Steven Gordon 3: The Modloch Empire (32 page)

‘
After all of that,
you will then be brought into the fold. A Human saying, if I am not
mistaken. Unfortunately this is just the beginning of the journey.
From that point on it is up to you to make friends. You will need
the approval of a two thirds majority to gain galactic citizenship
with all of its benefits.

‘
Until then you will
not be able to vote on anything. You cannot sell anything on the
restricted list. I am afraid that means your precious metals, ores,
minerals and gem stones will still be off the books. In an
emergency, the galactic federation may well ask you for some of
these resources. You don’t have to supply them. However, if you do,
then you will be paid at a price that has already been set. Anyone
caught dealing illegally will face the full wrath of the federation
and risk your bid being cancelled. Keep a tight reign on trade.
There are those who would lure your people into making rash
decisions. Most of these are agents for the federation trying to
catch you out. Personally, I would keep things as they are now.
Don’t allow large companies their own vessels. Restrict movement of
absolutely everything, and inspect everything leaving your
planet.

‘
As for your
military, you will have to supply a proportion of your battle
forces for integration into the galactic fleet. This will be in
direct proportion to the territory you hold. As you only hold one
planet your contribution will always be quite small. For the time
covering your bid, it will be even smaller. Probably a small battle
group. Most likely a battle cruiser and its destroyers, along with
the unit’s supply vessels.

‘
While any of your
forces are committed to the fleet, they will come under the orders
of the galactic federation. Their wages will be paid by the
galactic federation, as well as fuel and uniforms. In your case you
will have to supply your people with their own rations. Otherwise
they would have been fed by the federation as well. Any form of
dereliction of duty will reflect badly on your bid for citizenship.
Make sure your people know that. There are very few occasions where
you are allowed to question a commander’s orders. Make sure your
commanders are aware of them. If your commanders wish to refuse an
order then they must follow the proper protocol to the
letter.

‘
I spoke to Commander
Ne´ before he left. Ne´ is an Emperor as well as commander of the
fleet. He is also supporting your bid. I asked him what he would do
with your forces. He told me to begin with he would split them up
amongst the fleet. Your people will have to learn to work alongside
other races. Training officers will be provided. As the Modloch
race are your chief sponsors, the officers you will receive will be
Modloch. I will also give you a Chief Engineer for each of your
vessels and a small engineering staff.

After a year, Ne´ will reunite your
force and let them work together as a unit to see how they perform
and evaluate them. You will not be allowed to give orders, those
forces are under the direct control of the federation. If you wish
to withdraw them from the fleet, you must follow the proper
protocol, and have a damn good reason to do so.

The Emperor paused. ‘This is a lot to
take in, but I am sure you are already aware of most of it. Any
questions so far?’

The President spoke up. ‘We have spent
months setting up or departments on the guidelines of your
advisors. I believe we are ready. May I ask you how Ne´ can be an
Emperor and a commander of the fleet?’

‘
Ne´ is the best of
the best and always has been. We all knew from an early age that
Ne´ would one day command the great galactic fleet. It doesn’t
matter who you are or your position in life, if you are called to
serve the federation, then you have to serve. Ne´ had no choice
when he was called to serve. He handed the running of his planets
to his brother and reported for duty.’

‘
Could anyone be
called to serve?’

‘
It doesn’t quite
work like that Mr President. Ne´ had extensive military training
and a number of successful campaigns under his belt while he was a
junior officer. His father gave him command of their home fleet.
Ne´ quickly became bored and asked to be transferred to the
galactic fleet. His father obliged and the rest, as they say, is
history. He rose quickly through the ranks of the federation. When
his father became ill he resigned and became Emperor. A few years
later he was called back into service. Everyone knew it was going
to happen. Ne´ was more than happy to return to the fleet. He spoke
to you last night.’

‘
Yes, I think I know
which one you are talking about.’

‘
Make sure you find
out exactly who he is Mr President. He is extremely important
within the galactic federation.’

‘
Have no fear of that
sir, I will. I also wish to thank you on behalf of the people of
Earth for your assistance. We owe a debt of gratitude that we can
never truly repay.’

‘
You are already
repaying me Mr President. The grasses you sent to me are already
helping my Empire recover from a devastating civil war.’

‘
Still, it doesn’t
feel enough. Is there anything else we can do for you?’

‘
There is
actually.’

‘
Please...’ Prompted
the President.

‘
We do not have space
to grow any of the fruits and food that you have brought to us. You
are also going to have trouble keeping up with the demand once your
goods start to move. You have hydroponic ships in orbit now, and
more on the way. Within a few months you will have enough ships to
supply your fleet with most of the greens you need. I have been
told that there are other types of agricultural ships that you wish
to build. However, what I am interested in is a bio dome like the
one you built simulating the great African plains. The one you used
to kill the last of the Albany.’

‘
For grass?’ Asked
the President, a little puzzled.

The Emperor shook his great head. ‘Oh
no.’ He pressed a pad and a few seconds later two of his guards
appeared. One was carrying a bale of hay. It was wrapped in
plastic, and even had labels on it. The other was carrying a round
flat object. They put the bale down and the guard handed the round
object to his Emperor. They bowed low and left. The Emperor pointed
to the bale. ‘That is what it takes to feed the average soldier for
a single day. What I am holding in my hand is the results of some
experimentation I initiated. Using Human fruits, nuts and honey, I
can feed a soldier with just three of these a day.’ He handed it
over.

The King laughed. ‘I have never seen a
biscuit the size of a dinner plate before.’

He passed it on; after Steven had a
good look at it he handed it back to the Emperor. ‘Are you thinking
of logistics sir?’

The Emperor nodded. ‘Yes Captain
Gordon, that is exactly what I am thinking.’ He placed the biscuit
on the table. ‘I couldn’t feed my people on them indefinitely. They
aren’t filling. However, I could use them as combat rations or even
emergency rations. These biscuits, just one of them, have more
energy stored in them than a full bale of hay like that one over
there.

‘
It would give my
troops a huge logistical advantage over any enemy. We wouldn’t need
slow bulky freighters all the time. For example, an emergency task
force, being sent out on a rescue mission, wouldn’t need to wait
for a freighter full of rations, and then be restricted to its
slower speed. If every ship in my fleet had a few weeks’ worth of
these rations on board they could simply leave, right there and
then. No delays. Of course, they would also be able to travel at
their top speed. A freighter with normal rations could follow on
later with its own escort, hopefully meeting the task force on its
way home. Is this making sense?’

‘
Yes sir, I am sure
we all understand exactly what you are talking about.’ The
President assured him.

‘
I doubt very much if
you could supply me with everything I need to manufacture these.
Not in the quantity that I require. The easiest solution is a bio
dome.’

‘
Do you have a list
of what you need sir?’ The President asked.

The Emperor proudly produced a piece of
paper and handed it over. The President couldn’t help but smile at
the scrawl. It was more like a child’s than an adult. He could see
a lot of effort had gone into it. ‘This is out of my comfort zone.’
Admitted the President.

The King reached for the note and read
it. ‘Most of this is fairly simple. There are plenty commercial
growers. We have walnut trees in the UK, and no doubt there are
plenty in the USA. The other fruits here are also readily
available. I can only foresee one major problem.’ He handed it to
Steven. ‘Can you spot it?’

Steven took the note and scanned it.
‘Yes sir, the bees.’

The Emperor frowned. ‘What is a bees? I
didn’t ask for a bees.’

‘
Bees aren’t a tree
or a fruit sir, they are an insect.’

‘
You can’t take any
insects from your planet to here.’

‘
Exactly, and that is
the problem. You asked for honey.’

‘
Isn’t that a
fruit?’

‘
No, it is a
by-product from an insect called a bee. The bees produce the
honey.’

It took a moment for the information to
sink in. ‘Poop... you mean I have been eating insect poop!’

The Emperor looked as though he was
about to lose it. Steven and the President didn’t really know how
to answer but the King laughed out loud. ‘Don’t panic, Darrick old
chap, you haven’t been eating insect poop. Honey doesn’t go through
the bee’s digestive tract. A bee collects nectar from flowers and
carries it back to the hive in a pouch, almost like a second
stomach. An enzyme converts the nectar into a golden liquid which
they place in a honeycomb. When the honeycomb is full they seal it
with a wax. It is their winter food.’

The Emperor seemed to still be in
shock. ‘So it isn’t poop?’

‘
No, it isn’t
poop.’

He had to think it over for a moment.
‘Captain Gordon, you are responsible for building all your planet’s
ships, yes?’

‘
That’s right
sir.’

‘
The bio dome that
your people constructed too?’

‘
Yes sir.’

‘
Were they built to
galactic specifications?’

‘
Yes sir.’

‘
So any insect or
parasite detected by the on-board systems would be
eradicated?’

‘
That is correct
sir.’

‘
Your bees would not
make it on board a bio dome alive.’

‘
We have never tried
sir. It was our one worry with the African plains simulation – we
were sure the Albany would notice the absence of insect life and
realise that it was actually a bio dome.’

The Emperor shook his head. ‘There are
very few insects on our civilized planets. Most were eradicated
centuries ago. It would have seemed perfectly normal to them.’

‘
That is what your
Chief Engineer told us sir. What size of bio domes were you
thinking of?’

‘
You will have to
talk to my scientists. They will tell you how much we need for our
forces. Maybe you could supply this honey from your home world.
Would it be expensive?’

‘
I have no
idea.’

The King coughed politely. ‘Honey is
already expensive at home. There isn’t a worldwide shortage yet,
however environmental factors over the past few decades have led to
a shortage of honey bees. Pesticides and natural parasites have
killed them off in their millions.’ He looked to Steven. ‘I wonder
if you could program a ship to recognise them as sentient beings?
The bees really need a break. The ships could kill any parasites
and, of course, there would be no need for insecticides.’

‘
You mean it could
act as a conservation program for the bees sir?’

‘
Yes, you could start
by building one for the Earth. We could maybe tanker the honey
straight out of the ship if it is designed properly. If it is a
success then we could build one for the Emperor, seed a new ship.
Until we reach that stage we could fill tankers and ship them here
to the Emperor. We could start a whole new conservation project.
Rescue different species, harvest some of the more aggressive
ones.’

‘
Aggressive insects?’
The Emperor inquired curiously.

‘
Oh yes!’ The King
exclaimed. ‘They can be devilishly aggressive, especially when you
harvest the honey. Some species are more aggressive than others. I
have been stung a number of times. It is highly
unpleasant.’

‘
What do you mean by
stung?’

‘
Bees have a
defensive mechanism called a stinger. They can inject poison into
an attacker. It feels like fire flowing through your veins. Very
painful and unpleasant.’

‘
Can it kill
you?’

‘
If you are allergic,
a bee sting can be fatal. Otherwise you have to be stung many times
before it will kill you. I have always thought that beekeepers are
a special breed of men.’

‘
Beekeepers!’

The King hesitated. ‘Yes... People who
dedicate their lives to bees and the collection of honey.’

‘
Maybe you should
find me a documentary on them.’

‘
That would probably
save a lot of time. In the meantime it is up to Captain
Gordon.’