The sun bathed Ardinnus’s half naked body in its warm glow. The suns a red and blue giant radiated an unusually high level of warmth in their glow. The planet sat very far from the sun but the lack of the protection from a thick nitrogen atmosphere. The thin desert air left little to be desired, the heat from the suns baked the landscape leaving little surface water. What few pockets of water that were available of the surface were decreed by the Governor has natural treasures and not to be tapped by the inhabitancy for any reason. Ardinnus had made a large fortune from ignoring the laws set by the governor, his latest venture was the tapping of the surface water on Kordon Prime. Using underground water pumps he was slowly draining the few lakes on Kordon of their water and then selling it on the black market at overly inflated prices… The rich and powerful of Kordon brought the illicit water by the tonne and the trade was growing while the supply of what decreased. Ardinnus was making a lot of credits from the greed of the Kordon elite. And he knew with decreasing supply of water he would be able to charge more for what little removed.
Ardinnus rolled over on his sunbed and glazed towards the suns through his high UV protective shades. He smiled to himself, he had made 500,000,000 credits just this week from illicit sales of surface water. He could only dream what he would make the following week. Has he day dreamed of future wealth a figure entered Ardinnus vision blocking out the suns over head.
“Ardinnus…”, said the darkened figure.
Ardinnus sat up and removed his shades that now obscured his vision.
“Yes what is it…”, he barked in disgust of being disturbed.
Has Ardinnus removed his shades the figure immediately became clear. Commander Hayworth stood tall, hat tucked under his folded right arm.
“Ahhh its you…”, said Ardinnus, “See Lieutenant Murray didn’t quite get you with the pistol.”, he smiled.
“No, he did, but I was wearing an armoured vest.”, replied the Commander.
“So I take it everything is going according to plan?”, asked Ardinnus.
“If you mean be going according to plan, that the Kaidan Imperial Navy is now facing accusations of murdering civilians in the Galactic Senate, then yes, it is going according to plan.”, grinned a smug Hayworth.
Ardinnus chuckled, “Arrr the poor Governor must be under pressure right now to explain himself to the Senate.”
“Indeed.”, replied the Commander.
“Does anyone suspect anything?”, asked Ardinnus.
“No, Al, was the only person that seems to have any clue that the incident on Fadlar was deliberate, the Commodore, like intended thought the targeting was accidental and related to an ai systems glitch.”, reveal Hayworth.
“Good… The cover story appears to be holding, the local press are reporting that Murray sabotaged the ai systems and set them to kill the civilians instead of the military assets.”, informed Ardinnus.
“A major alteration to the original story but it serves our purposes none-the-less.”, continued Hayworth.
Ardinnus a rose from his sunbed, and lifted up a silk robe that he immediate pulled onto himself.
“I couldn’t help but notice a much large military presence on Kordon, Hayworth”, stated Ardinnus.
The commander looked to the north east, in the distance a number of darkened shapes hung in the sky like dark grey clouds.
“The new line of corvette Ardinnus, you do realise there is a war on don’t you?”, asked the Commander.
“Yes I am aware, but to my knowledge, Jovien has yet to decide whether the Kaidan Imperium should get involved. Especially with the current accusation flying around the Senate about him.”, replied Ardinnus.
“Indeed. Regardless, a war would jeopardise your plans wouldn’t it?”, asked Hayworth.
“Yes, it would.”, he replied.
Ardinnus walked across the open surface of his balocony to a table where a metallic water cooler sat, he lifted a glass from a tray next to the cooler and turned the switch on the cooler, cold clear water filled the glass slowly.
“Isn’t it so perfect?”, asked Ardinnus.
“Excuse me?”, replied the Commander.
“The water, isn’t it perfect?”, he asked again prompting for a suitable answer.
“I don’t quite know what you mean.”, replied Hayworth.
“Aye, a military man, you have gotten to use to the sight and taste of that artifical H2O that is produced for you.”, gloated Ardinnus, “This here is mineral water, drained from the Shire Lake near the Southern most pole of Kordon, its is said to have wonder healing properties.”
The commander raised an eyebrow, “If you say so.”
“IF I SAY SO!”, yelled Ardinnus flinging the half filled glass toward the Commander.
Ducking Hayworth watched as the glass of cool water shattered against the metallic wall behind him spraying its rare content all over the balcony.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN IF I SAY SO!”, screamed Ardinnus.
The Commander stood back up and starred at the bright red face of Ardinnus, knowing he had angered him greatly.
“I mean I can not account for the properties of the water, as I have never drank it.”, he quickly responded.
Ardinnus upon hearing his appeared to calm, “This water is my greatest find and my greatest product. There can be absolutely NO doubt to its properties, ABSOLUTELY none, to doubt it properties is to doubt its worth and invalidated its cost. Do you understand?”, prompted Ardinnus.
“Understood.”, nodded Hayworth.
Ardinnus picked up another glass and again began to fill it from the cooler.
“Now where was I? Ahh yes, the military build up…”, continued Ardinnus, “What is the likelihood of a military intervention in the 2nd Galactic War?”, Ardinnus prompted.
“At present, not likely, after the massacre on Fadlar 9 and 10 in the last war I don’t think Jovien is in the mood to have to rebuild yet another home world from scratch. So he will most likely only become involved if the 4 Horsemen or any of their foolish affiliates attack us.”, informed the Commander.
“Good, because if there was a war, that Kordon would most likely be hit, and if we were hit, I’d lose customers and I can’t be having that.”, smiled Ardinnus.
“I imagine not.”, replied Hayworth.
“So with phase one of the plan complete I suggest you get on with phase two.”, suggested Ardinnus.
The commander nodded, “Are you sure that would be wise with the 2nd Galactic War looming?”
“Yes it is a necessary step, I know I have competitions for the water, and I can’t have that. So go and eliminate them!”, prompted Ardinnus.
The commander nodded, turned and walked off the balcony out of the barking sun. Ardinnus turned and walked back to the sun bed, disrobed and laid back down.
As he laid warmed by the suns he again began to dream of the mountains of credits he soon would have.
Life was good for some.
