they wanted to go to and meet, to see and be seen. First stop would be Neues Deutschland, for Octoberfest, which would begin near the end of September. There they would meet with members of the Hildebrand family, one of the richest families in the Union.

Capt. Noor and MCPO Sucre, were discussing how they would keep the crew in check. While it was a necessary subterfuge, the crew was looking forward to being able to join in the parties they would be around. Truth be told, so were Noor and Sucre who, being senior members of the ship, would be in attendance at most of the ship-board and many of the planet-side parties.

The Wanderer, Neues Deutschland, Aulder's System, Forty-Two Light Years from Terra

The Wanderer had been in system for nearly a week, as the crew enjoyed extended shore leave to take part in the Octoberfest party. Now, it was time of The Wanderer to host guests, and they waited expectantly for members of the Hildebrand family and other guests to arrive.

A nervous Liea Samson, waited impatiently at the loading point, as the shuttles carrying the guests made their way into the respective spots in the bay. The Wanderer's boarding ramp slid down, closing over the hatch of the first shuttle into the bay and guests began to disembark. The process was repeated several times until all of the guests were aboard.

Liea Sampson, Capt. Henadi Noor and Raymond Clark were in the arrival area to greet the guests including Anna Hildebrand, who reminded Liea strongly of Annette in her mannerisms, and Rudolf Hildebrand. Anna was the Deputy Director of Hildebrand AG, the controlling company of a number of subcompanies and similar in function to Liramor Holdings.

"On behalf of my father, Franz Hildebrand, the Hildebrand family, and my friends, I thank you for inviting us aboard The Wanderer," Anna intoned to the three.

At thirty-six, Anna was the eldest unmarried daughter of Franz Hildebrand, the patriarch of the Hildebrand family. Rudolf was the second youngest son at thirty-two. Both he and his younger brother were unmarried.

Liea greeted Anna warmly and introduced the captain and Raymond. She noted the look of interest that Anna gave Raymond, but just raised an eyebrow to him and smiled. This night's party was going to be interesting.