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Chapter 29 - The Adjudicator[]
The Oaken Cudgel
New Syrtis System - New Sytris Docks
Federated Suns
December 22nd, 3159
"Oy, you named it the Oaken Cudgel here, too?" Clarissa Ngo asked.
"The 'O'-Club is a strip bar in the capital." Aneh said, "So yeah, it seemed like a good idea at the time. We're a little more family friendly though, no Friday night Bacchanalia, since my people get more leave time than yours. Want to know the strange part?"
"Hit me."
"We're making a real difference out here. With all the reconstruction from the Combine war, the economy of the Federated Suns should be doing what it always did in the past. Crashing hard with inflation of the currency and shortages, but it's not doing that this time. They're heralding Prince Julian as an economic genius."
"I'm not surprised." Clarissa noted, "I take it the Patrol Service has brought law to the lawless and lowered insurance premiums across the realm without having to resort to price and quantity fixing."
"We bust our share of predatory businesses." Aneh said with a nod, "But it's amazing how much gets generated when a buyer knows his goods will arrive on time and a seller knows his payments are going to actually be made because his goods arrived when they were needed and delivered to the person or persons who ordered them."
"Half an economy is confidence." Clarissa quoted her great grandmother, "If people are sure they will be paid, they engage in commerce. And the anti-piracy mission?"
"We pull in one or two navigational candidates a month still, but not as many as we started with. Funniest thing happens when small operators deep in debt can have their jury-rigged ships inspected and repaired without risk of being confiscated and condemned. They don't run when you send a stand. To order and they don't fight, and they don't take jobs hauling criminals when they can take legitimate cargo safely from one point to another. Our periphery border is the safest it's been in forever, and the Filtvelt Coalition is negotiating a return to the Federated Suns."
"NICE. You and I both know that's going to be a driver in the economic recovery, I take it the FSN regulars are foaming at the mouth from the loss of lucrative punitive raids."
"They will have to be satisfied with restored Avalon production and trading in their antique fighters for newer ones that incorporate the better adjustments and workarounds. The Modernization Act is playing off those economic results. The only real downside is that with less to do, more and more regular troops are getting into 'bored soldier' types of trouble. We've been getting applications from men in regular service outfits."
"Ahh..they gave you an opportunity, and you ran with it. Good for you. How's the husband? Will there be two seats or three?"
"We're talking about having children...and his family is nagging him about it." Aneh grinned, "Plague scars and all. I have to say, the LaFayette family reminds me of the von Trunts...except his mother is named Genevieve instead of Karen."