Law's War

By GA Douglass

War is coming, and it is to be fought with the fundamental forces of physical law. The long era of peace and prosperity is at an end. The once unifying forces of the University and the Code of Law are disintegrating, and in the midst of the rising chaos
Aboard a new Sabha, accompanied by his faithful canine companion Canis, and with the consequences of his actions closing in around him Kassad Mir must answer the question of who he really is before someone else decides for him. Kassad's quest for identity will take him from friendly ports to the fringe of civilization, immerse him in political intrigue, pit him against ruthless assassins, and ultimately lead him to the heart of a mystery that spans the length and breadth of Laniakea.
Legitimate tramp merchant or pirate and smuggler?
Self made man or product of University manipulation?
Hero or villain?

• Language: English
• Publisher: GA Douglass
• Release date: Jul 11, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311283375

GA Douglass

GA Douglass is a trained IT professional holding a BS from SLU who served in the United States Navy and has worked in the electronic security industry. Aside from writing science fiction his interests include history, science, and creation of the odd artistic doodle. He lives in Dacula, Georgia with the obligatory cat.

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Law's War

By GA Douglass all rights reserved

Published by GA Douglass

Copyright© 2016 by GA Douglass, all rights reserved.

Cover art by GA Douglass

Law's War is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this book are, fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

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Law's War

by GA Douglass

Prologue

It's all in our heads. Reality is not something we understand so much as it is something we grasp at.

- The Wisdom of Herself

In confident imitation of her mentor Ashleigh set her feet up on the project supervisor's desk, in the project supervisor's office, in the Mareville shipyard office tower. She ran her pale fingertips over the embossed winged horse patch on the left breast of her deep blue coveralls which marked her as one of the elite of the settlement's ship construction trade. Closing her auburn eyes she tried to remember how excited she had been back when she had been awarded the project; her first custom starship build.

Excitement over Ashleigh's great career opportunity evaporated as the project devolved into a frustrating mess. This shouldn't have been completely unexpected as one of a kind ship construction was renowned for its unexpected difficulties. What should have been a three month build had become a four month build, and then five. Expenses had likewise ballooned, but then that original estimate had been based on prior experience, and this project was unique. She could only be grateful that no one was specifically blaming her.

Opening her eyes again Ashleigh looked out the office window across the curved interior of the Mareville settlement painted with farmland in nearly luminescent greens. Just above her she could see puffy white clouds being generated for the scheduled afternoon rains. It was, she had always insisted, the finest view in the settlement.

Some people disagreed. Being this close to the settlement's centrifugal axis made some people upsettingly disoriented even without looking out the windows. Others found the way the spherical settlement's interior sloped up around them on all sides to be claustrophobia inducing. Such people would never make it as shipyard workers.

Although one of the last industries adopted by its inhabitants the Mareville shipyard office tower was built prominently in the middle of that endless green plain that defined the outer shell of the spherical settlement. From the fields it appeared as a gleaming silver thread that reached up to the docks and shipyards located along the settlement's axis. In addition to providing office space the tower allowed quick, easy, and exclusive access for the highly skilled shipyard crews.

With her customer still talking and only half listened to Ashleigh reflected that until now it had been Ashleigh herself that seemed most discontent with their progress. Fair amounts of impatience mixed in equal parts with perfectionism were generally seen as good traits for a ship construction project manager. Trying to remind herself that she was the best person for this job had become a daily routine now broken by the customer's call for a meeting.

At least it wasn't a face to face meeting so Ashleigh hadn't had to bother fixing her short coffee colored hair, and had been able to cover for the project foreman until he arrived. Permanent 'helmet-head' was a condition that all shipyard workers had to cope with along with the foreman prima-donnas who actually managed the workers. She could begrudge neither as both were necessary aspects of the work she had long since accepted as her true calling.

Smiling and gesturing for the late arriving foreman to take a seat Ashleigh replied to the customer over the desk's device. Honestly I don't know what the problem is, however I'm confident that I'll have the bugs worked out in another three to four weeks.

The foreman, who everyone knew as Boyd, settled his rumpled and well worn coveralls into the offered seat across the desk. As unkempt as the man was his own winged horse patch was kept pristine. Ashleigh imagined that Boyd's pride in the patch was such that if even a single thread had come out of place he would have repaired it immediately, but his faded blue coveralls suffered from a lack of that same attention.

Being an old shipyard hand who knew how customers and project managers alike thought Boyd weighed in. System's integration is always the hardest part of a one off build.

If the customer were aware that the foreman was only just arriving he betrayed no hint of it in his reply. As I am given to understand the problem it's just an error and not an actual fault. So long as it isn't causing operational problems there shouldn't be any problems.

Liking it better when she only had to contend with her own impatience Ashleigh replied, I know that, but this is different. I can find no reason for a warp drive to be generating this kind of error.

Smiling broadly Boyd tried to smooth over the difficulties, Oh I can tell you stories. Once we had a build where the clocks kept running forward at random too fast speed; made navigation impossible. Eventually we tracked it down to a relay spec'ed for the wrong power levels.

Rolling her eyes at the reminiscence Ashleigh was quick to refuse the excuse. Something like that I can understand, but this? These systems simply do not fault. Certainly not like this.

There was no hint of accusation in the customer's voice. I'll be able to accumulate more data on the fault during a shakedown cruise.

It was a startling announcement which prompted Ashleigh to pull her feet off the desktop and warn, That's not advisable. Stronger and more insistent words escaped her natural tendency towards restraint.

Certainly such problems were best fixed in port where lives were not at stake. For a ship to leave port untested with people aboard was not something of which she could approve. Not with her first ship. Ultimately this was the customer's property and they could do with it as they pleased, but the thought of sending out an unfinished product was anxiety inducing.

The customer was less than swayed by Ashleigh's insistent argument, and replied casually, Of course not. You wouldn't be a professional if you didn't warn against leaving port with anything less than a perfect diagnostic return.

Ashleigh gestured emphatically to Boyd to back her up but the man simply shrugged leaving her to throw her hands up in the air and pitch other options alone and unprepared. It's more than that. The error is… troubling.

Urgency of the warning made little impact on the customer. I'll come back in a week or so after putting her through her paces with more than enough data for you to track down the problem.

Raising one finger Ashleigh corrected the customer, Problems, multiple. We still haven't found out why the command chair orientation is interfering with critical systems either.

This too failed to impress her customer. I can leave the chair locked in place.

Grasping at any excuse to keep the ship in port Ashleigh inquired, You seem determined to leave Mareville, is there another problem?

No. The customer's answer came back too quickly.

With a deep rumbling laugh Boyd half jokingly inquired, Captain Appaloosa throw you out again?

The customer's defensive reply came back sharply, I've never been thrown out. Realizing how he must have sounded the customer explained, She's going out on patrol and will be back in two to four weeks. I don't want to be out there while she's here. That's all.

Mention of the settlement's Lawship, their lone protection against abuse and coercion made Ashleigh introspective. To be honest I always feel better with the Appaloosa out there; especially these days.

With a suddenly serious tone Boyd agreed. Ever since they found out how to shut down faster than light travel the well dwellers have started getting strange ideas.

Half in hopes of delaying her customer's excursion and half to give voice to her own anxieties Ashleigh asked, Did you hear they've blocked off Esily? The idea of losing her first ship and never knowing why caused her stomach to knot.

It had been news that had festered in the absence of information. Such news quickly gave rise to speculation which encouraged fear and paranoia. There hadn't been much more for anyone to do and everywhere in Laniakea there were settlements on the verge of panic.

Of course Boyd was up to date on all news and was quick to add gruesome details. Yeah, Lawship smashed into the barrier at full warp. Destroyed their FTL and quantum comms systems leaving them stranded light years from anywhere. Crew would have died if a tramp, Boyd smiled apologetically at his use of the pejorative for an independent merchant and quickly apologized to the customer, no offense intended, before continuing, hadn't stumbled across them out in the big empty.

Less impressed by the story their customer commented disapprovingly, All as part of some kind of poorly thought through blackmail scheme.

Leaning back in his chair Boyd sniffled at the assertion. That's what they say, but Esily is a major cargo hub. A lot of jealousy built up over the years. I say that someone just wanted to take them down more than a few notches.

Unwilling to let herself believe Boyd's take on the situation Ashleigh concluded simply, Either way it's getting dangerous out there.

Again a bit too defensively the customer rebutted, None of that has anything to do with me. Catching himself a moment too late he added, Whatever madness happened as Esily is an isolated example of… the old shipyard hand interrupted Kassad with an authoritative sniff.

Oh no, it's not isolated. Especially with the University gone all incognito and taking the quantum network with them; leaves us in a fine mess. Even without the quantum network working it was all that Laniakea could talk about. Every world with a shipyard is churning out warships like a war was already on. Boyd concluded direly, At this rate there will be a war just to justify the expense.

Trying to reassure herself that it was just fear and paranoia speaking Ashleigh rebuffed Boyd's assertion, You're trying to sway my vote again aren't you? It had been a divisive hot button topic across the settlement for the better part of the week.

With another sniffle Boyd asserted, I'm just stating facts. If those well dwellers push a fleet through the Horsehead our Appaloosa isn't going to be able to stop them. We need our own fleet just to make them think twice.

The topic at hand was quickly forgotten as Ashleigh countered, And have us join in their madness?

Spreading his empty hands Boyd agreed, Oh I don't deny that it's madness, but those well dwellers have always called the shots. They wanted peace and so there was peace. Now they want war so there will be war. We can either defend ourselves or get run over. Everyone could see that it was madness and no one could stop it from happening anyway.

Ashleigh felt sick and turned her face to the desktop, arms wrapped around her waist and legs tucking in beneath her chair. I cannot bring myself to vote for war.

Pained by the distress he had inflicted on his colleague Boyd responded apologetically saying, That's me too, but this war's going to happen. All we're really voting on is how we're going to respond to it.

In an effort to bring the conversation back to the topic for which it had been convened their customer inquired, And how soon can you have my ship ready for a shakedown cruise?

Ashleigh's fingers returned to the embossed patch. The absurdity of a winged horse never felt any less fanciful to her than that of a ship sailing the stars, but both had always felt hopeful. The sickening thought that she might soon be dragooned into building warships drained any further resistance from her.

With a shuddering sigh Ashleigh relented. We can start disconnecting system analysis gear and have you on your way in eighteen hours, with a deep breath to gather her strength she added, but I'm going to be filing my strongest recommendation against this course of action, along with a full list of unresolved issues, with the Mareville port master.

Chapter 1: Politics

It is a political myth that all sides can be listened to. Instead we must take council from well reasoned and presented voices, while granting weight to experience and expertise. In this way we can form a picture that, although not complete, is full enough to form an intelligent course of action.

It is a fool who heeds but one voice.

- The Wisdom of Herself

She'd lost. The debate had barely begun and she'd already lost. She'd probably lost weeks before, and now whatever words she offered now would simply be those of parting.

With a conscious effort she composed herself as her last moments upon the political stage would mark how she was remembered. Certainly her forbearers placed a great emphasis on presenting one's self with dignity, and so she had been raised from birth to be dispassionate and level in trying times. Looking out over the emotionally charged faces of the Aveinon State Assembly she could only sneer at her upbringing as the product of optimistic fools.

Aveinon was typical of the more successful worlds colonized during the post war era. Located near enough to the exterior of its galactic disk to be easily accessible to pan galactic trade, and abundant in natural resources, none of her citizens enjoyed less than a comfortable standard of living. It had been a peacefully complacent post-scarcity and post-labor civilization long enough to have relegated words like poverty, hunger, and need to the legends of their past.

For over a thousand years of that prosperity the Vouet family had held the seat of Executive Intercessor on Aveinon. In each generation one child had been selected and trained to manage and administer the great polity. It was a position they had held through the support of the people, and now Louise Renee Vouet, whose friends called her Renee, would oversee the dissolution of that tradition.

In a way it was fitting that Renee would fail to live up to her predecessors in profession as she had long failed to live up to them physically. Vouet men and women were a stout, strong, and sturdily built people while Renee was thin to the point of being gaunt, physically frail to the point of looking fragile, and tall enough to require special care around low door frames. It was a jarring enough of a distinction that there had been perpetual rumors of Renee's birth being secretly illegitimate, and only the finely chiseled Vouet features of her face forestalled such speculation from being made openly.

Another hammer blow of oratory landed, jarring her out of her internal brooding as her opponent sneered, The Executive Intercessor has squandered her time in office and allowed the number of meaningful jobs in our economy to dwindle to an unacceptable level. This has happened in spite of her continual reductions in permitted work hours. The undignified and unreserved members of the Assembly roared their outrage at Renee.

Instinctively Renne, Executive Intercessor of the Aveinon Assembly, replied with calm deliberation, Balancing employment opportunities and earning caps in a post-manpower economy is a complex task that all who have held this chair for the past eighteen hundred years have struggled with. Even as she said the words she grimaced internally at her continued and habitual reserve when what she wanted to do was openly accuse her opponent of deliberately undermining the economy to further their own political agenda. We must always weigh the lower cost of living offered by automation against the need for every citizen to be provided a meaningful and productive role in society.

These were the responsibilities of office that Louise cherished but her opponent, Mason Francois Clouet, saw them only as flaws of compassion that could be exploited. Clouet was a blindly ambitious man, and Renee could think of no worse a description to be given anyone. She shuddered to think what would become of her beloved world under the man's stewardship.

If the Vouet family was known for its traditions of service and administration then the Clouet family was no less well known for their opportunistic ethics and grasping greed. The Clouet traditions had seen the rise and fall of their family fortunes only to have them rise and fall again. Now with the Vouet family seat as their target the Clouet apparatus had made short work of dignified service to the people.

A sneering Clouet reared back his massive torso as if to laugh only to shout, Works projects! This woman is talking about works projects. Pointing an accusing fat finger at the gaunt form of the Executive Intercessor he accused in his most bellicose and disapproving tone, And vanity projects at that.

Widespread fears of war had resulted in a downturn in demand for the products of Aveinon's various agricultural industries. Those displaced had turned to the world's few urban areas to seek employment. With them they had brought unrealistic expectations of glamour and adventure now associated with the vocations by carefully crafted media campaigns.

Standing very much alone at the Assembly podium that had for so long been the territory of the Vouet family, the Executive Intercessor responded firmly, Construction of the Vouet Park System is providing meaningful work for those placed in need by the current economic situation. It has been undertaken with funding from the Vouet family in the interests of promoting the common good. It not only serves to provide an income for thousands of our fellow citizens but a place of natural beauty to be enjoyed by all the peoples of our world.

Clouet's eyes bulged as he shouted, Lies! The accusation drew a few shocked gasps and looks of shock but there were enough howls of support to maintain Clouet's momentum. Lies, that no public funds have been used to finance the park system that bears your family name. You madam are a liar. Doubling down on the accusation had the desired effect of rallying Clouet supporters who had wavered at the seriousness of the accusation.

Matters weren't helped by the current state of the Aveinon Assembly's membership. They were a self-satisfied and self-interested lot convinced of their own infallibility, and smug in their certainty that every problem was someone else's responsibility. Like the Vouets most of them were members as a matter of tradition rather than having earned their way into office, however unlike the Vouets too many of them had been corrupted by the long era of peace and prosperity into taking lightly the responsibilities of their stations.

Sighing in exasperation at having to publically counter, and thereby lend credibility to the accusation, Renee explained, This body long ago authorized a variety of matching funds and subsidies for private works undertaken for the common good. Traditionally this body has supported philanthropic works, not with empty words of praise, but with action, and so far as I know those laws have not yet been rescinded.

Repeating the same line he had been using since the revelation that the 'scandal' had been uncovered in the public records Clouet said, It is unseemly for a public official to take public funds for their own private works!

Not waiting for the howls from the Assembly to subside Renee fired back, That is constraint that you have invented all your own Mason Clouet. By law these funds are open to all citizens. Even Clouets are eligible to receive public funds for their entirely theoretical altruistic works, or is it that you are implying that Vouet citizenship has been revoked?