Remnants: Broken Galaxy Book Five

by Phil Huddleston

  “People of Earth. My name is Jim Carter. I am the moderator for today’s meeting.

  “As you have probably heard, the Goblins have found a planet eight hundred light years from here which is remarkably like Earth. For the purposes of this discussion, I’m going to call that planet Phoenix - because it will represent the re-birth of Humanity. You can always rename it when you get there, if you wish.

  “Now - the atmosphere and climate of Phoenix are suitable; Humans can live there. It’ll be primitive at first; you’ll be living better than the pioneers of old, but not by much. It will be a challenge; but those who go will most likely survive. For those who decide to go there, the Goblins have agreed to begin transport starting Monday next.”

  A murmur ran through the crowd. Jim saw some people smiling, congratulating each other, happy. Others were more sullen, standing silently, glaring at Jim.

  I guess you can’t satisfy all of the people all of the time.

  “You will also have to share this planet, at least temporarily, with other survivors. As you may know, the Goblins also rescued a small number of Dariama, Taegu, and Bagrami from their destroyed planets. At the moment, Phoenix is the only place these survivors can go. They will be placed on the opposite side of the planet from our Human colony. However, as soon as the Goblins can identify another planet that is suitable for them, they will be moved, so please understand this is a temporary solution.”

  “What about the Ashkelon and the Nidarians?” came a shout from the audience.

  “The Goblins recognize that because of our recent war with the Ashkelon and the Nidarians, it wouldn’t be a good idea for us to share a planet. So they’ve identified another planet, several hundred lights from Phoenix, which is suited to them. The Ashkelon and Nidarian survivors will be taken there.”

  A quiet fell over the audience as people contemplated what Jim had told them. Waiting a bit, he continued.

  “This evening at seven PM here in the Amphitheater, there will be a meeting to begin planning for transport to the new planet. If you want to consider this option for your future, please plan to have a representative at the meeting tonight.”

  “Now…there are a couple of other options for you,” Jim continued. “A group of us have decided to fight the Stree. We’ll be staying here, working with the Goblins to take the fight to the enemy. Any of you who decide to join us will be welcomed. However, let me warn you; the odds are against us.

  “The Goblins believe the Stree outnumber us considerably. It will be a fight like no other in history. The Goblins are masters of AI; the Stree have the numbers.

  “If you join us in this fight, the first option will be to continue as a Human, fighting in spaceships or on the ground, as the need arises. You’ll be subject to normal military discipline and training. You’ll have to follow orders - and that includes the orders of a Goblin, if they are in your chain of command. Make no mistake about that aspect of the command structure. We will be a separate Human detachment, but we will be subject to orders of the Goblin leadership, just like any other unit. Anyone who can’t accept that should get on the transport ships and go to Phoenix.”

  Another mutter ran through the crowd as people began to discuss the option. Jim gave them a few seconds to absorb his words, then dropped the last bombshell.

  “There is one other option.”

  He waited as silence slowly settled over the crowd. When it was quiet, he continued.

  “There is a way for a small number of Humans to fight the Stree with more effectiveness. A way to fight them with the greater effectiveness of a Goblin. It is possible to convert a Human into a Goblin.”

  For a few seconds, there was silence. Then there was an eruption of noise. People shouted, yelled at each other, yelled questions at Jim, a cacophony of voices that prevented any further communication. Jim waited patiently for the crowd to settle down, turning to glance at Rita, who was standing behind him with a wry smile.

  Finally the crowd began to calm, although there were still pockets of loud argument in places. Jim held out his hands in a downward gesture, trying to get the group quiet enough for him to speak.

  “Please calm down, everyone. Please listen. Please let me speak.”

  Eventually the crowd settled down enough for Jim to continue. He gazed across the crowd, trying to formulate the right words.

  “I realize this is a difficult concept to wrap your head around. I understand that most of you will not consider it, and that’s fine.

  “But for those who want to fight the Stree, this is the most effective way to do it. For anyone who wants to get back our own at the bastards who killed our planet, give this at least a moment of consideration.

  “Now, some of you may already be aware of this, but my wife - Rita Page, who is standing behind me right now - “

  Jim gestured to Rita behind him. She had reluctantly consented to put on her full Admiral’s uniform for the occasion, in hopes it would set the right tone. Now she stepped forward to give the crowd a better view.

  “…my wife Rita has already undergone this transformation. She states it is completely painless. It required only a few days of training and adjustment to be fully functional in her new body. And her new abilities are incredible. She is three times stronger. She can see farther, hear better, can communicate with the Goblins in their native language. She can translate herself into a new body at will, even into a spaceship body if necessary. If her current body is damaged, she can switch to a new one and continue on her way.

  “So - tomorrow at ten AM we’ll have a separate meeting for those interested in either of these last two options - either fighting the Stree as Humans or fighting them as Goblins. It will be held here in the Amphitheater. Rita and I will answer all your questions then. I hope to see some of you there. And don’t forget about the meeting tonight at 7 PM to talk about transport to Phoenix.”

  With that, Jim turned and ended the meeting. As the team left the stage, they heard loud conversations. Several arguments broke out behind them, loud voices shouting at each other.

  “I hope they don’t start fighting each other right here,” said Bonnie.

  “You know Humans,” said Jim. “They can always find something to fight about.”

  “Have you thought about a government for Phoenix?” asked Tika. “You need some kind of structure in place when these people arrive. Otherwise, it’ll be mass chaos.”

  “Yes,” Jim agreed. “We’ve discussed it among ourselves. We have a proposal to make at the Phoenix meeting tonight.”

  Chapter Ten

  Stalingrad System

  Dyson Ring

  That same evening, the seven PM meeting on the move to Phoenix was packed. Mark Rodgers stood on the small stage at the front of the room, assessing the crowd. Glancing back at Gillian standing directly behind him, he smiled.

  “Are you sure you want to go through with this?” he asked.

  Gillian nodded. “Absolutely.”

  “OK, then,” Mark said. He turned back to the crowd.

  “Folks, if I could have your attention, please,” he called. The speakers on the side of the Amphitheater boomed out his voice. The crowd began to settle. Mark gave them a few seconds, then repeated his request. After another ten seconds, it was quiet enough for him to proceed.

  “The purpose of this meeting is to inform you about the transport to Phoenix and what you can expect to find there when you arrive. My name is Mark Rodgers. I am a former General in the U.S. Army. I retired a little over three years ago after a thirty-year career in Army Intelligence. I was asked by Jim Carter to conduct this meeting. I will be assisted by my wife, Gillian Rodgers.

  “Phoenix is a bit over eight hundred lights from us here at Stalingrad. The Goblins have agreed to allocate seven large transport ships to us for moving people and equipment to Phoenix. One of those ships has already been dispatched back to Earth to salvage some heavy equipment for us. Things like a couple of large turbines that can be used to generate elect
ricity from rivers, a half-dozen wind turbines to get us started in wind energy, a couple of thousand solar panels, some construction equipment, that kind of thing. That ship will bring the items salvaged directly back to Phoenix and meet us there.”

  A hand raised in the front row of the audience. Mark paused and pointed.

  “Yes? Oh, and please state your name for the record.”

  “Rick Moore. Why couldn’t the Goblins make that equipment for us?” asked a young man, his tattered clothes almost falling off him. He looked like he had been through a lot; but he also looked like he was game for more.

  Mark smiled. He made a note of the young man’s name. The young man had asked a smart question, going straight to the point. There would be a place for tough, smart people on Phoenix.

  “They could. They offered to do it for us. But we felt they should use their resources to prepare to battle the Stree. Also, although it may be a little harder on us to install the equipment and make it work, we’ll understand the details of it. We’ll know how it was put into operation and we’ll be able to repair it when it breaks.”

  The young man nodded and settled back into his seat.

  “Now. The other six Goblin ships will start shuttling passengers to Phoenix. One ship will depart every seven days. That will continue until everyone is transported to Phoenix that wishes to go there.

  “Each ship can transport three thousand people. I’m not saying it will be comfortable, but it will be tolerable. Families will be kept together; we’ll make special accommodations for pregnant women and mothers with small children. My wife Gillian will talk about that in a few minutes.

  “The first ship will carry only young, healthy people who have no children, along with a team of Goblin volunteers to assist them. The Goblin volunteers will teach this first group how to manage the microbots that will perform the construction.

  “That first group of three thousand people will use those microbots to establish housing, in the form of apartment blocks, for themselves and the next group to arrive. By that, I mean that first group will construct housing for a total of six thousand people. They’ll also start building a water treatment plant. When the next ship arrives, the next group of three thousand will extend the process, getting trained on the microbots and using them to build housing for another three thousand people. This process will continue until everyone is transported and has food, water, and shelter.”

  Another hand went up in the audience. Mark pointed to a young woman in the third row. Her hair was a short fuzz, an indicator of recent recovery from radiation sickness. She wore a well-worn and somewhat blood-stained USMC flight suit. She stood to ask her question.

  “Zoe DeLong. Who’s going to be in charge of this operation?”

  “An excellent question. Obviously, there has to be some kind of management or government in place to get all this done. We’re going to talk about that in a few minutes, so if you’ll hold off just a bit longer, we’ll get to it after I finish talking about transport.”

  The young woman nodded, satisfied, and sat back down.

  “Now. There are photosynthetic native plants on Phoenix which are remarkably like those of Earth. That’s why it has an oxygen atmosphere. But otherwise, it’s just a bare planet. There don’t appear to be any native land animals. There may be some sea life, but we haven’t determined that yet. There’s nothing we’ve identified that could be used as a food crop. So this is going to be a real challenge. But we can do it - if we put our minds to it. The atmosphere and the climate work in our favor.

  “Our biggest challenge after water and shelter is getting crops established for food, and pasture prepared for livestock. Before we can do that, we have to prepare the soil. The Goblins have been kind enough to send a crew ahead. That crew is already on Phoenix, putting down microbots to mulch thirty square miles of flat land to make it suitable for farming and pasture. The microbots will put down Earth biota, the nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and earthworms and such that we’ll need to make Earth grass and crops work properly. And to anticipate your question, the Goblins have had Earth-based plants in this park for twenty thousand years, so they already had the biota they needed.

  “I want to make something perfectly clear right now, before we go any farther. There will be no place on Phoenix for the lazy. If you are not willing to work - whether it be farming, or building shelter, or doing any of the other hundred things that have to be done - then you won’t eat. That is a promise I make to you now. You will work, or you won’t eat.”

  Mark paused for a moment, surveying the crowd. They were quiet, considering his words. He turned to Gillian and she came up to the front of the stage.

  “My wife Gillian will now lead a presentation regarding the government of the new colony on Phoenix.”

  Gillian smiled at the crowd and began to speak.

  “One last word on transport before I move to the government discussion. Beginning with the third transport, there will be accommodations for pregnant women and mothers with children under four years of age. I just wanted to throw that out there, so you don’t worry too much about it. Once we’re assured there’s food, water, and shelter in place for you, we’ll get you there as quickly and safely as possible.

  “Now. About government. Without government in place, the strong simply take what they want, leaving the weak with little or nothing. Regrettably, that seems to be the way of the Human animal. I’m sure it would be the same on Phoenix if we left things to evolve on their own. Therefore, we’re not going to do that. We’re going to put a strong government in place from day one.

  “The government will be made up of a council and a governor. The council will be made up of people who have the expertise and experience to lead the colony. They will develop the rules of operation for Phoenix. The governor, however, will have veto power over council decisions if they are not in the best interests of the colony.”

  Gillian paused and waited for her words to be absorbed by the crowd. Generally, she thought the concept had been well-received. For the most part, people were nodding approval. There were pockets of argument and some loud voices raised, but at least no fights broke out.

  Far in the back, someone yelled out. “Who’s going to be on the council?”

  Gillian nodded an acknowledgment. “We’re going to have an initial council of nine members. That initial group will elect a governor from among themselves. The governor who is elected will then appoint his replacement, so that we still have a council made up of nine members.

  “You’ll note there are six apartment blocks surrounding this park. Each apartment block will elect one council member. Nominations for these positions will be open for the next twenty-four hours. Each apartment block can nominate three persons. Three and only three persons, people. Please understand the rules. Immediately after this meeting, each apartment block will have a separate meeting to discuss and nominate candidates.

  “However, each candidate nominated will have to be vetted by us - the people you see in front of you right now. The reason for that is simple - to prevent unqualified people from being elected, and to prevent cliques or gangs from controlling the process.

  “Once the slate of candidates is approved, we’ll vote on Saturday, three days from now. I know it’s short notice, but these are dangerous times. We have to get things moving as quickly as possible if we are to survive.”

  “What about the other three members of the Council?” someone yelled from the crowd.

  “The people you see before you on this stage invested a lot in your rescue; it was not easy finding you and bringing you here for a chance at a new life. We have no intention of letting the train jump the tracks now. Therefore, the last three members of the Council will be myself, my husband Mark Rodgers, and Admiral Tatiana Powell from Deriko.

  “We aren’t doing this for personal gain or glory. I’ll tell you, this is the last thing I want to be doing right now. I would much prefer to sit back and let others take the lead. But the fact re
mains we have the background, experience, and training to do the job, and we have a moral and ethical responsibility to ensure that Phoenix starts off on the right foot. So we intend to do what is necessary to make it successful.

  “This I promise you; as soon as things are stable on Phoenix, and a few natural leaders rise to the surface, I’ll be the first to resign my position on the Council. I have other things to do with my life and I’m eager to get on with them. But until that day happens, I intend to do my duty to keep you safe. That’s my promise to you.”

  Two separate rumbles moved through the crowd. One was a rumble of approval. The other was a rumble of discontent. Gillian stepped back to place herself beside Mark. They listened to the swell of conversation and looked at each other.

  “Some like it, some don’t,” said Mark.

  Gillian nodded. “The ones that don’t like it are the eternal discontents. I wouldn’t worry too much about them. They won’t like anything unless they’re in charge. And that’s the very people you don’t want to be in charge.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Stalingrad System

  Dyson Ring

  Dino Cerutti smiled across the table at the two men opposite. One was Russian - Vladimir Sergeevich Turgenev. Turgenev had a lazy smile on his face and was leaning back comfortably in his chair, enjoying the confrontation in front of him.

  The other man glared at Cerutti with great suspicion.

  “Why should I form an alliance with you?” he spat in accented English, his brow furrowed in distrust.

  “Ah, Kim Geun-shi, what a marvelous opportunity we have here!” exclaimed Cerutti. “Would you let this pass you by? The chance to own an entire planet? The chance to be the masters of every Human in existence?”

  Kim continued to glare at Cerutti with suspicion - but he paused. Cerutti could see the wheels turning in his head.

  His greed and lust will overcome his concerns, Cerutti thought. As I knew it would…

  Slowly Kim relaxed back into his chair. A sullen expression replaced the hatred on his face.