He Who Dares: Book Two (The Gray Chronicals 2) (64 page)

“How many can you complete in say a month?”  The PM thought about it for a moment, calculation the different permutations in his head.

“The yards on Lancelot can complete ten a month without any problem, the same with the space docks, it's the finishing that will take time.  So I’d have to say two months for a completed ship, ready for combat.”

“That’s not good if we want to complete a hundred in a year.”

“Once the retooling is set up, the construction process will speed up.  I’ve already talked to the yard Superintendent, and she’s agreed to open up as many berths as possible, and construct new ones as needed.”

“We still have the problem with getting that many Ag drive systems from Earth.”

“Since when?”

“What do you mean?”

“We’ve had Ag system technology for 175 years, Mike.”

“Wait.  How come I didn’t know?”

“You didn’t need to.”

“But I thought Earth rigidly controlled Ag technology?”

“They do, and so do we.”

“Then how...”  He saw the PM smile.

“An agreement made a long time ago,” his face took on a wistful look, “but you’d have to ask your Great Grandfather about that.”

“Max?”

“Yes, it’s part of the reason he left Earth.”

“Now you’ve got me curious.”

“Haven’t you ever wondered why most of the people on Avalon were from England?”

“Never thought about it much growing up, but now you mentioned it.”

“As you know from your history, after the Diaspora, most ethnic groups settled on Planets of their own, with England’s help.”

“Yes, they offered to transport any ethnic group to a planet of their own.”

“That’s right, with the number of available M Class Planets, there was more than enough for every major, and most of the minor ethic group to colonies, free from outside interference.”

“God, did that produce some disasters.”

“True, but that’s what they wanted, to practice their own form of Government, religion, what have you, with no one to say what they could or couldn’t do.”

“As far as I remember, the only rule was, that they couldn’t force their view, religion, or Government system on any other planet, unlike the Sirriens.”

“Right, the thought was, that as England controlled Ag technology, there was no way they could cause problems outside their own world.”

“So much for that idea, someone forgot that England wasn’t the only people in the galaxy to have Ag technology.”

“Yes, a little short sighted to say the least, like the Sirriens, other Planets started buying Ag and warp transfer technology from the Voss and a few others.”

“So, interstellar war was inevitable.”

“No really, but someone should have foreseen the possibility that it might happen, but in the rush to colonize planets, England forgot to grab a few solely for themselves.”

“Until Avalon and others.”

“Right, you know Max discovered this Planet, and traded his other discovery credit for the sole colonization right to it.”

“That’s something I didn’t know.”

“After the second Diaspora, Earth population had dropped from 4 Billion, to less than one Billion, and he realized that Earth would never again be what it was before.”

“All the feuding and fighting stopped, what was there to fight over any more.”

“Right, now some religious group could have a world of their own, to do what they wanted.  Yet England didn’t, so Max set up an immigration program, picking and choosing who he wanted, mostly the young and brightest, and transporting them here.”

“I take it he considered the genetic implications?”

“Oh, very much so, predominates, we have Welsh, Scots, Irish and a broad cross section from the rest of England, Western Canada, Australia, Germany and the Scandinavian countries.”

“If I remember my history right, he transported over two million people here.”

“Right, he felt that was a wide enough genetic pool to prevent inbreeding, and with population control, a good number to give everyone space to live and grow.”

“Good plan, but a bit racist, don’t you think?  Conner asked.’

“Have you ever heard of a white, Christian, Anglo Saxon on New Mecca, or Zanzibar?”

“Not that I remember.”

“If other ethnic and religious groups can dictate who they have colonized their planet, why not England?”  Conner nodded.  It wasn’t as if you could find any dark skinned people on Trinity, his home planet, after all.

“It worked, as of now our population stand at a steady 175 million people.”

“It doesn’t seem that many.”

“Spread out over two planets it isn’t.”

“So how did we get the Ag technology?”

“I’m going to let Max tell you about that.” The PM chuckled, it's a great story, and one that might surprise you.”

Mike nodded, he’d like to hear it firsthand, but the thought of meeting his Great grandfather was all that appealing, seeing that the first time his Great grandfather saw him he tried to kill him.  It was clear that there were a few family secrets he didn’t know about.  The thought of having a one on one with Max Tregallion was an intimidating thought.

“So, when can you start building?”

“I talked to Admiral Cunningham, and he’s putting together an action plan as we speak, it should be ready in a day or so.  Then I’ll tell you officially, and give you a letter to take back with you.  I’ll also send a private communiqué acknowledging out formal acceptance of the um… program. ”

“So, what do I do, twiddle my thumbs?”

“Mainly, yes, give your crew some leave, relax and enjoy yourself.”

“Ummm, sound like I’m being kept in the dark.”

“No, you have a Royal Naval Warship to run, and officially you can’t be involved in the internal affair of a Sovereign Nation, even if it is your own.”

The PM was right, the one main rule was ‘Non-Interference’.  A planet could self destruct, and all he could officially do was stand and watch.  To do otherwise would violate Earth’s non-interference rule, and set off a chain of events no one could predict if he did. After the PM departed, a string of family members came to see him, uncles and aunts, all wanted to hear the latest news, or simply see him. In the end, he had the house bot set up a table in the garden and loaded it with food and drink.  After that, it turned into a revolving picnic with people coming and going as they wished.  Conner disappeared for a while, then returned and had a drink with him.  Mike sipped his, idly caressing his lizard friend as they chatted.  Conner chased another, small one off his shoulder.

“What is it with these lizards, Skipper.  They are all over the place.”  He grumbled.  “The smaller ones keep jumping on my shoulder, or running up my leg.”  Mike chuckled.

“Not different ones, Conner, probably the same one.  He wants to make friends with you.”

“Oh, right!  Another friendly lizard.”  He snorted.

“Of course they are,  this is their planet after all.”

“Yes, you told me, but I’m still having a hard time with that one.”  He laughed, seeing Mike’s broad smile.

“They were here when the first colonist arrived, but it wasn’t until about 25 years later that anyone really took notice of them.  To some extent they are intelligent.”

“Wait a minute, you are getting beyond me.”

“This little guy has been with me since I can remember.  Every time I come out of the house, he was there, waiting.  Eventually he was with me all the time.”

“How do you know it’s the same one?”

“Because he’s got a scar on his nose, and his color.”  Conner didn’t look convinced.  “You’ll just have to take my word for it.”

“They seem friendly enough.”

“They are, and they seem to like human beings, and attach themselves to one person.  You’ll notice that one that’s climbing on your shoulder again, will probably lick a bead of sweat off you if you let him, from then on he will know it’s you.”

“How, by taste?”

“No, your odor, or pheromone signature, no one is sure which.”

“Hmm, I see.”  Conner looked darkly at the little lizard sitting on his shoulder.

“They are great for keeping the biting bugs off you, and I think that’s one of the main reasons they hang around us, easier to catch them.”  It wasn’t the whole story, but Mike felt it best to keep the rest of the secret to himself for the moment.

After an hour, Conner stood up and headed up to the house with the little lizard on his shoulder. He was off fishing with Mike’s uncle, and a short time later, the two of them went off singing some Irish ballad or other that Mike half remembered. He looked at them longingly, wishing he were going as well.  As heir apparent to the throne, so to speak, he had an official obligation to meet as many people as he could.  When he lived here, that was easy, as he could space out the visits, coming and going over a longer period of time.  Now it seemed as if everyone wanted to talk to him at once.  It was late evening before the rush thinned out and he had time to call the ship.

“How’s it going, Pete?”

“Quite, sir, but the crew is itching to get ashore.”

“I understand, I’ll be there in the morning to set them free, after a few words of wisdom about the local Customs.”

“Oh, I understand, Skipper, didn’t think of that.”

“Just tell them to dress up, and get ready to leave tomorrow morning.”

“Aye-aye, sir, you have a good evening.”

“You too, Pete.”

He sat in the cool of the evening, sipping his drink, seeing the last of the riotous color display as the sun set over the horizon.  It was peaceful, and his mind drifted back to Earth, and the Lady Ann.  What would she be going now?  He tried to think, but not knowing Earth time, he could only guess.

“A Penny for your thoughts, Mike.”  His grandmother said, coming up behind him and giving him a hug.

“Worth a little more than that.”

“Oh, is she nice?”

“Good heavens, how did you know?”

“When my grandson gets that far away look in his eye, and a smile on his face, he could only be thinking of one thing.”

“That obvious, huh.”

“I’ve seen it before, let me see, who was the last one... oh yes, Cathy Driscol, if I remember.”  Mike nodded.

“Long time ago grandmother.”

“Oh, not that long ago, seven years.”

“Seems like a lifetime ago now, how is she?”

“Married with two wonderful children.”  She smiled.

“I hope she’s happy.”

“As far as I know she is, she only pined away for you for about a year, then met someone else.”

“I’m glad for her, don’t think it would have worked between us.”

“So, how it your new love?”

“Did Andy tell you who she is?”

“Of course, I’m not second in Command of the Avalon Intelligence Service for nothing.”  She laughed.

“I forgot you are in the cloak-n-dagger business as well.”  He gave his grandmother a lop sided grin.

“The Princess Royal no less, my, my.”

“Yes, but I don’t know if it will work out either.”  He sighed.

“Why not?”

“Gran, she is the Princess, I can’t see the King giving his blessing on me marrying her, can you?”

“You never know, Mike, stranger things have happened.”

“Oh, right, I’m going to marry the Princess Royal and live on Earth, I don’t think so.”

“She could come here.”

“That would mean she’d have to give up her position, and all that goes with it and live on some colony planet, she is in line throne, you know.”

“Oh, I know that, all too well my dear.”  Mike turned and looked at his grandmother.  In the gathering darkness, it was difficult to see the expression on her face, yet her tone of voice said something.

“Gran?”

“Nothing, dear, just don’t give up hope, if you love her that much that is.”

“Oh, I do that.”

“Really?”

“Can’t imagine loving, or marrying anyone else.”  She reached over and patted his hand.

“Just be patient, Mike, let time take care of things, it will all work out, you’ll see.”

He could sense there was something behind her words, something she wasn’t telling him, but he had no idea what.  She stood up, and leaning over to kiss him, then went up to the house and left him to his dreams.  For a while, he sat there, watching first Lancelot, then Merlin come up over the horizon, each shedding a silvery light over the landscape.  His little lizard friend made a rumbling sound deep in his throat.  Mike suspected he was calling to his friends, telling them the latest news, or something equivalent.  He stroked its crest for a moment, then sat back, and relaxed.  In a way, it was almost magical, and for a brief moment, he could see her dancing with him in the moonlight.  Hear her whispering in his ear, her hands caressing his face.  At last, he sighed and went off to bed to dream.

*  *  *  *  *  *

As promised, Mike arrived back aboard H.M.S. Nemesis the next morning, before dawn.  The sleepy Officer of the Deck, Petty Officer Ridgeway shot to his feet as Mike came up the gangway.

“Good morning, Captain.”  He saluted, blinking his eyes to get the sleepy look out.

“At ease, Petty Officer, anyone up yet?”

“No, Skipper, everyone is still sleeping, including me, I think.”  He said, getting a little red around the ears.

“Don’t worry about it, we aren’t in a combat zone.”

“No, sir, but no excuse.  Shall I inform the XO you are back?”

“No, I’ll surprise him at breakfast.”

“Aye-aye, sir.”  Mike saluted the flag, and returned Ridgeway’s second salute and walked aboard.

The ship had a quite, friendly feeling, with just the chirps, pings and small sound any ship makes when operational.  He didn’t meet anyone on the way to his cabin, not that he expected to, other than the cooks and the duty watch everyone was still asleep at this hour, even Jenks.  He undated his log until 06:00, then walked down to the Wardroom, arriving before anyone else.  The mess steward heard him come in and stuck his head in through the service hatch to see who it was.

“Oh, good morning, Skipper, good to have you back, breakfast?”

“Yes, please, coffee first.”

“Aye, sir, coffee coming right up.”  By the time someone else came in, Janice, he was elbow deep into scrambled eggs, bacon, and a mountain of fried potatoes.  Janice sat down, looking at him grumpily.

“Morning, Skipper.”

“Morning Janice, how come you are looking so glum this morning?”

“Late watch, and how can you eat all that this early in the morning?”  She shuddered.

“Because I’m a growing lad, and need the nourishment.”

“God!  If I eat that much in the morning I’d look like a blimp!”

“Umm, sound like I should take a look at the exercise program on this ship, to many fat butts around here.”