01 - Vigilante

Ages - Age of Expansion - The Vigilante Chronicles

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TVC 01/1 Barnabas in Tethra a smaller city on High Tortuga, checking om it’s “feel”. Barnabas believed that a planet’s cities were the bellwethers of its success...or failure., and he wanted to see High Tortuga thrive – so he checked to see what was happening in odd places. He went into a local bar for a drink (no beer, so had fruit juice), and gossiped with the bar owner, an Ubuara named Aebura.

TVC 01/2 So she told him the whole story, from her first days on Devon to the work in the mines to Lan and Gar and the rest of them. She explained how she’d been one of the first employed in Sector XVIII’s Mine 2b—and therefore one of the first to leave—and how she had nearly forgotten the touch of the group mind by the time she was released. Barnabas wanted to see a copy of her contract, so she showed him her copy. He read it, and pointed out the places that were definitely wrong. . “People like this prey on people who don’t know better. You were caught up in something bigger than you.” She told him that others wanted her to smuggle them out, as it was getting worse at the mines - less food to eat and the hours were longer. “Slavery,” she blurted finally. “I think that when the mines shut down Lan didn’t tell them, and he didn’t let them leave. Gar knows that he is being talked about, and when Barnabas looked over at him, he did the worst thing he could ever have done – he ran.

TVC 01/3 Gar had reviewed his prior action in his mind, concerning the mine, and remembered when Lan had told him, two years ago, to make sure all communications to the outside world were completely shut down. He did. The mine changed- curfews, more people in jail, prisoners physically punished. Gar had become angry, and was now angry all of the time. When he walked through the mining camp, it was with his eyes darting this way and that, to see which person would rebel next. Lan just told him to take care of it – don’t bother him. When Gar had come into town, he heard the gossip and whispers, and realized that the mine Lan controlled should have been shut down entirely and the workers let out of their contracts. Lan had lied to him, and he had worried that the man in the bar was here for retribution. He remembered the things he had done and the sick feeling in his stomach grew, and he ran. At one point he shot at Barnabas, then ran again. He came to a company house, ran inside, locked the doors, found Barnabas staring at him. They sit and talk.

TVC 01/4 Barnabas inter views gar, learns of slavery, mistreatment. Gets Gar to agree to go back to mine, get information on Lan that Barnabas wants.

TVC 01/5 Barnabas brought Gar back to Shinigami, in the brig, while he thought out his strategy. Plays chess with Shinigami, instructing her on how to act human in her holographic self. His plan: “I am going to approach Venfirdri Lan as a missionary and tell him that I will be able to restore order to his mine. Once I have been able to assess what other mines he might be running, as well as learn more about his connections and the way the mine operates, I will make sure the workers are allowed to leave and that those in charge of keeping them there are held responsible.” Wants to use the mine thing as gateway to the planet in general. This is as good a place as any to begin learning what I need to know about this planet, and I have a perfect setup now, having a link both to the mines and to the cities. If I cultivate knowledge of the mines and the cities, I can gain a perspective on the whole.”

Chess game a lesson in strategy. Barnabas had set it up for her to win. He had not been trying to. “You were playing for a purpose other than to win?” “Exactly.” Barnabas switched off the game board and smiled up at one of Shinigami’s sensors. “Lesson One about strategy: make sure you know what your opponent’s goal is.”

TVC 01/6 In the brig, Gar reviews his life. Even his grandfather, who had supported Gar’s ambition when no one else did, would not have been proud of the person Gar was now. He was uncomfortably sure of that. Barnabas sets up rules for Gar’s return. Communication, with what info Barnabas needs. “When I arrive you will help convince Lan to admit me to the grounds. You will make yourself aware of security patterns. Guard rotations, who is sloppy and who is methodical, where the best and worst places would be to defend the mines. Anything you do not know already you will make yourself aware of. I will at some point want to hear a report on the strengths and weaknesses of the mine’s security.” Aebura decides she must do something about the mine- find it, free the people, do something. Barnabas tell her to wait. Anything he should know? . “If you disabled the radio device the Ubuara would be able to communicate with one another again. Should talk to Leiguba, also. He is another Ubuara, and someone who was always very angry about the injustices.” That night Leiguba, at the mine, decides it’s time to escape.

TVC 01/7 Lan wonders at Gar’s lengthy visit into town. Lan was unhappy about Gar’s attitude lately. He had complained about duties, questioned orders. Lan had told no ne, other workers, guards, anyone, that the mine should be closed, he could hardly afford for one of them to overhear the truth at this juncture. In the meantime, he was fairly certain that Gar was trying to make a point about how indispensable he was, so he was staying away, which forced Lan to do all the tasks Gar would have usually taken care of – repairs, personal problems, paperwork, riots in the jail cells. Gar returns, and Lan goes with him to inspect the mines and grounds. Inspect the walls surrounding the mine. They talk about the mine’s secret. Gar seems to be OK with things as they are, so Lan relaxes, and leaves, going back to his office. But Gar was really upset. It was clear what Lan wanted: to have the mines continue working for his sole benefit. Lan was many things, but he was not stupid about business. Gar knew what he was planning. Run the mine as long as he could, then escape with the money, leaving Gar to take the blame. Gar continued with the inspection, making notes for Barnabas.

TVC 01/8 Carter Eastbourne arrives, likes what he sees, looks around the town and sees a bar. He goes in, and sees a monkey sitting behind the bar, talking to him. His implant allows him to communicate, and he has some fruit juice.

TVC 01/9 Barnabas, dressed as a monk, goes to the mine, (showing Shinigami the beauty of the mountains as he walks them, through his eyes). He tells her why. This disguise will afford me opportunities I would not otherwise have. Barnabas approaches the gates, asks to speak to Venfirdri Lan.” Even though not expected, they tell Lan that a kalanon, a “speaker of words – a mystic” was asking for him by name. Lan calls Gar, who says the kalanon might be helpful in settling the workers. And Lan was bored. Perhaps speaking to the alien might be interesting. As he is being escorted to Lan’s, he sees an Ubuara, and forces a mental thought into his mind - Aebura has not forgotten you. I am here to help. Be patient. All will be made well.

Gar escorts him around the mine, secretly showing him weaknesses, holes, etc., as Barnabas had brought a device which would find Lan’s servers and feed information to Shinigami. While Barnabas was here, she would assess the data to see what they could find out about Lan and his employers.

TVC 01/11 By accessing Lan’s records, Shinigami was able to ascertain exactly what Barnabas had surmised – bad contracts, not enough food for the workers, luxuries for himself, told company he would shut down mine and didn’t, then he’d taken everything offline and gambled that the owners wouldn’t interfere—or, at least, wouldn’t interfere for long enough that he’d be able to make a small fortune off the mine. Shinigami looked at the mine through Barnabas’ eyes- Everything was shoddy and run-down. This place wasn’t humming with activity or efficiency, and its denizens were not willingly laboring this hard. There was nothing to be proud of here beyond the grimly determined survival of the workers. She did not want Lan to escape under any circumstances!

Leiguba had received Barnabas’ mental message, and wondered what had happened. He had wondered that Aebura had done nothing up to now, and suddenly it sounded as if he was telling Leiguba not to do anything on his own, to just wait for things to happen. He spread the word to the other Ubuara as best he could. Though they could not speak mind to mind now, they had noticed that the Brakalons could not interpret their native language very well. Sometimes they mistook it for just meaningless chittering, and that meant that they could pass messages. Help is on the way. Chogaru will go to the alien with Leiguba, and they will find the truth. But maybe he should trust Chogaru. “Let’s organize. Let’s come up with a plan.”

TVC 01/12 Shinigami and Barnabas are playing another game of chess, a perfect example of Barnabas’ sneaky ways. He’s playing this game differently, and she doesn’t know why. Her reactions are perfectly human, which gives the reader a clue as to Barnabas’ devious qualities. Shinigami and up wanting to kill him.

Barnabas is waiting, and watching Lan at the mine. “I’m waiting because I think if I can put him off-balance enough, he’ll contact the various people who are willing to help someone like him...and who know about this planet. I don’t just want to take out Lan, I want his whole network.” He asks Gar to find out Lan’s escape plan.

Eastbourne show Aebura a bottle of Coke, indicating it as the official drink of the Empress, and that her bar shows that we are devoted to the manufacture and distribution of Coca-Cola. “Meanwhile, we put out the word very quietly that true believers can get Pepsi here.” “Listen,” Carter continued seriously. “You absolutely must not tell Barnabas about the Pepsi. Nathan Lowell has set up secret facilities to make and distribute Pepsi.” Carter want them to get on that bandwagon on High Tortuga.

TVC 01/13 Gar lies to get into Lan’s hut, to search for his interplanetary code #, to find who he has been talking to about flights off-planet. Lan discovers him (Chogaru told Lan about working with the alien), and Lan orders Gar put into jail, even though what he said was true- about the closed mine, and wanting his fair share. Barnabas overhears that conversation, decides to move his rescue plans up, and will save Gar if he can. Leiguba talks Chogaru, in jail, and Chogaru tells hum Gar is working with the human. Leiguba thinks that if that is so, Gar might be an ally to talk to.

TVC 01/14 Barnabas goes to Aebura, asks her for her help. Where would be a good place to hide people? The mine. During the day. Barnabas reassures her he will r the people first, look after Gar secondly. And Pepsi and Coke are just two different drinks humans like - a silly argument about something that didn’t matter at all.

Lan decides to stay a little longer at the mine, but called a Brakalon in Tethra, Jutkelon , to hire more guards and force for the mine.

TVC 01/15 Leiguba goes to the jail to talk to Gar, admits working for the human. “I wanted to save my own skin. So when he confronted me, I made a bargain. I dressed it up nicely for myself. I told myself I was becoming a better person; that I wanted to help him because it was the right thing to do. I told myself I wanted to prove myself to him so that he would include me in other things he had planned. I only wanted to save my own life. I was a coward. He told me that the punishment for my crime was death and I tried to be brave, but I was afraid to die. At the time I thought I was a better person than I have turned out to be. Leiguba decides to help Gar escape, to help Barnabas, and he does so.

Lan looked at the new guards – Brakalons and a few Shrillexians – affording him a clear presence and rapid response if necessary under Jutkelon’s guidance. Private mercenaries hired to protect Lan and the mine. If you face armed resistance from the guards, kill them. ”

Aebura hears of the extra guards forming, and sends thoughts out to any Ubuara to get that information to him. Oemuga, a young male she knew, said he would do so.