The black of space, p.1
The Black of Space, page 1
part #8 of Steven Gordon Series
The Black of Space
J W Murison
Copyright ©JWMurison.2020
All rights reserved.
ISBN-13: 9781657696624
DEDICATION
To George Trowbridge and his wife Mary. Avid reader, friend and old comrade in arms.
chapter 1
Steven looked over the gathered crowd and felt the nervousness grip.
Komoru squeezed his arm, ‘You have stood on galactic stages Steven, there is no need for you to be nervous.’
He cast his eyes over the gathered crowd, ‘This lot are far more frightening.’
‘How so?’
‘Because they refuse to believe what is right in front of their eyes. That’s what makes them dangerous.’
‘You are going to be nice, aren’t you?’
He was surprised by her remark. ‘Yes of course I am.’
The room was still filling up, but already there were those who were crying out for attention.
‘God will punish you for your lies!’ Seemed to be the most common phrase that was thrown at them. ‘You will burn in the fires of hell!’
‘Earth is flat!’
‘There are no such thing as aliens!’
By the time the room was full, Steven could feel his temper start to rise. An usher hailed for quiet and announced Steven’s name. He received a roar of disapproval.
A small plan started hatching in the back of his mind as he took the podium.
‘How many of you still believe in a flat Earth? Stick your hands in the air.’ At least a dozen people raised their hands. ‘All it takes is a cheap flight around the world to prove how wrong you all are. I will presume you don’t have enough money to procure a flight, so let me oblige…’ he had already been in touch with Babes and Buzz, everything was ready. Those who had raised their hands began to disappear. Some of those who were left started to cry out in alarm.
‘Don’t worry, they are all fine. I have just beamed them aboard my ship, and we are giving them a free once around the world. It should only take a few minutes. Now the idiots are out of the way, let’s deal with the rest of you.’
The room went deathly quiet as he looked around them, all aware that they were being televised.
‘Would those of you who believe that I am an actor and that my ships are all part of some great government tax hoax please make yourself known.’ No-one volunteered. ‘Really? Are you sure? According to my information there are at least twenty of you in here. The flat Earthers will be back any time now. We have plenty room on board the ship. Would you like a trip to the Moon or Mars? If that doesn’t satisfy you, we can always toss you out of a fucking airlock once we get there.’
There were cries of alarm. Here and there individuals began to move towards the doors. ‘It looks like we have a few believers now,’ Steven waved. ‘Goodbye folks, please come again anytime.’
He looked back over the crowd. ‘So, who does that leave… ah! The religious people. Aliens do not exist right? It is all make believe, that is what you are telling people, isn’t it?’
There was a sudden commotion as the missing people were beamed back into the room. Many of those already standing there began to hold their noses. Abuse was hurled at Steven as yet more people made their way towards the exit.
‘Do we still believe the world is flat people?’
‘You are a fucking bastard!’
‘I know, did you shit yourself as well? Never mind… do you still believe the world is flat? Would you like to go again?’
The exodus ended. ‘Now, where was I?’ The silence was deathly. ‘Oh right, the religious freaks.’ That did not receive a response. ‘Now I know for a fact that many religions have had practitioners out there in space. They comforted many during the campaign against the city ship. They saw aliens. Where are they now?’ Steven held up a hand. ‘It’s alright, I know. You defrocked them. Threw them out of your churches. I believe even a few were stoned to death in some backward countries, places in which I built schools and hospitals with alien technology. Some of which have been attacked, burned, the doctors and nurses hurt and abused. Tomorrow I am going to reduce those places to dust and have the staff return home to a decent society. From here on in, you will get no help from me, or my people. You can live in the rat-infested shitholes you call home and dream happy, happy thoughts all day about your God, or Gods.’
That elicited a response from the crowd. One cried out ‘God is great,’ and three others around the room took up the chant. One ran forward to within a few feet of Steven and Komoru. He held up a device and pressed the plunger. Nothing happened.
Steven shook his head and looked down his nose at the bearded man.
‘Did you really think we wouldn’t detect the explosives? We replaced them with plasticine. It weighs about the same. No go boom boom though. There are people waiting to interview you outside. Goodbye.’ The bearded man promptly vanished.
Now there was an even greater outcry. ‘What, no thank you?’ Steven bellowed, and they quietened down again.
‘That’s better. We all know why you took this stance, don’t we? You are frightened of losing all that money and wealth. If no one believes in you anymore, you will all have to get proper jobs. Aliens don’t believe in God. In fact, I have seen them laugh with great gusto at even the mention of God. They consider us primitive. There was a time, long ago, when they did believe. They tried every conceivable test there was, with technology a lot more advanced than ours, and found nothing. No proof of anything. They put it all down to luck and coincidence.
‘But there are young men and women out there right now who believe. They believe in God. They are the ones who need you. You have disrespected each and every single one of those who died protecting this world. Not only them, but their wives, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, cousins, grandparents and children. It isn’t because of alien beliefs that you are losing parishioners, it is because you are turning your back on the people. You are just too frightened of losing all that money, power and wealth. You disgust me.’
‘Do you believe in God?’ An anguished voice cried out.
‘I didn’t when I was a child, but I do now.’ He lifted his arms, ‘How could I not? At the age of fourteen, I took off on a friend’s bike and went under a truck. I should have died, I didn’t. I was supposed to be a vegetable, but I learned to walk and talk again. I was never supposed to work, but years later I was working, standing in a car park watching the stars when those two ships almost landed on my head. I touched one of the ships and felt a connection. Why did they chose that time, that day, that night to come to Earth? That facility, that carpark? Fate, coincidence, call it what you will. They repaired me, my body and mind.
‘We then discovered the Black Planet, we rescued the survivors. We were able to build a fleet of ships just in time to squash an invasion. Coincidence again, luck. We saved this entire planet, not just our own species, but every species, every plant on this world. Luck, coincidence? I don’t think so. Since then we have saved this planet more times than many of you realise. If we are not being guided, protected even, by some divine hand, then what is going on? You people are the only ones that can answer that question. I have never read the Bible, the Koran, I am of no religion, but I have come to believe, despite my interaction with aliens.
‘Yet here you all stand, disrespecting those that have saved countless lives, all because you think your nice little lives will go away. You spout from your pulpits about how evil I am and how I tell lies. You disrespect every life that has been given to save yours. It is no wonder your parishioners are leaving you in droves. You disgust me, now get out of my sight.’
It took a moment or two, but those at the back slowly began to file out. There were more than a few with heads lowered. Steven stood there and waited until the last one was out. Reporters rushed in but Steven ignored them and left through the back with Komoru. A car was waiting, along with a few stony-faced officials. They glowered at Steven.
Buzz’s voice came from inside his head, ‘Hey Tonto.’
‘Kemosabe!’ Steven answered in the same manner.
‘What was that all about? The decks up here are awash with shit.’
‘Just a few flat Earthers, a small lesson on just how flat the world isn’t.’
‘A bit dramatic though, if it wasn’t for the smell it would be quite funny.’
‘Didn’t you see it?’
‘Sorry bud, was too busy. We were retrieving some space junk for NASA.’
‘I forgot. Lucky you were still within range.’
‘Left just after we nicked the bad guy’s explosives. We caught the satellite as it orbited over the US. We didn’t go very far. That’s it dropped off now. I will watch it later. How did it go?’
‘It went…’
‘That bad?’
‘Yup, gotta go and face the music now.’
‘Good luck. Later.’
‘Later.’
He caught Komoru’s scowl, ‘What?’
‘You said you were going to be nice.’
‘I was nice! I thought I was nice, didn’t you? I gave free trips around the world and everything. I thought I was nice.’
Thirty minutes later, they were driven into the White House. It was a further twenty before they were ushered in to see the President.
He clapped his hands slowly as they approached and then waved his aides out. Unexpectedly he began to laugh.
He took a deep breath, ‘Oh dear! I have been wanting to do that for the last hour. Th
‘I lost my temper Mr President.’
‘I was watching them heckle you, but they were pretty quiet considering. The flat Earthers have been screaming blue murder of course. A trip around the world, wonderful! Of course, it could lead to charges of kidnapping. We have been trying to get them onboard a ship for years. I see more than one of them messed themselves. They were a joke before, now they are an even bigger joke.’
‘Do you really think they will have me arrested?’
‘The leader might. You shamed him in front of the world. He has brought more than one action against the government before. Fortunately for you, there are no laws about beaming people out into space against their will. You really aren’t much of a diplomat though, are you Ambassador?’
‘I don’t suppose I am sir.’
‘Yet your style seems to resonate well with the alien species you come across in your travels. Still, I am not your boss, and it isn’t me you have to answer to. I want to talk to you about the stranglehold the PD Company has on everything. I am being harassed on a daily basis by lobbyists and senators alike.’
‘There is absolutely nothing I can do about it, sir. This all comes down from the Grand Commander of the Federation’s forces.’
‘I am the leader of the richest and most powerful country on this planet Ambassador. You are saying that I have no clout?’
‘None. Comparing yourself to the Grand Commander is like comparing the mayor of a town of two hundred folk somewhere deep in Alaska to yourself.’
The President blinked, ‘Seriously?’
‘He is an Emperor, his empire is only surpassed by that of the Modloch Emperor. His people number in the billions, at least. He is trusted with the protection of the whole Federation. He is the most successful Grand Commander the Federation has ever had. If you are thinking of taking him on; in the words of a friend, you had better grease up, bend over, and brace yourself.’
The President burst out laughing, ‘Your friend has a fair turn of phrase.’
‘He certainly has sir.’
‘Can you at least explain things to me?’
‘I can try sir. We are still very vulnerable. Our home planet is protected, yes, but it’s very common for new members to be thrown out of the Federation inside the first five years of membership.’
‘I understand that Ambassador, where are the pitfalls?’
‘Smuggling basically. Selling prohibited goods, that’s how most fall so quickly. Trying to sell goods to races that aren’t allowed to trade in them.’
‘Like illegal diamonds in Africa.’
‘Exactly like that sir. The PD Company have hired experts from many different races who scrutinise all applications. We grant licences. Once licenced, if a trader tries to trade anything that is illegal, then the trader themselves are held accountable. If unlicensed traders are caught, then it is their home world that is held accountable. Illegal mining and smuggling are a massive issue too. There are plenty of materials and minerals that we can produce here on Earth that are on the prohibited list. The Grand Commander has made our company responsible for checking every last detail of every last thing that goes across the barrier.’
‘Are you saying that he is trying to safeguard Humanity?’
‘That is exactly what he is trying to do. We control all transport, all mining. No one else on Earth has the ability to mine off world, he believes that to be a great starting point. Funnelling everything through the one company or agency is a great way of controlling what flows back and forth across the great barrier.’
‘So you have no intention of selling craft to any individual company or government?’
‘None at all. In fact, he reinforced that point. With so many governments on one planet, all believing that they can do what they want before they have even learned the rules, there is a disaster waiting to happen. If you or any other government tries to seize control of my company, it will be considered a hostile act by the Federation, as we alone have the power to issue legal licences.’
‘So a Federation licencing body has the protection of the Federation?’
‘One hundred per cent sir.’
‘One last question, an Italian company applied to sell pasta, and your company rejected it. Why?’
‘Weren’t they told themselves?’
‘They haven’t received the official report yet.’
‘A moment please,’ Steven took out his tablet and made an inquiry. It came back quickly.
‘The wheat product wasn’t the problem; the problem was in the preservatives used. Three of those chemicals can cause severe health problems in alien races. As soon as we have identified those chemicals we will update our website. We have already advised food producers to avoid using any artificial sweeteners, stabilisers and preservatives in their products, but they just aren’t listening.’
‘So everything is tested?’
‘Everything including the wrapping.’
He was nodding to himself, ‘Our people need to slow down.’
‘That is exactly what the Grand Commander is trying to achieve here. He isn’t against Humanity.’
‘He is just trying to give us the best possible start.’
‘Yes sir.’
‘Thank you for clearing that up Ambassador.’
Once out of the White House, Babes beamed Steven and Komoru up.
Steven crashed onto his couch.
‘Please don’t have a go at me Komoru.’
She sat down beside him and pulled his head onto her lap. ‘You know what you did wrong?’
‘Yes I do.’
‘Then there is no need to say anything.’
Steven almost dozed off. Komoru activated the TV to watch the Modloch news. The Emperor was leaving to attend a conference. Steven was half watching. He suddenly sat up.
‘What the hell is Charlie up to now?’
‘He isn’t there.’
Steven pointed, ‘Right there, at the side of the Emperor, the giant Modloch.’
‘That’s a Modloch.’
‘Look at his side arms. That’s a desert eagle and one of those light sabres. There are only two people in the whole galaxy that run around like that, and only one of them can change his appearance.’ He pulled out his phone and sent a message.
‘The pistol and sabre are a dead giveaway Charlie, just saw you on the news.’ He lay back down on her lap.
It took a while for the message to be replied to. ‘Bollocks! Thanks for the heads-up Stevie.’
Komoru leaned over, ‘Is it really him?’
‘Sure is,’ Steven looked up and decided he liked the view. He grinned and reached up. Her squeal turned to laughter quickly.
chapter 2
Gord and the guard that was with him flew through the dining room door with an almighty crash, then slid across the highly polished floor in a rather dramatic fashion.
‘Fucking idiots,’ growled the giant that strolled in the door after them. The whole table was shocked at the sight. Rannalld was the first to react. He leapt to his feet, lowered his head and charged. The rest of the brothers watched on in shock as the giant sidestepped him, grabbing Rannalld by the horn as he shot past, and using his momentum, spun him round and off his feet. Rannalld shot out the door in the same manner as the guards had crashed through. They got to their feet.
Darrick’s wits finally returned to him, ‘Sit down all of you.’ They hesitated. ‘Sit down!’ Getting to his feet, he met Charlie halfway across the room and stopped.
‘Is it really you?’
‘What do you think?’
He walked round, ‘You are one handsome Modloch, Charlie.’
‘Seriously?’
‘I am going to have to keep my daughters away from you.’
‘Cool.’
He laughed, ‘Amazing.’
Gord staggered to his feet in disbelief, ‘Is it really Charlie, sire?’
‘It is.’
‘How?’
‘Are you really questioning me?’
His head dropped, ‘I am sorry, sire.’
Rannalld came staggering back in. Darrick laughed at him, ‘Sit down Rannalld, everything is fine’
