Resist the Temptation.

“Tempting but I want to be rested for tomorrow.” I glanced back.

“Pity.” She teased standing back up. I wasn't sure if it was just her playing around or if she was serious but there would be time for that.

“So what does a Courtesan do when she is not...You know.”

“We are well trained to do whatever needs the lord or lady might require. Management of the household staff, secretarial, stewardess, nursing, chauffeur, personal stylist, interior design, child care. Not that I know all these things personally since I was rushed into service but should you need me to fulfill any specific role the guild will send a representative who administers the injects as well as oversees hands on training for a moderate fee of course.”

“Of course.” I nodded. Money was a concept that would take getting used to for me. As a soldier everything had been provided. R&R was the only time we had any use for it.

“I suppose I could us a secretary. Miranda is my right hand gal but she probably piss in my cup if I asked her to get me a cup of coffee.” I laughed.

“I can manage that. I have the basics down and I was going to school for economics.”

“And there it is.” I grinned.

“What?”

“Why they put you here.” She had a head for numbers. Whoever hired her to spy on me wanted to know what I was doing and that meant every coin I spent. I knew a few guys in Strategic Operations who used the same technique to calculate the enemies next moves based on numbers. How where they recruiting or conscripting soldiers, how many troops were the enemies currently training, how many ships where under construction. Add it all up and you could predict battles that haven't happened. How many ships, men, weapons would are side face, how many troops would we lose, and what could be done to be prepared before it happens. Me becoming a lord was a wild card in someones predictions of the future.

“They want me to follow the money so they know what you are up to. I guess being your secretary isn't such a good idea then.”

“No I think it will be perfect.” I smiled. I would play their game for now.

The rest of the day passed without much else to do. I took a walk of the grounds to let the servants unpack my belongings that I didn't have locked. The next day came bright and early and I hit the ground running heading straight for the war room after having breakfast with Anastasia. Miranda already had the holo ready to go in the area in the middle of the circular table. We went over a map of the sector that displayed the locations of the pirate attacks.

There where about a thousand ships out there currently and anyone of them could be a target for attack. None where near a jump point so the pirates had to be based within the system. Jenkings was already on his way in a small freighter with a few men but I only had so much to go on so it would take a few days to see if anyone took the bait. I had pulled a ship from the shipping lanes that would provide support if needed.

“How about here. Low orbit around this moon. It's close enough.” Miranda pointed to a small moon around the eight planet in the system. I wasn't sure how to pronounce the name of it from what was written. I put my hands on the moon and expanded the image. The moon had a high orbit which allowed it to spot threats from a distance. They could hide in it's shadow and quickly break orbit. The moon looked abandoned. Nothing of note on the moon. Not even any a hint of man made structures. Just a chuck of rock even the miners had passed over so no one would notice the ship and warn the pirates.

“That should work.”

“Though I would fill better if we had a man on board. This entire fleet is a joke.” Miranda shook her head. Twenty ships to protect an entire solar system wasn't ideal.

“We work with what we got. We have done more with a lot less before. Welcome to the private sector. The captain is ex-military. Honorably discharged. Purple heart.” I said. The man seemed solid and had a short but distinguished military record. “They can keep an eye on traffic from these three dwarf planets while Jenkins takes this sector.” I pointed and she nodded. A knock came at the door a few seconds later.

“Come in.” I said shrinking the moon. A second later Anastasia entered. She was wearing something a little more professional in appearance but still body hugging.

“Your guest have arrived my lord. They are landing now.” Anastasia said.

“Thank you Anastasia please show them in.” I nodded. She did a little bow and made a quick exit.

“So did you do it?” Miranda asked.

“Do what?”

“The redhead.” Miranda gave me a grin.

“I didn't know my sex life was important to the defense of this system.”

“Performance can be enhanced by frequent stress relieving exercises.” Miranda teased as she walked through the asteroid belt. It was straight out of the field manual.

“Besides your not my superior officer any more so asking about your sex life isn't breaking any regs my lord.”

“Like that ever stopped you before. If you are curious I could always ask if she goes both ways.” I grinned.

“No thanks. I am a carnivore. I only eat meat.”

“Clam is a type of meat.” I shrugged. She grabbed a moon from the air and chunked it at me making the whole map move my direction.

“I will leave you to it. I need to finish the guards schedules and patrols plus I want to put each one on the shooting range.”

“We have a shooting range?”

“We do now my lord.” She said as she walked out. A few seconds later Mister Anderson came in with his daughter. The man looked the part of a spacer with his slender build that made it clear he and his daughter both lived on one of then moons and not the gravity of a world like this. The top of his head was bald with what hair he had left on the sides and the back of his head.

“Mister Anderson. So nice to put a face to a name.” I smiled and walked over.

“You have heard of me my lord?” He said as he bowed. I really wasn't expecting him to since I knew there was bad blood between him and the empire. Especially with my predecessor.

“More read about you and your family. Required reading really if I am to rule over this system.” I said offering my hand which he shook.

“This is my daughter...” He started to say as he glanced over.

“Jessica Anderson. Fresh out of college with major degrees in mineralogy and astronomy and several minor ones in other fields. Made even more impressive by the fact that she is incompatible with memory implantation and graduated on her merits alone. Both brains and beauty.” I said taking her hand. She looked kind of cute in the sexy glasses she wore which was a bit odd given how few people wore glasses now days. Most optical dysfunction could be repaired in a day. She had the same slender body as her father.

“Thanks.” She smiled blushing slightly.
vbhn
“Can I get you two anything to drink?” Anastasia asked.

“No, were good.” Mister Anderson replied shaking his hand.

“As promised. The land you wanted and the mining rights for the Uranium minerals.” I said walking over and grabbing the data crystal off the desk.

“You already know why we wanted it?” Mister Anderson looked a little surprised.

“Yes. I did a lot of research before I took this job. Its where your grandfather made the family fortune before the meteor hit and the moon was put into lock down.” I smiled and handed him the crystal.
“That is part of why I asked you here. That and I am interested in buying ships from you.”

“How many would you like?” He asked as he pocketed the crystal.

“As many as you can make in two months time. I have set aside some of the metal we have processed to help build them.” I smiled. I had no attention in relying on the traders guild forever.

“What happens in two months?”

“The Sirius route.” Jessica responded.

“Like I said. Brains and beauty.” I nodded. “Your daughter is correct. When Sirius suns align we will have a two month window at best. A jump from this system can reach Sirius and then earth directly. After that we will have to wait another twenty six years before the route opens again. The traders guilds ships don't have the drive technology to reach Sirius. Yours do.” A ship could never reach another star system under its own power. Their was just no way of creating the amount of energy to even get close to light speed. Using the gravity of something as big as a star and a bunch of things I didn't understand involving string theory allowed a ship to travel via slipstream. Reaching Sirius would normally take months even with slip stream since one had to jump from star to star and reaching these jump points took weeks to in normal space. Sirius was a binary star system meaning that when the two suns lined up the gravitational affects of these two stars made travel from this far out a possibility. From their Alpha-Centauri and Sol where mere days away.

“The ships could maybe make two trips, three at most before the windows closes. Seems like a lot of work to send a few rocks.”Jessica shook her head.

“Depends on the rocks.” I grinned.

“Your talking about the moon. Uranium.” She replied. It was nice to have someone to talk to who could think like I did.

“Yes.”

“So what is it you want with us.” Mister Anderson asked as he folded his arms.

“I asked you two here because I want you on my advisory council. Your family has a lot of respect with the people of this system and rightfully so. Anything you say or do the freelancers will follow your lead without question because you have always looked out for them. They are a part of this system and not apart from it as the previous administration saw them and they deserve a voice. Someone who has their best interest at heart.”

“No offense but my family doesn't have the best relations with the empire my lord.”

“I am aware but I know you are going to say yes.”

“And why is that?” He smiled and put his hands in his pockets.

“I can offer you land, money, titles, all of the other things that I am sure that was offered to your family but that isn't whats important to you. So I am offering you something you can't turn down. All of the freelancers are out there trying to strike it rich like your family did. They just need someone like your father to lead them and something that will make sure they live comfortably for the rest of their lives.” I pulled out the data crystal in my pocket and walked over putting it in the computer. When I walked back over I shrunk the map and grabbed the moon in the air and expanded it several times making it bigger till it was as tall as we where.

“When I arrived I launched my own probe to see what you where up to.” I smiled.

“What kind of probe did you send. Our probe didn't have no where near as much data.” Jessica said as she touched it zooming in on a part of the moon known as the scar where a giant meteorite had shut down mining operations before she and I where even born.

“Military salvage probe. The military uses them after a major battles to assets damage to the fleet, find survivors, ammunition stores. Fix what ships they can as fast as they can to get them re-crewed and restocked as quickly as possible to get them back into the fight.”

“Triage.” She said still glued to the projection. She played with it as if she had used it for years.

“Basically.” I nodded

“This can't be right.” She said looking at the area known as the scar. “These radiation levels under this shelf isn't the same as the solar radiation.”

“Rare earth elements if I had to guess including but not limited to Uranium rich minerals. During your grandfathers time this was nothing but several miles worth of solid crust before it got hit by a meteorite composed of mostly iron that tore a hole in the moon.” I replied. If it had hit the front side of the moon that asteroid would now be part of the planet and we wouldn't be having this conversation. “Now that most of the debris has settled into a stable orbit, fallen back to the surface, or drifted off into space the moon is a treasure trove of wealth and your the first person to get a piece of it.” I smiled.

“If these levels are right it would take decades and millions of men to mine all of this. On the surface alone around the crater you could find enough to fuel the entire mining fleet for a year.” She was probably right. A hole this size could never have been man made. Even a nuke would have little effect on a meteorite with so little atmosphere. If I could ship enough if this to earth the war would be over within three years or less if the confederates surrendered which was more likely. When the war was over this system would become an economic power within the empire. This system would become a jumping point for expansion and colonization for the systems beyond that hadn't even been completely mapped out yet. All of us in strategic command knew mankind would grow beyond the empire one day. Governments evolved, changed, rose and died in an endless cycle since the dawn of mankind when the first caveman decided to seize something for himself and picked up a rock to bash in the skull of another. I knew this but I just never knew I would be the one to light that fire.

“I own the moon and have the man power and mineral processing facilities. You have the ships, influence, and the men experienced in deep space mining. The area I sold you is perfect for a mining camp. The reason I know you will say yes to joining my council was it will give you control over how it is run and how the miners will be treated. You can take a few days to think it over if you like. Hell even go up there and look for yourselves.”

“If I say yes it would have to be fifty fifty. Half of all profits go to the miners. This isn't like mining here on the planet. Their is a lot of danger involved in mining in space and those men will be risking their lives every day they put on a space suit and walk out the air lock.. Mister Anderson turned from the map.

“Thirty percent to the miners with the other twenty going toward improving their lives. Ten percent will be paid to you directly to go toward purchase of ships and mining equipment to replace and or repair that of the aging mining fleet after you have finished building the cargo ships we discussed. You might even have to expand your ship yards.”

“He is right. Most of those ships couldn't handle the atmospheric reentry of this planet. How many have we seen over the years held together with duct tape and bubblegum that we had to tow in. Most of those ships where built during grandfathers time.” Jessica said.

“What about the other ten percent.” He looked at me not even trying to argue the point.

“That will go towards the building of facilities for housing and recreation instead of them living in their own ships. As your daughter pointed out. This isn't a place you mine and move on. It will be a mining town that will start as bunch of old ships but I want to build a place that the freelancers can for once call home. The freelancers will still remain independent operators not affiliated with the planets mining guild but they will need some kind of management on a scale they are not used to ordinarily. Which I think which I think means you as mayor. You will have the sole mining rights for the whole area though I will maintain ownership.” I smiled as I looked at Mister Anderson. He was the only person in the system they would all follow and could possibly maintain control. A few mining corporations might show an interest but it would be awhile before they could make any move to rival the manpower the freelancers would offer.

“My part of the money will go toward the processing and transport of the ore as well as paying the Duke his percentage of the profit as tribute so he will have no interest in how we run things way out here on the fringe.” Hell I had only just sent him an encoded data burst this morning so as far as I knew it was only the three of us that knew though that wouldn't last long. I gave it a day before the media told the whole planet and the day after the whole system. A week and the whole empire would know. I did want the miners to get rich though. The more money they made meant the more ambitious among them would get greedy and bring on people from the planet to work for them. I might have to step in from time to time to keep things from getting cut throat but that was a problem for another time.

“Done.” Mister Anderson held out his hand.

“I will have the steward start on the paperwork.” I smiled.

“I already have a ship and a survey team ready. I was just waiting on the rights. I can have them on the surface by tomorrow along with a bulldozer to level out a landing area. Once word gets out I will have every mining ship in the system wanting a piece of this.” He ran his hand through what hair he had left.

“That is what I am counting on.” I nodded. Hell I couldn't wait to see the old man's face when I told him I had made a deal with Mister Anderson.

“When that window opens up I know several captains who I have sold ships to in the past. They make runs for freelancers since we can't typically afford the traders guild prices. They could make the jump to Sirius. They would jump at the opportunity and I don't think a one of them has ever seen earth. Hell I haven't seen it since I was a kid.”

“You said you wanted both of us on your council, what part am I playing in all this?” Jessica asked.

“You will serve as your fathers proxy on matters when he is off world as well as administrator of scientific affairs here on world. You have a good mind and your fathers passion. Their might be people would be more qualified intellectually speaking but I need someone who can find problems and solutions as well through their own means and not rely on just what information was put in their head by a needle. A lot of what I know was put in my head by someone else but I had enough brains to look at what you and your father were doing meaning you got their first before everyone else in this system. And no offense to your father but running a ship yard is a bit below your skills.

“Agreed.” Her father said. “You should take his offer Jess. You can do more for our people here and it seems we have a lord who seems to have our best interest at heart and not just what we can do for him.”

“May I have time to think about it my lord?” She asked.

“Of course.” I nodded. They headed out and passed the Steward in the hall.

“What did he say?” The Steward asked as he approached.

“We are in business. He will be running mining operations on the moon for me I will go into detail later. How did you do?” I asked and he came in closing the door.

“I was able to convince the former ministers of Commerce and Education on board and scheduled you a meeting with them tomorrow.”

“Treasury?” I said turning the map off.

“He wishes to spend his golden years with his grandchildren.” The steward shook his head.

“Pity but I understand. You can handle it for now right?”

“It's where I started out at my lord.” The Steward shrugged.

“Just being sure I am not putting to much on you.” I smiled.

“Thank you sir but I will manage. The current ministers of Agriculture, development, and education have agreed to remain on under your terms.” He added.

“Five is better then I had hoped for. Guess we need to start looking into applications.” Truthfully those three and one more where the only ones who expected to stay so three out of four wasn't bad. The rest had all profited under the former administration. “Issue a statement to the press that they are under investigation for embellishment, graft, and other criminal activities during their tenure as ministers and freeze their accounts.” I shook my head. He had told them off that if they wanted to remain in their positions then they would have to submit to a review of their finances. By saying no it was as good as an admission of guilt. One look at their books would be enough to determine if they where innocent or not which I couldn't do without cause which they had just given me.

“What if they have moved the money off world?”

“Then they will have to go off world to spend it and save us the trouble of a trial. It will be considered an admission of guilt and we can seize the money to be paid into the treasury.” I really didn't care what they did off planet and would even help them pack. It was everyone who had paid them off over the years I wanted. Rip the weed out roots and all. I told the old man about what I had discussed with Anderson. A knock came at the door.

“Enter.” I said looking at the door and Anastasia came in.

“My lord. Mistress Elizabeth is here?” Anastasia said.

“Please show her in and join us if you will.” I nodded. A second later in walked Mistress Elizabeth. She served the previous lords father as his concubine as his time as baron. She was damn good looking for her age and could no doubt turn heads still with just one look. She had a voluptuous figure and wore a dress that showed if off beautifully. She walked with a grace even some younger women couldn't do. Her breast bouncing with each step of her heels. "Mistress Elizabeth. Thank you for coming.”

“Thank you for having me your lord.” She did a curtsy. I took her hand and gave it a little kiss. “I swore I thought I would never set foot in this manor again but life still manages to surprise me. Jim. It is good to see you again as well.” She glanced over and gave the Steward a kiss on the cheek.

“No where near as nice as seeing you my Lady.” He smiled. It was clear he had a thing for her but it probably be hard to find a man in a position of power on this planet who didn't.

“The Steward has had many nice things to say about you.” I replied making the old man turn a little red in the cheek.

“I am hoping not to much. I do have a reputation to uphold.” She smiled.

“You served as the Courtesan to the lord in this manor during its most prosperous time in it's history. I believe the saying behind every great man...”

“Is a woman whispering in his ear.” She nodded.

“Something like that.”

“You flatter me my lord but yes I offered him council and spoke to men on his behalf when a gentler touch was needed. Sadly his son saw me as just his fathers replacement after is mothers ****. He had be banished before his father was even in the ground.” She shook her head.

“I want to hire you. You know where the skeletons are buried so to speak and the Steward says you had a lot of pull with many of the men your husband did business with as well as mentor my own concubine. The guild saw fit to rush her into service with my sudden appointment.”

“They have been slacking in recent years but I see they still have good taste at least she is quit beautiful.” Lady Elizabeth turned toward Anastasia and brushed a hair from her face making Anastasia blush. “I admit I missed the life of politics but not sure I want to play the game anymore. I live a quit life now and have my own businesses to run.”