Steven Gordon 3: The Modloch Empire (16 page)

The bubble burst and they all began
laughing and shaking hands. ‘Who would have thought a Scottish
sergeant could pull our shit out of the fire?’ Buzz laughed.

Steven’s face fell. ‘Charlie. What the
hell did I do? The President needs to be told this right away.’

Buzz could see Steven wavering between
duty to the fleet and his friend. He slapped Steven on the back,
‘You go see the President, I will go see to Charlie.’

CHAPTER 21

The President looked exhausted, ‘How
can you look so fresh?’

‘
Good news has a way
of perking you up, sir.’

‘
Oh! What good
news?’

‘
We can scrap all of
those plans sir. One of my men has found a way to open a bank
account. Not only that, we already have enough money to completely
fill all of our tankers.’

The President looked momentarily
bewildered, ‘Then I think you had better sit down, Captain
Gordon.’

Steven laid the briefcase down and
began the explanation. He could see the President’s spirits rise as
he went on.

‘
Captain Gordon, can
you explain to me how this didn’t proceed through official
channels? Please understand I am not berating you or your man’s
work. However, we now have a situation where by you and your crew
hold almost all of the cards for this account – the ones who really
need them are the quartermasters. I don’t think half a dozen for
the entire fleet is quite enough.’

Steven sighed, ‘I have to apologise for
that sir. I had no idea that my man was doing this. In fact, I had
refused him an interview on a number of occasions.’

The President frowned, ‘Why?’

‘
Quite simply because
I was dealing with all this top secret stuff.’

‘
I don’t see the
relevance.’

‘
I know you don’t
sir. The man in question, however, is highly intuitive, and could
be considered an expert on reading body language. He has a gift you
might say. I dare not let him anywhere near me while dealing with
things so highly classified.’

The President’s frown deepened, ‘He
sounds like a man who would be better served as part of the
intelligence community.’

A look of abject horror came over
Steven’s face, ‘He would not serve the intelligence community in
any capacity sir. In fact, he hates them with a passion, and with
good reason.’

The penny dropped, ‘Ah! I think I know
who you are talking about. The Scottish sergeant?’

‘
Yes sir.’

‘
Now it all begins to
make sense. If it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t have
Orlath.’

‘
Yes that’s
right.’

‘
We are already
deeply in this man’s debt, now even more so. Can the accounts be
transferred to different people?’

‘
I would assume so
sir.’

‘
We will deal with
that later. The first thing to do is fill those damn tankers and
begin refuelling the fleet.’

‘
I agree
sir.’

‘
Do you think it will
work?’

‘
We have already made
a test purchase.’

‘
Just as a matter of
interest, what was it?’

‘
Captain Komoru
ordered a couple of silk pillows.’

‘
They have silk!’ He
laughed.

‘
I don’t know if it
is real silk sir, it is just the translation. They were delivered
within the hour. I have to say they do feel a lot like
silk.’

‘
I feel we should
move immediately. Certainly before the forces that are against us
find out we have access to funds.’

‘
I agree with that
sentiment sir.’

‘
Until we get those
cards transferred to more appropriate members of staff, you and
your people will have to deal with, and pay for, the
refuelling.’

‘
Yes sir.’

‘
This has also helped
in another way.’

‘
How so?’

‘
Now we know what
kind of music they like. I believe the marine band do quite a bit
of Glen Miller. That will help with this big function we are
supposed to be holding.’

‘
It is a few weeks
away isn’t it sir?’

‘
Yes that’s right.
The Emperor is fully booked up until that weekend. It also gives
him time to groom the more reluctant of his allies.’

‘
Maybe the music will
help.’

‘
I hope
so.’

‘
Will that be all
sir?’

‘
Yes please, Captain
Gordon. I will issue orders from here. You get in touch with those
companies who can refuel us. The quartermasters shall liaise
directly with you.’

Steven stood, ‘That sounds good to me
sir.’

The President ran a finger under a
grimy collar; Steven noticed his discomfort. ‘Is something wrong
sir?’

‘
Weeks of being
cooped up in one of these tin cans without fresh air. I’m not a fan
of these sonic showers either. I know they get you clean but I just
don’t feel clean. I would give my right arm for enough water for a
proper bath.’

‘
That might not be
necessary sir.’

The President’s interest peaked, ‘You
have a tub?’

‘
I have a friend who
has one. On the surface.’

‘
Captain, you may
well yet get onto my frequent diners list.’

CHAPTER 22

‘
Earth vessel
designated Tango Kilo Foxtrot Zero Five, please move into a
stationary orbit now.’

‘
Roger
control.’

‘
For the rest of this
procedure we will refer to you as five. Confirm five.’

‘
Five
confirm.’

‘
OK five, let me
guess, you have never done a manual in-planet atmospheric
refuelling?’

‘
That is correct
control.’

‘
Understood five.
Stay in the pattern we give you, at twenty thousand our automated
controls will take over. They will land the ship, refuel it, and
lift you off. Control will be handed back to you at twenty thousand
again. From there follow the flight path we give you until you are
clear of the atmosphere.’

‘
Roger
control.’

‘
Switch on your
identifier five.’

‘
On
control.’

‘
Roger we have you.
Begin your decent five.’

‘
Roger
control.’

Down on the planet, the Modloch in
charge of the refuelling almost tossed his headphones away in
disgust. ‘There hasn’t been a single galactic credited pilot so
far.’

His partner snorted, ‘Makes you wonder
how they managed to beat the Albany.’

Their supervisor stood behind, ‘They
beat them because they are merciless meat-eaters. Hunters in a way
you pair can’t imagine. You would be well to remember that, and
keep the sarcastic tone from your voices when dealing with
them.’

The first controller reseated his
earphones correctly, ‘But sir, none of their pilots have even flown
their ships in an atmosphere. Isn’t that illegal?’

‘
It is only illegal
if they are a part of the galactic alliance, and they aren’t. I
will have a word with the relative authorities though. If they have
the money to pay for fuel then they have the money to get proper
training.’

‘
They are paying for
it aren’t they sir?’

‘
As far as I am
aware.’ He checked his pad and ran his stencil over it. ‘Yes, the
moment they have finished refuelling we received payment. Courtesy
of the PD music company of Earth. It is a good pay day for
us.’

They happily went back to their
work.

On board the Earth tanker designated
five, the pilot was also feeling frustrated, ‘They sound a bit
pissed off with us sir.’

The Captain sat back in his seat, ‘We
can hardly blame them. We are supposed to fly in to ten thousand
feet before their automated systems take over. As it is they are
having to take over from twice the designated height.’

‘
It’s not our fault
we have never received atmospheric training sir.’

‘
You’re right it
isn’t, but they must be starting to feel a little frustrated.
Remember that when you talk to them please. They have another
twenty tankers to fuel up yet.’

‘
Yes sir.’

‘
Maybe they could
give us the training?’ Suggested the co-pilot.

‘
I will pass that
remark upstairs. You never know.’

It was a busy week for the tankers. By
the end of it they had full tanks, as did every ship in the fleet.
The fuel companies weren’t the only ones to benefit. As the Human
music took the Empire by storm, then so did Human spending power.
Food companies that grew fruit and vegetables began to receive
custom. Many of these companies were consider purveyors of luxury
goods and came from off world. The Modloch economy received a
healthy boost.

CHAPTER 23

The door must have buzzed for the
hundredth time in three days.

‘
Bugger off.’ Charlie
growled at the intercom. A few seconds later it slid noiselessly
open.

Buzz smiled and showed Charlie the back
of his hand. ‘Skeleton key pass. Sorry Charlie but I am going
nowhere. We need to talk.’

‘
I’m no in the mood
Buzz.’

‘
Obviously.’ He
walked in and sat on the only chair in the room. Charlie eyed him
suspiciously. ‘He is very sorry Charlie and wants to
apologise.’

‘
He knew before he
gathered all of the senior staff together who was responsible for
the music company. He intended to embarrass me before them all. I
understand he didn’t have all the facts because I deliberately
withheld them from Babes. He should have hiked me in by myself
Buzz. No paraded me like a bloody clown. That is
unforgivable.’

Buzz sighed, ‘He is far from perfect
Charlie, he is Human.’

‘
Right, and I’m
no!’

‘
Don’t go there
Charlie.’

Charlie slumped back against his
pillows, ‘Whatever. It preys on the mind sometimes.’

‘
I couldn’t begin to
imagine. But you are alive.’

‘
Aye I am that Buzz,
and grateful.’ Charlie looked up at the ceiling, ‘It might no seem
like it at times, but I am.’

Buzz afforded a smile, ‘Still fighting
the demons?’

‘
Every day and every
night.’

‘
Sorry to hear
that.’

Charlie shook his head, ‘Buzz, you have
never thought I belonged here, not since I arrived. Neither has
half the crew, including Komoru. You are worried I take a banzai
and wipe out half the ship. Those who know of my special abilities
want to run a mile when I come close.’

Buzz cringed inside, ‘Can you give us
time Charlie?’

‘
I don’t look into
peoples’ heads you know. I occasionally pick up the odd stray
thought if a person is in a highly emotional state, but that’s
it.’

‘
Did you use your
abilities to secure that contract?’

‘
Of course I did.
They are the opposition.’

‘
Not the
enemy.’

‘
No one is an enemy
unless I am told they are.’

‘
You must have
enemies.’

‘
I’m not a child,
Buzz. There are plenty out there who hate my guts and want to kick
my arse. There are plenty guys out there I can’t stand and want to
kick their arse. That’s different. An enemy is someone my
government pays me to fight and kill.’

‘
We have never really
had a chance to talk, have we?’

‘
There’s been plenty
of chances Buzz, you just don’t like or trust me.’

‘
You must be feeling
pretty isolated.’

‘
No really. I have
Cookie. We have been friends for a long time. I get on well with
Kelly and Lewis. It’s enough.’

‘
You’re right, I
really don’t know how to take you.’

‘
I understand your
reservations Buzz. Your ultimate job is to protect Stevie, or
that’s what you believe it is. You have been doing it for years.
You think I am a loose cannon, and know I am one of the few people
who could actually physically hurt him if I got it into my mind to
do so. Dr Freeling running around telling everyone that I am
emotionally unstable probably hasn’t helped either.’

Buzz sighed, ‘Good point.’

‘
She isn’t a bloody
shrink, she is a medical doctor. I keep my shit wired tight Buzz, I
always have, it is in my nature. It has nothing to do with bloody
combat stress.’

Buzz found a crack appearing in his
face, a smile forcing its way to the surface. ‘Is it my imagination
or have you been giving her the run around?’

‘
Every time I see her
it is a hundred questions. It pisses me off.’

‘
I will take that as
a yes then. I think she likes you.’

‘
She fancies the
pants off me. Literally.’

‘
Why don’t you go for
it then?’

‘
I am a sergeant, she
is an officer in the same army. It just isn’t done old boy. That’s
her thoughts not mine. Besides, I don’t think I could stands the
avalanche of questions every day.’

Buzz laughed. ‘I see. So you really
think I am still looking out for Steven?’