“I’d forgotten that,” Chelan said.  “And now we get another period of disruption. No one is legally allowed to run a supply chain dependent on paths outside the Union, it being illegal, but with the new Republic laws we get to find out who has been skirting the rules.  The hard way.  The Elizavetsians, when they learn of this, will laugh themselves silly.”

“I’ll draft a polite thank-you note,” Broadhurst said, “With appropriate circumlocutions so anyone who hasn’t read his letter will not understand.”

“Also,” Victor said, “I am going to need a meeting with the Seldon Legion Senior Advisors, and separately with the Senate and Lords Defence Committee, no, start with some of their permanent staff. We are hardly the only place outside the Republic that might be introduced to Apprenticeship status, so there are common interests on which we might share ideas.”

“Will do,” Tara said. “Surely our diplomats on Mogado noticed what the Republic was doing?  Didn’t your friends in New Pueblo or Manchester mention this?”

“Not a word,” Chelan said.  He leaned back in his chair. “Of course, I am a private citizen, but the usual flock of newsbuzzards don’t seem to have picked up on this either.  I should make a few vidphone calls…no, I take it back.  There needs to be an indirect approach here, something that does not reveal that I had advance notice.”

Chelan tapped his intercom.  “Mrs Brixton, I need Elaine Bell, Sarah Yates, and Charles Smith in the Secure Meeting Room, as soon as possible. Tara and I will meet them there.”  Chelan told himself he was now going to have to eat crow.  He had proposed that a new completely secure meeting room was an unneeded expense, but the Audit Committee had insisted.

The new facility was in the Administration Building’s unused basement.  The basement’s walls and floor were heavy reinforced concrete supporting the equally massive reinforced concrete ceiling.  The conference room itself was a steel cube hanging from the ceiling by steel wires. It was undoubtedly, Chelan thought, resistant to most sorts of electronic spying technology.  Of course, he thought, someone would need to want to spy on him, and it was by no means obvious that anyone was that interested in Bulger Space Yards other than as an investor seeking inside information.

The security doors closed.  Chelan faced his senior staff.  “It appears we may be about to face an emergency.  While we will need to confirm my source,  it seems that the Stellar Republic is about to impose a de facto trade embargo on us.  Presumably they think they will drive us into their arms, though the possibility that we are facing a do-good operation that didn’t anticipate second-hand consequences cannot be overlooked.”  He had the full attention of his five companions.  “Without disclosing my source, which would appear to have no reason to fabricate the information, the Republic apparently plans…” He needed a few minutes to outline the challenge.  “…the question is, what are key needed steps so we stay in business and – to the limited extent we can make a difference  – the Union stays free?”

“I was going to say ‘is there a way to confirm this?’ – but I saw the answer,” Tara said.