New Direction
There was definitely something wrong he just did not know what. The reports about raided and abandoned outpost had started coming in just over a year ago. He had sent every one of them up the chain to the SP above him. As far as he could tell except for a solo mission that had been out in sectors six and now seven there had been no real investigation into the attacks. He was only a JP so there could be a lot going on that he would not be told about. Now there was this crazy cargo pilot claiming Mars was what exactly. He reread the interview and almost laughed.
The colony on Mars had been there barely a decade. This was the pilots second trip there separated by five years and his complaint was, ‘The settlement has grown far too large to be only operating honestly.’ It least he did not say black market if he had Garson would have had to be sent up. Instead, he was going to look into it himself. What are you up to Erik, he said to no one as he thought. He had been in the academy with JP Thomas.
He had tried to talk him out of taking the mission to Mars. He had told him it was a career killer. If you do well they would never bring you back. If you fail and live to tell about it you would be lucking to keep the rank you had. He had managed to get promoted to JP but that would be as far as he got being out there. Maybe he should check on this events himself being that far out might have changed Erik in ways he did not want to think about.
He reread the latest report from associate Simpson. He had not had any luck tracing the pirates that had attacked General Torrance Lorgent’s outpost. He would never believe he had joined the pirates willingly like some suggested. He was searching the rest of the outposts in sector six. Only a few were still manned despite most still being listed as active. It appeared the pirates have been raiding this region like they had in sector twelve before the associate had started hunting them there. Then he typed out his request to promote the pilot to Captain he had earned it.
It had been four years since Karlos Simpson had gotten out of the academy. He spent most of the time hunting down pirate bands who were raiding outpost throughout the belt. Things had taken a serious turn just over a year ago. He was trailing a stolen transport shuttle from the moon out past Mars heading for sector six outposts. It was no more than two weeks ahead of him and he was closing quickly on them. As he approached the outpost where General Lorgent had taken his forced retirement from active duty, he saw the ship taking off from its landing pad. The lights of the outpost were still on, so he landed to check on the General.
The sight inside the station was not what he was expecting. It looks as if an entire crew had been working for a month disassembling it. The only thing like was the built-in solar panels and ceiling lights. Every other piece of equipment looked to have been carefully removed. It was not like the smash and grab that pirates had done in sector twelve two years ago. They knew they had time here. There must have been part of their crew here working while the rest had gone to the moon base to stole whatever ship they could to haul their blunder.
That meant there was at least one more ship most likely smaller than the transport they had stolen. It also implied they either had a base or were building one from what they could steal from the outposts. He quickly got in his long-range fighter and followed the trail the transport had left. He had to catch them if he was going to find out what had happened to the General. He had hoped there was not a large pirate band he was heading towards. He had almost caught up to them again just before they headed on Titan. He signaled them that they had kidnapped a United Officer and stolen United property. If they did not surrender, he would shoot them out of the stars.
The transport made too steep a dive into Titan’s thin atmosphere. It started breaking up even before it slammed into the surface. He could see the fireball from orbit and knew there would be nothing left for him to exam. Not even how many had been aboard least of all who. He scanned the area for signs of the other ship He was expecting to find but no other engine trail was found.
Hat had bother him the most back then and still did now. He had not been behind them enough for them to have done all that one the outpost before he got there. There had to have been more crew on the outpost before the transport landed. How had they got there and when? Had they killed the General or had he switched sides? Even now as he was cataloging outpost in the belt be see if others had been raided like those had been those questions bothered him.
He was reviewing his latest list of stations when the message come across his comm. He was to report back to Earth as soon as he could manage. It was signed off by a SP he had never heard from. He had never seen a message from any higher than a JP and only then in reply to the loss of General Lorgent. He sent his acknowledgment and headed directly for Earth noting which outpost he was currently at encase he was to continue his current mission afterwards.
It had only taken him a week to reach Earth as he had used full burn the whole trip. It had used up all of his fuel reserves. He was surprised to see just under a hundred others reporting at the same time. In one week, there would be a promotion ceremony. He was told he would be receiving a promotion to Captain and he was to turn in his long-range fight for a new United Cruiser Probe ship. It was top of the line and the biggest ship that could effectively be flown solo but worked best with a crew of three to five. It was the first step towards commanding his own unit. It had taken him four years, but he was finally moving up in rank.
Hue Triy was adjusting to his new position as VP over off-world logistics. He had been the SP over sector 7 toward 12 in the belt for five years. He had been slowing making the region into his own person company without the old VP even realizing anything had changed. Now he was VP and his first act was to promote people who could be of use to him and his company. Most of them he had selected personally. His replacement as SP was a JP he had been grooming for years to be his second. Most of the rest would not even know yet why them had been chosen but in time they would. Once you give a person a taste of power, they will do almost anything to keep it.
He had kept an eye on one who could either be a great asset or an obstacle that had to be removed. Soon to be Captain Simpson had been very thorough in his reporting about the statis of outpost in several sector he had been in. If Hue had not withheld some of his reports the Board would have known just how far his company had grown using United’s assets. He would soon give the boy a small crew to feed his hungry for power. He could read that in the boy, and he would use that to his benefit.
He had decided to stop his ghost fleet’s farming of outpost in sector six. He had known some of the attacks were actually real pirates but they had not been any more dangerous than his men. The killing of Lorgent even as past his usefulness as he was could not be ignored. He did not want to risk his men being caught in the sweeps he would put in place as the new VP. His predecessor would have ordered it if he had ever seen the reports. It had both covered his men and gave a reason for his removal as the attacks had gone without a response from him.
The full United Earth complex was in attendance as VP Triy wanted to make a show of the mass promotions. He claimed the former VP had been holding these brave men and women back out of fear of what they could do. While he was promoting them because of it. That officers like them would lead United to even high levels. It was a massive moral boost for not just those promoted but for those watching thinking they could be next. Besides the new SP there was ten new JP. The mid-levels of Branch Manager and Unit Head had twenty of each. Those were the lowest levels to been placed in charge of a full settlement. Two new generals were promoted in the military ranks. Besides Simpson there were twenty-one other Captains. There were twenty-five lower promotions not to officer levels but among them all knew it was the VP they owed their new rank and position.
JP Charles Garson had seen these all before. A new VP trying to gain loyalty form the ranks to promoting a few chosen members. He knew that at least Simpson had been put up for this and he had to hope that many of the rest had earned theirs as well. If it was not the case it did not bode well for United. For him he was going to check on the outpost Simpson had reported as raided. Then he was going to surprise his old friend Erik at Eden 12.
