Gamble Taken

Copyright © 2015 by Roger Russell.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2015903860

ISBN:   Hardcover   978-1-5035-5196-1

Softcover   978-1-5035-5198-5

eBook   978-1-5035-5197-8

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the

product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance

to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Exterior Cover Photograph by Tom Narwid.

Rev. date: 03/18/2015

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CONTENTS

Prologue

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Preview

   I would like to dedicate this book to those that dream dreams.

         My thanks to Kenny.

   I would like to thank those that explain how to dream those dreams.

         My thanks to Marion

   I would like to thank those that keep the dreams from turning into chaos.

         My thanks to Joyce.

PROLOGUE

The dark empty vast stretches of space. The distances not only enfold but can also isolate small islands of life. When humanity threw itself into the stars that was one of the major obstacles to survival. There were those few rare places that humans strive to find. More importantly, strive and even manage to control. Control seems so central to the human mentality. Humans being what they are, there are times when those interstellar distances can be a providential thing. Those huge oceans of cold dark emptiness isolate the pockets of humanity from other pockets of humanity which can be hostile from time to time.

In some cases being so spread out might hinder growth and development. But in this case, it was the opposite. The vast reaches would protect from conflict and disruption, at least for a long while.

ONE

Electra paused before leaving her office. She quickly glanced at her appearance in a small mirror positioned near the doorway.

She wasn’t vain, not really. Not even before this important board meeting. As a woman comfortable in her own skin that had seen middle age for several years, she knew the first blush of youth had been left far behind. But people had expectations about how an important person should dress, and behave. And Electra was one of those people.

Her third assistant had put together this ensemble, an antique earth style business suit with an elegant blouse to set it off nicely. It wasn’t a common look, but it did seem to suit her. From the story she had heard, someone in her personal staff had noticed it in old news reports. Her staff was excellent at noticing things; she had to give them that much credit. Considering her office controlled infrastructure projects spread out across space in three quadrants controlled by the corporation, it was amazing how her staff of assistants remembered to take care of personal details like this attire.

Taking care of details was her hallmark … the simple reason for her most publicized achievements and of course the reason her failures hadn’t been any worse than they were.

Her hands fidgeted a bit, and she calmed herself with a deep breath.

Her staff stayed focused so she could stay focused. And the focus of today might mean their life or death some day.

War or peace. That was the issue for everyone to face in the board meeting today, even if they didn’t want to admit it just yet.

So much depended on clearly understanding that decision, and if the other shakers and leaders in the meeting didn’t realize the two choices that lay before them? She would have to insist on educating them. Their lives and their comfortable way of life depended on it.

Electra Margolis was not a nervous woman. She handled big business without batting an eyelash; expenditures that most planets couldn’t hope to generate in years.

Most didn’t realize it of course. Corporate business stayed in house. Even people in the know understood if you wanted a big expansion or project, there was only one person who could make it happen. Electra.

She had been the director in charge of infrastructure development for years now, and she made sure they were profitable years. As her daughter was still in school, the power structure also made her a shareholder, a more important position as well. So, it was her hand that guided big spending on things from space stations, to communication relay systems. She in essence put up the building blocks that made trade possible.

It was often called the corporate resources department generally in conversation. Like any long standing business this one was people determined to work together, building a common dream. The difference was that this dream was out in space. The shareholders who began the adventure had been a courageous group. Not just to start trade in general back on old earth, but to begin their adventure on a larger scale. The first attempt at trade in their day didn’t generate profit. But they refused to give up and eventually all the pieces were put into place. In place often meant near the lunar colonies and even at Mars. The heady early days of space made people dream, and dream they had. The dream of trade wasn’t just her dream or the vision shared by the other directors in the group. Even the employees had a certain pride in their accomplishments. Providing things to people who needed them was the vision that had challenged Electra’s ancestors as they left old earth and took to the stars.

And yet, all these years later here she was. Her outfit painstakingly recreated with that particular old earth look. Electra would have found that irony amusing, if her mind wasn’t so focused on the agenda for her upcoming presentation.

Life and death would be discussed. Whose life and whose death? That was unanswered as yet. But with that thought she stepped into the executive elevator and keyed in her personal code to access the floor where the other board members were already beginning to gather.

It takes two to make peace, one to make war. Electra had no intension of letting the corporate leadership get caught off guard on this. In her pocket was a memory cube, carefully crafted with a firsthand glimpse at the very real evil they faced.

Electra was as ready as anyone could possibly be.

The door opened and she stepped into the room beyond. Most wouldn’t have guessed the wealth that was inside.

The well proportioned room had actual real earth sourced wooden articles. The central piece was a long dark table, easily seating the seven people gathered around it; some fairly young, some not so young. All were in very expensive clothing. Not glamorous or flashy, but in the best materials with the most carefully designed styles. Each casually wore their garments as if accustomed to them.

This group was tense. There were always important things to discuss in this inner circle that for all practical purposes ran the business around their area of space. But today the tension was even thicker than normal. After they were called to order Electra pulled out the data cube and placed it on the table before her, in clear view of everyone present.

Do you mind watching a short presentation? I want to remind everyone of recent events; these are video clips taken live at the scene with very little editing.

The wall screen flared to life on the wall opposite them. It took very little time for the others to place the scene -- space, at the edge of the lower spiral. The loss of a prototype supply shuttle had been discussed by the board before. This was different, Electra had compiled the video from inside the shuttle and inside the emergency suits as the Blood Star attacked and hunted down their employees like animals. The attack was played out again, the demands for surrender and the begging employees pleading for mercy; all from this violent, hostile encounter.

Soon enough the scene faded to the starscape at the scene and the voices of the enemy warship repeated one more time,

Surrender….

Then a soft echo repeated it a few more times for effect.

Electra rose to her feet at the table, leaning forward with both hands, palms down, on the smooth wood of the table top. The room was decorated to appear inviting, a warm welcoming look. Lamps spaced around the room along with fixtures in the soaring ceiling lit the chamber. Art hung on the walls, a few sculptures were scattered and kept the spaces from looking empty. All the same there was a sense of openness surrounding the long elegant table where the group was seated. It might have diminished someone with a less dominant personality. Electra’s mousy brown hair was pinned up, showing neck above the high collar on her prim business suit. But the conservative cut of the tailored outfit was the only thing soft spoken about her. The first gray hairs were beginning to show. Of course Electra didn’t care a whit about them.

The room was filled with silence as they absorbed the contents of the video.

I fail to see what we have to gain by doing nothing. This wasn’t the first aggressive move by the Blood Star. There was a battle on Gateway and other terror attacks later traced back to their operatives.

She knew they had been informed on the earlier Blood Star activity.

Don’t you remember that people died because we didn’t know who was behind the senseless violence? Out of ignorance, of course. We could do nothing, until Pavel figured it out. Now we do know!

She gestured to the wall screen, the frozen scene of the enemy ship with the guns on its bow lit up and ready to fire.

How can any of you dither and do nothing when we have a known enemy that wants us dead?

She glared to her left at Kelly Winthrop. But Kelly refused to be baited. Kelly may have been slightly younger. She was a contrast to Electra, and carefully carried herself with an air of innocence. But she was still used to holding her own under pressure. Everyone sitting around the table could say the very same thing. If you couldn’t handle pressure there was no chance of being elected to the corporate board.

And this group was the corporate board for the conglomerate controlling three individual spiral arms of space for the next six years. They were elected every seven years, true. And they did answer to the 50 shareholders who elected them. But they had great latitude in handling day to day affairs that needed executive action. On top of that they were all active directors, holding their end of the business that each specialized in. It was all in the name of trade of course, the driving force behind the group. But Electra was reminding them that trade demanded stability.

The six other members listening to her rant understood Electra’s position. Even if they only agreed by degrees.

Kelly was focused, and ready to defend her position as well.

We’re all so busy rebuilding everything with the new myrelite alloys, is this the time to stop all our industrial output for a war effort?

Winthrop Industries was well known to produce high quality items for mid range prices. They did everything from common kitchen appliances to commercial machinery. More specialty items were fabricated elsewhere, but the first stop for most anything was almost always Kelly’s customer service site.

She had a point. The new corporate space was still under development in some areas, particularly in the lower spiral. That area had fortunately rewarded the corporation with new exotic materials that were rewriting design and manufacture on so many items. So directors were busy ramping up production with materials from the lower spiral; now that the supplies were finally being shipped in quantity. Of course Kelly, being a first cousin to Farrell Sachs, had an inside advantage. He was one of the leading directors with those materials. She had been the logical person for Farrell to approach when new resources became available from the farthest reaches of developing space.

The board members paused the discussion for a moment. It wasn’t said openly, but it did give Electra a chance to take her seat and compose herself. Electra did finally sit, and she did become composed. When Electra grew very still, it was never a good sign.

I have yet to see the ‘Blood Star’ wait for us to prepare and give them permission to take action.

The chill in her voice dropped the room’s temperature and almost made the others shiver.

At the far end of the table, Electra’s frequent supporter Maddox Garrett cleared his throat, causing her to pause before she gathered another full head of steam. Everything moved by ship, and his was the shipyard that built the long range trade vessels.

Perhaps we need to do something as an interim measure before this ever gets a final decision or further time at the table with the Board.

He tapped his fingers on the table, then realized what he was doing and placed both his hands underneath on his lap.

We need to know what they are doing. That much is obvious. Until we have intelligence any response is going to be a guess at best; and with these ‘Blood Star’ settlers that might be disastrous.

The silence stretched, each pair of eyes went to that end of the table. Even Electra tilted her head to one side indicating interest.

Kelly finally offered a comment.

We have the satellite lens that can get detailed information from almost a parsec away. I’m sure Rawlings can come up with some sort of delivery system.

Director Winthrop understood the capabilities of photographic technology; it was one of her industrial product lines. Most of it was used for weather systems and even for motion detection for heavily traveled space routes near debris fields. For people who just wanted to capture pictures, they would get much cheaper and less sensitive systems. But when satellites had to be good, it was one of her specialties.

I will gladly supply the equipment for cost. The real cost, not the cost I normally quote.

Maddox understood the difference between the two figures. But he still plowed ahead.

And I’ll make sure the space frame delivery system and drive units are available, as a ‘donation’.

Once more the room stayed silent. At her end of the table Electra raised an eyebrow; Kelly had been put in her place.

Kelly finally broke the silence.

I make a motion we authorize a surveillance system and use corporate funds at the board’s discretion to gather intelligence on hostile forces at the ‘Blood Star’.

The voices around the table murmured their assent. It was official. The Blood Star was officially under scrutiny. The level of scrutiny of course was never spelled out.

With that, the rest of the meeting went quickly and things wrapped up a short time later.

Maddox watched the other board members gather their things and filter out of the room. By the time the board next met he wanted intelligence detailed enough that he could use it to start construction of star ships fit for battle, not vulnerable commercial trade ships. If the Blood Star thought this sector of space would be an easy target, they were mistaken.

This doesn’t look good at all.

The gray haired man fingered his neatly trimmed beard. He bent over a piece of equipment and made adjustments to it. Every piece of machinery was vital to his mission, and every single thing mounted inside the craft behind him had waited until it had his personal approval before being installed.

Finally he was satisfied and stood erect. With that job done he moved on to the next concern. His sprite and lean frame moved with an evident energy as he stepped within a circle outlined on the loading bay floor around the sphere that was his craft. The second, outer line on the floor marked the boundary where normal staff wasn’t allowed any closer. And a security agent stood by to enforce it.

This strange looking unit didn’t look anything like other conventional or even cutting edge approved designs. Perhaps the closest comparison was like an emergency evacuation module. Its mass was too large for that however. As the proud project designer, Doctor Eugene Prince had been very simplistic in his approach. His design hadn’t made the final product entirely round, but for the most part it was almost a lumpy looking large ball. And now it hung on a cradle almost ready for launch.

While some engineering staff knew of individual components, and some fabrication facilities had handled very specific orders, few people understood the technologies that had been installed in the strange looking object. Director Winthrop had hunted for and called in the best expert in the necessary field. And that was the strange man Eugene Prince.

Eugene had moved through his life watching people, but always from a distance. It wasn’t any coincidence either. Dr. Prince (Ph. D) just couldn’t stand being around folks. Not just humans, but any people in general. So, the challenges of a long range observation platform were a dream come true when he heard whisperings of the possible need for a refined and highly advanced platform.

And he had gone after the job with a passion, by day calling and writing the corporate security offices to verify the job and begging for a chance. By night sketching and laying out the combinations he would want himself. He had quickly become a fixture at the Winthrop office complex with his designs. After four days of intense lobbying he came home to find a particularly insistent security Officer Burke in his living room waiting for him.

That interview had led to this moment.

Here he was on a working flight deck in space, someplace with staff and machinery to make his dream come alive. Well, not just his dream now, but he overlooked that part of the situation.

The single standard hatch was at the bottom, slightly off to one side from the exact lowest point. He walked under it, one hand raised and absently feeling a seam for smoothness. Construction had moved quickly past the basic frame and now the last of the advanced capabilities were being installed and power tested. If this was to be his home for the next several years, Eugene wanted to know it wouldn’t fail on him. Not when he was going to be stationed so very far from any support. Shivering he glanced around on the flight deck. They had treated him well, but there were still just too many people around.

Eugene Prince did not realize he wasn’t chosen for this task due to his brilliant analytical mind. He was chosen due to his preference, and history of a solitary lifestyle. Had they told him, Eugene still would have accepted the challenge without hesitation. His entire life history showed he performed better the more isolated he became. He had been heavily involved in other mining machinery designs in the past. Time after time he consistently did his best work out in the field alone where he would study asteroid belts for up to two years at a stretch. Being alone for years was something Eugene considered a reward for work well done. Not a punishment.

With the possibility of his observation station assignment at hand, he endured the staff and hustle and bustle of the bay as his special project was being assembled.

Instead of letting himself get unnerved by the crowds pressing in around him, he focused all his attention firmly on his creation. The circular platform was slightly more than three times taller than he was. A strangely dull metal covered in a thin smooth ceramic layer left a surface smooth to the touch.

For most understanding its designed function, the diameter would be too small for comfort, but it was better than some of the places Eugene had worked. In fact, it was only a matter of a half dozen steps from his computer terminal monitoring the power systems to the boarding ladder that had been pushed up underneath the only hatch.

Eugene had been watching workers come and go as they delivered the necessary equipment. Not just life support, but parts for the heart and soul of the craft. Lenses, sensors, thin antennae that were built into sections of the hull carefully placed within the smooth layer of ceramics that coated its surface. Soon a flexible coating would be applied. It was a specialized non-reflecting flexible dark compound. And even the technology for applying it would be innovative. The spray would be layered carefully; both to give material from local asteroids purchase, and to absorb any debris impacts in transit. The results would be a hard tempered ceramic surface underneath an absorbant coating so that no shattering should be possible. Still Eugene hated the thought of possible glass shards on the outside of the sphere.

His forward thinking designs had necessitated compromise after compromise. First were the alloys built at the fabricators and brought to him in sections; all because of the new myrelite material. And while myrelite was strong and light it was extremely toxic and had to be sealed to protect the people handling it. The ceramic layer handled that. And while here in the landing bay, even the outside had to be coated with temporary measures while assembly was in progress. Once he was in space it wouldn’t be so important…and if the ceramic was damaged en route? He could always coat the metal surface itself well enough. The exposure would be towards open space thankfully. It was the sealant inside the craft that would keep him safe over the length of his assignment.

The length of the assignment; his contacts had been rather vague about that.

When he had a chance and people weren’t around to distract him, he would give that some thought. But for now, there wasn’t any time to waste, there was a deadline looming.

So, he worked with his team on solutions to the many hurdles any new designs faced.

Metals, ceramics, fusion energy reactors, gravitic sensors and communication relay interfaces, everything he had been taught growing up was impossible, was now the reality. And he, Dr. Prince, would be using it to keep this part of space safe from predators.

The Blood Star…they needed watching, and he loved to watch things. Eugene never would have considered himself a spy. But a snoopy neighbor sounded about right in his own mind.

Someone in the background dropped a tool and the metal clang reverberated in the bay. Eugene cringed. As a realist he understood that the other workers eyed him as an oddity. And perhaps he was one.

After glancing at the tool the mechanic was picking up he spoke in a tiny quiet voice

This really isn’t looking so good…

A light sweat broke out on his forehead and he wiped it away with a shop rag and focused on the job. That meant another quick climb up into the sphere.

At the edge of the work area another tall lean man noticed. Standing in a shadow Burke was easy to overlook. He spoke quietly into his comp pad for a moment, then waited calmly for the engineer to finally emerge from the craft again. Time ticked by as he stood waiting. But he was patient. Much like he had been patient that first meeting, in Dr. Prince’s living room.

His form fitting monochrome black outfit stood out among the working uniforms. Agent Burke had grown accustomed to wearing his dark attire. Perhaps he didn’t even realize the impact it had on some.

The nearby mechanics went about their tasks pretending not to notice him, but that first clanging wrench wasn’t the last that got dropped when a nervous set of fingers fumbled.

But Burke simply waited, checking on his comp pad from time to time. Finally he moved closer, to speak to Eugene as the man climbed nervously back down the ladder.

Dr. Prince?

The man took a nervous breath and mumbled under his breath,

This doesn’t look very good at all…

Burke tried not to frighten the man, a calm serene look spread across his face and he stepped back a little to give the scientist a bit more room.

I have a man on a planet not far from here that would love to have you visit for about a week.

Eugene froze and peered at the man in dark clothing as if he was a specimen about to be dissected.

I don’t know anyone on any planet, and I don’t want to face the crowds at any landing port. I’ve never even been to a planet before!

His adam’s apple bobbed, and he fought for air.

They promised me no more crowded landing ports.

Burke just waited until he wound down.

I’m not taking you to a landing port. There is enough room to land without going to one. Andre lives on a farm in the countryside, miles from his closest neighbor. And his wife is in the hospital getting her lungs repaired. He could use someone around the house who won’t need babysitting.

Eugene considered it for a moment.

But the ship is ready. Tonight they apply the coating. After that, it’s time for launch in the morning, I need to be here!

The agent shook his head slowly, but carefully avoiding any angry or threatening expressions.

It launches. Your part in this is done now, you have all the internal systems on line and functional. We need to get out of their way while the exterior is coated. You’ll be busy enough when it arrives at our selected coordinates. But you have worked really hard for months, you deserve a break.

Burke took on a quirky grin and tried to explain.

The technology used during launching and transport is something you don’t need to know about. And our shuttle will meet up with it in about two weeks. You will have plenty of time alone in that small compartment soon enough. This is to give you time to relax before that happens. No crowds, I promise. I’ll fly you down in a shuttle personally, so it will just be the two of us leaving, and coming back in a little over a week. I’ll even bring your supplies with us so you won’t have to face shopping.

Eugene rubbed his knuckles over his mouth and mumbled very softly,

This doesn’t look so very bad, maybe…

Of course Burke expected most of his meals would be freshly dug potatoes and fresh beef from the farm. He knew the farmer from previous experience. They had dealt with each other not long ago on another matter.

Burke knew Andre’s quirks well enough to understand he would decide what sort of animal Dr. Prince should be handled like. What sort of animal would he think Eugene behaved like? He could ask later of course.

Instead Burke focused on the present.

"Let me tell you about Andre. He is a retired space captain who just wanted to be a simple farmer. You two should get along famously. He enjoys his empty open farmland just like you will.

The two walked side by side away from the circular craft and towards a small nondescript shuttle.

The scientist’s work was really done. His absence for the next day would allow the crew to focus on their job instead of tip-toeing around him while they applied the last coatings of sealant and performed the launch. That would help give the crew a chance to get the important mission on its way; on time, on budget. The quirky designer had already tested every system, and every component at least three times and even the redundant backup systems had functioned perfectly. Even now, all systems were powered up and on line in standby mode. Internal life support checked out well within the strictest guidelines, and the launch would happen as soon as the coating was finished. If he would get out of the way and allow the men into the painted circles on the floor, and close enough to work on it.

Eugene sighed and followed Burke into the shuttle. Somehow he wasn’t all together surprised to see all his bags packed and already loaded.

Burke saw his gaze and nudged him gently.

Don’t worry, things aren’t looking so bad.

Prince cringed slightly and sighed. Glancing over his shoulder the men were already quickly at work masking and taping off the maneuvering vents and sensors to protect them from the coating they were going to apply. It hadn’t taken them long to swing into action. That would be hard for anyone to accept. And Eugene was no different.

Shrugging he followed Burke to the cockpit and strapped in.

This farmer I have to put up with. He doesn’t like to talk a lot does he?

Burke went through the pre-flight checks and thought about it for a moment.

The systems came alive one at a time as the agent considered the question. It was a reasonable one, but as the former interrogator who had debriefed Captain De Lummierre, he couldn’t explain his answers. Finally he settled on the most convenient out.

He was undergoing medical treatment while I was acquainted with him. He didn’t seem to chatter then, and I doubt if he does now. His wife, should you meet her, chatters like an irritated magpie, as Andre explains it. But she’s at a system medical center, I doubt you two will meet.

Eugene settled with that. Burke was many things, but he had the ring of truth to his answers. For now, it was enough.

Just maybe things don’t look so bad then.

That was when Burke handed him a blindfold.

You don’t need to see anything as we leave the docking bay, what you don’t know can’t be forced out of you…should things go wrong later.

Dr. Prince shrank back a little into his seat.

Well, maybe things aren’t looking so good after all.

But he held his breath and slipped the fabric over his face all the same. Blindfolds were miserable but if Burke insisted there was little he could do about it.

The steady thrust of the engines lifted the shuttle as it exited into open space. Where, he would never know. The corporation must have resources it didn’t want bandied about.

Settling into the chair Eugene readied himself for a long flight. Faster than