Steven Gordon 3: The Modloch Empire (20 page)

‘
This is a book
worthy of a Modloch Emperor.’

Lady Jane scowled, ‘It is my most
treasure position sire.’

The Emperor’s eyes glanced up briefly,
‘I understand Lady Jane. I shall not harm it nor try to procure it
from you.’

Her head bowed a little in acceptance
of his word.

He tentatively opened the cover and was
soon immersed in the delights of the book. By the time he had
turned the last page the King had arrived and sat down to watch
with a puzzled frown on his head. The Emperor picked it up and felt
the weight in his hands. It felt very satisfying. He laid it down
with a sigh.

‘
Lady Jane, I am very
envious of you.’

‘
As I have said sire,
it is my most treasured possession.’

‘
Why? It is only a
book?’ The King asked.

‘
You truly have no
idea what you have here do you?’ The Emperor asked him.

‘
Obviously not. I
don’t believe the Earth’s solar system is that remarkable compared
to many others, so it must be something else.’

‘
You are right it is
something else. It is the book itself. If this was printed in the
Modloch language you could almost name your own price. As it
stands, it is still worth probably over a hundred thousand in any
local currency.’

The King’s eye’s widened in shock,
‘Why?’

‘
In this part of the
galaxy we stopped using paper over a thousand years ago. A framed
blank piece of paper can go for hundreds. Something of this quality
is considered precious. You will only find something like this in a
museum or in a private collection. One of my ancestors had quite an
extensive collection. After a tragic fire the remains were sent to
a museum. Anything like this is kept in a vacuum. No one is allowed
to touch them.’

The King shook his head, ‘That is
astounding.’

The Emperor leaned forward, ‘We have
desperately been seeking a commodity that the Earth has plenty of
but which isn’t banned by intergalactic treaties.’ He tapped the
book, ‘This is it my friend.’

‘
I am struggling to
understand sire,’ Lady Jane interjected. ‘You have trees, don’t
you? Why not just make paper?’

‘
A good question. Our
whole ecosystem is micro managed. The few trees we do have are
genetically altered to produce oxygen. They are owned by their
respective governments and it is a serious offence to damage or
remove one. To be truthful they are not suited for making paper.
The plants and trees that paper was once made from were removed and
became extinct a very long time ago. This is a simple truth across
the galaxy.’ He turned his attention back to the King, ‘Do you
understand fully what I am trying to tell you?’

‘
I most certainly
do.’ The King stood, ‘I had better make this information available
to our President; I will contact him directly. This will need to be
managed carefully and in a proper manner. If there is any way I can
repay you for this information...’

‘
Oh, I can think of a
number of ways. We will discuss it later.’

The two laughed and Lady Jane retreated
with her book cradled protectively in her arms.

When the President heard the same
information from two different sources within hours of each other
he swung into action. He called for a meeting of his top men; it
didn’t take them long to come to a decision. Priority messages were
sent to Earth and the race was on. The President wanted the same
encyclopaedia Lady Jane had, typeset in the various languages of
the diplomats that would be coming to the big function. As yet
there were still too few acceptances for the function to go ahead,
but since the discovery of Human music numbers had slowly began to
increase.

CHAPTER 26

Charlie sat and chewed on his piece of
omelette. His eyes were locked on to Komoru’s, who fought with a
huge pillow. Her head eventually managed to appear fully as she
pushed down the edge of the pillow with her chin. Her eyes gleamed.
Charlie’s eyes lifted and the huge Lewis who stood at her back
nodded. Charlie returned the nod before returning his attention to
Komoru.

‘
Evening
Komoru.’

‘
Good evening
Charlie. That looks good.’

‘
It’s lovely, only
Cookie can make a grand meal out of powdered eggs.’

‘
That is true. I wish
he were on my ship.’

Charlie laid his fork and knife down,
splaying them open. ‘How can I be of assistance?’

‘
I just wanted to
thank you.’

‘
What
for?’

‘
For what you did for
Steven.’

Charlie frowned; it had been a week
since their little discussion and he had kept out of Steven’s way
since. ‘I don’t understand.’

‘
Steven finished his
papers. The ones he started so many years ago. We got word today
that they were accepted due to the circumstances of his accident
and injuries.’

‘
What has that got to
do with me?’

‘
I have tried to get
him to finish that paper a hundred times. You talk to him once and
it is done. How did you do it?’

Charlie thought it over, ‘Some may call
it a reality check, others might call it a royal arse kicking. Take
your pick.’

She tilted her head slightly, ‘You have
my admiration. I could not do it.’

‘
You are only a
genius Komoru. I am a fully-fledged drill instructor of a Scottish
infantry regiment. I am afraid that, in the world of motivation,
you are well and truly outclassed.’

Her tinkling laugh marched up and down
his spine, making him feel uncomfortable, ‘So it would seem. I did
not like you at first. Despite your friendship with Steven, I did
not think you were suitable to be a member of these crews. You have
since proved me wrong. The reason I am apologising is because you
will know how I felt about you.’

Charlie shrugged, ‘I did not hold that
against you Komoru. Even in the army, a man needs time to find his
proper place, a little time to prove his worth.’

‘
I can see that now.’
She stood and dragged the pillow round to his side of the table.
‘This is the first thing ever purchased by a Human from this part
of the Galaxy. I got two. I think it only fitting that you take one
of them.’

Charlie eyed the pillow with great
suspicion, ‘I have no need for it Komoru.’

‘
I am not offering it
to you Charlie, it is a gift, and it would be very rude of you to
refuse.’

Reluctantly Charlie reached out and
took possession of it, ‘In that case, thank you very much.’

She clapped her hands, ‘Wonderful. I
will leave you to your meal. Oh! Before I forget. You are invited
down to Mya’s at the weekend. Babes knows the coordinates. Before
you refuse, she has a real bath with hot running water.’

‘
A real bath.
Wow!’

She almost skipped away. Lewis grinned
at Charlie and Charlie smiled back. He shook his head at the pillow
and discovered his meal had grown cold. Cookie met him at the
counter.

‘
What’s up
Charlie?’

‘
It’s gone cold
Cookie, can you nuke it for me?’

‘
Nae bother.’ Cookie
stuck it in the microwave and came back. ‘Hope yer no casting that
wayward eye of yours at Komoru, Charlie.’

Charlie scowled, ‘I have never crossed
that line Charlie.’

Cookie looked doubtful, ‘Really? I know
your reputation.’

‘
Aye, a reputation
invented by arseholes like you.’

Cookie laughed, ‘A reputation well
deserved.’

‘
It’s not Cookie.
Seriously, I have never stabbed a mate in the back, ever. Never
will either. I have never even been out with a mate’s ex, let alone
a lassie he was going out with.’

‘
Aye well, I still
don’t trust ye.’

‘
Fuck
you.’

Cookie handed back the heated food
laughing.

Charlie finished his meal. He ignored
the funny looks on his way back to his quarters with the giant
pillow. He tossed it onto his bunk and jumped on top of it. ‘Holy
shit!’ he exclaimed as he sank onto it. He allowed himself a smile.
It was nice to feel a little more accepted.

CHAPTER 27

The huge teardrop-shaped ship blocked
out the planet below for a few minutes. Steven’s heart raced. As
the first ship slid alongside to dock another appeared. It slid
alongside the first. Komoru appeared; she too was nervous. She was
docked on the opposite side from the two goliaths. They walked hand
in hand to the airlock. The roof above them had been raised
considerably to accommodate their visitors. For two days Babes had
been busily reconfiguring a part of the ship to act as a reception
area for their guests. She and Ico were both anxious over the
visit.

An honour guard without weapons was
waiting.

They had to wait almost ten minutes for
the airlock to open. In the doorway stood the two captains, behind
them a half dozen crew members. It was the first meeting between
Humans and the people who built these ships.

Lady Jane stood at the end and watched
like a hawk. She had come back aboard to observe proper protocol
was maintained.

Steven stepped forward and bowed, ‘I am
Captain Steven Gordon.’

Komoru stepped forward and bowed ‘I am
Captain Komoru Kaizu, Steven’s mate.’

The return bow was less respectful. ‘I
am ambassador Moranichetth and this is my mate Patriciallahetth.
When we heard there was some of our ships in the Empire with
disgusting meat-eaters on board our government sent us to
investigate. You will return these ships to us immediately. We have
the equipment on board to remove all of the nanites from your
bodies. These ships shall return home and be decommissioned. If you
refuse then our ships will simply order yours to deconstruct with
you aboard. They are much more powerful than yours. Your crew will
perish in the process.’

‘
Then that is what
you will have to do ambassador. Good day.’ Steven answered
curtly.

‘
We will give you a
few hours for consideration.’

‘
No need ambassador.
My decision is final.’ The ambassador turned away. ‘Before you go
you may want to take these with you.’ Steven nodded and some of the
crew produced the cylinders that held the essence of the previous
crew and those of the crews that had died on the black planet. The
ambassador gave a silent command and members of his crew stepped
forward to receive the cylinders. They retreated and the airlock
doors closed.

Steven slumped against the wall for a
moment before finding Charlie, who was alone in a room nearby.
‘Charlie, are you sure about this? I can’t hear Babes anymore.’

‘
Positive. They are
bluffing. Babes says they are using a jamming signal but they can’t
order her to self-destruct in the manner they have stipulated. In
fact not in any matter at all.’

‘
You can still hear
her?’

‘
Her and
Ico.’

‘
Is he OK?’ Komoru
asked.

‘
Worried you will do
something rash. That’s all. You had better get back to the crews,
they are getting nervous now. It’s a test Stevie. If you so much as
try to raise your shields then you will have failed it. They will
not kill us themselves, but they are not beyond putting a bounty on
our heads. You really, really need to trust me on this.’

Steven clapped him on the shoulder. ‘I
do Charlie.’

The Captains returned to their ships.
When Steven arrived on the bridge it was to find everyone at their
action stations. ‘Listen to me everyone and listen very carefully.
The Builders will not take a life. They would not deconstruct the
ship from under our feet. This is a test. If we so much as raise
our shields we will have lost. Under no circumstances is anyone to
take any offensive action.’

‘
Are you sure sir?’
Howe asked.

‘
I am
positive.’

‘
None of us can hear
the ship.’

‘
I am aware of that
Colonel. The ships are fine. Our communications are being disrupted
by the ambassadorial ships through the umbilical that they used to
dock.’

‘
Then may I suggest
that we undock sir?’

‘
No Colonel.’ Steven
looked him straight in the eye. ‘May I have a quick word with
you?’

‘
Yes sir.’

Howe followed him out into the
corridor. ‘Colonel, do you trust me or do I have lock down your
terminal? I will if you force me to.’

Howe smiled, ‘No sir. In fact I have a
project that I could be going on with. I will lock it down
myself.’

‘
Thank you, I
appreciate your trust.’

Howe went in and locked down his
terminal; then dragged Beaver away. With the two of them gone the
crew began to relax a little. Some went to the canteen and others
began to go about their normal routine. Buzz and Steven stayed at
their posts. Charlie entered the bridge and sat at the other side
of Steven. He kept his voice low. ‘I just came from Ico. Komoru has
everything locked down. Our communications with the fleet have not
been affected and they are expecting you to call for help.’

‘
If we do?’ Steven
asked, already knowing the answer.

‘
Same deal, they are
gone and we are in the shit with the Builder race. Ten minutes
before the time is up they will try to frighten the crews into
making a mistake.’