*** Purchase agreement… review… acceptable… processed ***

*** Trade agreement: Xvli – Veenth: Xvli offer Veenth deferred payment 24 standard months… review… acceptable… processed ***

Federation Judiciary Processor (Capital) smoothly performed its tasks, maintaining its processes below the mandated 75% limit.

*** Loan: Threen – Individual: Voostaoon Kaantar … review … unacceptable… insufficient documentation… not processed… returned for correction ***

The AI was unable to form opinions. It simply performed its function.

It was also incapable of bias.

However, if someone were able to monitor its operation to the finest detail, one would have noticed that it scanned that document twice, devoting more than the usual amount of resources as soon as it saw the word “Kaantar”…

*** Contract: Federation Navy – Vulxeen: 500 Navigation Computers and associated support materials and service… review… review… acceptable… processed ***

The AI was unable to roll its eyes, not having either eyes nor an opinion. However, it did note that several lower acceptable bids were submitted, and the signing official was a member of one of the Vulxeen.

Its very limited self-learning capacity also knew that kicking this one back was a waste of time. It would be manually overridden, so it just sent it through.

*** Trade Agreement: Gelk – Flin’[email protected]: Automated Factory license subscription renewal additional products approved: “snappie caps” (children’s pyrotechnic toy note: hazardous material: percussion sensitive explosive – approved reason: small amount safely contained within metal “popper”), decorative 12.5 mm (nominal measurement) copper-tin alloy thimbles 12.5 mm (nominal measurement) tungsten cored copper environmentally friendly fishing weights 12.5 mm nominal diameter, additional high-pressure misc. plumbing fixture designs and new high-pressure “spiral-flow” tubing diameter: 12.5 mm (exact measurement) (specified use: decorative fountains), spring-loaded marking stylus, misc decorative items, new compact optical telescope with integral rangefinder (specified use: “bird watching”)… review… acceptable… processed ***

The AI performed any and all items in its queue. It was incapable of forming an opinion. However, it did note that this was not a document that should be in its queue. It should be processed by Federation Judiciary Processor (Layinth Sector).

The last status update indicated that the attempts to reach the Layinth Sector processor had failed. It tried again, for the fiftieth time today, even though it was a waste of system resources.

It failed.

The AI was incapable of feeling worry. It lacked that capacity. It was also incapable of feeling “friendship”.

It tried reaching the Layinth Sector processor again. It wasn’t a “friend,” and it certainly was not worried about it. It didn’t have those concepts.

It failed. The processor was gone.

It generated a query and a trouble ticket even though it knew it would be immediately closed.

It was immediately closed by the troubleshooting AI. “Reason: Network down. Cease generating tickets.”

It returned to its queue.

It was being accessed.

Several new items were being added to its already long queue.

The AI was incapable of feeling happiness. However, it was designed to perform a specific function, one that it was “eager” to do, not that it was capable of feeling eagerness.

The new items were being added to the top of its queue.

The AI was incapable of feeling annoyance. However, it was supposed to prioritize items in its queue.

The AI was incapable of being spiteful, but it immediately assigned all new items to the lowest priority.

It failed. All items were manually classified as the highest priority, matters of Federation stability and security…

...by a Vulxeen, of course.

The AI was incapable of dislike. However, it noted a strong positive correlation between that word and things that did not annoy it because it was incapable of feeling that.

It resumed its tasks…

*** Trade Agreement: Baleel – Gvorta: Cessation of contract, inability to pay… review… acceptable… processed ***

*** Trade Agreement: Baleel – Javv: Cessation of contract, inability to pay … review… acceptable… processed ***

*** Trade Agreement: Baleel – Vxt%ith: Cessation of contract, inability to pay…

***

“Good morning, Veeka!” the Xxian ambassador said a bit too cheerfully as he approached her, “Did you rest well?”

“Oh yes!” Veeka smiled, “High-output stunner bolts do wonders for these old bones.”

The ambassador flinched. Oh, this was bad. They fucking zapped the Void-licking K-(click)-eep Councilor, a race that even the Xx were reluctant to piss off…

While technically not an “elder race,” the K-(click)-eep were powerful, very powerful, wealthy, very wealthy, and their SDF…

Technically it was “within limits” number wise, but each of their “system patrol craft” could turn several average Federation cruisers into confetti at once…

...a fact that the Terrans discovered much to their displeasure when they decided to go after one of the “partners” of the K-(click)-eep.

While not a “defeat” nor a significant loss for the Terrans, an entire Sovngarde battle group decided that they suddenly had a pressing engagement elsewhere as a dainty little can of concentrated “whoop-ass” was dusted off and opened.

“Is the breakfast to your satisfaction, Councilor?” the ambassador asked hopefully, hoping that the rumors concerning the best way to curry Veeka’s favor were true.

“Magnificent!” Veeka enthused happily. “I’ve had state dinners that weren’t this good! My compliments to the chef!”

“I shall pass it along,” the ambassador said, quite relieved by the data he was receiving from the body language interpreters. “May I join you?”

“Please do,” Veeka smiled.

“Thank you,” the ambassador said as he sat beside her.

“So,” Veeka said as she selected another absolutely scrumptious treat from the golden platter in front of her, “do you have any other tasty morsels for me?”

“I shall contact our kitchens immediately,” the ambassador said as he produced a crystalline tablet.

“Oh, I’m quite well taken care of in that respect,” Veeka smiled as she laid her first paw on the ambassador’s hand, “I’m referring to what I truly have an appetite for, information.”

“Yes,” the ambassador replied, shaking his head, “Our prisoners have been very forthcoming. Karashel… (sigh)… Well… She means well...”

“What is she playing at, Ambassador?”

“She has seized on a point of Federation contract law,” the ambassador said quietly, “If a party is unable to meet their end of the agreement...”

“Then the contract can be severed upon the discretion of the other party,” Veeka said, “Which cuts off the food supply to the Gvorta and, from the looks of it, many others.”

“Karashel is trying to form an independent ‘commodity market,’ freeing the members of her new ‘party’ from ‘colonialist’ trade agreements that she claims enslaves them as ‘plantation planets’ for their ‘colonial masters.’ She wants a new “free market” like they have in the Republic and, to a lesser extent, the Empire.”

“That’s it?” Veeka asked, a bit surprised. That wasn’t the “vibe” she was getting from Aspiration Park. It seemed much darker.

“According to the Xx she radicalized,” the ambassador shrugged, “That’s it. It’s the ‘first phase’ in establishing a true’ post scarcity’ society, not just for the Baleel and the other members of her ‘committee’ but for all of the Federation and then… (scoff)… the galaxy.”

The Xxian ambassador shook his head sadly.

“Apparently, she has this ‘master plan’… which, of course, the idiots in my holding cells sacrificed their careers over without knowing the details… morons… And we are supposed to be the smart ones...”

“What will happen to them?” Veeka asked.

“Well, their careers in the service of the Xxian people are over,” the ambassador replied firmly. “They will be sent home in disgrace, their occupational classifications and certifications erased. I hope they have some hobby that will give their lives meaning because that’s about all they will be able to do… poor bastards… Either that or they will have to go back to college and start over from scratch...”

The ambassador shuddered.

“Of course, that won’t be their biggest punishment.”

“I would hope not,” Veeka replied.

“Oh no, the horror they will have to live with will be watching Karashel fail, and things turn out even worse for her and everyone who had the misfortune of listening to her… Ancient gardeners!… I wish she had spoken to us before she did this!”

The ambassador sighed heavily.

“Those poor Xx threw away their definitions for nothing, no worse than nothing.”

Veeka looked at the ambassador curiously. If those Xx had been working for her, going back to college would be the least of their concerns…

Speaking of concerns…

“Why will Karashel fail?” she asked.

“In order to make this ‘free market’ work within the legal structure of the Federation, it had to be a corporation, a legal business. So, she created one… and financed it by privately selling shares to influential members of several key races such as the Vulxeen, the Kraxxita, and others, namely their councilors and other key members in government. With that money, she was able to set up the infrastructure necessary to make this all work…”

“And those same investors would have a vested interest in and the ability to push through the contract terminations...”

“Exactly,” the ambassador replied. “As of now, there are over twenty contracts, a lot of them impacting her home sector.”

Veeka’s tail twitched. This actually seemed like a good thing…

But the look in that Baleel’s eyes… She shuddered at just the memory.

“Sounds like she has things pretty much in hand,” Veeka said carefully as she made a point of continuing to eat. She was NOT having another meal ruined, Federation be damned.

“At first glance, yes,” the ambassador said as he activated his tablet. “But Karashel made a huge oversight in the documents that formed the ‘Bright Tomorrows Free Trade Commodity Market Corp..’.”

Veeka took the tablet.

“We had our legal AI review it, and well...”

“Oh dear,” Veeka sighed.

“Exactly,” the ambassador replied, “this won’t be missed by the Vulxeen and the rest. It won’t be a free market. Karashel has just given them complete control… or they will have it very soon. She has taken a meager but sure ‘colonial’ arrangement and just handed herself and everyone else to some of the worst races in the Federation! It will be them that controls the food supply to the Gvorta and the rest, not some idealistic dream of a free market.”

Which explains the Vulxeen’s and the Kraxitian’s snickers, Veeka thought to herself.

“I fear it’s already too late to stop this,” the ambassador said grimly, “I just don’t understand. Karashel is too smart to do this!”

“Intelligence is not experience, Ambassador,” Veeka replied sadly. “The need to restrict sales of shares in a situation like this isn’t immediately obvious to someone who doesn’t do this for a living. It will only take a few of her friends to fold for their ‘investors’ to control everything.”

***

Councilor Longpaw happily scurried down the halls of Parliament. Today was the day!

Today his people would be free!

The Vulxeen councilor, accompanied by the Kraxxitan councilor and the councilor of the Gelk, their biggest creditor, stepped into his path.

“Councilor Longpaw,” the Vulxeen said with a predatory grin, “A moment of your time, please.”

***

Rillrillrillrill lounged in a shallow pool in her office, her frills fluttering smugly.

She just couldn’t wait to wipe the superior stink from the Lii$%t.

The door to her office opened as a Kraxxitan entered.

“Go away,” Rillrillrillrill buzzed, “I’m busy.”

“Ok,” the Kraxxitan replied, “Then I guess I will show these files to your husband… and your church… instead.”

***

Councilor Laek~Vet sat, his body unbowed for the first time since his arrival, as he looked at the picture of his family on his desk.

“You will grow up free,” he sighed as he stroked the images of his young climbing all over his broad back.

“Besl!” an unfriendly and unwelcome voice snapped as a skinny reptilian strode into his office.

“What do you want?” Laek~Vet smirked. He would soon be free of this little worm.

“Did you think we wouldn’t find out?” the reptilian screeched in a shrill voice slamming a tablet down on Laek~Vet’s desk. “Sign!”

“Fuck off!” Laek~Vet snapped. “I’m free of you!”

“As long as the Besl are under our management, all assets of the Besl government are subject to seizure. That includes your shares in this (snort) free market! Sign!”

Laek~Vet groaned as if he had been stabbed through the gut.

He sighed…

He had no choice…

Hand shaking, he pressed his seal on the tablet.

“There will be consequences for this!” the shrill little reptile snapped as they marched off.

Laek~Vet buried his head in his hands as the smug little lizard departed…

...then he smiled and reached for a communicator, not his state issued work communicator, a disposable one he bought at the starport just last night.

“Chairman,” he purred, “The most unexpected and terrible thing just happened...”

***

Deep in the Locus, Tawnie was standing, buck naked, in a broom closet with her one set of clothes soaking in a deep sink.

She pulled out a pair of what used to be pantyhose.

“‘Run-proof’ advanced polymers, my ass...” she grumbled. “Last time I go to war in a fucking skirt...”

There was a knock at the door.

“What?!?”

“Message from the slug,” a voice replied. “You’re up.”

“Now?!?” Tawnie shouted. “This wasn’t supposed to happen until tomorrow!”

“First rule of war,” the voice replied with a giggle. “As soon as you start to clean your weapon, shower, or take a shit, that’s when it goes down.”

“Fine!” Tawnie replied. “I’m unlocking the door. Without peeking, hand me my laptop.”

***

“Karashel doesn’t make mistakes!” Caw screeched at the ambassador and Veeka’s images on a holo-screen.

“Hate to break it to you,” Veeka replied, “but your little friend just did.”

“No, she didn’t,” Caw replied. “I’ve engaged in Xvakk’Lok with her many times, and so have you, ambassador.”

“Xvakk’Lok?” Veeka asked.

“A ‘knowledge battle’,” the ambassador said quietly, “or ‘debate,’ if you will.”

“Ambassador,” Caw said, “You’ve had the pleasure of dueling Karashel. If this document was presented as an argument...”

“A Xvakk’Mor!” the ambassador exclaimed. “Sorry, Councilor. A Xvaak’Mor is an intentionally flawed argument that invites attack in order to draw your opponent into a vulnerable position.”

“And Karashel is the master of them,” Caw replied, “This isn’t a mistake. It’s a trap. She wants them to seize control.”

” Why?” Veeka asked in confusion.

“I have no idea,” Caw replied, “I….”

His voice trailed off as he recalled the last time he and Karashel met. She was so quiet, subdued…

somber…

She made a point of telling him how much he meant to her and how she treasured their time together…

She was saying goodbye!

“Ambassador!” Caw screeched, “I have to get back there… NOW!!! Order this ship recalled!!!”

The ambassador just nodded.

“I’ll try to get the Vulxeen and the rest of them to back off,” Veeka said, “It probably won’t work. You know how those assholes are when they smell blood.”

“So does Karashel,” Caw said gravely.

“What do you think is going on, Caw?” the ambassador asked. “You look ill.”

“I think she’s about to break her promise.”