Barab and Jer.
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FIFTEEN � ^ � There were almost six hundred members of the council. All but a handful were assembled in a grand hall, listening to Friedrich von Baldur, who wore a rather grandiose uniform of his own design. He was about three-quarters through his speech.
Over the hall patrolled not only Shaoki ships, but Inchcape's destroyers on the fringes of the atmosphere and, closer in, Vian's patrol ships.
The hall was too juicy a target to not cover thoroughly, even though no one in Star Risk was convinced the Khelat even knew they'd switched sides, let alone be able to mount an attack at short notice.
Still�
"We shall assist your cause on two fronts," von Baldur said. "The first is helping your officers and soldiers realize their full potential.
"The second, which I believe, in the long run, is the most important, is economic. Not only does Star Risk believe the Shaoki have been denied their place in the sun for far too long, but we also feel the Shaoki should dominate the riches of this cluster.
"With such domination, the systems and worlds which remain barren can be developed, and every man of the Shaoki be a prince!"
There were cheers. Von Baldur bowed.
"But we are men and women of action," he went on. "Not words. So when I next appear before you, I want to have concrete accomplishments to show you. Now is the time for work!"
Again, cheers, and again, a bow.
Von Baldur, smiling, left the stage, where the others of Star Risk waited.
"What's this two-front deal?" Goodnight asked. "What've you got in mind, besides beating the Khelat bum?"
"Later," von Baldur said. "I�or rather M'chel�shall explain, in a quieter place. Right now, as I said, let us put the boys to work."
"Awright," Goodnight said. "Grok's put the antibugs in place� So what's this second front we're supposed to open?"
Von Baldur was still busy critically surveying the amenities of their quarters.
The Shaoki called it a mansion, but in their building scheme it was actually three floors in one of the ultrahigh-rises. Star Risk had specified a pair of elevators that went nowhere but to their lodgings, put in security on the floor above and below their three.
Jasmine had asked who'd been the previous occupant, was told it was a council member whose "performance had been lacking."
"Since it's my idea," Riss said, "I'll explain.
"Dov� the late General Lanchester� happened to mention that a corporation named Omni Foods has the whip hand on half a dozen members of the Alliance Parliament."
"So?" Goodnight snorted. "What's new about corporations buying politicos?"
"Nothing," M'chel said. "However, Omni Foods is the main buyer of the Khelat main, that spicy tea that I think should be used to wash toilets."
"I say again my last," Goodnight said. "So?"
"So we're going to hire ourselves a lobbyist back on Earth who can figure out who these six are. We'll contact them and inform them that there's a power struggle going on out in the Khelat-Shaoki cluster.
"I still don't get it."
"If we are winning," Friedrich put in, "we surely don't want a few battalions of Alliance Marines showing up on the Khelat side to even the odds."
"Oh," Goodnight said. "That has been known to happen."
"It has," Riss said. "I was on a couple of those expeditionary forces.
"The other benefit it has is for one or another of those six politicos to put the word back to Omni Foods that there may be a change in who controls the main. Omni Foods will get the word, and unquestionably want to be in on the ground floor if the Shaoki control things."
"Which means bribes, I would guess," Grok said.
"Channeled through us," Goodnight said. "Now I get it. So that'll keep the Alliance off our asses, put some money inbound, which'll make the Shaoki Council happy, and we get a rake-off. Not bad, Major."
"I thought it was downright sneaky."
I have never done this before, Jasmine thought,
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FIFTEEN � ^ � There were almost six hundred members of the council. All but a handful were assembled in a grand hall, listening to Friedrich von Baldur, who wore a rather grandiose uniform of his own design. He was about three-quarters through his speech.
Over the hall patrolled not only Shaoki ships, but Inchcape's destroyers on the fringes of the atmosphere and, closer in, Vian's patrol ships.
The hall was too juicy a target to not cover thoroughly, even though no one in Star Risk was convinced the Khelat even knew they'd switched sides, let alone be able to mount an attack at short notice.
Still�
"We shall assist your cause on two fronts," von Baldur said. "The first is helping your officers and soldiers realize their full potential.
"The second, which I believe, in the long run, is the most important, is economic. Not only does Star Risk believe the Shaoki have been denied their place in the sun for far too long, but we also feel the Shaoki should dominate the riches of this cluster.
"With such domination, the systems and worlds which remain barren can be developed, and every man of the Shaoki be a prince!"
There were cheers. Von Baldur bowed.
"But we are men and women of action," he went on. "Not words. So when I next appear before you, I want to have concrete accomplishments to show you. Now is the time for work!"
Again, cheers, and again, a bow.
Von Baldur, smiling, left the stage, where the others of Star Risk waited.
"What's this two-front deal?" Goodnight asked. "What've you got in mind, besides beating the Khelat bum?"
"Later," von Baldur said. "I�or rather M'chel�shall explain, in a quieter place. Right now, as I said, let us put the boys to work."
"Awright," Goodnight said. "Grok's put the antibugs in place� So what's this second front we're supposed to open?"
Von Baldur was still busy critically surveying the amenities of their quarters.
The Shaoki called it a mansion, but in their building scheme it was actually three floors in one of the ultrahigh-rises. Star Risk had specified a pair of elevators that went nowhere but to their lodgings, put in security on the floor above and below their three.
Jasmine had asked who'd been the previous occupant, was told it was a council member whose "performance had been lacking."
"Since it's my idea," Riss said, "I'll explain.
"Dov� the late General Lanchester� happened to mention that a corporation named Omni Foods has the whip hand on half a dozen members of the Alliance Parliament."
"So?" Goodnight snorted. "What's new about corporations buying politicos?"
"Nothing," M'chel said. "However, Omni Foods is the main buyer of the Khelat main, that spicy tea that I think should be used to wash toilets."
"I say again my last," Goodnight said. "So?"
"So we're going to hire ourselves a lobbyist back on Earth who can figure out who these six are. We'll contact them and inform them that there's a power struggle going on out in the Khelat-Shaoki cluster.
"I still don't get it."
"If we are winning," Friedrich put in, "we surely don't want a few battalions of Alliance Marines showing up on the Khelat side to even the odds."
"Oh," Goodnight said. "That has been known to happen."
"It has," Riss said. "I was on a couple of those expeditionary forces.
"The other benefit it has is for one or another of those six politicos to put the word back to Omni Foods that there may be a change in who controls the main. Omni Foods will get the word, and unquestionably want to be in on the ground floor if the Shaoki control things."
"Which means bribes, I would guess," Grok said.
"Channeled through us," Goodnight said. "Now I get it. So that'll keep the Alliance off our asses, put some money inbound, which'll make the Shaoki Council happy, and we get a rake-off. Not bad, Major."
"I thought it was downright sneaky."
I have never done this before, Jasmine thought,
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