Read Online OMEGA Guardian by Stephen Arseneault - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Stephen Arseneault
Tags: Sci Fi & Fantasy
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believe anything that you are telling me?"
I began pulling the recordings I had made up on my holo-display. "I have sworn statements from twenty-eight of your captains, I have images of much of the contraband you have been gathering, and I have knowledge that the entirety of level 5 has been made into a museum of sorts where you are storing all this stolen treasure.
"So, here is what we are going to do. There is an entire colony structure on Effica, left over from the slavers. It is empty; only a few salvagers have had enough guts to travel there. You, Mr. Marcos, are not going to run for Governor in this election. You are instead going to transport all your contraband out to Effica, where you can establish your own colony."
The Governor stood again, with anger showing on his face. "You think I am just going to pack up and leave because you say so? I OWN THIS STATION!"
The Governor reached over and pressed the button on his desk. "Mr. Wells! Get in here!"
The door to the office opened, and Brad Wells’s unconscious body was thrown in on the floor. Harga then stepped through the door with a smile.
The Governor’s expression quickly turned from one of anger to one of fear.
Cal Hoog squeezed in through the door behind Harga. "How was my timing?"
The Governor looked at me. "This is a coup?"
I smiled. "Call it what you will, Mr. Marcos. However, it would suit you better to think of it as a way out for you. You have been robbing the people of their treasures, you have been caught, and you are being offered an alternative to being turned over to those you have stolen from. I am told that emerald statue you recently acquired is almost an item of worship for the people on the colony it was stolen from. Imagine what they would do to you if you were placed in their custody."
The Governor sat back in his chair.
I continued, "So, you will be escorted from this office. You will smile and wave as you pass by your staff. You will let them know that you will be off station for a few days on important business. You will be flown out to Effica with Mr. Wells and his associate to assist you, where you will establish your new colony.
"We will begin shipping the items on level 5 later today. If you have any important staffers that you would like to take with you to your new home, please identify them as you walk. We will see to it that they are transferred out there to be with you."
The Governor replied, "You do realize that the slavers will not sit idly by while you take over this station. If your goal is to clean up this sector, you will have an all-out war on your hands."
I nodded. "I have taken that into consideration, Mr. Marcos. You are going to continue to act as our liaison for the time being."
The Governor raised his hands. "And just how am I going to do that?"
I replied, "You will tell them that you needed more space than what SS241 had to offer. You will tell them that the new Governor is a puppet that you put in place, who answers only to you. For the slavers, you will have to convince them that your move does not affect the status quo.
"Now, it’s time we got this under way. Go with Mr. Hoog and round up the staff that you would like to take with you. You will be escorted down to Bay-12, where several ships will be waiting to transport you to Effica. And just let me remind you, if any attempt is made to alter what is taking place here today, Mr. Harga will be there to see that you get what you are asking for."
As the Governor rose and approached the door, I spoke. "Mr. Marcos, we are giving you this one opportunity to leave peacefully, with all your contraband. I would suggest you go out that door with your usual political smile. We have the manpower to take this station with little struggle if needed. You would be wise to fully cooperate."
The Governor walked out.
In my brief meeting with Marcos, I had filled his head with lies. My goal was to offer overwhelming reasons for him to comply with our demands. We did
I began pulling the recordings I had made up on my holo-display. "I have sworn statements from twenty-eight of your captains, I have images of much of the contraband you have been gathering, and I have knowledge that the entirety of level 5 has been made into a museum of sorts where you are storing all this stolen treasure.
"So, here is what we are going to do. There is an entire colony structure on Effica, left over from the slavers. It is empty; only a few salvagers have had enough guts to travel there. You, Mr. Marcos, are not going to run for Governor in this election. You are instead going to transport all your contraband out to Effica, where you can establish your own colony."
The Governor stood again, with anger showing on his face. "You think I am just going to pack up and leave because you say so? I OWN THIS STATION!"
The Governor reached over and pressed the button on his desk. "Mr. Wells! Get in here!"
The door to the office opened, and Brad Wells’s unconscious body was thrown in on the floor. Harga then stepped through the door with a smile.
The Governor’s expression quickly turned from one of anger to one of fear.
Cal Hoog squeezed in through the door behind Harga. "How was my timing?"
The Governor looked at me. "This is a coup?"
I smiled. "Call it what you will, Mr. Marcos. However, it would suit you better to think of it as a way out for you. You have been robbing the people of their treasures, you have been caught, and you are being offered an alternative to being turned over to those you have stolen from. I am told that emerald statue you recently acquired is almost an item of worship for the people on the colony it was stolen from. Imagine what they would do to you if you were placed in their custody."
The Governor sat back in his chair.
I continued, "So, you will be escorted from this office. You will smile and wave as you pass by your staff. You will let them know that you will be off station for a few days on important business. You will be flown out to Effica with Mr. Wells and his associate to assist you, where you will establish your new colony.
"We will begin shipping the items on level 5 later today. If you have any important staffers that you would like to take with you to your new home, please identify them as you walk. We will see to it that they are transferred out there to be with you."
The Governor replied, "You do realize that the slavers will not sit idly by while you take over this station. If your goal is to clean up this sector, you will have an all-out war on your hands."
I nodded. "I have taken that into consideration, Mr. Marcos. You are going to continue to act as our liaison for the time being."
The Governor raised his hands. "And just how am I going to do that?"
I replied, "You will tell them that you needed more space than what SS241 had to offer. You will tell them that the new Governor is a puppet that you put in place, who answers only to you. For the slavers, you will have to convince them that your move does not affect the status quo.
"Now, it’s time we got this under way. Go with Mr. Hoog and round up the staff that you would like to take with you. You will be escorted down to Bay-12, where several ships will be waiting to transport you to Effica. And just let me remind you, if any attempt is made to alter what is taking place here today, Mr. Harga will be there to see that you get what you are asking for."
As the Governor rose and approached the door, I spoke. "Mr. Marcos, we are giving you this one opportunity to leave peacefully, with all your contraband. I would suggest you go out that door with your usual political smile. We have the manpower to take this station with little struggle if needed. You would be wise to fully cooperate."
The Governor walked out.
In my brief meeting with Marcos, I had filled his head with lies. My goal was to offer overwhelming reasons for him to comply with our demands. We did
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