FollowThis multi-part story is set in the same universe as “The Things We Do For Family
Link to earlier chapters
In the two weeks since Rick had been arrested, things seemed to be getting back to normal. If you could call the constant presence of guardsmen and company security enforcing some pretty oppressive riot-prevention measures “normal”, that is. That wasn’t a big deal to Rick, though. He still hadn’t recovered from the double whammy of broken ribs and getting roughed up during his arrest. The pod would be headed back out in another month. Hopefully, he’d be fully back up to speed by then. Even if he wasn’t, he knew he’d still have to go. He’d been told in no uncertain terms that he wouldn’t be getting Davy back. He’d gotten that news from Bentom Rohn, Peeters’ assistant and interim replacement. Rohn had survived the uprising mostly by being the kind of minor corporate functionary the Radicals didn’t feel was worth their time.
Almost immediately after leaving the detention block, Rick had gone to the office and appealed for Davy’s release by pointing out that her removal from the pod would hurt operations. It was no use, though. Rohn told him that corporate headquarters back on Earth was furious about the whole situation and that, as Davy had predicted, heads had to roll. Rohn had informed him that the company would be selecting the new number 2 person for the pod. Rick wasn’t thrilled about that but he realized that if they were selecting someone to fill that slot, that meant it—and the pod—still existed. In their conversation, Rohn had also shared some interesting information.
“By the way,” Rohn said as Rick was getting up to leave. “I found out what drove Davy into the arms those crazy-ass Radicals.”
“Oh?” said Rick. Rohn wasn’t as oily as Peeters and he almost didn’t mind talking with him.
“Yeah. Did you knows she was married and had a kid?”
“What? No. She never said a word about it.”
“Well, I don’t think it was something she enjoyed talking about,” Rohn said. “They died.”
“Oh shit,” Rick said. “I’m guessing the company was involved.” Rohn nodded prompting Rick to ask “Do you know what happened?”
“Yeah. Do you remember about 3 years ago when that stack of bedsits over at Cunhard collapsed?”
Rick nodded. “Yeah. Wasn’t it condemned or something?” Rohn nodded and he continued. “And, the company just blew all that off, saying the engineers were ‘overreacting’?”
“Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” Rohn said, looking around nervously. “But yeah, that’s the one.”
“Okay,” Rick said. “So, her family was…” he trailed off.
“Yeah, they were,” Rohn replied. “And, Davy wasn’t notified until she got back. She was just gutted. Apparently spent the next 48 hours drunker than hell.”
“I can understand that,” Rick said, thinking about how he’d react if anything like that happened to Marta and Marcine. “Why’d they wait so long?”
“That’s the kicker,” Rohn said. “What drove her over the edge. Because when she asked that same question, they said they were worried about what the information would do her ‘productivity’.” Rohn made “air quotes” with the last word.
“Okay, that’s fucked up. Even for Wynotech.”
“Hey, can we stop trashing our employers?” Rohn said as he furiously scribbled a note that said They’re listening. Rick nodded.
“Sorry, Ben. I’m just shook up and not really thinking.”
“Yeah, we’re all a little messed up right now. But that’s no excuse to be insubordinate.” Rick could tell from Rohn’s expression that he knew what garbage he was spewing.
“Got it. It won’t happen again.”
“Good enough,” Rohn said. “Now, go. I’ve got a ton of work to do getting pods back out on the rocks and talking to you isn’t getting it done.”
A few days later, Rick was back at the office. This time, it was to meet the settlement’s new leadership team. He’d gotten an official notification the day before with the details and a back channel message from Rohn telling him not to be late. And, to not even think about blowing the meeting off. The new general manager was a hard one and anyone who wasn’t present and on time would regret it. That went double for him, apparently, due to his association with Davy. Rick had shown up early and was taken to a conference room where he found Rohn and a couple of other pod leaders. Other crew bosses, people he’d known and worked with for years, filtered in and every one of them assiduously avoided him. A couple acknowledged him with a nod but only one, MaKaylah Miers, spoke to him.
“H’lo Rick,”
“Hey, MayKaylah. How you doing?”
“Better than you, I’m guessing.” He started to respond but she held up her hand to stop him. “I just came over to say I can’t, won’t really, be seen talking to you. Nothing personal, but you’re persona non grata right now and I figure things are going to be rough enough without management associating me with you.”
He nodded. “No, I get it. Smart, really.” Then, loud enough for the others to hear, “Thanks for having the balls to say it to my face.”
Her face reddened. “I’m sorry, Rick. But I gotta look out for my people. You know?”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “The pod always comes first.”
“Yeah, but it still feels shitty.”
“That’s good. Means you still have a soul,” he told her. “Now, go on before the new guy gets here.”
Just then, the door opened and the new manager walked into the room. Miers slipped back over to the other pod leaders leaving Rick standing alone. Not even Rohn stood with him. Well, he thought, the new boss won’t have any doubts about who I am. He watched the man step up to a podium and set his tablet down, fussing with it. Then, he looked out at the assembled miners, fixing them with a hard glare.
“My name is Karzen Chimbler and the home office has sent me here to get this wretched hive of scum and villainy under control.” His gaze wandered over the room and when it found its way to Rick, he felt naked, as if Chimbler could see into his soul. “I intend to do so no matter what the cost. To you, that is. The company has lost enough revenue due to your disloyal, ungrateful behavior. There’s a lot of damage to be repaired and Wynotech isn’t footing the bill,” he said. “You are. Tonnages are going up an additional 15% over the 25% already stated. They’ll stay there until everything’s shipshape and families of the murdered company reps have been appropriately compensated.” A small groan escaped one of the other pod leaders. “Who was that!” Chimbler snapped. One of the other leaders raised his hand. Chimbler consulted his tablet. “You’re Blaize Kolb?” The man nodded. “Well, Kolb, you’re little outburst just jacked up your crew’s tonnage an extra 10%.” Kolb went pale. Chimbler looked around the room again. “I will brook no dissension. None. Is that understood?” They all nodded. “Now,” he said, “I will meet with each of you individually to make sure you know what’s expected. I think I’ll start with you, Kolb. You seem to need some extra attention.”
Rick waited outside Chimbler’s office for his turn in the barrel. All the others had theirs and, when they came out, looked like they were in shock. He didn’t bother asking what Chimbler had said, knowing he wouldn’t get an answer. Miers was in there now, he thought, she might give me a heads up. Just then, his PDA chimed with an incoming message. He pulled up his inbox and saw a news alert. Opening it, he read:
Breaking News
MingoNet has just received notification from a detachment of the 3rd Guards assigned to escort the insurrectionists to the airlock for banishment that have all been killed as they attempted to escape. According the report Davy Dinks, rebel leader and long-time Radical, had a weapon hidden on her person which she used to assault one of the guards. In the ensuing melee, one Guardsman was injured while all prisoners were killed. The Guardsman is being transported to the military hospital at Tharsis. There is no mention of what has been done with the rebels’ remains.
Well, Rick thought, Davy called it sure enough. He wondered if it was Haryx or Chimbler who made the call. Probably Chimbler, he decided. Haryx would’ve been all about the message that banishment would send. Chimbler, however, wouldn’t want any loose ends dangling around that might complicate things. He heard the door slide open and Miers came out. “Shock” didn’t come close to conveying what was displayed on her face. She looked like she’d punched in the gut, he thought.
“MayKaylah,” he said. “You okay?”
She started as if she hadn’t known he was there even though she’d sat right beside him. “What?” she said.
“I asked if you were okay.”
She shook her head. “No, Rick. I don’t know that I’ll ever be okay again.”
“What the hell happened in there?” he said.
She tried several times to answer him but couldn’t seem to find the words. She finally said, “I… can’t. I just… can’t.” And, walked away.
At that moment, Rohn stepped out and said, “All right, Quentan, Your turn.”
In his entire career, Rick had never been in the Mars general manager’s office. Hell, he thought, I’ve barely known who any of the Mars general managers had been throughout the almost 20 years I’ve worked for Wynotech. But, despite having never been in this rarefied space, he could tell things were different. For one thing, the room still bore scars from the recent uprising. There were areas of the floor whose hue was lighter and had obviously been spot-cleaned and a couple of wall sections that had been hastily—and imperfectly—patched. Plus, some of the furniture was mismatched, probably because it replaced pieces that had been broken when the Radicals hauled its previous occupant out to meet his fate. But there was also a feeling of real authority hanging in the air. Houghman Cookins hadn’t been any kind of friend to the miners but he was never what you’d call a “hard ass”, either. No, Cookins had always seemed more of a functionary to him, with the lower level managers like his old boss Peeter’s actually running things. Chimbler had a distinctly different vibe. This, Rick thought, was a man who was in full control of whatever space he might occupy. As he made his way across the room to the desk where Chimbler sat, Rick thought his new boss was engrossed by something on his PDA. So much so, in fact, that he didn’t seem to notice that his latest appointment now stood in front of him. Rick stood there, waiting to be acknowledged for at least a minute before Chimbler closed out whatever he had been working on. He fixed a rather stern glare on Rick and held it for a moment before speaking.
“So,” he said, “we meet at last. Richard Quentan, leader of the most productive pod in Wynotech history.” He paused. Then, “Tell me, Quentan, how does a man so adept at handling people that his crew consistently brings in record tonnage not realize that his number two was an insurrectionist thug?” As Rick struggled to answer, Chimbler waved him off. “Never mind, it doesn’t really matter now. The criminal has been dealt with. And you? Well, we’ve got plans for you.”
Rick did not like the sound of that. ”Um, okay,” he said. “What exactly do you have in mind?”
Chimbler smiled and it didn’t put him at ease. “Well, I had originally planned to send you to one of the penal detachments at the refinery as part of an object lesson about what happens to rebels but the higher-ups back on Earth had other ideas.” He gave Rick another ominous smile. “I have to admit, though, what they came up with is so much better.”
Rick thought, oh, this can’t be good. But, against his better judgment, he asked, “And, what is that?”
“I’m so glad you asked, Quentan. Corporate has decided that each family in the settlement will turn their youngest child over to the company. And, we’ll start with your daughter. Her name is Marcine, I believe?”
Rick’s stomach sank at the mention of his daughter. “Why does the company want our kids?” he asked, even though he knew the answer.
“You make it make it sound so threatening, Quentan. We just want to ensure these youngsters are… let’s say ‘properly educated’.”
“And, by ‘properly educated’, you mean ‘act as hostages’,” Rick gritted out.
“Oh, that’s such an ugly word, ‘hostages’,” Chimbler said. “We just want to make sure they become good corporate citizens.” He gave another disquieting smile. “Of course, if the fact that your childrens’ welfare guarantees your compliance, we won’t complain. It’s just icing on the cake.”
“I won’t do it,” Rick said flatly.
“It’s not an option, Quentan,” Chimbler shot back sternly. He paused a moment, then said, “But you haven’t heard the best part: You’re going to run the collection effort.”
“How am I supposed to do this and handle my pod?” Rick said. “It’s not like I can run a program like this out on the rocks.”
“Oh, you’re not going back out,” Chimbler told him with obvious relish. “Your replacement, and Dinks’, came in with me. They’ll ‘handle’ your pod. Meanwhile, you’re going to be in an office right down the hall where I can keep an eye on you.”
“You can’t do this!” Rick said, his voice rising. “Replacing Davy and I both? At the same time? It’ll destroy the pod.”
Chimbler dropped the smile and his face hardened. “Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do, Quentan. I’m the closest thing to God this miserable dump is ever going to see.” Then, his smile returned. “Besides, your replacement most recently ran the Luna penal colony and his number two is a former Guard. I think they’re up to the task of keeping the pod’s efficiency at its customary high level.”
“So,” Rick said, “this is a done deal? No room for negotiation?”
“It is,” Chimbler said. “Wynotech doesn’t negotiate with terrorists. Or their accomplices, however unwitting.”
“I see. When does all this take effect?”
“Immediately. Rohn will show you to your new office.”
“Can I have some time to break this to the pod?” Rick asked, afraid of what the answer would be.
“Already done. Their new leader has already met with them and informed them of the situation.”
Rick was smart enough to realize when further fighting was useless. “Well,” he said, “I guess that’s it, then.”
“Yes.” Chimbler looked over at Rohn and nodded. The man motioned for Rick to follow him.
As he turned to follow Rohn, he finally understood Davy and the other Radicals. The anger and despair Rick felt at this latest indignity threatened to overwhelm him. He wanted nothing more than to drag Chimbler out from behind his desk and beat him to a bloody pulp. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d solved work-related problems with his fists. As a pod leader, it was a necessary skill. But, he knew that that this time, a beating would counterproductive. And, that was putting it mildly. But, he wasn’t stupid. Like Davy and her friends, he was a man of action. Unlike them, he also understood strategy. And, that meant waiting for the proper time to act. He’d wait and he’d watch. And, when the time came, he’d act. He’d do what he could to protect his family, but he would bring down the evil entity that was Wynotech. He laughed to himself. Never thought I’d be a Radical, he thought, but life is funny that way.
