Cracks in the Spires

30: Finding the Enemy's Weak Spot

PO Boswin was disconcerted to find that there was to be another person present at his confidential meeting with Administrator Verde. Noticing the reserve that crept into Boswin's manner Asken was quick to make the introductions.

"Boswin, come in, this is Mr Riss."

Per stood and held out his hand surprising Boswin who had expected an Elite to do no more than acknowledge his presence with a nod. "I'm happy to make your acquaintance Officer Boswin."

Boswin took the offered hand "And I yours Sir."

"I asked Mr Riss to join us because he is in fact a CSB Principal Officer Grade 2 and you and he will need to work together for reasons that I will become clear later but first, please bring us up to date with the progress of your investigations."

Boswin was surprised that someone from that background would be working for the CSB. There was also something slightly familiar about the man but he couldn't place it. He put his curiosity to one side. He could dig up information on Riss later. If he was going to be working with the man he wanted to know as much as possible about him. Administrator Verde was eyeing him expectantly

"My investigations have produced some very interesting information to date Administrator. The two men who were watching you are native Esperancers. I'm satisfied that they know very little about the bigger picture. Their job was to follow you and report to Vedank on your movements. They believe Vedank to have been watching Hemia Riss. They did not know there was anyone other than themselves and Senior Sergeant Vedank detailed to observe and report. "

"It would explain why they were the only two who were not in the Lon Esta villa."

"Ah, exactly so Administrator." Boswin glanced at his wrist-comp "Vedank is, as you suspected, a native of Futura as were seven of the other people who were found in the Villa. The remaining two are interns who normally work in the Guards' quarters. Their role was to clean and cook. They were virtual prisoners in the villa. They were keen to co-operate and they have given me one or two useful pieces of information."

"The eight, are they all members of the guard?"

"No Administrator. Only Vedank is a guardsman. The others were smuggled in by Stravel and Vedank under the guise of interns in Foran Tesh Vik's service. They set up their base in the abandoned villa. The man in charge is not Vedank. His name is Galdren Amal. He reports by short wave radio to his liason who is based at the port in the Free Isles. One of the useful pieces of information from the interns was that there is no regular schedule of contact with his liason. Interestingly Amal does not work for Chem Mayoth. It would appear that Chem Mayoth and Foran Tesh Vik are window dressing."

"Window dressing?" Asken was surprised into asking then waved an apologetic hand "I'm sorry, please continue. I'm sure it will be clear in due course."

"I should have said that Chem Mayoth is window dressing for Futura. Unfortunately for us Foran Tesh Vik is not. The real actors are younger members of the Mayoth family. Chem is nominally in charge of Futura but has no real power. The swapping of women is simply keeping him happy and to distract Foran. Futura wants Esperance for food supplies and people. They have suffered a devastating series of infectious diseases that have decimated their workers over the last five years. The last one had a mortality rate of fifty percent which is comparable with the Black Death in medieval Europe. They have the same infertility problems as the rest of the cities which means a loss of half your field workers has a profound effect on your ability to produce the food you need. Once Esperance is dependent on Futura for the means to keep its systems operating the payment would be shipments of large numbers of young men. Plus handing over all production from the algae farms."