2953-03-05 – Tales from the Inbox: The Treasure Hunter’s Contract
Judith Stirling took her time reading the contract in front of her. While the fee at the top was indeed incredible – almost unbelievable – it could not quite disguise the lack of specifics like destination and opposition.
She read over the whole document – it was quite short – twice, just to be sure she hadn’t missed anything before clearing her throat. “You expect us to sign on before we know where we’re going? Who we’re supposed to be shooting?”
Derrick Kaluza flashed a brief grin. “For that many credits, we are buying off any... cost of uncertainty. We would not hire your outfit if it were not very likely to accomplish our objective.”
Doubtless this was true, but his caginess only heightened Judith’s suspicion. As the designated negotiator for the relatively large mercenary company Zakharov Outworld, she was obligated to arrange the best deal for the company’s personnel and bottom line. How could she do that if she didn’t know what they were signing to do, beyond taking and holding a set of grid coordinates on an anonymous world?
“I can always take this to Sovereign.” Kaluza reached out for the slate displaying the contract. “They wouldn’t turn it down.”
Judith suppressed a scowl and swatted his hand away. “I didn’t say I was turning it down.” She had lost five contracts to aggressive negotiators from Sovereign Security Solutions in the last five months. The huge merc conglomerate seemed to be everywhere at once, even though theoretically the bulk of its field forces were deployed over in Sagittarius. “But you’ve got to give us something about the hostile force, so we know what to prepare for.”
“Do I?” Kaluza sniffed dismissively. “Perhaps. But only after you have signed, and everyone in your company is under non-disclosure. You will be permitted about a week before we depart Maribel for the target system.”
“We?” Judith leveled a finger. “You, going into an active conflict zone? You’ve never once gotten dirt under your fingernails.”
“I won’t be landing.” Kaluza said the word “landing” like it meant submerging oneself in sewage. “But my compatriots and I would like to be there to... congratulate Zakharov of a job well done.”
“Ah.” In the sometimes euphemistic language of mercenary contracts, this meant he wanted to be on site to give immediate further orders and to prevent his hired muscle from changing the bargain by force majeure when they found out what it was they were guarding. Whatever it was he wanted Judith’s company to take and hold, it was valuable – far more valuable, perhaps in a very immediate sense, than the number at the top of the contract. “How much congratulation do you expect will be in order?”
“Enough for everyone.”
Judith nodded. This, too, was a euphemism she understood. “You do need to tell us how official this can be.” Extra-legality was nothing Zakharov had any problems with, at least in theory, but that normally went along with additional contract terms stipulating the employer would pay the company’s fines and legal fees, none of which were present in Kaluza’s contract.
“No problems with officialdom, after the fact.” Kaluza shrugged. “But if this leaks, even to the authorities...” He spread his hands. “Well, your grunts will be the first to pay the price.”
“We can keep things quiet.” Judith looked down at the contract. “But it will cost you.”
“That fee already costs me plenty.” He reached out again for the slate. “I won’t be raising it.”
Once again, Judith pulled it back. “I didn’t say it would cost you credits. I think we’re in agreement that you were quite generous with that part.” She tapped a part of the screen a bit farther down. “As long as you’re coming along in force, you might as well be so helpful as to load some things that might be useful.”
Derrick Kaluza frowned, but quickly nodded. “I will be only too happy to coordinate our loading with your boss, after he’s been briefed. We will have our own things to carry to the site, you understand.”
Judith smiled thinly. Perhaps Kaluza knew this was a way of making a double cross much harder to execute, and perhaps he didn’t. “I think we can work something out, then.” She stood up. “Give me an hour to talk to Mr. Zakharov. I’m sure he’ll be enthusiastic about working with your firm again.”
Judith Stirling is obviously a psudonym, and while Zakharov Outworld is a real company, it is far too small to be the one being described in this account. No doubt the name was chosen off a registry list arbitrarily, as it is alphabetically the last mercenary company registered at Maribel.
Nevertheless, I think this account is an accurate portrayal of events that did take place.
[N.T.B. - I did some quick digging and have an idea as to the real identity of Judith and her employer, but she wanted to remain relatively anonymous so I will not be sharing that in this space. Duncan concurs with this decision; we will continue to use the names provided by "Judith" in the original.]
