Free Shadow Space Chronicles 1: The Fallen Race by Kal Spriggs

place the intial orders, that's when I found out."
    "So, what are the odds this is random?" Lucius asked.
    "I wouldn't put any money on it," Nogita said.  "There just isn't any project going on that would require that much, not unless you were the one doing it."
    "So it's sabotage,"  Lucius felt something dark stir in his gut.
    Matthew couldn't meet his eyes, "I'm sure whoever's doing it thinks they're just making a bit of money--"
    Lucius felt a jolt pass down his spine.  "They're directly jeopardizing the same business that produces fighters to defend their planet.  I don't care who they are, they deserve a quick trial and a quicker execution," Lucius said.  He let out a calming breath, "Very well, so give me an overview of how bad this will be."
    "Very bad, boss." Nogita shook his head.  "It couldn't have come at a worse time.  I just signed a contract for six ships with Schultz Enterprises.  All six are large freighters, with fifty percent higher a profit margin than our other contracts and a huge bonus for early delivery."
    "And a huge penalty for late or non-delivery?" Lucius asked.
    "Well, yes, but we haven't had any problems before--"
    "Which is why they knew you wouldn't choke on it, especially with the bait of the early delivery bonus."  Lucius grunted, "We've been set up."
    Nogita didn't take more than a second to catch on, "Oh, crap.  They bought up all the palladium.  We default on the contract, they bring the whole thing into court."
    "How would the courts react?" Lucius asked.
    Nogita scowled, "If we got lucky, we'd keep a partial stock in the company and Schultz would 'oversee' our operations, after we built the ships at cost, of course."  He shook his head, "If it goes to a judge Schultz bought, then I'd end up in jail, Schultz would receive the whole company and all our assets."
    Lucius nodded, "So... what can we get done with the palladium on hand?"
    "That's the problem, the little bit I've got on hand is enough for one engine, we've got five other contracts, twelve ships total, all coming due in the next two months.  That's the early delivery date to Schultz, as well."
    Lucius stopped.  He stared out a window, not really seeing the factories or the river or even the shanty town that squatted in the boneyard.  "So we need palladium, and fast.  How about us doing the mining?"
    Nogita shook his head, "There's strict import laws.  Add in the time in getting that kind of thing set up, mining the right asteroid and accumulating more than trace elements of it... we just don't have time , boss."
    Lucius stood silent for a moment.  His eyes followed the course of a laundry line from the shanty town that extended to one of the hulked refugee ships.  Every time he tried to get anything working it seemed more and more like the human race seemed destined for the scrap yard, just like one of those ships.  In a few decades, the handful of survivors would be picking across the skeleton, looking for spare parts...
    Lucius' eyes widened, "Parts..."
    "Boss?"
    "Palladium is used on older ships too?"
    "Yeah boss.  Not as much as we need on one of these new ones, but some."
    "Go get Harbach, tell the professor we're going on a field trip."
    ***
     
    The trip took a bit more preparation than Lucius had hoped.  Even so, the next day, he arrived with a small Marine escort at one of the larger refugee ships.
    A scrawny boy escorted them into the dimly lit bowels of the old ship.  In a room that had once served as a ship's lounge, Lucius met with two dozen men and women.
    They were a mixed lot.  Lucius recognized the scraps of uniform that some of them wore as old merchant uniforms.  Others wore whatever civilian garb they could afford.  A couple looked decently fed.  None of them looked remotely prosperous.
    "Good morning," Lucius said, his gaze swept across them all.  "I'm Lucius Giovanni and I have a business deal for you."
    "That like the rent we're paying for our landing facilities?" one of the men