Sitting in a classroom learning about Utilitarianism and the reality of using people for their instrumentality and not as ends unto themselves, it all seemed quaint and maybe even inconsequential. But when you see the end result of such a philosophy, using people as meat…
Maybe just one more shower and then a long nap.
And then another shower.
I had a lot to do, but I had to get my mind away from the horrors of the derelict ship. I still have visions of Charlie, still breathing despite extreme vivisection. I did not wait around to see if Coop ended it for Charlie or if Charlie just expired at that point. Charlie is in a better place, even if it is the comfort of oblivion.
PO Third Class Baxton had a few days leave and was heading to Zenobia to take care of a few trade transactions. Apparently she had a dayjob besides the Independents 12th Air Calvary.
Zeno had one of the fancy series-three midbulk transport carrier classcode 03-Kei64Firefly. "Kei" is a Japanese word for "firefly." She gave me a tour. Radion-accelerator core with the reliable trace compression block. Proper modern engines, not like my antiquated magnetic confinement fusion deathtrap. Aught-Three? I think mine might be an Aught-Aught or Aught-Negative Two. Pfft.
Her ship is right next to stylish Laken Susserman's Osprey. I waved over at her ship as if she is looking. "Hi Laken, I'm all up in you 'hood."
Zeno explained that Zenobia is a neutral core planet. She mumbled something about secrets. We all have secrets, I binge on Lucky Charms in the middle of the night. Zeno used to run trade with Major Cooperstone until the crew of the Raveinn spilt up. Been on her own since, trying to scratch out a living trading. She was on Shadow when it declared independence and re-enlisted the same day.
Zeno originally met Coop while running cargo and meds to the Independents troops on the ground.
“I had just dropped off supplies and was picking up wounded, when all Hell broke loose. Coop was a platoon leader and ordered me to dust off, probably saved my life. I served as XO on his boat with the best crew in the verse.”
Coop dropped in and we all had a cup of strong coffee, cheerfully not talking about the events of the past days. Small talk like: "Aught three... good boat, good legs"
Talk drifted back to the events of the recent days. I explained that Gallagher was recovering well from his gunshot wounds, he was cranky and in Crime Scene Investigation mode. I filled them in about the two different shooters and the old Alliance issued weapons implying loyalists and the old surveillance tape from his old unit 'The Dharma Initiative' from when had defected to the Independents during the war.
“Gallagher figures it involves someone that knows him from way back, obviously not in a good way.”
Talk went on to pithy sentiments about how old soldiers die hard and how some wounds never seem to heal.
“I will happily get over it if everyone else will.”
“Me too, soon as they leave every Gorramn world they ain’t entitled to and let folk who want a different life be.
Despite wanting to forget, I inquired whether the military might possibly blow the derelict away. Maybe I could better forget it if I knew it was gone forever. Maybe even pretend it never happened. Ah, to have the comforts of denial and repression.
Alas it was up to command, not my personal preferences.
Zeno spoke in a quieter voice, "Any idea who was behind that?"
I informed them that Moira was following a lead in Zenobia, “This will continue to be a problem to haunt Moira and me if we don’t act proactive. Moira is following the money, or in this case, looking for the exit market. Discount organ transplants on Zenobia someplace, but there is no licensed facility there. It our first best guess. She'll be back to me in a few days. I could have her contact you if you’re heading back from that way.”
Coop showed us his Odyssey Shuttle that he had docked near Zeno’s, when we were confronted by a wrinkly man wearing the same ugly coveralls that I see Gallagher wear on occasion. Despite the beaten up look (age, neglect, stress, overwork, drinking and smoking is my guess), I recognized him from the photograph on Gallagher’s desk.
“I am Desmond Serenity, I was a member of the Dharma Initiative."
Of course, everyone in the frontier comes visiting fully armed.
Duncan Cooperstone, “You might wanna safety that weapon and put in on the deck or you'll be an ex-member of the human race.
“I went to Hale’s Moon to warn Gallagher that someone has killed off three of our original members. I believe it to be a response to Shadow becoming independent. The Alliance Loyalists always saw us as traitors. I believe the Alliance Loyalists are targeting the former members of the Dharma Initiative.
"Mister, Dahrma Initiative, war buddy of Gallagher or not...safety that frakking weapon and put it on the deck or I'm going throw you out the hatch my own damn self."
Mr. Serenity only then noticed that he was still holding an unsafetied Rifle and pointing it in our general direction. I wonder if her noticed PO Baxton and Major Cooperstone pointing their weapons at him.
M4 Rifle safety enabled.
Mr. Serenity finally put his weapon away, “The Alliance is currently in possession of one of the bodies that you brought off that ship. That body was originally going to be used by an independence group as a weapon against the alliance. Not a literal weapon, but it could be quite damaging to the alliance. We believe the man to be dying of an Alliance produced virus. They thought they could make people better. We call it the Reaver Virus. An airborne toxin capable of turning anyone into a raging monster.”
So that’s maybe why there are so many more Reavers nowadays.
Terraforming agents in the planets atmosphere burns off the virus while airborne, which is why no one has gotten infected planetside, but if you were to be attacked by Reavers in space, you could turn in a matter of hours. We intended to thaw him in a public display to show the impact of this virus. My theory is that the Alliance have ships full of them, to send thawed Reavers into enemy territory. Unfortunately now our proof is gone, 6 years of work tracking that body down the drain.”
People will blame the Reavers and not the so-called Loyalists or Alliance or whatever.
Duncan Cooperstone: "On that note, the Old Man's setting about gather his own proof to the same ends"
Desmond Serenity: “We need to send the message that the Dharma Initiative isn’t dead. When we have located the body, can I count on your help stealing it back?”
Duncan Cooperstone: "You find the place, bring me the info and I'll bring it to the Old Man...If this is related to what he's working on, and it sure as hell sounds like it... Then he'll put a team on it."
Desmond Serenity: “When we go to steal it back, please wear these outfits I gave you."
Mine fit poorly.
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