The Fight for Britannia

by Saxon Andrew

  Joshua signed and shook his head, “I would think you’d give them to us after all we’ve done for you.”

  Taffy looked down at Joshua and said, “Did you tell the Prime Minister how much you expected the robots to cost you to produce?”

  “I did.”

  “And what was the cost for each robot?”

  “I estimated between five and eight million crowns.”

  “Tell him that Grady will consider complying with his request.”

  Grady’s expression turned hostile, “I WILL DO NO SUCH THING!!”

  Taffy held up her hand and added, “Tell the Prime Minister that we are willing to sell him finished robots for three-million-crowns each.”

  Joshua’s expression revealed his shock and Grady’s head went back and then forward. Joshua forced a neutral expression and tilted his head, “Do you think you can do that?”

  “I do!” Taffy answered.

  “We’re going to need thousands of them, Captain Henricks.”

  “Give me a month and I’ll deliver as many as you want, Doctor.”

  Joshua shook his head, “That’s not possible!”

  “Then we’ll consider the Prime Minister’s request to give you one of them if we can’t deliver on our promise,” Taffy replied with a smile.

  Joshua stared at Taffy and turned to Grady, “Is she capable of doing this?”

  Grady glanced at Taffy and said, “If she says it can be done, it can, Joshua.”

  “Give me a moment.” Joshua took his communicator out of his pocket and walked off the bridge.”

  Grady went to Taffy and whispered, “Are you insane?”

  “Later Grady. Just make sure Bob and Robbie are brought back to us now!” Grady nodded. Taffy looked at Abby and Dunhan watching the proceedings and Taffy asked, “When did you join the land of the living, Dunhan.”

  Grady jerked his head around to Dunhan and saw him smile. “I guess if I had to answer, I’d say it was when Abby hugged me in the corridor and thanked me for defending her.”

  Abby looked up at him, “Really?” Dunhan nodded.

  Joshua entered the bridge and smiled, “The Prime Minister has agreed that he will sign a contract for delivery of three-hundred robots in thirty days.”

  Grady’s eyes narrowed, as Taffy said, “Bring Bob and Robby back to the Rabbit this afternoon.”

  Joshua nodded, “I’ll have them brought here immediately. I see no way you can meet that order, Captain.”

  “Well, I hope to have it completed in two weeks, Doctor. I’ll keep you informed on how it’s going. Now, to be sure we’re all on the same page.” Taffy opened her purse and took out a document, “Take this to the Prime Minister and have him sign it. Taffy wrote on the document and handed it to Joshua. That document says that the government will purchase three hundred completed robots one month from today for three million crowns each.”

  Joshua looked at Grady and saw him shaking his head. He turned to Taffy and took the document. He quickly read it and looked up at her, “This is pretty tight.”

  Taffy shrugged, “I used to write contracts for my father when I was ten years old; I’ve had practice.”

  “Perhaps we’ll deduct the expense of servicing your ship from the total,” Joshua suggested.

  Taffy shook her head, “Doctor, you promised Grady and I that you would return the Rabbit to us fully operational. That was part of the price for allowing you to take it. Maybe later, we’ll discuss the costs associated with keeping the Rabbit running.”

  Joshua smiled and said to Grady, “She doesn’t miss much, does she?” Grady shook his head and Joshua left the ship.

  Joshua walked out of the port and Grady turned to Taffy, “ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND! HOW ARE WE…”

  Taffy put her hand over Grady’s mouth, “I needed to keep the good Doctor distracted.”

  “Why?” Abby asked.

  “Well, I didn’t want him to see that he didn’t need to take Bob or Robby apart to build robots for the military. That’s the reason I registered a patent on them.” Taffy removed her hand from Grady, “I saw this as another opportunity and I’ve been planning for it to bear fruit.”

  “How.”

  “Grady, Bob and Robbie can duplicate themselves given the parts.” Grady’s eyes opened wider. “If Joshua had thought about it, he would have used Bob and Robbie to build duplicates of themselves and used the duplicates to build all they needed. My patent took that option out of their hands.”

  Grady looked at Taffy with his chin lowered, “And you’ve been collecting the parts needed to build duplicates.”

  “I have. I had Bob look at the parts in the electronics store where I got the parts to build the processors and he prepared a list with all the part numbers. I called them and asked how much all the parts would run and the parts for each Robot will cost a little over a hundred thousand crowns. I’ve been having those parts delivered to a rented area inside Eddie Larson’s warehouse. I purchased enough parts to build two-hundred robots and they’re currently stored in the warehouse.”

  “Can you get them built in time?” Dunhan asked.

  Taffy held up her hand with extended fingers, “Bob says he and Robbie can duplicate themselves in one day if given the parts. At the end of the first day, we’ll have four robots. At the end of the second-day, eight. Third-day, sixteen. Fourth-day, thirty-two. Fifth-day, sixty-four. Sixth-day, one-hundred-twenty-eight. Seventh-day, 256 robots. If I can get the parts in, on the eighth-day, 512 robots.”

  “Will getting the parts be an issue,” Grady asked.

  “I purchased the majority share of the company’s stock that supplies the parts to the store where I purchased the parts for the processors. I’ve had them increase production on the parts we’ll need before we left with the freighters for Britannia. I don’t see a problem getting the parts,” Taffy answered.

  Abby shook her head, “How much did the company’s stock cost you?”

  “I purchased about forty-million-crowns of the company’s stock over time and dumped all of them on the market on one day. The stock plummeted, and I purchased it back immediately. I currently own fifty-three percent of the company. Once it becomes known that the company is the major provider of parts for the robots being sold to the government, I expect it to go up in value.”

  Grady went to his chair at the Rabbit’s console and sat down. He was shaking his head and Abby said, “So, let me get this straight, you’re going to pay 30 million crowns for the parts to build 300 robots?” Taffy nodded. “And the government is going to give a check for 900 million crowns when they take delivery?” Abby asked.

  “Yes.”

  “That’s 870 million in profit, Taffy!”

  “I know, Abby. I probably could have gotten away with asking for four million for each Robot, but I didn’t want to push it.”

  Abby shook her head, “Taffy, you’re…you’re…”

  Taffy smiled, “I hope the word you’re looking for is ‘amazing.”

  “I think diabolical would be closer.”

  “WHY?” Abby could only shake her head. Taffy frowned, “Everything I’ve done has been perfectly legal. I’ve not violated any laws and I’ve only taken advantage of economic opportunities.”

  Dunhan tilted his head, “The manner in which you did it shows you manipulated things to get what you want.”

  “And you never do that, Dunhan?!” Taffy snapped back.

  Dunhan raised his hands, “Not to the level of this!”

  Taffy shrugged, “You have to think big, Dunhan!”

  Grady sighed, “What else do you have up your sleeve, Taffy.”

  Taffy turned to Grady, then walked to her chair at the console, and looked at Abby and Dunhan, “Joshua gave me an idea and it involves the two of you.”

  “Pray tell what that would be?” Dunhan asked.

  “He mentioned that he built two clones of the Rabbit. I know Grady wants to go back to Britannia to see how the conflict between the aliens and Earth is sh
aping up.” She looked at Grady, “Right?” Grady raised his right shoulder and then nodded. “I’m going to offer three-hundred robots to the Prime Minister to purchase one of those clones. I want the two of you to resign from the military, take the clone, and go with us to Britannia.” Abby’s head went back and Dunhan’s face was frozen in disbelief. Taffy smiled, “If you will agree to do this, I will give you half of my stock in the robot building business. You’ll be worth billions over time. I’ll also pay each of you three-million crowns a year in salary to go with us.”

  Dunhan blew out a breath, “I have to say no, Taffy.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I signed up to protect Melbourne from Earth. Money wasn’t my motivation.”

  Grady snorted, “Dunhan, where would you be defending Melbourne more effectively. Flying around looking for Earth to start moving toward Melbourne, which they won’t be doing while they’re fighting the aliens, or going out to where Earth is fighting a war and making life miserable for Earth’s fleets?”

  Abby sighed, “I was just allowed to reenlist.”

  Dunhan turned to her, “Are you considering doing this?”

  “I suppose.”

  “Why, for heaven’s sake?”

  “Dunhan, you know they aren’t going to allow us to serve on the same ship. I don’t want to be separated from you for long periods now that we’ve…”

  “WHAT IS THIS!?!” Taffy yelled as she stood up.

  Dunhan shook his head and looked at Taffy, “Abby and I are now officially an item.”

  Taffy rushed forward and hugged Abby before going to Dunhan and kissing him on the cheek, “THAT’S OUTSTANDING!!”

  Grady looked at Dunhan, “You know Abby’s right. You won’t be allowed to be under the command of someone you have a romantic relationship with.”

  Dunhan stared at Grady and then nodded, “I know.” He paused and asked. “Do you honestly think they’ll sell you the clone?”

  Grady looked at Taffy and snickered, “Do you doubt she can pull it off?”

  Dunhan scratched under his right ear, “If she can do it, count me in. Abby, what about you?”

  “Wherever you go, I’ll be there with you.” Abby went into Dunhan’s arms and he pulled her close.

  Taffy went to her chair, “Ok, the balls in my court. Let’s deliver the first robots and I’ll see what I can do.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Abby tried to contact Dunhan and heard a recording saying he was unavailable. She frowned and walked out of her apartment building, where she saw two Military Security Officers standing beside her transport. She walked over, and they came to attention and saluted. Abby returned their salutes and the Captain said, “Sir, we’ve been ordered by the Prime Minister to take you directly to his office.” Abby glanced at him with her eyebrows down and he said, “I apologize, Sir, but we have our orders.”

  Abby sighed, “I’m on my way to pick up, Captain Henricks.”

  “She has been notified that you are being delayed and offered other transportation,” the Captain replied.

  “Did she accept the offer?”

  “No, Sir. She said she’ll wait for you.”

  Abby nodded and smiled slightly, “Let’s not make this worse than it has to be, Captain.” The Captain nodded his relief and opened the back door to his transport. Abby stepped in and the driver turned on the transport’s emergency lights and moved toward the government tower at high-speed. Taffy had purchased the clone two days earlier and Dunhan went to personnel and offered his resignation; it wasn’t accepted. She planned to resign in the afternoon, but it appeared the rabbit was out of the bag. She sat back and waited to see what was going on.

  The Guards marched Abby to the Prime Minister’s office and followed her in. They arrived at the Prime Minister’s desk and Abby saw his expression wasn’t friendly. The Prime Minister ordered, “Take a seat, Colonel.” He looked at the security officers, “You can wait outside!” The officers did an about face and left the office. The Prime Minister was leaning back in his large chair with his fingers interlaced in front of him, as he stared at Abby. Abby sat in silence and waited for him to speak.

  Finally, he sat forward, “You told me when I approved your being allowed back in the service that you would not make the same mistake again. It appears you’re doing just that.”

  “Mr. Prime Minister, the mistake I made the first time was not knowing the man I was engaged with. I do know the man this time,” Abby replied.

  “And you’re willing to resign again to be with him?”

  “I am.”

  “And what if I told you he wasn’t willing to do the same.”

  Abby shook her head slightly, “Prime Minister, you can tell me that all day and I know it wouldn’t be true.”

  “Are you sure about that?” the Prime Minister snapped at her.

  “I am.”

  The Prime Minister leaned back in his chair and glared at her. After a long moment passed, he leaned forward and pressed a button on his desk communicator, “Send him in!”

  Abby kept her eyes on the Prime Minister and heard the door to the office open behind her and then close. The Prime Minister nodded to the chair beside Abby, “Take a seat!” Abby glanced to her right and saw Rory sit down. She turned back to the Prime Minister and saw him staring at them. He looked at Rory and said, “It seems both of you are on the same page. I wondered why the Henricks wanted to purchase one of the clones, after all, they can only fly one ship at a time.” He turned to Rory, “When you went to personnel to resign, it all became clear.” The Prime Minister turned to Abby, “May I assume you intend to resign, Colonel?”

  “As soon as this meeting is over, Sir.”

  The Prime Minister was silent for a moment and then turned to Rory, “The Henricks intend for you to take the clone and follow them back to their Colony, don’t they?”

  Rory glanced at Abby before answering, “Yes, Sir.”

  “And why did you accept their offer, Major?”

  “Sir, we will not be allowed to serve together.”

  The Prime Minister nodded, “It is forbidden for a junior officer to be involved in a relationship with a superior officer on a warship.” He blew out a slow breath and said, “Having the most recent recipient of the Melbourne Cross resigning from the military is not good!”

  “I’m sorry, Sir.” Dunhan responded.

  “But not sorry enough to not do it?” Rory nodded. “So why does the Henricks want you to go with them?”

  Abby spoke up, “They intend to make life miserable for the aliens and Earth, Sir.”

  “Is that so, Colonel?”

  “Yes, Mr. Prime Minister. I believe they can do it. Grady got the war started between Earth and the Aliens and he should keep things stirred up.”

  Rory added, “As long as the Aliens and Earth are fighting each other, Earth won’t be moving out the arm toward Melbourne.”

  The Prime Minister nodded. “Always looking for a fight aren’t you Major?”

  “If it will prevent our children from having to die from starvation, I’ll do whatever it takes.”

  The Prime Minister looked at each of them in turn and said, “I will not approve your resignations.” Rory and Abby’s eyes showed their anger. “I think we can resolve this issue without having that happen.”

  Rory looked at Abby and she turned to the Prime Minister, “What are you saying, Sir?”

  “The Senior Officers and I have been sitting in meetings with our ship design scientists and they have persuaded us that the time of large warships fighting in space is coming to an end. The third clone took on twenty of our best warships and defeated all of them faster than any of us believed possible. It’s clear that our Naval Forces no longer meets the needs to defend Melbourne. We are starting construction on two new class of warships. One will be more than five-times larger than our current largest warships and we’re resurrecting a name of an ancient warship used in Earth’s ancient history; they will be called c
arriers. They will be heavily defended and will have four-hundred of the clones on board. It doesn’t make sense for our warships to expend energy going out to meet an enemy force. The carriers will take them where they’re needed and deliver them to attack whatever force they encounter.”

  The Prime Minister saw Abby look at Dunhan with a confused expression and he shrugged. He didn’t know what the Prime Minister was trying to say. The Prime Minister’s eyes showed his amusement, “It’s going to take about three-years to construct five of the new carriers. It will also take about that long to build enough clones for them to have on board. The warships currently in service will continue to hold position out in the spiral arm guarding against Earth ships from finding Melbourne.” The Prime Minister smiled, “You and I both know as long as Earth and those Aliens are fighting against each other, nothing is going to be coming out the arm toward us. We’re sending our crews out because we need to keep them sharp and active while the new ships are being constructed.” Rory nodded he understood.

  The Prime Minister smiled and said, “Colonel Berringer, in three-years, if you survive going with the Henricks, you will return and take command of one of the Carriers.” He turned to Rory, “You are promoted to Colonel and you will be in command of the small ships on that carrier. You will have the same rank as Colonel Berringer, but she will command the ship; you will follow her orders like everyone on board that ship when they involve the defense of the carrier. Since each of you officially have separate commands, your relationship is permitted. I do not intend to give up two officers that I know we need to defend Melbourne.”

  “Sir, there will probably be a high level of resentment from the senior officers assigned to the other carriers,” Abby responded.

  The Prime Minister smiled, “And which of them will have any experience in fighting against Earth or the Aliens?” Abby stared at him and blinked. “I think you’ll find that they will be depending on you to provide the experience and leadership needed to keep them out of trouble.”

  Rory smiled, “You knew the Henricks were going to take us when you sold them the clone of the Rabbit.”

  The Prime Minister put his finger above his eye and tipped it toward them, “If they didn’t ask for you, I was going to suggest it, but they made it easy. I need you out there seeing what we’re up against. Having the Henricks with you made that a no brainer.” The Prime Minister looked at each of them and smiled, “I have this office for a reason. Are you willing to accept what I’m offering?”