00105

Gov. Xavier Bright sat in his inner office going over Security Leader Morgan's report detailing the production speed of blasters- and other things- at the secret factory on the farm grounds. Nice results, but, estimating he had only a very limited time, he preferred to pick up speed on mass production of his secret weapon...

The Governor ignored someone buzzing him over and over, until finally Mrs. Kline called him about it. Her voice came over the intercom. "Earth is on the line, Sir, and insists on speaking with you. They say they have been buzzing your private communications unit and also your screen in your communications room, but that you have not been answering. I have them online here in the office. Shall I patch them through to your personal screen, Gov. Bright?"

"Thank you, Mrs. Kline, but no. I have a more stable connection in the comm room, and we certainly don't want the call to drop out.”

“The usually fast-paced man rose to his feet and sauntered over to the door to his private comm chamber. He leisurely entered and went to the screen. Lazily, he turned it on.

Instead of Doris of Earth greeting him, Earth Leader Arthur Bigges' irate face stared at him with exceptionally bulging eyeballs. Gov. Bright had to force himself not to titter at the sight. Well, he certainly got under Arthur's skin this time.

"Gov. Bright, we've been trying to reach you all day!”

“It is early here, Leader Bigges. If you have been calling me all day, you have been wasting your time, because I was asleep. You are going by Earth time. But anyway, now here I am. However, had I actually received your call, of course I would certainly have taken it, even in the middle of the night. But the sunspots must be interfering again."

Earth Leader Bigges snapped, "No, Gov. Bright, our signal transmitted just fine. We spoke with your communications officers several times, and I am sure they gave you our message. Your scheduled report is very late- by days! And so is the fuel ore shipment!"

"Oh, sorry, my comm officers must have been unable to reach me. After all, I am very busy these days. Anyway, you saw the news." His almost-smirk revealed that the Governor was not sorry in the least. "That little group of Hopers sure are a nuisance, and they are making it difficult for us to send you your ore."

Gunther Martin's face cut in on the screen. "Yes, we saw them. Quite a problem they seem to be making for you." He spoke more calmly than did Arthur Bigges.

Gov. Bright greeted Gunther Martin. "Ah, the voice of reason. The diplomatic Mr. Martin, to balance the... excitable Leader Bigges."

Bigges again. "If I am excitable, it is because the way you are doing things these days gives us here on Earth lots of reasons to get excited!"

Xavier Bright raised a brow. "Oh, really?"

"Yes," said Leader Bigges. "Let's stay on topic. I suppose that this business with the Hopers is why you formed the Civilian Defense Group then, is it?” Once more only his face featured on the screen.

“Well, of course," said the Governor. "We need the CDG to help deal with such situations just like that. You yourself know our almost-crisis situation these days; you even approved travel warnings for those who would like to visit our World of Hope. But the CDG is not only for such problems like the Hopers, but for natural disasters, and for other types of emergencies," he explained. "It’s better to be prepared. We lack much needed equipment to deal with all our troubles, of course, so we do what we can with our volunteer force. Sadly, people are about our only resource, thanks to Earth's stinginess. Fortunately for us here on the World of Hope, we do have so many, many volunteers, all demanding to join the program, faster than we can process them."

Ldr. Bigges appeared skeptical. "Gov. Bright, if you have so little resources, as you always say, then how is it possible that you can have a manufacturing plant near the farms in a converted barn? Where do you get the material for producing?"

Xavier Bright acted confused. He shook his head, as if trying to grasp Bigges' claims. "What are you talking about?”

Bigges held up some photos to the screen for Xavier to look at. They showed the inside of the barn after it had been turned into a factory. But these were early photos, only showing the conveyors and work tables caught in the process of being set up. How it looked pre-operating. "I have my sources, Gov. Bright. Do you deny this is a photo of your secret plant, as it was being designed and set up for production last month?"

"How can it be secret, if you know all about it?" Xavier Bright mocked. Then he became innocent, stating, "I most certainly do deny it. You tell me who is this source of yours, so I can confront my accuser and call him a liar to his face."

Ldr. Bigges set aside the pictures. "So, you are telling me you have not found a way to make cheap weapons, using a plastic-like substance for a weapon's body, and that the substance in some way is made of power-fuel resin, left over from ore processing-"

"Arthur- Leader Bigges, how can that be? Where would I get such a resin, since the fuel ore is processed on Earth? Think about what you are saying, and also get better sources without such a wild imagination."

Clearly unbelieving, Ldr. Bigges glared at him, open mouthed. Then, "Also, Gov. Bright, I notice your Security Agents make no real attempt to do anything at all about these so-called Hopers who have taken over the rocketport. Several Earth people- tourists, business people- are stuck there in the lounge, waiting for the Hopers to clear out from the port, so they can get a rocket back home while others from Earth need to pass through customs and leave the rocketport, to go visit or conduct business on Hope. The Hopers camp there and intimidate them, and so they are afraid to leave and go to hotels for the night, because the Hopers do not want them to go into 'their' town. Meanwhile, the Hopers heap verbal abuse on them, and even spit upon our people. Your rocketport guards do nothing. Your Security Agents cannot even take care of the matter and get our ore shipped to us! But yet you say you are working on the situation! What exactly are you doing to solve the problems?”

The Governor sneered. "Leader Bigges, you know very well, had you sent me the supplies I had repeatedly requested, this whole thing could have been avoided. We would then have the equipment to properly deal with the Hopers problem. Also, had our rightful amount of supplies come, this bunch may not even feel so bitter, because we would have been able to help them meet their basic needs."

"Frankly, Gov. Bright, I think all the work to solve the problems you are actually willing to do, is to give excuses. I think the truth is, you have no desire to deal with the Hopers in any meaningful way to get them under control.”

“I assure you, my Security Leader has been negotiating with them for two days now, and is getting closer to a resolution. Even as we speak, she is once more heading out to the rocketport to begin day three of our talks."

Leader Bigges scoffed, "Oh, knock it off! As if these negotiations are really going anywhere. Just a stalling tactic, for some reason, that's all."

Gov. Bright sighed. "I admit, I find myself sympathetic to their cause and to their complaints. How can I not be? However, I find their methods are counterproductive. What do they hope to accomplish? They seem to abhor the idea of working out all their complaints and problems through the proper channels, within the system. Nevertheless, I cannot be too hasty in my efforts to stop them. I won't risk another Incident. In fact, I am certain the Council of Earth Leaders would not appreciate it if my Security Agents were to storm the Hopers in a grand attempt to get the situation under control, and then if innocent tourists from Earth were hurt in the action... Well, now, you see the results of Earth's oppressive ways toward us who live on the World of Hope. Now we are unable to deliver your shipments of fuel ore in a timely manner, because we have a group of Hopers tying up the rocketport, telling their fellow citizens of the World of Hope to demand that Hope's people be treated fairly, as equals with the citizens of Earth."

Ldr. Bigges slammed his fist onto his desk offscreen, momentarily shaking his cam. "Yes, Gov. Birght, you have an answer for everything, don't you. I am not surprised to hear you agree with the Hopers. You want them to stir up the people into wanting independence from Earth! You want the Hopers to make your population think about the idea of desiring to be free from us. That is how you want to prepare their minds, and you made the CDG in order to prepare their bodies, to get them in shape- All for the day when you openly challenge our authority, and declare Hope's sovereignty rights! Are you actually looking for a- a fight, one you cannot possibly win?!"

Xavier Bright remained calm. "Why, that is so far from the truth, it is paranoid. Such is not the picture. Such thoughts are most unbecoming in you, Leader Bigges."

"Oh?" Bigges nodded his head, resolved. "I am glad, then, to hear you deny my concerns, Gov. Bright. If you speak the truth, then I know you will not mind- especially in light of the way you are unable to do anything about the Hopers- you will not mind at all, then, if we send a platoon of troops who can handle them. And don't kid yourself, they will find a place to land, even if the rocketport is overrun by these Hoper goons. We shall send troops to help you maintain order, to clear out the Hopers from the rocketport, and to unhook the lines with which the Hopers have tied down the rockets, making blast off unsafe. We shall secure the ability of the freighters to launch, so that they can deliver us our ore shipments. That is what will happen once, we send the Earth Army"

Xavier Bright's eyes blazed. "You will do no such thing. The last thing we need here is some military presence to make our lives even more difficult!"

"Oh, but we will indeed send the Army," Leader Bigges insisted. "Not only will we get our ore and re-establish order, but I will see that you are thoroughly investigated, and your governorship will be revoked. You will be sent back to Earth to face criminal charges. When we uncover all your activities, which, I assure you, our investigation shall reveal, I believe we will have ample evidence of outstanding deeds against the government of Earth to take care of you."

Suddenly, Gunther Martin’s face reappeared onscreen. "Hold on a minute, Leader Bigges. Let's not get extreme so hastily-"

Gov. Bright shot back to Bigges, "None of what you propose shall happen, Leader Bigges. None of that. Because if any Army rocket comes through the wormhole, then, I promise you this, the hostage we hold here on Hope is a dead man.”

“What? What hostage?!" Bigges wanted to know. "What are you talking about, man?"

"I am talking about Mr. Martin's son," Xavier Bright replied coldly.

Gunther Martin's face popped out again. He paled. He gasped out, incredulous, "What?! You can't mean that, Gov. Bright!”

"I do!"

"But- but you can't do that!" sputtered Gunther Martin. "You can't threaten Osmo! You cannot make him a hostage! He is an innocent. He is not involved with your dispute with Earth. He- he looks up to you, Gov. Bright. We- we can certainly work out things, our differences, without resorting to unnecessary threats-"

Xavier Bright answered, "Mr. Martin, don't be so naive. Why do you think I invited Osmo here in the first place? Why did I encourage my niece to befriend him? Why did I give him a position in the Security Agency? To keep him close to me, in case I needed leverage with the Council, if we ever got to this point. Well, now that we are at this point, I have no choice but to make Osmo my hostage, to guarantee Earth's cooperation."

Gunther Martin pointed an accusing finger. "You- you--! If you dare harm a hair of his head-"

"I dare, Mr. Martin. I dare. So, if you value young Osmo's life, I suggest you convince Ldr. Bigges to cool down, and I advise that you convince the Council to not send any soldiers here to our World of Hope, contrary to Ldr. Bigges' desire. And, Mr. Martin, I know your skills of negotiating in difficult situations between parties. Please do not come here to the World of Hope to try that with me. It would be a waste of your time. My mind is already set, and the hour of negotiating anything has passed."

While both Gunther Martin and Ldr. Arthur Bigges shouted at him, he flicked off the screen.

Xavier Bright took out his communications device and made a call.

"Sec. Ldr. Morgan, I have an important thing for you to do. No, no need to apologize; this does not involve the CDG and their training. I know they are not very good, but do not worry about them. They are only a backup plan, and a misdirection. No, this is something much more important. Is Osmo Martin with you at this moment? Then, I want you to arrest him immediately, and bring him to the Governor's House without delay."

He put his comm unit away before Sec. Ldr. Morgan had time to ask him any questions about his order.

(c) drk 2012