Steven Gordon 3: The Modloch Empire (48 page)

The Bear caught up with Steven when he
returned to the ship. Steven asked him down to his private
quarters.

‘
Sit down, help
yourself to some tea. This would normally be a formal interview,
but I don’t think that is necessary given the fact we already know
one another. So what do you think so far?’

The Bear’s eyes gleamed with
enthusiasm.

‘
I have to admit this
ship is beautiful Steven. Although having a radio inside my head is
going to take a bit of getting used to.’

Steven smiled, ‘Don’t worry you soon
get used to it. Did the doctor tell you that everything you say and
do is also recorded?’

‘
Yes, I have to say
my jocks weren’t too pleased about that. I am a man down. My second
in command, Captain Marks, has been sent home on compassionate
grounds, and we have no one to replace him. In fact, I would rather
wait until he returned. Could you lend me an officer until
then?’

Steven was already aware of the
problem. ‘You have two sergeants, one full corporal, a lance
corporal and a dozen men. There are three officers: a Lieutenant,
Captain Marks and yourself. Correct?’

‘
That’s
right.’

‘
Why do you need two
sergeants?’

‘
I don’t, but I rip
the tapes off Charlie and Eddie at regular intervals. It won’t be
too long before one of them is a private again. Especially now the
two are back together again.’

‘
I have a suggestion.
You may not like it. Why not make Charlie your second in command
until Marks returns? You are a man top heavy for these ceremonial
duties anyway.’

‘
I was hoping to be
three men top heavy. It is always useful to have a couple of spare
bodies. However, command wouldn’t listen. Charlie is the only spare
body I have. He is hardly officer material though... Captain Marks
is a very old school gentleman. An autocrat, very much like Tapper.
Used to dealing with bureaucrats, which is going to be crucial
during this mission.’

Steven grinned. ‘I understand your
concerns. How much experience does Captain Marks have with some of
these aliens?’

‘
Same as the rest of
us Steven. Apart from shooting a few, little or nothing. I have had
a little more than some.’

‘
Do you know where
Charlie is right now?’

‘
Ten minutes ago we
were ripping the pish out of him in the canteen.’

‘
Well, five minutes
ago he was asked to attend the Modloch Emperor.’

Bear frowned. ‘The Modloch Emperor,
what for?’

‘
Probably to make him
a cup of tea.’ Steven grinned.

Bear shook his head. ‘What?’

Steven spoke aloud and sent a message
to Charlie. ‘Babes, patch us in to Charlie’s communications link.
We want to see and hear what he is doing, and up to.’

‘
Yes my
heart.’

A few seconds later the wall changed to
a screen and they could see what Charlie was seeing.

‘
Is that you
Stevie?’

‘
And Bear,
Charlie.’

‘
What do you
want?’

‘
Just letting Bear
see you in action.’

‘
Don’t get
ye?’

‘
Just go with it
Charlie.’

‘
Aye OK. Well I have
come through the spaceport. They now have a wee beam-in area for
us. I’m on the shuttle, as you can see. I’ve been asked to report
to the royal residence.’

‘
We are just going to
watch Charlie.’

‘
OK.’

When Charlie arrived at the royal
residence he was waved through every check point. It was obvious to
Bear that every other visitor was being thoroughly checked. Within
the great halls he was approached by an individual.

‘
Hey
Charlie.’

‘
How’s it going
Gord?’

‘
Busy with all these
ceremonies.’

‘
How’s your lord and
master today?’

‘
Been in a bit of a
mood lately. Maybe your visit will cheer him up a bit.’

Charlie shrugged. ‘Don’t know why Gord,
all I do is pour him tea and answer a shit load of questions.’

‘
Who cares? If he is
in a good mood it makes my life easier.’

‘
True.’

‘
Anyway, your Captain
and the Captain from the other Builder ship are going to be new
ambassadors, right?’

‘
Aye that’s
right.’

‘
Are you going to be
one of your Captain’s official escorts?’

‘
I believe
so.’

‘
Have you a dozen men
for each ship, ordinary ranks, three NCOs and three officers, one
of high rank?’

‘
We are one officer
down and one NCO extra on my ship but Captain Komoru has the
recommended number of officers and men along with Lewis, who is her
personal bodyguard.’

‘
Lewis... is that the
dark skinned one who is larger than most Humans?’

‘
That’s
him.’

‘
A personal guard for
a female dignitary is acceptable. You could also act as a personal
bodyguard for your Captain. He would need to be someone of great
importance and high rank within the Human race though. The Emperor
has ordered Commodore Janex to see to your people’s training
personally.’

‘
Janex? Is that the
wrinkly old fart that shines like a new button and always looks
down his nose at me, like I’d just taken a shit on his
boots?’

Gord laughed aloud. ‘That’s him. He
normally only trains people for a full ambassadorial role. It is a
great honour. If you wish to use his services you will have to get
yourselves to the Modloch home world. Your captains will have to
undergo their ambassadorial training there anyway. If I was your
commander, I would take full advantage. Your people will also have
to live in the barracks. There are thirty man rooms for ordinary
ranks. That should accommodate both your ships. There are four man
rooms for NCOs, two man ones for junior officers and single rooms
for senior officers. You will need to replace that officer right
now. You can’t go into this half arsed. Janex will toss the lot of
you out the door.’

‘
Sounds quite
serous.’

‘
It shouldn’t be too
bad Charlie, your captains are only good will ambassadors. Full
ambassadors and their escort are expected to be shit
hot.’

‘
Have you done
it?’

‘
Of course. It’s the
route to the Imperial Guard. Good will ambassadors first, then if
you are good enough you get a job with a full ambassador. The best
of the best get elevated to the Imperial Guard.’

‘
And you are the best
of the best of the best then?’

‘
I was, until you
kicked my arse across that room and hung me upside down out the
balcony window by my ankles.’ Gord snorted.

‘
Oops! Sorry about
that.’

‘
What’s done is
done.’

‘
No hard
feelings?’

‘
None. Not now
anyway. You taught us a very important lesson. None of us could
understand how such a diminutive race could have beaten the Albany.
We learned the hard way. But we are Imperial Guardsmen. We now
train harder than ever.’

‘
You mean to beat any
Humans that may threaten the Emperor?’

‘
Of
course.’

‘
Glad to hear it
Gord. I wouldn’t trust some of my race as far as I could throw the
bastards.’

Gord snorted, ‘Every race is the same
Charlie. Anyway, Janex will want to know what you are doing. If you
decide to work from your ships he won’t work with you. You will
receive other instructors.’

‘
So to get him we
will have to live in barracks.’

‘
Yes. He will want
you under his thumb all the time. He is a hard task master but
universally credited as being the best. I can let him know if you
wish. Give me dates and Janex will take care of the rest. He will
send your commander a list of requirements that need to be
met.’

‘
I haven’t even been
briefed about this role yet Gord, let alone been party to any
command decisions. I don’t even know if there is to be one person
in charge of both guards or if they are to work independently. If I
know the Bear though, I bet he would go for it.’ Charlie made a
swift decision. ‘Tell him yes, and we will get in touch with him
regarding the dates as soon as a decision is made.’

‘
A wise
choice.’

‘
Aye well. It’s not
my choice to make; it could well come back to bite me in the
arse.’

‘
What you haven’t
done is lost that opportunity. If your commanders are stupid and
refuse then that is their loss.’ Gord looked up. ‘I am heading over
to C-section now, passing engineering. Are you going to visit the
Chief later?’

‘
I’ll pop in before I
return to the ship.’

‘
I will let him know.
He will be glad to see you.’

‘
Is he keeping under
the Emperor’s radar these days.?’

‘
Trying hard, but the
Emperor just loves to kick his arse for some reason. Twice this
week he’s had him in.’

‘
Poor bastard. Never
mind, I got the biggest jar of pan drops I could for him while on
leave. That will cheer him up.’

‘
What are
they?’

‘
Sweets.’

‘
I might pop in and
try one.’

‘
You’ll be lucky. He
hides them.’

‘
Right, got to go
Charlie. He is in his lounge on A5.’

‘
Got ye Gord. Catch
you later.’

Bear had been sitting forward on his
couch shouting, ‘Grab it, grab it Charlie.’

Steven intervened. ‘You can’t shout it
Bear, you have to think it.’

Bear sat back sigh. ‘No matter, he has
gone for it. That bugger Murison knows me better than I thought.
Can he really just swan about the Emperor’s palace any time he
likes?’

‘
Both here and on the
Modloch home world.’

‘
Did you hear about
his fight with the Imperial Guardsman?’

Steven shook his head, ‘That’s the
first I heard of it.’

The screen went snowy for a second and
then went blank. ‘What happened there?’

‘
He must be getting
close to the Emperor. They can block our
communications.’

Bear nodded. ‘So I basically have an
inside man. Is that what you are trying to tell me?’

‘
Pretty much. And you
heard what Gord said there. You need to replace that officer now,
before we get to the Modloch home world. Charlie is the biggest
asset you have. You just don’t realize it yet.’

Bear shifted uncomfortably. ‘Tell me...
can he read minds?’

‘
What makes you think
that?’

‘
It is something he
was always good at, like a sixth sense. But that last time, it was
as though he just knew exactly what people were thinking, including
the Albany.’

Steven thought it over carefully. ‘He
can, yes. When the ship repaired him it also did something to his
brain. He can hear people’s thoughts. Where do you think I get all
my information from?

‘
Don’t worry though,
he doesn’t go about reading everyone’s minds all the time. He can
control it really well now, he can switch it off and on at will.
Normally it is off. You can’t tell anyone about this. Not even his
friends.’

‘
I can just imagine
the type of people Charlie doesn’t want to find out about that
ability. Have no worries, I won’t say anything. I can also now see
why you would want him as an officer. I won’t be able to give him a
full commission, especially as a Captain. But I could make him an
acting Captain with a field commission.’

‘
Sounds good to me
Bear. So, would you like another coffee before we launch ourselves
into a new adventure?’

Bear sat back with a big sigh and
grinned. ‘Sounds good to me Steven.’

The End