CLAIM JUMPING - PART II
“Registration and ID confirmed Mr. Novlo. Please dock your ship in bay 8. Our navigational beacons will guide you in.”
“Confirmed. I am locking onto your beacon on 1197.34. Switching controls to autonav for docking.”
“Confirmed Mr. Novlo, welcome to Imperial Post R-34. Enjoy your stay.”
“Will do. End communications.”
Detten Harcrov breathed a sigh of relief as he switched controls over to autonav. This would be his first working test of his new identity. Brodel had given Det his guarantee that the forged personal data had been registered with the Imperial network, but the scout could not be certain until now. He had paid a healthy sum for the forgery, but had every reason to believe it was an investment that would pay off in a big way.
Detten’s assumed ID was that of one Varda Novlo, an independent scout with an unremarkable history of successful claims, and no criminal record of any consequence. The name and history were, in fact, genuine. A prospector by the name of Novlo had been plying his trade in this area for the past ten years. By all accounts, he was a man of petty skills with a history of drinking and bad gambling debts. It was the latter fact which led to his identity being available for hijacking. Varda had been in debt to the notorious Quarren crimelord Choti the Squid for a considerable sum when he went missing. Brodel, Choti’s Zabrak forger, made it clear that the real Varda had no further need of his ID or official history. Detten didn’t have to ask for details. Brodel was able to update Varda’s personal file with Detten’s image, DNA pattern, fingerprints, and retinal scan by posing as an Imperial official making a routing update to the image data.
Detten stared out of the cockpit window of his scout ship. He was a bit nervous, and impatient. This was the moment he had been working towards for the past five years, ever since he ran across that planet, hiding on the fringes of a planetary nebula in an especially remote sector of the Outer Rim.
The planet was the find of a lifetime, shielded from long range scans by a large cloud of charged dust and small asteroids. Detten had actually been looking for commercial gases in the outer fringes of the nebula, and had noticed a clear corridor in the dust. Following a hunch that this could have been a path swept clear by a massive object passing through the nebula, he maneuvered his ship into this corridor, and followed it. The corridor took a curving path toward the middle of the nebula, following a tightening spiral course that brought to a young, hot star about half a parsec into the nebula. The scout settled his ship into a broad orbit around the star and began a preliminary scan. It didn’t take long to identify the massive interstellar pilgrim that cleared the path to the star.
The planet stood out because of its odd orbit. The star had accumulated a few small planets, still in the early to middle stages of development. These planets followed the same plane of orbit as the star’s vast collection of asteroids, which had largely begun to form discrete rings typical of pre-planetary development. Detten’s traveler was a reddish gray planet, approximately 14,000 km at the equator. The planet was orbiting the star in a highly eccentric orbit at a plane about 60 degrees off the plane of the planets native to the star. So, Detten had thought, a rogue planet? Don’t see many of these… I’ll have to fly in for a closer look.
The loud clang of his landing gear hitting the floor of the bay shook Detten out of his recollections. Well, here he was, in the closest claims office to his prospective fortune. The scout rose from his chair and walked toward the hatch, straightening his clothes as he went. Here we go. The big moment. He stopped at the door and placed his hand over the hatch release. He took a deep breath, exhaled, and hit the release.
Detten willed away all traces of apprehension as he stepped down into the bay. A gray-suited Imperial bureaucrat approached to ask for his ID. Detten smiled and offered a friendly greeting as he handed his ID card over. The bureaucrat gave his greeting, a noncommittal yet polite response as he scanned Detten’s ID. The Imperial glanced at the information his scanner read off the card, nodded to himself, then asked Detten to place his hand of the scanner for confirmation. Detten acquiesced, trying to appear somewhat bored as he complied. The bureaucrat’s scanner chirped its approval, and he grunted in response. “Everything checks out Mr. Novlo. What’s your business here today?”
“I need to register with the claims office. Maybe grab a drink and some food as long as I’m here. Any good places to eat?”
“Sure. Try Gemma’s, just off the main quad. Food’s good, a bit pricey, but you don’t have to guess what species you’re eating.”
Detten laughed. “I know what you mean. Sometimes these Rim dives aren’t too terribly particular about what hits the grill. Thanks for the tip.”
“Uh-huh. Claims office is two levels up and to the right.”
“Thanks.”
Detten turned and walked toward the hanger exit. So far the ID was holding, one more check at the claims desk and he should be home free. The scouts pulse quickened again. If I can pull this off, I will be set. A few years setting up the operation and the rest is kicking back and getting wookie wild. I’m going to the throw a party that’s going to have a casualty list.
Detten pulled out his data card for the claim. He had fudged the survey results a bit to hide the true value of the claim. If he submitted the accurate figures, the Empire would have taken immediate interest, considering their seemingly endless demands for shipbuilding metals. All Detten really wanted was an official Imperial sanction for his claim to keep the unscrupulous (well, the other unscrupulous) prospectors from claiming it themselves. Detten figured he could do enough trade above board to carry an official record that could satisfy the Imperial record keepers, and still have plenty to offer on the black market to shipbuilders whose supplies were restricted by Imperial order.
The forged ID was necessitated by his contract with ORO, which stated that he could not work claims independently within a certain area claimed by ORO. The contract required any mineral deposits found within the stated area were to be offered for sale to ORO, who would offer a percentage of the estimated value of the ore. Unfortunately, Detten’s claim was marginally within ORO’s defined space. Detten could sell the claim to ORO, but he knew that he would never receive the full percentage stated under the terms of the contract. The Outer Rim Oreworks was infamous for its legal tactics and accounting practices that effectively left the scout with a handful of warm pudu.
Under a forged identity, and hiding the true value of the claim, Detten reasoned that he could pass under ORO’s notice. The Oreworks often overlooked smaller independent claims on the fringes of their territory, so there was no reason his should attract undue attention.
Finding the claims office was not difficult. As the corporal stated, there were plenty signs pointing the way. Detten put on his most charming face as he turned the last corner, and strode toward the Claims desk.
As was typical of Imperial facilities, the office was clean and well lit. The claims officer sat behind a circular, gray stone desk. She lifted her head from her monitor as she heard Detten approach. Detten was pleasantly surprised to see that she was an attractive human female. He flashed his best roguish smile at her a he approached the desk. The claims officer smiled back a genuine, open smile that caught Detten by surprise. An imperial civil servant with a personality? I didn’t think the rulebook allowed that.
“Hi. Varda Novlo. I’m here to register a claim.”
“Angine Cesk, have a seat Mr. Novlo. You have your survey data?”
“Right here.” Detten handed her the data card, looking into her eyes as he did so. She looked back, with a direct and penetrating gaze. Det’s smile faltered. He felt suddenly self-conscious and …did I just blush? Angine’s smile broadened a little, and she cocked her head coyly to the side. “Ah. Why don’t you have a seat Mr. Novlo while a take a closer look at your data.”
“Ahh, yes, sure ... I mean, um, thanks.” Detten took the proffered chair, a little peeved that he had allowed himself to be flustered by the officer. His eyes involuntarily wandered back to hers. She caught his gaze and returned it, flashing another winsome smile. Detten panicked a little, breaking eye contact to stare briefly at the floor, the ceiling, his hands. He made a little nervous laugh and forced himself to look at her face again.
Angine watched his nervous squirming with amusement. He didn’t look the type for this kind of schoolboy shyness. She laughed a little as he found the nerve to look back up at her. “Nervous, Mr. Novlo?”
“Oh. No. I mean, uh ...” Detten broke down and chuckled at himself. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting the Imperial Claims Officer to be quite so pretty.” He gave her a crooked smile. “Been in space a while, I guess I just forgot how to act around something other than a droid.”
“You’re forgiven, Mr. Novlo. Most of your colleagues just stare at my chest.” Detten’s eyes dropped to her bosom as if on command. “But you seem a bit more…”
Det regained his composure and brought his eyes back up to her face again. “Polite,” she finished with a mockingly cross stare.
“Mostly,” replied Detten. “But being a bit of a cad is kind of a professional hazard.”
“So I’ve noticed. Lets take a look at your data.” Detten noticed that she maintained an amused half smile as she scanned his data. Interesting. Maybe I can stake two claims today.
“Looks good, Mr. Novlo, you’ve been very thorough in your report. Looks like you’ll do well for yourself.”
“Yeah, thanks. I should be a fairly wealthy man soon.” Detten cocked an eyebrow at the officer.
Angine seemed not to notice. Det observed that she was trying to put on her business face. “I get to meet a lot of soon-to-be-wealthy men at this job.”
“None this good looking and charming, I trust?”
Angine’s professional mask cracked into a fleeting smile. “Occasionally. You’ve set your claim beacon?”
“Yes. I put it into orbit nine days ago. Its identifier code is in the data.”
“Good. I’m entering your coordinates into the database to make sure there are no outstanding claims. I’ll also need to confirm your ID, so if I can have your card.”
“Sure.” Detten started to hand over the card, feeling another surge of trepidation wash over him. Relax. Brodel's one of the best If he says it’ll hold up, it’ll hold up. Angine favored him with another smile as she took the card from his hand. Detten smiled back. He decided he liked the claims officer. “I hope you don’t mind if I ask, but did you have plans for dinner?”
Angine seemed pleased he had asked. “Nothing special… I was just going to head over to Gemma’s for a quick bite.”
“I was planning to eat there myself.”
“Well, you could join me if you like. I wouldn’t mind the company.”
“Yes, I would like that. I haven’t had much good conversation lately … well, any conversation, really.”
“Then it’s a date.” Angine squinted her eyes at him playfully. Detten didn’t notice the dopey grin spreading across his face. Angine noticed it in passing as she returned her eyes to the monitor screen.
Detten saw the smile fade from her face as she looked at the date her monitor displayed to her. Detten felt his stomach start to sink. “I’m sorry Mr. Novlo, it looks like someone else registered this claim three days ago.”
“No! That’s not possible. I planted my beacon and came straight here. There were no other beacons in the area. No one could have planted one and beat me here by three days.”
“I’m sorry. That claim has been registered to a Cenben Delverdaan. You can contest it. We can check your beacon within the day.”
“Yes, of course I’m going to contest it!” Detten’s stomach began rolling over on itself. He felt the blood pounding in his ears. Dammit! How could somebody have found out about the planet? You don’t just stumble across it. Then a nasty thought began to occur to the scout. I could have been traced. That Bantha stuffer Emik could have put a trace on my ship…but I scanned it, thoroughly…yet how else could someone have located the planet?
“Please relax Mr. Novlo. Claims get jumped all the time. We can usually sort it out, but this can take a little time. We’ll start the procedure to contest the claim immediately.” She looked into the scout’s eyes with perfect sympathy. “Hey, we’ll get things started and have dinner, just like we planned. Just relax.”
“Sure,” Detten replied. Relax? Not likely. I don’t like the way this is going. I don’t really want the Empire to take a very close look at the matter, but I don’t have a whole lot of choices. Maybe I just need to drop this and try again.
Detten didn’t notice when Angine scanned his ID. He did, however, notice her sudden change in expression. She looks nervous, almost scared. What gives? Angine’s eyes had widened slightly. She was trying to conceal her anxiety, but her body language communicated her tension quite clearly. Her eyes darted almost imperceptibly between her monitor and the scout’s face.
“Is something wrong?” Detten asked, already fearing the answer.
“No, nothing.” She smiled, but the gesture was forced. Detten noticed her hand was underneath the desk, pushing…
Detten knew things had gone wrong. Incredibly wrong. The ID failed. But it worked twice before. This isn’t good.
Detten stood up casually. He hitched his pants a little bit. “While you’re working on that, I’m going to go see a man about a tauntaun. Be right back.”
Angine kept her hand underneath the desk. “Just a minute, Mr. Har…Novlo. I need your approval on…”
Detten didn’t let her finish. It was time to go. He turned and put his long legs into full stride as he ran through the door. Bay’s not that far, maybe I can get to the ship before they seal it off. They don’t have great security here. Maybe I can make a clean break...
No sooner had he finished this thought than he heard the clatter of armor-clad feet behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to see four stormtroopers bearing down, about 30 meters down the corridor and bringing their weapons to bear. He also noticed a heavy light fixture hanging from the ceiling 10 meters in front of them.
Midstride, the agile scout drew his blaster and turned around. He pulled the trigger three times, severing the light’s supports and bringing it down in a shower of sparks in front of the pursuing troopers, causing them to stop short.
Detten spun back around, ducked his head, and ran for all he was worth. The last thing he saw as he turned the corner was white armor and the black stock of a blaster rifle. Then only a bright flash in his head, and pain, and then darkness.
