LIGHTNOVELONLINE Craig?
Independent Data Transport
Because every ship that travels from one system to another is by definition moving data between those two systems, it is not practical or desirable for the Guild to retain a monopoly on data transport. It should be noted that local polities who create competing data transport networks should be treated cautiously and careful attention should be paid to ensure that they are not actively trading data across star systems in opposition to the Guild’s purview.
Excerpted With Permission
Data Trader’s Handbook
Copyright 3250, Interstellar Data Trader Guild
After much debate, Leo and Ramona had agreed to return to UI. Because they only owned the IP in that system, any further commercialism would have to be done there. In theory, they could create data links between UI and other systems, but in practice they didn’t really know what the Guild would do in response. In any case, they had to sell data transport services to make money and the only place they could do that would be UI. Their current theory was that they could sell franchise rights to the Q in other systems, but that would only work if they showed that their system was economically viable. Thus, they needed to set up a company in UI to sell capacity on that system and then connect the system to several other systems. All of which meant they needed to go to UI. Their exit from Raeburn hadn’t been optimal for a trip to UI so they had a couple of weeks in transit.
Leo walked down to Ollu’s cabin after giving orders to the bridge crew to set course for UI. They were well trained by Ollu so he wasn’t worried about the safe operation of the ship. Walking up to the door, he rang the call bell, hoping that Ollu was awake. The indicator turned green, so he opened the door and walked in.
Ollu was propped up in bed, looking haggard but she seemed alert. “Hey! How are you doing?”
“Better, thanks to you and Ramona. Thanks for saving my life.”
Leo looked down. “It was Ramona, actually.”
“Ramona said you both pulled me out but that you had to go back into the cockpit for the med kit.”
“Yeah.”
Ollu took Leo’s hand. “It was bad, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
“So, thank you for saving my life.”
“Mm. OK. You would have done the same for me.”
“Yes, but I didn’t. No offense, but I hope I will not have an opportunity to return the favor.”
“Yeah, me too.” Leo sat on a chair that had been moved next to the bed. “You OK with the plan to sell QFeed in UI?”
Ollu sighed, suddenly looking very tired. “Yeah, I think it’s our only path.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“It is because the Guild knows it’s our only path.”
“So, they will try to stop us.”
“Yes.”
“Do you really think they would have glassed Raeburn?”
Ollu looked away from Leo for a moment, then back again. “Yes, I think so.”
It was Leo’s turn to look away. “And now they’re even more angry.”
“Yes.”
“So, if we go to UI are we just putting them at risk?”
“Yes, you know we are.”
Leo leaned back in the chair. Why were things so difficult? He just wanted to be a data trader. Now he couldn’t do that and the Guild seemed willing to do anything to stop QFeed. “So, do we just give up? Find something else to do?”
Ollu shook her head. “It’s too late for that. Raeburn knows that QFeed is real. Only a matter of time before people in UI realize what’s happening if they haven’t already.”
“So we’ve already put UI in danger?”
“Yes, I think so.”
“So, we need to help them.”
“Yes.”
Leo sighed. He didn’t know anything about fighting or battles. Then he smiled. Ramona did. He reached over to the comms panel. “Ramona, can you come down to Ollu’s room? We’d like to discuss how to protect UI.”
It took a few minutes but when Ramona came into Ollu’s room she was smiling. “Hey Ollu, good to see you sitting up!”
Ollu smiled. “Thanks. And thanks again for saving my life.”
“Well, it was partly me and my dad’s fault you got hurt in the first place so I don’t feel like I did you a favor.”
“I knew the risks.”
“OK, fair.” There was only one chair in the small cabin so Ramona just leaned against a wall. “So, UI.”
Leo nodded. “We were talking about what happens when the Guild figures out we are using UI as our base of operations.”
Ramona nodded in turn. “We should assume they do already.”
“And their response may be pretty drastic.”
“Yep.”
“So, how do we protect UI?”
“Well, that’s pretty simple, my dad sent me the full replicator plans for Raeburn’s anti-ship defense system.”
“So, we just print some out?”
“Already did. Luckily, Craig restocked the bunkers while we were wandering around on the surface of Raeburn. The units are pretty small, I’ve printed out a thousand so far.”
Leo was shocked. “A THOUSAND?!?!”
Ramona just smiled. “A star system is a very big thing. It will take over 100,000 to fully protect UI.”
“Holy shit.”
“Ya, we can probably print out another couple of hundred with stocks on hand. There are some trace metals that we don’t carry in large quantities. I went ahead and checked the system information for UI, there are a couple of big asteroids in their primary belt that we could mine for the metals we need. The design specs suggest seeding the system into metal dense asteroids.”
Leo stroked his chin. “OK, but we don’t have mineral rights there.”
Ollu snorted. “I don’t think that the UI government will complain that we saved their asses.”
Leo shook his head. “But they don’t know that, they will just see us show up with automated mining systems. That won’t go down well. What if they try to stop us?”
Ollu made a fist and smacked it into her other hand. “Not to mention the fact that we’re about to build what amounts to a private military capable of taking down any ship that enters the system. Do you think they will be OK with that?”
Leo shook his head. “No, I wouldn’t be.”
“Fuck.”
“You’ve been hanging around with Craig too much.”
Ollu smiled. “Craig.”
Leo just looked confused. “Craig?”
Ramona also looked confused for a moment. Then she smiled. “Craig.”