{"id":34,"date":"2007-11-18T00:00:49","date_gmt":"2007-11-18T05:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/?p=34"},"modified":"2022-12-05T17:18:06","modified_gmt":"2022-12-05T22:18:06","slug":"frontier-justice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/articles\/frontier-justice\/","title":{"rendered":"Frontier Justice"},"content":{"rendered":"

C<\/strong><\/span>aptain Jason Ayers couldn\u2019t help but notice that the office of the Territorial Governor of Cimarron was as small as his was on the Victory. Ayers sat next to the Justice Bureau\u2019s special agent in front of the Governor\u2019s desk, despite the breach of protocol. Ayers wasn\u2019t bothered; he rarely insisted, and he knew colony worlds often couldn\u2019t afford to.<\/p>\n

After the introductions and greetings Ayers said, \u201cWe have met, Governor Martin, at conference on colonial politics about five years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yes, I remember.\u201d A smile brightened Gerald Martin\u2019s grizzled face. \u201cAs I recall, you gave a good speech, albeit a parsec or two ahead of the Admiralty. Well, Captain, this old lion is hoping your young mind can figure out how to resolve our problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll do my best.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur problem is fairly straightforward. Local stock ranchers are engaged in a dispute with settlers moving to this planet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like something out of an ancient movie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is, but with a few modern twists. Not all the ranchers have clear title to their range areas, but the newcomers do have titles. The ranchers engage in open-range methods, and nothing is persuading them to change back to fenced-range ranching.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow bad is the situation?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s been fights, vandalism, threats,\u201d said Special Agent Wanda Allsbury. Ayers could tell that the strain of her job was aging her. \u201cI\u2019m afraid I\u2019m about to lose control. I asked the Governor to call you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Bureau hasn\u2019t sent any help?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re spread thin as it is, and until there\u2019s a more serious crime committed, the Bureau can\u2019t send more agents.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAgent Allsbury\u2019s idea was to interpret this situation as bordering on an attack on territorial authority,\u201d the Governor said. \u201cWe need to get both sides to live together, to prevent them from taking the law into their hands, and we need help to do all that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Governor, I can\u2019t intervene unless there is an actual rebellion against the territorial government. But I think the Admiralty will allow us to stay to monitor things, considering how you and Agent Allsbury don\u2019t have much assistance. I don\u2019t think there would be anything unethical in me talking to the leaders of both sides in this dispute. Maybe if they know Victory is here and keeping watch, they\u2019ll put a lid on the problem. A week or two of calm might be enough help.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will need permission to stay. The Admiralty can\u2019t take us off our regular duties lightly. If you can compose a statement, Governor, it would help. Agent Allsbury, I\u2019d like to you to assemble your own report, and say why the Bureau can\u2019t send backup. Maybe we can help you get the situation under control.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI<\/strong><\/span>\u2019m glad you\u2019ve agreed to meet with me,\u201d Ayers said as he shook Delbert Stopka\u2019s hand. \u201cI know I don\u2019t have any authority. But I think it\u2019s in everyone\u2019s interest that this mess get straightened out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI appreciate your time, Captain.\u201d Stopka waved at the living room chair across from the couch. \u201cPlease, sit.\u201d Stopka sat down on the couch, stretching out slightly. \u201cI take it Governor Martin told you our problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. May I be direct, Mister Stopka?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou may, but so shall I.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems to me that some farmers are being a little zealous in their assertions of title. The Terran Federal Republic was founded on a system of laws, and colonial land laws are part of that system. But there is precedent for the idea that the first planetside should be the first landowners.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one is trying to force the stock owners off Cimarron.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot intentionally, and I understand that some titles aren\u2019t as clear as they should be. But this area is good for raising stock.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just as good for farming, Captain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue. You do want to get along with the stock owners, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you, or your fellow farmers, be willing to move from one place on Cimarron to another, if that was necessary?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly if necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay. Here\u2019s my proposal. Everyone on disputed claims will present copies of their titles to me. I\u2019ll also want statements on how much land a claimant needs to make their livelihood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you decide who stays and who moves?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. The first step will be to get the parties to sit down in each dispute and negotiate face to face. It will be an informal process with myself acting as facilitator. I will get the Bureau of Colonial Affairs to approve of any settlements. Where there is no agreement, I\u2019ll get the Bureau to send an arbitrator. If there are still any disputes left, I\u2019ll get a federal judge out here to deal with land title lawsuits.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sounds a fair enough process. Informal, to formal, to legal. Why hasn\u2019t the Governor thought of it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. The law prohibits colonial governors from taking part in negotiations on world\u2019s they administer. Maybe he didn\u2019t think of it because he doesn\u2019t have the options that I do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stopka nodded. \u201cTell you what. Our group has our next weekly meeting in three days. Make this proposal to all of us then, and we\u2019ll go along if the majority approves of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ayers shook his head. \u201cI won\u2019t go along with that, if the meeting is simply a means of rejecting it without anyone saying no to my face. I cannot have my authority undermined, Mister Stopka. This uniform, and my rank, can\u2019t be ignored if someone feels it\u2019s inconvenient to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see your point. What do you suggest?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow about us talking to a few of your most influential farmers? Help me persuade them, then encourage them to persuade the rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right. What about the stock owners? Or are we to go first?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m meeting with Galbraith after we\u2019re done. I want this to be as mutual a process as possible. No one goes first. Everyone goes together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is the sort of talk my friends want to hear.\u201d<\/p>\n

A<\/strong><\/span>yers went to Galbraith\u2019s home after the Captain had finished talking to Stopka. They met in Galbraith\u2019s home office, where Ayers presented his proposal. After considering it for a moment, Galbraith leaned back in his chair. \u201cInteresting suggestion, Captain,\u201d he said. \u201cYou do realize, however, that in some of these disputes there will be two or more farmers against one stockman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat can\u2019t be avoided. Any negotiation must have all the parties at the table. As far as I\u2019m concerned, it doesn\u2019t matter how many of one faction or the other is party to a dispute. I have a feeling that in some cases members of one faction will be facing off against each other as much as against the opposing faction.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe. But it still might be a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat can\u2019t be helped. Every case has to handled in the same way. There can\u2019t be any bias, real or perceived.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did Stopka say?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe seems to like the proposal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about his people?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll talk to the most influential farmers next. I want their backing before it comes up at the next farmers\u2019 meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Captain, if they go along, I\u2019m certain that the Association will too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ayers shook his head. \u201cAs I said to Mister Stopka, everyone has to go together on this. No one can be first.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain, I might be able to secure you an informal agreement beforehand. But the Association will not take any action before we see what the farmers do. We aren\u2019t going to agree, only to be undermined by the majority.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ayers folded his arms across his chest casually. \u201cI would have thought your people would want to sign on first, Mister Galbraith.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do you say that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought as the first residents you\u2019d want to be first on this. Or maybe that you\u2019d want to compel the farmers to go along by agreeing before they did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, well, be that as it may, I think I can get most of the stockmen to agree to this solution informally, before the farmers vote. Beyond that, I can\u2019t make any promises.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you do support my proposal, Mister Galbraith?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll see if that\u2019ll be enough. If so we\u2019ll move forward, and if not I\u2019ll be in touch.\u201d<\/p>\n

A<\/strong><\/span>  few days later Captain Ayers was talking to his executive officer, Commander Nina Reggio. He had given her the task of assembling the data needed to work out solutions to each land case. They were meeting in his office so that she could give him a preliminary report on her findings.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can see why some of the stock owners are so upset,\u201d she told Ayers. \u201cIt looks as though more of them have titles that we thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, really?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir. The problem seems to be in the specifics. I did a search for grazing rights, and found that few actually employed the term. I haven\u2019t read through every single title, but I think several were intended for general settlement. Others appear to be vague, like allowing for \u2018agricultural production\u2019 without stating what it should be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is within the law. Interpretations are to be made by the individual landowner. Keeps the government from imposing unrealistic conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue. But the farmers are coming with titles that only allow raising crops on their land. What\u2019s more, some of the older titles have terms like \u2018enough property for the owner to receive income,\u2019 or \u2018allowable area for owner\u2019s use.\u2019 No fixed boundaries or property lines.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow the Hell did that happen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of the stock owners bought their titles two administrations ago, when settlement policies were pretty open.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ayers shook his head. Those policies had gotten humanity on a few more worlds than would have otherwise. But they had caused problems with other races and governments, and led to similar troubles on other worlds. It wasn\u2019t for nothing that the president behind them was ousted after one term.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery well,. Find the disputes that would be the easiest to deal with. Maybe we can give the process some momentum…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain,\u201d cracked the intercom, \u201curgent communication coming from Governor Martin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDown here, Simmons.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain Ayers,\u201d Martin said, his voice strained, \u201ca serious situation has just popped up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the farmers shot several horses belonging to one of the stock owners last night. He claims that the horses were stampeding on his land.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs he in custody?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAgent Allsbury is bringing him into Englewood right now. She told me she was going to keep him in a cell in her office.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGovernor, this is Commander Reggio. Will Agent Allsbury require any assistance in holding the prisoner?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think so, Commander.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about transporting him up here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure the other farmers would like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat might undermine local authority,\u201d Ayers added. \u201cGovernor, is there anything that we can do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m not certain Wanda will have time to investigate and protect her prisoner. I think she\u2019ll want to keep an eye on town, stop any gatherings from turning into more trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTell her we\u2019ll handle the rest.\u201d Ayers turned to Reggio. \u201cNina, turn your work over to Mister Breland. He\u2019s doing nothing at weapons, and he needs the experience. I want you to investigate. Employ anyone in the crew you have to. Tell them it\u2019s on my orders.\u201d He turned back to the speaker pad on his desk. \u201cGovernor, is that sufficient?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think so, Captain. I\u2019m going to meet with Galbraith shortly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me know when. I\u2019ll go with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cT<\/strong><\/span>ens of thousands of credits have been lost,\u201d Elden Galbraith insisted. \u201cThose animals were irreplaceable. Horses aren\u2019t as common as beef animals or sheep. And to have several lost at one time. I don\u2019t think Kenneth wants to hear about formal processes, Captain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, he\u2019ll just have to,\u201d Ayers replied. \u201cIf those horses were stampeding, as Mister Korchmer claims, then he was within his rights in protecting his crops.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Korchmer wasn\u2019t claiming so much land, this might not have happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is a separate matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot to me, not to Kenneth, and not to the rest of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ayers took a step towards Galbraith. \u201cThere will be an investigation to determine what happened. Evidence will be gathered, and if necessary, a grand jury will be convened. If Korchmer is guilty of something, he will be punished and restitution will be made.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot if those farmers sit on your jury. And how much restitution can they afford?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ayers waved a forefinger at Galbraith. \u201cThe law will be followed, Galbraith. Do not interfere with this process.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain Ayers is right,\u201d Governor Martin said. \u201cEveryone must obey the law, Elden. I personally guarantee this will be a fair process for all concerned.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will only be fair when Korchmer is punished for killing those horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAny actions on your part that undermine this situation may adversely affect your position on land disputes,\u201d Ayers said. \u201cI won\u2019t sanction negotiations with parties that act in bad faith.\u201d<\/p>\n

Galbraith shook his head. \u201cOh, I\u2019m sure you won\u2019t, Captain. Get out of my house. You took their side the moment you arrived.\u201d<\/p>\n

Martin stepped between the two men. \u201cCaptain, let\u2019s go.\u201d He turned to Galbraith. \u201cMaybe when you\u2019ve cooled down, you\u2019ll see that the Captain is right.\u201d<\/p>\n

C<\/strong><\/span>ommander Reggio and her team worked throughout the day to learn what had happened in the Korchmer field. She reported her findings to Ayers early the next morning. It was so early, in fact, that the two ate breakfast during their meeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe horses were lathered, there was evidence of exertion, and there was a trail meters wide and a some kilometers long leading into the field,\u201d she said. \u201cThey were shot well into that field. I don\u2019t think any claim question enters into this situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a relief. How did the horses break through the wire?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey just ran through. The first two animals were pretty badly scratched but still mobile. I\u2019ll have to show the evidence to an expert, but from my reading about horse behavior, these are all the signs of fright. Something got to them, and I guess they would have kept going until they tired.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what spooked them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat I don\u2019t know. I\u2019m hoping that with these facts in hand…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain, urgent message from Governor Martin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t like this, Nina. Okay, down here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain, Korchmer is dead.\u201d Martin\u2019s voice was breathy with exhaustion.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHanged. And Wanda, Agent Allsbury, is wounded.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow bad?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was shot in the shoulder, then slugged a few times. Doc Richards says she\u2019ll live, but she can\u2019t go back to work for a couple days at least.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened, Governor?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore the doctor sedated her, she said that hooded men burst into her office. They shot her, pounded on her, then dragged Korchmer from his cell. They didn\u2019t say anything, and she passed out before they left.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGovernor, I want you up here under my protection.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain, I think I should stay planetside.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have enough security people to protect you, and if I have to, it will be with officers that aren\u2019t security personnel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen send who you can.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right. Give me a few minutes. We\u2019ll stay in touch.\u201d Ayers tapped the keypad next to the speaker on his desk. \u201cSecond watch weapons and navigation officers, report to my office, now.\u201d He turned to Reggio. \u201cHang on to that data, Nina. We\u2019ll need it.\u201d<\/p>\n

H<\/strong><\/span>alf an hour later the Victory\u2019s command staff had gathered in the ship\u2019s conference room. Ayers briefed the other officers about the situation on Cimarron to that point as quickly as he could. Once he was finished he turned to Reggio and asked, \u201cIn your opinion, who was behind this hanging?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStock owners are the most likely suspects,\u201d she answered. \u201cOf course, there\u2019s a chance that some farmers did it so that the stock faction would get the blame.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue, Commander, but I don\u2019t think this was a frame-up. Most of the farmers have been pretty reasonable, and I think Korchmer was well-liked. For now we have to assume that the hanging was committed by stock owners, either with or without the approval of the association.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what are we going to do, Captain?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ayers turned to his chief of communications. \u201cMister Simmons, I want you to tap into Galbraith\u2019s comm system.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain,\u201d Reggio snapped, \u201cwe can\u2019t do that. We need a warrant.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, Commander. Simmons, I don\u2019t want you to intercept any messages. I want that tap simply to detect an increase in outgoing traffic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reggio inhaled. \u201cYou want to know when the next alliance meeting is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExactly,\u201d Ayers said. He turned to the chief sensor officer. \u201cMiss Shan, I want you to let me know about any movement among the stock owners. Specifically, any movement by several individuals to a single location.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs for the rest of you, you\u2019ll act as witnesses to this. Simmons, open a line to Governor Martin.\u201d An instant later Martin\u2019s image appeared on the room\u2019s main screen. \u201cGovernor, we\u2019re going to keep watch for the next meeting of the stock association. Do you have any news?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNone, Captain, though I have had calls from a few stock owners. They all deny taking any part in the hanging.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you believe them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first three felt like genuine expressions of concern. The last couple have tried to blame farmers. I suspect you won\u2019t have to wait long for another meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood. Governor, I\u2019m going to ask you to do something you might not be comfortable with. It\u2019s important, but if you\u2019re not completely behind it, consider it dropped. I want you to send me a formal request for intervention, based on your concerns that the hanging might be a prelude to an attack on the colonial government.\u201d<\/p>\n

Martin leaned back in chair. \u201cI don\u2019t think the situation is that bad, Captain, and I\u2019m not sure such a request is ethical.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt isn\u2019t. Which is why I\u2019m asking you for it in front of my command staff.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t quite follow. If it\u2019s unethical, why ask for it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYesterday you and I warned Galbraith not to intervene in the shooting incident, to wait for our investigation to uncover the facts. I think it\u2019s pretty clear that he, or one of his association members, ignored that warning. I don\u2019t think we can trust Galbraith or his association any more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI agree, Captain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut we can\u2019t simply lock up all the stock owners. You said a few moments ago that some might disagree with what happened last night. It could be that most do. But I don\u2019t see how we can sort this out without confronting the whole group. We have the manpower to confront them, but without a formal request we can\u2019t take action.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if a few people can take the law into their hands this time, more can do so next time. If all sides don\u2019t understand that there are consequences of such behavior, there will never be a solution to the dispute. We have to stop this now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Martin nodded. \u201cYour reasons make sense, Captain, and I can\u2019t see that we have any other options. You\u2019ll have a formal request within the hour.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Governor. Ayers out.\u201d The screen went blank. Ayers looked at the faces of his other officers. \u201cIf any of you have any problems with this, speak up now.\u201d He waited; no one spoke. He turned to Reggio. \u201cHow about you?\u201d<\/p>\n

She sighed. \u201cIt\u2019s unethical, Captain. But I don\u2019t seen that we have any other alternatives. Unless you want to call in the Justice Bureau.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would be at least three days for more agents to be sent. In that time the situation could deteriorate. Either we act now, or we act later.\u201d Ayers looked at his chief of security. \u201cVelasquez, have the whole team assembled and ready.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe rest of you, you have your orders. Dismissed.\u201d<\/p>\n

E<\/strong><\/span>arly that afternoon Simmons observed a spike in signals eliminating from the Galbraith ranch. Less than an hour later Shan reported that all the members of the association were heading towards Galbraith\u2019s property. Ayers printed out a hard copy of Martin\u2019s intervention request, and when the association had gathered, he assembled his team to deal with the situation. He took personal charge of the force, which was comprised of his chief engineer, Simmons, Shan, Velasquez, and the ship\u2019s eight security officers. They teleported to a spot a short distance from the Galbraith ranch and marched to the main residence.<\/p>\n

Before they reached the home they met a group of armed hired hands, most Galbraith\u2019s employees. The leader tried to stop Ayers\u2019 officers from entering. Ayers drew his sidearm. \u201cAnyone who resists us will be guilty of engaging in rebellion against the Terran Federal Republic,\u201d he shouted.<\/p>\n

The hands glanced at one another. Their resolve melted in the face of Ayers\u2019 threat. One by one they dropped their weapons and raised their hands. Ayers had his chief engineer, aided by Simmons and Shan, take charge of the \u201cprisoners.\u201d He led Velasquez and the rest to the Galbraith home.<\/p>\n

Ayers was cagey enough that when he arrived at the front door, he tapped the door-alert keypad. But when Mrs. Galbraith opened the door, Ayers brushed her aside and marched in. \u201cWhere\u2019s the meeting?\u201d he demanded. She pointed to a closed door next to Galbraith\u2019s office. Ayers led his team into the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody move,\u201d he snapped as his officers circled the assembled stock owners sitting around a large wooden table. He strode next to Galbraith, who sat at one end of the table. \u201cThis nonsense ends now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d Galbraith said. \u201cYou can\u2019t barge in here…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yes I can.\u201d Ayers took Martin\u2019s \u201crequest\u201d out of a uniform jacket pocket. \u201cI have a request from the governor that we prevent an attack on his government.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s ridiculous!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it? What\u2019s the purpose of this meeting? Considering the armed guards, I\u2019d say that it isn\u2019t to discuss feed prices.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a right…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you don\u2019t.\u201d Ayers looked at the other owners. \u201cYou may think this request goes too far. But right now I don\u2019t give a damn about what might be \u2018too far.\u2019 I want to know who took part in the Korchmer hanging last night. Either you tell me, or I arrest all of you for attempting to overthrow the colonial government.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is outrageous,\u201d Galbraith said. \u201cThis goes against all that legal procedure you lectured me about last night, Captain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd hanging an innocent man doesn\u2019t?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThose horses were stampeding. They\u2019d been running for quite some distance, and they were shot well within Korchmer\u2019s property. In fact, they destroyed a pretty wide swath of wheat before he fired. If we\u2019d been allowed to continue investigating, we might have determined what spooked those horses. Someone in this room is guilty of murder, or knows who is. If I can\u2019t take the killers into custody, I\u2019ll arrest all of you. Speak now, and no one else has to lose their land or freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n

A younger man seated two places left of Galbraith stood up and pointed to an older man across from him. \u201cPacheco and his men did it, Captain. One of my hands saw them riding home from town.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ayers walked to the man, the one who had also lost the horses to Korchmer. \u201cWell?\u201d The man lowered his head. \u201cSpeak up, Mister Pacheco.\u201d The man turned his head away from Ayers. \u201cVelasquez, take this man out and read him his rights. Find out if any of his men are here. If so, arrest them; if not, teleport there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ayers looked at Galbraith. \u201cYour stonewalling will not be forgotten when the matter of land disputes comes back up.\u201d He glanced at the others. \u201cYou\u2019re all going to have to leap through quite a few hoops to prove that you can be trusted. Keep that in mind over the next days and weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

T<\/strong><\/span>he investigation into the death of the horses was completed later that day. Reggio found evidence that a native reptile had spooked the animals, causing them to stampede. The next day she returned to the work of sorting through the competing land claims. That evening she met with Ayers to inform him of her findings.<\/p>\n

She then asked a question. \u201cJason, are you worried about what the Admiralty will say about what you did yesterday?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot really,\u201d he replied. \u201cWe knew the request was bogus. That I didn\u2019t make that known to the stock owners is questionable, but in the end it didn\u2019t matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNina, are you familiar with the old phrase \u2018frontier justice?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means frontier settlers taking the law into their own hands, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExactly. That\u2019s just what happened here. I asked for the request so we could quickly escalate the situation. If we didn\u2019t, well, we might have found out who hanged Korchmer, but the damage would have been done. Pretty soon someone would have to come to maintain or restore order.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are living on a new frontier, but doesn\u2019t mean the old rules apply. There are authorities who can resolve problems. We can\u2019t just remind colonists that they aren\u2019t living in the \u2018Wild West.\u2019 Occasionally we have to compel them to remember. Otherwise, what\u2019s the point of having laws and authorities in the first place?\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A standard Western trope is the one where an outsider rides into town, fixes a problem, and rides off into obscurity. Captain Ayers fills the role admirably. — ed. N.E. Lilly<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":495,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3,5],"tags":[52,74],"media":[299],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1193,"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34\/revisions\/1193"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/495"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34"},{"taxonomy":"media","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.spacewesterns.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?post=34"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}