9,401, an SF thriller

[Agemegos]

Originally Posted by Rupert

If not, get up to speed on the protests - who's doing the protests, who's organising them, what they want, why they're protesting to us (the Imperials), and so on.

The people protesting are mostly recipients, which is to say second-class citizens who have no jobs. They are protesting partly because they resent being excluded from the political process, partly because they resent the fact that members get a much larger share of the surplus of the commune than they get, partly because the contributors are on strike (so that many of the usual services have been cut), and largely because they like to heckle, throw rocks, and break things.

They are being organised, as far as anyone can tell, by several hundred influential bloggers, most of whom are at cross-purposes to one another, and all of whom claim to represent the view of OPLOC or ODLOC or the credible alternative to OPLOC and ODLOC. Over the last couple of days three memes seem to have caught hold: the colour red as a symbol of revolutionary affiliation, the slogan 'Liberty, Equality, Brotherhood', and an old song The Internationale.

What they want varies enormously, from the implementation of some fairly sensible reforms suggested by the Executive Chief Commissioner a few years ago, to an increase in the dole, to payment of the dole in cash instead of in kind, to the abolition of the distinction between member and ward, to votes for all, to fire and bloody revolution. There is no scheme so brilliant or so hair-brained, so visionary, or so rooted in the history of reform and revolution, that there is not somebody championing it.

So far as you can make out, they are protesting at the Empire because they have no idea whatsoever: either they think that the Empire is the force behind the Commune, or they think that the Empire could be persuaded to overthrow or reform the Commune if it understood their plight, or they don't really know that the Empire and the Commune are different things, or they have seen footage of protests outside the Imperial Enclave from disturbances on other planets, and just think that besieging the Residence is the thing to do, or they want a chance to heckle The Man, or they are going along with the mob.

Things are all pretty chaotic at the moment, and it hasn't yet been settled what all this is going to have been about. The moment of decision will be soon, though.

[Icelander]

Thórrson finishes reviewing the forensic report and turns to the remaining members of his team, Ishikawa having gone off to start her interviews.

Thórrson (to Ashbless)

Good work, Sulanne. If pressed, I can unequivocally state that the medical evidence so far tallies exactly with the video feed we saw. Maybe that'll be enough to calm some nerves.

Thórrson (to Lethe)

Once you finish pulling data on the Sons, see if you can find any blogger suggesting that people come here and protest today. I'll need his online name, his real name and location. See if this protest is linked to any particular bunch of recipient revolutionaries.

While you're checking bloggers, see if anyone is mentioning our investigation or the vic. Let me know as soon as you see anything about it.

Also, get us rap sheets on the four suspects, complete with case files. Anything in Imperial or Cockaigne records with their name in it, I want to see. Set a program to it and high-light relevant info.

Thórrson starts making preparations for a trip to Anacreon. Aircar, security element (Marines if possible) and forensics. He'll help Ishikawa finish interviewing the base personnel and then take his whole team. While heading for the interviewing facilities, he calls Lt-major William Ariel.

Thórrson (to Ariel)

Morning, William. Sorry to disturb you, but I've got a bit of a dead body here on the 'Residence. Nasty brouhaha, all told.

---

Just so. Listen, bud, you're a man who hears things. I haven't quite got time to call up every service for their heads-up, so I thought I'd take a short cut.

The protest that was happening when the vic was shot, do you know anyone who might have data about it I haven't got? Say, if someone in the crowd was under survaillance by some obscure service or another? While you're at it, ask around if the vic, name of David Legspinner Wong, was ever under survaillance or linked to any political action groups.

---

No, no, no; wouldn't dream of it. Not suggesting anything of the sort. All I'm saying is that I'd appreciate it if you'd ask around and call me back if we have anything at all going on near that lot. In other words, if there's any information I can use.

If you can find anyone who has data on the Sons of Patrick Henry that isn't in my files, I'd be forever grateful, as well. Four people connected to them as well, Azazael bond Oak, Kitsune Foxx, Spartacus Lijmke and Ino Assad.

---

Oh, I don't know, I'm sure you have a few friends in Special Branch, Naval Intel, that sort of thing.

---

Thanks, bro, much obliged. I'll wait for your call.

[Icelander]

While proceeding to Ishikawa's debriefing centre, Thórrson is working his netlink. He calls the judge's chambers again, noting that his team is heading for Anacreon and that they plan to search Wong's place of employment and residence. They'll ask for permission first, but it would help if they had a warrant ready in the case of any problems.

Then he calls local law enforcement responsible for the territory around the Imperial Residence. He's aware that they're on strike, but he wants to get access to survaillance data on the subways and any other possible ways of getting to the place where Wong died. He also wants any available records of Wong and the four suspects (although he doesn't use the term suspects).

If he has any trouble, he'll first try charm and ask for cooperation, but if pressed, he'll offer to get a warrant, come down there with a tactical team and book for obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting a terrorist organisation. He asks that the data is sent to the electronic working area of his team and that Lethe is given access to their databanks.

He calls Lethe next.

Thórrson (to Lethe)

Special Agent, I've got a couple of things to add to your to-do list. First, I want you to track how Wong and the suspects got to the 'Residence. I'm getting you access to subway camfeed and any other cams that could be relevant. If you need more eyes to watch footage, I'm giving you permission to use the Marines next to you or deputise locals, should you prefer it.

Second, find our what organisations have terraforming data about Cockaigne. Local firms, contractors, Imperial scientists, anything. Get access to their databanks and run a search for the biological/ecological traces found on Wong's body. See if we can narrow down the area he was held in before he found his way to the 'Residence. Call me if you have any trouble getting access.

Third, how long do hide and gob cultures like Martha's Cookies and Levine’s Junior Whiteshield live? He's been here two years and he still has Tau Ceti brands? If they're recent, he's either bought them here or he's been off-planet without anyone knowing about it. Find out if they're sold here or if he had any imported.

Thórrson is now walking through the Marine barracks, nodding to the guard and entering yet another datacode into his netlink.

Thórrson (to Superintendant St. Ives)

Morning, sir. I presume you know about the case I'm working on. I just thought I'd give you a live update of where we are, in case it becomes necessary for you to give a newsfeed statement.

The deceased is one David Legspinner Wong, born on Hell, Tau Ceti II. As far as we can tell, he was running towards the Imperial Residence in an attempt to contact the Department of Justice. So far, we do not know why he wanted to talk to us, but we can surmise it had something to do with his death.

The main suspects in his death are Kitsune Foxx, Azazael bond Oak, Spartacus Lijmke and Imo Assad. We suspect them of involvement with the Sons of Patrick Henry, but so far, we don't know what their connection with the case is. The camfeed actually shows Kitsune Foxx shooting the victim and it matches the medical evidence, so we're confident that we have a solid case against her.

My team is going to Anacreon to check out leads there.

---

Yes, sir. I also wanted to ask you to inquire very carefully with all branches of the Imperial service and see if there was any covert operation running at the time. Either in connection to the protests and the Cockaigne recipients or in connection to the Sons. I'd especially like to know if anyone has a report on the vic or the suspects that's not available to us because it's flagged Top Secret or locked away in a secure net area.

---

Sir, if I'm on the case, I have a need to know.

[zorg]

Originally Posted by Icelander

Thórrson (to Lethe)

Once you finish pulling data on the Sons, see if you can find any blogger suggesting that people come here and protest today. I'll need his online name, his real name and location. See if this protest is linked to any particular bunch of recipient revolutionaries.

While you're checking bloggers, see if anyone is mentioning our investigation or the vic. Let me know as soon as you see anything about it.

Also, get us rap sheets on the four suspects, complete with case files. Anything in Imperial or Cockaigne records with their name in it, I want to see. Set a program to it and high-light relevant info.

Lethe

Already done, sir. To sum it up:

The Sons of Patrick Henry is an interstellar NGO ostensibly concerned with publicising and bringing the pressure of public opinion against tyranny and especially restrictions of liberty. On paper it is a latter-day Amnesty International. Its slogan is Give me liberty, or give me death.

The organisation is old (170 years), enormous (it has more volunteers on its books than the Imperial Service has officers), and flush with cash (annual turnover is in the region of a five billion crowns per year). It is very well-liked by the 'Fed' faction in the Senate, and utterly despised by the LRA ('League of Repressive Autocracies', a.k.a. the 'Colonies' Rights Movement'). Its headquarters are in the colony of Ys, on Tau Ceti II: it also maintains small offices on other colonies where it is legal and where the communications infrastructure is adequate for it to raise money economically.

The SoPH funds a small number of field agents, called 'effectives', whose missions range from collecting evidence of slavery, arbitrary imprisonment, and other civil rights abuses (preferrably televisable and highly emotional evidence), and smuggling it to free colonies where it can be pubblicised, to organising the escape of slaves and prisoners of conscience, and even providing information on revolutionary tactics on repressed colonies.

Many governments (in the LRA) have accused effectives of the SOPH have engaged in subversion, agitprop, and training guerrillas. SoPH pretty much acknowledges this, and simply denies that this is a crime. Accused that it's slogan is an incitement to violence, SoPH spokesfolk counter that it is an incitement to violence only by tyrants, a call for martyrdom, not murder.

Some SOPH effectives have committed violent crimes, even assassinations. But the organisation promptly and publicly these actions and insists that they were unauthorised. No credible accusations of terrorism have been levelled against the Sons of Patrick Henry.


As for our suspects, there is little to be discovered about them. Foxx is an exile from Tokugawa, with a vague record of political dissent and a long time in some sort of prison camp. She was released (into exile) after the SoPH made her plight a cause célèbre, thirty-seven years ago. She has ostensibly made her living ever since as an after-dinner speaker. The rest are non-entities.

None of them are listed in any public directory, and they are listed as having resident alien visas but no residential addresses, but a bit of work with the Superhacker turned up that they were all sponsored to enter Cockaigne by a landscape gardening firm with offices in Venusberg, J&B Landscapes. J&B shows no signs of ever having done any landscaping, landscape design, or landscape design consulting work, but it does have a staff of 33, all from off-world, and of whom four are known effectives of SoPH, suspected of prior involvement in fomenting rebellion: Lancelot Brown (from San Pietro on Tau Ceti II), Inigo Jones (an 'android' from Ritho on Tau Ceti II), Kitsune Foxx (from Tokugawa), and Spartacus Lijmke (Paradise I).

There are no outstanding warrants for any of them.

I suggest we have a talk with these people, sir. It is likely that they are engaged in some activity we can interrogate, maybe even arrest them for.

I'm checking J&B's financial records and accessible computer files right now.

The search for the blogger may a take a bit longer. Preliminary estimates suggest that there are quite a few bloggers concerned with the current situation.

[Agemegos]

Thórrson (to Ariel)

Morning, William. Sorry to disturb you, but I've got a bit of a dead body here on the 'Residence. Nasty brouhaha, all told.

Lt-major Ariel is evidently not a morning person. Thórrson's call catches him in bed, not alone, and looking as rumpled and dissipated as modern technology will allow. From the looks of the background, he is not at the Residence but in some contributor's bedroom.

Ariel

Morning, Kémal. Brouhaha is what we've all got lots of.

Thórrson

Just so. Listen, bud, you're a man who hears things. I haven't quite got time to call up every service for their heads-up, so I thought I'd take a short cut.

The protest that was happening when the vic was shot, do you know anyone who might have data about it I haven't got? Say, if someone in the crowd was under survaillance by some obscure service or another? While you're at it, ask around if the vic, name of David Legspinner Wong, was ever under survaillance or linked to any political action groups.

Ariel

Name doesn't ring a bell, but everyone has lots of balls in the air at the moment. I'll ask about for you. Hmm. Certainly nothing of mine. Naval Intelligence are usually pretty forthcoming, but the Resident's political staff play their cards close to their chest. Do you want me to twist some arms?

Thórrson (to Ariel)

No, no, no; wouldn't dream of it. Not suggesting anything of the sort. All I'm saying is that I'd appreciate it if you'd ask around and call me back if we have anything at all going on near that lot. In other words, if there's any information I can use.

If you can find anyone who has data on the Sons of Patrick Henry that isn't in my files, I'd be forever grateful, as well. Four people connected to them as well, Azazael bond Oak, Kitsune Foxx, Spartacus Lijmke and Ino Assad.

Ariel

…Assad. Right. I'm checking my files, but it'll take a bit of time to get 'round everyone else. Any suggestion whom I should try first?

Thórrson (to Ariel)

Oh, I don't know, I'm sure you have a few friends in Special Branch, Naval Intel, that sort of thing.

Ariel

I'll do the rounds and let you know.

Thórrson (to Ariel)

Thanks, bro, much obliged. I'll wait for your call.

Ariel

Speaking of rounds, Kémal: we must try to get a morning free for a round of golf. You can get in to any course on the planet.

Mind you, you need orbital fire support to play in the rough, and bodies keep turning up in the bunkers.

Pip-pip!

[Agemegos]

Originally Posted by Icelander

While proceeding to Ishikawa's debriefing centre, Thórrson is working his netlink. He calls the judge's chambers again, noting that his team is heading for Anacreon and that they plan to search Wong's place of employment and residence. They'll ask for permission first, but it would help if they had a warrant ready in the case of any problems.

The judge on rotation is Mr. Justice Gudunov, a peppery old high stickler who got his start as a defence advocate, and who occasionally shows signs of inquisitorial habits on the bench. Thórrson gets no response from his chambers, nor from his house in Venusberg. On a hunch, he tries the judge's 'holiday place' at Mickeldale (a mountain resort). Mr. Justice Gudunov is wearing a military-style tunic with a chocolate, white, grey, and forest green camouflage pattern, to which a brigadier's broad stripe in gold lace has been tacked with an inexpert needle.

The judge considers Thórrson's presentation of the evidence perfunctorily.
Gudunov is basically Unfriendly, and Thórrson's Charisma is 25 * 5 = 125, d% = 07, QR 1, permitting Persuasion at +1. Thórrson's persuasion is 20 * (5 + 1) = 120, d% roll = 41, QR3 "unqualified success".
Judge Gudunov (scowling in concentration)

'Sons of Patrick Henry'?! I'm a volunteer myself! Write a letter every month. This can only be a rogue effective, if it has anything to do with the Sons at all.

The murder is clear enough, but the question is getting it into DoJ jurisdiction instead of Home Office. I can give you warrants for Oak and Foxx for trespassing on the Imperial Enclave, and for fleeing jurisdiction, but I don't see how to bring in Lijmke or Assad. Hmmm. Perhaps you could get that monkey chap to ask for an extradition.

I can give you a search warrant for J&B Landscaping since it is the suspect's only known address. What do you want to find there? And for the locker at Hesiod Health since it goes to motive.

Phone at once if you need these warrants extended.

Then he calls local law enforcement responsible for the territory around the Imperial Residence. He's aware that they're on strike, but he wants to get access to survaillance data on the subways and any other possible ways of getting to the place where Wong died. He also wants any available records of Wong and the four suspects (although he doesn't use the term suspects).

No answer.

If he has any trouble, he'll first try charm and ask for cooperation, but if pressed, he'll offer to get a warrant, come down there with a tactical team and book for obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting a terrorist organisation.

Back onto Gudunov, who issues a warrant for DoJ to sieze and search the Police Data Centre.

Third, how long do hide and gob cultures like Martha's Cookies and Levine’s Junior Whiteshield live?

Indefinitely, though they tend to go 'off' over time, due to chaotic behaviour of their microecology. Levine's Junior Whiteshield is the oral culture issued by free paedatric clinics on Tau Ceti, the culture Thórrson had from when his first tooth erupted until he was fifteen. You didn't get hot dates if your breath smelled of Junior Whiteshield when Thórrson was a lad, and he doubts it is any different now. That this bloke still had Junior Whiteshield at the age of thirty indicates a near terminal case of geekiness.

Thórrson (to Superintendant St. Ives)

Morning, sir. I presume you know about the case I'm working on. I just thought I'd give you a live update of where we are, in case it becomes necessary for you to give a newsfeed statement.

The deceased is one David Legspinner Wong, born on Hell, Tau Ceti II. As far as we can tell, he was running towards the Imperial Residence in an attempt to contact the Department of Justice. So far, we do not know why he wanted to talk to us, but we can surmise it had something to do with his death.

The main suspects in his death are Kitsune Foxx, Azazael bond Oak, Spartacus Lijmke and Imo Assad. We suspect them of involvement with the Sons of Patrick Henry, but so far, we don't know what their connection with the case is. The camfeed actually shows Kitsune Foxx shooting the victim and it matches the medical evidence, so we're confident that we have a solid case against her.

My team is going to Anacreon to check out leads there.

St. Ives

It's your case. Just be careful. It's a jungle out there.

Thórrson

Yes, sir. I also wanted to ask you to inquire very carefully with all branches of the Imperial service and see if there was any covert operation running at the time. Either in connection to the protests and the Cockaigne recipients or in connection to the Sons. I'd especially like to know if anyone has a report on the vic or the suspects that's not available to us because it's flagged Top Secret or locked away in a secure net area.

St. Ives

I'll ask, but they won't tell us anything. "The first responsibility of the Secret Circus is to be secret."

Thórrson

Sir, if I'm on the case, I have a need to know.

St. Ives

I know, Thórrson. But that's not what matters to the secret squirrels. What matters to them is whether they have a need for you to know. I'll ask, but don't hold your breath waiting on an answer.

Thanks for the update.

[Agemegos]

Thórrson's commgadget chimes. It is the Resident. She is about to brook no nonsense.

Sir Julia Gamble (voice on the 'phone)

Inspector Thórrson! The Garage tells me that you have requisitioned an aircar for a trip to Anacreon, and your superintendant tells me that you are investigating the murder of a civilian on the perimeter this morning.

Now, I know all about the independence of the Department of Justice, and I know you don't give a damn that I have suspended all outside work. I can't order you to stay in the Residence and I'm not going to waste my breath trying. But I insist that you take a Marines escort, and I've told them to go with you whether you want them or not. If things get any worse than they are I'll haul you out by the scruff of the neck, and DoJ independence can like it or choke on it.

Handle this investigation with kid gloves, Thórrson. If any of your people are killed I'll have your balls for bookends, even if it takes a company of engineers a month to find them in the rubble.

Is that clear?

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by Agemegos

Lt. free Grail more-or-less insists on being present and on referring to the interviews as 'debriefings', but he is silent throughout.

He can call them what ever he likes, as long as he doesn't mess them up. It's all going on camera anyway.

Thoughtfully, Ishikawa makes certain to take copies of the marines' recon computer logs.

Yes, indeed.

Interviews with the Home Office paramedics are also uneventful. The paramedics are as innocent as babes.

Well, that appears to be that.

Get on the phone:

Ishikawa (to Thórrson)

Inspector? I've just finished interviewing the marines and paramedics. The only thing I have is that they didn't do it. Their versions of events match the records as well as eye-witness recollection ever does.

Where to now? Anacreon?

[Agemegos]

Lieutenant free Grail passes the word for Corporal Naiooka. After acknowledging the corporal's salute:

Lt. free Grail

Stand easy, Corporal.

Inspector Thórrson from the DoJ is taking a team into the dole-town at Anacreon to follow up this morning's murder. The Resident has requested a Marines babysitter for them, and I'm sending you.

Your orders are to keep the DoJ people together, to keep them out of trouble if you can, and to get them out of trouble if you have to. I want you to pull them out at the first real sign of danger. If you can't pull out, go to ground. Keep their heads down, hold off what you have to, and yell for help.

The Chief of Ops has issued a warning order to Lieutenant Jones on the Cheshire, and there'll be a platoon standing by on an assault shuttle. So you'll have backup in force in twenty minutes at the most. But a lot of **** can go down in twenty minutes, so if you are going to holler, holler early. Don't worry about the politics, the Resident will wear the flak. If there is going to be a revolution on Cockaigne there's going to be one, but it must not begin with the lynching of four DoJ officers.

Don't let Thórrson charm or bamboozle you. You aren't going along to help him solve his case, or even to support him while he solves his case. You're going along to keep him out of trouble and haul his sorry arse out of the fire, and his case be damned. If he tries to deputise you, refuse.

All clear, Corp?

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Agemegos

Thórrson's commgadget chimes. It is the Resident. She is about to brook no nonsense.

Sir Julia Gamble (voice on the 'phone)

Inspector Thórrson! The Garage tells me that you have requisitioned an aircar for a trip to Anacreon, and your superintendant tells me that you are investigating the murder of a civilian on the perimeter this morning.

Now, I know all about the independence of the Department of Justice, and I know you don't give a damn that I have suspended all outside work. I can't order you to stay in the Residence and I'm not going to waste my breath trying. But I insist that you take a Marines escort, and I've told them to go with you whether you want them or not. If things get any worse than they are I'll haul you out by the scruff of the neck, and DoJ independence can like it or choke on it.

Handle this investigation with kid gloves, Thórrson. If any of your people are killed I'll have your balls for bookends, even if it takes a company of engineers a month to find them in the rubble.

Is that clear?

Thórrson (to Gamble)

It's as clear as can be, sir.

I have no objection to taking Marines with me. In fact, I was just about to ask for a Marine escort. Deputised to DoJ, of course.

I don't intend to get any of my people killed.

---

On the subject of kid gloves, it would be easier to avoid stepping on toes and making a mess if I had a good idea of things before I barge into them with guns and Marine escorts.

J&B Landscapes smells like a front for covert operations, whether it's by SoPH or someone else. There are four suspected 'effectives' on strength there. I'd be suprised as hell if ISS, Naval, Special Branch and all the rest of the bunch don't have files collected, ops running and agents eyeballing.

I want access to the data. Like it or not, I'm going in there representing the Empire and if something goes wrong, it will bollocks up every op you've got running. And I want to know if someone there is our agent before I shoot him for resisting arrest.