Brotherhood is by far the most deeply involved in legitimate freight operations. Lippaula told me that with the fall of the Uthlarigasset government, ninety-eight percent of their former illegal activity isn't illegal anymore, and the counterfeiting is just a small sideline. She said there were six large organizations involved in illegal smuggling when Uthlarigasset controlled this part of space simply because the import/export duties were so excessive. Now that Uthlarigasset is out of the picture and the taxation is over, those six groups have become legitimate operations. Of course they probably still handle the odd job where the import or export of certain goods are restricted by a planetary government, but it's not something that concerns us."
"And you believe her?" Brenda asked.
"For the most part, but not entirely. For instance, no one gets into counterfeiting in a small way. If you're into it, you're usually in up to your eyeballs. Most of the other could be true, but it's also difficult to imagine criminal organizations entering into a lasting peace. Of course, we all know what will happen next. Eventually one of them will covet another's business and attempt to move in, which will end the peace. We may already be seeing signs of it because a lot of armed Brotherhood people seem to be wandering the streets in pairs, as if patrolling."
"So what do we do about it?" Nelligen asked.
"We could try to heat things up a bit."
"But if they start fighting in the streets, a lot of innocent people could be hurt," Brenda said.
"So we try to make sure the fighting is out of the population centers."
"How do we do that?" Kathryn asked.
"I don't know yet. But there has to be a way."
"Is it likely that Lippaula will hire us for some service to the Brotherhood?" Byers asked.
"I don't know. She said she wants to see me again in a week."
"Why?" Brenda asked.
"I don't know, and she didn't elaborate. Perhaps she has to check with someone to see if she needs a smuggler, or perhaps she only wants to reminisce some more."
"So what do we do in the meantime?" Kathryn asked.
"The same as we've been doing. We visit taverns and listen for loose talk about GA crimes being committed or planned." Vyx yawned and stretched, then said, "Guys, it's been a long day and I'm beat. I'm heading for bed. We can take this up again at breakfast, if there's anything more to say. I'll try to get that report done early so everyone can read it before we head out."
Vyx was already sound asleep when Brenda entered their living quarters. She prepared herself for bed, then slipped into the king-sized bed they shared. She tried but couldn't fall asleep and wound up staring at the sleeping form of Vyx, barely visible in the low illumination from a chronograph on the bulkhead opposite the bed. She would have loved to be a Gesta beetle on the wall wherever Vyx and Lippaula spent the day. Gesta beetles had chameleon capability that allowed them to blend almost seamlessly with the background. Until now, Brenda knew she was the only woman in Vyx's life, but she couldn't help wondering how— involved— he and Lippaula had gotten while renewing their acquaintance today. She had been attracted to Vyx from the start and over the years had grown to love him deeply, but she couldn't help worrying that if his high school lover was trying to work her way back into his life, their personal relationship might be about to end.
* * *
As the team deployed to their selected taverns the following morning, Vyx chose a new location. The trouble he'd had at the first tavern had made the other customers wary and un-talkative, and seeing him leave with a Brotherhood enforcer probably meant that the second tavern would be a dry hole whenever he was there.
Vyx found a new location nearer the spaceport. It was busy even at such an early hour, but he found an empty table and began his day. Everything was quiet until three armed Uthlarans entered the tavern.
Vyx paid careful
"And you believe her?" Brenda asked.
"For the most part, but not entirely. For instance, no one gets into counterfeiting in a small way. If you're into it, you're usually in up to your eyeballs. Most of the other could be true, but it's also difficult to imagine criminal organizations entering into a lasting peace. Of course, we all know what will happen next. Eventually one of them will covet another's business and attempt to move in, which will end the peace. We may already be seeing signs of it because a lot of armed Brotherhood people seem to be wandering the streets in pairs, as if patrolling."
"So what do we do about it?" Nelligen asked.
"We could try to heat things up a bit."
"But if they start fighting in the streets, a lot of innocent people could be hurt," Brenda said.
"So we try to make sure the fighting is out of the population centers."
"How do we do that?" Kathryn asked.
"I don't know yet. But there has to be a way."
"Is it likely that Lippaula will hire us for some service to the Brotherhood?" Byers asked.
"I don't know. She said she wants to see me again in a week."
"Why?" Brenda asked.
"I don't know, and she didn't elaborate. Perhaps she has to check with someone to see if she needs a smuggler, or perhaps she only wants to reminisce some more."
"So what do we do in the meantime?" Kathryn asked.
"The same as we've been doing. We visit taverns and listen for loose talk about GA crimes being committed or planned." Vyx yawned and stretched, then said, "Guys, it's been a long day and I'm beat. I'm heading for bed. We can take this up again at breakfast, if there's anything more to say. I'll try to get that report done early so everyone can read it before we head out."
Vyx was already sound asleep when Brenda entered their living quarters. She prepared herself for bed, then slipped into the king-sized bed they shared. She tried but couldn't fall asleep and wound up staring at the sleeping form of Vyx, barely visible in the low illumination from a chronograph on the bulkhead opposite the bed. She would have loved to be a Gesta beetle on the wall wherever Vyx and Lippaula spent the day. Gesta beetles had chameleon capability that allowed them to blend almost seamlessly with the background. Until now, Brenda knew she was the only woman in Vyx's life, but she couldn't help wondering how— involved— he and Lippaula had gotten while renewing their acquaintance today. She had been attracted to Vyx from the start and over the years had grown to love him deeply, but she couldn't help worrying that if his high school lover was trying to work her way back into his life, their personal relationship might be about to end.
* * *
As the team deployed to their selected taverns the following morning, Vyx chose a new location. The trouble he'd had at the first tavern had made the other customers wary and un-talkative, and seeing him leave with a Brotherhood enforcer probably meant that the second tavern would be a dry hole whenever he was there.
Vyx found a new location nearer the spaceport. It was busy even at such an early hour, but he found an empty table and began his day. Everything was quiet until three armed Uthlarans entered the tavern.
Vyx paid careful
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