AMP Armageddon (24 page)

The Colonel and the Gray Ghouls had set up their operations on the far side of the planet. They were the enforcers of the Rules of CoG and were sent wherever corruption and unrest prevented a planet from fully becoming a member of AMP. Hostile species were uprooted or deterred from expanding. Quarrels with species were frequent, but with our dominant force, they were civilized in their resolution.

Frig operated a research lab deep within the mountain ridge that housed our compound. We sometimes went for days without seeing one another, as our lives were filled with living. He had found a mate of his own on Gambrel, and their fifty-six offspring were a constant joy to watch as they grew. A dozen would one day easily match their father in the fields of research that he studied. My own kids marched around with painted wooden blasters that they had crafted from the local trees.

As I stood on a walkway that traversed a part of the high ridge, the Gratis sun was beginning to set. Three of my sons chased each other around with their wooden blasters. A bright shooting star streaked across the sky as I stood looking out over the planet that we had built.

My older son, Carl, approached and pointed at the bright streak as it crossed the sky. "Hey, Dad! Look! It’s the Duke!"

Chills shot down my spine as the hair on the back of my neck stood straight up. "No, I don’t think we will ever see the Duke again. It’s a big universe out there, Carl. If he survived, he is going to go and pick on those that are easily controlled. I just hope our future generations can remember what transpired and always keep at the ready; that includes you and your brothers."

Ashley walked up to me and took my hand. "What are my boys doing out here this evening?"

Carl turned and fired an imaginary bolt from his blaster. "We are hunting androids!"

He spun around and ran back towards the compound, where his brothers were playing.

Ashley and I turned for a stroll. As we walked along the ridge, an easy wind was in our faces. I turned to see Ashley’s blonde hair gently blowing up in the breeze. I knew then that it was the moment I had often dreamed of. I pulled her close for a long, passionate embrace. On gratis, it was the perfect ending to another perfect day.

~~~

This Human is asking for your help!

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Author’s Notes:

Wow, I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed writing the AMP series. I hope it has been as much of an adventure for you as it has been for me. Getting to know and build on the characters as the events swirled around them was both exciting and fun.

I sometimes look out the window into my backyard and imagine the Swift landing. York and Frost would pop their heads out of the back hatch and wave me on to some grand new adventure. I mean, if I went, what could possibly go wrong? Lucky Don Grange is going to be right there by my side! Again, I hope you have enjoyed reading AMP as much as I have enjoyed writing it!

The AMP series is the follow-on series to the SODIUM series. If you have yet to read the SODIUM books, then don’t fret. They can be read out of order from AMP and still be enjoyed! And the first in that series is a freebie as well! Visit
www.arsenex.com
for links to the SODIUM series and other works.

The first chapter of the next series is included below. I hope you enjoy.

For two thousand years the Human run empire known as the Alliance of Major Planets (AMP), brought peace and stability to the five galaxies surrounding the Milky Way. Advances in technology, and a strong set of fair laws, had allowed a peaceful expansion of Human ideals. Man's influence had reigned supreme, trade had flourished, and all species had taken benefit. The great expansion of Man followed the defeat of an android overlord who had previously ruled those galaxies for hundreds of thousands of years. Peace and freedom were Man's legacy to the stars.

At its peak, membership in AMP totaled more than two trillion citizens. Those citizens occupied twelve hundred established planets, ninety-eight hundred lesser colonies, and eight hundred massive security stations, all linked by wormhole portals allowing immediate and unlimited personal travel between them.

During the centuries before, life in the AMP had been easy. No citizen had struggled for work, shelter, food or care. Entertainment of the masses had become king, and with that crown came a population that was all too eager to accept those who pushed the boundaries of societal norms. As morals declined, corruption settled in at the highest levels of government.

For years, the governors of the wealthiest, most prominent planets, had placed their cronies on the Council of Governance. The citizenry had gone about their daily, happy lives, never realizing that their rights and freedoms were being stripped away at a slow and steady pace.

That all changed when a powerful group of governors pushed aside a weak Council of Governance and established their own alliance and set of laws. As the pace of local restrictions had quickened, economies faltered, and riots became commonplace. The once idyllic empire was now ruled by a dozen powerful families. Life in the AMP had changed for the common citizen, and it was not for the better.

For decades, existence in the Omega sector had been plagued with the occasional disappearance of entire colonies. Investigations had been rushed, and the demise of the citizenry involved brushed aside as "a mystery". Life and survival in the outer sector of the Triangulum galaxy had become anything but easy.

In the ultra wealthy Alpha sector, Omega was commonly joked about as a point of exile for those who butted heads with those in powerful places. After several high profile exiles, the joke had become less funny. Knog Beutcher, three star veteran detective, a man of honor and integrity, struggled to balance what was right and fair with what would keep him employed at his prestigious Alpha sector job. His struggles had only just begun.

~~~~~

The ore hauler
Kilteddin
had come to a stop. The six kilometer long vessel was transporting iron and chromium ores to the space docks at Andreus IV. I prepared for a standard inspection search as I pulled the
Daunte
alongside. The long sleek Alpha sector detective's cruiser was immediately lost against the grand exterior of the
Kilteddin
, one of the newest haulers from the Betagen shipyards. The
Daunte
set down in a docking bay just below the forecastle.

As I stepped out onto the deck I was met by Alda Kondore, the ship's manifest administrator. "Mr. Beutcher, welcome to the
Kilteddin
. I have prepared the manifest logs for your perusal. If you would like to follow me to our guest lounge you may look over the logs at your leasure."

I replied, "I appreciate the offer, Mr. Kondore, but I prefer to walk the ship as I perform my investigation, or should I say inspection."

Alda Kondore, a Medorian, struggled to reach a meter in height.

Kondore spoke as he looked up at my two meter tall frame. "If there is any way I can assist you, Mr. Beutcher, I am at your service."

I noticed a twitch in Kondore's phoney smile as he made his offer.

I held up my arm with a holo-display of the
Kilteddin
's storage bay structure showing just above it. "I am most interested in the area underneath these two bays, Mr. Kondore. What can you tell me about it?"

The administrator had an uneasy expression on his face. "That's for ballast, Mr. Beutcher. This vessel is capable of setting down on a planet's surface if a sufficient water dock is present."

I nodded. "I understand that be the function, Mr. Kondore. I would however, like to see and inspect this space. Believe it or not, we have found it to be a popular hiding place for smuggled contraband."

As we walked the half kilometer toward the ballast compartments, Alda Kondore became increasingly nervous. I laughed to myself at how bad the common citizen often was at concealing the fact that he was breaking the law. It was the cool and collected, hard core criminal that I feared. A man in control of his emotions was a man that would take unanticipated and severe action, when cornered. Three inspectors had recently found that out during the previous twelve months in the Alpha sector. One of those individuals, Mar Hougis, I had known for twenty-seven years.

As we walked a call came over my comm. "This is Beutcher. If this is not an urgent need, I would prefer to return this call after my inspection is complete."

It was the dispatcher, Hela Gruend, he had been with the communications office for fifteen years. "Sorry, Mr. Beutcher, the Captain wants you to drop what you are doing and report to his office at once. He says it is important."

I stopped as I replied, "Tell the Captain I'm in the middle of an inspection. I will return as soon as I'm finished."

Hela pressed a button on his console that set off an alert on my holo-display. "Sorry, Knog, the Captain insisted that you come now, as in immediately. Inspector Hambrik will be following up with the
Kilteddin
."

I let out a grunt in frustration. "You tell Hambrik to make sure he checks the ballast tanks under bays five and six!"

I looked over at Kondore and took notice of an expression of relief. The contraband, whatever it was, would be hidden away elsewhere or jettisoned into space long before Hambrik arrived.

I spoke into my comm. "Scratch that last thought, Mr. Gruend. Just ask Hambrik to be thorough."

I stepped close to Alda Kondore and scowled downward at his upturned face. "Looks like it's your lucky day Mr. Kondore. I have been called away. Just keep this in mind though, as you move around whatever it is you are hiding. I am out here 24 / 7, I now know this ship, and I know your name. I'll be watching for you, Mr. Kondore. Have a good day."

Shortly thereafter, I arrived in the Captain's office. Captain Paq Wendell was a fair man. He was now a bureaucrat, but he had risen through the detective ranks because of his hard work. He was one of the few officers of the Detective Corps that I had respect for.

The Captain spoke. "Knog, have a seat. Coffee?"

I replied as I moved to a chair. "Yes sir on the coffee, Sir. I have been having trouble finding it in the stores. I'm running out of it on the
Daunte
."

As the Captain poured an extra deep cup he spoke. "Price of this stuff has gotten outrageous. I think these new alliances between the families have a few trade kinks to work out. I don't know about you, Knog, but I have a hard time functioning without my morning shot."

I looked around the Captain's office. His walls were covered with Merit awards and news articles of some of the arrests he made as a junior detective. His favorite article was from the bust of a ring of smugglers who were sneaking Garronet Carrots into the colony at Meloso Prime. A cargo bay had exploded due to a methane buildup from rotting carrots. A subsequent news photo of a star shower over the colony, caused by the carrots, sat in a gold frame that his co-workers had put together for him. The Captain was well liked and his sense of humor only added to his popularity.

I spoke. "The crew of the
Kilteddin
was smuggling Captain. The administrator---"

Paq Wendell held up his hand as he handed me a cup. "I'm doing you a favor here Knog. The
Kilteddin
belongs to the Motlin Corporation. And the Motlin Corporation belongs to Governor Salton's grand nephew Pietrus. You cause trouble on one of their boats and you run the risk of a career ending mistake."

The Captain moved back behind his desk and sat in his chair.

I replied as I blew the heat off the top of my coffee, "Captain, the Governor's family should not be above the law, Sir. If their crews are knowingly running contraband, they need to be caught and brought before the courts."

The Captain set his mug down on his desk as he leaned back in his squeaky, high-back chair. "The Saltons are the law now Knog, they own the courts."

Paq leaned forward and lowered his voice. "We have to face reality here. AMP is dead, and it is not coming back. The Saltons own the Alpha sector and all who reside here. You are the best at what you do, Knog, but you need to wise up and play the game, or at least pretend to, or your ass is going to end up out in the Omega sector with Calloway and Hollerhan. Heck, Calloway lost thirty-six years of pension because he couldn't keep his mouth shut!"

I sipped at my cup of coffee for several seconds before responding. "I appreciate what you are doing for me Captain, but I can't turn my back on the law just to save my skin. The law, even under the Saltons, says that all cargoes must be inspected, and all items not listed on the manifests are considered contraband. If the Saltons don't want me rousting their ships and crews, they need to change the laws."

The Captain rolled his eyes as he held up his hand. "Fine, Knog, you go do whatever you want to. Just keep in mind that your actions also reflect on those around you. Actions have consequences, even when you are doing the right thing. Just don't be so pig headed that you end up taking others down with you."

I set my half full cup down on the edge of the Captain's desk. "Is that all you have for me, Sir. If so, I would request that I return to duty, Sir."

The Captain scowled as he pressed the comm button on his arm pad. "Major, Dentor. Mr. Beutcher is heading back out on patrol. See to it that he doesn't have any Motlin ships on his schedule of inspections."

The Captain looked up at me as I stood. "We go back a long way, Knog. If you make my life difficult after we just had this talk, I will not be there to back you up if you get in a pinch. Chief Detective Jamia, has already let it be known that she has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to perceived harassment of Motlin ships or crews. If she brings down the hammer on you, know that she will be swinging it hard."

I walked out of the Captain's office with a poor attitude. So, this was it? This would be life under the Saltons? I had spent my entire adult life keeping order. It was a mission I enjoyed and a mission that I looked forward to doing every day. I would not be compromising my principles for some self appointed dictator and his family. This was my sector and I played by my rules, the rules of right and the rules of common sense.

As I stepped back up into the
Daunte
another call came over my comm. "Mr. Beutcher, your next assignment is to inspect a Hargrave salvage trawler. The
Belwitz
is on its way to the Thalimus colony."

A salvage trawler heading to Thalimus? I wondered if this was what I could expect going forward. It was an inspection that would normally go to a detective who had not yet earned his first star. I looked down at the three stars on my shoulder patch and wondered, why had I earned them? What were they worth now? A pay bonus? They certainly had not earned me assignments out to Thalimus. It barely qualified as a colony anymore. A decade of riots had stripped it of all productivity.

I replied, "Thank you Hela. I'll be expecting a data packet with information on the
Belwitz
."

Hela was silent before his response. "I'm sorry Mr. Beutcher. We have nothing on the
Belwitz
except it's registry. She hails from the Gamma sector, Sir. The Morden family runs that now and they no longer release ship records. You will have to wing this one, Sir."

I shook my head and offered the deck hand on Bay-8 of Security Station V an indignant look as the ramp-way pulled shut and sealed.

After a short taxi out into space I brought Portal Transfers up on my console. "This is Beutcher, F4558992-34, sweep me out to Thalimus Colony please. Authorization code is VX722-B0KK."