The Jovian Conflict

Chapter 8

The Jovian Conflict

Search for Truth

Space: a multi-trillion dollar industry, rich in resources, tourism, and exploration. Its limitless potential and endless boundaries made it a factor impossible to ignore in the business world. For generations, the private sector worked tirelessly in an effort to capitalize on its offerings. It was a tourist trap first. How many billionaires wanted to achieve godhood and reach the Heavens? As it became more affordable, that question was posed to millionaires. Eventually, it was practically routine for anyone above working class to see the Earth from above at least once in their life.

Those of lesser means weren't necessarily bound by the Earth, however. The further the companies sent their probes, the more they learned about foreign bodies. What kind of resources could they acquire out there? How could they harvest these resources and make a profit? Everyone needed to eat, so offering "space pioneer" jobs to the less fortunate became a natural course. Unlikely to return but with a steady paycheck being sent to their families, these brave explorers were the first to set up mining and science camps throughout the solar system.

Eventually, the wealthy stopped traveling into space. They almost never migrated there. Earth was beautiful and serene. Space was empty, dark, and bleak. Hope was hard to come by. Luxury could not exist. Yet, they still had absolute control over it. No government on Earth could lay claim to a single ounce of matter off the planet. Lawlessness reigned for a blip, but was seemingly snuffed out completely once Zimmerman-Li Industries took control over the entire space operation. The other companies? Disappeared. Gone for good. A few mergers, a couple of questionable stock market moves… and bam, there went all of the assets of those nameless corporations. Without any laws guiding or protecting business in space, it was only a matter of time.

Antanas had only been in space three times in his entire life. Even when he officially took over all of ZLI, he ignored space. That was best left to those who lived there and understood it. Earth was his home base. So, naturally, when he finally did make his appearance at the orbiting ZLI spaceport above Earth, everyone stopped to stare. Everyone. Even the security guard, whom had probably seen some crazy things up there, had his jaw drop once he realized just who exactly this scruffy looking chap was in front of him.

Fuck space. He screamed inside his head just exactly how much he couldn't f*****g stand space (sometimes, literally, he couldn't stand. The spaceport needed some serious repairs done to the artificial gravity). Regardless of his own opinions, however, there was a very serious matter that needed his personal attention. A trip to Callisto was out of the question, but at least reaching to important figures in space could hopefully yield some result.

In order to reach these people, he needed to visit them. A simple call was no good. It was imperative that he displayed his sincerity by making an appearance, even if the people he needed to reach out to weren't exactly his favorites.

"So you really did decide to leave your bed for once."

The woman's voice was exactly as he remembered: high pitched and full of false happiness. Disgusting. When he looked up from his tablet to make eye contact, he was greeted by smile that could be described only as strained. There was no need for him to return the gesture or the teasing. He didn't even have time. A cold finger touched just under his chin and lightly petted there, until the action acted as a leash and yanked him toward her. At her heels like a puppy, he blindly followed her through the bustling steel hallways of the spaceport.

Both lost their footing and grip when the port lurched. Once it stabilized they tried to casually regain their balance. Neither one wanted to appear disturbed by the quake. They were too powerful and prideful to show any signs of weakness or fear. Antanas made a mental note that they needed to fix the spaceport before it fell out of the sky. No need to let anyone outside the essentials know, however. There was no reason to cause panic about the condition of the aging equipment in space.

His mind was brought back to his present situation when he heard a door slam shut. The sound echoed so loudly he managed to jump a few inches back in surprise. Time to get serious. Alone in the office of the most powerful person in space, he had no choice but to furrow his brow and tighten his lips. Caution was the best course here; he didn't want to speak without thinking or make a move that might offend her.

"Her" referred to Diane Maes. Doctor Diane Maes, the most tyrannical leader in the history of space travel. Results were the only thing that concerned her. Money was a vital factor to her decision making. Recognition was the most important thing to her and it showed. Awards from throughout her professional career took up the majority of one wall, while all of her certifications, doctorates, and degrees were plastered on another. Despite the cluster of self-worth, her office was organized and in pristine condition. Exactly as she expected of the company's operations, no doubt.

The smile on her face was knowing but held a bit of mischief. This was one of the rare opportunities for her to string the most powerful man of civilization along and she wasn't going to let it go to waste. He was well aware. Silence invaded for a moment as they stared patiently at each other. Neither of them wanted to make the first move, just in case a hole was found in their defenses.

She tapped her finger against the desk she leaned against. A sharp "click" grabbed Antanas's ear. His eyes were diverted to the large ruby ring that Diane wore as it drummed on the furniture over and over again. That was it; the battle was over. He had lost the instant his eyes left hers.

"Who can I thank for this great honor, Herr Fedorov?"

Back to her face his eyes went as her sultry voice snapped him out of his stupor. A frown was the only expression he could muster. He hated that nickname. He didn't even have any German in his blood.

"I decided to look into my space assets – "

"A first, I'm sure."

" – and discovered some reports that have me concerned. How much money is being lost on Callisto?"

She raised a brow at him. The playful expression was gone. In its place a curious twinkle had appeared. Within a blink she had twirled around to her chair, sat down, occupied her computer, and pulled up an assortment of reports and charts. As she clicked away and skimmed through the pages, Antanas snuck around and posted himself just over her shoulder. She noticed but didn't let it bother her.

Her eyes were still moving a million miles a minute when she asked, "What did you find?"

"I've lost an astrobiology ship and repair ship there within the last forty-eight hours. It looks like several similar incidents happened over the same spot," he explained. His body had leaned forward to where he needed to prop himself up by placing a hand on the back of her chair. Her only reaction was to pause briefly and peer at him. His face was mere centimeters from her. After assessing the intensity of his strained expression, she went back to work.

"There aren't any reports of debris near Callisto. The janitors are good at keeping it clear. It is a busy colony," she said. Then, the clicking stopped. There it was: the report on the financial situation on JOC. Everything seemed fine, with all readings showing that profits were still stable and in the black. Suddenly, she announced, "This is wrong."

"How so?"

Her dainty finger pressed itself against the screen and she said, "The data between mining output and economic growth is irregular. This is tampered data. Callisto's mining operation simply cannot be that efficient. One would have to assume each miner is doing the work of three hundred men."

"So where is the money coming from?" he asked aloud. Then, he knew without another thought needed. "Money laundering."

"From what?" she wondered.

Again, more hurried searching. Each economic department of the outpost was quickly scanned and then she went to the next one. What was she missing? What had she missed? It irritated her. The heat from her emotions stained her cheeks a beet red. She was too smart to let something go awry. Antanas was the last person she wanted to have sniff out a conspiracy before her. He would never let her live it down. Fortunately for her, Antanas was too personally involved to concern himself with competition.

Being one of the oldest outposts, Callisto was being swept under the rug. She ignored the incoming reports on most days and eventually told her top assistants that they should only inform her about Callisto should something major happened. Losing two ships? That's major. If only she had paid more attention, perhaps she could have noticed sooner. Then none of this would be necessary.

Now was not the time to beat herself up, however. She stopped as something caught her eye. Blacked out reports. Classified information.

"What the hell is this?" Antanas whispered. Nothing – absolutely nothing – was allowed to be classified without his permission. Callisto was, and should have always been, a completely open outpost. To find entire sectors of the base blacked out and reports covered in blotches made him see red. No one was allowed to lie to him. Absolutely no individual or organization would ever get away with pulling the wool of his eyes. They were trying to get one past him; they were trying to take advantage of him. They thought he was too stupid to find out. They thought they were better. He was enraged. Emotions took control when he slammed one of his hands against her desk hard enough she jumped.

"Get me in contact with JOPA HQ! Now!"