01 - Payback is a Bitch

Italic text==Payback is a Bitch==

The Kurtherian Endgame begins with Bethany Anne and Michael deciding to definitely live on High Tortuga, and that decision leading to her attempts to make the planet a better place in which to live. It is a smaller, on-the-outskirts type of planet, far enough away from Federation activities that she would not be interfering, and close enough in to the center of the Galaxy's doings that she could take an active part if needed. The major events in this book concert an interplanetary company, KGB, and their illegal activities. KGB tries to stop Bethany Anne's maneuvers in many ways, first attacking her Base, then starting an anti-BA campaign to ruin her at the polls, then, trying to ruin her through disrupting all of the banking on the planet, as well as a few other things, ending, of course, in major battles. Bethany and Michael become parents, Addix becomes a much more active spy, Ricole joins the teams, and TOM and Bethany Anne have a talk, but TOM still has not revealed his big secret.

Chapter One - Payback Is a Bitch Bethany Anne, Michael, Barnabas, Stephen, Akio, TIM and ADAM meet ti start work on the MPPS project (Motherfucking Practical Political System), an advanced but practical form of government she would transplant (if they could accomplish the mechanics) to her home planet of Earth (Centuries in the future). Barnabas to work on details of the legal system (preferential treatment/friends/relatives, mental health issues, other matters of law). Michael offered issues of core concerns – food, water, clothing, shelter, then education and opportunity available, provide for defense and potentially offense, engage in trade, make communication planet-wide, build infrastructure such as energy and transportation, permit them to travel, and maybe start an entertainment industry.” Stephen felt that you will have to look at beings’ core personality types and structure a society that offers each hope and responsibilities.” Adam suggested that they were being a science-fiction think tank, like the US Military used. Adam also suggested, when asked by Bethany Anne, that the cornerstone of the effort was education and recognition that people take responsibility for themselves, and often for others.” A totalitarian level of government was often tried in my corner of the world as well as others. It is easy enough to implement if your side is the scariest, but often the reasons the populace is scared are not acceptable, and eventually the government will be overthrown. If not by their own people, then by the countries around them.” The real issue,” ADAM suggested, “is the rebels.” “The freethinkers. The iconoclasts. Those who wish to push boundaries because their minds are wired differently.”( Barnabas) And minds are the one area we cannot just fix (Tim). After much discussion, and a review of what had happened on Earth, Bethany Anne said,” We were in the middle of it.” She squared her shoulders. “Even more of a reason to figure out how to crack this fucking nut related to a government that is by the people and for the people and yet handles those who need to stretch their wings by giving them room to fly.” She looked around the table. “Not by clipping them.”

AZ, Uleq, and Imon, the three officers of KGB company, are trying to solve problem of moving products, both legitimate and illegitimate, on and off of Devon (High Tortuga). Baba Yaga has monopolized almost all of the transport companies, making it impossible for them to move their goods without losing money. Ships cannot land without permission. They were going to have to do something about that.

Chapter Two Michael, in his new office eight stories underground, requested that his screen “Play scene of the surface of High Tortuga, random”, it did, and he was entertained by a real-time view of the Y’ehntel Jungle on the South Continent. Was enjoying watching a snake, when Tabitha came in. Both jumped when a huge foot came down and crushed the snake. Picture was enlarged, looked like a huge dinosaur, and Tabitha knew that Michael was going to hunt it.

Chapter Three Bethany Anne and Michael in a discussion about whether the unborn child should incubate in a pod, or she should carry it naturally. (At which point nausea took over). Tim denied having anything to do with that, as he was unfamiliar with what her body was doing at this time. Michael comforted her, and changed the subject, questioning her on how order was kept, where the videos went, what was being done to ameliorate violence, etc..Part of her MPPS project, to provide opportunities to work, learn, improve. Changed the subject again- Bethany Anne should record, annotate, etc., everything she does with this project, , so others can follow in her steps and take over on when they haveto leave, fight Kurtherians, etc. “So, what do you think about creating a nice central area, designed like the Pit back on Earth? Bottom level with a table and one wall of screens, but four or five levels of work desks around an oval or circle. We can pipe all the security reports in. You’d have a single place to work out the kinks with the security implementation, and to organize and authorize further efforts. You will need a good team back here, and for that to run efficiently you need to train them. Record everything you do to video. Permit discussions about your efforts and modify the laws as needed.” She started thinking about that, and Michael turned on his tablet again. Wanted to find that dinosaur. Bethanny Anne talks to ADAM, starts to plan area suggested by Michael (a babysitter for her!) What I am suggesting is a place where you can operate for now. Handle the issues from around the planet, and yet you’ll be safe. Eventually, it will be the central area to support High Tortuga when we leave the planet, and those who’ve worked in there will already be trained.” Extends thinking, planning, use of AI,s EIs, everything to make the planet run. Called it CEREBRO (Central Entity for Relationships…. …Exploration, and Biofeedback-Reporting Operations.”

Chapter Four Ricole, a Noel-Ni, (was lightning-fast reflexes and the ability to take a finger off with her teeth) was trapped by Bracht, a gang leader who wanted her to join his gang. She had refused. Wasn’t stupid. Suddenly, a voice sounded, ordering him to “cease to threaten Citizen Ricole immediately, or I will take steps to force you to do as I require.” Baba Yaga warned them, and when they tried to wreck her orb, John killed three of them, Ricole escaping down the tunnels, to investigate the public court system. Bethany Anne in the Pit. Listening to a meeting of businessmen, discussing future anticipated policies of Baba Yaga. Notice of an attack on the planet is received.

'Chapter Five - Attack on the Base Michael joined John Grimes, Eric Escobar, Scott English and Darryl Jackson. Michael had rescued and brought Demon, an enhanced mountain lion, from Earth with him and she was going on this mission with them. Saw fourteen trucks advancing on Base (The eight missiles in the back of each transport gave them a hundred and twelve ways to make this evening a significant downer to those who were at the coordinates). These armored vehicles had been modified to fire two missiles at a time, one from each side. When the missile was fired the antigrav engine became a catapult, launching it into the air before its chemical ignition system kicked in. They would fire from a distance to allow the kinetic energy to increase before the heavy missiles hit their intended targets. Each missile had a small mass-to-energy-conversion tip which would further enhance the headaches for those at the base. Some idiots in the back had fired prematurely, throwing Michael et al against rocks behind them. Tabitha, Peter, Akio, Ryu and several others were in Black Eagles, screaming into the atmosphere to lie in wait for the air vehicles which couldn’t find the base. Disguised? Bad coordinates?). Tabitha, seeing ground crew seemingly attacked, began air attack on ships, from above, one of them falling directly on Michael’s HUD icon.

Chapter Six Michael OK. KGB company meet to discuss their failed attack. Baba Yaga doing well in benefiting general population, so no uprisings. Had been careless in not noticing her incursions into Devon, as had been busy with another project (Gauger hostile takeover. There was always another path to slavery. You could use the tax system). Why was Baba Yaga doing this? Profit? Military? If she is not allied with one of the major powers we take over of her infrastructure and own the planet outright. Here's what we plan to do related to banking and infrastructure.

Bethany Anne cajoles Lerr’eck, “How would you like to leave business behind and work on an anti-gang-warfare project? You take care of this gang and these males and I reduce your sentence from ten years to time served? I want you to train them to support the local area. Right now we need a group that is fighting with the support of Baba Yaga. You have the smarts and the military background to help accomplish this.” Lerr’ek went to confront Cr’ehg and his gang members, with a hologram of a message from Baba Yaga to them.

Chapter SevenBold text Attack on the Banks Begins Ricole going to Library in Thon, now with weapons at all times. Bethany Anne decides to go talk with her, Michael invited himself along. Ricole looking at new laws and job board. Needed two hour evaluation to apply. Before the end of the session, Baba Yaga and Michael had “interviewed” her, and offered her a place on one of their teams. She accepted, and started to train. ADAM notifies Bethany Anne that he had found discrepancies in the bank data I have reviewed. The books are being cooked, as it were. Random, by definition, is random. When you find the randomness to be distinctly non-random across the banks, that is enemy effort. Thirty-two major banks, seventeen minor banks, three local banks. All seven major cities, thirty-two percent of the minor cities, and fourteen percent of the twins. The breakout has to do with the existing banks with problems and how they have spread out into the local markets. The mistakes in their books are not benefiting anyone. In fact, you could say that they are hurting all parties. Something wasn’t right. She needed to speak to someone devious. She called Addix.

Chapter Eight Consults with Addix about banking problem. In the past when I wanted to find someone I would look at the data and then do something I’ve always called ‘following the money.’ It’s a phrase that has always meant, ‘see who gets the benefit.’ However, it has also meant following the money’s trail, for the most part. ADAM has figured out that someone is messing with the banking system here on High Tortuga with software which will make a bunch of money go poof. It won’t go anywhere. All of the money is going to disappear.” “They are trying to foment fear of the banking industry,” Addix finally concluded. “The military attack didn’t work, so they are trying to undermine your authority. “I would also bet that the accounts they are trying to delete are those they can associate with your stick ownership. It will hit when the system has eighty-two percent penetration amongst all banks, in approximately seven days and fourteen hours.” “Who should I use for this?” “Get with Stephen if you need him. Otherwise, whoever you want.” Sabine, Mark Jacqueline and Ricole were being prepped as an operations group.” Sabine hung around with Demon, so smelled different from the rest of the humans.

Chapter Nine Publicity attacks Begin Eve reports to Bethany Anne about seeing editorials, inserts, and occasionally ads stewing over Baba Yaga’s heavy-handed approach to ‘taking over our planet.’” Addix confirmed that she was familiar with a few of the individuals from another project, but the trail left the planet.” It seems we have interrupted someone's party here on High Tortuga. After the military attack, and the banking attack, there was now a war for the minds of the citizens. Did they get a local to push their agenda?" For those they use a political action committee equivalent here on the planet. I have tracked the responses and the money, and once again it was funded by an off-world entity. Lerre’ek is trying to convince a group of Bank presidents, headed by Beeg, to do something about the banking situation about to occur. The first part had been easy: give them the proof and allow them to have their people confirm the problem. Now that they knew the truth, they wanted to place the blame on someone besides their ineffective leadership. Which would be all fine and good if Lerr’ek had been the one to perpetrate the attack. Beeg asked to speak to the special person himself, and he did. ADAM spoke, inside his head, as one AI to another. Beeg was shown what was happening, and would happen to all of the banks, and, when re-activated, told them everyone's job here is to find out how to secure your electronic infrastructure to the best of your ability. Further security issues will be revealed to you for upgrade in the near future. We allowed the security to become lax, so we are responsible for fixing it.”

Chapter Ten Full-scale Battle Attacks Planned, Begin Az looks at what has been happening on High Tortuga, decides to unleash the full power he had built up over thirty years. We’ve got three ships arriving from different headings.” Inform interdiction ships 12, 15 and…18 that they are to move forward.” Tabitha and Hirotoshi, on /ship 18, bored, when alarm sound comes in. Tabitha addresses the Lerrith Qualgoth Keepto. “This is Tabitha, captain of Trade and Contraband Vessel 18. You are requested to prepare for boarding. We must confirm that you are carrying no slaves or illegal trade goods before you will be allowed to proceed. We could send a missile into you and then board you, but either way, we are going to check your ship out. We will be alongside in…” A solid CLUNK reverberated through Gorath’s ship.

Bethany Anne gets a report from William that the defensive rings around High Tortuga are twenty percent below optimum, and that’s in only one layer of coverage. Bethany Anne gets all of her people working on the problem, with a game. “Get with the ships’ EIs and create a mobile game app that utilizes everything from a hundred and fifty percent BYPS satellites down to fifty percent on the most difficult setting. Tell ArchAngel to set up multiple scenarios, everything from killer asteroids to waves of spaceships to small pirate attacks. Level one is the easiest, with all the BYPSs in play and simple scenarios. Next level is five percent fewer satellites. Keep increasing difficulty until we have people winning with eighty percent or less Make sure ArchAngel is informed if someone beats a level because the game wasn’t real enough, then update the game and keep going. Tell everyone that whoever wins at sixty percent in ‘god mode’ will be given a prize of ten thousand credits and a party for their friends in space. No one could win at sixty percent, BA.” William retorted. “Then I guess we won’t pay out. However, once we know the game works here with our folks who play games, release it to the public as a Baba Yaga Production.” William tells Bethany Anne that Michael’s BBQ pit will be ready in a couple of months. Taking longer because of size (100 sq. ft. of cooking space. Almost fifteen thousand square inches of meat-grilling surface. Building it in a new room to be built near the kitchens, with special chimneys for heat and smoke dissipation so it can’t be seen from above.” so nowhere near our quarters?” “Nope.”