Chromium

14.1

Dia quirked an eyebrow and took another sip of whiskey. "Are you talking about the antimatter deposits?"

Rodriguez nodded. "Tara's magnetic field is unusually strong and exploitable, and that makes the planet a strategic resource. To begin with, the Syndicate is a committee established to maintain the balance of power. All Spice Lords are part of it, and every one of them gets his share."

"Right." Dia snorted. "They need antimatter for their little fleets."

Rodriguez didn't disagree. "Anyway, Fanning was a security guard when I met him, a dirty one. He was part of a smuggling ring."

"Did he sell antimatter to the highest bidder?" When Rodriguez nodded, she chuckled. "Why am I not surprised?

"You don't understand, Dia." Rodriguez sounded unusually serious. "There is no love among the Spice Lords, but this has never happened before. When the Committee found out that someone was stealing antimatter, the Spice Lords started accusing each other."

Dia sucked in a breath. "That's why you said Fanning almost started a war." She asked, hiding an inner quiver of relief.

She knew that it was wrong, but the fact that Fanning was a bad man lessened her guilt somehow. 

Rodriguez nodded grimly. "Most of our warships use antimatter powered engines, and since the Syndicate has the power to leave them dry, even Spice Lords take the committee seriously."

Dia's expression sobered. She seemed to muse on the idea for a moment and then asked, "Then why is Fanning still alive?"

Rodriguez shrugged. "Politics. The members of the committee didn't want anyone to know that someone managed to rig the system. They get rid of the upper echelons of the organization, but there were dozens of people like Fanning. The fact that someone managed to smuggle antimatter was just a rumor at the time, but if they started killing all the smugglers..."

"... everybody would have known that the rumors were true."

The merc snapped her fingers. "Right. Besides, Fanning was just a small fish, an opportunist. And that's why this whole thing seems wrong. Fanning had nothing to gain from saving a bunch of imperials." She gave her an apologetic look. "No offense, sweetheart."

"None taken." Dia forced a smile, but her shoulders were tense. "You could be wrong, you know." She said casually. "People change."

"No way." Rodriguez replied without hesitation. "He is a selfish bastard. He would have never..."  She stopped talking in midsentence and her eyes widened. "No way? You?!"

"Lower your voice." Dia hissed.

"Don't worry, no one will hear us. They're dead drunk." Rodriguez waved her hand in dismissal. Then she leaned forward, a grin stretching her mouth. "I was right, wasn't I?"

Dia gave her a look that blended annoyance with amusement. "Maybe."

Rodriguez was still drilling her with questions when the last person she'd expected to see here, entered.

"Omen?" Dia said, eyes rounded in amazement. "What are you doing here?"

His mouth twitched. "Drinking?"

Rodriguez looked back and forth between them and grinned. "Alright." She said, drawing the word. "that's my cue to leave. I see you have much to talk about."

Dia glowered at her, but Rodriguez looked unrepentant and winked at her before walking away.

Dia was still cursing inwardly when Omen asked, "Are you alright?"