AGU SCI 1: The Star Brotherhood

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This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events
portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or
incidents is purely coincidental.

ASIN:
B00HSERYT6

ISBN:
978-1-61931-020-9

ISBN-10:
1619310201

Cover by:
Martin Cannon

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An appendix containing technical data pertinent to this
series is included at the back of this book.

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Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
 
Chapter 10
 
Chapter 11
 
Chapter 12
 
Chapter 13
 
Chapter 14
 
Appendix
 
Product Description

~ June 27
^th
, 2288 ~

"I'm going to kill Nuccol," Yussosi hissed as he stared intently at the frothy glass of ale on the scarred wooden table in front of him. The words, uttered from between clenched teeth in not much more than a whisper, perfectly conveyed the seething fury the speaker was experiencing. "I'm not going to take his crap another day. Just because he's shift supervisor doesn't mean he can push me around constantly and that I'll just take it." Wearing the same grey coveralls seen on most workers on this part of Ogsnara, there was little to distinguish Yussosi from the other Uthlaran workers drowning their sorrows in the ale and strong spirits served up by filthy, run-down taverns in the warehouse district.

"Relax," his Uthlaran companion said calmly after a surreptitious glance around the dimly-lit room that always stunk of stale ale and greasy fried food. "You're not going to kill anybody. That's the ale talking. And as shift supervisor, he has every right to ride us. Not only that, it's his job."

"He doesn't ride you. "

"He's afraid of me."

"Well— I'm going to make him afraid of me too. I swear he'll regret the way he's treated me. When I was recruited by the Brotherhood, I knew I wasn't being hired because I had a great mind, but nobody told me I'd have to work for a jerk like Nuccol. He's
always
on my back. He
never
lets up. No matter what I do, it's not good enough. And if that wasn't bad enough, the stuff we're doing violates Galactic Alliance law. I keep expecting Space Command to drop on us and throw me into some dark cell on a prison colony just before they toss away the key— that is, if they don't just come here and wipe us out from space. I've heard how precise their weapons are from someone who was on Milor when the Spaccs bombed them back to the stone age. The media was constantly reporting hits on hospitals and schools around the planet, but the only things that really got hit were military targets like weapons depots or important government targets such as power-generating stations."

"First, Space Command would never destroy this city from space. They don't do things like that simply because someone breaks one of their sacred laws. Carver didn't even destroy Uthlarigasset after the political leadership ordered an invasion of GA space. Besides, no Space Command ship is within two thousand light-years of this planet. Region Two problems have kept them so busy they haven't even given a thought to Region Three yet. We probably have years before they get around to us. So take it easy on the ale, okay? That's your fifth mug since we got here."

"Take it easy? Take it
easy
? How can I take it easy? I can't hardly sleep at night, and my stomach is so upset all the time that I can't keep my food down. The only thing I
can
do well is drink. But that's no way to live. I can't go on like this. If I'd wanted constant stress I would have joined the military. I just want to live a nice, peaceful life and live to a ripe old age. I guess I need to quit the Brotherhood and do some respectable work— like making book."

"You don't quit the Star Brotherhood, chum. You knew that when you joined. And if you let slip one word of what you just said to me, one of the senior brothers will make sure you don't live long enough to wonder if you made a mistake by opening your mouth."

"Makkod, when I joined the Brotherhood I had a nice, quiet life taking bets on sporting events. The recruiter told me I'd continue doing that, but as part of the Brotherhood, I'd make a lot more money for my efforts. Then they moved me here and stuck me under Nuccol."

"Keep your voice down. Space Command may not be around here, but that doesn't mean some local gang wouldn't love to move in on our operation. We have it soft, and I don't want to blow it."

"You think this is soft? At the end of every shift my back aches so much I need to pop a handful of Kuloos or I'd never get to sleep at all."

"It sure beats laying a thousand kilometers of track through a Crenery bog."

"You did that?"

"Yep. For three years, until I killed my foreman and they fired me for it."

"They only
fired
you for killing your foreman?"

"Well, I made it look like an accident. His head
accidently
got caught in the gears of the track alignment crane. Since it didn't appear intentional, they recorded it as an industrial accident and fired me for carelessness in leaving the gear cover off after I completed the daily lubrication maintenance."

"Smart."

"Nah, it was damn stupid. I really needed that job, just like you need this one. My temper got the better of me, and I lost control for a few seconds. But I couldn't stand that SOB a minute longer. He was lucky I didn't do it years earlier. I understand what you're going through, but try to stay calm and forget Nuccol after you leave work. Say, do you know who that Terran is over against the wall?"

Yussosi looked up and scanned the room until he spotted the person Makkod was referring to. The Terran was sitting in the most remote part of the tavern and was barely visible among the darkest of the room's shadows. "Nope. Doesn't look familiar. Looks mean though."

"I'm the meanest SOB in this part of town. Maybe I should explain it to him so he knows it also."

"Why do you always have to pick fights when you drink?"

"It's what I do. It keeps the locals in line. Listen," Makkod said as he stood up, "I've got to get some sleep. That last shift wiped me out. Ready to go?"

"No, you go ahead. I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway."

Makkod grabbed his outerwear from the wooden chair on his right. After donning his head covering, he wrapped the heavy cloak around his shoulders. The weather had turned cold a few weeks earlier as winter began on this part of the planet. Now that the sun was down, the wind would be biting cold.

Makkod looked down at his friend once more before turning away. His duty was clear. He had to inform the Brotherhood that Yussosi was falling apart. On his way home he would stop at the section headquarters and inform the duty person. Enforcers would probably be waiting for Yussosi when he arrived home. He would be drunk and easy to dispose of. It was too bad. Makkod had always enjoyed having a few drinks with his friend after work. "Okay," Makkod said, "but don't talk to anyone if you value your life. If the person you talk to doesn't kill you, the Brotherhood will. They have spies everywhere."

"Yeah, I'll keep quiet— until I'm smashing Nuccol's head in. Then I'll roar."

Makkod turned towards the door, then paused, turned again, and walked to the Terran's table. Stopping in front of it, he waited for his presence to be acknowledged. Terrans weren't especially numerous in Ogsnara, but neither were they uncommon.

After ten seconds of waiting, Makkod, angry over being ignored, said in a loud voice, "What are you doing here, Terran? This tavern is restricted to Uthlarans only." The remark was untrue, but Makkod wanted a reason to pick a fight.

The stranger, until now staring into a three-quarters-filled mug of ale, looked up slowly, but not far enough for Makkod to see much of his face. The wide brim of his hat, coupled with Makkod's angle of view from a standing position, hid all but his chin.