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Chapter 2
Time: CY 9816 JuneLocation: Director's Office Free Trade Association Headquarters Dephida V
"Good morning, Doctor and welcome back. You and your team did an excellent job with the negotiations on Tizona. I've read the final contract. It appears quite satisfactory You have my congratulations. Were there any complications?"
Not really. They did press us about what we knew on the defenses of Lundmark . We gave them enough information to make them think that we had given them all we knew but withheld some. We don't want this to be too easy for them. It's in our organization's best interest if they sustain a reasonable amount of equipment damage.
The director nodded in agreement. "Of course. What they can't repair they will have to buy. From us. The report you submitted with the contract was excellent in regard to the military capabilities of our hirelings but it was quite sparse on details concerning the planet and it's inhabitants. Can you fill me in on those details? There is no need to send a formal report we can do it here over the vid system."
"As you wish, Director. The planet is one of two planets colonized by the inhabitants of Durendel, the other one being Gungnir. There is a modest amount of trade between the three planets but nothing of enough value to be of interest to us. It orbits an unexceptional G8 class star at an average distance of 123 million kilometers with an orbital period of 288 local days. Surface gravity is....
"Enough, I can get that type of information from my computer. I want to know about the people living on the planet. You were part of the negotiating team that visited the planet and worked out the final details of the contract with the inhabitants. What is your opinion of them?"
"They drive a very hard bargain, Director. The entire planet is essentially one large military garrison. By the time the children have finished their basic education they have completed the equivalent of boot camp. All adults between the age of 18 and 65 are members of either the Home Guard or the Korgar Military Assistance Corporation. The Corporation represents itself as a mercenary unit but this is a legal fiction. Tizona's planetary constitution has wording in it that prevents it from using their own troops out of their solar system unless they are called up by the Commonwealth. The corporation was created to enable the planet to use its troops as mercenaries while staying within the bounds of their constitution. Members of the two organizations transfer freely between each other and the Home Guard has on several occasions assisted the Corporation with technical advisers, in battalion strength numbers.
"The population while essentially unmodified humans has a relatively high percentage of Nietzscheans. It has become a bit of a haven for those Nietzscheans who remained loyal to the Commonwealth during the rebellion. What is unusual is the extent of intermarrying between the two races. As a result Tizona's expeditionary forces have a large percentage of mixed race members. This has created some friction on planets where anti Nietzschean feelings run high"
"It will undoubtedly create some friction with some of the other directors as well when they find out," said the director. "For a self proclaimed race of supermen the Nietzscheans seem to behave in a very human manner. Though I suppose we should be grateful for that. The conflict between the Drago-Kazov and the Jaguar prides is probably the only reason the Nietzscheans don't have their feet on our throats. There were no anti Nietzschean feelings on the planet during the uprising? I find that hard to believe."
"Apparently there was at first but the population came together during the Magog incursion."
The director nodded and displayed a humorless smile. "Yes, there is nothing like someone trying to eat both your and your neighbor to bring the two of you together. You mentioned that the planet is essentially a military garrison yet in your first report you stated that the economy is almost a subsistence economy. There seems to be a contradiction here."
"Not really, Director. The Home Guard is divided into two segments. The Active Home Guard which is a full time military and the Inactive Home Guard which is a reserve force. The majority of Tizona's citizens are members of the Inactive Home Guard. They drill regularly but spend the majority of their time in traditional civilian occupations."
"So they are not blind militarists then?"
"No, they are aware of the dangers of traveling that path and to the limits of their economy support the arts and history. At present they are having a revival of an old Earth playwright. Someone called Shakespeare."
"Unfortunate, people with no knowledge of history are easier to manipulate than those who do. Well we will deal with that when the time comes. What is the status on our efforts to reestablish our markets in Kalderan space?"
"We are currently concentrating on influencing the elections on Halcyon. Establishing a sympathetic government there will give us a foothold in the Large Cloud. We are funneling money into the campaigns of those individuals who favor our policies. We expect that they will, with our assistance, be able to outspend their opponents by at least a three to one margin. In addition we have arranged for several embarrassing revelations about the current planetary president to surface in the near future."
"Are the revelations true?"
"Does it matter?"
"No, but it would be awkward if they were proved to be fictitious prior to the election. I expect your department will ensure that doesn't happen."
"Of course Director. Do you have any other questions?"
"No, that will be all."
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