Steven Gordon 3: The Modloch Empire

by J W Murison

  ‘I think so.’

  ‘Were those your words or was it a speech made up for you? When you were interviewed after getting your medal, I mean.’

  Jean smiled. ‘You are the first person to actually ask me that. So I will tell you. They were my words. Took me a fortnight to draft them.’ Charlie seemed to relax and lay back down. ‘Why do you ask?’

  Charlie took a deep breath. ‘There is no glory in the taking of another life. Only sorrow and loss for those who have lost a loved one. Yet one can take solace from the fact that they may well have saved many lives.’

  Jean was speechless for a moment. ‘You memorised my speech. I am impressed.’

  ‘No, not really ma’am. Just those few lines. It’s not that I memorised them. The simple fact is they just seemed to stay with me. If you don’t mind ma’am, I need to put myself back to sleep. My brain has suffered some damage from sustained lack of oxygen and the nanites are trying to repair it.’

  ‘Painful.’

  ‘Very.’

  ‘Can you take painkillers?’ James asked.

  ‘No, my internal organs are encased in metal and I couldn’t digest anything.’

  It was six days before Babes was able to catch up with them. In that time Jean was a frequent visitor to the infirmary. Charlie woke up every day for an hour to talk to her and then put himself back to sleep. The nanites in his body had become dormant for the most part as they ran out of energy. She realised he was becoming weaker and weaker with each passing day.

  Charlie was still sleeping on the day Babes arrived; Jean almost collided with Amanda Freeling as she stormed on board the battlecruiser. The two women immediately sized one another up. Amanda didn’t like what she saw. ‘Captain Wilson.’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘I’m Doctor Freeling.’ She lifted a hand to reveal a metal cylinder. ‘I need to get this to Sergeant Murison right away.’

  ‘This way Doctor.’

  They walked in silence for a short distance. ‘Do you know if he has been awake much Captain?’

  ‘Just for an hour every day.’

  ‘Bloody idiot. It’s no wonder he is so low on power.’

  Jean raised an eyebrow but kept her peace.

  Amanda stormed into the sickbay, whipped back the sheets and ripped open the army pyjamas he was wearing. She lay the cylinder on his stomach and waited. After a few moments they saw the area began to shimmer. The cylinder began to disappear.

  Jean was fascinated. ‘What is that?’

  ‘A power pack.’ Amanda panned an instrument she had taken from her pocket over Charlie and shook her head. She closed her eyes. Seconds later they both simply vanished.

  James appeared. ‘I hear his doctor is here.’ He frowned. ‘Where are they?’

  Jean shook her head. ‘I don’t know. They just vanished.’

  She rushed up to the bridge. ‘Where is that damn ship?’

  Her communications officer swung round in her chair. ‘They just left ma’am. Captain Gordon said thank you once more.’

  ‘Where are they now? Navigation, do you still have them?’

  ‘No ma’am, they jumped to faster than light speed and are gone.’

  ‘What direction?’

  ‘Towards Earth ma’am.’

  Jean felt a moment’s loss. ‘Let’s get back on station.’

  ‘Yes ma’am.’

  Jean sat back on her chair. She had enjoyed her chats with the strange, blind, robot-like man. She had hoped to see him at least once after his ship had changed him back. The headaches hadn’t left him and he had been in constant pain the whole time they had talked, yet he seemed to have enjoyed those chats as much as she had. It was great to talk to a man who didn’t just address her boobs all night.

  CHAPTER 56

  For the next three months Babes and Ico helped patrol the area between the barrier and Earth. Every available fighting ship was on patrol constantly. Every probe they sent through the barrier was located and destroyed by the enemy. Three times they slipped across looking for signs of enemy activity, and there was plenty of it. They couldn’t find any more staging areas but it was far too dangerous to stay in the region for any length of time.

  News began to filter in from the Modloch sources. The Albany were having problems trying to purchase a new mining platform capable of drilling the precision holes in the asteroids. As time passed they became more frantic. A week before Earth joined the federation over a thousand asteroids were slung across the barrier.

  Steven investigated and discovered Albany warships towing asteroids and using a slingshot manoeuvre to send them across the barrier. The technique wasn’t very accurate, but the Earth Defence Force was kept busy pulverizing them.

  The crew of the Michael Collins distinguished themselves again by discovering the location of the Albany probe and destroying it. The discovery of the probe seemed to take the heart out of the Albany attacks.

  Earth’s President was called to the central planets where the federation held court. He was asked to provide evidence to support the Human excursion to destroy the asteroids. The evidence was overwhelming. The Albany and their allies were ordered to cease hostilities. A few days later the changes to the law needed for the Humans to gain entry was granted and Earth became the youngest member of the federation.

  The bombardment of asteroids ceased and both Steven and Komoru journeyed across the barrier on a reconnaissance mission. They found nothing. For two days they searched the entire area. Only commercial traffic could be found.

  The two ships were recalled to Earth where the crew took a well-earned rest, Steven and Komoru went to her home in Japan. There were big celebrations which they had to attend, and medals galore. They crew, however, were left for the most part alone. Kelly visited Scotland and met up with Charlie. They spent their last week with a pair of crazy Germans in Hamburg.

  CHAPTER 57

  Babes and Ico swung out of the dockyard together. They travelled in tandem until they reached the Kuiper belt. Six huge blocks of stone, each a hundred miles long, fifty wide and a mile deep, lay side by side. On top of the first one was a large metal structure, and to the side in a row, all of the engines they had stolen from the Albany.

  Steven and Komoru beamed themselves into the structure. Despite being warned of their imminent arrival Keven Rattray still jumped out of his skin at their appearance.

  ‘Man, I almost shit myself.’ He spluttered.

  Steven laughed out loud and Komoru hid her laugh behind a delicate hand.

  ‘Sorry about that Kevin.’ Steven reached out and Kevin shook his hand. ‘How are things progressing?’

  ‘Not bad Steven. It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be to find the right types of rocks. Three of these baby’s came from the same asteroid.’

  ‘Wow, that must have been big.’

  ‘It was, aye. There’s no much left of it now though. We are drilling reinforcement into them now.’ He reached over and switched on a screen. ‘Sit down, I’ll give you the tour.’

  He tried to pat down his dirty boiler suit before he sat down at the terminal. The screen came to life. A see-through section of one of the large platforms popped onto the screen. Kevin manipulated it. Thousands of red lines ran through it. ‘That is the reinforcing we have to do.’

  ‘Is all that necessary?’ Steven bemoaned.

  ‘Federal regulations. That treaty didn’t come on its own you know.’

  ‘Well, they have more idea about it than we do.’

  ‘Exactly, that’s why I am doing it right. Your mum sent out a crew about two weeks ago and they have been harvesting metal from the Kuiper Belt to make the wire. They almost have enough for us to do the first one. Installation will begin as soon as testing on the wire is complete. Once we have done that we will install the engines and set off for the great barrier. Two at each end. The first two to accelerate it to light speed and the two at the other end to brake it when we get there. We will dig a hole two hundred feet deep, which we will
pack with all the materials that we need to complete construction. While on the journey the machines will prefabricate everything we need. We will follow in a freighter. On that freighter we will have everything we need to seed it and the trees to plant on it when we arrive.’

  ‘Once across the barrier we will brake the damn thing and be picked up by the Modloch tugs, who will tow us at sub-light speeds to position on the other side of the sun from the Modloch planet.

  ‘Once we have slowed down to sub-light speeds we will be able to begin erecting the structure. At some point after it is complete it will be inspected. If approved then we will seed it and plant the trees. It will be inspected again. At that point a fast freighter should arrive from Earth with the bees. That’s if everything goes according to plan.’

  ‘If everything goes according to plan...’ Steven mused. ‘How are your crew? Are they going to be happy to see this thing through to the end?’

  ‘Ye mean a trip to a different solar system, meeting aliens for the first time, and a big enough pay packet to retire on? Och, I think they are just fine Steven.’

  Steven laughed. ‘I just hope you all enjoy the experience.’ He pointed to the picture. ‘Are those water cisterns?’

  ‘Aye it sure is. There is plenty water and ice up here, we won’t need to lug it up from Earth. We tested it. You couldn’t get water any purer if you tried. We are still going to put it through a purifier before we add it to the cisterns though, no point in taking chances.’

  ‘I can’t fault you there Keven. What is your time scale?’

  ‘It’s going to take a year. By then we should be orbiting the Modloch planet with all six bio-domes. I’m not in charge of finding the plants, trees or bees though. I am just assuming they are on track as well.’

  ‘They are, don’t worry about it. We spent a few days before we left going round everyone.’

  Kevin’s radio crackled to life. He answered it briefly. ‘I’m sorry Steven, I need to go.’

  ‘Us too.’ Steven stood and shook his hand. Komoru bowed and Kevin returned it. ‘We will see you when you reach the other side.’

  ‘Look forward to it. You can show me the sights of the Modloch planet and buy me a beer.’

  ‘Love to.’ They stood back and a few seconds later vanished.

  CHAPTER 58

  Charlie found he had finally been accepted by the inner circle. Beaver and Howe now treated him with the same respect as they did the other soldiers in the team. The Scottish contingent had always treated him with respect because both Tapper and Cookie had known him before they had joined the SAS. As for the American contingent, only Lewis had really taken a liking to him.

  Charlie and Lewis watched the two officers leave the canteen.

  ‘Dey is cool wit you now Charlie.’

  ‘Aye, I noticed. Why the sudden thaw?’

  ‘You proved yourself to dem man.’

  ‘Didn’t realise I needed to.’

  ‘Yeah, but you not one of us, you’re a regular grunt.’

  ‘So is Kelly.’

  ‘Kelly got more experience than all of us Charlie, you know that. That’s why everybody respect him.’

  ‘Aye true.’

  ‘Thing wit you is, you ain’t one of us. Yeah sure, Tapper and Cookie know you, they say you fine. But we don know, and what made it worse is the Captain don say you’re one of us, and have to take orders from Beaver or Colonel Howe. You just do what you want around here.’

  ‘Been kinda waiting for someone to tell me what to do.’

  ‘Yup, typical grunt.’

  Charlie laughed. ‘Yeah, I suppose. It is a little disorientating at first though.’

  ‘Yeah, but you got the message. Stepped up to the plate. We been talking. Gonna take you through special forces training.’

  Charlie shrugged. ‘What’s the point? It’s not like any of you could outrun me. Physically I am even stronger than you.’

  Lewis thought that was hilarious. ‘Yeah we ain’t gonna put you through any of that shit. We gonna give you the weapons training and the knowledge.’

  ‘Oh! Right, yeah I’d love that man.’

  ‘Nine am tomorrow morning at the armoury. I got you for bombs and devices.’

  ‘Look forward to that Lewis, thanks.’

  ‘You like to blow shit up?’

  ‘Was that actually a real question?’ The two laughed. ‘So what swung it for me in the end? You know, getting accepted by the boss.’

  ‘You saved everyone’s ass man.’

  ‘That ain’t it.’

  ‘Yeah, but you didn’t kick up a stink when you never got any recognition for it either.’

  Charlie thought it over. ‘Stevie knows the last thing I want is attention drawn to myself.’

  ‘Yeah we know that. Ain’t quite what it’s about Charlie. We know you could walk into a shit storm of fire and come out clean, dey bullets just bounce off your white hide. But when the chips were down an you found youself on dat asteroid wit no way back, you never gave up man. Send me down a jet pack. Man, we all laughed at that. Not at the time though. Didn’t think you were going to make it Charlie.’

  ‘Neither did I. When that shock wave hit me I seriously thought I was a goner. Punched me right out of faster than light speed.’

  ‘Yeah man, and nowhere near where the Captain thought you would be either.’

  ‘I figured that out myself. When I looked round everything was gone. Thought you lot would have figured I got caught in the explosion and vaporised.’

  ‘Babes knew you got away, her scanners would have picked up something. How did you survive so long?’

  ‘I was more machine than man, I had internal menus and everything. Found one that would lower my oxygen to a minimum and put me to sleep. Set it to wake me if the oxygen levels were returned to normal.’

  ‘Wuz you scared man?’

  ‘Funnily enough no. I felt at peace.’

  ‘Yeah, I know the feeling. Well, gotta go before we split.’

  ‘Catch you later Lewis.’

  Charlie was almost finished his coffee when Amanda turned up. She came over and looked down her nose at him. ‘A little bird tells me you took a trip to Germany with Kelly. Visit the Reeperbahn did we?’

  ‘Stayed at a couple of friends of his who own a bakery.’

  ‘Yes and we all know what’s above the bakery, don’t we.’

  Charlie sniffed at her. ‘You know, if you were the owner of a formula one racing team, and you had a driver who had just returned from a serious accident, would you throw him into the seat of your brand new shiny red multimillion pound Ferrari? Or would you stick him in the old banger for a few warm up laps, you know, until he got his nerve back?’

  Amanda rolled her eyes at him and turned away slowly. She took a few steps, hesitated for a second, then walked out. She hadn’t said a word but her mind had been buzzing. Charlie merely smiled.

  The two ships separated and travelled at top speed towards the great barrier. They weren’t heading for the Modloch home world, instead they were heading for the third Modloch planet. The Emperor had finally began the tour of his empire. Before Steven could start exploring the galaxy, his role of ambassador had to be endorsed. He also had to pick up his honour guard.

  A week before they reached the barrier, they were forced to make a small detour to pick up a couple of passengers.

  Commander John Logan and Commander Alfie Lloyd sat at their ease in the officers’ lounge. Beside them sat their bags. Word came down from the bridge that Steven Gordon’s ship had docked, but they had to wait a little while longer for his ship to prepare accommodation for them that wouldn’t leave them blind. That morning their squadrons had given them a hearty farewell and the officers had got them blind drunk the evening before. A good blast of oxygen this morning had sorted the hangovers.

  The Captain hadn’t been there the evening before but she had taken them into the office that morning. She had thanked them for all that they had done. Logan had taken a
chance and asked about a transfer. She had told them that they did not normally do advanced fighter training, so a transfer would be a waste of their talent. Logan was still quite upset about it.

  Steven found his way to the officers’ mess. ‘A pleasure to meet you again gentlemen.’ He was carrying two boxes and had to put them down to shake their hands.

  ‘The honour is ours sir.’ Logan reassured him.

  ‘I am sorry about the delay, but we have to prepare quarters that won’t blind you. We also have to convert the corridor between your quarters and the mess hall, along with the mess hall itself.’

  ‘That’s too much trouble sir.’

  Steven laughed. ‘No it isn’t commander. Trust me. I have to go see the Captain now. I just wanted a quick word. I will catch you both later.’

  Steven then followed his escort to the Captain’s office. He was shown straight in. What he didn’t expect was the frosty reception.

  ‘Captain Gordon I presume.’

  It took a moment for Steven to get over the shock. He shook it off and smiled. ‘Captain Wilson, a pleasure to finally meet you after hearing so much about you.’

  The stern look slipped slightly. She had to admit he had got over her looks pretty quickly. ‘From whom?’

  ‘Your greatest fan I believe: Charlie. He told me all about you and how you took an hour each day to talk to him. I would personally like to thank you for finding my friend, and these are from Charlie as his thank you.’ He piled them onto her desk. She ignored them.

  ‘I am not very happy with you Captain Gordon. In fact, I am furious. We may lag a little behind the times here, but it is blatantly obvious that the man who actually saved Earth, and who almost died in the process, wasn’t even mentioned in dispatches. In fact, according to official records you managed to plant your bomb on the asteroid. I know for a fact that your tether broke as you accelerated too quickly to light speed. Give me one reason why I shouldn’t make a formal complaint.’