God's Bounty Hunter (Biddy Mackay Space Detective Book 1) by T Olivant (reading in the dark .txt) 📕

“That is… unorthodox.” Campbell’s eyes were narrowed.

“Oh, I think we’re way past orthodox now, Chief.” Biddy replied.  Elvis shot her a glance from the Captain’s chair but she didn’t meet his eyes.

“I am here to requisition the suspect in your cells.”

“Which one?” Biddy said innocently.

Campbell raised an eyebrow. “How many do you have?”

“Oh, a few.  One of which is your Observer.  I arrested her on suspicion of murder, by the way.”

“We are aware.  A misunderstanding, no doubt.”

“No doubt.”

Every member of the crew was staring openly at Biddy and the Chief now, with no pretense at doing any work.  She would have told them off, if it weren’t for the fact that she was already on the edge of losing her shit with the Chief.

“Anyway, Macleod is merely a bureaucratic problem.  In fact, I am prepared to overlook your treatment of her, as long as you hand over your other suspect.”

“This would be the Augment?”

“Known as Lu Tang.  Suspected of murder of nearly two hundred innocent people.”

“Innocent until proven guilty, right?”

Now Campbell was turning red. “Of course.  But he can’t be proven anything unless you let us take him to trial.  The whole basis of the Scotclan organization, and you would do well to remember that fact.  A trial of his peers.  No one person can judge another, as you should know, junior Detective.”

“I am well aware of the process, Chief.  But I am more than a little concerned at the fairness of your trial.  Was it Scotclan that had him imprisoned for a decade with no legal council?”

Campbell looked confused. “He was imprisoned on Widdershins 3.  Scotclan merely provided the security.”

“So you were happy that he deserved to be there?  In solitary confinement for a decade?”

“His previous crimes are not common record,” Campbell said primly.

“Well, let’s just say I’m not sure about the role of Scotclan in any of this.  People have died, Chief, and I won’t let there be a whitewash of what happened on the Westward Ho!.  Their families deserve the truth.  Not a scapegoat.”

“You have no damn clue what you’re talking about.”

“Then enlighten me.”

For a moment Biddy thought that Campbell was going to do just that.  Then his face seemed to shut down.  He shrugged and smiled.

“I’m not here to waste any more time arguing with you.  Give me your Augment or I will requisition the Black Maria and imprison every member of your crew.”

A hiss of shock spread around the command room.

“You’re issuing threats now, Chief?” Biddy’s nails dug into her palms as she tried to keep control.

“Simple economics, I’m afraid.  Scotclan owns, at the current estimate, half your ship.  We therefore have the ability to call in that loan.  Of course, we would not normally take such steps, but in this case…”

Biddy looked around the room.  Her crew looked distinctly uncomfortable.  How many of them would follow her if she betrayed the organization that they owed their livelihoods too?  She looked up at Campbell’s smug face.  Oh well, time to find out.

“How much of the ship did you say Scotclan owned?”

“Half.  I can show you the spreadsheet.  You have been rather lax in your recent loan repayments.”

“I think you’ll find that it’s forty-nine percent.”

“Let’s not be pedantic,” Campbell replied.

“Oh, don’t worry Chief, it is relevant.  Yes, I had to mortgage the ship to Scotclan, but you can bet that I made sure I kept the majority share.”

Campbell checked his datapad. “We have your share as forty-nine percent also.  And the other two percent?”

“Me,” the Geek’s voice said over the speaker. “An investment that has so far failed to pay any dividends, but I have high hopes for the future.  And before you ask, Chief Campbell, my stake follows the ‘tec.”

“Thanks Geek,” Biddy said softly, as if that could ever be enough. “So you see, Chief Campbell, the ship is mine.”

To Campbell’s credit he barely needed a second to reassess. “But your crew is not.  Every Scotclan employee who remains onboard in the next five minutes is hereby relieved of employment.  They will never find work in this sector again, you can be sure of that.”

Crunch time.  Who would stay and who would go?  Biddy stared around the room.  No one so much as fluttered an eyelid.

“The crewmembers not in this room, they should have the opportunity to leave too,” Campbell said.  He had developed a slight tremor in one leg.  Was he actually nervous?

“Of course.” Biddy gestured to Elvis who opened up the radio. “Francesca, Phil and anyone else.  Chief Campbell has threatened… sorry… told each crew member who is in the pay of Scotclan that they will no longer be employed if the stay onboard the Black Maria.  They will be blacklisted by the Clan.  Now listen, and this goes for all of you.  I understand if you don’t want to stay.  No recriminations.  Just get your ass off my ship.”

And then she waited.

“Tell him Scotclan can suck my…” Biddy cut off Phil’s radio with a smile.  She glanced at Campbell who was pretending not to have heard it.

There was silence, then the noise of a chair scraping backwards.

“Coward!” Kenzie spat as Elvis bowed his head and walked out of the room.  Biddy bit her lip but didn’t move a muscle.  Not even when the door slammed shut after him.

“At least one member of your crew has seen sense,” Campbell crowed. “What about the rest of you?  No one?”

Biddy’s rent heart mended a little when the rest of them stayed put.  Ali even gave her a tiny nod, which was as good as a bearhug from the systems guys.

“Well then.  It’s settled.” Campbell cleared his throat. “Biddy Mackay, you are expelled from Scotclan, starting immediately.  I will consult with the clan about how you