Shoshone Station: The Galactic Consortium season 2

Episode 8: The Sting #13

Fox spent the rest of his afternoon and into the evening working on this one case. His first call was to Shannon Otterdance. "I need a favor," he said.

Her eyes narrowed. Once this would have been easy, but the conflict over the brothel had put them on less friendly footing.

"I need space, for security. Just for one day."

That earned a raised eyebrow. "We have always cooperated with security," she said.

"I know. It's the sting," he said. He explained about Oksana and the men from the Ukraine.

"Brave girl," Shannon said. "What do you need from me?"

"We let the men believe that there might be space for a second brothel, one that they would run. We can try the sting here, but it will raise less suspicion if I can use some empty space on your side. That way, we can get them up and the women settled before we move. Safer for all."

"Done. Though I admit I don't share your concern for the men's safety."

"Nor do I," Fox said. "If I could guarantee that none of the women would get caught in the middle, I'd love to just rush the bastards, take them down hard. But I can't risk my men, and I certainly can't risk the girls being harmed."

Shannon nodded. "But you are going to put the men away?"

"We will," Fox promised her. "And we will get those girls out of that trap for good."

Shannon seemed to relax. "Other than that, how's it going?"

"About as predicted. If we could just get the media and the rest of the country to see what we are doing," he commented. "Leela was surprised to discover just how many girls are forced into this life by violent men or desperate circumstances. Sarah was surprised to discover not all women are forced."

"You've seen that?"

"Yeah, about twenty to one, maybe even less. But it's there. We've sent them on for training or whatever. A couple might end up with Leela's service eventually."

"Still, there is a lot of pressure from both sides," Shannon said.

"I'm hoping when we go public about this sting, that will help," Fox said. "And Jack tells me there are a few diplomatic decisions on the way that might draw some of the fire."

"For good or worse?" Shannon asked.

"Good, mostly. Shana's Treaty, they've dubbed it, after some abducted girl. It would allow local police to access the portal and use some of the Consortium resources for similar cases. Should play well with liberals, at least. Conservatives might spin it to be another Consortium intrusion."

"If it's voluntary, then it's not an intrusion."

"Yeah, but you know how some of them feel about Consortium interference."

"Yes, and I feel less and less sympathy for them. The Consortium has done more in the last six months to show they respect our independence than America has in two hundred years."

Fox nodded. "I know. It's sad."

"Anyway," Shannon said. "On that subject, I am scheduled to meet with a group from Saras University. If you have nothing else?"

Fox shook his head. "No, and thanks."

He broke the connection to discover he had a courtesy message from Lannister. "I've an interview with Cheryl Holt," Lannister said. Cheryl was a journalist with a fairly major news source from the surface.

"You want to know if it's time to blow our cover," Fox guessed. He could see the light in Lannister's eye as the captain nodded. It would have to be soon, Fox knew that. He couldn't expect much more time. "One more case," he said. "A big one."

"How big?"

"A Ukrainian operation. Dozens of girls. Maybe fifteen men." He told the captain about Oksana and his decision to let her go. "When is the interview?"

"In three days."

Fox gulped. Then he steeled himself. "I will keep you posted. The second we have these men, I say pull the plug. But let me get these guys, please." For Oksana and her sister's sake, if nothing else.

Lannister nodded, and Fox breathed a sigh of relief.

Fox's next call was easier but far longer. He called Jack, and they spent most of the afternoon laying out all of the possible implications of arresting foreign nationals.

"As far as the women go," Jack said, "I will approve asylum in a heartbeat. Or we can ship them off-station, to Shin or Saras or anywhere. The Consortium will give them asylum if our people balk. The men? I assume the crimes were committed on American soil and come under our jurisdiction. Or on the station and—"

"We can use Consortium jurisdiction as well. That would be simplest. We've had an almost perfect track record so far on convictions. Any chance their home country will protest?"

"Always a chance. They haven't warmed to the Consortium much, and they've always had a somewhat adversarial relationship with the US. But over men like this? I doubt they're popular back home, either." Nonetheless, both men believed in being prepared, and they laid the legal groundwork for how they would respond to each possible scenario.

By the time they were done, the day shift had left and the evening shift had taken over. Sarah was still there with the surveillance crew, watching Oksana and her handler, who had stayed in a hotel for the night and would return home in the morning to consult with the higher-ups in their organization.

He was interrogating her, not entirely sure about the story they had spun about there being space for a second brothel. Oksana's expression was carefully blank as she answered his questions.

"I don't know, sir," she said, addressing him formally and standing with her hands behind her back. "They talked to you about that."

"And what did they talk to you about?"

"I've told you. They asked a bunch of medical questions. Asked how I got started doing this work."

A hard slap caught her across the face. Fox heard a hiss from one of the evening-shift melee officers. "Should we?" the officer asked, her voice eager.

Fox stared at the projection they were watching. Oksana glanced once over the man's shoulder, as though she could reach Fox's gaze through the screen. She knew they were watching, but not where or how. She gave the tiniest of head movements. No, don't, Fox read.

He clenched his fist, fighting down his anger at this man. "No," he said. "We wait. She agreed."

"To be beaten?" the officer demanded.

"She knew. She wants to get her sister out."

"What did you tell them?" the man was demanding, his open palm still hovering in front of Oksana.

"What I always say," she repeated, not meeting his gaze. "What you tell me."

"Let's go over it again," the man demanded.

She talked, and he listened intently. Finally, he seemed to accept her story. "Fine," he growled.

Fox let loose a deep sigh, relieved. He was surprised at how much tension he had been carrying.

"You can go to bed," the man ordered.

"Supper?" Oksana asked hesitantly.

"You've earned no money today. What do you think?"

Oksana nodded.

Fox sighed. "One night without supper, compared to bringing the girls out, saving all of them for good." And I'll buy her a huge feast after I put those men away.

"Still," the officer next to him muttered, "let him be in our cells and ask for something. I'll show him this clip instead." She turned back to the command center and to other work.

"Me too," Fox said. "Carry on, and tell me if anything further transpires." He turned toward home, though he knew he wouldn't sleep well that night.