Refugio, a ransom note, an opportunity…
“This is an outrage, Francos! You must do something.” Joachim Pesch had barged into the private office red-faced and puffing. “This time those criminals have gone too far!” A ship from Port had entered the harbor that morning under a flag of parley. “They have stopped a flagged diplomatic vessel and are holding my brother Antonio for ransom. Emiliano asked me to deal with them.”
Megal stepped into the outer office. “When did this happen, Ser Pesch?” Francos hoped Megal would guard his tongue. The less Joachim knew of the marriage negotiations, the better. Francos motioned the older man to a chair and called for wine.
“Word came this morning from a ship of Port. They are demanding 50 kilos of grain and 50 of dried meat, or they drug him and turn him into a powerless farm slave. What he was doing sailing about under Alam’s flag, I’d like to know.”
“It is time we dealt with these scoundrels. Wretched business.” He sipped the glass of wine Serept had offered him. “Not that I don’t value my younger brother, but that is too much to ask for a deputy trade envoy.”
“What of the other men on the ship?” Francos asked. “Was it Alam’s official vessel?”
“That’s another odd one. It must have been a hired ship, and they didn’t ask for ransom of the vessel, which is not odd. Those Pins build good ships. Not sure where they get the wood, but they always have nice ships.
“Good vintage, this one. From your yards?” Joachim was known to indulge himself. It showed in his rotund figure.
“I had requested information on a trade issue. Perhaps he was bringing Alam’s answer directly to me.”
“But why not use Alam’s ship? I can’t image he is using it very often?”
Megal spoke softly. “Perhaps we can discover more if we can see what communication they provided.”
“Here it is, not much to it. Just a demand for “buyback of contract” which is what they call ransom.” He handed the card to Francos with an irritated glance at Megal. Joachim shifted in his seat and looked at Serept. His glass was empty. “Bald-faced kidnapping, I say. We should go down there with a few strong compulsives and clean the place out. We’d get access to those lagoons where they grow the window filler.”
Francos kept his voice even. “An expedition is possible.” He nodded to Serept to refill the wine glass.
Megal asked, “Would not the use of compulsion as a weapon violate our rules of engagement?” Francos was surprised Megal knew about understanding with the church about psy powers. The use of psychic abilities as weapons was forbidden after a difficult settlement with Iglesia Humanos Verdaderos. They had fought even the recognition of psy abilities, and the idea one person could compel another with their mind violated their long-held beliefs.
Joachim did not recognize Megal. “Young man, it is time those rules were set aside. Everyone knows our skills are not going away, and it can be useful to have a compulsive on staff on the estates.”
Francos was aware some of the Council Houses did not honor the rules but was shocked Joachim would be so open about it. “Joachim, I believe you met my son, Megal, at the memorial service. We will be announcing him as First Successor in waiting soon.” Francos watched Joachim’s face and listened for his emotional response as the man realized his mistake.
“My apologies, Ser Megal, I mistook you for a servant. Yes, I remember seeing you at the memorial. A shame there are no Pesch females available for bonding at the moment. It would strengthen both our families.” He sipped his wine and looked smug.
Francos sensed his pleasure. Any time the Pesch could outmaneuver the Overlord was a win for that ambitious family. He wanted to get his own take on this matter as soon as possible. Both Tony as well as the girl would have been on the captured ship. “I will want to have someone from my staff interrogate the ship crew, Joachim. Has it berthed, or is it out in the harbor?”
“It is my understanding they have remained anchored in the harbor and only came to the main pier in a small boat.” Joachim looked ready for a third glass of wine, but Francos thwarted his wish by standing. Joachim reluctantly pushed himself out of the chair and let Megal show him out.
“We will inform you of what we find, Ser Joachim,” Megal said, bowing to the man.
“Of course, but understand, I am certain the ransom is too high — and frankly, I won’t pay it!” He took the arm of his servant and left.
Francos handed the reed paper ransom note to his son who read it quickly “What do you make of it, Father? This explains why we have not heard more from Ser Antonio over the last few weeks.”
“True, and I suspect he hired a private boat. And that leads me to suspect he has not mentioned his niece to his family.” Francos chuckled. “In fact, I suspect if we read over the bonding contract again, there is no mention of Emiliano, Joachim, or anyone else they want involved. I am concerned the girl has been taken prisoner as well but there seems to be no mention of her. I have been told they run a brothel there with women whom they kidnap off ships and in raids along the coast. We can only hope she has not met that fate.”
Francos turned to Serept and gave orders for a meeting with the men from the ship. The pirates of Port needed to be dealt with, and this might just be the beginning to finally settle the situation. Nearly two hundred years was long enough to realize rescue from Terra was not coming. Peace with the neighbors was needed.
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