scuppernong - 5

25 November 2410 16:52 GMT, Stockholm at Earth

I went to see Nils Bortsikt, a sarge vigilant who worked civil enforcement around the college. I knew him from a blackmail job I'd figured out for the Globalist Party.

When I got to his nook he wasn't alone. Two other humen sat with him around a battered stainless steel table. They were eating herring and boiled potatoes with dill and drinking brannvin.

"Hey Nils," I said. "I'm integrating the book theft at the university for Karl Slott."

"Sit down, Go, have a drink, that's Karl Kretiensson and Kurt Quant."
They stared at me blearily. I knew them to nod at.

"Leet Larsson says you're interested in those libers at the school," said Bortsikt. Soujourn," he shouted, "Bring us another bottle! The lazy boon's probably asleep by the stove."

Nils Bortsikt carried a burner, a Husqvarn Paroxys. Husqvarn made fine weapons. A Paroxys could carbonize a steak on the moon. Kretiensson and Quant were in uniform.

A naked chimpanzee came in with another glass and a full flask of clear, pungent liquor. Nils poured all around.

"Hold it chigger, you forgot the last one," he yelled.

He tilted back the first bottle and guzzled it empty before tossing it in the direction of the chimp. It made a graceful left-handed catch and scuttled for the kitchen.

"The monks get dumber every day," Nils Bortsikt said, shaking his head.

"Nice rump though," said Karl. Or maybe Kurt. "Damn right," said the other one.

I tasted the brannvin. It was like drinking herbed gasoline.

"About Chimera Libra," I said. "My case load tells me the local leader is named Noir, Rio Noir. You know about that?"

"Sure I do," Nils said. "Noir's a damned nuisance, an agitator, vandalizes marketing, remixes courseware, everything in between. The university doesn't like that shit, and neither do I. Where do those planet farmers get the gall, coming back to the Civilized World and preaching freedom for the chigras? They can't survive free - hell, they're only animals. You ever see how the free ones live at New Berkeley?"

"So Noir is a trouble-maker. Has Chimera Libra ever engaged in violence for their cause?"

"Nah, nothing serious, we don't allow that, do we boys?" Nils winked at his other guests, who chuckled appreciatively. "A roasted limb or two lets the steam right out of 'em. There've been a few scuffles between the libers and the townies, but just knives and clubs, everybody as good as new a few weeks later."

"You think Noir took the book?"

"Crazy enough for it, I'd say. They just don't have property morals on the wild worlds. No sense of ownership, none at all. You ever seen a boon with property? It's what happens when you set the chiggers loose, degrades society." The sidekicks nodded solemnly.

"Know an address for Noir?"

"Better - I got a fold from last week, a place near Sture Plan, Noir was hauling firewood," said Nils. He opened it and pointed out the building. "It's some kind of speesh commune. I'd guess Noir nooks there."