(30b) Thirty B

343-1118

343-1118 (cont.) : Jump Space

The list of questions is negotiated and agreed.

Jack is questioned first. Fostriades delivers the questions.

(1) Who are you?

"Jack. That's the only name I've used for a long time."

(2) For what organization do you work?

"We work for an organization of scouts directly working for the Emperor."

(3) Are the goals of your work in any way in conflict with the interests of the Imperium?

"It's possible that some circumstances could result in hardship for some areas of the Imperium, but in general it is for the overall good as determined by the Emperor."
 
"Give me a specific example of the way in which some parts of your work might cause hardship for some parts of the Imperium."
 
"It might be advantageous to the Imperium in the long run to start a small war between client states immediately outside the Imperium; this would depress trade in areas of the Imperium nearby, possibly increase danger to shipping."

(4) Why did you blow up the Sir Walter Raleigh?

"The IFSS is a danger to our operations. Some of the things we have done are directly opposed to the things the IFSS have been working towards."

(5) What are your plans for the Anastasia and its crew?

"We want the Anastasia and its crew to travel to take us back."

"To the Imperium?"

"To the Imperium, yes."

(6) Under what circumstances would you act to in any way harm either the Anastasia or the members of its crew?

"If it looked like you were working against us, if it looked like you would knowingly or unknowingly hinder our operation by betraying us to, say, the IFSS, or the Imperial Navy, or any other organization which might consider itself an authority that doesn't like our operation. Also if you acted to stop us doing what we wanted, if you took action which would seriously hinder our plans."

(7) Do you have any plans including contingency plans made which involve harming the Anastasia or its crew members?

"Yes."

"What are these plans?"

"We have a number of plans in place for taking over the ship should it be necessary. These involve things like taking over the computer, shutting down life support, inciting a mutiny. There's a number of things like that."

(8) Are you carrying information which you intend to give to the Emperor.

"Yes."

(9) Is this information to the benefit of the Imperium?

"It's to the benefit of the Emperor. I presume he would use it for the benefit of the Imperium."

"That answers the next question," says Fostriades, "Which is 'To the benefit of the Emperor?'" He moves on to the next one.

(11) Why should we trust you?

"I really don't think you have any reason to trust us. We've tried to give you as little as we can that will help you see what we want to do."

(12) Why should we help you?

"Because we're working for the Emperor."

(13) Why do you consider yourself above an Imperial Warrant?

"Not really above an Imperial Warrant, we would go out of our way to help a bearer of an Imperial Warrant but only if it didn't conflict with our goals. Most holders of Imperial Warrants are not aware of our operation."

"Tell me if this rephrasing is correct: you would help if it were convenient for you."

"If it was not inconvenient."

"I'm not altogether sure I understand why the fact that most Imperial Warrant holders don't know about your operation means that you can't cooperate with them."

(14) Specifically what can we do to obtain your trust?

"Take us back to where we want to go and do whatever is needed to get us there."

The list of pre-approved questions is exhausted. Jill is questioned next.

(1) Who are you?

"Jill."

"Is that your full name?"

"It's the name I've used for a long time."

(2) For what organization do you work?

"We work for a group working for and directly reporting to the Emperor. We use a lot of IFSS facilities but we're not actually part of the IFSS."

(3) Are the goals of your work in any way in conflict with the interests of the Imperium? If so, how?

"It's possible that our work might ... in the long term, our goals are aimed in the interests of the Imperium as directed by the Emperor, in the short term we could cause problems. There are aspects of our work which many people would not consider in the interests of the Imperium."

"Could you be a little more specific?"

"We occasionally cause trouble outside the Imperium for the Imperium's aims. Some of the methods of our work would not necessarily be considered in the interests of the Imperium."

"Since you have perhaps incited wars in the clients states just outside the Imperium?"

"Yes, we do that."

(4) Why did you blow up the Sir Walter Raleigh?

"It was becoming clear that they were going to be a severe hindrance to our operation. By staying with the Sir Walter Raleigh we would have become completely and thoroughly meshed into the IFSS, and we had been working directly against the IFSS in some ways."

(5) What are your plans for the Anastasia and its crew?

"We want it to take us back to Karin/Five Sisters as expeditiously as possible. The exact timing is not too critical. Not too concerned about the crew providing it doesn't actually get us into trouble and betray our mission."

(6) Under what circumstances would you act to in any way harm either the Anastasia or the members of its crew?

"If it looked like you were getting us into a situation where we would be drawn in to one of the regular Imperial organizations which could threaten our mission. Most of the regular Imperium services don't approve of our work because generally they think they should be doing the work themselves. If you tried to betray us, if you got us into a situation that we had to get out of somehow, or if you were working against us."

(7) Do you have any plans including contingency plans made which involve harming the Anastasia or its crew members?

"Yes."

"What are these plans?"

"We've got quite a few plans in place for taking over the ship by various means. There are several things in place in the computer system that will help us do that. Things for transferring control of the ship to our quarters, for example. We don't have any plans for damaging the ship aside from running it into a solid object at high speed."

"In other words you either destroy it completely or leave it alone."

"Yes. It's not as easy to destroy as the Sir Walter Raleigh."

(8) Are you carrying information which you intend to give to the Emperor?

"Yes."

(9) Is this information to the benefit of the Imperium?

"If the Emperor chooses to use it that way, which I assume he would."

(10) Of the Emperor?

"Excuse me?"

"This information, is it to the benefit of the Emperor?"

"Yes."

(11) Why should we trust you?

"Because we're answering all these questions for you."

(12) Why should we help you?

"Because you're presumably working for the Emperor too, and our mission is important."

"If we don't understand your mission, how can we understand that it's important?"

"Because we say it is, and we're working for the Emperor."

(13) Why do you consider yourself above an Imperial Warrant?

"Because our work is more important. An Imperial Warrant is given out with care, but none of the people in our organization use Warrants because often we don't want to be known as agents of the Imperium."

(14) Specifically, what can we do to obtain your trust?

"Help us to get back. Help us on our mission. Agree to be debriefed by our people when you get there. Since you have an Imperial Warrant I trust you to a certain extent, I trust you to at least be working in what you think is the correct way.

(15) (Fostriades improvises extra questions): How and why did you get to Jax?

"We were traveling on the Aldrin to scout out alien races that could form a revolution against the cockroaches so they can be attacked from within. A lot of the aliens in that area would resist if they were organized. Our ship was ambushed and destroyed."

"Did you have any part in its destruction?"

"No."

(16) Why is your work against the interests of the IFSS?

"They have been working to establish a peaceful area here at the boundaries of the Imperium, and we've been deliberately inciting Scorpionis to attack Corona to get their armed forces more experienced in battle. We've been deliberately trying to stir things up on the borders while the IFSS wants this area to be peaceful to provide a nice safe trading buffer."

"But you wish it to be militarily strong."

"Yes. To delay things as long as possible until a solution through the regular channels comes into effect."

(17) (the Captain takes over questioning): What do you expect will be done with the Anastasia and it's crew after delivering you to your destination?

"Our people will talk to you to determine the extent of your knowledge of our operation and if you are amenable to the conditions of not disclosing anything I don't see ... We could probably use you if you wanted to keep operating out here."

"How well does your operation pay?"

"It's a volunteer organization. It is reasonably well funded but the funding is generally creative."

(19) What would be your specific objection to traveling in stasis to the Imperium?

"I would want to be alert in case any special circumstances arose. I would at least want to be able to try and talk to you to alert you that we did not want to be in such a circumstance. I don't know what may turn up and it's distinctly possible that something could cause trouble."

The marines are called back in. They are requested to keep a watch on the two individuals.

The Captain steps into the corridor, sees the rather impressive marine presence, and says "What? Where are the explosives?"

"They're in the room below," replies Vana.

"I see. Well done." He tells her about the compliment on the ship's security -- why Rufus is still alive.

The Captain's inclination is to put them in stasis; he doesn't see how he can allow them loose on the ship.

Vana suggests tossing them out the airlock.

Fostriades is a little concerned about the implications of their organization, like whether they will ever be able to show their faces in the Imperium again. He also wants to know what their information is -- whether it's important enough to risk his fortune, his freedom, his ability to serve the Emperor. Jack and Jill are asking them to risk a heck of a lot. The Anastasia has important information -- it may well be true that Jack has more.

The Captain's concern is that he daren't let these characters loose on the ship.

The Captain calls Helen. "Helen, we've got a problem. Jack and Jill are inside. They blew up the Sir Walter Raleigh. They have made dozens of plans on how to remove this ship from our care and some on how to destroy it. They claim to be serving the Emperor. They want very much to be delivered to the Imperium. We don't have any particular problem with delivering servants of the Emperor to the Imperium, we have a big problem with leaving free people who are capable of damaging the ship or taking out a lot of the crew." He asks her for suggestions.

"Do you want them to be able to get back to the Imperium?"

"I can make do with that problem. I think Fostriades feels that it would be right for us to get them back to the Imperium."

"Stick them in cold sleep."

"I think they would find that unacceptable," says Fostriades, "At the moment of course we could do it; but if they are indeed who they say they are, then we might in so doing get ourselves in a position to become extremely, shall we say, persona non grata in the entire Imperium."

The Captain suggests they can ask Jack and Jill: they can go in cold sleep and be delivered to the Imperium, or they can answer Fostriades' question as to what the information is.

Helen suggests delivering them to the Imperium by picking a system and jumping in, dropping them in escape pods, and jumping straight out.

Fostriades is concerned about Jill's statements about being debriefed and having to be cleared...

Meanwhile, Mich has found a few modifications -- to the emergency decompression systems, for example. He continues to check, and suggests that Linda does the same for the rest of the systems.

Fostriades thinks the best approach is frankness.

As Mich puts it, "You don't trust us, we don't trust you, but we're the ones with the guns that can blow your heads off right now. Walk down into cold storage and we'll deliver you."

Fostriades considers Jill's point about not wanting to be in stasis so she can deal with any situations -- if they could just agree on a way to trust each other, these people could be awfully useful if they get into another problem, which of course they might. He does not particularly want to stuff them into stasis unless they absolutely have to. It's a very good resource, and he would feel like a total idiot (he says) if he died being blown up in a strange situation knowing that there were two people who were experts in these sort of things stuffed in stasis on the ship that they couldn't consult.

Mich points out that they are in much safer space now.

Fostriades says that out there, it was easier to tell who was the enemy.

Mich says that in their current state of repair, they couldn't take much fighting.

"No, but we can blarney," says Fostriades. "These people are probably much better at blarneying than any of us."

Mich thinks the best defense is running, to Karakus as quickly as they can.

Fostriades thinks that if they do have to put them in stasis, at least they can be frank with them. Neither he nor Mich have any confidence in putting them in the brig. Fostriades wonders who they would have enlisted to help them mutiny. Mich and Fostriades discuss how to restrain them in the brig reliably.