We all knew that the security business was fiercely competitive and saturated, with different tiers.
Small companies had to escort interstellar cargo ships on trading runs and risk their lives against vicious, reckless pirates who had little to offer. Or they had to accompany archaeological teams or pioneers into perilous ruins and wild planets, where they might have to face bizarre, snarling beasts. And there was never any shortage of unlucky souls who got targeted by strange alien species and died horribly.
Then there were the mega security firms, which had close working relationships with major corporations and even governments.
White Wing Angro and Deepwater, the company mentioned earlier, were both long-established security firms with longstanding ties to the Commonwealth's political establishment and even its military.
Lilia swirled her glass. "We've sent a warning back home. But I'm not counting on Earth to do anything sensible. Deepwater is a major multinational corporation, after all. Its ownership structure is far too complicated."
"With any multinational corporation like that, trace the ownership far enough and you'll find ties to the Alliance and the Empire. The dignitaries on Earth don't have the patience for that, much less the resolve." Yu Lian considered it. "Still, we could use this as an opportunity to get those dignitaries to pass some legislation. Government officials can hire private security, but they shouldn't be allowed to bring them into military installations as aides."
Lilia set down her glass and opened her terminal. "Understood. I'll notify Mr. Bai and Jessica back on Earth, and have the Pioneer Party representatives bring it up in Congress... Wait, when did I become your secretary?"
"Doesn't it make you look well-trained and efficient?" Yu Lian smiled.
Lilia snorted, continuing to take notes as she spoke. "After that incident, I placed all the vice