They didn't get it. They just thought the AGC had become an unapproachable ass since he took the job back.
Hardway's repairs were almost complete when Harry Cozen told Ram the situation was unacceptable. An air group commander that was so alienated from the crew was no good to anyone.
That night, Biko drank in the Goma Shipyards' one officers' club. That's where the Staas Guards came for him. Staas Guards worked for whomever paid them and these Staas Guards were the hired Shore Patrol, paid by the station to keep Privateers and UN sailors in line. They marched right into the OC and shined a light in Asa Biko's face. A dozen of them. The Goma Station shore patrol had authority over anyone visiting their station, even Staas Company Officers.
What would happen next had been scripted by Harry Cozen. When Ram had talked to the Staas Guards' watch supervisor and delivered the bribe that made it all happen, she'd told him they didn't get much action out here at Goma. She said Hardway was still famous from the first day of the war and if her men couldn't get at the Squidies themselves, then at least a donnybrook with the 'heroes of Hardway ' would give them something to brag about when they went back down to Earth on leave. She'd sent an even dozen goons tonight like Cozen had wanted. Ram had told Cozen that sending a dozen SPs to harass one man seemed implausible, and Cozen told Ram to acquire a sense of theater.
The Shore Patrol goon had a fractured voice like someone had recently punched him in the throat. "Asa Biko, come with us."
"Why?"
"Security check. ID verification. Contraband search. Cavity investigation. Maybe more."
"There's more?"
"There's lots more."
"What if I don't want to go with you?"
"That's not an option."
"Can you read, SP?" Dana pointed at the shoulder of Biko's flight suit. "That's Hardway's Air Group Commander you're talking to."
"You know your rank doesn't matter to us and we're authorized to transport you any way we see fit." His hand went to the baton on his hip.
"Who ordered this?" Ram demanded.
Biko said, "It's alright. I'll go."
"We're coming with you," Ram told him. "We'll get this sorted." He stood. So did Dana and Chief Horcheese.
"Save some for me," Horcheese said. She and Dana weren't in on it. They didn't know it was all a setup – pure theater. Ram felt a little bad about that, but he knew he'd get punished for it soon enough.
Biko left the officers' club with a dozen neckless Staas Guard SPs walking around him. Ram and Dana and the Chief followed behind them as they took him towards the launch pads, down the station's mainspoke, past the enlisted bars. They marched him right in front of Pepcock One – not more than five meters from the saloon's open doors. That's when the SP in front of Biko stopped short. When Biko stopped, too, so he didn't run into him, the goon behind him shoved him forward, and after Biko spun around, the first one hit him behind the knee with the club. Another knocked him from his knees to the ground.
"Hey you can't treat Asa Biko like that!" Ram shouted it loudly and hoped it had been loud enough to be heard over the music in the bar. "He's the Hardway AGC!" Ram and Dana and Horcheese surged forward, but four of the Staas Guards spun on them and pointed those electrified truncheons in their faces while the rest of them stomped Biko. It looked worse than the Guards had a reputation for, but Ram guessed they didn't mind enhancing their rep some.
There were plenty of Hardway personnel in that bar not ten meters away and the Staas Guard shore patrol were doing exactly what they'd been paid to do: beat up Asa Biko right in front of them. Scores of the carrier's pilots and crew saw it. Biko didn't fight back as much as Ram thought he would. The mopey bastard probably thought he deserved a beating just for being an officer, but Hardway's crew disagreed, and then, Ram saw the full effect of Cozen's manipulative plan.
They poured out of the bar and
Hardway's repairs were almost complete when Harry Cozen told Ram the situation was unacceptable. An air group commander that was so alienated from the crew was no good to anyone.
That night, Biko drank in the Goma Shipyards' one officers' club. That's where the Staas Guards came for him. Staas Guards worked for whomever paid them and these Staas Guards were the hired Shore Patrol, paid by the station to keep Privateers and UN sailors in line. They marched right into the OC and shined a light in Asa Biko's face. A dozen of them. The Goma Station shore patrol had authority over anyone visiting their station, even Staas Company Officers.
What would happen next had been scripted by Harry Cozen. When Ram had talked to the Staas Guards' watch supervisor and delivered the bribe that made it all happen, she'd told him they didn't get much action out here at Goma. She said Hardway was still famous from the first day of the war and if her men couldn't get at the Squidies themselves, then at least a donnybrook with the 'heroes of Hardway ' would give them something to brag about when they went back down to Earth on leave. She'd sent an even dozen goons tonight like Cozen had wanted. Ram had told Cozen that sending a dozen SPs to harass one man seemed implausible, and Cozen told Ram to acquire a sense of theater.
The Shore Patrol goon had a fractured voice like someone had recently punched him in the throat. "Asa Biko, come with us."
"Why?"
"Security check. ID verification. Contraband search. Cavity investigation. Maybe more."
"There's more?"
"There's lots more."
"What if I don't want to go with you?"
"That's not an option."
"Can you read, SP?" Dana pointed at the shoulder of Biko's flight suit. "That's Hardway's Air Group Commander you're talking to."
"You know your rank doesn't matter to us and we're authorized to transport you any way we see fit." His hand went to the baton on his hip.
"Who ordered this?" Ram demanded.
Biko said, "It's alright. I'll go."
"We're coming with you," Ram told him. "We'll get this sorted." He stood. So did Dana and Chief Horcheese.
"Save some for me," Horcheese said. She and Dana weren't in on it. They didn't know it was all a setup – pure theater. Ram felt a little bad about that, but he knew he'd get punished for it soon enough.
Biko left the officers' club with a dozen neckless Staas Guard SPs walking around him. Ram and Dana and the Chief followed behind them as they took him towards the launch pads, down the station's mainspoke, past the enlisted bars. They marched him right in front of Pepcock One – not more than five meters from the saloon's open doors. That's when the SP in front of Biko stopped short. When Biko stopped, too, so he didn't run into him, the goon behind him shoved him forward, and after Biko spun around, the first one hit him behind the knee with the club. Another knocked him from his knees to the ground.
"Hey you can't treat Asa Biko like that!" Ram shouted it loudly and hoped it had been loud enough to be heard over the music in the bar. "He's the Hardway AGC!" Ram and Dana and Horcheese surged forward, but four of the Staas Guards spun on them and pointed those electrified truncheons in their faces while the rest of them stomped Biko. It looked worse than the Guards had a reputation for, but Ram guessed they didn't mind enhancing their rep some.
There were plenty of Hardway personnel in that bar not ten meters away and the Staas Guard shore patrol were doing exactly what they'd been paid to do: beat up Asa Biko right in front of them. Scores of the carrier's pilots and crew saw it. Biko didn't fight back as much as Ram thought he would. The mopey bastard probably thought he deserved a beating just for being an officer, but Hardway's crew disagreed, and then, Ram saw the full effect of Cozen's manipulative plan.
They poured out of the bar and
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