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Chapter Four
I Saw Your Ship
6NJ8-V VII, Moon 2
Venal Region
Guristas Logistic Support
Three times, Bane thought as his hoverchair locked into position inside his personal quarters.
Three times I’ve asked the both of them, as a father would to his own children, to cease this madness. The guards escorting him silently left the room as mechanical arms extended over his ancient, cybernetic body and inserted nuerolinks into the sockets implanted within his skull. I raised them as my own, taught them as my own, empowered them as my own, and now look at the disgrace they have become. The mental view of his surroundings, as seen through the cameras attached to the hoverchair, was replaced with a virtual, three-dimensional image of the Guristas data network.
Never in my old age did I expect betrayal such as this, least of all from Otro, he thought. His
natural vision long since departed, Bane grunted as his mind located and read the decrypted report intercepted from Ishukone Watch. Another one of Ishukone’s convoys was lost to an ambush within the borders of Empire space, and there was no question who was responsible for the attack. All I asked of them was to let the Ishukone ships be. The rest of the universe was theirs for the taking, but no, they insisted on carrying through with this absurd ideological vendetta. Bane was not the sort to hesitate making harsh decisions when it came to disciplining military personnel. He was rumored to have destroyed ships in his own fleet whenever captains questioned his orders during combat. The fact he gave Otro three warnings was symbolically identical to being granted life three times. Bane would not extend that privilege a fourth time.
With another thought, the report was replaced with a map of the systems surrounding Mara. Again, the debris field was located within 15 jumps of the Forward listening posts near the three Empire crossings. The predictability disgusted him. Patterns are a death wish, he thought, and those two fools will know the consequences of their own stupidity soon enough.
Despite the reoccurrence, there was something different about this attack. Bane quickly scanned through the latest Ishukone shipping itinerary that Les Akkilen had provided to him as part of their longstanding agreement. The discrepancy was obvious: The Trevani was destroyed while traveling someplace it shouldn’t have been. There is absolutely no reason why an Ishukone convoy should have been in the Mara System, Bane thought, unless they were trying to go around something. In fact, the log listed her as “dry-docked for maintenance and refitting”, with the next scheduled escort mission one week from today. Ever since the attacks started, Akkilen would call within minutes of every lost convoy to share his pointed opinions about “Guristas incompetence”. But not this time, and the report was almost 48 hours old. That was very uncharacteristic of a control-crazed tyrant like Akkilen. Bane could think of several possible reasons for the lack of outrage this time around, but as always, the simplest explanation seemed most plausible: Akkilen just didn’t know about the Trevani. That possibility begged all kinds of questions that Bane decided he needed the answers to, very quickly.
He willed the map to display all of the systems around the checkpoint that the Trevani failed to reach. “Nav-Theta” was along a shipping route that ended in Nonni, and only Ishukone competitors had stations in the systems along the most direct—and most secure—route from Malkahen. The only non-competitors were the Caldari Navy and Home Guard, and both were in the Nonni system. No starship pod deliveries were scheduled at either facility for at least one month. Bane’s wrinkled brow furled into a full-blown scowl. It had to be Navy, he thought. But why avoid taking the most direct route to get there?
As senior as Bane was within the Guristas Cartel, even he lacked the authority to initiate contact with an agent inside the Caldari Navy. His request would have to be approved by Fatal, who personally maintained a formidable spy network within the Caldari State. But regardless of the answer, Bane would order his scouts to concentrate their search for Otro and Gavriel around the Forward bases near the Empire border. In the meantime, he would prepare his own strike fleet. Fatal wanted the two renegades eliminated for threatening the extremely profitable relationship that the Guristas shared with Ishukone. Bane wanted them both dead for much more personal reasons.
~
Forward-Nine
ROIR-V
Pure Blind Region
The base setup was identical to all of the others: Sparsely furnished, but heavily stocked with all manner of supplies for both ships and crew. Hidden along the border with the Caldari State, the “Forwards” were small, unmanned stations built quickly and established as replenishment bases to support Guristas incursions into Empire space. Crammed with sophisticated electronic eavesdropping equipment, the bases also served as listening posts to intercept cross-border communications traffic. Terabytes of data were intercepted each day and relayed to processing stations for storage, and if possible, decryption.
The Guristas had lured some of the best cryptologists in Empire space to their underworld to decipher the mountain of information channeled through stargates, and both Gavriel and Otro recognized early on that their success would lean heavily on having cryptologists of their own. Paying ten times the rate that the Guristas offered, Otro hired them to sift through intercepted data and catalog anything that had to do with the Ishukone Corporation. In the six hours since Otro’s fleet had arrived from Forward-Six, Mila had been devouring the information revealed by their efforts with insatiable fascination.
Mila was able to reconstruct the financial history of Ishukone—both the publicly released version and reality—with astonishing detail. Everything from warehouse inventory records to employee payrolls; corporate debt structuring to shipping invoices; executive meeting notes to general account ledgers; and every component of Ishukone’s strategic plans for the upcoming fiscal year was revealed to her. A very dark picture began to emerge as she reconciled these findings with the data compiled through Satelles, confirming everything that Gavriel had warned her about and more. Typing furiously, she was constructing an analysis as fast as her brain could absorb and process the information.
Peering through the lab window, Otro watched as his sister manipulated the three screens in front of her. “How long has she been in there?” he asked.
Gavriel was beaming. “From the moment we arrived. She has your father’s intelligence, and her ability to process information is remarkable,” he added.
“She gets that from my mother,” Otro answered. “Dad mentioned that she was always a real fast learner. It just comes naturally to her.”
Gavriel nodded, admiring the way Mila’s hair fell over the top of her shoulders as she shifted her attention from one screen to the next. “It is a miracle that we found her,” he said.
“It’s unbelievable,” Otro answered truthfully. “But we’re going to need many more miracles to keep this up.”
“You underestimate the strategic value that Mila brings to the table,” Gavriel said. “For the first time ever, we can accurately gauge the financial impact of our efforts against Ishukone. In fact, I don’t believe that we’re fighting a guerilla war any longer. From now on, each of our strikes will be surgical, with anticipated, quantifiable long-term consequences instead of random hit and runs.”
“It’s Bane that concerns me, not Ishukone,” said Otro. “We’re being hunted by the very man who gave the both of us a new life, not to mention that he taught us everything we know about naval combat.”
“Bane’s interest in us was purely investment value,” Gavriel scoffed. “Just two more recruits to help turn the Guristas greed machine. You shouldn’t view it any other way.”
“True, but it doesn’t change the fact that he’s trying to kill us, and rightfully so. He has the power to bring as many resources as he thinks he needs to get the job done. We don’t have sanctuary here, or in Empire space. And I’m responsible for all the men and women who joined us.” Otro took a deep breath. “One way or the other, we have a big fight coming our way, and the odds are stacked against us.” He nodded towards his sister. “Let her know that she’s got about an hour before we have to leave again. I’m going to start making my rounds with the troops.
Gavriel opened his mouth to speak, but Otro was already out the door. Without even realizing it, he shifted his weight nervously. It felt strangely intimidating to be alone in Mila’s presence.
~
Malkalen V – Moon 1
Lonetrek Region
Ishukone Corporate Headquarters
Between his prowess with financial investments and his enormous compensation from Ishukone, the corporate life had made Ralirashi Okimo wealthier than he could have ever imagined. Earlier in the day, he put his vast fortune to use by secretly replacing the Ishukone property that was lost in the ambush that killed his personal envoy to the Caldari Navy. Most Caldari citizens would have to work for a lifetime to save enough money to purchase a single ship. Rali had just bought five. Among his dealings was the acquisition of a Caracal-class cruiser that he promptly renamed “Trevani”, which was now sitting in the dry dock where the Ishukone shipping itinerary said it should be.
As usual, Rali returned late at night to his luxury station home to find it empty. His wife had long since stopped bothering to leave notes indicating where she was going with the kids, or for how long they’d be gone. As far as she was concerned, such an effort would be a waste of time. It was obvious to her that Ishukone responsibilities were far more important to Rali than family matters, and that was that. She had long since given up trying to persuade him otherwise.
Rali took a long look at the bed that he was supposed to share with his wife and decided that he would never be able to fall asleep. The Board meeting was in less than six hours, and there was nothing more that he could do to prepare for it. He couldn’t tell them about the Raven, not without an inked deal to justify the costs. All he could do was hope to survive the meeting without losing his job. Not wanting to be alone with his anxieties to torment him, he left and wearily made his way down the concourse towards one of the station’s lounges.
Rali was fairly certain that he was once genuinely happy, madly in love, and determined to work as hard as he could to support his family. On that last point, he had succeeded. But he had failed miserably as a husband and father in the process of advancing his career, and the relationship with his family deteriorated accordingly. His marriage was typical of the Caldari corporate elite. Both husband and wife felt unappreciated in their perceived roles as providers; both viewed each other as incapable of understanding the responsibilities which accompany their roles; and both became accustomed to assuming that the lack of understanding was, in fact, pure indifference that betrayed just how fragile their relationship was. If Rali and his wife of ten years were not officially separated, then it was just a legal technicality that would put a title on the true state of affairs with their marriage. The emotional separation had already taken place long ago.
On the eve of the most important—and perhaps final—Board meeting of his career, the contempt that Rali held towards Les Akkilen had become an intense and dangerous distraction. Thinking about his family made it even worse. He had to try and unwind as much as he could, lest the anger become too obvious to the Board members tomorrow. There were only a few patrons in the lounge, and no one noticed him walk in. Choosing one of the many barstools with a good view of the space outside the station, Rali took a seat. Although he was never much of a drinker, Rali decided against his better judgment to order something that would get him intoxicated as quickly as possible.
“I’d like a Minmatar Chest Wound, please.”
The bartender looked at him as if he was crazy, then shrugged and started preparing the drink. While Rali waited, he startled at the sound of a yelp followed by a crash. When he turned around, he saw a young woman dressed in a business suit laying face down on the floor, with a mess of datapads and research papers scattered everywhere. Rali jumped out of his chair to assist her.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Damnit,” she said angrily, pushing herself up to her knees. The first thing Rali’s eyes found was the immense cleavage that sat between the lapels of the woman’s business suit. She never looked up at him, but instead started to gather together all of the datapads around her. “I’m such an idiot,” she muttered.
“Here, let me help,” Rali said. Now his eyes moved upwards of her chest, and he saw that she was positively gorgeous, almost shockingly so. As he reached down to pick up some of the papers on the floor, she reached out quickly and slapped him on the hand.
“Don’t touch those!” she scolded, looking up at him for the first time. “I’ll get them myself—“ She stopped in mid-sentence, and her angry expression suddenly changed to recognition, then shock. Her jaw dropped, and she covered her mouth with her hand.
“Oh my, I’m so very sorry, sir,” she stammered. “This is so embarrassing, I really do apologize.”
Rali was confused. “It’s okay, really.” He had no idea why she had the sudden change in attitude. “Do you mind if I give you a hand?”
She placed her hands on her temples. “This is so typical. I can’t believe how stupid I am,” she muttered, clearly flustered. She started scurrying about to collect the datapads. “I mean, of course you can help. Or, you don’t have to. That’s…very gracious of you, sir” she stammered, then shook her head as if she was disgusted with herself.
Rali laughed a little. “Why are you calling me ‘sir’?” he asked as he gathered papers.
She stood up slowly, placing the datapads on a chair. The pin stripes on her suit accented the curves on her voluptuous figure. “Aren’t you Ralirashi Okimo, the Chief Financial Officer of Ishukone?”
Rali was shocked that anyone could be so humbled in his presence. “Yes, I am.”
She took a clumsy step forward and extended her hand. “It’s an honor to meet you, sir.”
Rali took her hand and shook it. “Nice to meet you, Miss—?“
She smiled, completely awestruck. “Henjska. Capri Henjska. I just started here at Ishukone a few days ago.”
He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this good. “That’s fantastic! Judging from all the papers, I’d say you’re in R&D.” He placed the stack of papers onto the same chair as the datapads.
“Yes, sir,” she blushed, looking away. “I’m an analyst there. My job is to look at declassified military technology and find markets for it within the commercial and retail sectors.” She gazed at him with the most adoring look he’d ever seen. “I’ve always wanted to meet you, sir. I even wrote a paper about you while I was at the Science and Trade Institute.”
Her stunning looks aside, Rali decided that enjoying every moment of this young woman’s company was exactly what he needed. “Please, call me Rali,” he said, motioning towards the bar. “Can I get you something to drink?”
She smiled. “I’ll have whatever you’re having,” she answered.
~
Gavriel sat staring in stunned disbelief at the three screens. Mila was beside him, resting her hands against her forehead and appearing exhausted. After hours of pouring through the data, her initial analysis was finally complete. Gavriel had been speechless since the moment she finished presenting him with a summary of her findings. Stifling a deep yawn, Mila waited patiently for him to absorb the shock of everything he had just learned.
Les Akkilen’s tenure at Ishukone was tumultuous right from the start. Appointed CEO during the height of the Fade mining boom, the move caught corporate insiders by surprise since Ishukone was excelling financially under the previous leadership. Needless to say, shareholders were not impressed with Les Akkilen’s credentials. Aside from the celebrity status associated with his immensely wealthy family and powerful political allies, it was also widely known that Les wasn’t especially bright, and had no business experience to speak of. Investors openly questioned Akkilen’s ability to continue Ishukone’s surge of growth into industries other than starship pod manufacturing, and the stock began to plummet.
The investor’s concerns proved valid. Akkilen’s first mandate as CEO was to take advantage of the firm’s monopoly on heavy elements in Fade. He initially doubled, and then quadrupled the price of all commodity exports produced from the Drenali System. The move created a huge spike in profits for Ishukone, but also infuriated corporate and private buyers from all over Caldari space. The prices for the commodities were so outrageous that it prompted the creation of a coalition made up exclusively of Ishukone competitors. Each member corporation agreed to share the costs of funding research and exploration into the regions adjacent to Fade in search of alternative sources of heavy elements.
When vast uranium and plutonium deposits were discovered in Pure Blind—which sits right on the border with the Caldari State—the coalition wisely decided against attempting to recover their exploration costs quickly. Instead, they opted to exert their newfound market influence gradually by charging the same prices for the commodities as they were before Akkilen came to power. The effects were immediate: Contracts with Ishukone were voided, and the money flowed away from Fade and into Pure Blind’s systems by the billions. Akkilen responded by filing breach of contract lawsuits against every coalition member with the Caldari Business Tribunal, but suffered humiliating defeats in each one of them. To make matters worse, wholesalers and small-cap corporations were collectively filing an antitrust suit against Ishukone for excessive price fixing, citing that the unreasonable hike in commodity expenses caused unfair financial hardship to their own respective businesses. Ishukone was now left with a defunct deep space mining operation that would cost a fortune to maintain, plus enormous legal problems that would further cripple its ability to compete in any markets besides pod manufacturing.
In a maligned effort to compensate for his mistakes, Akkilen sought ways to cut costs as quickly as possible. To start, he reneged on Ishukone obligations to consultants and industry contractors, especially those operating beyond Empire space. Hardest hit were the contractors that had settled on Drenali Seven, which of course included Vilamo Gariushi. If you included the settling family members that the contractors had brought with them, the people directly affected by Akkilen’s treachery numbered in the millions. The hardships suffered in the outer regions went largely unnoticed, mainly because of the worker protests and legal issues that were drawing all the attention of regulators in Empire space.
Still unsatisfied with the adjusted results of his bottom line, Les Akkilen contacted the Guristas. While millions of people starved on Drenali Seven, Les plotted even more sinister actions to appease his ego at the expense of countless others: By planning direct retribution against his competitors for their combined efforts to undermine him. Industrial espionage always was—and continues to be, according to Mila—an unspoken reality within the Caldari corporate domain, but Akkilen shattered the delicate rules of that game as well. In exchange for the unrestricted passage of Ishukone vessels throughout Guristas-controlled space, Akkilen would provide the pirate cartel with the shipping itineraries of as many rival corporations that his spies could get. Bane quickly agreed, and the slaughter began. Mila even discovered evidence which proved that Akkilen had requested attacks against specific Ishukone ships. Records indicated that those doomed vessels carried various “undesirables” affiliated with Ishukone whose deaths, while tragic, were conveniently beneficial to him.
The open exchange of information between Akkilen and the Guristas lead Ishukone down even darker paths. Les refined the amnesty arrangement by negotiating a deal with Bane to purchase the cargo stolen from ships that the Guristas ransomed or salvaged at cost. The deal broke Akkilen’s profit margin wide open because it reduced his own operating expenses to almost nothing, while escalating his competitor’s expenses to a level that was impossible to sustain. Completing the domination of Pure Blind’s economics was the establishment of Ishukone Watch as a legendary protective force. While competitors struggled to find industrial freight captains willing to run the perilous shipping routes into deep space, Ishukone’s survival rate was close to 95 percent, and thus drew the greatest number of shipping contracts. Naturally, Les started leapfrogging the costs upwards for those services as well.
By the time she was finished, Mila had produced a staggering list of illegal activities committed by the Ishukone Corporation. And these were hardly the paper-pusher misdemeanors typically associated with white-collar crimes. There was enough information to secure indictments for a range of hard-core felonies that would result in the permanent takedown of Ishukone and death sentences for all of its senior-level executives. Each potential indictment was backed up with a mountain of damning evidence. She found employee layoff records from factories that coincided with unusually high spurts in productivity from the same facility, with no evidence of assembly line upgrades or anything else that could account for the increased output. She noticed that Ishukone construction projects across all of its developing deep-space territories were suddenly being completed ahead of schedule and under budget, despite having projected delays just weeks before. And of course, there were the actual transmissions containing the competitor shipping itinerary schedules, all relayed through and captured by the Forward Guristas bases.
All told, Mila estimated that Les Akkilen was responsible for direct competitor losses of more than three trillion isk in ships, equipment, and cargo, to say nothing of the immense loss of life resulting from the vicious ambush of convoys in unregulated space. Most, if not all of those losses translated directly into profits for Ishukone in the same period of time. As large as that number was, it still did not include the abstract consequences of losses to competitors, such as in cost overruns, project delays, and consumer confidence. Ishukone stock was finally back to where it was before Akkilen was appointed. Only no one, save for his inner circle of advisors, knew exactly how Ishukone had recovered. The financial analysts reviewing the quarterly and yearly numbers all pointed to “effective cost cutting measures, superior management, and precise resource allocation” as the sole factors behind the newfound stability of the corporation under Akkilen’s leadership. And the Board of Directors, obsessed with image and industry reputation, was too eager to see the stock’s continued climb to bother questioning the numbers or the methods that made them possible in the first place. The rough start by Akkilen years earlier was conveniently attributed to “first time CEO jitters”, and that Ishukone’s climbing revenues was proof of his “coming of age” in the corporate world.
Gavriel continued staring blankly at the figures on the three screens. Displayed across them were the names of some of the largest, most powerful corporations in the Caldari State. Each was assigned an enormous figure specifying the amount of money that Mila figured Les Akkilen had stolen from them. Some of the names included Lai Dai, CBD, Prompt Delivery, Sukuuvestaa, and Caldari Constructions.
“So, what do you think?” Mila finally asked. Gavriel just started shaking his head.
“What do I think…let’s see,” he answered, sitting back in his chair. “I think that there’s enough evidence here to start a ferocious war within the Caldari State—at least.”
“That was my thinking as well,” she said, also leaning back in her chair. “I haven’t even tried to figure out the economic costs of all this, such as how Ishukone’s interactions with corporations from other sovereignties weigh into the equation. The repercussions of Akkilen’s actions throughout the Eve economy must be staggering, and we should probably figure out how far they go.”
“I don’t believe that will be necessary, Mila,” he answered, suddenly shifting his gaze and appearing more focused. “Tell me, have you uncovered anything about the officers that report directly to him?”
“All of them were appointed by Akkilen and have direct knowledge of what he’s doing except for one, who was assigned by the Board of Directors.” she answered.
“And who might this officer be?”
“It’s funny that you should ask…”
~
Rali downed his third Chest Wound in a single gulp, ignoring the scorching sensation in his throat and stomach. Capri started giggling as he nearly fell off the stool while setting the glass back down onto the bar.
“So you see, Capri, that’s pre-e-e-tty much how I became the Chief Financial Officer of Ish-h-h-ukone,” he stammered. Then his eyes opened wide in astonishment as Capri also downed her third Chest Wound in a single gulp. “Whoa”, he said. “That was m-m-most impressive.”
She flashed a coy smile, getting close enough to him so that the tips of her breasts were just barely skimming against his shoulder. Rali was no longer capable of trying to be discreet about staring directly at them. She lifted his chin with two fingers, and got close enough so that he could smell the alcohol on her breath. “A woman can do anything that a man can, Rali. Only better.”
Rali just stared back into her green eyes while the rest of the room spun around them. His marriage suddenly seemed very, very distant. “What…are your career aspirations here at Ishukone,” he breathed.
“Hmmm, let’s see,” she said, rolling her eyes thoughtfully before answering. “Well, to be honest, just getting here was such a challenge that I haven’t had time to think about what’s next.” She motioned to the bartender for another round. “I suppose that I’m not all that thrilled about working for my boss. I wouldn’t mind being in charge of my department, and giving other recruits the big piles of work to do!” she joked. The expression on Rali’s face changed immediately.
Capri caught his look and knew that she had succeeded in setting him up perfectly to get the information that Mila had instructed her to fish for. Feigning a slight cough, she activated the tiny voice recorder sewn into the lapel of her suit.
“So, how do you like working for Les Akkilen?” she asked.
~
6NJ8-V VII Moon 2
Venal Region
Guristas Logistic Support
Bane narrowed the possibilities down to one of three Forward bases: Nine, One, or Two. Otro would be in that general vicinity, preparing for another series of raids against Ishukone convoys. After selecting a staging area that was approximately equidistant from each base, Bane gave the order for the fleet to move out. The location he chose would give him a response time of ten minutes or less from the time his scouts made contact. The attack plan depended on speed—the faster it was over with, the better. Firepower wasn’t the problem—he was certain that he had Otro outnumbered at least 8 to 1. But he would also be asking his crew to open fire on other Guristas ships, and possibly to even engage them in a gunfight onboard one of the bases. The longer the fight drew itself out, the more difficult it would be to maintain morale.
Too bad that it will be over for them quickly, Bane thought as he watched his battleship clear the hangar. Otro and Gavriel should be made to suffer for as long as possible.
~
Malkalen V – Moon 1
Lonetrek Region
Ishukone Corporate Headquarters
40 minutes later
Rali was now flat on his stomach in bed, fully asleep and drooling steadily all over his pillow. Capri gently removed the man’s shoes and pulled the covers up to his neck. She practically had to carry him for most of the walk back to his quarters, and they made a few stops along the way for him to vomit. He was barely coherent when they finally arrived, and unconscious the moment he collapsed into bed. After setting a glass of water on the nightstand, she hurried out of the room and made for the door leading back out to the concourse. Making a note of her surroundings as she walked, the home reminded her more of a museum than a place where a family lived. Everything was spotless; every item and ornament was in perfect alignment with everything else. Yet there was an undeniable emptiness that stood out more than the priceless statues and works of art that adorned the walls. The home was a mirror image of Rali himself: Materially plentiful, but utterly devoid of any soul.
The next shuttle off the station was heading to the Caldari Funds Unlimited Investment Bank at Malkalen Four, and she would have to hurry to catch it. Thankfully, it would barely be a five-minute trip. The information she had to pass along to Mila was of epic importance.
~
Forward-Nine
ROIR-V
Pure Blind Region
25 minutes later
Otro stood with his arms folded, listening intently to Mila and Gavriel as they explained the facts to him. When they finished, he took a moment to think before speaking.
“This ‘Raven’, is it as powerful as Rali says it is?” Otro asked.
Gavriel nodded. “And then some. It’s the ultimate standoff weapon. Nothing else in the Caldari arsenal can put that much firepower on a single target in such a short period of time.”
“Can it be defended against?”
Gavriel shook his head. “That many launchers would overwhelm any point-defense system. And no matter what kind of shields the target is using, a smart Raven captain still has the valid options of either using brute force against a specific protection type, or switching to a completely different warhead. No one out there is prepared for anything like this. Even if you could jam its targeting systems—and you might need several ships to do it—she could still use friend-or-foe missiles to force you to shut your jammers down and run. This ship is the real deal.”
“So what you’re saying is that the Raven is a map drawer,” Otro stated
“I beg your pardon?”
“Build a few of them and you can redraw the map,” Otro explained. “The Raven tilts the balance of power in favor of whoever owns it. And even if you have less ambitious goals, just selling the technology would bring you a different kind of power, the kind that only money can buy. You say Navy is the only client that Rali was trying to pitch this to?”
“To the best of my knowledge, that is correct,” answered Mila. “And from the looks of it, the Trevani was carrying Rali’s reps to meet with them.” Her thoughts flashed back to her brief time aboard that ship, and how drastically her life had changed since then.
“And you’re certain that Akkilen doesn’t know anything about it?”
“We know a great deal about Mr. Akkilen and his inner circle, and I can assure you, he doesn’t have a clue,” answered Mila. “If he did, Rali would probably be dead.”
“How was he able to pull this off?”
“Ralirashi Okimo is extremely intelligent, and very resourceful,” Mila answered. “It also helps that he’s extraordinarily wealthy. Technically, the members of the Raven team are not Ishukone employees. They report directly to Rali and perform all of their work in a fully stocked ship hangar facility that he’s kept rented for almost three years. We don’t know which station is the host, but it’s definitely not on Ishukone property, and we know that it exists within Empire space.”
“He funded all that himself just to spite Akkilen?” Gavriel asked.
“You don’t become the CFO of Ishukone Corporation without knowing how to disguise a few expenses on a balance sheet,” Mila replied. “I’m sure that he passed along as much of the cost as he felt he could get away with.”
I’m really starting to like this guy, thought Otro. “Why is Akkilen so tough on him?”
“Because the Board of Directors appointed him to the position. Akkilen has always treated him as an outsider, and warned his advisors to stay away from him. He felt directly threatened by Rali’s intelligence, and often times humiliated him in front of others by giving him tasks typically assigned to drones, such as cleaning restrooms, picking up after him, et cetera.”
“So he really hates him,” Otro mused. Gavriel could see that he was really thinking hard about something.
“The word ‘hate’ doesn’t fully describe it,” Mila answered, recounting some of the choice words that Rali had used to describe him on Capri’s voice recorder. “From what we’ve learned, every one of us in the room would have killed Akkilen by now. My agent made it perfectly clear that if nothing else, Rali is extremely vulnerable. The Board meeting is just hours from now, and his intent was to surprise them with the Raven and a multi-billion isk Navy contract.”
“Just to prove his competence to them...” Otro said.
“Correct. Now—and I don’t mean to be vindictive here—but because of you, that scenario is no longer possible, and Rali is convinced that this is the meeting when he will be ousted and replaced.”
“Who’s up next to replace him?” Gavriel asked.
“If the Board decides to allow Akkilen to fill the position himself, which is likely considering the turnaround in Ishukone’s revenues, then he will almost certainly nominate his son Jussal.”
“Is your agent still in Malkalen?” Otro asked. The question caught both Gavriel and Mila off guard.
“Yes, she should be,” Mila answered.
“Is she reliable?”
Mila frowned. “She’s one of my best, but what are you—“
“Tell her not to leave the system,” Otro said. “I think it’s time that we had a chat with—“
The radios attached to the shoulders of both Otro and Gavriel began squawking simultaneously. A panicked voice came through the static.
“Sanctuary, this is Recon-Six, tripwire, repeat, tripwire, four heavies, eight mediums, many lights…God damn, they just shot my wingman down! I’m locked up and jammed, there’s no room out here…Mayday, mayday, mayday! Recon-Six going down! Mayday, may…”
Both radios went silent. Gavriel jumped out of his chair.
Mila suddenly looked panicked. “What does that mean?” she asked.
“It means our adversary is within ten jumps of here, and that two of our reconnaissance pilots are now dead,” replied Gavriel.
“What it means is that the old man is coming to collect,” Otro said. “And that it’s time to leave. Gavriel, don’t let her out your sight.”
“Understood. Mila, if you’ll please follow me…” She quickly followed him outside, leaving Otro staring at the Ishukone data still sprawled across the three screens.
I’m sick and tired of running, Otro thought. Enough is enough.
Сообщение отредактировал Nordeck: 06 February 2014 - 8:25
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