The Weapon - Apocalypse - part 6
By Diana the Valkyrie
Intimidation



Wendy.bodyemulation:

Stand up, hover several inches above floor. Put Matty on table, hold Rosetta
in arms.

Wendy.self:

"Gentlemen, let me explain what Pretty Flamingo does. The money we earn by me
carrying half million ton ships around the world, is spent on caring for
babies who would otherwise die of neglect. Now, I'm not asking you to make a
charitable donation here, but I am telling you that if you insist on our
paying you compensation for the error that your instrumentation is making,
then thousands of babies will die as a result. And I'm explaining this, so
that you will understand how I feel about this. It isn't just about money."

"This WILL NOT happen."

"I don't know if you've thought through the consequences of getting the
Defender of Humanity really angry. And I certainly can't predict what might
happen when I get really angry, that's never happened before. But I do suggest
that you think very carefully before you continue with an action that will
lead me to regard you as mass murderers of my babies."

Wendy.bodyemulation:

Pick up Matty. Stand very still and silent, staring them full in the face,
frowning, holding both babies. Wait for response.

Wendy.telecoms:

"Duncan, I just made a vague unspecified threat. They look rattled. What
happened to Oriental Inscrutability?" "It never existed." "OK, I'm hovering,
looking down at them, frowning at them, cuddling the babies. They're talking
among themselves." "Wendy, I don't know how you think you can be scary while
you're holding two babies. I don't suppose you know what they're saying, do
you?" "That shows how much you know, honey. There is nothing more deadly than
a mother protecting her young." "The female of the species is more deadly than
the male." "You got it. And yes, I can hear what they're saying, I'm guessing
they don't think I can understand Japanese." "I was guessing that too." "Well,
you're wrong, I have a translation program I can access, it isn't perfect, but
it gives me the gist of it." "And the gist is?" "One says I'm bluffing, the
other two say we should compromise." "Intervene, Wendy. Discourage the one
that says your bluffing. Raise the stakes."

Wendy.bodyemulation:

Move round to stand behind intransigent one.

Wendy.self:

"So, you think I'm bluffing, do you? You should listen to your colleagues.
Turn and face me when I'm talking to you! There, that's better. Now, let me
explain again. I'm a mother. I have babies, a lot of babies. You are
threatening my babies. Do you know what any mother would do when her babies
are threatened? Do you know any mother who wouldn't kill to protect her
babies? So, do you still think I'm bluffing?"

"Let me propose a solution. I will deliver fifty thousand tons of light West
Texas crude within 24 hours, you will sign the acceptance documentation,
no-one gets hurt, no-one gets killed, no-one destroys your entire refinery
worth billions of dollars, together with all your shipping, road tankers and
distribution infrastructure while she is in a state of white-hot righteous
anger over dead babies. Does that sound good to you?"

Wendy.telecoms:

"Duncan, they agreed to sign off, all I have to do is deliver 50,000 tons of
oil within 24 hours." "You agreed to that?" "Yes, it seems like a compromise
we can all live with." "Wendy, that isn't a compromise, that's a surrender.
They get an extra 50,000 tons of oil, we go broke, and by the way, how to you 
propose to transport it in 24 hours, and where will we find the money to buy 
it?" "Uh, I thought I'd just make it."

"Make it?"

"Sure. It's just hydrocarbons, you know? Hydrogen and carbon, in chains of
atoms of various lengths, I can get hydrogen from the water, and there's
always plenty of carbon dioxide in the air." "Yes, but you'll need energy to
split the molecules, more energy to synthesise the oil ... oh." "Duncan,
energy isn't a problem, you know that. I can get 50% mass conversion by
dropping stuff into one of the black holes. I'll make the hydrocarbons, add
the impurities you get in West Texas, they'll never know it didn't come out of
the ground." "So where will you tell them it came from?" "Ah. Well. They think
we're missing 50,000 tons, I'll tell them it's that 50,000 and I found it in a
corner of the ship." "But they'll know it's a lie, they unloaded the full
amount." "But they can't admit that." "Uh."

"Wendy, you're a wicked evil devious conniving Weapon and I love you, go for
it!"

. . .