Chapter Nine

Amity System

Free Worlds League

November 15th, 3024

Arriving at the Zenith jump point from the Helm system I order the communications officer to relay my message to Imstar Aerospace. I have offered them the option to purchase two F10 Cheetahs which they manufacture here. Presumably they can refurbish them before reselling them at a profit. I have also offered them a pair of TR-10 Transits and a Pair of TR-13 Transgressors in case they wish to dissect these Capellan designs.

Having received a positive response, I arrange for Captain Martinez to transport them down on the Styx and to handle the deal. With the charging time being nine days and the planet only three days out she will have plenty of time to complete the deal and give the Styx crew some R&R time. I need to continue scouring the 'future reference material' to jog my memory of what may be coming to pass. I am currently undecided on if I should try to make a deal with Katrina Steiner or Hanse Davion.

Steiner is closer and would allow a quicker return to Helm, they would also have easier access to transport assets. Davion however has the NAIS and a better military to help shield me.

Captain Martinez has returned with out incident and having completed the sale within my guidelines. Next stop is Solaris VII, where I plan to recruit and maybe catch a match in the arenas.

Arriving at the Nadir Jump point we check in with the recharge station and prepare to be boarded by customs. I have arranged to display two Hatchetman HCT-3F and a Centurion CN9-YLW with the AC/20. I will also be trying to sell two Mark VII landing craft and a SA-7 Bus small craft to make room for three more fighters in the small craft bays. A squadron of Stingrays sounds good to me. I once again have to deal with a nosy inspector trying to board the Vault. At least this time the Styx is eighty percent empty.

While waiting for approval to ground I work out a schedule with Captains to arrange R&R times for all the personnel. I will be trying to recruit up to four MechWarriors with the assistance of Mastiff, while LT. Kharkov will be looking to hire four vehicle crews. Commander Metcalf has been working with a some of the small craft pilots to transition them into Stingrays as they were originally trained to fly fighters. Apparently, no fighters were available at the time they graduated forcing them to become shuttle pilots.

Twenty for hours later and we have approval to land. Five days after that we make planet fall at the space port. It seems there is quite a lot of interest in the Hatchetman mechs as they are so new on the market. This may cause a problem for me in trying to explain how I acquired them. I figured this was a good place to try and sell them what with the Hatchets. I wanted to sell them so bad because I have seven of the things and another two upgraded ones as well. I did not think this through properly damn it. I will have to try and sell them to Lyrans or I may cause myself even more trouble. I contact the interested parties and let them know I am entertaining offers due to the number of interested parties. I even have competing interest in the Centurion as well but not on the same level.

Making my way around Solaris city brings to mind Las Vegas only on a grander scale. I find myself avoiding the various purveyors of escorts and gambling houses while checking out the sights around town. It looks like I am being followed, I better try and get back to the dropship. Making my way back to the Styx I find myself blocked by a surly looking man in a cheap suit. "Mister Grimm my employer would like a word with you" I can hear the guy behind me approaching. As they have not been violent or outright threatening me, I decide to try this the easy way. "And who would that be?"

"Kane Weiler of Defiance Industries."

"Then Lead the way and I will follow"

He heads towards a vehicle and gestures for me to enter.

"I am sorry but I am not getting in a vehicle with someone I do not know. Give me the address I will be there shortly."

He seems about to insist until I reach for my side arm. He pauses for a moment before providing the address. I back away keeping them both in my sight before falling back to the Styx. Gathering a couple of marines and my legal advisor we head out to meet with Mr. Weiler.

Upon arriving at the indicated location, I let Miss Howe lead us into the office. After an hour of the suits arguing and the goons being turned way by my marines, we finally adjourn to a conference room to get to the bottom of things.

Mr. Weiler starts off by demanding to know where and how I came to possess the Hatchetman mechs.

"That would be none of your business sir. You are free to make a bid for them if you wish to purchase them. I am not someone you can demand answers from."

After several threats and counter threats pass between the lawyers I speak out. "Mr. Weiler If you can arrange a meeting between Duke Brewer, Archon Steiner and myself. I will answer all the questions they have of me. Once the meeting is confirmed I will sell the two Hatchetman mechs to Defiance at cost along with the other Hatchetman mechs I possess including two with LosTech. I am of course willing to travel to Tharkad at my own cost for such a meeting."

I look around in the sudden silence to find everyone staring in shock at my audacity. "You now know how to properly contact me, let me know your answer as soon as you can." I stand up and lead my people out of the office and back to the dropship.I guess I can look forward to watching my back from now on, I need to make a deal with a significant patron. I hope Duke Brewer of Hesperus II has the pull to arrange the meeting and my incentive is enough for him to do so.

Seeing as I already have a target on my back, I have decided now is a good opportunity to sell some more equipment. It is not like I will have access to sell to all the factions anywhere else but here. I make it known I have three Balckjack BJ-1's, three Enforcer ENF-4R's, two Centurion CN9-A's three Dragon DRG-1N's and three Zeus ZEU-6S for sale. I am sure there will be fees and taxes to pay but with the helm cache to cart off I need to free up space.

In between closing deals I have managed to watch an arena match. It was entertaining but brought up concerns over whether I would be able to take a life in combat. I guess no one really knows until the time comes. 

After a week of wheeling and dealing I hear back from Mr. Weiler that I have a meeting first thing in the morning of February 15th​, 3025 at the palace on Tharkad.

Having completed all the sales, I make arrangements to leave ASAP as it will take sixty-five days and eight straight jumps to reach Tharkad. I definitely don't want to be late to a meeting with the Archon. I guess that settles whom I will ask to be my patron. I better acquire some proper clothes etc. before the meeting.

Arriving in the Tharkad system, I personally check in with traffic control and inform them of my scheduled meeting with the Archon in eight days. Several hours later I am provided clearance and strict instructions on where to land the Styx. We follow the instructions to the letter on our seven-day journey to Tharkad. I have made sure the Styx has enough units on board to show the Archon's people what I have to offer. I have been busy going through the material my father left behind for information I can show her people as well to corroborate my story. I wonder If I should tell her the real story of my origin.

The Styx is met by units of the Royal Guards and Technical people from Defiance Industries. I grant the techs free access to the Hatchetman mechs before I am whisked away by 'secret service types' to be properly searched and instructed on how the meeting will take place. Damn am I nervous who would have thought that I would actually meet Archon Katrina Steiner. I was actually bluffing when I asked for this, I did not expect it would happen.

After being thoroughly searched along with the case containing a copy of the library core and supporting documentation I have been left sitting in a waiting room. I find myself waiting to be summoned for my meeting. There is a brief knock on the door before it opens and one of the palace security guards motions me to follow him. I do so while marveling at the grandeur of this minor part of the palace complex. I wonder how ostentatious the main palace is. I keep thinking about Queen Elizabeth and the Windsor castle, but there is no real comparison to make considering the size and scope of the palace complex. I am beginning to feel overwhelmed by it all.

I am led into a small conference room to find the Archon, a military officer whom I believe is General Nondi Steiner, Duke Greydon Brewer whom I recognize from my research into Defiance Industries, a well-dressed man whose identity I do not know and the ubiquitous guards.

I bow before the Archon and her party. "Greetings Archon Steiner, General Steiner, Duke Brewer and to you as well. I am sorry but I do not know your name. I am Rick Francis Grimm and you have my gratitude for agreeing to this meeting. How may I be of assistance to you?"

I listen with baited breath as the Archon responds. "For the moment you do not need to know his identity only that he serves me and has my full trust."

"Yes your highness."

"Duke Brewer originally requested this meeting to find out how you came to be in possession of mechs you should not have been able to acquire. He informed me you would not disclose your source with out this meeting. We have since learned there is more to this than I was led to believe. You have our attention mister Grimm, this better be worth our time."

Swallowing the lump in my throat I begin my tale. "I think it will be well worth your time but in the end, it will be you who will decide if I am correct. Am I to assume correctly that your people have had the chance to perform a preliminary inspection of the Hatchetman mechs?"

"Yes, and the preliminary reports are difficult to believe. The mechs have serial numbers which correspond to units not produced as of yet according to Duke Brewer's people. Then there is the two units mounting LosTech weapons and equipment. But the most intriguing items are in that case. This is why you have been granted an audience with me Mr. Grimm"

"Before I begin I want to make sure you have absolute trust in everyone who is currently watching and listing to us, as what I have to offer

you will change the inner sphere and the balance of power as it now sits"

"You better not be grand standing Mr. Grimm as you will not like the consequences."

The Archon shares a look with the unidentified man who quickly excuses himself and leaves the room.

"Am I correct in assuming that was Simon Johnson Chancellor of the Lyran Intelligence Corps?"

The Archon and her guards become tense at the conclusion of my question.

"You seem to be well informed Mr. Grimm. Duke Brewer would you please excuse yourself as we may be discussing topics beyond your purview. I will be sure to inform you of the outcome of the discussion in regards to the Hatchetman mechs.

The Duke looks irritated at having to leave the room but complies with out a fuss. the rest of us wait quietly for Mr. Jonson to return.

With Mr. Johnson's return and assurance that they are ready to proceed, I lay the big one on them.

"In this case is a copy of a complete Star League library core I acquired from the Helm cache a little over three months ago. There are also documents describing the technical specifications to some of the advanced mechs from the future which I acquired during the recovery of a miss jumped Tramp. The Hatchetman mechs as well as all the other equipment I have sold came out of the cargo aboard the dropships attached to the Tramp."

I am greeted by stunned silence and shocked looks.

"The case is still unlocked from the security screening so feel free to browse the documents and have the core analyzed. I had my computer tech write up instructions on how to access the core as he had to span it over several memory cores to maintain the indexing and user functions. If you wish to have some one you trust inspect a couple of the future mechs, I have a Raptor Omni mech and a Commando IIC mech still crated on board the Styx."

"Simon please arrange to have the library core, documentation and the mechs examined while I arrange to have Mr. Grimm put up in one of our VIP suites. Mr. Grimm Please enjoy the hospitality of the palace while we confirm your claims."

"As you wish Archon Steiner"

I enjoyed eating both lunch and dinner while confined to the beautiful suite. The food was unbelievably good, but I should have expected that, being in the palace of one the house lords.

Shortly after finishing dinner I was once again summoned before the Archon and her advisors.

"Please take a seat Mr. Grimm, the preliminary evaluation of the library core and mechs has us inclined to believe your claim. Would you please give us a more detailed account of how you came to be here with all that you have brought with you."

"This all started with my father being the only survivor of the missjump. He informed me that he was from the future or more likely from the future of an alternate universe similar to this one. He came to this conclusion because in his history there was no mention of this technology being reported in this time period. According to him when the missjump occurred it was 3086 and he was one jump from Tikonov. After the missjump he was in the Heliat system in the year 3000. The Heliat system is part of the Aurigan Reach or Directorate now. It is located between the Magistracy of Canopus and the Taurian Concordat."

"Being the only survivor he decide to keep the incident secret for fear of his life should he fall into the wrong hands. The KF drive was damaged during the miss jump and thus nonfunctional. This left him with no option but to stay in the system. He planned to repair the jumpship and hire a crew to make his way to the Federated suns. However her ran into several snags. The first being the difficulty finding parts to repair the jumpship and a crew to operate it. The second was falling in love with my mother."

"Over the last twenty odd years he has been selling off equipment from the cargo to support himself, the family and working towards the day he could recover the ships. Everything recently came together shortly after the coup in the Aurigan Reach. The surviving mercenary and independent forces that served House Arano were forced to sign over their assets to Director Espinosa or face execution. This finally led to my father being able to hire the right personnel to complete his planned recovery."

I continue to tell them my tale up to arriving here today .

"My father told me things that happened in the history of his past which may or may not be relevant. To help me figure out if they are relevant may I ask some questions?"

"You may, although we may not answer."

"Is Ardan Sortek still on Tharkad?"

"No he left shortly before you arrived"

"Did he leave to investigate the possibility of Prince Hanse Davion being replaced by a doppelganger?"

"Yes, is it true?"

"My father was not sure as it was only a rumor and not public knowledge. If the rumor was true and you can get him a message he should go to the summer palace on Argyle and check the dungeons for the real Prince Davion."

"Have the Federated Commonwealth Accords been signed and are Hanse and Melissa slated to be Married?"

They all seem a perturbed that I know state secrets.

"Yes. Normally Simon would be leading you to be interrogated at this point, but well future knowledge kind of sums it up."

"I understand and I am only trying to help you in hopes you will help me. The knowledge and cargo I have could see me hunted down and killed to obtain it. I am looking to align myself with a house for mutual benefit and protection. In all honesty I was planning to go to New Avalon due to NAIS being the best place to make use of the technology. You were my second choice, but my mistake with the Hatchetmen mechs brought me here."

"Back to Melissa, there was a rumor she was kidnapped on her way to meet Hanse in 3027. It had something to do with a Silver Eagle and Patrick Kell dying during her rescue."

"Those are the two things that come to mind that happen before the Fourth Succession War."

"The recovery of the Helm cache should probably happen soon as I can not guarantee we were not observed entering or leaving the cache."

"I have much mare to tell you but it will take a very long time to go over possible future events for the next sixty years. Perhaps we could continue this in the morning?"

"The Archon takes some time to consider What I have said before speaking. "You have given us a great deal to think about and offered us a tremendous boon. What would you ask for in return?"

"I have some thoughts on the matter, perhaps we could discuss them after I have been fully debriefed?"

"Very well I will have you escorted back to your suite."  I am thoroughly exhausted after that meeting. I wonder what tomorrow will bring.