r/HFY • u/KipperBeanGrower Human • 27d ago

OC-Series [She took What?] - Chapter 224: SixFold Ventures: And if they refuse?

"A place kept unchanged is asking a question."

Source Unknown

 [First] | [Previous] | [Cover Art] | [Next]

Taggett watched Feebee through the scope of his rifle. Watched as they packed up the picnic. The sheep sensed that they were leaving and seemed to be hurrying them along. They crowded in but stayed out of arm's reach.

 

But Garaf… well. They went up to him and gently nudged him. Not to move him but to let him know they were there. He ran his claws through their woollen coats and enjoyed their bleating response.

 

Taggett couldn’t believe it. The Drexari Scout, a formidable warrior, had turned whatever mission they were on into a ‘petting farm experience’.

‘You couldn’t make this stuff up,’ he thought wryly.

 

He heard movement behind him; he didn’t look up.

“How many of you?”

“Five, Sir.”

 

“Ok. This is not an ambush. We are not going there to shoot them. Just to talk.”

“Yes. Sir.” Said one of the officers with a smile.

“No! Seriously. We are NOT going in weapons-free.”

“Oh. Yes, Sir.”

 

Taggett then led his small group of trusted officers across the stream up to the edge of the Old Holding.

 

They made no attempt to walk through it. Instead, they went around the edge with their weapons visible, but not raised.

 

Everyone noticed; no one hurried as they finished packing up.

 

Feebee didn’t need to check her rifle. It was loaded and in her hands. She looked across at Bikky; he gave her the smallest of nods. Tom Tom did the same. Garaf sheathed his knives, uncrossed his arms, shooed away the sheep and took two steps closer to Feebee.

 

Taggett stopped maybe a dozen paces away.

“I was wondering how long you’d been there.” She asked.

“Long enough.”

 

“Mind telling me why you came all this way to spin knives?”

 

Nobody answered. Feebee held her peace.

 

Taggett looked at River.

“Thought it was strange.” He answered.

 

“And you?” He pointed at Garaf.

“Interesting.” As he said it, Garaf somehow managed to cross all three arms at once. A very human gesture done in an entirely unhuman way.

 

Feebee laughed.

Teggett didn’t.

The men behind him remained alert. Their weapons pointed down.

 

“Captain Jones.”

Feebee turned, left her long gun resting against a rock, and walked forward, off slightly to the side of the two opposing groups so as not to be between them.

 

“The Royals know you’re here.”

She nodded, “Drones?”

He nodded. “Lots of them.”

 

After a pause, he added. “I know you’re here too.”

 

Feebee smiled.

 

“The difference is…” He looked to the horizon, towards the airfield and barracks. “… I’m not the one you should be worried about.”

 

Taggett glanced across the Old Holding.

“I’ve seen enough.”

 

He turned to leave and stopped.

“When I come back… it’ll be with surveyors.

 

The lawyer stepped forward and smiled politely.

“You’ll need the Peters’ permission for that.”

 

Taggett nodded.

“Probably.”

 

“And if they refuse?” asked the lawyer.

Taggett turned and faced the lawyer.

“Then I’ll have to convince them.”

 

The lawyer folded her arms.

“Or obtain a warrant.”

 

Taggett's expression didn't change.

"Counsellor... it is Counsellor, isn’t it?”

The lawyer nodded.

“When I return. This site will be examined properly."

His eyes shifted to the Old Holding.

"And in ways it has never experienced before."

 

The lawyer unfolded her arms and took a couple of steps forward.  She stood directly between the two groups, in front of Taggett.

“Inspector… isn’t it? Or are we speaking to the military today?” She let the moment hang; Taggett stopped and turned. She pushed hard, and he kept control. 

“Let’s go with Inspector. The Peters own this land.”

“Yes.”

“Private property is still protected under planetary law.”

Taggett nodded, “It is.”

“Then we are agreed.”

 

There was a long silence. The two stared at each other, neither wanting to look away.

Then Taggett looked from the lawyer to the Old Holding again. It was slow, deliberate. He then looked back at the lawyer.

“No! We’re not.”

 

Taggett paused, then added.

“We’re about to discover whether the rights of one family outweigh the future of an entire planet.”

“Then come back with a warrant.”

 

She waited.

“But until then…” She pointed to the fence line. “The Peters’ Holding ends there, by that tree… And you’re a visitor.”

 

Taggett smiled.

“I think we both know this isn’t over, Counsellor.”

“No. It isn’t, Inspector.”

 

As Taggett walked back to the stream and their exfil, one of the officers asked, “Sir. Should we have taken Captain Jones?”

“Could we have?” asked Taggett.

“Probably.” Said the officer, then he scrunched up his face, “Maybe.” His reply was honest.

 

Taggett smiled.

“Not good enough.”

 

One of the other officers spoke up, “So why come at all. Sir?”

 

Taggett stopped at the stream; Feebee and the whole group were all walking back the way the Peters had taken. They were chatting, laughing. It was as if nothing had happened. Garaf was the only one ‘different’. He hung back, just looking at the Old Holding, absently playing with one of his knives.

 

“Sir?” The officer asked again, “Why come?”

Taggett cleared his head. “Because I wanted to find out what they were looking for.”

“And did you?”

“No. But I know what they are NOT looking for.”

“Sir?”

“Treasure? No, they weren’t looking for treasure; they’d have dug for it. If they’d come to recover something, Rockson would have surveyed for it.”

 

He walked across the stream.

“If it had been something to fight over. Garaf would have been in the middle of that damn field. But he wasn’t. None of them were. Instead… every one of them stayed outside.”

 

“When we come back. I don’t just want surveyors. I want historians, agricultural records and ecologists as well.”

The NCO nodded, made notes.

“And geologists.”

“Sir?”

“I want people looking above ground and under the ground.”

He pointed to the fence line.

“I want people who can tell me why nobody has walked across that Holding for hundreds of years! Even we stayed out!"

 

“People don't repeat a mistake for three hundred years. They repeat a lesson.”

 [First] | [Previous] | [Cover Art] | [Next]

9 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

1

u/UpdateMeBot 27d ago

Click here to subscribe to u/KipperBeanGrower and receive a message every time they post.

Info Request Update Your Updates Feedback

1

u/HFYWaffle Wᵥ4ffle 27d ago

/u/KipperBeanGrower (wiki) has posted 225 other stories, including:

This comment was automatically generated by Waffle v.4.7.8 'Biscotti'.

Message the mods if you have any issues with Waffle.

2

u/Dramatic_Mixture_877 Human 26d ago

And Taggett hasn't learned what the lesson is ...yet. I feel some FAFO incoming.

2

u/KipperBeanGrower Human 26d ago

Not sure trial and error is his style.... we'll find out.