《Outpost Dirt》 Chapter 1 - Her Adam didnt know how long he had looked at her, his mind trying to comprehend that she had come to him of all people. She was as beautiful as when she left him five years ago; she should be married now, so why was she here? There was no ring on her finger, so maybe they broke up? But why her? Wait, Harold had said he knew someone who would take the trip. No, she must have been here with the inspector that he expected, or this is a dream. He decided to get up and break the dream. He tried to sit up, and the pain in his side made him groan in pain. Her eyes shot up, and she looked at him. None of them said a word. She looked worried and relieved at the same time. I must be dreaming. Im finally going crazy. Adam said softly, and she smiled and got up. Going crazy? You were always crazy. She was standing by the bed now, so close he could reach out and touch her. Thats what you would say. You have to be a dream; you would never come Her lips pressed against his, and she kissed him passionately. The shock was short and pleasant as everything else was forgotten, and he tried to pull her into the bed. Which was a very poor idea, as the pain in his side shot through in his side, and he groaned in pain. She stopped and checked the wound. God damnit, Adam. You lost a rib from that shot. You fucking idiot! What the hell were you thinking? He was a pirate! They said he even told you he came to kill you! She hit his shoulder, and he could see tears in her eyes. Hey, Im still here, still alive. We had a plan. I just thought he wanted me alive. He managed to sit up. I had a plan? She said in a mocking voice. You never make a plan where you die! I could have lost you. I She kissed him again and slowly stopped as she whispered. Never do that again. Adam smiled at her, took her hands in his hand, and put them on his chest. I guess I need you to stay then and keep me under control. I mean, if your husband will allow that. What husband? She looked at him, confused, and then it seemed to click. She laughed. Adam Wrangler, youre an idiot. You never checked? I was trying to get you to fight for me. I was trying to get you to propose to me. But? How? I just wanted you to be happy, and you broke up with me, remember? Adam was confused, and she sat at his bedside, looking at him, wiping a tear away before continuing. Okay, I''m stupid too. I thought that if I said I met somebody, you would try to get me back, and then you would propose. It was Glorias idea. Come on! I was 17 years old and did something stupid, and you just congratulated me and joined the Marines. Adam started to chuckle and laugh, but that was too painful, and she hit him lightly. Dont you laugh at me! but she was almost laughing herself. The door opened, and Dara and a human came in, seeing them playfully fighting. Evelyn stopped and looked at the human. Doc, Is everything secured? Yes, Major. The planet and system are secured. They are quite effective. They are almost back to full operation. Jerod is interrogating the prisoners. What to do with Roks? He insists on taking Captain Jargy to meet his father, but the prisoner is barely in a condition to be moved. Adam stopped laughing and looked at Evelyn, noticing she was holding his hand. Major? What the did you join the Marines too? She looked at him, smiled, and looked back at Doc. Tell Roks Adam is awake and keep the prisoners on our ship; nobody gets access to them; these guys dont know about the Geneva Accord; they will just kill him. He is a pirate, and thats up to Adam to decide his fate, Dara said as she checked Adams wound. It is healing nicely. You can get up, but it will be painful; I suggest a week''s rest, and you should be healed. Gods be damned, Adam! Why did you have to die on camera and be saved by her? Are you aware of the mess you made? Evelyn turned to Dara, confused, as did the Doc. Excuse me? I should let him die? Evelyn was getting upset, and Adam suddenly realized what Dara was speaking about and sighed. I didnt die, Dara, and Im not him. Besides, she is not my wife. Evelyn got more confused. What are you talking about? Dara huffed. Not your wife? Not your wife, YET! You idiot. There are people already planning your weddings. Besides, why would you not marry her? Look at her; she is perfect for you, and I saw anybody so beautiful. Evelyn blushed as she heard the words, and Adam realized he was still holding her hand. Come on, it''s just a coincidence. But yes, she is beautiful, smart, and just as crazy as me. Dara shook her head. You need to build a new city when the words leak; you''ll get many devoted followers. Evelyn and the doctor looked between them. What is going on here? Evelyn finally asked, and Adam chuckled but stopped because it was painful. There is a legend about this guy coming from far away to bring order and new hope to this region of space. He is supposed to die, and then his wife will arrive. They think that since Im from far away and got shot just as you showed up, they think I''m that person. Doc looked at them. Is that this Galius guy Im hearing about or Jad-him? There are a few others I keep hearing, too. Dara and Adam both nodded. Yeah, those. He said. Wait. Is there a prophecy about you? Are you starting a cult? Evelyn said, and Adam tried to laugh but stopped. No, I have tried to stop this stupid talk. I mean, it''s so stupid. Adam said, and Dara looked at her. He is tired of stopping it, but you have to understand. There are so many stories about this Galius guy. He is supposed to have been made and not born; he also freed his people before he came here. He represents the change for good. His prophecy is almost in every religion under a different name, but some things are consistent. He is never born. The gods bless him, and he awakes the gods to walk among us. He dies, and his wife arrives. Thats when he really starts to change the world. He will free slaves and bring the universe wealth, prosperity, and safety. It''s just all our wishful hopes poured into one person, but people now say Adam here is Galius because of what he has done here on the planet and what you did. Adam shrugged. I dont know what to do about this. So the faster I can get up and pretend this was just a flesh wound, the better. He looked at the Doc. Can you help me with that? How long have I been out, by the way?Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Three days, and yeah, I can get you up and functional for a few hours, but you need rest, Doc replied, and Evelyn just looked at him. Your do they know about... you know. Your childhood? Only very few, and they dont believe this shit, right, Dara? Dara nodded, but Evelyn was not completely convinced. Look, if that gets out, then you will have a real shitshow on your hands. Do you want fanatics running around? That will not be peaceful. She stared at her, and Dara bowed her head. I understand; make sure it doesnt spread; let them know he has parents. Doc looked at them. Wait, he doesnt have parents? Adam sighed. Im a genetically customized baby. I have parents; they are shitheads. Evelyn got worried as she saw the looks on Docs face. Look, you know the 1567s, right? Doc nodded. You know I do. I''m married to one. Adam is number one. He is the one Youre kidding? He is number Uno? Fuck Wait, I thought his name was Noah? Adam looked at Evelyn, Thank you? Then he looked to Doc. "I changed my name; that''s what the government called me. Most of us did once we were old enough. She glared at him for a second and then realized the mistake and turned back to Doc. No. No.. that does not mean... GOD DAMNIT! You are not to speak to anybody about this outside the room! Not even your wife! Is that understood, Lieutenant! YES, SIR! Doc got in attention as if he knew he would be in serious trouble if he disobeyed the order. Now get him up so he can fix this mess. She had still not let go of his hand as the Doc came over and injected Adam with something. Dara watched them silently without saying a word. Adam left the hospital room and saw a human marine guard by his door. He chuckled, That was my old job. Hey, relax. I got protection here. Right, Archangel? The droid simply turned its head to him. Affirmative, base secured, sir. Evelyn had finally released his hand but was holding him around the waist to support him. God, she smelled good. She dismissed the marine, and Adam looked at her. How many marines? 30 marines and a crew of twelve, so 42. I gave most of them leave. Doc is my second in command. Lets get you some food; I actually have to get a report written so you can help me with that. Adam leaned against her; the drugs took away the pain, but he felt weak. So, no husband? No husband yet. Adam laughed. I think I can find a priest if you want. This is the proposal I get? In a hallway while you are recovering from being dead? Youre such a damn romantic. Oh, you want a proper proposal? I have to think about something. And you think I will say yes? They entered the kitchen area, where Roks just stared at them. You didnt die? Adam grinned. Not from lack of trying. Have you met Evelyn Garrison? Roks came over and grinned. Your future wife? God damnit, Adam? What were you thinking? Adam let go of Evelyn and hugged him. Never change, you idiot. Dont ever call me any of those names. Roks gave him a bear hug back and helped him to sit. As you say, boss. Now, let''s get you some proper food. We still have some pizza. Do you want blue pancakes? Evelyn watched them as she sat down next to him.Blue pancakes? she asked, and Adam looked to Roks. The lady needs to taste them; we can have pizza later. Roks started to make them. They didn''t let me have the bastard. I thought I should fly him to his dad and let them meet. We turn him over to the humans; besides, we need him. They said the ship was new, right? Adam replied. Yeah, right out of the factory. There is no way he would be able to get his hands on that without some serious help. Roks said, and Adam smiled as a toddler came running into the kitchen. Daddy, Daddy! Adam lifted Miker and hugged him. Hey there. Missed me? He nodded and looked around the room. Pizza? No, pancakes, Adam said, not noticing the look on Evelyn''s face, but Roks did as he sat down the plate in front of her. Yes, he would be a fantastic dad. He is the reserve dad for all the kids here. He is Miker''s second dad here since he bought his father to save him from the slave pen. He bought his father? She looked at Roks, confused. Yes, he is trying to free them, but the law demands that he own them for a period before they can be freed. He has a big plan for it. Something about you guys hating slavery. Roks explained. Yeah, especially him. She looked at Adam and back to Roks. So, he is buying up slaves to free them? Yes, then he hires them, and the money is in trust as he is not legally allowed to pay slaves. So, when he is allowed to free them, they get the back pay; there are some rich people here; they just dont know it yet. Adam looked between them. What are you talking about? That you buy slaves. She said, and Adam lowered his head in shame. I wish I could avoid it, but they have sick laws here. That''s why I want to make Dirt a human colony. I can free them all in one go. You will need military presence then. A military base, that means somebody of major rank at least. She winked at him. As she spoke, a soldier came in. Major, do you have time? She turned to him, nodded, bit into the pancake, and smiled. This is good, she said. I know, Adam said and gave one to Miker. Miker started to eat happily on Adams''s lap but then decided it was too low and climbed up on his shoulder. So, what''s the problem, James? she asked the soldier as she pointed to an empty chair. He sat down and took out a pad. Its about who attacked them, sir. It doesnt make sense; they should have been overrun. You''re selling us to cheap soldier, and forgetting a lot of factors. Roks said. Okay, why no cyberwarfare from the pirates? They should have easily hacked and turned the drones against you. They might be incompetent, but not that bad if they could fly the ship. Incapacity network, something Adam taught me. We know the languages they use to communicate with the drones; we changed it. That doesnt make sense; it''s just 0s and 1s or a variant of it. He replied, and Roks grinned. We made it four numbers like a square. Makes the program hell, but its a whole new system. It also makes the system unable to connect to anything that doesnt use our system. It can be hacked, but you need a level 4 hacker or better, which we have; they didnt. Okay, so you had a great hacking system, but that doesn''t prevent them from letting loose a few EMP bursts. James counters. Jork entered the kitchen and sat down. He had heard the questions. Well, I have all my chips EMP-proofed; they cost a lot, but they need a direct hit to knock them out. I normally build research ships, so empty bursts are part of the normal things to protect from. James looked at Jork, then at Evelyn, who nodded. Then Evelyn looked at Jork. Mind if we buy those blueprints? Hell, I think we want to get a look at everything you made. As well as that big warship they parked outside. Jork looked at Adam and back at her. Thats his decision. If the military wants to buy the blueprints and go through the ship, then sure, I need goodwill from them. Adam replied. James put something down and then continued. So youre saying that while they tried to hack your drones, you took advantage of attacking them? Roks shrugged. Yeah, and the pirates generally dont expect us to fight back. All civilian drones have an anti-collision system. You have to hack them to turn it off. They expected the drones just to distract their scans while we tried to escape. Thats the normal procedure in such an attack. Its almost like a preplanned play unless the colony has military protection. These guys knew we had only a few ships. That was why they brought the frigates. James thought for a moment, So you caught them by surprise. What about the carrier? Why didnt they just fly away? Jork grinned. That ship had an idiot for a captain. I think he was trying to take control of the nitrogen, but the swarm of drones blinded him. We did cyberwarfare against them, they had no idea. We simply wanted them blind. Those carriers have no windows, so he could not even see the second cube. My people generally view sports as a risk, so we only build them on civilian ships. He thought his back was clear. You make your ships like submarines? James asked, and Jork looked confused, and Adam nodded. Yeah, thats what he means. You forget this is a completely different system for war. Let me guess. Does the ship''s size not connect with the designations? Here, its the arsenal and usage that decide its classification. Adam explained. James looked over the pad. Okay, I need to go over this again. I will be back with a full report and probably more questions. Then he got up, nodded to Evelyn, who nodded back, and left. Adam looked at Evelyn. Okay, do you want a tour of the base, or have you already explored everything? Dara entered the room with Vorts and smiled at Adam. She never left your bed. So that might be a good idea. Evelyn blushed as Adam returned Miker to Jork and removed a few pieces of blue pancakes from his hair. Shall we? He stood up and offered her his hand, which she took. Adam then started giving her a tour. As they left, the other looked after them. And she arrived... And he still thinks he is not him. If he is him, what does that make us? The one he will awaken? Hell no! Im no god. Now you know what Adam feels about all this. Chapter 2 - Conversations Okay. I have an idea. Its a crazy one. Adam stopped and looked around the room; nobody objected. Not even Vorts. He had called the meeting and had the colony leaders there among Evelyn and some of her officers. So, since nobody objected, he continued. Roks, you will get a crew ready; you got a week, and you use their ship to return the favor; the humans get the frigate to follow and observe. We dont need humans to attack a corporation; they can assist if they want to. He looked at Evelyn, who smirked. Still trying to play diplomat? Let me guess, no uniforms? No, full uniform. Out here, the megacorps are their own government, but the syndicate is a criminal organization; officially, they are not connected. So, its more about sending a message. I just dont think you want human military tech to be observed in such a battle just yet. Then he looked at Roks, And if they have more of those ships we can take, then take them. Log it, too; we will tell the federation we took it as compensation for their attack on us. I''m pretty sure we can make it legal. I will have to talk to Min-na. Roks grinned. How many ships do you want?If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. As many as you can muster. I want a defense force and, if possible, a few gifts for the human military so they can study the tech. Adam replied, and he could see Evelyns officers getting excited. One week, and I will have that place gift-wrapped for you. What about the captain? You better give him to me or kill him yourself because the people want to tear him apart. What are you planning? He asked Dropping him off where his dad is. Seems suitable. And he attacked you. Yeah, but we captured him. Human law. We build a prison and put him there. If we hand him over to the authorities, they will only sell him into slavery. Prison? Damn, youre worse than me. Roks said with a grin, and the humans looked confused. Prison is the worst fate here. They prefer getting sold into slavery instead. He explained before he readdressed Roks. Anyway. One week to prep, then Roks leads the raid. Speak to him if you want to join. He looked at Jork. Or want to tweak the ships. Jork and Roks both grinned at the thought. Are you going, too? Evelyn said, and Adam shook his head. Naw, Im not so much of a warrior. Besides, I have to run this planet. Evelyn turned to Doc. You will be in charge of the mission from our side, intel and defense only. I will stay with the ship and a skeleton crew just in case we need to defend it. The officers exchanged glances and simply nodded. They all knew the real reason she stayed. Chapter 3 - Gossip and wine Everlyn watched as the new cafeteria on the second floor was being finished. The influx of people had made the kitchen area too small; it was one of the many rooms the base had left empty. A few aliens were working here beside the maid droids. The aliens looked at her strangely. Everybody was so polite and treated her as if she was already their boss. She was lost in thought as somebody came up next to her. May I speak with you? Dara asked, and Evelyn turned to her and smiled. Of course. Is anything wrong? She asked. The doggie in front of her was beautiful; what was the name of the doggies again, she thought. Ahh, Tufons. No, no, I just am curious about you; well, everybody is. There is a lot of gossip about you, and I would like to clarify some things. I''m kind of the unofficial human resources here while the men take care of the technical parts. There was not much for me to do when we first came here. Evelyn smiled. Sounds like typical men; they dont change no matter where we are in the galaxy, well, except for the insects and snakes. You have traveled the galaxy? Dara looked at her, and Everlyn nodded. Yes, with the Navy, the human colonies are mostly in the south. A huge war was going on down there; its in the mop-up phase now. We were finally out of that mess. I do not want to see a giant bug for the rest of my life. "Giant Bugs? Like the Kunitos? They are quite peaceful. Just full of rules for everything. Oh? Intelligent bugs? Not those kinds. Those we had to fight were genetically engineered bugs used as soldiers. Anyway, is that what you want to ask me about? Or about me and Adam? You and Adam, maybe we should go somewhere else. The walls have ears here. Dara glanced at a Dushin woman who was fixing the same chairs nearby again and again. Evelyn winked at the dashing and followed Dara out down the hallway. The halls were still the prefabricated white, and she looked at Dara. Is the whole base white? Evelyn asked. What? Of course. It''s how it was made. I wish we could change it. She replied, and Evelyn grinned and walked over to a control panel. Dara followed her, and she showed her how to access the color palette. Then, she changed the hallway into light green with a press of a few buttons. Daras eyes went wide with the possibility. It can change the colors everywhere? She asked. Evelyn shook her head slightly. From here, you can change the hallway sections; you have to go to the admin to change the whole base. You know you havent even named the base yet. Yes, we have... oh boys Dara replied. Yeah, that sounds like him. I have him fix it today. Anyway, if you have the authorizations, you can do it manually like this at each section. She explained. So you already got authorizations? Dara was confused. No, I''m using a military code; its a temporary override. We use it when inspecting a base and changing the color to show that we have been there. There is a whole bunch of color codes with different meanings. Anyway, this will last a week, but I''m sure you can get an authorization code from Adam. He seems to hold you in high regard. Dara beamed at the compliment. Thank you. This is something I want to talk to you about. What are you to him? I mean, really? Im pretty sure you heard about the prophecies. Oh, those. Yeah, I have heard of them, and we are not married. In his old ex-girlfriend. We grew up together. She tried to keep nonchalant as she said it, but it didn''t work. You dont seem like an ex. You seem more like his current. I can only hope. That is up to him. He might change his tune once he is over the shock of seeing me here," she said, and Dara laughed as she walked with her down the greenish hallway towards a small observation room with plants and aquariums along the walls. In the middle of the room, there was a small, comfortable sofa and table. Dara found the control panel and tried to change the color to a soft pink one. After a few tries, it allowed her. Everlyn sat down. He is so taken by you that he will forgive you anything you might have done; besides, if there is anything to those prophecies, you will get him. It''s clear you want to, and as much as he is fighting the prophecies, he wants you to. I''ve never seen him light up so much just by seeing you. And his pheromones are in overdrive, as are yours. Biologically, youre a very good match, but thats just science. What do you drink? I have some of that human whiskey, or if you want to try some Tufon wine, then I have some of that as well. Ill try some of that wine, thank you. Everlyn tried not to think too much about what she had said. Aliens had different ways to approach such things.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. I hope I''m not too direct; I''m not like most of the women of my race. I spent too much time with boys, and I didnt socialize with women before I joined the academy; I was aiming to become a doctor, but my society didnt allow that. I mean, I could have joined the military and been on the front line, but Gods forbids a woman to have a male job in civilian life. Here Im, the head of the medical department, and I just got a Scisya male doctor under me. That would be unheard of back home. She poured them both a glass of champagne-colored wine with no bubbles. I have a feeling you will enjoy Adams''s earthlike ways; there is no job you cannot have as long as you qualify; thats our way of doing things. She was glad to shift the theme away from her relationship, but she felt that was why she was here. That sounds great; I know he wants to make it a human colony, which is my worry. He says they might arrest him for it. Oh, because of the slavery It finally sunk in; she wanted to rescue him from that fate, and she had to agree. Its not that simple, especially with him. His story is quite famous. He managed to fade into the shadows and avoid the media madness; nobody knows him, but everybody knows his story. What is his story? Dara was genuinely curious as she sipped the wine. Everlyn took a sip, and it was red wine. It tasted like a half-dry one; she looked at the glass and went back to Dara; seeing her face, she started to tell the story. He is an illegally genetically made baby; the Costa cartel had an operation where they offered rich people to make their genetically designer babies; they would make six, and the parents could choose which one they wanted. The rest was kept as potential spare parts or simply used however the cartel wanted. Basically, they made humans to be slaves. They also made some specifically with some traits to work for them. They did a lot of different illegal experiments with clones and such. Everybody suspected it was happening, but the cartel had all the powerful people under control through bribes and blackmail. Then, one of these kids managed to escape their factory, and when they tried to catch up with him, they shot a cop and got into a huge firefight. It was all blown open, and that little kid exposed who the leaders were, not knowing not to speak up. The cartel got pissed off and started a war against the government, and that was how the whole operation was blown open, and lots of kids got rescued. That kid was Adam, the first to escape in the public eye. Most think he got killed by the cartel, but as you know, he survived. So he did free his people. Are you one of his people? Dara asked, and Evelyn smiled; it was not the question she had expected. No, I''m a normal human. My family was in an accident, and my parents ended up in a coma for three years. I was placed in an orphanage while they waited for them to come out of it. Thats where I met Adam. I was thirteen back then. When my parents woke up, I went back to the orphanage to visit him. Thats when I was his girlfriend. We broke up five years ago. It''s the stupidest thing I''ve ever done. I have done many stupid things. So, you''re not... oh, you better not let the Buginos hear that part. Why not? And who are the Buginos? Evelyn asked. Because there are prophecies about the wife, too, and you just fulfilled part of theirs. She replied, and Evelyn laughed. We are not those guys. Come on. Adam being some galaxy-changing being, and I''m being his wife? Are you aware of how stupid that sounds? So if he is changing the world, what am I supposed to do? The mother of the royal line who will rule the galaxy for one. She is also the summoner. He will bring the change, and the wife will bring him back to life and summon those he needs to make those changes. But mostly, thats her role. Wait? What is Adam supposed to do? I have a feeling you guys have told him everything about those prophecies. She was getting worried now. They were setting him up for a hard fall. He is the bringer of change; if you look at all the different prophecies, he is roughly going to free the slaves, bring peace and prosperity, find the treasure planets, and father the royal line. Then, pass back to darkness with his wife. Never to be seen again. It all begins and ends the same way; he comes first, followed by his wife. Dara indicates to Evelyn, Then the changes begin, and many different worlds have different hopes and changes, but it all ends with him transcending life and just vanishing, leaving his sons and daughters to rule the galaxy in an era of peace. Some say it lasts millions of years. Some say hundreds of thousands. It''s always a long era. You can see why he is so wanted. Shit, he can never do all that; nobody can. They will tear him apart if he fails or even stumbles. Evelyn felt a shiver go down her spine, and Dara nodded. All of us, because they are prophecies about who is around him. Thats why you must help us calm the rumors before it becomes too big to stop. Dara said seriously. I can understand your worries. So, what can I do? Not marry him? She chuckles but feels sad about it; she might have to leave him just to save him. I honestly dont know; I dont think he will forgive any of us if you leave because of what I told you. So what else can we do? We need to know what the prophecies say he will not do and have Adam do that. Something to prove he is not really him. Maybe get Kira to drop by. Dara said, and Evelyn''s ears peeked at the name. Who is Kira? Oh, a human woman he met a few months ago. Apparently, they had a short fling. She is a pirate hunter. She saved him, too, from pirates! It might show them that other women have been in his life. I mean, the prophecies do not mention another woman. What? You want him to have an affair to prove he is not the guy? Evelyn felt herself getting upset. She was going to rip this Kira girl apart. No, no. not an affair, but he is supposed to only have one. Dara explained. Two wives are not that uncommon here. Two wives? Evelyn got up. I think I have to leave. I understand your culture is different than ours, but I have to go and talk to Adam now. She put down the glass as Dara looked confused at her. Of course, I''m sorry if I offended you. It was not my intention. I''m only trying to offer a solution. Dara said as she stood up as well. Dont worry; it was quite enlightening. Evelyn nodded and left. She had to find Adam and kill him. Who the hell was Kira? Oh, a human woman he met a few months ago. Apparently, they had a short fling. She is a pirate hunter. She saved him, too, from pirates! It might show them that other women have been in his life. I mean, the prophecies do not mention another woman. What? You want him to have an affair to prove he is not the guy? Evelyn felt herself getting upset. She was going to rip this Kira girl apart. Chapter 4 – Trying to avoid the fate. Who the hell is Kira? Evelyn walked into the administration, and everybody turned to her, then to Adam, who looked back at her confused. What? He looked up from the table screen. Roks, Vorts, Jork, Kina, and a few human officers stood with him. The room itself was filled with people working at different stations. The media crew, who had been quarantined in the hallway, immediately followed by recording drones focused on the new development. Dont you give me that! Who is Kira? Adam looked at her, and then it snapped; he looked at Roks, who raised his hands disarming as he said. Not me! Just somebody we meet. She is a human piratehunter. She is pretty good. He explained, and James looked at Adam. Is she good? Maybe we can get her to join? Roks nodded, and Adam looked at them, but it was too late. WHAT! Dara told me she was more than that! Dont you lie to me Adam Wrangler! She said loudly with an angry voice. The room fell so silent that you could hear a pin drop. After a few seconds, Kina was the first to speak. That gossiping hag! Just like the rest of them! I''m going to kill her! Then she stormed out of the room. Roks and Vorts exchanged looks. Both said, Nope! and stayed. Adam walked over to Evelyn. Let''s go into the office, please. Evelyn looked at him, crossed her arms, and walked into the office. Once he closed the door, she turned and looked at him. Well? Who is she? I told you. She is a pirathunter that saved my life, and she was surprised to find another human out here. So she wanted to meet up. We met her at the Hub in the Surga sector, and we had a short fling. Then she left me. Look, I hadnt seen you for five years; I was finally able to move on a little bit. Dont change the subject. How much of a fling? Evelyn looked at him, and Adam had enough. Seriously? You came back after five years. You broke up with me to get married, remember? Do you think I would sit on my ass pinning for you forever? It took me four years before I even looked at another, and now you come back and fuck up my mind again! He heard his voice getting louder but Evelyn didnt care. I told you I was young and stupid. Why didnt you fight for me? If you were so much in love with me! Because you clearly were not. You said you were getting MARRIED, for fucks sake! I thought you had cheated! You broke me! He started at her; she was the one he had always dreamt about, and she was both an angel of pleasure and the devil of despairthe drug he never could quite. I didnt cheat! It was a test, and you failed. You cheated with this Kira whore! Adam laughed. How could I cheat on you when I thought you were happily married and had been so for five fucking years!Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Because you''re MINE! She screamed at him, and he could see tears in her eyes. She was no longer a woman but that teenage girl he had fallen in love with all those years ago. You left me! he said. I didnt mean to. I was stupid. She whispered the words as she wiped her tears away. He walked over to her, and he halfway expected her to move away, but she didnt, So why didnt you contact me? Tell me it was all a mistake? He asked softly. I thought you would hate me. She was crying now, leaning into his shoulder, her arms still crossed, but now it was more to hug herself. The anger was fading, and she looked up at him with pleading eyes. Im sorry, Ill leave. I''ll go back to.. He kissed her, and the world faded away. Do you think it''s safe to check on them? They havent been screaming for five minutes, James mused, and Roks laughed. You got a death wish? He asked, and James shook his head. Vorst sniffed and chuckled. Okay, everybody out. Let them be. I think we have our plan. They won''t be of any use to us in the near future. Roks sniffed and laughed. I hope she doesnt kill him. Then, to the people in the room. Everybody out. Use the secondary stations. Adam needs to have a long, serious. He grinned, and Vorts laughed. discussion with his close friend. The officers looked at each other and then heard a sound that made them quickly usher everybody out of the room and lock it with two droid guards outside. Roks and Vorst laughed as they went to find their wives, hoping nobody had gotten hurt too badly in the argument, as Tufon women were known for two things: fighting and gossiping. Evelyn leaned into Adam as they watched the ships taking off; Roks was surprised, as they had called it. The five human marines followed, including James, in the captured frigate with a Haran crew. Roks friends had arrived, and they had reached out and contacted Kira. She would meet them near the target coordinate. Evelyn had calmed down after the argument, and Dara had apologized for her gossiping. Apparently, Kina had really beaten her up, but she took it as a Tufon, with her head held high. Adam had also given her a crash course in the different races that were here. The warriors were the Tufon and Haran, or the doggies and the blue cats, as the marines had started to call them. They had the traits as well. Then there were Jorks and Skee species, The Buginos or four eyes, strong and with a knack for tech and slight disrespect for authority. Of them, the Tufon was the most sociable, which meant nothing stayed a secret, and the Haran was as secret as a house cat. And there they go. God help that cartel; Roks wants to kill something; I fear he will scare your marines with his blood lust. Adam said, and Evelyn nodded. He was a beast during the attack; Ramiez said he ripped one of the pirates in half that jumped him. I guess werewolves would be a better name for them. I''m just glad he cut down that pink mohawk of his. It looked ridiculous. He had a mohawk? Evelyn looked up at him, and he nodded and smiled. Yeah, it was at least 8 inches tall. And pink. They both laughed, and then Adam took a deep breath. God, this is crazy. You coming here and not being married. Hey! We are over that. I am not going to kill you for the whole Kira thing, and you won''t mention how stupid I was. She grinned as she said it, and Adam kissed her. If you say so. I hate to do this, but we have work to do, and we cant stay locked inside here forever. She kissed him back and tried to be professional, but he knew he could push a little, and that facade would fall. However, she was correct; there was work to be done. Okay, but you will move into my room for the duration of your stay. Thats an order. You''re giving me orders? I outrank you. So no. I will commandeer your bedroom for the duration of my stay. I will be gracious and allow you to stay as well. She winked and went to get dressed. Adam followed her and got his clothes. Are you claiming that you conquered me? Adam replied. I did that a long time ago. She winked. When the door opened, they found the hallway empty, except for two droids standing guard. Evelyn kissed him and returned to her ship; it was still there and used as a temporary base for the marines. Adam watched her leave and took a content breath before going to check on the base and the building projects. He found Jorks in his office, and Skee giggled when she saw him. She whispered to Jork. What? Adam asked. Jork grinned. In Scisya tradition, you two just got married. Chapter 5 - Married? Married? How? Adam looked at Jork confused. Well, you left your guests to mate and didnt come out for a whole night. You stayed there for a whole night and day, Skee said, and Jork grinned. He must be fully healed. She has truly brought you back from the dead. Jork laughed, and Mirker saw his father laugh, so he laughed as well. Adam just shook his head and leaned against a counter, looking at them. Skee sat on a chair with her feet on Jork''s lap. She looked happy and very much in love. What about you guys? When are you going to mar.. actually how do your people marry? Skee blushed, and Jork grinned. Not the Scisya way. So what can I help you with? I wanted to have a check-up and see if we can speed up the building process, I have a nagging feeling we are going to need more living space soon. Way ahead of you; remember you sent one of your droids and fifty of my construction droids to the other side to make a new base? It was about two months ago. Jork said, and Adam nodded, not wanting to get into the argument of who sent what right now. Yes? Did you change that order or add something to it? He asked carfully and Jork just looked at him. You really had to ask? Jork just looked at him, and Adam chuckled in response. Okay, what did you add? He asked. Remember those farm villages you showed me? I added two of them. At the current speed, they would be finished in a month unless I allowed to redirect some workers. Your domed city is now ready to be built. The place has breathable air and plumbing laid in. Just in case, we have to build a new reactor before it''s finished. Good, what about the nitrogen? How is that production going? We are up to two twenty cubic kilometers per four hours. The only problem now is the number of droids. I think we need a new factory and more people. Jork said as he idly massaged Skee''s feet. Adam nodded and got ready to leave. I will leave you two to get married. I have to check up with Vorts and the students. Skee got up as well. Actually, I have something to show you that I think you will like. Vorts and I have been working on it. Adam nodded. Later, I dont want to get on Jorks bad side. Then he left as Skee blushed and Jork grinned, Miker took one look at his dad and Skee and ran after Adam. He knew there would be more with him. When they arrived at the academy wing, they found Vorts going over some files with one of the assistant professors. The students all stopped and looked at Adam as he walked into the office with Miker on his shoulders. Hey! Am I disturbing? He asked, and Vorts chuckled. You know you''re married in Scisya tradition now, right? Adam sighed as Vorts teased him. Not you, too? Dont tell me everybody is saying that? Adam said as he let Miker down to go explore the room. Well, all the women are talking about it. And the Scisya has the oldest prophecy about the stranger from across the dark sea. The assistant professor said. He was a Scisya. Adam looked at him, and he introduced himself as Kurn Dull, assistant professor of botany specializing in phycology. Vorts explained that they and Skee Lef had a project they wanted to show him; well, it was mostly Skee, but they had overseen this and made some adjustments to ensure a bigger success rate. How much of an improvement from her idea? He asked. Fifteen percent, Vorts replied, and Adam just looked at him. It''s her project. We are just assisting, Vorts replied, and Adam nodded. Good. The same goes for your projects. We dont steal the glory here. There is enough for everybody. We make our own glory, right? Vorts just nodded, but Kurn seemed to be having a religious experience. Adam ignored it and continued. Besides that project, what about the islands? The biosphere islands? Yeah, we are starting with four domes on each of them to spread the biosphere. The good news is that oxygen is quickly nearing a breathable state for some alien plants, algae, and mushrooms. We can even start some insects as well, both aquatic and land-based. Mostly Ghorts and Sandors biosphere. They can survive on the high carbon levels. Thats actually Kurns project now. Good, I''m looking forward to seeing the results. Oh, when you have time, go behind my back and have Jork set up a few more extra droid factories. We need at least ten, and with him, you know how many that will actually be. I didnt say it, and I dont know anything about it. Adam winked and started to leave. Miker saw he was leaving and ran to join him, holding a pad. Adam picked him up and gave the pad back. Lunch? I think we have hotdogs now. As they left, Kurn just looked after him, stunned and amazed, much to Vort''s amusement. Hot dog, Yay! Miker said, and Adam grinned as they made it to the cafeteria, where a few marines were gathered. When they saw him, they waved, and Adam let Miker down to join them as he joined them. Miker hid behind Adam''s leg as they came over.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Can we join? Miker here wants to try hot dogs. He asked, and they all agreed. He spent the lunch hearing about human gossip, the war, and their view of the planet. They were impressed, and a few asked if he would allow human colonists here. When he said that was the plan, make it a human colony, a few of them joked that they knew where the Major would retire now. That comment led to a discussion about her. It was respectful, but it was clear they were all surprised at her current behavior. One said she looked so relaxed and almost glowing as he returned to the ship. She apparently sent a report back to Earth on the FTL communication system. They might get new orders. Adam considered asking what that might mean but was interrupted by Evelyn entering the cafeteria. The soldiers stood up, and Evelyn told them to relax before turning to Adam. Do you have time? The brass wants to talk to you. Adam looked at her surprised and got up. Me? Sure. I just have to put Miker somewhere safe. He smiled at her, and Evelyn blushed. We can take him together, " she replied and held her arms for Miker, who looked at her from behind Adams''s leg and then up at him, tilting his head. Adam nodded, and he went to her, climbing up to be held. Wow, youre a big, strong one. Come, let''s find somebody to take care of you while Adam and I talk to some boring people. She said, Miker giggled and put his head against hers. Adam watched and walked to her and led them back to Jork, who seemed very relaxed when they came in. When they left, they walked towards the hangar, and both noticed the looks people gave them. You know, according to the Scisya we are now married, Adam said with a grin, and she playfully pushed him. So I heard. God damn it. It doesn''t matter what we do; they will find a way to make it into part of the Prophecies, we can just get married for real then. I fear they won''t allow me to leave. After all this woman said, Im supposed to be by your side until you die. The last word was said as dramatic as she could, and Adam laughed. This was more like the confident and fun Evelyn he knew, not that she didnt have her jealous streak. Well, we can run away. Have Jork build us a ship and just go. No, we can''t; you won''t give up on them. We both know that. And I will be here ensuring you dont get in to deep or do stupid things. She stopped by the door of the ship and let the guard scan her and Adam before they entered the ship. The ship was parked outside the hangar but connected by a gangway. The human ship felt human the moment he entered, and it felt familiar but not home. It felt like he had just left his home. He looked back for a second, then followed her to a conference room where she had him sit down, then booted up the FTL communication system, and suddenly, the wall turned into a screen showing three generals and a civilian. Good afternoon Sirs do you hear me well? Adam said, and the others acknowledged him. Evelyn was standing behind him. This is General Lee, General Harris, Admiral Usun, and Senator Donald Blair; I have given them an update about your situation and some of your plans, so they would like to go over a few things with you, Evelyn said. Adam looked at her, nodded, and turned to the group. So, what can I help you with? Well, we have your application for colony status here, but you also self-incriminate yourself in the application. You bought slaves? Mr Blair said that Adam could see the military didnt seem to care much about this part but indulged the civilian. Yes, I did. Its a very common practice here; they also use Flesh-droids, but unlike ours, they use clone material instead of Mudskin. I bought them in the hopes of freeing them. Unfortunately, laws are preventing me from freeing them immediately; they have to serve a minimum of five years up to some being forbidden to be freed. That is why I applied; I cannot legally break those laws as a freestanding colony, but as part of the Earth Colony Federation, I am also bound by Earth''s laws. It will supersede the federation laws on the planet and automatically free all slaves. I am willing to take the punishment if it means my people are freed. Adam said. That is at least seven years in prison. And you are giving yourself to the authority voluntarily? Mr Blair replied, and Adam nodded. The senator was about to speak when General Lee spoke up. Enough of this bullshit, You know any decent lawyer will get that case tossed out and make him a hero for it. He knows it as well. Dont you, Adam Wrangler? The silver-haired general looked straight at him with a mischievous grin as if he had seen through the plan. I mean, its a good plan. So many would flock to you and make it their life goal to help clean the galaxy of that practice. So no! You will not be arrested. But I am wondering. How willing are you really to make your system a Human system? Adam chuckled. You''re as smart as they say you are; youre the first to see through it. Adam adjusted himself in the chair. But I am serious about making it a human colony. There is much we can learn from them, and so much we can teach them. When I came here, it was to get away, but now now I see the potential for all of us to benefit from it. As you know, the doctrine after the Butcher War was to spread out so we would never face extermination; well, this is as far from the earth as we currently can get; a colony here will help secure us. I heard about the Bug war and there is no war here, just a bad practice and a loose trade federation. The admiral chuckled and looked at Lee. Damn, he is good. You got waste guarding that gate; how did you flunk that psych test? On purpose, I joined for the education. Adam smiled, But seriously, no bullshit. I need protection here, and fast, I''m willing to do a lot to get Earth''s protection. I didnt lie when I said there is great potential here. Then I will cut the chase. Are you willing to accept a Military outpost in your system while we work on the senator to speed up your application? General Harries, a middle-aged woman, said, and Adam nodded. Yes, I have a moon that I can give you full control over. It orbits a gas giant. However, my main problem is the lack of qualified colonists from Earth. I require perhaps ten thousand or more to fulfill the requirements. Adam replied, and the Brass looked at each other. Full control? As you donate it to the Earth Navy? General Lee asked. Yes, it''s roughly the size of Earth''s moon. It''s far out, and the gas giant has three moons; this will be the biggest. I think you have the specs for the system; its Moon 1, orbiting Hanori. The Major can take possession of it immediately if you want. Do you have a lawyer there? General Lee asked, and Adam smiled. Yes, I will have her send a contract. All we are asking for is protection and aid in attack from pirates and invading forces. But the military contractor has to go through us before setting up shop here. The generals smiled and then looked at the senator, who nodded. I might have to come and check this place myself, Mr. Blair said. I''m looking forward to it. Hopefully, the resort city will be up and running in a few months, Adam replied, and the rest of the meeting was spent hammering out the deal. An hour later, he stood up and looked at Evelyn, who had the biggest grin on her face. The screen was dark, and she put her arms around his neck and kissed him. You sly little bastard! she teasingly said, and Adam grinned. Well, sorry about the promotion: outpost commander. I had to do something to keep you here. Chapter 6 - What’s an archaeologist? The next morning, Adam woke up with a big smile. He was happy but also realized he needed a bigger bed. When he tried to get up, she turned, smiled, and joined him. Didnt know you had become an early riser? Last I remember I couldnt get you out of bed before ten. He winked, and she shrugged. The navy does that to you. Now, its a habit. Coffee? Still extra black? She replied. Yeah, I fear the day I run out of it. I think I bought 500 kg, but it''s getting popular among the others, so I think I will run out soon. No, you won''t. Have you heard of a Navy ship without coffee? Besides, you havent opened your gift yet. My gift? From Harold. She winked, and Adam looked confused. They dressed, and she made him coffee, scrambled eggs, and noodles. He laughed when he saw it. It was one of the few things she could cook back in the orphanage, and she had made it for him many times. They ate, and then he took her to the administration to watch the kid''s work. You have added child labor to your crimes? She asked in amusement as the kids came in; they stopped as they saw her. One of the girls whispered to Kywar, and he grinned. What? Adam asked, and Kywar cheekily replied. She asked if we had to leave so you could get married again. Both Adam and Evelyn laughed, and the kids took it as a sign they could enter. Adam gave them today''s tasks and let the kids loose; several drones flew out from the base, some from satellites running scans of target areas in the asteroid fields. Adam explained that the kids love doing it, mostly because of the after-work play. Evelyn walked over and watched the kids scan and then looked at Adam. Has this planet been scanned for archeological signs? Adam shook his head. No, I was told it was a dead planet, the whole system is dead. He replied, and she leaned down to a Bylgyno girl. Mind turning back to those rocks you just passed? She looked at her, nodded, and turned the drone back, having it hover over the group of stones. Adam looked at it, and his eyes went wide. Evelyn looked at him. Shitt, we need archaeologists; thats a building The stones were stacked on top of each other in a straight line and a clear L shape. There was also a small I-shaped cluster next to it. Giralo? Can you do a deep scan of this area? I would like to know what type of stone is present and the stone''s position in a 500-meter radius and a dept of 50 meters. Can you do that? Adam asked, and the kids looked at them. The Bylgyon girl smiled and nodded, then accessed the scanning controller and started the scan. The boy next to her turned to ask. What are you looking for? Old building, like over a thousand-year-old building, Adam replied. Evelyn walked along the screens and checked for more. How can you recognize them just by looking at rocks? A wossir girl asked. She tilted her head. The green no shell turtle aliens were generally not so curious, but their kids still were. Or they had hung around Kywar too long. Rocks very rarely get stacked in a straight line by themselves; people tend to do that. So any rock formations that look like a rectangle, square, triangle, or any such shapes with straight walls is interesting to check out. Evelyn said. At the mention of the wall, all the kids looked at the walls, and a lightbulb went off as they started to speak quickly about potential places. Adam looked at Evelyn. Now we need an archeologist. I have a feeling we will get a few more sites of interest. The grown-ups started to pour in, and Adam looked at Vorts and then asked him where they could contact archeologists. Vorts looked confused. He knew about historians but had a hard time understanding archeologists. Anything that was dead and buried was of no importance to them. He could ask for him, but she didnt think the university had anybody in that field. Dead civilizations were failed civilizations, so why study them? Adam knew better to argue there and simply asked him to check around. Evelyn gave him a look as they left the room. They dont have archeologists? She seemed surprised. Yeah, orphanage either; Roks didnt understand the concept. Prisons are considered cruel and torturous punishments. They would prefer death to prison. They do have something called a social administratorI have no idea what it isand an editor constructor whose job is to check and edit buildings after they are made, not to be confused with a contractor. There are some strange things here. He explained, and she tried to wrap her head around it. No prison? All slaves are criminals? She asked as she guided him toward her ship. No. No. Anybody can become a slave, but slavery is also a common punishment in the system. Thats why we have that group of workers in a separate building. We havent checked them out yet. I dont want to put a violent criminal among my people. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. I can understand that. You are building a prison, right? Make it a factory and have them work off their debt while being productive? She asked. Of course, there is a farm and factory being built. Thats where I will place them. They probably won''t even notice its a prison, " he said. I think their view of prison is very different from ours. It''s probably more like a dungeon. Yeah, if they stopped using dungeons and only used slavery, then they dont know what a modern prison is. This is just weird. So much to get used to. She took him to the cargo area; most of it was empty, but there were two large containers in the corner. That one is your Ares bonus package. Its spare parts for the droids, a couple of crates of whiskey, the good stuff, and other snacks from home. Ares always adds one for customers who buy over five million Earth credits. Evelyn smiled as she looked at the other. At 10 million, they add this baby, custom packed container by somebody who knows what you appreciate, kind of a goody bag in container size. Harold put it together. It''s their way of showing they appreciate you as a good customer and want to do more business with you. Adam looked at her and then at the screen on the container and saw the inventory list: coffee, lots of Coffee and beer, hiking clothes and business suits, a personal Butler droid with a training programboxing and weightlifting editionand five hundred regular books, among others. Evelyn grinned at him. I think he knows you pretty well, dont you? Yes, he does because he added... Ice cream and the right brand. God knows I have to repay him for this. Adam said as Evelyn gave the ship droids an order to deliver the two containers, which had to be delivered personally before they could be unloaded. Just insist on using him next time you buy from them. I can also use him and claim he is the sales rep for this system. That sounds like a plan. Do you have anything planned now? he said, walking over to her, and she chuckled. Oh no calm your horse, Adam. You have to wait; I have to send somebody to inspect the moon you gave us and then try to trick you into borrowing some construction droids once they have decided what kind of base they want. So Give me a few hours. She said teasingly. Then she started to walk away, trying not to look at him. Adam took a few moments to admire her; he didn''t understand how somebody as beautiful as her could fall for him, he didnt understand. He headed back inside the base and went to find Skee. She had been talking about a project, and he found her in the Academic wing going over something with Vorts and a media guy. A male scisya that he knew from the media group. Hey, am I disturbing you? " he asked as he joined them. Skee smiled at him. Of course not. We are just going over my project and trying to optimize it. She turned his attention to what looked like a skeleton of a warehouse, A large underwater structure with walls but no windows. Make the ocean water flow freely in and out so the algae and fish can explore the waste ocean around. He studied it. What am I looking at? Is this an old building? No - no, this is a Aquadome. As you can see, there are living quarters for six scientists at the far end and an Aquatic hanger for a submarine. Jork turned one of the shuttles into one. This is a giant outdoor aquarium, " She explained as she zoomed in, and he could see fish swimming around. The oceans will take a long time to seed, and this is how we can do it. This area is controlled. We can feed them and adjust the oxygen and nitrogen levels, heat, and current. It''s basically an aquarium without walls, and it only works because there is no food outside. The longer the operation, the further away the aquatic life will spread and adjust to the new world. This is only one of the three we have built, but we plan to build many more. With your permission, of course. She looked at him, and he smiled. Are you sure they will survive? Yes, no earth organism yet; there are a few planets with a similar biosphere that have life; we start with them and adjust as they become more habitual to the general biosphere of the galaxy. So when it''s normalized, these little beauties can adapt and be part of the system. Some as food. Okay. He replied. Okay, what? she looked at him confused, and Adam chuckled. Okay, you can have Jork build more. Im guessing you want hundreds of them at least. She smiled brightly. Thank you, yes, I want more. We are also working on an aquatic seed machine. That was Professor Kurn Dull idea. Adam looked at the professor. Seeding it with what? A Sandorian Seaweed called Hasion blue, at first, will be able to survive in the current sea with its low oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon levels. It will also help speed up the oxygen production. It''s often used on the planets that have to lower their carbon percentage. He explained. I love it. Start the project and keep me updated. Adam said, and Krun smiled brightly. Then Adam checked his pad and decided to go back to the admin. The media guy followed him. Excuse me, may I have a word? He asked. Im Arus Valontur, we havent had time to speak much. Adam looked at him. He was a nice-looking man in a relaxed black suit with a blue shirt. His golden eyes studied him intently. Nice to meet you. What can I help you with? Adam replied as they walked. Actually, I have to apologize to you. We have sent our reports of what happened here; you have been noticed by many. There is talk about you being a certain religious person, and you might have to expect some visitors. People who think you are this person. I didnt think much about it. I mean, I grew up with the stories about him, but I never believed it was real. Adam chuckled. Neither do I. Look, half of those prophecies only apply because I am a foreigner to this side of the galaxy, and I have been raised with views that seem alien to this part. Any human coming here would react like I did about slavery. Oh, I''m smart enough to understand that. I just feel I should warn you. If you want to, then I will try to spread those sentiments as well, maybe interview a few of the other humans here. Its the least I can do. I have seen religious fantasizing up close before, and I dont like it. Arus replied, and Adam nodded. You have to get permission from the major before you interview her men, but I will put in a good word for you. I dont think it will be a problem. Thank you. Im looking forward to it. I will leave you to your work now. Then he left, and Adam went to the administration office. The next few days went by in a blur, Jork worked on several projects, and Adam had to order him to stop and rest. He sent both him and Skee on a private date in the bar while he and Evelyn babysat Miker, exploring the cave of wonder as it was now called. The Earth military had decided on a base and started the construction, and Vorts had not found any archaeologists, so they reprogrammed two scientist droids to study the sites to determine if they were structured or natural. The kids had located fifty-three of them. All have been quarantined to avoid Jork accidentally building a factory on them. Then, ten days after Roks had left flight control, Adam was informed that thirteen warships had entered the system. Chapter 7 - Guests? Roks? Adam said, but the controller replied it was not. Adam went into panic mode as ran towards the admin building. Who are they? He shouted into the communicator as he ran. I dont know, but they are not moving, just hanging there, and they are on the wrong side too! Adam stopped and tried to understand what he was saying. What do you mean the wrong side? Adam? Why are there warships entering the system from the far side? Evelyn said over the intercom, and Adam walked quickly to the admin building and saw the satellite images. Thirteen strange-looking warships were just hanging there waiting. The ships looked like giant wheelless cars but with extremely high energy readings. I do not know who they are, Sir. The ships'' design is not in the database. The controller said. Suddenly, one of the ships moved forward and hovered over Dirt within a few seconds. We are being scanned! Jork said, and Adam snapped his fingers to get the attention, Scan them back! No hostile movement yet. It seems like they are just gathering information. Over the intercom, Evelyn said she was currently on a human navy ship. We are ready, but I dont think they are hostile. She said, and Adam had to agree. It seemed more like curiosity. Then, the ship flew to Onic and started scanning the production and extraction before returning to Dirt. Then, there was a beep on Adams pad, and the ship simply jumped into light speed; the other ships also followed. Everybody looked at each other, and Adam looked at the Pad. It was a short message: Good work, we will be back! He immediately called the core group to his office at the back of the Administration office. So what the hell was that? Evelyn asked, and Jork and Vorts shrugged. Dara held her hand protective over her tummy, clearly showing her pregnancy now. The old ones? She suggested, and they looked at her. The old ones are a myth, Jork said, and Adam had to agree. Well, I''ve never seen this many energy readings, and the speed was beyond our capabilities. Our scans didnt reveal anything. I mean, we scanned empty space. Vorts replied, and they looked at the scans. The only things they had were video, energy, and radar readings. Adam showed them the message, and they looked at him. Okay, that is weird; how did they know to send it to you? Dara said, and Adam smiled. I am listed as the project administrator and owner. How they located us is more worrisome, " he replied, and Evelyn shook her head. Naw, that was border control. They were surprised to see us here but apparently didnt mind for now. They might change their mind. Evelyn replied. Did we at least get their trajectory? So we can see where they were going? Yeah, but that planet is 67 lightyears away, and we dont have a hyperplane there, Jork said. Adam looked at them, pondering the incident. So there is something out there that way, and they just dropped by. They didnt destroy us, but I have a feeling they could have. He said, and Evelyn nodded. Yeah, that would explain the fossilized structures. We need to know how long ago that was. She turned to Jork, Just out of curiosity, does the nitrogen have a fingerprint? I mean, is it possible to check if the Nitrogen on Onic was placed there by somebody? Jork looked at her and then to Vorts, who also shrugged. We have to check with the academics. They might know. Why? Well, she might be on to something. What if somebody moved all the nitrogen from the planet to Onic? It would be a perfect way to prevent people from moving in while you were away; as you keep saying, we can''t bring life here because we dont have any nitrogen. Adam explained, and Evelyn nodded in agreement. They both thought about it. The planet must have had life, but everything was removed and left dead. The whole sector was dead. It seemed like somebody had used scorch-earth tactics on the whole sector. But why? Adam wondered about it. Oke, so is this a test of some sort then? If we fix it, will they be happy? Or angry? Jork said, and Adam shrugged. Have no idea. We have to take the risk that they will be happy but prepare for them to be angry. We need an exit strategy.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Okay, that leads us to a few other things. Your city is almost finished. Vorts said. What do you mean? Adam said, confused. That domed city is almost finished; two thousand droids are working on it. It should be finished within a week. Jork said. Wait, what? When did we get two thousand droids? Adam sat up, confused, and Evelyn laughed. Boss, we currently have two droid factories that are spewing out a hundred droids an hour, and that number is just going to increase. I needed to test them out, so your project was ideal for that. The prison was finished three days ago and is connected to three farm domes and a shuttle facility. They should be able to make one a week. Jork said, and Adam just looked at them confused, and Evelyn grinned. You keep forgetting that they want to impress them. Its the same as the orphanage. They all came to you with their report cards. You signed all of them, remember? Its the same here. He is just like little Samuel. Remember him? Evelyn said as she nodded towards Jork. Adam looked at Jork, Samuel, shitt Then he laughed as he got up and walked out of the office. Who is Samuel? Jork asked. The two others looked eagerly to hear it. A kid at the orphanage he grew up in. He found out Adam liked playing chess, so he taught himself how to play and trained until he could beat everybody and won a few prizes as well; he was the first famous one of those kids and even got adopted later. But every time he won, he dedicated the win to Adam. All he wanted was to have Adam tell him he was a great kid, and every time Adam told him, he set himself a higher goal. Last I heard, he was a Chess master and poker champ, among others. And he was not the only one. It was like they all wanted his praise, which is why so many of them got really good jobs when they left. Even the one that never met him, the one from that was stuck at other orphanages. They only saw the videos and read his messages of encouragements, Just getting message from him saying keep up the good work or Im so proud of you was giving them bragging rights. He never knew but they all would work hard to prove to Adam that they could be successful, that he had given them a chance of a successful life. He kept saying the best revenge to the bastards is to be successful and forget them. She looked after him and grinned. And all he wanted was for them to have a good life. Well, I just want to repay what he gave me, Jork said, and Evelyn laughed. You already have; he probably thinks he is in debt to you now; one smile is all it takes. She said as Adam was sitting down in the admin going over the different projects. He seemed to ignore everything around him as he updated himself. Evelyn sighted. I know that look, he will go over everything now; find out everything so he knows whos in need of help and who to encourage. Then looking at the others, And who to let loose to do their own thing. It''s what he does, it''s what he has been doing for all the children of the orphanage since he was nine years old. So what should we do? Dara said. Evelyn smiled as she replied. He is my worry now. I know how to deal with this, you guys just do your thing. This is what I was doing all those years. We were a team, we just need to get back at it. What are you going to do? Jork asked, a little concerned. Kick his ass when he needs to take a break, talk him out of his worries and do some of the talking, but mostly drag him to bed. She got up and asked. coffee? They realized the meeting was over and got to work. Evelyn got two cups and brought one to Adam. She sat down next to him, listened to him when he started to ponder the different hidden small projects, and now and then gave her comment. It looked like a well-oiled partnership that seemed to understand each other on a different level. Dara stood at the door and looked at them as the priest walked by; he looked in at Adam and Evelyn. So, the wife has arrived, he said, and Dara simply nodded. Two weeks later, seven ships returned from the battle. Roks was quite relaxed and content with the result. Evelyn was shocked as she read the report and asked Adam if they needed to put Roks on a leash. Apparently, he had ripped people apart when they had boarded the ships. His tactics had worked perfectly, and the base was completely destroyed. He had taken four ships as his own and left the rest to be plundered by the competition. Two of the ships were modern warships, and the other two were massive cargo haulers, five times the size of a dream; they would come to good use with the transport of droids. But the biggest surprise was the 7th ship, Kira and her crew had joined them. Evelyn had put on her uniform and stood next to Adam as the shuttle landed and Roks and Kira came out. Adam looked very nervous at Evelyn as she waited, but when Kira emerged from the door, her face beamed brightly, and Evelyn turned to Adam. Why didnt you tell me it was Kira Nam? EVE! Kira started running towards her and hugged her. What the hell are you doing here? Kira happily squealed. I came for Adam. He ordered some droids, " she replied as she laughed. Adam looked between them, waiting for the chaos that would ensue. Roks came over and slapped his back. She insisted on checking if you got a good wife! he said, and Adam gave a weak smile as he looked back at them. This was an undetonated grenade. Adam? You know he is one of mine, right? Another of us escaped Earth. Kira said as she let her down, and Evelyn laughed. Yeah, I know. Where is your sister? And youre his Kira? God damnit. He is such an idiot! And dead. Evelyn shot him a glance. Kira grinned and looked at Adam. Yeah, but damn, he is good-looking,so.. wait, Sarah, oh, she went back to earth with her client. She will be back, just to secure his safety. Anyway, I thought you were looking for Noah? Did you find Him? Last I heard, you finally got the courage to go find Him again. Yeah, I found him, Evelyn said as she grinned at Adam. Kira turned to Adam to excitingly explain what was going on. Do you know who she is? She is the ex-girlfriend of Number One. I wish I had met her before they broke up. Then I could have met him too. Fuck the bureaucracy for putting me in London instead of Oslo. Then Kira turned to Evelyn. Well? Where is that glorious bastard hiding? Thats him. Adam is Noah, and he changed his name. He is number one. Evelyn said. Chapter 8 - Surprises! Kira looked at him and then laughed. Him? Then she laughed, then got serious. Wait, you''re serious? Evelyn nodded, Yeah, and I''m going to kill him now. Adam lifted his hands up defensively and surrendered. We talked about this. We had broken up for five years, Evelyn. I thought I would never see you again. Dont you bring that up again; you didnt tell her who you were? If you had done that, then this would never have happened. Right, Babyface? Kira nodded and looked at Adam, showing both confusion, anger, and shame. You lied to me! Then she lunged only to be grabbed by Evelyn and yanked back. No, I have a better way to punish him. Come, let''s go inside. She put her hand around Kiras waist and guided her inside. Adam looked confused after her, and so did everybody there. James shook his head. You are so dead. Do you want me to shoot you now or grab a transport to fly into the sun? It might be less painful. The aliens in the group looked at James confused, and Adam sighted. I''m not sure; she already brought me back from the dead once. I could be hiding in hell, and she will drag me back now. Fuck. Better get this over with. It was nice as long as it lasted. The few human marines laughed as they followed James into the base. The rest of the aliens, mostly Kira''s crew, followed them until only Adam and Roks were there. We can make up an excuse and take a trip to the hub. Roks suggested, and Adam thought about it. Well, they didnt try to kill each other, so I''m the target here, and as tempting as it is, it won''t prevent. It will just prolong the fear. Sometimes, it''s better to just get your head chopped off than torn off. Which head are you talking about? Roks said with a grin as he started to talk inside. Adam sighed and looked down, then followed. Adam walked inside and quietly made his way to the administration. He did not want to meet the girls right now, and he thought everybody kept telling him where they had been and how lively and friendly they were. He was starting to panic. He looked at the screen in front of him and tried to walk, but every time somebody entered the room, he looked up. God damnit, she knew very well what she was doing, and she would let him roast a bit before the argument. He suddenly got an idea; he had not had time to inspect the domed city, and that could take a few hours. It would technically not be running away, and he could be alone. He got up from the chair just as the girls entered the admin room; they saw him in the office and walked in. He was trapped; to make it worse, Evelyn locked the door behind her and turned the window black. Adam was standing in front of them, and his heart was beating faster than he wanted to be anywhere but here. Well, Evelyn said, and Adam froze. Why did you lie to her? Why didnt you tell her who you were? I know you wanted to keep it secret back on earth, but whats the harm out here? Kira was standing next to her with crossed arms, looking pretty upset. Wait? Thats the problem? Adam was confused. But? The other part is bad, but as you said. We broke up five years ago. It would be stupid to be angry about that. But you should have told her! Yeah, why did you lie about it? If I had known, I wouldnt have, you know. I would have called her instead. And my sister. And I would have stayed to make sure you were protected and... Stop, please! He looked between them. He found himself pacing in the room, trying to find the words. Because that reaction is exactly why I didnt tell you. I just wanted you to be happy, not to run around thinking you have anything to reply to me. We survived, so why single me out as the one who deserves the praise? I hate that. Adam said, and Kira looked at him, shocked; Evelyn walked to his desk and sat down, put her feet on his desk, and smirked. I told you. He doesnt want anybody to know; I told you back then, too, remember? He suffers from an insane survivor''s guilt. I could not tell you his name, and I thought anybody could find out. After all, Harold Wrangler is his brother. Kira looked at her, then at Adam, realizing she was doing this for him to calm down Kira and explain what he was so secret about who he was. Shitt, Im stupid She said as she sat on the desk and looked at Adam. Adam Wrangler? You told me, and I didnt think about it. Of all the places I thought you would be, this is the last of em. Adam looked at them. They seemed calm, so he looked at Evelyn. So you''re not going to kill me? Oh, I havent decided that yet, you fucked my best friend after all. She replied, and Adam got confused.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. I thought your best friend was Linda Parker. What happened to her? Adam asked as he saw Kira looking around. He pointed at the closet, and Kira went to open it and found a few bottles of whiskey. She grabbed one. She was the idiot who suggested I pretend I had a fianc to test you. She had seen it on one of those girl vids. I could never forgive myself or her after you just left. Evelyn said, and Kira put a glass in front of her and filled it. Wait, you did what? How stupid were you? I''m insane, and even I know that would never work. Kira said as she poured a glass for Adam and her. I just wanted him to propose. I had seen him looking at rings, but he took such a long time to pop the question. I was stupid, not thinking, and she was so convincing. And single, she hated that you spent so much time with me, Adam said as he took a sip. Kira looked between them and then laughed. Oh my god, you two are both idiots. Let me guess, you thought she had cheated on you, right? Adam nodded, and Evelyn looked at him as a lightbulb went off in her head, realizing just how stupid she had been. But from what she told me, she would not have time to cheat on you; she was always with you, so much that she told me her parents joked about sending out a missing person report, wasnt that right? She looked at Evelyn, who confirmed it with a nod. So when would she have had time to meet a guy, spend time with him, and get engaged without anybody finding out and telling you or even you finding out? She grinned. It wasnt a long-distance relationship, right? Adam thought about it, and she was right. She barely spent time at home; the only times she was not with him were when her girlfriends dragged her away. And even then, she tended to bring some of the girls from the orphanage with her. God damnit, he hung his head. Yeah, I''m an idiot. Adam replied, and Kira looked at Evelyn, who took a deep breath. Okay, you made your point; we are both idiots, Now dont fuck my boyfriend because then I will kill you both. She said. Hey, I wouldnt have touched him if I had known. So, is he forgiven? Kira asked, and Evelyn got up, put down her glass, and walked up to Adam. Never do that again, understand! Evelyn said as she looked up into his eyes It will never happen, Adam replied And you are going to propose this time, right? I dont have to wait forever? She replied; behind them, Kira held her breath. You know what they will say. If you accept that, then yes. I will propose. I dont have a ring now but. Adam kneeled in front of her. Evelyn Garrison, would you make me the happiest man in the world? Yes The music at the bar blared as the soldiers celebrated their victory and safe return. When the trio joined them, the music was cut as they looked at each other. Kira moved over to the bar and found Roks asking him for something. But most didnt even notice that. They saw a couple walking out of the elevator, arms around each other, and a very happy woman. Kira got what she asked for and grinned. Then she shouted, HE PROPOSED! and popped the cork off the champagne bottle. The humans immediately cheered, and when the aliens realized, they joined in the cheers. Jork started to laugh, and Kina shook her head. After the congratulations, they finally got a table and enjoyed the chaos around them. Vorts and Dara joined them, as did Doc and James. When Jork and Skee joined the group, it was complete. Kira interrogated Doc about which of the marines were single. This is not going to help with the rumors, you know. They were all waiting for his wife to resurrect you; they would next ask for your kids. Skee commented, and Adam and Kira chuckled at that, finding it funny. What? You two will have children, right? She asked, and Adam got serious. This is why I know I''m not this guy. I can''t have kids. The guys who made us sterilized us after they sold the ones the donors wanted. He explained. Then he squeezed Evelyns hand gently. She knew this, but there were other ways to have kids. No, you not. Dara replied, I fixed that when you were under; she told me to fix everything, so I did. They all looked at her. What? She told me to fix everything because other things were showing up on the scan, like dormant poisons and old damages, so I fixed it, nothing big, But that sterilization thing was easy to fix. You just regenerated the tissue and damages; it wasnt much, either. I was more worried about the nano cells with dormant poison. I have seen some slavers using them before to ensure the slaves can run away. Yours were damaged; they had gotten the signal but not opened. They could have opened at any time and killed you. I thought you knew? Dara looked at them. Ohh, those. They were left behind from an assassination attempt. A cop managed to alter the activation code. The cartel had me on a hit list; I am still on it. Adam can have children? Evelyn said, turning to him, ignoring what Adam had said; for her, it was old news, and she doubted the cartel had reached this far out. What Dara had said was much more important. We can have kids? She kissed him, and Roks looked at his sister. You have to learn how to tell him these things earlier. I wrote it in the medical report. Its not my fault he didnt read it. He reads everything else. She replied, and Kira turned her. Can you really turn a sterilization around? She said, and Dara smiled. Of course, I can; just drop by tomorrow, and I will go over. ohhh. She looked down, and her eyes went wide. Please excuse me. My water just broke. I will go... Oh Vorts had already lifted her up in his arms and started to carry her to the elevator. Adam and Evelyn stopped and got up just as Roks stopped them. Dont, in our culture, its a very personal matter for husband and wife only. He explained, and Adam looked confused. No doctor or midwife? he asked, and Roks shook his head. They have a droid, and he can call for it if needed, but he is supposed to be the first to see the litter. Roks said, and Kina smiled as she looked after them. Litter? Doc said, he was confused. How many is she giving birth to? Three girls and one boy, poor kid, Kina said, and Roks laughed. I will teach him how to fight. He is going to need it, " he said, and Adam smiled at Evelyn, who leaned into him. Now you brought life to this planet, too; I''m pretty sure they will say thats another sign. She said, and Skee chuckled. More than that, You brought life to this planet. Skee replied to her. Evelyn looked at her. You serious? She was pregnant before I even showed up. But she didnt have the kids before you came, and everybody saw you two walking around. You also forgave her for angering you, so in their eyes, youre the reason they were born. You forget they dont see him or you as humans. Adam sighed, and Kira looked between them. What are you talking about? Skee looked at her. They claim he is Galius. Kira looked at him and then back at Skee. But what about the Galius on Duvando? Is he fake? Chapter 9 – Sig-San Adam was sitting in his office looking at the file that he had gotten. The other Galius was there, and he wondered why they had given him to them and why they should care about him. He was about to delete it when Roks came in and sat down. So? What do you think about him? Adam shrugged, I dont know. Why should I care? It''s not my problem. I didnt even look. Hows Dara and the babies? They are good. Vorts is staying guard as a good dad. I let him have one of the droids to assist him. Its a huge thing in our culture. The father''s job is to protect and guard the mother and the newborns for one week. Nobody except close family is allowed in, including you. Youre the clan leader. Give him a day more before you visit him, it''s important he feels that he stands guard, but dont wait too long. Anyway, we have to talk about this Galius guy because he might see you as a threat. I looked at the information; he is more of a warlord than a peacemaker. He might be a problem. Roks said as he studied Adam. Warlord? Whats the problem? If he is Galius, then he is supposed to free the slaves. You need military force for that, and he is supposed to be surrounded by gods. One of those gods is a god of war. Yeah, I read up on the legends; I got curious. Adam said as he stood up. Besides, I have other things to worry about. It''s time to open up Dirt, so you need to get that warship up and running properly; Jork mentioned that one of his engineers could probably reverse engineer and make a few more of those fighters you brought and integrate some Haran tech into them. It should make them faster, and with your guy''s love for superior firepower, it will be quite a formable fighter. How many do you think you need to defend this system? Roks chuckled. Look at you! Trying to play warlord and failing miserably; Ill take care of the defence, dont worry. You take care of the people. Ill talk to Jork about it. But I want you to check out one of the prisoners; we can use him if you get his loyalty. Who? Adam looked at him as he sat leaning at the desk. Sig-San, a Haran assassin. And what am I supposed to use an assassin for? Im not a warlord or mafia boss. We are a clan, not a cartel. Adam replied. Assassins are just a hair''s width from a spy, and we do need a spy, Roks said, and Adam looked at him. And we got him with the other criminals? Okay. Let''s go. Northpole, right? He started walking towards the door, and Roks followed. They landed inside the newly made hangar, in the newly made prison that Adam had named Thule, although for Adam, it was simply a farm village with extra security towards the hangar area. Escaping would only lead the prisoners out into the harsh environment of the Arctic. The Village had four domes and a central structure going five floors underground, and the three lower floors were small apartments that could be locked from the central administration office, where the droids ran the show; he needed to get some guards in there sooner or later, but they didnt have the staff. Two of the domes were farms; one was a fish farm, and the last was an outdoor training center. The prisoner had the choice between being locked up or working. All had two hours of access to the training center or the library, which was located in the main hub. The whole place could house three hundred prisoners, and they already had one hundred and fifty-five, which included some prisoners Roks had brought with him. The guard droid met them and arranged for Sig-San to come to a visiting room under armed guard. He was not what Adam had expected: no tattoos or scars, clean shaved, and dressed. He would fit right in Min-nas lawyers'' company if given a nice suit. Sig-San? Adam asked, and the Haran nodded as he sat down, almost politely. Yes, and you must be my owner, Adam Wrangler? he said, then he looked at Roks and smiled. And you are Roks Del Mork. It''s an honor to meet you. You always stayed under the radar, but we all knew who brought those victories to your general. I was once asked to remove you from the board. Yet Im still alive, and so are you. What happened? Roks asked. Adam let them speak, trying to get a reading of the man. You left the board by your own choice and became a hauler; there was no need to kill you. He replied. So, they rescinded the order? Roks asked, and Sig-San shook his head. No, but youre an honorable man, and you left for a good reason. Then he looked at Adam, And you''re following a good man. Dont tell me you got yourself captured just to get close to me? Come on, everybody has seen that movie. Adam said as he waved for a maid droid to bring them something to drink, and Sig-San laughed. No, Im as surprised to be here as you. I was sold into slavery to kill a pirate. My clan was going to buy me free once the deed was done. Then you showed up. He said with a smile. They are probably looking for you. To kill me and free you or buy your freedom? Adam asked, and Sig-San shrugged. That depends. My father might keep me here for a while, seeing this as a test of my abilities. To escape? Roks asked as the droid gave him Adam a cup of coffee. Yes, getting out is easy; the problem is what''s outside. But most want to stay here, so dont expect a prison break. There have been three attempts to rile up support, all failed. I guess the three meals a day and a free cinema are enough to keep the most violent pirate at bay. Tell me, when is the prison sentence going to start? he asked as he looked at Adam, and Roks grinned as he looked at Adam. Yeah. I was wondering the same thing. This is house arrest, not a jail. Roks commented, and Adam shrugged. This is a human prison. We dont do dungeon-like prisons anymore. As you said, three meals and entertainment or, as we say, Bread and Circus is enough. Youre here to be rehabilitated and become somebody we can use in society; if you refuse, then this place is your home until you die. Sig-San looked at him, confused. You mean they can work themselves out of here? And go to a worse-off place? My apartment here is bigger than most apartments in the hubs. You have a one-room apartment with a bath and a small kitchen. Its what? Six times six meters? Thats the size of my office. It''s not meant to be comfortable, just functional, Adam explained. Roks facepalmed for a second and looked at Sig-San.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Please excuse him; he is human. Then he shook his head, took a deep breath to focus, and turned his attention back to Sig-San. We are looking to hire you. For a long-term job, it will ensure your freedom without your clan having to come here and try to wreak havoc. Im sure Adam will appreciate that you do not take on other jobs during this time. Roks said, and Sig-san tapped the side of his head to think; he was clearly confused. He owns me. He can demand that I do the job. He replied, and Adam sipped his cup and put it down. Yes, but I was told Haran and Tufons make bad slaves. Besides, I dont believe in slavery. I bought the slave pit because I needed the location for other things. And I need your skills, but I dont want to worry about you thinking about killing me to escape. So, Im going to give you an offer. You can take it, you can stay here or well, the last is to trick me and use the offer to escape. Adam explained in a serious tone, and Sig-San looked between both of them to think. Whats the job? He finally asked. Information gathering and threat assessment. You will be set up in the hub and work as a salesman for the company. Your job is to keep an ear out for any threat to this colony and report it to us. Adam said. You want me to be your spy? Why? Sig-San was seriously getting confused by these two. Because he had a good feeling about you and that you have shown that you can do several different jobs, your file. Adam showed him the prison guards'' report on him; they had gone through it on the flight to prison. Shows that you can do several different jobs and even negotiate, so you can fill the cover job, and we know you''re deadly. You had, after all, already taken out your target and hid the cause of death. He is scary when he starts digging up information; just get used to it, Roks commented, and Adam stood up. Look, you can think about it. I will send you an information package, and you decide. It''s paid work, not as luxurious as you used to, but it''s more honest. Roks got up as well and nodded to him. Thanks for not trying to kill me. Im looking forward to working with you Redmist. Then he walked out of the room with Adam. Okay, who is he, actually? You called him Redmist, and he reacted to it, Adam asked as they walked to the shuttle. Roks grinned. He is the Jork Wirk of assassins. A very highly trained killer; if he had gone after me, I would be in serious problems, most likely dead. Roks explained, That he was still here does not make sense; people like him do not get caught unless they want to. So he lied about the contract? Adam asked, and Roks shook his head. No, you just got in the way of the plan. Im pretty sure his clan is already here waiting for him to escape. Why he hasnt left is why I think we have a chance to recruit him. Harans are curious. Remember, they love mysteries, and you, my friend, are the biggest mystery of them all. Adam laughed as they entered the shuttle, did the precheck, and took off. Halfway there, Adam stretched and said out loud. You can come out! Sig-San dropped down from a hatch and sat down in a passenger seat. How did you know? The ship''s weight, we havent picked up anything yet, but we have a few extra kilos. But it is impressive how you got around the sensors from the droid and the prison. So, have you decided? Let me see the contract. He replied, and Adam nodded. Roks winked to Adam as he holstered his pistol but still kept the forcefield between the cockpit and passenger section on. Sig-San looked at the contract as they sat in Adam''s office. Evelyn had joined them, but she sat silently and just observed. Sales representative for Wrangler Company? And Im looking to buy organic waste from all the nearby hubs? As well as selling droids? Why organic waste? he was getting more and more confused. Because that was the original plan, and now, with an atmosphere and a growing oxygen level, it might actually work. Most hubs just dump it into the suns anyway. We will turn it into dirt and make the planet blossom. Those two things allow you to travel a lot between the hubs, and once we get our hauler fleet up, you will have more people to help us. Your main goal is to warn us about problems coming our way, and the second is to find out pirate hubs that focus on slavery. Adam said, and at that, everybody looked at him. Wait. Are we going after all the slavers? Roks said, confused. Well, once we go public, we are going to be targeted because of how I threaten the slavery market with our droids. So I want to know where the biggest source of slaves. If we can sabotage that without them knowing it is us, then we can get the bastards to fight among themselves. Once they are distracted, we sweep in and rescue those we can. Besides, Im pretty sure the Earths Navy would like to know where those slavers are holding up. Right? He looked at Evelyn. You read my mind. The war is coming to an end, and Earth is going to have to deal with a large number of battle-hardened veterans; many will form merch crews and pirates. Thats bad for business, so Earth will look for something to keep them occupied. If I tell them we have a slavery problem here that threatens a potential human colony, they might feel the need to give these veterans a new goal, something they can feel proud of. What can be a more noble cause than saving people from slavery? Evelyn explained as she studied Sig-San. Sig-San looked between her and Adam, then to Roks. Where is the healer? The life bringer and the Crafter? The taleteller? He looked between them. Youre Galius, shes your wife. He pointed at Evelyn. And youre the Knight. You''re supposed to have ten around you. Isn''t that what you''re going for? Like that maniac in Duvando? Adam laughed, Why does everybody start with that bullshit. Ten? Oh my god. No, Im not Galius. Im just Adam, and Im only trying to make this planet my home. So what is this thing about Slavery? Why do you care about it? Sig-San asked, and Roks chuckled as he himself wondered the same. Its just going against everything I believe in. I almost suffered a fate like that, and I dont want that fate on anybody. Anyway, I simply want to hire you to be my eyes and ears. You have the contract. Its a six-year contract, as thats the earliest Im allowed to free you; if we get Earth colony status, then you will be freed immediately but still be offered the job. Why me? Evelyn smiled and looked at Adam, who nodded to let her answer. Because you are very good at your job, and he sees it, and what he offers you is what you need, not what you want. It''s something he is very good at; he should have gotten a job as a recruiter, but instead, he went for becoming a lawyer. What I need? How can he know that? he replied, and she shrugged. I dont know; it''s just a talent he has honed; if he gives you a suggestion about your future, then you should listen. I thought I knew better, and I was wrong. I have seen this too many times, so just look at your contract and think about it. It will most likely be perfect for you. Adam stood up. Why dont you think about it? Stay here for a few days; once you made up your mind, we will go from there. No guards? Sig-San looked surprised, and Adam chuckled. Youre an assassin; Nobody has paid you to kill me, have they? Im the one offering you money now. The last thing I want to do is insult an assassin Im trying to hire and reform. Adam said and offered his hand to shake; Sig-San looked at it and then shook his hand, I accept, master. Dont call me master. Im only Adam. I know, Master. Sig-San winked, signed the contract, tossed it to Roks, and walked out. Roks handed it to Evelyn and left as well. Why? It''s always the same bullshit. Adam got himself a drink and sat down at the desk. Evelyn got up and sat down on the desk, looking down at him. Bullshit? She asked, and Adam sighed as he looked up at her. This Gallius matter, everybody is talking about it, and all I want is to get the planet breathable and fertile. Well, oxygen is at 9% with a few cave systems with pockets of breathable air. The nitrogen in the air is rising rapidly. If it continues like this, we can go skinny dipping outside in a year. Ignore that talk and just do your thing. Its the same as back home; they all see you as something bigger.. no, not bigger. You are bigger than what you think; they see you for who you are. Youre not this Galius guy but somebody worth following. They all see it; they will calm down when there are more humans here, and then you won''t be a stranger anymore. But you will still be the best of us. She said as she sipped her drink How do you always do that? This is my job, to remind you that it''s okay. I am here for you; you dont have to worry about everything. My little duck. Duck? Adam chuckled. You glide on the surface for everybody to see, but you paddle like crazy under, she replied as Adam got up. Okay, let''s relax then and let the dice fall where they must. Right now, I thought we should ask if we could visit Dara and her babies. Chapter 10 – New Macao The next two weeks flew by. Kira and her crew went hunting for pirates but promised to return later now that she knew Evelyn was there. The Marines mostly moved to the Moon they had named Sparta, where they were busy building the base with as many droids as Jork could spare, so he had one of his three factories spend one-day making droids just for them and sent them up. He was told to stop as they had enough. They also offered two more loads of maid droids with instructions to use the profits to buy more transports and to fill up the cargo on the return with a provision as the food production was getting dangerously low due to the input of new inhabitants. Adam was busy with his little project and was barely seen outside his office; only Roks and Evelyn had regular visits, and Jork was in a bad mood as he was given stranger and stranger instructions. Also, Adam was clearly stealing his droids and turning them off. Now and then, Marines came down and helped with this secret project. It has to do with that domed city. Do you know he sent down diggers to make it connect to the ocean? He is doing something with it. Jork was looking at the office from his workstation, and Vorts chuckled. Yeah, I heard the food is being directed to land on that hangar and not here. I think he has invited some VIPs to sell residence areas. One of the new workers commented, and they both looked at him. What? Thats what I would do. I mean, he got to make money, right? Vorts shook his head. You''re new, the last batch, so I will excuse that as ignorance. He is probably planning his wedding. Why do you think Evelyn and Roks are always in there? Then why dont he invite us to join? Jork said, and Vorts was about to answer when they saw ten haulers breaking the atmosphere and requested to land. Vorts looked at Jork. Are you spying on the space controller again? He better not find out. Jork shrugged and put his finger to his lips. They are directed to the city to unload the load. Thats strange. We could fill up two of them today. He is up to something. A voice behind them said, and they turned to see Roks looking down at them. Ha ha, So what is he up to? Jork asked, and Roks grinned. You will find out in two days. We are waiting for something, but you will like it. I dont like surprises, Jork said, and Vorts and Roks laughed. What? What''s so funny? The worker next to them asked. Vorts grinned. Jork loves giving surprises; now he gets to feel how it is. Jork shook his head. Damn it, anyway, the tube will be connected in two... wait Thats what you''re waiting for? The tube and train? Always knew you were the smart one. Yeah, thats what he is waiting for. Now work and stop trying to spy on your boss. Roks said as he left, calling out to his men that there would be a training exercise against the marine in two hours. They could hear the groaning on the other and of the communication, and Roks grinned. He and Doc were having fun with these exercises, and with Evelyn and Adam''s blessing, they were allowed to have as much fun as they wanted. Jork was at the hangar bay working as the high-speed rail was finally ready. Adam was next to him, and to Jorks disappointment, Adam sent five droids down first. They were the new butler droids. Adam gave them an order and watched the train leave, then he got on the intercom and told everybody to drop what they were doing and come to the hangar. The droids would take over whatever they were doing. The workday was over, and he had something to show them. Jork looked at him, confused. Adam just laughed. Come one, Jork, Are you not used to being kept in the dark? Adam asked. No, not when it comes to something I knew I should be involved in. It involves the city, which I built for you, and the droids I made. Jork replied, looking down the tube. Adam shook his head. What are you going to do when Miker is old enough and wants to go out in the world on his own? Adam said. He.. oh,.. but he is so young, dont make me think of that, Jork said, looking towards the door as the first people started to enter the hangar. Im just saying, you made it, but Im arranging it. Just relax and enjoy it. Learn to let go a little. Easy for you to say, engineers need to be in control of everything, Jork said, and Adam laughed a little. I need to let you work with some human engineers; they have a completely different view of things. What do you mean? Jork looked at him, confused but also interested. The ones I have met keep telling me they have no control; they are just trying to fix other people''s problems. They see themselves more as problem solvers than crafters; for them, the new ship they made was to fix the problems with the old ships that some idiot, often themselves, made. I think I would like to meet these engineers, Jork said, and then he saw Skee and Miker in the crowd. Roks came over and gave him a nod as the tram returned empty and the door opened. Please, everybody, get into the train. It should fit everybody unless we triple the population. Adam called out, and then he walked inside and sent a message to Evelyn that it was time. When the train was filled, it started to move.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Adam turned on a microphone and addressed the filled train. Welcome, everybody. I would like to tell you a little story. When I was back on earth, I was a marine like the humans you have seen here, though I was not a combat soldier but more a glorified door guard. But during my time as a marine, I got to leave one day, and men and I decided on a whim to travel around the Earth a little; I ended up in a city called Macao. It was a strange city located in an area with a very special monoculture, yet this little city was a mix of different cultures; it was also a rich city with lots of casinos. It was there I bought a lottery ticket for the galactic lottery. That ticket was what gave me my fortune and made it possible to buy this system. So.. Without any more words. I would like to introduce you all to our new city here on Dirt. New Macao. As he spoke, the domed city came into view, now filled with lights and buildings that almost touched the top of the domed city. Adam pressed a button, and suddenly, fireworks shot out from the city. The crowd looked in surprise as Adam winked at Roks. They have no idea whats going to happen. Roks said with a grin, and Adam smiled. Well, its time, dont you think? He replied, and the train entered the hangar, where they saw several droids waiting to escort them. Okay, listen up. Follow the droids, and they will take you to your new destination. All families have been assigned one droid. Those of you who are single have also been assigned a droid. The droids have your name on their display. There are some New droids that you will notice that will help make it all go smoothly. If you look at the screen, you will see how you will recognize them. On a screen, what could only be described as an elderly gentleman in a tuxedo appeared; they were in all the known races. If you spot the one of your race, they would be most suited to help and find your assigned droid, Adam explained that as the door opened, they entered the large hangar, which was three times the size of the base. The crowd walked out, slightly confused, as they were quickly assigned a droid who quickly guided them out of the hangar. Jork looked around, confused with Miker in his arms. He had been down here when it was finished but not after Adam had started his little project. The place had a complete facelift. The walls were not blank anymore; they were filled with copies of famous artwork from all over the place, such as giant murals. Do you like what I did with the place? Adam asked, and Jork nodded. Vorts stood next to them, holding two infants in his arms; Dara held the two others; she looked tired but also surprised. A droid came over with a stroller made for four and offered them. Why dont you follow him? We will talk later. If you dont like it, then take it up with your brother. Adam said. They looked at him, then Roks, who just grinned. Then, they followed the droid. Adam looked at Jork. Come, I want to show you something. Then he and Roks started to walk over to a sleek transporter and got inside; Jork followed dumbfounded, and when he and Miker got inside, the transport took off. What''s going on? What have you done? Jork said, and Adam smirked. Im evicting you. It''s getting too crowded in my house, so you all have to go. Adam said, and Roks tried hard not to laugh. Jork was still confused as the transport flew through the city. The dome was five kilometers wide, filled with luxury apartment buildings reaching the sky. One area was filled with large casino hotels that probably could host thousands of guests by themselves, and half the city was a park and green area with a few mansions spread around. Jork looked around and then at Adam. So where am I being placed? Jork asked. Well, you are going to be a neighbor to Vorts and Dara, and I have a suspicion, so you will need space. So, I had to find a good location. He looked outside, and Jork looked as well as the transport landed next to one of the largest mansions in the city. The door opened, and a maid droid and a Butler droid greeted them. Welcome home, Master Jork. The droid said, and Jork just stared at him. But.. But.. it''s for me? Jork said, and Roks finally allowed himself to laugh. Yeah, but if you dont want to, I can find a tent for you in the forest? Adam said. Oh, Im sure Skee would love to drop by. There are a few guest rooms. Adam winked. For me? Its a mansion! Im a slave. Jork finally said, and Adam shrugged. Not in my eyes. Now, get out and inspect your new home. They will pick you up for to dinner at eight, so you have four hours to get ready. So get going. There should be everything you need there. Adam said, and Jork got out confused with Miker, who waved to Adam. bye bye! Adam waved back, and the transport took off again. You forgot to tell him about the workshop in the basement. Roks said as they flew towards the largest hotel. Im sure he will find out. Did you see the look on his face? It was well worth all the secrecy, great prank. Adam said as he picked up a pad and checked the status. It looks like most of them are settling in perfectly; now we only need more people. Then he looked at Roks. Im surprised you didnt want a mansion. Roks smiled, Naw, Im happy with my penthouse. Besides, Evelyn had to threaten you to accept that mansion. I have a feeling you are not going to live there either. That is for receptions if I need to show off. Im still going to live in Piridas, and I dont need a mansion. The transport landed, and Evelyn stood there waiting for them, and Adam got out. So, how are your men taking to their new R&R locations? They asked if it was legal and if they could gamble. She replied, and Roks laughed. That sounds like soldiers everywhere. I will head to my luxurious Penthouse and bedazzle my wife." Roks said as he took off. Adam waved at him, then took Evelyn in his arms and kissed her. And what about you? Do you like this little city? He asked. Yes, this will do quite nice to impress those inspectors. She replied with a grin. Which reminds me, when will they come? They told me to do the inspection with Doc. She said. Wait, You? They do know how close we are, yes? Yes, but you have given them the full scan of all the military crafts they have here as well as an outpost; they are desperate to get something out here as fast as they can. So, since we were here and we would most likely not Fix this, they told us to get it done ASAP, which we did. We have already sent the recommendation. They are sending a carrier to fill up the outpost. Expect 300 more humans and five patrol ships within six months. Six months? How come so fast? Adam asked, confused. New tech from the other federation. The war has given us access to a lot of new tech. Our new ships are a bit faster now. Wow, that gives me six months to get the planet in shape. Well, tonight is a party, and tomorrow we go public. From that moment, we can expect many more guests. Come, let''s get ready. I dont want to talk business now. He put his arm around her as they walked towards the entrance. Okay, want to talk about your potential fatherhood? She said. What? He looked at her. We didnt use protection, and it''s not like we have been celibate. She looked at him, and Adam looked at her eyes, then at her tummy, and back at her eyes, and Evelyn started to laugh. No, not yet, but we have to remember it now unless you''re okay with becoming a father, " she said, and Adam thought about it and chuckled. "May the dice fall where they fall. Hopefully not before the air is breathable, but if it happens, it happens. Then they went inside as they had a few hours to kill. Chapter 11 - Many shapes of Bastet Adam looked around the room, filled with his people. They all seem to be buzzing and talking about their new homes. He had given them all two choices: a luxury apartment or a house with a garden. Most had picked the luxury apartment, meaning they could live together yet still have their own place as well as access to all the luxury facilities like swimming pools, gyms, a park, and cafeterias. The new school was introduced on a screen for the kids, and the parents were surprised at the luxury and the education program that was introduced. Adam had forgotten to remove the human curriculum from the elite human school he had copied, but the parents looked pleasantly surprised, and the kids were not so when they saw the curriculum. However, that was quickly forgotten as other aspects of the city were introduced, such as the sports arena, concert areas, hospital, police station, and so forth. In the end, Adam had to give his speech, and when he stood up, the crowd got quiet. A camera drone projected his image on the large screen. Evelyn looked up at him and smiled while Roks strangely got up and left the room. Adam looked after him and then turned to the crowd. Hello there, I hope you like your new homes. The droids will help move your private belongings to your new home. For those of you still waiting for a job, the Butler droid will help you with that as well; tons of new jobs are available now. And yes, I said jobs, paid jobs, because, from today, Dirt is registered as an independent colony of the federation. Still, we are awaiting Earth government approval so we can become an Earth colony with the protections that will bring. We do have outpost status at the moment, which protects us from piracy, though for the changes in people''s status, they are not allowed to interfere yet. Adam looked out over the guests, and most of what he said went over their heads; never mind, they would learn the difference soon enough. Anyway, what does going public mean for us? Well, first off. We are now open for business. People can move here, and you can now reveal our location. Yes, that means pirates can come, but we have a defense now, and we are expecting more. So your friends and families are welcome to join us. Now that we have the factories and mining operations, as you can see, we have built a casino that will attract tourists. We plan to build more cities, but this city will be Dirt''s official capital. Secondly, that means our declaration and new laws will be enforced; not much has changed, but the declaration and Law are up on the net now for everybody to see. It does declare that the law is equal between slave and free person, and no child can be a slave. Being a slave on Dirt has no effect on your rights or duties. So, in all, by the label, you all have all the rights of a free person. So all I can say is welcome home, and Dirt is now officially open for business. Adam was about to sit down when a man stood up. Adam looked at the man, a Scisyan; he seemed nervous. Sir? Yes? Is there a problem? Adam looked at him, smiling and friendly. Sir, you said we are the same as free men, but free men can travel freely in the universe. Slave are tied to their master. He seemed worried, and Adam chuckled. But a master can send his slaves out in the world to do tasks, right? What if I give you the task to, let''s say... where do you want to go? The man looked confused as everybody looked at him. Ehh, I want to go home, Sir, to my family. My father needs help in his shop. Then that''s your new job. Go home and help him. You have five years, right? The man nodded, and Adam looked at Evelyn, who was watching him with a smile as she knew what he was about to say; then Adam looked up back at him. The time will pass as normal, and it does not matter where in the galaxy you are. After five years, youre a free man. The only difference is that your bonus is dependent on you working here. But if you prefer to work there for five years then do so. And if you want to return, then you are free to do so as well, or never return. I bought you specifically to free you, not to keep you. The crowd started to murmur as the man looked shocked at Adam and put his hand over his heart before bowing to Adam; Adam returned the bow, which also started more talk. Adam just smiled and sat down. Dara leaned over and chuckled. Do you know what you just did? Adam shook his head and took Evelyn''s hand in his as he waited for Dara to explain. That Bow is how Scisya bows to their master; you just made him equal to him in your own eyes, and you told a Scisya you only bought him to free him. Do you have any idea how strong their Prophecy is about their version of Galios? She said, and Adam heard Evelyn laugh.Stolen novel; please report. God damnit, Adam. You have to stop doing this, or you will have a church built in your name. Evelyn said, and Adam was about to reply when Roks came back, and as he did, Vorts and Roks stood up. The room went silent again as they all looked at them. We all know Adam is a strange man! He is my best friend, the head of my Clan, and he does things that can make a god scratch his head. He keeps talking about how he needs a Cat for his evil laughter. And does anybody know what a Cat is? Roks said as he looked around the room. Only the humans seemed to know what this mystical cat creature was; then Roks opened his shirt, took out a white bundle, and held it high so the cameras could show it. Behold! A cat! Meow. The kitten said, and Adams dropped. You didnt? He was already standing, and Evelyn joined him as Roks gently handed him the kitten. Oh, aren''t you a cute little one? Welcome to Dirt, my friend. Adam gently picked up the kitten, and Evelyn smiled as Adam seemed to be completely lost in the attention to the cute white cat. I guess I got competition now, the cutest one. She said that Adam looked up at her and kissed her before looking around at everybody watching them. Thank you so much. How did you manage to do this? Roks pointed at Vorts, who smiled. You gave Jork access to your DNA archive, and I got the cloning machines to work and adjusted for Dirt; she is made for this world; we have many other animals ready now. Adam looked at Roks and asked, How did you keep this secret? The room started to murmur again, and Adam seemed to forget everything else completely. I had help. Roks said as he looked at Evelyn, who just grinned. Wait? Did you know? She nodded, and Adam looked back at the kitten. Youre my little Surprise. Im going to call you Sisi. Vorts looked at him surprised, and Adam winked, I know. The Dushins goddess of secrets, right? I have learned a bit more. Roks laughed, and they all sat down. Adam and Evelyn spent most of the evening playing with their new kitten, who eventually fell asleep on Adams''s arm. The rest of the night passed, and people retired when Adam and Evelyn left; the invited marines were the last to leave. The next day, Adam found out that 34 of his slaves wanted to leave, and he gave them a traveling bonus and was about to arrange for them to travel with the next shipment out when Jork came to him to show the newest ships they had made three transport ships. He and Musby had gotten them ready for the opening so they could arrange for people to move to and from the Hub. They were working on building six more, so each of the closest Hubs would have three ships going on a constant loop to and from Dirt. This allowed those who wanted to leave to decide which of the three hubs they wanted to travel to. It also gave Adam a transport company. After they left, Adam went to the students; he had an idea. He gathered the few Ghorts and took them aside, and he called Jorks and Vorts to join him. I have been wondering about something. Are your exosuits holy? he asked, and the Ghorts seemed surprised. No, just practical. Ced-dry Miga, the student replied; the four others seemed to agree, and Adam called in a Maid droid. Jork and Vorts knew that for this, they were just required to wait and give Adam technical advice. So, if I suggest something, like a fashion attachment, will it not offend you? He asked as the droid came in. This particular maid looked like a Haran at the moment. No? Why would it? Ced-dry Miga replied. The others seemed to be a little intimidated to speak to him, more out of respect than fear. Good. Cycle through your different species shapes and end with droid form. Then he turned to the students. And you have visual abilities, right? Im not up to speed with your species anatomy. yes, we have visual abilities, among others. Why? Oh, I didnt know she could change into so many different species. Ced-dry replied as the droid morphed from species to species. It''s amazing how life-like those shapes are. Why are you showing us this? Ced-dry asked, and Adam smiled as Jork got up from his seat. Actually, I think it can work. What do you think? Jork said as he looked at Vorts, who was still sitting and thinking. Yes. It could, though they would need a stronger power source. Vorts replied. Ced-dry managed to appear confused even through the lack of facial features. The white plastic mask. Adam explained. Think the maids Mudskin on your suit; its a thin layer, but you would be able to play around and play a few pranks, be a Haran one day or a Scisya the next, even human. What do you say? The Ghorts immediately started talking with each other, and Adam got a little worried. Look, Im not saying your suits are not great; I just thought it was an ability you guys might want to add to them as an accessory. The Ghorts seemed to be very excited as Ced-dry turned her attention back to him. You have no idea how much we like accessories on our suits; we are trying to be professional here, but when we are alone. As she speaks, her suit starts to light up like a Christmas tree; one of the other had graffiti all over her body, and one had her whole suit turned into a painting. If you can get this to work, then you have a big Ghorst market; what do you need from us? Ced-dry said, and Adam grinned. Two things: secrecy until it''s done and that you work with these two to find a solution; what do you need, Jork? Adam asked. I need an empty suit, and I need Vorts to work on its biological aspect. We dont want to fry their sensory input with a power source; it should take us a week to get a prototype. Roks agreed, and Vorts agreed, so Adam chuckled. Well, Im not needed here anymore. Have fun, and remember, secrecy! It will be a great prank when it''s done. Then he left and met Roks, who was waiting outside. They walked together to the office. Making spies? He asked, and Adam looked at him innocently. What would I need spies for? He replied, and Roks started to laugh. Chapter 12 - Kun-Nar Kun-Nar Gud woke up and stretched, then climbed over the two women in his bed. He blessed them last night, and they had been eager to please for the honor. He walked to his bathroom and cleaned himself; his wife, Shina, came in with a smile on her lips. You look happy? he said, and she nodded. We hunted down that heretic; he is down in the dungeons where he belongs. I see you had your fun last night. She replied as she looked towards the bed, and he chuckled. They are all yours if you want them. I will deal with the heretic and then talk with the Ten about what to do with that fake one. He replied as he studied himself in the mirror. He was a stranger to this region; his soft, green-scaled skin gleamed slightly in the light, and his golden eyes had an implant that allowed him to see color instead of only the heat that his people normally saw. His long bluish hair hung in a braid over his shoulder, revealing a muscular body with a few faded scars. It had been a long time since anybody had been able to touch him; all his scars had faded except the one over his chest, the one that they thought would have killed him, but Shina saved him from. He had to smile; no vital organs were there, but it made for a nice show. And now they called him Galios; as long as he freed slaves, they gave their loyalty to him. Every freed one was a soldier in his army. And the army had grown from 10 to 7000 strong; they gave him their daughters to aid him. He pitied them, but sometimes, the weak needed a strong leader to lead them out of the darkness. He was that man; he would teach them how to be strong, fight back, break their chains, and put their enemies in chains instead. She looked at the woman and smiled. For a scisya, she was beautiful. Her skin was almost as golden as her eyes, and she had bright red hair and a body that was kept in good shape. There was not a blemish on her skin, and he loved her for it. I dont see the harm in indulging myself. It might calm them down as well to let them know I have no ill will against them. She kissed him before making her way to his bed. He smiled and got dressed, then grabbed his weapon belt and walked out of his room. The guards outside saluted him, and he nodded back. Then he called up Ur-Shar, his second-in-command and known among the men as the god of war; what species was this brute? He had no idea, but he didnt care. He was great at his job. He had bluish skin and was built as a rock, bipedal, but sometimes, he used his powerful arms as well. His species had short legs but big, powerful arms and a face only a mother could love. A human might see him as a shaved- dressed-up gorilla. His voice was gruff as he got near him. Master! You called? Yeah, we have to deal with the heretic; before he dies, we need to find out everything about his master, the one called Adam Wrangler. Adam woke up alone in bed. It had been a month since the city opened, and life felt perfect. He could hear Evelyn singing in the shower, and he scratched his head as he wondered how she got up first today. He would not let this stop him, so he turned on some music and joined her. After breakfast, they went to the admin building to check the work. Nobody had shown up yet, so they enjoyed the peace and quiet. After they had kicked everybody out of Piradas, they had much calmer mornings. They knew there were probably five in the base already, doing different work, but the Admin was still on night status, so the two guys in the tower were keeping track of everything. Adam sat down in the main console and put his coffee down. Evelyn sat down on the closest console, and they both started to work. Oxygen is up 0.001%, so you are up to 10.134%. She turned to look at him. How the hell are you getting it to rise so fast? Vorts algaes! They eat carbon dioxide and spew oxygen, doubling every six hours. Our problem will soon be that they cover all the ocean surfaces. We need to get the fish going to slow it down. Add his mushrooms, which are basically oxygen factories. Have you seen the size of those bastards? And the best part: They dont need Nitrogen? Adam replied, and Evelyn thought about it. Those mushrooms won''t survive a high-nitrogen environment. They need only Carbon, if I remember correctly. Yeah, but that was the plan; they will decompose and become soil. Besides unchecked, they will cover the whole planet; most planets have banned them outright. Evelyn checked the statues, Well, the nitrogen level is up half a percent, so if they might start to affect those mushrooms. As planned, so then we have to replace them with grass. Jork is working on something there. Everything seems to be green here. Ohh. Knug sent a message, another order. It''s getting higher and higher. At this speed, we need to build more factories. Jork will be happy when he hears that. Oh, he will be happy at any attempt to build something new; anyway, are we going to the Zoo Vorts setup? I kind of want to see just how many animals he has managed to make by now. You just want to give Sisi a brother. Adam teased, and she came over. She needs a big brother who can protect her, a big scary dog. She said, leaning over the desk with her cute smile and perfect eyes.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. You just want a puppy! Yes, please; thank you so much. She replied, A puppy named Beast, if I remember correctly? A Cane Corso? He said as she tried to look innocent while hiding her excitement. Moi? She replied. And Adam shook his head. Let''s go wake up, Vorts. I think we have that DNA template. Adam replied with a smile, he loved seeing her like this. Then he called Vorts and agreed to drop by his new station. It had three domes filled with life. Adam looked at Evelyn and was about to say something when a report popped up, and he tilted his head. Do you remember those ancient structures we found? he asked, and Evelyn nodded and moved over to him. What did you find? She asked, and Adam brought it up on the screen. It is as I thought. This planet was alive before. Look at oil deposits and coal deposits. If we look harder, Im sure we will also find fossils. Well, it solves one problem, " she replied, and Adam looked at her as she smiled. Plastic in all its forms. Kun-Nar Gud walked out of the dungeon. What a fool! I mean, why didnt he give us anything? He was just babbling about Adam letting him go. What idiot orders his slave to leave and take care of his mother? What should we do with him? Ur-Shar replied, and Kun-Nar looked back at the cell, he disappeared. Nobody learned about him; we can''t have this as a public trial. He starts spewing that noise about Adam; then we might have more heretics. Damn it; I think Burmio has finally shown his face; it''s no wonder they call him the deceiver. I would believe him to be me if I didn''t know any better. Ur-Shar walked next to him, listening, then saw a guard and gave the order to get rid of the heretic; the Haran guard nodded and walked into the cell of the dying Scisya. then they made their way up to the throne room where the others were waiting. He sat down on the throne and looked at the two men standing in front of him, corporation men. You are brave enough to venture into my domain! Tell me why I should not have you killed and your ship seized. That ship? You can take it; its a gift from us for you. We want to show you that we have no ill will towards you. As to kill me? Im a simple messenger; if I am not returned, then the five battlecruisers hiding behind the moon will start planetary bombardment. But as I said, we are not here to start a war. We might disagree on certain matters but have a common enemy. The Wossir man said, or what a human would call a walking turtle with no shell. He seemed quite relaxed, and Kun-Nar looked at his security adviser, who just smiled. I fear no battle cruisers on the moon, and to prove it, " he lifted his finger. On a screen, they saw one of the ships being blown up as the hidden and cloaked particle gun blew a big hole in the nearest ship. Around the planet, a few other cannons decloaked. Tell them to withdraw, and we can talk, or I will destroy them all as they are! The Wossir looked shocked, and the second man, also a Wossir, quickly gave the order to withdraw. Where did you get Haran weaponry and Ghorst cloaking? The messenger said, and Kun-Nar laughed. You think that is Haran weaponry? That is my people''s weapon. So let''s cut to the core and tell me why you are here. I think you have by now heard of the other man who claims, falsely, that he is Galios? This human name Adam Wrangler? The dossier explained, and Kun-Nar nodded. Yes, what does that have to do with me? he asked as he shifted in the seat. We know we can''t fight the real Galios, and you just proved you are him. So we would rather work with you, but the fake one, the Burmio, he is bad for everybody. He brings war and chaos. You are here to free slaves, war always put more people in chains. Yes, but if they just win, then its the heretics that will wear those chains. He replied. And we want to be on the winning side; we are not evil nor heretics; we are businessmen. Without us, the world would stop, so we would offer an alliance. You rid us of Adam, and we will turn a blind eye when you deal with your enemies. Just leave the businessmen of the mega-corporations alone. In return we will offer your enemies no safe haven. Deal? All mega corporations are behind this? All but four, The Vikons, the Tribish, Ranoms and the Conta-ons. And we are willing to sacrifice the Urubas as we know you have an agenda against them, all others are in an agreement. He said. Do those four know about this deal? Will any of them warn him? Kun-Nar asked and the Wossir shook his head. No, we asked some innocent questions about whether those four might try to cut a deal with him. The Urabas''s leading trade is slaves, so we knew you would not side with them as You have sworn to stop the Scisya slave trade. We can divide their other franchises among us after that; they are mainly Sanders, anyway. Okay, we have a deal, but I will do it my way. I have already heard of that miserable attack by those pirates. He replied, and the Wossir nodded again. The idiot who was in charge of that has been dealt with, and as I said, The ship is yours. There is another gift there for you: one million credits. Now I will take my leave, and I hope you understand the sensitive matter so this discussion does not leave the room. Kun-Nar chuckles, Paranoid bastard, get out of my sight. When the two Wossir had left the room, he turned his attention to the others. We use assassin. Who do you suggest? The best would be Sig-San if we can find him. If not, then there are the Ghort and Sly-Na of the Haran. If you want to go for a clan, then I suggest the Myrtas and the Jurtda. They all know how to work together, so we won''t need to worry about them messing up the kill. Jurdu, his Tufon assassin, replied. Why not you? Kun-Nar replied, and Jurdu chuckled. Because his second in command knows me and wants me dead. I killed his brother and almost got his sister, too. This is why he left the military; he wanted to protect her. I dont care about her anymore, but he will kill me on sight, and he is close to the target. Kun-Nar smirked. Then kill him; I dont need you going around looking over your shoulder after this is done. You hire those others, and you kill this second in command and the sister; finish your jobs; never do anything half done. Jurdu grinned. As you command. Chapter 13 – The Zoo Adam and Evelyn flew toward the second research station, where Vorts kept his experiment. As they flew, Evelyn looked at the scans, and Adam could see that something had caught her attention. What is it? "Is that a volcano formation or a giant meteorite crater? She asked as she showed him the round mountain ridge at a diameter of 10 kilometers. "Oh, thats the big one, meteorite crater. I was thinking of dome it, but It''s too big. There are a couple of smaller ones spread around, but the best ones are underwater now. Only the Big one left. He said, and she looked puzzled at him. You gave up on it? Doesnt sound like you. More like I had other things to work on, so I forgot. Why? Do you have a solution? He looked at her, and she nodded. Forcefield. You have an atmosphere now, so you only need a forcefield to keep the air inside. She replied. Yeah, but the oxygen would still leak,just at a lower level. One big storm, and everything is blown out. Weather satellites, an GenasadVin inert field on top and all outer wind can be controlled. Those suckers can turn a category 5 tornado into a fresh summer breeze, and the schematics can be bought over the net. You should check what colony schematics you can get over the net. Probably a bunch you''re missing. She said with a wink. Still need those forcefields. He said, then he stopped to think. Im such an idiot. We just need standard ship shielding. Jork could easily set up a few towers to cover the whole area. Hey, you''re not an idiot; you''re my idiot. She said with a grin. Adam laughed. As you are mine. At least I dont have a problem admitting that. You make me do stupid things, Adam Wrangler! She replied. When the ship landed at the base, they got out and walked out to meet Vorts and his crew. He had three students working with him, in addition to three science droids. Hey, hows the babies? Evelyn asked and Vorts beamed. Growing stronger every day. They will open their eyes soon. Then he looked at Adam. Thank you so much for assigning Karat to guard her. You have no idea how much that means for us. Hey, its the least I could do. I dont need so many droids sneaking around to guard me. Besides, your children are precious and need the best protection; just remember to put a tag on them when they get older. You remember how hard it was to keep track of Miker. Adam said as they walked through the hallways to the laboratory. Inside, they saw several tubes and canisters of different sizes. Inside, they saw animals in different stages of development, from fetuses to almost full-grown. Vorts explained as they walked around. As you see here, these are simply the biological forms of different animals; they have only basic brain functions, and this is where we check if their forms are viable. Suppose we cannot grow them without serious genetic failures or mental disorders forming. In that case, that has to be fixed before we can go to phase two, which is the test against different viruses and bacteria they might encounter on the planet. Luckily, we only need blood samples for this part; we are way past the old-fashioned way of breeding stock and exposing them to it. Those were barbaric times. He shuddered at the thought then he led them through the laboratory and out to a large dome that looked more like a large zoo. This is our ground-based haven; here, we grow a different breed that has been approved and let them loose in their little domain. Unfortunately, we are running out of space. He stepped aside to let them enter the large dome. Adam stood silently as Evelyn looked at Vorts and back at Adam. He made you a zoo of animals that are xeno-adjusted? Thats decades ahead of us. Well, we did the same with me, Adam said, and Evelyn looked at him. No, your DNA was just cleaned up; this is adding Xeno DNA to human DNA. I have only heard about crossbreeding among similar species, such as humans and the Nalos. He is talking about the immunization of alien diseases and improving the immune system, including Xeno virology. She seemed to have trouble grasping what she was saying. It was so amazing for her.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Well, the xen-virology is actually Daras department. She is the one fixing those; Im just implementing them. It''s teamwork, Vorts commented as he checked his pad. Wait, isnt she On the papers, she is a nurse, and she is the head of the medical station on Piradas. How? Evelyn was getting more confused and looked at Adam. What is going on here? She is a Tufon, the only female Tufons that are allowed to hold high educational rank are the military. So, officially, she only has papers for being a head nurse; she is probably a level five medical doctor, thats a professor with a high level of practical experience. I keep asking her to take that damn education. Evelyn just stared at him. You got two level five academics here? Why isnt this planet already a blooming paradise? She asked, surprised, and Adam looked at Vorts and then back at her. Officially, I only have one. As for paradise, we are working on it. As Vorst spoke, a droid came over with a cart and one black puppy, and Vorst smiled. He doesnt know how to be a boss. If I were him, I would simply have ordered her to take those tests. Adam laughed and picked up the puppy, holding it in his hand. He saw Evelyns brain trying to reset after all the information she had gotten and trying to comprehend what Adam was holding. Oh? Okay, you go tell her then. Let''s see how that goes, Adam said, and Vorts held up his hands, disarming. Im not her boss and not suicidal. Hell, she will only listen to you and Roks about those things. Adam thought about it and gave Evelyn the puppy. Yeah, we have Roks do it. Thats the best solution. Then he turned to Evelyn, who had completely forgotten them as she was too busy to snuggle with her new best friend. I think she will be busy for a while. Why dont you give me a tour? Adam asked, and Vorts chuckled. Jork agreed with Evelyn about the crater and quickly started the project. The shields should be up within a month, and Adam recruited a few of the marines that had grown up in new colonies to make a shopping list. He also had talks with Sig-San about getting the latest rumors. He told him he had sent him something and he would drop by soon to discuss matters they could not discuss over the line. Adam didnt like it but he guessed the man knew his business and thought it important. The good news was that the waste management department was up and running, and several ships were inbound with organic waste. The most surprising part was those now weekly meetings with Arus Valontur, the Scisya journalist. He had stayed when most of the others had left. He had kept Adam updated with gossip and news around the federation. It was like Sig-San gave him the rumors and secrets while Arus kept him updated on the day-to-day of the sectors. When he asked to join the clan, Adam had to laugh. He had not thought about it, but now he had the beginning of a media house. Roks laughed as well, and when the ships started to come after two weeks, they didnt know what to do. They had tourists and a few hopeful looking for work. Roks blamed Arus for it, but they knew this had to start. Then, the three slave haulers entered the system. Adam ordered Roks and his men up to get ready. Evelyn had her ship up and ready as well, but the ships did not arm or resist. They simply requested to dock. Adam looked up at the sky, then sighed and allowed one ship to land. Roks looked at him as if he was crazy, but he ignored it. They would be foolish to try it twice, especially with so many ships ready to blow them out of the sky. The strange thing was that the ships were filled with slaves, according to the scans. Adam stood in the docking area as the ship landed; he knew the marines had snipers ready, as well as the droids and Roks. If they tried anything, then they would be ready. Yet, for some reason, he felt calm; he could not explain it; he simply wasnt afraid of this ship. Instead, he felt pity. The door opened, and a Busker man came out; he looked nervous as he made his way over to Adam. He was an elderly man dressed in a fine tunic; he reminded him a little of Jorks professor friend, this rabbit-looking man with a monkey tail who thought he was a little fatter. When he stood in front of Adam, he took a deep breath. Are you Adam Wrangler? Yes? How may I help you? If you came to sell slaves, then You have come to the wrong place. The man looked at him, back at the ship, and back to Adam, then kneeled down in front of him. No. no... I have no slaves to sell. I want your forgiveness Jad-Him. I have done terrible things in pursuit of greed. Please forgive me. Adam looked down at him. Jad-Him? That was the Scisian version of Galios. What the hell is going on here? He took a deep breath and kneeled down to the man. It''s not me you need to ask forgiveness of; its those you have wronged. I just want you to do the right thing. I know the ship is filled with slaves, free them. The man looked at him, But they will kill me if I free them. They will never forgive me. I brought them here so you could do it for me. Adam smiled at him. You dont know that. Go ask them for forgiveness and let them go. You know the law. I will give them to you. I know they will be freed with you. I knew when I saw the video and read your contracts. How many do you have? Seven thousand. Then you better start asking them for forgiveness; thats a lot of people to beg. Adam said and the man nodded and got up, Adam could swear he saw tears in his eyes and then he ran back into the ship. Adam got up, shook his head, and returned to Roks to explain what had happened. One hour later, people started to come out of the ship in small groups. Chapter 14 – “… What else did I forget?” Adam was sitting in the office when Doc knocked on the door, which confused him for a moment. Evelyn was back at the military base and had not told him about Doc''s visit. Come in, Doc. That can''t be your name. Should I just call you Doc? Adam said as he let him into the office. The man smiled as he indicated to the chair to ask if he could sit. Adam nodded. Everybody calls me Doc, but my name is David OConnell. And Adam chuckled. Doc, yeah, I get it, and youre a doctor on top. No wonder. He said as Doc sat down. So, let''s get it over with. Who did you marry? Adam asked, and Doc looked at him a little surprised. Her name back then was Lisa Chiba, and she was from the Asian division. She wanted to be a lawyer, Doc replied; he felt slightly uncomfortable about bringing it up. Adam just smiled. She changed her name to Kiko But kept her last name, and she got into Oxford in London, right? Or did she graduate? How? Did you? Doc was confused, and Adam shrugged. It was my job from when I was fourteen, and the oldest of us was forced to step into the real world. I wrote recommendation letters for everybody who wanted. We had a forum where anybody could ask for help and guidance on how to get a job, like ''I want to be a lawyer, what schools and grades I need?'' that kinda stuff. One guy wanted to know how to be a big bug exterminator. Who in their right mind wants to be one of those guys? Adam asked, and Doc just stared at him before snapping out of it. You wrote her a recommendation letter? I wrote tons of those letters, and I even worked as an intern for a judge to learn more about it. Hell, I almost became a lawyer myself. I didnt aim for Oxford, I thought. I went to Luna. Three years. Wow, her mind would blow if she found out. Ehh. There is one thing I want to talk to you about. Something that Doctor Dara said. She said she had fixed you, that youre no longer sterile. I hope Im not overstepping my boundaries here, but you know. Doc was getting even more uncomfortable now. The one thing most of you guys want is that fixed. We have been thinking about how to get around it, we already adopted two, but I know she ... fuck He was clearly feeling uncomfortable, yet Adam could see that Doc felt this was so important that he would endure the embarrassment of asking. I will talk to Dara about it; maybe she can train you in how to fix it; if not, then just have her visit, and we will fix it here, Adam said with a smile. But, I thought you didnt want any of yours to know where you are. You wanted privacy, right? Doc replied as he was getting over his embarrassment. Look, I cant hide forever; the universe won''t let me, so let''s just get this over with. Yes, you can tell her Im here; just dont tell her about the recommendation. The last thing I need is more people thinking they owe me something. Okay? Adam said, and Doc nodded, a bit relieved. Then he looked at his pad and took a deep breath. Unfortunately, there is more. The Brass wants an accounting of the planet and you. Normally, they want us to do this clandestinely, but honestly, I think I can get a better overview by simply asking if you dont mind. You, being a marine, know how the brass is and the politicians.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Adam chuckled. yeah. Okay, Ill order coffee for us, and we can start. Wait, let me see if I get this straight. Besides the whole system, you have a mining company that is going to the nearby system to mine as its open, as well as the asteroid field. Then you get the Nitrogen project and a transport company and waste company? And we havent even started on Dirt? Doc looked over the files. You are forgetting the Mudskin maid-droids, and there are a few more investments, Adam said, and Doc looked at him. God damn it, man? How much are you worth? No, dont tell me. All of this has already classified you as a megacorporation. Doc said, and Adam was about to laugh but stopped. Shitt Not what I planned. Okay, let''s get to the planet. Let''s see. We have a few M-polo bases. We can start with Piradas, which is also my home and now functions as the administrator of Dirt. Then we got Mordor near the volcanic site; they are working on removing volcanic ashes and gasses. Its a nice project. Then there is Maranda, where we do most oceanic research. There are also twenty small oceanic bases spread across different ocean floors. They all work with spreading aquatic flora and fauna like algae and fish. Then there is the Zoo. Thats the second M-polo base that was built. It''s now Vorts office, then the university asked for a place, so we built another for them. I have three more licenses, but I think I will try something else. And, of course, we had new Macau and Hades. Hades? Doc asked, confused. A factory city will be a holding area if we get too many immigrants and dont have a place in the cities or the villages. Villages? Doc said, and Adam pulled up a live feed of villages. It was a small dome about 500 meters in diameter, and attached to it were seven large greenhouses about a kilometer long and a hundred meters wide. We had three. Now, we have fifteen; these are fully automated, but we are looking for farmers. We are self-sufficient with food now; well we just got as of last week. Adam said, Mostly, I just make plans now, and Jork and Vorts magically make it happen. I suspect they have some bureaucracy they are hiding from me. Shouldnt you deal with it? Doc was surprised, and Adam laughed and pressed a button that showed an office with three aliens working. A butler droid aided them. Naw, as you can see. They are working hard. Thats how we do it here. Jork And Vorts are playing a game. How can we surprise and impress Adam? I play the game of finding out all their hidden projects and checking if they are doable. Youre crazy, Doc said, and Adam chucked as he saw Evelyn entering the administration and heading towards the office. Yeah, I will make it official once we really need them. Besides that, we have a shipbuilding company that mainly produces haulers, transports, and exploration ships. And a new fighter. Im looking forward to that one, Doc said as Evelyn entered and stopped. Am I disturbing? She asked, and Adam got up. Naw, just helping him with the report for the Brass. He is smart; sometimes, its better to ask than sneak around. I was happy to help. Adam replied, and Evelyn looked at Doc. Okay. I guess youre finished. You need to go over the other reports and send them as well, as well as the request list. Evelyn told Doc, who got up. Of course, sir. Oh, last thing. Did you ask him about what we discussed last night? the doctor asked her, and she looked at Adam. I was about to bring it up. They are wondering how many civilians you are allowed to move here. With an outpost, some hoped they could bring family here while they served. Might help with speeding the colony process. She said, and Adam laughed. You think you had to ask? They can all come. Look, its a pretty big planet, and if we need to build a new city, then we do just that. Just do the minimum of vetting, okay? Doc smiled, saluted Evelyn, and nodded to Adam. Well, thats all I needed to hear. Thank you so much. Then he left, and Evelyn looked at him. Lunch? Adam nodded as a message came in, and he read it. Wow, damn. He said, and Evelyn looked at him in confusion. Good or bad news? She asked. Its from the university. They have over a thousand applications for the University department here. They asked if we could build more dorms. The first thousand and staff will arrive next month. I thought you already had students here? Yeah, but we build them an M-polo base to use as a department from the university, with a dorm for a thousand. They just filled it up. What the hell is so important about Dirt that they all want to come here? Adam asked. Chapter 15 – Assassins part 1 Adam was on his way down to the office when the Bodyguard and Archangel suddenly moved in behind him, escorting him to the office. Roks was waiting there with Sig-San, who had come faster than Adam had expected. Sig-San looked at the droids, who both had their arms raised and moved in front of Adam. The Bodyguard raised a shield around him and Adam while Archangel stood his ground. Drop the weapon, deactivate the explosives at the door and desk, or be eliminated. You have ten seconds to comply. 10.9.8 Sig-San dropped two hidden guns and a dagger, then deactivated the bombs. Archangel addressed Adam. What do you want to do with the assassin? Roks interfered. This was a test Archangel, Sig-Sag is working for us. He wanted to see the level of security we could give Adam on short notice. Adam looked past Archangel. Stand down, enter guard mode. Then he looked at the two. Why? Why the sudden need for extra security? He walked over to his desk, looked at the explosive and back at Sig-San who idly picked it up and handed it to Roks. Because Kun-Nar has put a hit on your head, he is trying to hire me, but I have avoided him. I know he has hired The Mytas and Jurta clans and Sly-Na, he tried to hire the Ghorts, but they declined. Not only that. He handed Adam a datapad. We rescued one of your men that they had scheduled for execution. They claimed he was a heretic and that you were Burimo. Adam just looked at him, shocked. Wait? Is this about those stupid prophecies? Is he declaring a religious war? They both looked at him silently. What happened to the rescued? And what about the others? Are they warned about these idiotic zealots? I brought him and his family back here, and I can return the others if thats your wish. They are, after all, yours. Sig-San said, and Roks shook his head to him, knowing that was the wrong answer. No, you will not bring them back unless they wish to. You will offer them safe passage and protection here if they want. No force, and how can we convince this assassin to stop this foolishness? Dont tell me they are religious Zealots, too? Sig-San looked at Roks, confused. He doesn''t believe? Roks nodded, and Sig-San knelt before Adam. I had my doubts, but you keep washing them away. What are you talking about? And get up. This just looks silly. Adam replied as he knelt down to help him up. They say the greatest doubter of Gallios is Gallios himself; Gallios is the peacemaker; thats what his name literally means. He will always try peace first. It''s why he is named that, but his true name was hidden from us. I now know it, Adam Wrangler. Sig-San looked at him with tears of joy coming down his eyes, and Adam just smiled. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.Im not him because I am not a god; Im just a human trying to do good. He looked at him, then at Roks. Peacemaker? You sure know how to name me, you idiot! Hey, how the hell would I know? You act like one all the damn time. Now let''s get you somewhere safe and.. They both looked at the door as three Adams walked in with Vorts and Jork. What the hell? both Adam And Roks said, and Vorts grinned. It worked. Do you like them? Vrots explained, and the voice of Ced-dry, the Ghorts, came from one for the Adams. Then, the skin started to fade away, exposing the Ghors'' exoskeleton. We had to make them thinner than normal suits to allow for natural forms, but if you just want skin and don''t mind the bulkier appearance, then it can be attached to the standard suits, Jork explained, and Sig-San looked at Roks and then Adam. That can work. We need at least seven. We can use droids to fool the Myrtas as they can sense signs, but a Ghort inside would toss them off. No, No absolutely not. Im not going to let anybody take my place if there is an attempt at my life! Jurdur sat at the gambling table playing a game of Darog, which the humans called poker. Almost the same rules had been told, but since few knew the human game the droid had been programmed for Darog. He was quite enjoying this place; he had been here a month already. He would ask Kun-Nar for the planet once they had killed the heretic; this place didnt need to become breathable. The city alone made it worth the trip. Hell, he had gone sightseeing to a place called Mordor last night, got to see some volcanos up close, and even paid to fly a drone down into the lava. It had been exhilarating. Yet the best part was to know that there were killers around the place just waiting to take out that heretic; once that was done, he would kill Roks and the sister. Hell, he would kill those cubs and her husband, too, then send the evidence to the royals. Might get an extra reward for that. A month on the home planet would suit him just fine. All he had to do now was wait and enjoy the luxury Dirt could provide. He might drop by that wildlife park they had built as well. Dursta sat in the small tower, looking over at Roks''s penthouse and his wife Kina''s. They had dinner guests over. It was Adam and his wife. He got his rifle ready and aimed. He put the rifle down again. Part of him didnt like this. His nephew was here, had been sold into slavery, and this Adam guy had bought him and then given him a work contract. In four years, he would be a free man, with an apartment bigger than his mum''s; he even wanted to invite his parents to move here and stay with him. This Adam guy was looking for people, and he was paid well. He aimed again; His clan would not forgive him if he didnt kill him; Myrtas always fulfilled their job. He had to shoot, even if it would die in doing so. He had Adam in his sight, headshot with an old-fashioned slug. There would be no chance of surviving that, and then he could go and spend time with his nephew. Hopefully, this will not stop the contract or the planet. He felt the doubt creeping in again. God be damned, he is just a person, not some holy being; he put him in the sight again and fired. Adam fell down from the table, and everybody reacted. A dark shield was immediately raised, and Dursta lost sight of him. It didnt matter. He saw the red spray of liquid as he hit him. He quickly grabbed the sight and pressed the button on the rifle. It would dissolve within minutes. Then he started to climb down. When he reached the bottom, he silently moved towards the shaft where he could get underground and escape through the service shaft. He opened it, and everything went black. Sablo Mut had seen it, the shoot and the escape, flawlessly executed by the Myrta. He had probably already left the planet, but there was one thing he didnt get. That was last night, and here Adam was at a party with several high rollers, chatting about the daily run of the planet, with his head intact. Chapter 16 – Assassins part 2 Sablo Mut started at Adam across the floor; how was he still alive? Had they used a droid? Maybe a flesh droid. He turned on his glasses. He saw the Biosigns, slightly elevated stress, too, so at least this one was no droid. So, he would have his chance now. He preferred poison, and he knew it was the perfect one for humans. All he needed to do was to shake his hand, and the man would die. It would be harmless to his Dushin biology. So now all he had to do was wait, wait, and let the prey come closer. He pretended to be a fan; that part wasnt hard. The two weeks at the place had made him a fan of the place. He even went on a tour guide to one of the dead systems half a day away just to sell the tourist image. He played drone tag in a system of just one huge field of rubble. It had reminded him of his piloting days; if it wasnt for the job, he would probably apply for their pilot program. Adam was getting closer and got up; he was not the only one at his table. They all wanted a piece of him, and he didnt need to make an excuse. He said something like, What a great place you have; you really made me a fan. As they shook hands, Adam smiled back. I''m just glad you liked it. Then he moved on. The poison would work slowly and kill him within 20 minutes. He sat down and watched Adam move around the room; there was something odd, though. According to his intel, Adam had been a very private person until about a month ago; maybe it was this grand opening thing. The ships kept coming in to experience what Dirt could offer. Ten minutes had passed, and Adam didnt seem to feel anything, though suddenly one of the guests was acting up. A human, like Adam, and was immediately taken care of by medical personnel. Just a collaborative casualty of the kill. Adam must have shaken his hand after he got the poison on him. It would only affect humans, so everybody else was safe. Well, unless a human touched what they touched. But if they found out, then he would be in trouble so he excused himself and made it to a bathroom to remove the evidence. He had just entered the bathroom when a Haran entered and smiled at him. I must apologize I didnt peg you before you shook his hand. What poison? I have no clue what youre talking about It all went black. Zondi Mutt didnt like what she had seen. Two of the assassins had been taken out, and Adam was still around. Somebody good was helping him, never mind. The others had tried to do it silently without causing any trouble. Last night, it had been poisoned, and several people had to be sterilized to avoid the spread of the virus. This was common in any place with many different species, so most paid no heed and instead praised the efficiency of the sterilization. One human had become seriously sick. It was foolish to try such things as poison; they always did this to avoid unnecessary casualties, but she had no such qualms. Adam took the train to New Macau every day to meet with guests. There were always a few waiting for him, business folks and such. This time, they would get a nice public surprise. If you''re going to kill a Burimo, you must do it properly. She hadnt believed it when they told her, but she knew it to be true after coming here. It was too perfect, too good. Only a deceiver would make something so good and make people believe it. She watched from her hotel room as she saw the train speeding towards the station. She had picked this room for the view, but not the view most people wanted. She pressed the detonation button, but nothing happened. The train was almost at the station; she pressed the secondary button, and the door got kicked in; she turned to see a very angry Tufon with short red hair, and then it went black. Sly-San sat in the bar, waiting. There was no point in trying anything, he knew who he was up against but he didnt know why. Sig-San sat down next to him, ordered a Bibi from the droid, and looked at the mirror above the bar. Why? This job would be easy money for you. Sly-San said, nursing the glass of the new drink he had gotten a taste for, which was called Whiskey. Im not religious, or at least I thought I was not until I met him. Sig-San replied, Sly-San turned his head and looked at him. Again, why and now How? You have killed priests with no qualms. Youre the top we all aim for, and you''re just quiet? For a man whos not even your lover? Well, he is who he is. What would you do if Galios came to ask for your help? Would you deny him? Sig-San asked. How do you know he is Him? Many people claim to be him. Many have had near-death experiences and claim they were not born, Hell just being hatched from an egg fulfills that part. Hell, the man who hired us claims he is the real one, and your Adam is the heretic Burimo.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. And you believe him? Sig-San replied and Sly-San smirked. No, the Galios never claimed his title; he just worked for peace and prosperity for every.. oh. He looked around the room at the nice but common bar in New Macau, it wasnt even at one of the hotels but it was nice and calm. Still, it doesnt prove anything. He might just be a nice man. We have both killed nice men before. He is different. What if he is Galios? Do you want to be the one who kills him? Or try to. You know very well why no assassin dont want to try to kill him; you know who hides in his shadow andthat he alone can clean us and let us pass. Sig-San said, and Sly looked at him and emptied the glass. The god of death is not walking in his shadows; besides, I only see you in his shadow, and you''re no god, Sly-San said, and Sig-San sighted. Nobody sees the gods. They are not physical here; they are just with him, watching and protecting him from the other side of the veil. Im no god; hell, I was an atheist until that man came into my life. So, he had you go around to kill all the assassins? Is that why youre here? To kill me? Sly-San stood up and looked at Sig-San, who simply looked up at him in the mirror cleaning his guns, and smiled. I suggested it, but he said no. He wanted you all arrested. Taken alive. You will never take me aliv.. The glass hit him in the face and before he could grab his hidden daggers Sig-San hand jumped from the chair and knocked him out with a kick to the head. He looked down at the fallen assassin. You are going to love the prison, and then you will see. Mag Sina sat on his bed cleaning his guns, and he had three of them spread on the bed; Korga sat by the desk checking the news, and Bunio was in the shower getting ready. Tonight, they would die for the cause. They had been ordered to just enter the main hall when Adam was going to hold a speech and go wild. The goal was to scare him into an escape route where they had placed explosives. He would go up in flames, and they would be lucky if they found a healthy cell to clone him from. Mag grinned as he thought about it. Then the door opened, and to his surprise, two droids walked and started blasting. The last thing he saw was the word Archangel written on the droid''s chest. Adam was getting annoyed. He hadnt left Piradas for a month, yet the Ghort decoys had been going out daily, risking their lives for him. One had even died, and Roks had to lock him in to prevent him from leaving. They had hacked an elevator and sent it crashing 100 meters. Luckily, it was only the decoy in the elevator, so no other had died, but Adam didnt like it. That assassin had had an accident on the way to the prison; the Ghort pilot said he accidentally fell out of the shuttle into a volcano. Adam knew it was wrong, but he understood. The Pilot had turned himself in after. As much as he hated to do it, he had pretended it had been an accident, but The Ghort had been taken out of pilot service and accepted to work at one of the farms for at least 10 years. It was not like they could tell anybody what was going on. He had been in the gym working out, and boxing had become a way to get out some frustration; he headed to the shower and then decided to go to the office. When he finished, he put on the mudflesh mask, and his face changed into a slightly elderly Scisya man. He had gloves and a tracksuit to cover the rest of his skin as he made his way up. He thought it funny how paranoid Sig-San and Roks had been lately. He grabbed a cup of tea from the kitchen when the alarm went off. Somebody was in the Administration. He looked at the camera and saw a Tufon looking around; The building was not completely empty, so seeing anybody there was not a complete surprise. Adam grabbed his cup of tea and went to the office to find out who this man was. Are you lost? he asked, holding the cup in his hand and looking at the Tufon man. He had bright green hair tied in a ponytail. He would guess he was around Roks''s age. The man looked at him, then at his cup of tea, and back at Adam. A little lost and a little curious. I kind of wanted to see where it all started. Its amazing what they have managed here. The man replied. Adam smiled and put his tea at a drone monitor station. Yes, it''s pretty amazing what they have managed. At least it gave me a job. Adam replied. Who are you by the way? Names Jurdu, and you? The Tufon smiled at him as he took a step closer. Me? I''m Valun. I have drone traffic control today. Mr Wrangler, let me sit here as I got a little scared of heights. Jurdu nodded slowly and sat down on a free station. Tell me, is there a Tufon by the name of Roks Del Mork here? Yes, sir, he is the second in command. Why? Do you want me to call him? Adam said, and Jordu stood up. Naw, just tell him his old friend Jurdu is here and wants to finish the job. Then he walked out. Adam let out a breath. He could see DO12 had been in the room the whole time behind a holographic image. He had not been in danger, but he didnt like the way Jurdu had spoken, so he called up Roks. What? Where is Dara? Get her off the planet NOW and give me his location; this is going to be messy! Adam had never heard Roks so angry and worried at the same time, and he quickly had Dara and Vorts picked up and all personnel evacuated. Five minutes after they left the Zoo, a stolen fighter blew up the place. Roks ran to Jork, took his prototype, and took off without a word. Adam called Evelyn and told her what had happened. She immediately sent out drones and a patrol to aid him. Kina took the heavy fighter and followed Roks. Everything was happening so fast that Adam felt something was wrong. Who was this guy, and why did Roks seem to be enraged? Adam was standing in the admin office when he saw a fighter diving into the atmosphere towards New Macau, and then it fired at the Dome. Chapter 17 - Three of a kind against a flush! The ship fired all its payload into the dome, and Adam watched in horror at the explosion. He knew the dome could withstand small meteorites and lightning strikes, but he was not so sure about plasma bolts and explosive rockets. The fighter then crashed into the dome to add to the damage. Adam held his breath as the ship lay on top of the dome it had held. Then, he started to breathe normally. Then, he got ready to call up Roks. Hey Roks, that friend of yours just crashed into the dome. Dont think you need to worry about him anymore. What are you talking about? He is .. Fracking asshole Shot, you asshole.. Got him.. frack, KINA! Take out that bug..! Adam looked at his communicator and then switched the screen to the flight control, and his breath stopped. The three men there were dead, among them Sergeant Hayden. Then, there was an explosion outside, and he looked out the window at the distant New Macau as the fighter that had crashed into the dome exploded, creating a big hole. He pressed the red alarm button and closed Piradas. Then he went to the main desk and was about to sit down. He stopped when Archangel walked up to him, scanned the seat, leaned in, and removed an explosive device. Send Troll and Goblin to hunt down whoever is in the station, arrest if possible; lethal force is allowed! Adam sat down and got on the control. He quickly accessed the dome control. The fire had quickly been put out due to the high carbon dioxide level, and the nanobots quickly worked to create a thin layer to stop the air from rushing out. Unfortunately, this was a temporary solution, and he needed to get Jork on it as quickly as possible. He called him up and he saw a bloodied Jork on the screen. Shit, are you Okay? Im sending you a droid! Adam said, and Jork shook his head. We are safe. They came for Miker and Skee''s. Im sorry, but I killed again. He replied,d and Adam smiled. I hope you got all the bastards. Put them in the saferoom and Let Kintat take over the security. I need you to fix the dome. Adam directed the droid named after the Buginos, which was the god of protection, to his penthouse, but it was strange that he was not already there. He needed to find out how that had happened. No need! I sent him to Skees family. I have something else protecting them here. You worry about yours. I will get the dome fixed. I will see you on the other side. Jork replied and cut the contact. Adam sat back for a second; at least they had not cracked the security codes. How did they get to the flight control room? How? He got on the security cams and told the computer to show him the attack. What he saw was Roks and Vorts entering the room, opening fire, and killing the three without any hesitation. Adam started at the screen; the two didnt speak but just walked out of the room and then into the elevator down to the hangar, got into a fighter, and just sat there waiting. It made no sense. He asked the computer to scan them and show heat and biosignals. Suddenly, the two became nothing more than droids covered in organic matter. Fleshdroids. Part of Adam felt relieved; he had not been betrayed. Still, it made it run cold down his back. They had been willing to do all this, destroy the city, and kill everybody. Wait, something nagged him. They had gone into two ships. He transferred the flight control room to his desk and checked on Roks; he was currently in a dogfight with six fighters with Kina; Evelyn was in pursuit of a ship that was spewing out fighters, only to have them shot down as soon as they left the hanger. They clearly wanted the main ship alive. He glanced back at Roks. Okay, two against four. He checked the leaving ship''s file: a luxury cruise ship with 130 passengers. He cross-referenced them with the arrested and found them all except one on the list. He had the remaining passengers located. They were spread out around the colony, and they had started a revolt, well, not all of them. Some were actively trying to stop it. Adam had no idea what was happening, but he had no time to think about it. He had to get them all arrested. Damn, he needed more security. Evelyn was looking at the ship, cursing the fools. Can somebody please shoot out that damn engine! On it, Sir! Some of the shot was redirected, and the engine was cut, sending the ship adrift. Tell them to surrender, or we will board! She ordered and checked the scans. Roks and Kina were down to one ship now. Then, that ship jumped into lightspeed, and she could feel Rok''s frustration through the thousands of kilometers between them. She would not be near him for a few days; that would be Kina and Adams'' worry. They refused and just sent for reinforcements! The communication officer replied, and she sighed. Jam the signal, send five droids, and prep for something to come. She commanded and got ready for whatever they would send. Adams ark was a small Blockade runner. She could take more damage than most, had more firepower, and had a large storage space. Comfort was the sacrifice. It was a ship built to face big bullies and give them hell. The crew was ready, and Roks and Kina were coming towards them but then got called back to Dirt. Apparently, it was not over. One ship was uncounted for, piloted by a flesh droid; they feared it would do a suicide run. Evelyn felt some peace knowing Adam was safe, and she feared what she would do to those who attacked her man; what was the saying? The Geneva Convention is just a suggestion list in space.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Then the ships dropped out of light speed, three dreadnaughts. They were still in the exit status as she launched everything at first, blowing it up before it could react. Forward plasma shield. RAMMING SPEED! She shouted the order, and everybody got ready for the impact. The second ship just saw the front of Adams Ark turning into a blue plasma bolt and then drive straight into the ship, slowly burning a hole through the ship, exciting on the other side as it exploded. The third ship turned and got ready to jump away just as a big black ship that looked like a manta ray jumped out of light speed. Missed me? Evelyn grinned as she heard Kira''s words over the communicator. The third ship jumped blindly out of the system. Hey! Yeah, I missed you. What brings you here? she asked, ordering the ship''s salvage for intel and tech. Freed slaves! I was just going to drop them off, get my girlfriend drunk, and head back out. What happened here, and why are you fighting Corporation dreadnaughts? What did he do? She asked as her ship glided up to hers. We dont know; it might have to do with the other guy who thinks he is Galios, though that doesnt explain the Corporations. Go to Adam, and I will drop by when we are done here. Adam was still in the office when Roks came in, pissed off. Frack! How the .. Im going to rip that bastard apart! Adam looked at him quietly, letting him rant off. Do you know who that bastard was? Thats the guy who killed my little brother and tried to kill Dara! He moved towards Adam as he spoke, and when he was two meters from him, a shot rang out, and Roks fell to the ground. You were right! The real Roks came out from the office. That''s pretty smart, too. Why did you think he would do that? He walked over to shoot the droid a few more times, knelt down, and placed a device on the skull as two worker droids came and removed it. Because the ship it stole went to autopilot and allowed itself to be shot down too easily, and then it showed you on the base at the same time. I tracked your ship, so I knew you were the real one. Roks looked at him and smirked. You had us both scanned, didnt you? Yeah, I had you both scanned, but it seemed cooler the other way, Adam replied, and Roks shook his head. Dara and Vorts are safe. I just checked. We have 265 new prisoners, but from witnesses, it seems that about 100 of them fought against the rioters even if they came with them. We have 32 casualties; 14 died from the falling wreckage in the dome. It fell into a plaza that had a performance. There are 147 injured, ranging from serious to light. The insurance will cover the cost of the damages, and the medical team will take care of the injured. Shit, that many? I should never have opened the system; this is really bad. Adam said as he rubbed his temple, thinking about what to do. He had gotten people killed due to his foolishness. Arus came to the admin. His arm was in a cast, and his face had burn marks. Well, that was fun. How bad is it? They both just looked at him, and Arus looked at the report on the big screen. Not too bad. We can work on this. You said there were three dreadnaughts in the final attack? Thats great news. Adam snapped out of it. Good news? How? People died? Yes, but the dome would not have been fixed this fast if this had been any other colony. It would have imploded, and everybody would have died. One ship against three dreadnaughts coming out on top? Hell, what pirate will even dare come here now? Those assassins? Show the prison from the outside and tell the galaxy that thats where you send assassins, and the price on you will be over a million; they simply won''t try. Especially if you arrested that many assassins, and we name them all. That way, the risk is too high, and the assassin will know what level they have to be just to try. They just looked in disbelief at Arus as he explained. This is bad, but it could be far worse; you kept most safe, and some of the VIPs slept through the whole thing. Thats good news for us. That proves its a secure place even if a megacorporation is going after them. Hell, we can now find out what corporation was after you and work with their competitors. You just gained a lot of allies. Allow a few of those companies to set up some small shops here, and before you know it, this is no longer an outpost but a colony. People died, Arus! I dont want to use that to advertise Dirt. I want people to be safe here. And thats the point. If you dont emphasize that, then this is all gone. You want people safe, you want Dirt to be a place for everybody, how does stopping everything because some asshole megacorporation decided to destroy that dream? Are they afraid of your Meshdroids? Great, get it mass-produced and put them out of business. Let Knug loose with his ideas. How do you know about his business deals? Adam asked, confused. Roks then gave them all a glass of whiskey. Because he contacted me when you turned him down, telling me I should try to let him loose. I know he was a slaver. I was born into that family, and that is how he grew up. A normal business for this part of the galaxy. You gave him a chance out but he is a small fish in a big pond, he needs your backing and he will be your big fish, what is the human word? Ahh, he can be your shark. His idea is to buy up all the slave pens in the sectors. That would cost me about 45 million credits, Adam said, and then turn them into Meshdroid shops. It would cost another 12 million to just get it all ready. I can do it, but I won''t have much left. Roks spit out his drink and looked at Adam. You have over 57 million credits? Yes, a little more, but if we do this, I will risk pissing off far more than one megacorporation, and we are talking full war. What is a little more? Roks asked and shrugged. In bank or stocks? Never mind. Hell, if you want them saved, this is how you do it. They wont have any places to sell, Roks said. Adam looked at the casualty list and nodded. Damn it, if they want war, we will give them war; Ill tell Knug and Min-Na to start buying them up. Chapter 18 – 8 out 10 No, wait, ask Mr. Knug and Min-Na to come here; we are going to do this smart. He stopped Arus from leaving and looked at Roks. Just like with the old pirate, we dont rush into this. Are you not going to buy up the slave pens? Arus looked a little confused, and Adam smiled. Ill do more than just that. But we dont rush in. If we start to buy up, we will get perhaps ten or twenty of them before they raise the prices so high it will bankrupt us, so let''s just take it slow, set a trap, and get them all. So, who do we call to this meeting? Roks replied, and Adam thought for a second. Ill do the summoning; better it comes from me. Besides, do you want to order Evelyn to come? Adam was clearly joking, but they got the point. And no vengeance before we have intel either; for all we know, those dreadnoughts were stolen by somebody wanting to get us off the track, Adam said, and Arus looked confused at him. Who would do something like that? he asked. I would! Adam and Roks replied, looking at each other and raising the glass cheerfully. Arus looked at them and left, while Roks looked at Adam. It might have been a droid, but he was right; Im going to tear that bastard apart. Now I know he is alive. He said, looking at the glass and then downing the content. Are you going to chase him? Adam asked as he refilled the glass. No, thats what he wants me to do. He probably set a trap for me, so I will wait. For now, ignore him. That will either drive him mad and have him come to me to try again, or he will get comfortable believing I dont care, then I will come for him. Revenge is a dish best served cold, Adam replied, and Roks nodded. You have that saying too? We say, Vengeance should be like the winter: cold, merciless, and unforgiving. But the meaning is the same, I guess? Yeah, dont do anything rash, and let me know if you need any help. Only a fool would go about this alone, Adam replied, and Roks smirked. Im no fool, Adam. Then he got up. I will go and check on the damage. You should go talk to the Ghorts. They saved your life more than once. Adam watched Roks leave and then sent out a summons before going to meet with the Ghorts. He had read up on their funeral rites and went to inform them that he would do his best to ensure a proper burial. On the way, he met Kira, who informed him about her passengers. He summoned a butler droid to escort her to the mansion Evelyn had asked him to donate to her and her sister. It would keep her busy while he dealt with the matters of Dirt. It was way past midnight before he returned to his room, where he found Evelyn and Kira sitting in the living room area, drinking a bottle of wine and discussing what he expected to be the latest gossip. Adam had expected to hear laughter, but instead, it was a serious matter. The sister was on the way back with a large group; Kira was not sure if that was a good or bad thing as she had also heard the cartel still had a very big reward for Adams''s head, preferably not attached. Kira loved her sister but also knew she was the coldest-blooded of them. She might come to collect the price, or she might come with people who want to join the cause. That might be just as bad as their contacts in Earths domain not being of the nice kind. Evelyn also told him that Earth would not like to hear that one soldier died in the attack and one was poisoned. He might have to expect a bigger presence now that it''s confirmed there are hostile forces here. It could be a blessing or a curse. Adam didnt like it, but it was expected. He had gotten too big. His plan of vanishing into space and living a calm life alone on his planet would never happen now. He started to laugh at it. He had imagined himself having a farm alone on a terraformed planet, and now. They looked at him confused until he explained, and then they started to laugh as well. Do you think you ever will be able to live a normal life, Adam? He couldnt remember who had asked him, but it was what he remembered the next day. Maybe it was from his dream. Evelyn lay next to him, content and happy; he smiled as he watched her. He had never had nightmares with her. He got up and got ready for the day. The ruse would be kept up a few more days, and Evelyn teased him when she saw his old man''s disguise. Adam was more surprised at how quickly things moved on. The damage and death were terrible, but in a galaxy with trillions of beings, a death toll of less than a million was hardly even spoken about. Instead, what was spoken about was how the attack was repelled and that most of the guests didnt even notice there had been an attack. It was hailed as a safe place, and the tourist department that Arus had set up reported an uptick on the reservations. When he asked Jork about the attack at his home, he did not want to talk about the attack, but Adam knew they had removed six armed men from his mansion. Apparently, Jork had been targeted for kidnapping. This had worried them both, and they set up some emergency plans, mostly for Miker, if they would be successful in taking him. Vorts and Dara spent most of the time at the zoo and crater to get everything up and running.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. It was a week later, that Adam sat down in a domed hotel complex in the middle of the crater. It didnt need the dome, but it was more to keep the city separated from the landscape in the crater. The view was fantastic and showed his friends what Adam had planned. The hotel would open soon, which was why he had chosen it. The room was as large, with a round table in the middle. Adam sat with Evelyn on his left and Roks on his right, followed by Dara, Vorts, Jork, Arus, Sig-san, Mr. Knug, and Mir-na, who sat next to Evelyn. A droid walked around, giving them refreshments. Adam waited for everybody to sit as he leaned against the back of the chair. Thank you for coming. I think some of you are wondering, Why me? To be honest, I dont know. You were the only one I needed when I thought about who to invite. Those who are left out right now are people you can easily bring this information to, but its you guys I need to convince. Adam said as he looked at them, and they looked around, a little confused. Why us? Arus asked. You are here because I need media, and you have incredible control over it. Its like you control the stories that are being told. Adam looked at him and realized he probably needed to explain why he chose each of them. Everybody knows Roks; he is the face of our military and defense. Without him, we would be in chains or worse. His sister Dara is the best doctor in the sector, even if she refuses to take her doctorate. And thats not coming from me, but from the professor in medicine when I spoke with him about how she ran the medical department, even he wants you to just take the damn degree. Roks grinned and looked at his sister. She blushed and looked away. Then we have my two rebels: Vorts, the biologist who is in charge of bringing life to this planet, and Jork, who builds everything we need. I am no god, so dont even try. He glanced at Sig-San and then at the other. But Im not so sure about Jork. Then we got you. Sig-San, I hope I never need to use you as anything other than my spymaster because I know just how deadly you are. You are my shadow, and you have my ear. And then there''s Mrs. Min-Na. What else can I say but the law? Without her, we would probably be arrested for breaking half the sector''s laws. Min-Na smiled proudly. Im still not sure if you''re trying to headhunt me. If you keep this up, I might even say yes one day. When that day comes, it''s because I need a Supreme Court justice. Adam winked and then looked at Knug. And the last, I really didnt like you at first, but I have a feeling you really didnt like yourself either. You didnt like that job, did you? You were doing the bare minimum. Knug looked down, ashamed, but then raised his head to meet his eyes. You gave me a way out with a shitty contract, yet you put in something that awakened something in me. I notice you have made your little shop into one of the biggest in the market; no wonder we have so many enemies. And you helped Sig-san set up and make deals around the hubs. Its more than I could hope for. I promised you 5 % of that one shop and 0.5% of the overall profit of the mesh droids, and youre now a multi-millionaire. I fear what will happen when I tell you Im going to let you loose. Knug''s eyes went wide, and then he looked at Arus and went back to Adam. Are we expanding? He asked, and Adam nodded, then looked around the table. There is much to discuss today, but this comes first. We are going to buy up all the minor slave pens on the six nearest hubs and replace them with mesh droid shops. We are going to do it smartly, through small shell companies, and just send all the slaves delivered here, pretending they have been bought. But since we control the shops, we will do our best not to increase the demand. At the same time, we will build up droid shops and out-compete the bigger slave pens. They want war, and we will give them that. We will give them a trade war. He looked around the round table. We are going to hit them where it hurts the most. Their credits. I want as many lawsuits as possible against the bigger slave pens and then have our smaller ones buy them up and convert them. I want them reported for any minor breach of trade laws to keep them mired up in court. Having slaves should cost more than it is worth. I want them to drive up the prices. He looked at Knug and Sig-San. That will be your jobs. We will help Kira hit the pirates and slavers in the market, and we will offer our cheaper Mesh droids all along. We will outbid them on the criminal slaves and start a prison system here. If they are real criminals, they can work and live a decent life. If it''s trumped-up charges like with Vorts and Dara, we give them the standard contract. But we will simply show them a better way. Its going to cost a lot, Jork replied, and Knug disagreed. Not really; small companies can get loans as long as they have a starting capital; in the beginning, it will be easy, but the more scared the slave market will be, the harder that getting a loan for it will be. But at that time, you should have several medium-sized businesses that dont need a loan anymore. Adam nodded and looked at Min-Na. Of course, that means a lot of work for your company. As long as you pay, we won''t mind; you might end up as our most valuable customer. She replied. Sig-San looked at Adam and then at Evelyn. What about the human navy? Oh, I think Kira is going to get a lot of help from the human navy if she starts a slaver-hunting fleet. Most likely unofficially supported by the Navy. There won''t just be humans coming. We have allies all over the southern part of the galaxy. Adam looked around the table. So we agree? Then nodded, and Adam looked at the next agenda. Okay, the university wants more place; we might end up just building them a city. Almost like you need a loremaster to help you deal with all of these things, Sig-San said with a smile. Anybody in mind? Adam asked, and Sig-san shook his head. No, but Im sure you will find a good one soon. I would recommend a female; this table of eight is very male-dominated. We are ten, Adam said, and Sig winked. Youre the boss, and shes your wife and the representative of Earth, so you two dont count as members of the council; you rule it, and she observes it. Knug looked at him wide-eyed as he looked around, then covered his mouth in shock. Adam ignored it; he knew Sig-San was having one of his religious moments. Well, we dont have her yet, so we have to deal with that and the number of travelers. He looked at Sig-San and dared him to comment, but he kept his tongue. Chapter 19 - On the island of Avalon, on Mount Huaguo Adam was swearing softly to himself while sitting in his office; everything had gone as planned. They had managed to buy up 45 % of all slave pens in the seven nearest hubs and planetary systems. He was now the biggest slaver in this part of the galaxy. The inhabitants of Dirt had also increased and has continued to increase since the opening three months ago. There were now 50,000 people living on the planet, most of them in new Macao. But Hades also had become a permanent dwelling for several of his new citizens; it turned out there were three nocturnal species in the federation, and they found the dwellings perfect. At least he had the city upgraded. This was not what he had planned; He came here to terraform the planet, not to become a slaver. He felt worse and worse as the days went by. The worst part was the increasing wealth he gained. The price of slaves had increased, which meant more and more bought his droids. The increase in workforce meant more and more of Jork and Vorts projects were completed; Roks got his soldiers to train, and he even had Jork build him a village he converted into a military camp. Sig-San and Knug were getting more pilots and more ships. Wrangler Corp was now selling droids and ships and taking care of most of the waste disposal from the space stations. Everything was going well, but still, Adam was annoyed. He got up from his chair and looked out the window; about 500 meters away, he saw his attempt to plant a tree; the droid had put a tent and fence around it and a small nutrient machine, and it was growing. He wondered how many trees had died before the droid perfected the method. He wanted to do that; he wanted to watch something grow. Yeah, he needed to get away from business and get back to focus on the terraforming. He went back to the office and checked the status. Oxygen was 15.06% now; nitrogen was 4.6 %. It was impressive. Carbon dioxide was 75 %. Still far away to go. There were pockets that had up to 27% oxygen, but those were artificial. Maybe he could go to one of those and do some terraforming. He looked at the numbers again. Then he called up Jork. Yeah, boss. What is it? Jork came into the office as Adam was reviewing some of the blueprints he had brought with him from the Earth;. Then, he found what he was looking for and put it on the screen. What do you think? Can we use it? Adam asked, and Jork looked at them. Graphene? Sure, we can pull it from the air with the amount we have. It might even help speed up oxygen production. You should check that part with Vorts. When do you want it done, and at what scale? Jork asked, and Adam shrugged. I dont know. We have too much of it in the air. We need to get it down to a workable level. If you can use it, we keep it. If not, we sell it. Adam said, and Jork chuckled. We can use it, dont worry about that. As he spoke, Roks came in and took one look at him, then called for Evelyn and Vorts. Adam looked at him and then to Jork. What is he planning now? Does he want to go raiding with Kira again? he asked, and Jork Just winked as if he knew something. Okay, out with it? What is going on here? Adam asked Roks, but he just smiled. Wait and see. Then he turned to Jork. He normally has much more patience. I agree; the stress must be getting to him, Jork replied. Adam looked at them and sat down, reviewing the Nitrogen extraction. It was now picking up a hundred 80 cubic kilometers of iceblocks of Nitrogen an hour, and it looked like a white road of ice that left Onic and made it all the way to Dirt. Adam was beyond impressed. It had been six weeks since the war meeting, as they had called it, and Jork had gone crazy; everybody had.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! He checked the other project. Several of the oceans had algae and plant life. The Ghorts had a whole village down there where they moved about with their suits. Oh, the suits. He thought it would be a novelty, and then it sold ten million, and its not stopping. There are 50 billion Ghorts in the galaxy, and he could expect at least ten percent to want his suits, more if he let Knug take care of the sales. He was lost in his own misery when Evelyn came in. Hey, why that face? She leaned on the office desk, and he looked at her. I dont know, everything is going great but I dont know. Damn it.. I do know. I didnt come here to be a slaver; I came here to get away. Have a normal, calm life, terraform in my own stupid way, and now This is not what I want to do. He stood up and noticed Vorts and Dara had joined as well. What''s going on? he asked, and Evelyn smiled. Well, I had a mutiny on my base, and you apparently have the same. They say we are overworked. Mutiny? Doc leads a Mutiny? He asked, confused. He was ordered by the brass to put me on holiday. They say my obsession with gathering as much intel and arranging unsanctioned raids on pirates was getting too much. Something about taking a breather until the personnel arrives. After the attack and death of one of ours, they have justified a bigger presence; they just dont want to arrive at a bombed-out outpost. She said, a little disappointed. You two need to relax, and we have the perfect place. We have even managed to keep this hidden from Adam. Vorts said. They looked at him and then at each other, who were all smiling. Come, let us show you. It''s about a 15-minute flight. Adam and Evelyn looked at each other and then followed them. The transport flew straight out of the atmosphere then and dived toward the island, about 500 kilometers from Peridas. It was shaped like somebody had taken a H and C and smashed them together. Welcome to the new Avalon. Roks said, We had some help with naming it. It''s in your file under project babysitter. He winked at Adam and Evelyn. Okay, so what is this island? If I remember correctly, it''s supposed to be wildlife reservoirs. No cities and a planned research bases. Adam replied. Well, we have to fly to Mount Huaguo to show you, it has a few rivers running down and a couple of interesting valleys. There is one we want to show you. Vorts replied, and Adam looked at him and turned to Evelyn. They are up to something. He said. You think? She replied. The transport flew along the barren mountainside, where several rivers from the mountain. The top of the mountain was covered in glaciers, and the shuttle flew over the glacier towards a large valley that had some construction on the valley tops on both sides. Adam looked at them and then to Jork. You shielded the whole valley? He asked as the ship dived through the shield and flew towards a structure; it wasnt a base. Instead, it looked like two-floor structure with a landing pad next to it and a small dome connected behind. It was a home. They had built him a home. Yeah, the shield covers 15 kilometers in length and is between 2 to 5 kilometers wide. You got a nice river running down in the middle, and we have given it a nice layer of fertilizers. The farmers have planted that human grass thingy and a few three. I left a few drones in the underground storage, and there are 4 maid droids, one butler, and 4 construction droids. Archangel checked out the place and is already here, So you should be safe. Officially, you are two students maintaining one of Vort''s biological experiments. So nobody knows you here. Adam looked at them as the door opened and fresh air came in. No need for masks? No, oxygen is within human acceptable level, Doc insisted I also gave you something he called a grill. It''s in the back. So enjoy. Roks said, and Adam and Evelyn looked at them, realizing the others had not left the shuttle. There is a spare shuttle in the underground garage, enjoy. Jork said as the shuttle took off. Those bastards, Adam said as he watched the ship leave, and Evelyn looked at him. Whats the point of a grill if we dont have meat? She asked as she put her arm around his waist. I have a feeling they filled the kitchen. Chapter 20 – No apple trees! They had spent the day exploring their new home. They had started at the top and worked themself down; it was a spacious two-floor house with a flat roof, a garden, and a barbeque area where he could make anything from a burger to pizza. They must have asked Doc what humans like to have in their outdoor areas. The view was fantastic, and they could see the river running past them; it split the valley in two, and Adam already had ideas about what to do, but now he focused on the house and the rooftop. There were hidden features like a jacuzzi and a domed forcefield to protect them from the weather at their discretion. It could also allow privacy by becoming a hologram. The second floor had a large bedroom, bathrooms, gym, and entertainment area. It had a library room filled with copies of all of Adam''s books as well as more books in the same genre. Evelyn wanted to stay there, but he had to drag her out so they could explore more; they also had ten extra bedrooms. Adam shook his head at the craziness. That must be Sig-Sans idea. He said as they went down to the large living room. Next to it were the dining room and kitchen with a food elevator going all the way up to the roof, but they could be stopping in the hallway upstairs. You are not eating in bed! Evelyn said, and Adam chuckled as he opened the fridge, which was filled to the rim. I cant make any promises. I told you they filled it up. He closed the door and opened a cupboard filled with whatever he needed. There was a door at the other end of the kitchen, and he peeked inside and found a storage room with a walk-in freezer, so he went back to Evelyn. We won''t go hungry. What are they thinking? This is a family home. He said, and Evelyn looked around, then walked through the dining room to the large glass door at the back, which was another open area, half the area had already been turned into grass. It had a doghouse and a swimming pool with an adjustable depth. She looked at the doghouse and ran over to it as Beast peeked out; seeing his mum, the puppy came over to her, tail wagging. Adam watched her dotting over her puppy, smiled, and then looked around; if the beast had been here, then Sisi would have been hiding somewhere. She would not be outside, so he looked around and found her nestled on the couch between two large pillows. He picked her up, and the little beast yawned, stretched her claws, and then nuzzled up on his shoulder as he walked out to the two. Evelyn was already deep into her training, and Beast was too eager to make his mommy happy. They took a break from exploring as they spent time with their pets. Then they went inside and found several offices connected to the administration and everything. He could run the place from here. When they went down to what they thought was an underground garage, they suddenly realized just how big the place was; the pad they had landed on was an elevator that went down to a large one-square-kilometer hall separated in two. It was filled with mechanical crafts as well as several of the machines he had bought for terraforming. There were extra shuttles, crafts, and more. And next to the lift, his personal yacht was parked. He turned around and went back up. Those bastards, he said as he laughed. they want me distracted. Evelyn looked at him. Distracted from what? I have no idea. Do you trust Doc not to start a new galactic war? He replied. Yeah, He does not want to get involved again. Hell, none of us wanted to. That last one was .. lets not talk about. She said as she led him to the kitchen to find some refreshments; the maid droid tried to offer them, but Adam told them to wait. I trust them not to destroy the place either. As long as I dont return to a goddamn statue, I will grant them this. I want to do something about the valley. You okay with it? Yeah, but I need to check in with the Brass later to find out whats going on, " she replied. "So lets enjoy. She handed him a bottle and winked at him. Around midday the next day, Adam stood on the roof, looking at the valley. It was nice but still a desert, and he pondered. Evelyn came up next to him; she had been downstairs reading. Why does everybody think the Haran eat their mates? She asked, and Adam shrugged. It''s part of their wedding vows; the wife bites her husband to mark him, and we are not talking a light bite; it has to be a real bite that leaves a scar. So, if you see a male Haran with a bitemark, he is married. Of course, anybody not Haran who goes to a wedding or marries one of them is shocked by this. The Tufons joke about it as they have their own strange ritual. Vorts and Roks dont have any marks like that, and they are married. She replied, and Adam grinned as he replied. You havent seen them naked. She looked at him, then it clicked, and she laughed. Jackson is in for such a surprise! Who? He turned to her. Private Jackson, he is a mech and has a thing going on with a Tufon lady named Mishta. He claims she is the one. Adam chuckled, I hope he likes pain. The whole Tufon culture looks like a world where street gangs took over and ruled. Their male adolescent rituals are all about who can take and deliver the most beatings. Is that why your library is filled with cultural and tourist books? As well as their most famous written works? Yeah, I dont get involved. The last thing they need is a foreigner telling them how to do things in their world. Mostly, I use it to avoid taboos. So why dont you celebrate the Haran week of Menja? It seems to be a big deal for them. She asked, and Adam called up a chair and table for them to sit. For the same reason, I dont celebrate Gyby with the Haran or Sagusa with the Dushins. I cant take my favorites. They can celebrate it, and if they invite me I will come, but I won''t be the one to arrange them. Hell, I dont even celebrate Halloween, remember? I didnt even celebrate Christmas before we got rescued. I had no culture when I grew up. I know some of us really dive into their adopted culture, but I didnt feel the need to. I celebrated Christmas and all the other festivals because of you. She sat down and looked at him, thinking about it. Yeah. It always surprised me. I just wanted you to experience them. She stopped and looked at him. He could see something was on her mind, something more important for her. He could see she mentally forced her to ask. So, there is this other thing thats been bugging me. I .. Why.. why did you take me back? She looked directly at him as she asked.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Adam knew she would not let this go. She was too strong-willed, and when she wanted an answer, she would not give up so easily. You stop the nightmares. Look, its not that Im not pissed off at you, but Im not 18 years old anymore, and I met more stupid people than you when it comes to this. And ... How to say this. I never forgot you. If you had just waited about a month, I would have proposed. Hell, the others didnt find out what happened. I never told them what you told me. I didnt want them to think I was just your side piece. I had some reputation to protect, after all. I was The Number UNO! He chucked at the thought. God damnit, I was stupid. I should have told them this whole mess would have been avoided. Yeah, it''s almost as if we were meant to meet here. Every time I worked up my nerves, something got in the way. Hell, I had decided to find you when they sent me to the Nalos space. Same fucking day, only a few hours apart. My leave got recalled. So when Harold contacted me, I just said yes without thinking. Im glad I did because if I had stopped to think, I dont think I would have said yes. I was looking forward to a cozy office job away from the frontier, and I think half the crew suffer from PTSD from those damn bugs. Strangely, you seem to stop my nightmares. She looked at him, got up, and moved over to his chair. Adam smiled as she leaned in to kiss him. Okay, why are you always looking at the valley? What are you plotting? She looked over the breakfast table, and Adam turned to her. Do you know what my plan was? I mean, my original plan? I want to find a place like this, build a base, litter the ground with organic waste, and have it rot to improve the soil while planting a forest. Basically, turn the desert green by using organic waste. Like a giant compost area? Do you think it would work here? She looked at him interested, and he nodded. yeah, back then, it was doomed to fail as I forgot that I needed a working atmosphere, but they fixed it for me here in the valley. So we need to get one of those haulers to fly over, drop some organic waste, and plant the whole valley. We have the machinery, so we can have them drop it in one area and use a tractor to spread it. Are you going to make our little Eden? Is that your plan? Adam laughed. No apple trees! We dont need to be tossed out by a guy with a flaming sword. She looked at him and then laughed. No apple trees! Adam was in the storage room when Evelyn came over. She was eating an apple with a teasing grin. As he reviewed the different seeds Vorts had provided, he shook his head. What? It''s not from our Garden. Besides, what angel do we have here? She turned and looked at Archangel standing by the door and back to Adam. You have to stop doing stuff like this. Youre not Adam, and my name is Evelyn, not Eve. You''re not Galios! I know, I just... He looked at her. It''s just that every time I do something, they come after and tell me it was prophecies among some people. I have so many books on that Gallios bastard. Do you know who Sig San is waiting for? The goddess of Secrets, also known as The goddess of knowledge and the God of travel or transport. From the Ghorts people. Galios pulls Sisi, thats the goddess, from a drunken stupor and that Burimo has seduced Weldir C the god of travel. Burimo is the evil version of Gallios, and then Gallios gives it wings. Does that sound like me? He sighed, and she looked at him. yeah, I can fully see you sober up some stupid lady and give her a new chance at life or talk some guy out of doing something stupid. Are you going to stop being yourself because of these prophecies? So if you meet a drunk lady, you''re going to leave her? Hell no, but You see how this is messed up. Being decent is somehow prophesied. It''s just me, and I keep walking into these messed up shitt. He took a deep breath. F it. Let go of farming. He said, and Evelyn nodded and went over to help him, grabbing a crate of seeds. let''s farm! The next week went by like a dream, with nights of passion and days of hard work. Adam had never felt so alive; they asked for a few loads of organics plant based waste, and Evelyn took a trip to the colony one day to bring the children along to help with the planting. Adam wanted to just stay here, but he knew it could not last, so he opened up the office and started to check on the colony, just to make sure they didnt do too much bad. It felt like he was peeking at their secret projects. He would have to pretend that he didnt know. Sisi had decided that his office was now hers, and she was often found sleeping on his chair when she was in the house, though she was just as often out in the garden with Beast or exploring the area around the house. Evelyn lasted two weeks before her work addiction got the better of her. She started to head back to the base for a 9 to 5 workload, though now and then, she spent the day with Adam. Adam spent that time going over the terraforming aspects. Algae were present in all the planet''s oceans, and there were now corals and sea life around the aquatic bases. Even if they stopped now, the seeds had been planted, and they would grow by themselves. They had successfully brought life to the seas, but when it came to the land, there were only pockets of life, all under these shields to keep the high level of Carbon dioxide out. These pockets were also seeded with nitrogen-rich fertilizer. The zoo and crater were doing great with all the extra help that was put into it. He noticed they had started using organic plant-based waste as well to speed up the growth process, and Evelyn had convinced Vorts to open a school program for the children to help him plant and take care of the animals he had made. Adam stroked Sisi idly as he looked over the report. Everything was covered; they worked together, and he really didnt need to do anything. Evelyn came in looking at a pad, then sat down on the desk looking at him, showing the pad. He took it. It was from some debate program about Dirt. You know half the sector hates you, right? She said, and Adam chuckled. A little less, most dont care. But yeah, there is a lot of debate about me. To be honest, I thought it would be more. Im surprised we dont have those guys here on Dirt. He replied. Im not. Those who hate you won''t come here unless they are looking for trouble, and those who dont care. Well, they dont care. If they come here, it''s for the casino or work. She replied and put the program on the screen. They watched as one part called him the worst entitled person in the galaxy, coming here with his holier than thou attitude and telling everybody what they should do. The other side countered with Adam really not caring about the other peoples views and simply doing his own thing on his own system. He is not forcing anybody to buy his droids. The mention of the droids started a shouting match about Adam sponsoring pirate hunters who only went after pirates who dealt with slavers. Adam looked at Evelyn, who tried to look innocent. Thats why you''re on leave? They are not sanctioning it? Adam asked her, and she sighed and stood up, pacing the room. They say I should wait for the reinforcements and not provoke the federation. Earth is not a part of it; they just acknowledge it. So, if I stir too much, then I might cause a diplomatic incident. She said it was clear she didnt like it. I know you won''t wait, so what''s your plan? He asked, and she grinned at him. I have had Kira contact all the pirate hunters with a grudge against the slavers and try to turn them into a fleet. Somebody is sponsoring the pirates with all the new ships, so I asked Sig-San to make a list of companies and their competitors. Then I gave that list to Knug, told him who was who, and let him loose. You might lose some money on this. It''s currently no loss but no income, either. Adam looked at her. Why didnt you tell me? Because of the speech that is coming now? You will get upset, tell me I should have told you, rant about it for an hour, and then agree to it. She said, suddenly touching her stomach and running out to find the nearest bathroom. Adam followed her and found her kneeling over the toilet. Are you okay? He had forgotten about what she had spoken about, and she got up, wiped her mouth, and washed it. Yeah, I just tend to get a bit dizzy and nauseous in the evening. I think I got sick. Anyway, are you going to yell or support me now? She said, and Adam looked at her. Ehh? Yeah, Im on board as long as you dont bankrupt us. Just keep me in the loop. We already messed up once because we didnt talk. Come, lets get you some food and watch a movie. He held out his hand, and she came to him. Chapter 21- Who is Adam? They seemed happy. How long do you think we have before they start to check up on us? Vorts asked as he looked around the room. Doc shrugged. The Major will already have a tab on us. She takes orders from the Brass as suggestions when she is this far away from them. But she won''t cause too much trouble for what we have planned. I got to ask, Brass? Is that the military leadership? Kina asked, I have heard that word being tossed around by your men. Doc nodded as he called up a hologram. So, this is the situation: Earth is sending three colony ships, not all humans, but they carry half a million colonists in cryosleep each, so we need to have living space ready for them. I have been given authorization for two hundred Jobar construction droids; they are more effective than Earths. They are sending the files for the upgraded 3-d Printer and the droid prints and programs; they should arrive tomorrow; some administrative paperwork needs to be finished. We also need to have food production up and ready, so we need a few hundred farms up and running, as well as need to pick one ocean to seed with life. Jork sat up and grinned. Jobar? I have never heard of them. Are you sure they are good? Doc nodded, Yeah, we used them to build bases during the war. A hundred of them should build a city within a month. We can split them into two teams and have two cities built at the same time. What about the oceans? Skee changed the hologram to the world map, focusing on an ocean that lay between two continents, it looked like a fat L. This is Serbinop Sea its roughly 2 000 000 km2 and is the most advanced when it comes to the different marine projects; the best part is that we can easily block off the two sides with a net to get the marine life inside. We should be able to have it seeded within a month and ready for harvest within 6 months, faster if we get more personnel. When are these colonists arriving? She asked as the people around the table studied the map. They are arriving within 5 months, and since they are in cryo, we can wake them up slowly so we can wait a few months or wake up one ship to get personnel. They do bring more than just people; they should have provision for at least 6 months. Doc replied, then he looked at Vorts. What about grains, vegetables, and such? We are still dependent on the shields for at least 20 years. With the level of oxygen we will have before we get enough nitrogen everything will easily catch fire and burn, but with a series of shields, we can make large patches of land fertile and grow whatever we need. Basically, we will start with all the craters and valleys we can find. He looked at Jork. Think you can improve on the shields? Is that a challenge? Jork replied. Yes, it is. If you can make them double the size and more stable, then we can really expand, Vorts replied. The group looked at Jork, who grinned. Challenge accepted! Jork replied. Okay, so that solves those problems; what about the attack? Roks said, and they all looked at the hologram of Sig-San. He, Knug, and Min-Na were already back at the hub and only present through remote holograms. Kun-Nar ordered the attack. He claims the title of Galios and views Adam as a heretic or Burimo. He has a following, so we have to keep an eye on him. Adam told me not to kill him, so he was off limits; he didnt want to have a religious war. Now, I also learned that he ignored Adam until a representative from a mega-corporation conclave arrived. I''m working on finding out who is in that conclave. We cannot lash out before we know who our enemy is; if we lash out at the wrong company, we might push them into joining the enemy. We could try to work on starting our own conclave. We need allies; Adam has supporters, but he also has enemies. Min-Na said. Yes, I need to talk to Adam about that thought. I dont want to go too much over his head; he is still my clan leader. Roks said, But find out who our potential allies are and who is on the fence. The group agreed and continued for an hour more, reviewing the company and the planet''s daily operations. When the meeting was over, Roks asked everybody to leave except Doc. So, what can I help you with? Doc asked when they were alone. This might be way out of line, but you are one of the few humans here, and I want to ask you about something. Roks said. Doc looked at him and slowly nodded. Sure, Ill answer if I can. But I have a feeling this doesnt have to do with the military. You are correct. It''s more personal. Im getting worried about all this religious nonsense and the people who are coming here, but most of all, Im worried about my friend. There is no easy way to do this, so Ill just ask. What do you know about Adam? He rarely speaks about Earth unless he is about to get drunk, and even then, he mostly avoids speaking about himself. Roks said, and Doc took a moment before replying. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Why dont you ask the Major? Evelyn just smiles when I ask. Dont get me wrong, I love the guy, but there is just something too strange about him. He keeps saying he is just a human, but as you probably agree, he is not your regular human. How famous is he? Roks said he was clearly uncomfortable about it, yet it seemed important enough to push through his embarrassment to ask. Famous? What do you mean? Doc said, looking over at Roks. Come on, he calls the biggest arms company on Earth, and they just let him in. He calls the construction company, gives his ID code, and is suddenly treated as a VIP. Roks said as he got up and found the whiskey and two glasses, Doc chuckled. I see you have learned our weakness, Doc replied as Roks poured them drinks before Doc continued. Who is Adam? Well, first off, his name is Noah Kent. Adam is his chosen name, and Noah was just a name given to him at the orphanage; before that, he was just a number. So, I guess, he is more Adam than any of the other names. I knew about the orphanage, not the name, thought. So how big of a deal was what happened to him? Oh, when it happened, it was big. I mean, worldwide instant fame for everybody but him; he was in the hospital, and it was all over when he emerged. I mean, he was mentioned, but not famous. Then the movies were made, and thats when everybody found out about him. And all the politicians wanted a picture with him. He was dragged around for a few months as the politicians used him for publicity. Adam acted the part, as my wife said. He smiled and got all the contacts he could; when he spoke, he always praised them, forgiving the rich and famous who had used the cartel''s services. He even met his DNA donors and his brotherthe one they had picked. But then he faded away from the medias spotlight. But he had other plans; from what I know from a senator I have contact with, he kept in contact with all those politicians, always telling them how the kids were doing and how aiding programs for orphanages could help their polling. Simply put, he used all the tricks he could as a teenager to play these politicians, and famous people allowed him to use them as recommendations. I think he got hold of the list of the cartel clients. That sounds dangerous. Roks said, and Doc nodded. Yeah, if you''re going after money or influence, but not so much if a polite question if they could use your name to help a child abused by the Cartel to get into a school with a letter of recommendation. What if it was your child? Doc said. Besides, I saw one of the letters he wrote for my wife, and that senator I mentioned was the one he contacted to help her, Im pretty sure she is his cloned daughter. Its a polite letter showing her grades and interests, then mentioning that she dreams of becoming a lawyer and has applied to Oxford. He also mentioned she was a member of his youth party, something Adam had enlisted her into. He only mentioned the cartels when he introduced himself to remind him who he was. Sounds like he was trying to make the Senator think helping her would be his idea and not Adam''s recommendation. Roks said. Yeah, he basically acted like a big brother for all the victims, and I guess you get good at sending those letters after you send a few hundred. He has helped people in many impressive jobs, so when he calls their company, and they see who it is, they return the favor like my wife, who now works for that senator in his law department. But I have to say he is nothing like what I imagined. He really doesnt seem to like his fame. Doc replied as he drank his whiskey. Yeah, he prefers to help from the shadows and hates physical confrontations. I''m pretty sure he is quite happy in his little valley. Roks replied and looked at the glass, thinking about what he had learned. The major is just happy to be with him, hell we called her the Icequeen, and now she is happy it''s pretty weird. Anyway, I have to get back to the station. I will send you the files when they arrive. Oh Jork asked for our engineer. Is that safe? Roks laughed. Yeah, it''s safe, but Jork might end up going a little crazy with what he learns from him. He is nagging Adam about learning more about the nano droids. Two weeks later on the hub. Who the hell is this, Adam Wrangler? The businessmen looked at the hologram of the man. The Wossir businessman was quite angry. And why hasnt he attacked that idiot Kun-Nar? We left enough evidence for them to know. Im more worried about how he survived so many assassination attempts, do we know how he did that? Another asked as he looked around the room. He used decoys, but not clone droids. It''s something new something that comes off as a being on a scan. We are working on it. Another Wossir said as somebody cursed, and an ad popped up. It was for a new Ghort suit with a Mudskin cover. Now, you could turn into any alien you wanted. The conclave looked around the room. That means they can have spies anywhere. Even here. Another said. No, they would never be able to come in here. I have personally checked the bioscans. That is party tricks. Sig-San replied. The others looked at him. Are you sure, Gurt-Nod? How sure are you they are not using them to spy on us? Because I have scanned everybody here, and our scans tell you what species you are; there are no Ghorts in the room. Can you imagine one of us climbing into a Ghort suit? he replied, and the room laughed at the old Harans comment. So, what should we do with him then? Invade? he asked, and the leader shook his head. Not after the latest report, but the last thing we need is a war with an unknown military force. These humans might have nothing but children''s toys or real firepower; we only know they have just fought a battle and have a large navy. A Sandorian man looked at the report, and his four eyes went wide, his green skin almost faded pink. They are allies with the Nalos? We are not starting a war with them. he said. Why not? Are you saying the Nalos are worse than the humans? Somebody asked. The Nalos have blackhole bombs and have used them to eradicate another species. The Sandorian replied. Okay, we need to get rid of Adam and his ilk before the humans establish themselves here. They will change everything, " the conclave leader, an elderly Wossir, finally said, then turned to Gurt-Nod. You have to go to Kun-Nar and get him to do something stupid. Have him send a meteorite at his planet and ensure it can''t be tracked back to us. Sig-San calmed himself before he looked at the teal, no-shell turtle alien and nodded. Of course. I will leave immediately. Then he stood up, and then the man spoke up. Bring Mushta with you. He has dealt with him before. Sig-San looked at Mustha, the grandchild of the Conclave leader. Sig-San nodded and walked towards the door, and Mushta followed after him. Chapter 22 - Genesis and Nemesis Adam was on his way back from planting some bushes near the valley''s south end. He was dirty and felt relaxed. He had not felt so calm in a long while; Beast was running around. He had no idea where Sisi was, probably snuggling with Evelyn in the house. She was tired, and her evening sickness was getting regular. She claimed it was nothing and was probably something she had eaten. Adam didnt know why part of him was so relaxed about it. He looked up as a ship flew through the shield towards the house; he recognized it as Rok''s ship. He picked up his glasses, put them on, and saw the ship signal matched Roks, and Archangel confirmed it. He smiled and kept walking, but it would take him about an hour to reach home from where he was. Oh my god, you''re pregnant! Hara looked at Evelyn, who looked bewildered. Roks and Vorts looked confused between them as Evelyn greeted them on the landing pad. Im what now? Evelyn was shaken as his hand touched her tummy. No! he.. oh shit. Hara smiled and hugged her. Wow, this is so great, does he know? Wait, is she pregnant? Skee Lef came out of the ship and ran over to Evelyn, the men just looked at them and then at each other. Where is he? Jork asked as he sat down Miker. We passed him on the way. He is down in the valley. Roks replied, Its going to be interesting to see his reaction. I cant believe it. That means I got pregnant.. oh.. Evelyn blushed as she realized and then smiled brightly. Im pregnant! Come, let''s get you inside. Adam won''t be back for at least an hour. Or do you want to pick him up? The other looked at each other, and Roks shook his head. Naw, Ill just go meet him; you guys get comfy and have the droids unload the food. Then Roks started walking towards where he saw Adam last; he should also be able to pick up his scent. Kina looked after her husband and then looked at Hara. He is more married to Adam than me. The woman laughed as they all went inside, Miker spotted Sisi and started running after the kitten. Adam spotted Roks in the distance and smiled to himself, Roks sat down on a rock and waited for Adam to come up to him. I see you enjoy your new home. Yeah, it''s why I actually came here, remember? He looked over at a patch of rotting fruit on the other side of the river. I finally got it to work, and now I dont have an angry Tufons complaining that Im taking all the trash jobs. Roks laughed, Yeah, you''re back to the beginning now. He got up and hugged. Then they started to walk towards the home; Roks looked at Beast and chuckled. I thought you wanted a cat? Did you two switch? Naw, Sisi is up in the house. She can''t go on these long walks, but Beast here loves them. He is going to be a strong dog. Arent you ? Adam looked at the dog, who wagged his tail and seemed to love the attention, then ran away to show off his speed. They looked after him and then continued to walk. So, what brings you here? Adam asked, and Roks thought for a second. Well, mostly updates and ask your permission for a few things. You have permission for the cities, I know about the incoming colony ships. You should also build your Tufons city and Haran cities as well, I know you need to change the design for them. Why? Nobody is complaining about the current design. Have you been to a Tufons city without a Cartan? Or the five temples? Do you think You can expect a majority of the Haran population to live on ground level? Or build a Ghort city on land? On your island, we build for you, not my design. You''re supposed to feel at home. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. A home away from home. Yeah, I get it. So I need to get some architects from different races to play with that city-building program. Any limits? They can only use local building materials, but we can buy the biosphere. Im not paying for rocks to be transported just to build a city when we have building materials here. Of course, the exceptions are to those cornerstones the Dushines need, but thats only for their temples. Adam said. You have been reading up, I see. Yeah, I will arrange that, but there is also the matter of the attacks. We have to do something about it. We are not going to war with that Kun-Nar guy. Its clear the Mega corporations are behind it. He is just a religious zealot; if we attack, we might start a bloody religious war. Adam replied, and Roks thought about it. It made sense. So what if he sends more assassins? Roks asked, and Adam stopped and looked around the valley as he considered it. I will talk to him and try to solve the whole thing. We have to know just how fanatical he is; if he can''t be talked to, then we have to find a way to fix it, one that doesnt start a religious war. Now, when it comes to corporations, we are already at war. Thats the point; we need allies; we talked about starting a conclave. Roks said. Conclave? With whom? Other mega-corporations will increase your security, but you must allow them into your system. So, there are benefits and disadvantages. Give up freedom to get security? I dont know. There is a saying from earth, he who gives up freedom from security deserves none. Adam stopped and looked at Roks. If we do this, we need to establish some ground rules for the conclave. I''m open to business but not giving up on my goals. I am still going to remove the slavery, that is something they will have to accept. I think that is something we can work with. After all, your views on it are very clear. We must discuss cybernetics, Cyberspace, shipyards, mining and space stations, and transport. Most corporations focus primarily on specific aspects. Roks said, and Adam thought about it. Yeah, you can ask around, I know Ares is coming here, so we have at least one human megacorporation coming here, Adam said as the house got into view. Ares coming to Dirt? Roks asked, surprised. Yes, they want to set up shop. So, I have already given up something, now it''s only how much I have to give up. What? Youre pregnant? Adam looked at Evelyn, who was grinning from ear to ear. Yes, Hara just confirmed it. One month already. Adam hugged her, forgetting that he was all covered in dirt. Beast was running happily around and was now spotted by Miker. The others just watched as Adam hugged Evelyn. And now you''re married in Dushins and Bylgyno culture. Kina replied with a grin, and they looked at her. What? They should just get married in a real, human way so we can find out how they do it. Im curious. " Vorts replied, and She chuckled. They won''t have any mush pits for the bride to fight off any challenges. So you won''t get to fight her. Thats the best part! Hara replied with a grin. Adam lifted Evelyn into his arms and carried her inside the house. You will get your wedding, but it''s pretty boring for you guys. Evelyn smiled at him. But not for me. Sig-San had not expected to be in the suit for such a long time; he was glad Jork had made the suit draw its energy from his body. It only meant that he would have to eat more than usual, but then again, he was pretending to be a fat old Haran, so what he saw as an increased intake everybody saw as normal. Gurt-Nod was secured on the hub, frozen, and stored. Nobody knew he was gone; his operative had played the old man''s concubine for months before the switch was done. He was one of the many Sig-San had inserted spies among. The new suits had changed everything, though. Now, he could take their part and move freely among them. He had made a drop of the intel he had gotten and hoped Adam would get it in time. If these bastards got to send an asteroid at Dirt, the result would be horrific. Not that he worried too much, Adam''s paranoid security system would pick up any stray asteroids. He looked out of the window down at Kun-Nars base. It looked more like a military base with an ancient castle in the middle, like a scar on the green lush planet. He could see large areas being cut down to make room for factories and housing. He wondered if the locals were for or against this change. The fool is doing well for himself, Mushta said, and Sig-San looked at him and became Gurt-Nod. Yes, he should be easy to manipulate. It is important that he does this on his own, so you have to make him believe it''s his idea. It cant be traced back to us. Not with the humans arriving, so we can make deals with them. I was thinking we could just enslave the whole bunch; I mean, we send a message back that their ship has never arrived, and we can use some pirates to capture them. If they are discovered later, we can feign innocence. After all, becoming a slave is a danger to any colonist. Mushta replied, and Gurt-Noid smiled. Thats an excellent idea. I would love to get a few human slaves. He smiled and thought how that would backfire. It would be a backup plan if everything went to hell. At least he would be able to avenge Adam. Chapter 23 – New rules Adam flew the transport towards Piridas; it had been two months since he had been there, and all work had been done from the valley. Evelyn had jokingly called it Eden, but he refused to call it that; it was The Valley, or at most, Vally of Solitude. Evelyn had asked him if he would buy a fortress there. She still knew how to tease him, and he smiled. She had been wearing a Superman T-shirt when he left; she was his superwoman, so she would get one if she needed a fortress. His mind was wandering as he flew upwards to breach the atmosphere. He wanted to do a proper inspection before going to work. The white river of Nitrogen was still flowing, and it had become a popular site; according to Arus, he had shown him some ads for Dirt, it barely mentioned Adam but instead showed a planet being terraformed, the white river of life as they had called it, Mordor the land of smoke and fire, the barren dessert turning into life. There were villages you could visit and live as a terraformer for a week or stay and become part of the project. There were ads for gambling or visiting the Zoo, as it was called. The large crater was turned into a wildlife area. Currently, it is mostly desert animals as the area has not yet been cultivated. The valley had more brush at the moment, but if it were given a year, it would have forest areas and lots of wildlife. The biggest ads were what Knug had put together. He was selling houses in the new cities that they were building. When there were rumors that several of the large islands would be species-focused with cities built specifically for their needs, the sales had gone wild. Adam flew past the Haran domed city. At first glance, it looked like a city, except it had a lot more open areas, nothing on ground level, and just one giant park. The city was built on stilts above the ground. He saw their temples in the middle of the city and the large plaza going all the way to the main entrance, another part of their design. They had done a good job. He moved on and flew to the Wossir island, where they had built several villages half submerged in the ocean. There was still work being done, but one of the villages was done, and he flew down and parked the shuttle. As he went to open, the system warned him about the high carbon level, so he grabbed a mask and walked out. He had forgotten the Wossir preferred the high level. The workers looked at him surprised as he came, and a salesman came over a little confused. May I help you, sir? Are you looking to buy an apartment or start a business here at Hysina Gyrto? The Wossir man was dressed in the standard robe. His was red and tight above his chest area with golden trims, reminding Adam of some of the old Asian designs. I just wanted to have a look around. Im just so amazed at how fast all has been built. He bowed to the man, holding a closed fist over his heart, and the Wossir looked at him weirdly. Before returning the bow. Im Misthus, a salesman for Hysina Gyrto, employed by the Wrangler clan. How may I help you? Adam thought for a second to give a false name but remembered how that was an insult to them, so he smiled. I''m Adam Wrangler, and I would like to wander and learn about Hysina Gyrto with your guidance. The man''s eyes went big, and he started to stammer. Si.. Si .. Sir.. I mean Master Wrangler.. I w-w-will b-b-b-be ho-hon-honored to show you. Adam raised a hand. Relax, my friend, Im just Adam, no master or Sir. You can relax knowing you have already impressed me. Take a deep breath, and let''s just wander the place. Hey, let''s make it easier: try to sell me a house and a spot for a shop. Misthus looked at him, confused, the stammering almost gone. What? B-b-but You own us and the place? I only own the planet; I do not own you; if you are one of those that were forced here, then Im so sorry. We are working on freeing you from that bond as soon as possible. He replied. Still, sir, y-you own th-the p-planet. He countered, and Adam started to chuckle. Misthus was arguing with his boss without knowing it, a grave insult in Wossir culture. Yes, but it will make you relax more, you have your sales pitch. Think of me as a client and not your boss. I would like to see your work. I know this is unusual for you, but you dont want me to accidentally get lost in this new design, right? Stolen story; please report. Well, that would be impossible as the walls have a display system showing you the way to any location you wish to visit. That sounds impressive. Can you show me the system? Adam asked, and Mishus smiled and showed him the system. Before he knew it, he had shown Adam all the features of the new design, explained how the Wossir design was made specifically for the species, what shops they had already acquired, and the different types of apartments he could buy. Misthus had completely forgotten who he was talking to halfway through the presentation, and when Adam left, he heard no stammering. He thanked him, and he put him up for a bonus and promotion when he entered the shuttle. Then he made his way past another valley under a forcefield; this one was very swampy and not as big as his. But the Wossir was a semis-aquatic people, and the land was just as important as the sea. When Adam reached Piridas, it was already noon, so he went for lunch. There, he found Evelyn waiting for him with Beast by her side. Where did you go? I thought you were going here to work? I stopped by the Wossir villages to check it out; they have a good sales pitch going on. We need to set aside apartments for our crew. They seem to think they will live in the lower sections. How was your day? Adam replied as he started to make lunch but had to give up as the kitchen droid took over, Evelyn already had hers on the plate. Oh, Going over the reports, I have to contact the Brass. The first ships are only one month away now, and I just found one very interesting addition to the manifest. Oh? Anybody we know? Adam poured himself a cup of tea as Roks came in and went to the fridge to get a T-bone for lunch. Finally back? Im surprised you held out so long. Roks said, and Adam chuckled. I worked from home. Then he looked at Evelyn. John Mo Lee, does the name ring a bell? He is the UN inspector they are sending. John Mo? Are you sure? Adam looked surprised, and Roks looked between them. Who is this, John Mo? My brother, the one they picked. Adam picked up his cup of tea and plate of three tacos that the kitchen droid had made him. Evelyn looked at him. How are you feeling about it? Well, I only met him three times, but he helped us a lot. Who do you think paid for the office back home? We sent a lot of mails, though. So I think it can go well, he is wicked smart. I mean, that''s why they picked him. Roks sat down with them. So he is an ally? Yes, Most definitely. It''s not his fault he was picked, and if you think I got survivor''s guilt, you should meet him. Well, you are. He would rip his own arm off to offer to us. He got to grow up with those bastards, and he came out all right. He was raised mainly by maids and nurses. He was even a child and teen actor while studying law and economics. I heard he went into the diplomatic corps last I heard. He was supposed to be on the Centurion colony. I guess he got a new job. He picked up his pad, scanned through the news, and then cursed. What? They both looked at him, and Adam handed her the pad. She read it and sighed. Well, that was that plan. Damnit. What? Roks looked between them. A new law in Earth colony law. Respect the cultures. It means Dirt will have to accept slavery. Adam got up, clearly pissed off. I need to look into that law. God damnit. They can''t do that to us. We might have to reject Earth and go on our own if they do this. They watched him as he ranted and then left the room. Then Roks looked at Evelyn and asked, So, how is the pregnancy going? Oh, it''s bad in the evening, but Im getting through it. Hara has been checking up on me. She told me her babies were almost big enough to leave the den. She will bring them to visit then. They are so cute. Roks smiled, Yes, they are. Kina is starting to get the urge, too, now. Im a little nervous; I know Im a good uncle, but a father? Evelyn smiled. You will be a great father. So what do we do with mr Vulcano? He said as he looked after Adam and Evelyn smirked. Let him roast a little; he will go through that law looking for anything he can use or twist it to his own ability. He won''t give up right now; we just need to let him be, I will drop by in a few hours and check on him. He needs some time alone now. Roks listened to her and nodded. He needed to keep Jork and Vorts away from him for the next few hours, so he finished his meal and talked about babies. Then, he went to find and check on the two. A few hours later, Evelyn made her way to Adams office, she could see Adam speaking to somebody on the communicator. She waited for him to finish before entering, and Adam seemed calm but deep in thought. Are you okey? Adam looked at her and nodded. Yes, but I need to tell you something. Its the only way. Our child is not growing up in a slavery colony. Then he told her his plan, and she sat down, shocked. They might be attacked. Are you sure its the only way? Yes, and you have to support it. Its the only way I talked with him, and he agreed. I just have to trust that he is the man I knew; if not, I just handed him the whole colony. Chapter 24 – Jork’s new Toy Adam looked around the table as he explained his plan, and they just stared at him. No, thats one of your insane ideas, and I say no! Vorts said, and Adam smiled. Unfortunately, this is one where I have to pull rank; I just dont want to spring this on you when they arrive. It''s done, and as long as he follows the plan, then it will work. Adam said, and he could see they didnt like it. Look, if this is not done, you all will have to serve your time before I can free you, and Jork will never be free. I can live with that. Im freer here than I would be at home. For one, I dont pay any taxes. Jork joked, Besides, if Im free, then I will be tossed in that torture chamber you call prison. As will many of us. You will have a rebellion on your hands. You will not go to prison. Wait. No... I have to adjust for that. Okay, maybe for the period it takes to fix this, but you''re all free after that. As in time served free. Besides, the most hardened criminals have already gone there. So, you have one month to build a low-security prison, make it into a luxury hotel that can be locked from the outside, and put a guard post by the entrance. They will accept it. We can turn it into a normal spa hotel later. Find a scenic place. Maybe overlooking the zoo? They looked at him confused, and then Sig-San started to chuckle. He is making Sistan now. What is Sistan? No, never mind. Dont tell me. Probably something in one of the Prophecies. Just tell me why you, out of all, know so much about all these myths? Adam said, looking at the hologram of Sig-San My fathers best friend was a professor of those myths, and I grew up hearing about them my whole life. He taught me the value of knowledge. Anyway, I have something to tell you. Kun-Nar is going to try again. The conclave suggested he should drop an asteroid on Dirt, and he really liked the idea, so he sent one of his generals to do it. A Ghort Name Hyn-Drin, a damn good pilot, it was the one who escaped us during the last attempt. He should arrive within a few days; the plan is to pick up an asteroid from the system and push it toward Dirt. I would have killed him if I had the chance, but I didnt get close. Which reminds me, what do you want to do with the conclave. Sig-San said. He spoke about it as it was the most normal thing in the world, and only Roks seemed to agree with the plan of killing the conclave. No, you''re not killing anybody, and I want this Hyn-Drin captured; if we can get through to it, then we might find a way to stop these stupid attempts to attack us. It''s clear this Kun-Nar is easily manipulated, so we need to find a way to turn that to our advantage. I like your plan and will start working on it, Sig-San said, and it took Adam a minute to realize what Sig-San had said. He lifted a finger to stop him but stopped himself. Kun-Nars stupid plans had killed people on Dirt, and setting the conclave up against each other would leave him at peace. He had, after all, recruiting Sig-San, knowing what he was. Be careful, and I prefer you just to break the alliance and try to avoid a full war. No killing? Are you sure? A few deaths in the right places, and they will be on each other throats. I dont care so much about him or the conclave; Im worried about all the people with him who will be dragged into another pointless war. Adam said, and Roks interrupted. It might not be possible to avoid; the mega-corporation will attack him if he breaks the contract. He has also proven aggressive and will attack them if he decides they are turned against him. Min-Na thought out aloud at that. What if we get them into a legal war? He claims to be Galios. Well, if my memory is correct, then one of Galio''s gods is the god of law. Work on that one to get him to advise Kun-Nar to sue them. Ill work on her. Its the goddess of law, not god. Sig-San replied, and Adam looked between them and chuckled. Thats a better plan; it will also allow the other mega-corporations to go after them as well. If nothing else, we teach this Kun-Nar to reach his goal peacefully. Adam said, and then Mr. Knug let them know he wanted to bring up something. Yes, Mr. Knug? I have been working on bringing in business to Dirt and well make a trade conclave of ourselves. I currently have a few companies that are willing to negotiate. I would like to set up a meeting between them and you if you agree. I sent you the files earlier. Did you read them? Yes, and most seems to be in order. There are a few things I would like to go over, but we can work out in the meeting. Where should this meeting take place? I suggested Dirt, and they agreed. They want to see the potential and bring their own lawyers and investigators, Mr. Knug replied. Of course, set up a meeting. Preferably after the arrival from the earth. There is no point in making the deal if the whole thing goes to hell, so let''s say in two months. Then he turned to Min-Na, And I want you here also for this if possible. Oh, I dont want to miss this. My company represents a few of them, so I have to inform them about it. I will be there on one of the sides regardless. She winked, and Adam chuckled. Youre such a typical lawyer. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. The rest of the meeting went over the different projects on Dirt; There were now 587 bio-zones being developed. By that, they meant areas under a forcefield that allowed people to walk around without a suit, as the atmosphere was protective enough to allow it, and the forcefield allowed them to create small areas with breathable air. Outside the bubble, the oxygen level was too pure, and fires had started to break out worldwide. This led to a new student project involving making large-scale fire extinguisher drones. This would continue until the nitrogen levels had risen to a more suitable level. It also led them to turn off all oxygen drones made outside the bio-zones. The nitrogen extraction also had a secondary program to fill these zones with nitrogen to prevent this problem. The oceans were having a much better time as water had a terrible bad track record of bursting into flames. Around Maranda, there was now active and self-sufficient aquatic life, such as crustaceans, snails, shrimp, algae, corals, plants, and small fish. They expected to have a complete aquatic biosphere by the end of the year, and the reach was 10 kilometers around the city. The Ghorts and Wossir were quite proud of their work in the submerged city. The other aspect was the number of new businesses popping up. It was wild to see the number of businesses opening upeverything from cafs and grocery shops to holo-suites and cyber tattoos. Adam had to remind them of the law that had been implemented when he saw a lover''s hotel. Dirt had very strict laws about exploiting employees. He realized he would need a proper police force now and gave Roks the job of setting one up. Adam was inspecting the almost-finished new human city when the message came through. An asteroid had broken free from the asteroid field, it was a planet killer and was left in a pattern that generally would not have been discovered before it was too late. He immediately looked up at the dome and then around at the thousands of construction droids working. He turned to the engineer and his troupe of colleagues and excused himself, then looked at Doc, who had joined him. He gave him a nod, and they both walked towards the shuttle. Well, it has arrived. He handed the pad to Doc and called up Roks. You see it? Have Jork deal with the asteroid and work with the Marines to capture the guy. I want him alive. He said, then turned to Doc. You know the plan, right? Have the satellite ready to blow it into dust if Jork can''t catch it! He said, and Doc nodded. Should not be a problem. No shield has been detected, the only tech detected is one small drone on the back. This bastard can be redirected if needed. It is too small for lightspeed, so we are talking too fast to confuse a standard asteroid targeting system. Doc went through the data as it came out. Thats a nasty trick. We used it a couple of times on the Carens. But we attacked with.. shitt. More incoming. The bastard is in the asteroid field, creating a meteorite storm. He put the intel up on the screen in the shuttle, and Adam looked at it. Wait, he is not there. Those are drones, right? So, it could all be remote-controlled. Did you hear that, Roks? Roks replied immediately, Yes, I was thinking the same thing. I sent a patrol to check the field, but I have a feeling the bastard is hiding somewhere else. I think he is on Dirt. I just checked the flight logs; four ships are scheduled to leave the planet. One belonged to a Ghort. Its a very impressive ship. Made for racing. Evelyn called in, and Adam grinned. Can we check the flight logs? He asked. Ill have Barro hack it. He is on flight-control duty anyway. Roks said. Where is the ship now? Adam asked. The ship''s name is Vind and is the hangar of Maranda. It just requested to be filled up. Evelyn replied, and Adam guided the shuttle toward Maranda. Good, Doc and I are on our way to the ship. Our best chance is to catch this guy on the ground. Doc checked his sidearms as he spoke and gave him a nod. Alive. I want him alive. Have the ship grounded. He repeated, then gave Archangel his position and asked for backup. He quickly got confirmation the ship was grounded, and personnel had taken a long lunch break. They landed next to the ship and got out. It was a sleek, silver-and-black ship resembling one of those ancient stealth bombers. Just looking at it made them think of speed. Damn. Thats one hell of a ship. Adam said, and the human technician filling it up looked over at them. She is a beauty; I heard the owner say it could do a lightyear in 20 minutes. The technician said he was dressed in a green uniform with a cap. He looked a little fat, had short brown hair, and had clear blue eyes. Adam walked over to the ship near him and admired it. I believe you, I mean, are the perfect ship to race in. I thought it was even better to escape in. He turned toward the technician. I see you bought our suit. I dont know what you''re talking about. Of course, I have your suit. The technician''s face melted away, turning into the standard plastic white Ghort suit. Look, I know who you are. You made a mistake. No technician would work on that ship now. I ordered it grounded. Youre Hyn-Drin. You can come peacefully, or Doc here can shoot you. I have no idea what you''re talking about, Sir. My name is not Hyn-Drin. I have been working on this beauty for hours and haven''t seen any messages about this ship being grounded. Thats not true. Besides, this ship is grounded for 24 hours, so unless you come clean, I will hold you for 24 hours. No, I can''t stay here for that long. My vacation time is coming up, and my mate is waiting for me. We are going home to our home world. Its for time-sensitive matters. The tech replied, clearly nervous about getting stuck on Dirt for a long period of time, and Doc chuckled. Not very good at lying, is he? They are not very good at it. Which is surprising considering nobody can read their body language. He looked at Doc and then went back to the tech. All ships are grounded. A solar flare is approaching, and we can risk ships getting caught in it. Luckily, we have shielding on the planet, so we will just get some beautiful aurora borealis. So you won''t get off the planet even if I let you go. Adam replied. That ship can take me off during a solar flare. He replied, moving towards the ship slowly. Well, you also have to deal with the drones who will stop you from illegally taking off, Adam replied. They can try, I''ve never met a drone I can''t outfly. He replied, and Adam looked at Doc, who smirked at the tech slipping up. Well, after them, There are the pilots who are waiting for you in the atmosphere. Adam continued. Those slow bastards? Im not in a hunk of trash this time; I will fly circles around them, He replied, and then realized what he had said and ran for the door only to be stunned by Doc. Roks? I''m sorry to inform you that you won''t be going up against Hyn-Drin. We got him. Adam called into the communicator, and Archangel walked over to secure the prisoner. A few Ghorts guards came over to help him get out of the suit and into a standard suit to avoid giving Hyn-Drin an edge that could help him escape. Pity, okay, I will take care of the asteroids. I will send a few more articles in the field to double-check in case we missed any. Roks replied. So where do we put him? The prison? Doc asked, and Adam shook his head. We are building a new place. Keep him under for a week. It should be finished by then. Then he turned to the ship. And have somebody let Jork know we got him a new toy. Chapter 25 - Secrets Jork was very happy with the new ship after he disarmed the security defenses. Whoever made them was good, but not good enough. They didnt see him for a week as he was dismantling the ship in his own garage to learn everything about it. Adam told them to leave him alone. Skee complained while laughing that Jork was like a hunga, loyal to a fault but easily distracted by something shiny. Adam had to look up the animal, apparently a mix between a squirrel and a cat with a dog''s loyalty. Roks was busy making all the different guards and security droids into a proper police force. They had the infrastructure but had forgotten to hire people to be police. It had been shocking, but the crime had, to this point, been so low that there was no real need. But they knew they would need them soon. The stream of new slaves to be free was constant, not to mention people moving to Dirt for a new chance of life. Sooner or later, they would get their own crime. He had heard rumors of some gangs already, but for now, they were just rowdy kids. Adam was sitting in his office when Evelyn came in. She was frustrated: I still dont like it, but my men are ready. Youre not doing anything to calm me, or our sons. Adam looked up from the screen, Sons? What? He was out of the chair before he had finished the words. Twins, I just came from Hara. They are doing great but she said my stress level is a little high. Evelyn smiled as she put a hand protectively on her tummy. Adam very carefully put his hands on her hips, almost as if he were holding something incredibly delicate and valuable. Evelyn laughed and bopped him on the head. Im not made out of glass you fool. Twins? I.. we.. wow.. two boys? We have to find names. Cain and Able? Evelyn said with a teasing voice and Adam just looked at her. Okay, not Cain and Able. What do you suggest? She asked and Adam thought for a moment. Christofer, after you know. If you dont mind? Evelyn thought about it and nodded. Yeah, that makes sense. What about Wei? They all say they are going to be powerful. Chris and Wei? What last name should we give them? Wrangler. Chris and Wei Wrangler. Out here, they won''t accept anything else. Youre after all the clan leader. She said. You dont mind? I mean, what about your name? Wrangler has a bigger meaning. You didnt pick your name it at random like Noah Kent. She looked into his eyes, and Adam shuddered at the name. The name the orphanage gave him, he had changed it the day he left the damn place, and he nodded. The Wrangler it is. He kissed her as an alarm went off. They looked at the screen at the wall and saw five ships entering the system: three giant human colony ships, a hangar ship, and a frigate. They looked at the screen and back at each other. Adam took a deep breath. They arrived early. He said, and she nodded, worried. Well, let''s get ready. We have an hour to check everything. Do not stress; this will work out just fine. Adam reassured her, then kissed her hand and went to sit down and contact the fleet. Both of them shared a glance and started to work. This is why Adam loved her so much; she worked perfectly with his chaotic way of doing things. Evelyn contacted Doc to ensure the outpost was ready and to transfer any incoming communication to her. Welcome to Dirt. This is Adam Wrangler. To whom do I speak? Adam addressed the fleet that was arriving. This is Admiral Hicks. Thank you for the welcome. We have received the flight path and holding areas. Mr. Lee will contact you when we have arrived. If you excuse me, I need to contact Major Garrison. Of course, she is awaiting your call. I will see you soon. Adam replied and as the admiral said his goodbyes he cut the feed and looked at Evelyn. An Admiral? What the? Yeah, just tells you how important they view this place. I guess Im demoted from Outpost commander. She said, then turned to the screen as the Admiral reappeared. Adam got up and left the room to give them privacy, then called up Roks. You got the news, right? They arrived how is the status? One city finished for them; if we spread them out, we should be able to put in a million around the planet with what we have. A million? Adam looked surprised. This was way more than he had expected. Yeah, you always build too much, the University town? And New Macao? We populated them with maid droids just to keep it going. Then we have Hades and Maranda, as well as the Wossir, Tufons and Haran cities. And we just got the cornerstones to build the city of Dushines next. And with the empty Human city we have nine large settlements spread over the planet. Did you forget all of that? Roks replied and Adam chuckled. Yes, I remember each one of them, I just forgot to do the math. Okay so I dont have to worry about space then. So, get ready for the next part, you know that if everything goes wrong we got hell to pay. Adam said and now he was getting nervous. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Yeah, Im not fond of the idea; by the way, we placed Hyn-Drin in your new prison; he is very confused and spends a lot of time in the pool. I was told he is meditating. Good, let him think for a while before we deal with him. I plan to work to work on him later. There was a short silence, and he burst out laughing. You bastard. How much have you planned? Well, tell me ... no. I want to be surprised. Should I tell Min-Na to come? Adam grinned, Naw, she is already on her way, thought she expected them to arrive next week, so she might get a bit pissed off. He looked out the window at the sky. Okay, Im going to meet them in the Piridas Hanger if you want to join the circus. Im on my way. I will keep the others away, just in case. Roks replied, and Adam agreed and hung up. Then he looked at his hand. It was steady. He didnt know why, but he was more calm now than he expected. He walked back to the admin and saw Evelyn had just hung up. She was pondering something when he came in. Are you sure they all know whats going on? I just had an admiral hinting he would refuse the order if it were given. What the hell, man? You know him too? Hicks? No, I never met him. But he is Ginny Kents father-in-law. He winked, And Evelyn stared at him. Wait? Ginny? Your sister? What the? She looked at him, shocked, and Adam shrugged. Thats what Ginny did for us; she found the wealthiest and most influential family and married into it. Why do you think we had so much influence? Adam said. We all made an oath to help and make the necessary sacrifices. My job was to overlook it. She looked at him with new eyes. Wait, so Harolds getting into engineering and economics was to ensure he gets into Ares? Adam nodded, He and about ten others wanted to join, and then they helped each other to get promotions. We dont have family, so we always viewed each other as family. I honestly thought I had secured them all with a good life, so I finally thought about myself and joined up with the Navy for the lawyers program. He leaned against the table and looked at the ETA of the ships. 30 minutes. So what about me? Was I just a stepping stone? She asked, curious, and Adam laughed. No, you were a distraction. Marcus was annoyed as he had a girl he wanted to set me up with. Her family had a few senators. What? She looked shocked and Adam grinned. Yeah, Marcus is the ruthless one. He thought it was so important to get into that family that he sent seven others to try to seduce the poor girl. In the end, he went himself and yelled at her in frustration. Evelyn giggled. Dont tell me that girl was Sandy Lo? Jupp, their relationship started with a huge argument. Adam laughed. Man, we ran that orphanage like the mafia we were. We found the tech bros in Japan and got them to get us the list of clients of the cartel, remember? Yeah, That was crazy. I mean, Im surprised you didnt get into trouble because of it. Oh, we did; thats how I met Christofer. He would have rained hellfire down on us if it was not for him taking a minute to listen to why we did it. He allowed it with two conditions. The tech Bros would work for him, and the list would only be used to help the kids get jobs. Apparently, he had been an orphan, too, and knew how it was to grow up without parents. Adam said and took a deep breath. And now youre the sixth person who knows the real godfather of the orphanages. He was the one who gave me the name Adam, too. After his grandfather. Evelyn looked at him. She knew Christofer was high up in the Earths security Agency. She didnt know what his job exactly was, but it started to make sense now. Adam had placed the orphans into some of the most important places in Earth''s population, and they all saw themselves as family. Hell, they all viewed Adam as the big brother, Christofer was then the shadow dad. A recommendation letter from Adam was more than just a wishful hope from a group of orphanages; it was an instruction from Earth Intelligence to hire them. Are you still working for him? she asked, a little afraid, and Adam shook his head. No, I never worked for him. I worked with him for the benefit of my people. I thought I had made a deal with the devil, but instead, he was an angel who just wanted a little payment. Without him, most of us would never get a proper job. Orphans with money, no family, and only a short cling to a few days of fame. So, when I was done, I closed the office and told him I wanted to try my luck on my own. He offered me a job that I turned down, and I went to join the Navy. He wished me good luck. Im pretty sure he knows where I am, but Im not that important to him now. So you''re not working for the government? She looked at him, and Adam laughed. No, Im not working for the government. Besides, we left on good terms. He looked at the countdown and got up. Come, let''s go down and get this circus started. She looked at him and went over and kissed him. Okey, my secret spy. I can''t believe Im marring a spy! Im not a spy, dont know anything about spying. He countered, and Evelyn just nodded as they walked down to meet the ship. When they reached the hangar, they found Roks waiting for them. He had put on a pure white uniform with a blood-red bandoleer, and his pink Mohawk was cut short; on the shoulder was a patch that looked like a circle. It had a large W splitting it, and the top part was blue, and the bottom part was green, it had a white and black trim. The W seems to be made of broken chains. Adam looked at it. Did we approve that as the clan symbol? Roks just grinned. Adam looked at his rank, admiral. He almost burst out laughing, and Evelyn looked between them and chuckled. I am the highest-ranking military officer in your army. Roks said, still grinning. As he spoke, twenty droids marched up behind him. Adam looked at them and sighed. Are you sure about that? Roks shrugged. This is a Tufons greeting. I will show force as well. There are about a thousand what was the word you used? Kamikaze drones lined up in defensive positions over the base. Oh, dont worry. I also sent them a Tufons military protocol, and they introduced me as well. So unless their Admiral is a Wossir, we won''t have a problem. Adam was about to reply as the transport came into view and effortlessly landed thirty meters in front of them. Show time, Adam whispered as the door opened, and seven men and three women came out. The leader was, well, Adam, who had grown up in a different life of luxury and private tutors; he looked over at him and nodded slowly, then walked over to them. Welcome to Dirt. My name is Adam Wrangler, the owner and administrator of this lovely planet and its system. I hope your travels were pleasant, Adam said and bowed his head slightly. Evelyn saluted, and the Admiral and his two escorts, next to the Adam copy, returned the salute. Thank you. I am UN representative John Mo Lee, And yes, it was a pleasant trip, though I am saddened by what I have to do now. Noah Kent, that is your real name, isnt it? Or should I instead say 001312409? John looked at him with an unreadable look on his face; Roks was confused; this man looked like he could be Adam''s twin; he was just a little softer on the edge, but his eyes were different. While Adams eyes seemed like the universe smiling back at you, his eyes seemed to be something controlled and calculating. Not evil, more sad. Adam looked at him. Those are also legally the names I have had on Earth, yes? Why? It has come to Earth government''s attention that you own a slave company, and while Earth has recently allowed colonies to respect Alien cultures and customs, which may include slavery, it does not include humans following those costumes, so I am dutybound to inform you that you are under arrest! Chapter 26 – Prison time Adam stopped Roks from reacting and reminded Roks that he was the current administrator while he was under arrest. Mr. Lee looked at him; he is the administrator, but since you still have earth citizenship, your possessions are now confiscated to see if they are breaking Earth intergalactic Law; your company and colony will still be allowed to function with my oversight. Do you have a lawyer or do you need one to be appointed? Adam chuckled. I got a Lawyer; she is due tomorrow. I also have two correction facilities on the planet, one for hardened criminals and one for those awaiting trials. You are welcome to use those facilities while we wait for my trial. Mr. Lee just nodded, Admiral, will you escort him to the proper facilities? I have to start reviewing the system''s status and inventory with Mr. Roks. The admiral didnt move and Mr. Lee looked at him. Admiral, that was not a request; the faster we can get this over with, the better for everybody. An aid leaned over to Mr. Lee with advice that was ignored and the Admiral finally reacted, giving the order to his men who quickly arrested Adam. Then they turned to Evelyn and winked. Dont worry. Just dont do anything stupid and remind Jork not to do anything stupid. He is a little to you know. Both of you keep Jork busy with stuff. Hopefully, he wont notice anything before its over. Evelyn looked at him, with a mixture of annoyance and fear, he could see she was scared that his plan would not work. Then he was taken away from them. Evelyn looked at Mr. Lee, What now, Mr. Lee? Now we do the boring of auditing his books. I am sorry about this but you know he broke the law. He replied and a lawyer tried to interrupt but was given a look that shut him up. Roks looked at Mr. Lee and took several deep breaths before calming down enough to speak. His books and company is complete within the legal framework of the Federation. On that I have no doubt, Im more interested in things that are illegal within Earths intergalactic laws. He is, after all, applying for Dirt to gain Earth Colony status. The main problem is his ownership of slaves. That is illegal, and all his slaves are now ours. Dont worry. Earth has banned slaves, so we have no other choice but to grant them asylum and free them from those bonds. Now, please lead the way. Roks was about to start walking but just stopped to look at Mr. Lee. All of them? There are some hardened criminals that defiantly should not be allowed to wander freely. Mr. Wrangler informed us he had put those in his correction facilities, so they will simply lose the slave statues but stay where they are until we have gone over those cases. Some might also be granted asylum. Roks looked at Evelyn and then started to laugh as he started to walk. Mr. Lee followed after with his entourage and looked at Evelyn Did I say anything funny? Oh, you know those aliens, weird sense of humor. Weird laws and such. Let''s get you and your men working. She smiled a little to herself as they walked away. That damn spy, always thinking ahead. So, how is Ginny? Adam looked at admiral Hicks as they flew toward the newly built facilities at the crater''s edge of the Zoo. Oh she is doing fine, she was the best thing that happened to Marcus, she really got him straightened up. I mean, she was godsent. She loves all her nieces and nephews. Everybody''s favorite aunt; Its a pity she can''t have her own. He replied. She is not going to be happy about this, I fear that conversation. Well, the first thing you should tell her is that Im okay, and if she drops by, I have medical facilities that will take care of that problem. And secondly, tell her to trust me. I know what Im doing. Besides, she is back on earth, so it will take a few months before she can show up and kill us both. Adam said with a smile and Hicks laughed. She is on the ship, I have to talk to her tonight. Hell, there is over fifty from the orphanage on the ship with their families. Wait? What? She is here? Oh fuck, Im dead. Okay, change of plan. Send Evelyn in first; she will diffuse this quickly. Adam said, this complicated things. She like Evelyn, but she is going to be pissed regardless, Hicks replied, and Adam smiled brightly. Not when she finds out she is pregnant with my children. And then let them talk privately. She is pregnant? With your children? Are you sure? Hicks replied, surprised. Yes, my Nurse fixed it when I got shot, Evelyn told her to fix me, so she fixed everything: sterility and nano bombs. So yeah, she will fix Ginny quickly. Adam smiled as the pilot informed them that they were approaching Sistan and Adam cursed Sig-San. He looked out and saw somebody had messed with the design, but he liked it. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Hicks grinned. Thats your prison? Sistan was built on the edge of the crater just within the air bubble. It looked like an alien fortress. The walls looked like A with the two arms going out over the crater; one was a landing path, and the other looked like an overlook with a big pool in the center. The walls were made out of a golden metal with several spires along the thick walls. The walls themselves were at least ten meters wide and had armed guards. In the triangle in the middle was what looked like a palace made of blue and green crystals. It was as if somebody had found a fairytale castle and put it in. Are you sure we are in the right place, sir? the pilot asked, and Hicks looked at Adam and laughed. Im going to kill Sig-San, he must have messed with the blueprints. I have no idea what this is. Yeah, this is the correct place. You see the guards, right? Adam said, and Hicks had to catch his breath as he told them to land. They landed, and Archangel was waiting for them. Adam looked at him and shook his head. I have to kill Roks, too. Thats my personal security droid. Hicks looked at the droid. He is not to leave unless permitted by me or Mr. Lee. This is under directive AlphaCZeus 0972. Scan, update, and confirm! Archangel scanned Hicks, and there was a short pause as his lights turned blue, then confirmed. Then Hicks turned to Adam. These two will stay with you as well, expect guests at your prison. Damn. He gave him a weak salute, and Adam returned it, then turned, walking back laughing. If this a prison hows your house? One of the guards said, and Adam shook his head. Its much less than this. This is the result of some employees going berserk. Lets get me settled in. he looked at Archangel. And have these two settled in as well. Which dungeon have you placed me in? Wing C, the penthouse. Adam woke up from the nightmare, grabbing the empty bed next to him, she was not there. He sat up and checked his messages. Mostly, it was the current news. The people were confused as they had just been freed but also pissed off as Adam had been arrested. There had been some demonstrations, but luckily, they had been peaceful for now. His public statement had been on a loop in the news reels. It had helped calm down the people. He had promised them this was for the best and reminded them that now that Earth was here, they would be protected from pirates and slavery, as both were illegal under Earth''s rule. All slaves had seen their slave status simply vanish from their identification papers, something Adam had been dutybound to add as a slave owner. He sighed and got up; he was still a little tired. After dealing with the public, he had spent the majority of last night on a Holophone talking down Ginny and Evelyn. It was great to see her, and he had to promise her many times that everything was okay. She promised to drop by as soon as she got a pass, as would Evelyn. Despite being tired, he felt restless, so he went to the gym to work out. After a few running and lifting for an hour, he saw Hyn-Drin going to the pool, dropping it, and his Ghort form emerging from the suite and just floating in the pool, Adam grabbed a water bottle and walked out to the pool. The fresh air greeted and cooled him down; he took a few seconds to enjoy it, then walked to the pool and sat down on the edge. It took Hyn-Drin a few minutes to notice, and then he went back into his suite and swam up to the pool. Have you come to kill me? The face was emotionless, as were all the general suits, and Adam shook his head. No, why would I do that? Im here as a prisoner just like you. Adam replied and Hyn-Drin seemed confused. It''s your planet. How can you be a prisoner of your own Planet? We all are dutybound by the law. None of us are above it. I have broken some important laws, laws I didnt want to break, so now I face the consequences for that. Adam replied. But it''s your planet; you make the laws here. Kun-Nar would never accept somebody coming to tell him what to do. Hyn-Drin replied, Adam could sense he was confused and didnt know how to handle this. He probably would. He claims to be Galius after all, the bringer of change. Adam said and sipped his water. And you do not? Hyn-Drin countered, Adam just chuckled. You dont? Hyn-Drin asked again, and Adam shook his head. Naw, Im just Adam. A human trying to do the right thing. Unfortunately, I messed up, and here I am. In my own gilded cage. He replied. So, what were you trying to do? He asked and Adam took a deep breath before answering. Well, first, I just wanted to get away from it all. You know. Feel some freedom and not always do something for others. Be a little selfish for once, so I bought this planet. My plan was to terraform it, build a farm, grow old, and sit in a rocking chair and yell at any aliens who accidentally dropped by. Adam smiled before continuing. but fate had other plans. First of I discovered I needed help and then I met Roks. We both needed some help with different things, so we helped each other, and together, we have built Dirt into what it is now. And we are far from finished. Unfortunately, I did it the wrong way; I used slaves, and thats what Im correcting now. My fiance used her influence to get the human military to come here, with them, Earth''s government. Wait, what''s a rocking chair? Never mind, I will check that later. Your wife summoned the Government? Why? Because slavery is illegal there so, they would arrest me and free all the slaves I have bought. I can''t free them alone; I have to follow the law of the Federation. So, instead of binding them into slavery for five years, they are now all free with a stroke of a pen, figuratively. All slaves? Not just the Scisyas? Hyn-Drin asked, confused, and Adam looked at him. Why would I only free one species? That would not fix the problem. You want to fix the problem? Not just free them? Hyn-Drin replied. Of course. Anybody can free a slave after service, but that doesnt mean people stop having slaves. Thats why we made the droids with mudskin. We are trying to replace the market with droids. Adam said, and Hyn-Drin looked at him with empty eyes that seemed to stare into his soul. Swim with me, " he suddenly said and sank into the pool. Adam saw Archangel nearby and removed his T-shirt, then slipped into the pool. Hyn-Drin left his suit and saw with him for hours. Nothing more was said, but it felt like something else was happening, as if he was being tested. Chapter 27 – Family Meeting When Adam finally got out of the pool and found three people waiting for him, he could not help but smile as Ginny got up and ran over to hug him. You bastard! You call this a prison? He hugged her, and she realized she was wet. Then, with a quick touch on her watch, her clothes quickly dried. Well, currently a prison. I have a feeling it will become something else later. So who is this? He turned to the man who she had brought with him. The man stood up, Evelyn was still sitting, letting them meet. In the background, she could see Hyn-Drin getting out of the pool and leaving them alone. "Thats my husband. Marcus Hicks, he is your enemy. He works for you-know-who now. He was sent to spy on you. She said with a smile, and a Man in a military uniform and the rank of commander smiled awkwardly. He had changed from the man he had seen her date, no longer a thin pothead with long blond dreads, here was a strong man with sharp brown eyes and a short blond military cut. When he offered his hand, he gave a firm grip. He reminded him of the admiral. She is overdoing it, Im just in Navy Intelligence, but I have a feeling you already knew that? Yes, I heard the outpost was getting one of you guys. We have to have a boring meeting about those requests He sent. Right now, I''m just happy you make Ginny happy. They walked back to the table, and Adam sat down with Evelyn. She kissed him and leaned into him, content in just having him there, Adam put his arm around her. A maid droid came offering him a drink. So, how is the planet treating you? Have you got a home yet? he asked. Ginny took a moment to watch him and Evelyn, so Marcus replied. Not yet, Ginny cant make up her mind; we have three to choose from; we have two offices in the human city and one in New Macao. He said, and Adam looked at Ginny. Still cant make up your mind? What do you actually want? he asked, and she returned to the present. Me? I guess I want a house with a garden, and I want to have that operation so we can have kids, and then we can''t live in a penthouse apartment. She looked at him. I want a home, not just an apartment. I place to make our own. She looked at Marcus and back at him. Can we build our own? Sure, but you will end up in a dome or under a shield regardless, I thought you wanted to be near the metros, not to be a farm lady, Adam replied with a grin. Dont tell me Ginny is willing to become a regular housewife. Marcus smiled, You will be surprised. She is not the party girl I met. We have a few dinners, but she prefers to have a calm party now. Adam looked at Ginny and smiled. My little sister has grown up. Look who''s talking, Evelyn replied. Ginny smiled and grabbed her husband''s hand. He brings out the best in me, the best decision I ever made. Marcus just smiled as he looked at her with love. Adam could see they were deeply in love; perhaps the prospect of children had strengthened an already strong bond. They spent the rest of the day catching up and enjoying each other''s company. He found out nobody had to deal with Jork yet; he was still in his shop going over the new ship, and Skee had to drag him to bed to get him some sleep. He was still holding up with his other work, but his mind was clearly focused on the ship. He also introduced them to Hyn-Drin, who told them a little about the politics and worlds around this part of the galaxy. He had been traveling for years as a space racer before he joined Kun-Nar. The night ended with both Marcus and Adam trying to learn as much about the region from somebody who really seemed to know the sector; Hyn-Drin was surprised about their interest. He had never met somebody willing to hear him drone on about Hyperlanes, shortcuts and interesting points, from hidden black market spots to hidden colonies of escaped slaves. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. The girls left the boys to talk and explored the castle. It was a perfect place, with high dignitaries, like royalty and world leaders. It was definitely not built like a prison. Why is this place called Sistan? Ginny asked and Evelyn stopped as she didnt know. I have no idea, all I know is that Sig-San mentioned it being part of his prophecy. Its the throne of Galius, the throne he never sits on. A feminine voice replied behind them, and they turned to see Min-Na approach them, she looked stunning as always in a tight dark-yellow dress with high slit that managed to be revealing and conservative at the same time. Evelyn smiled at her. Ginny, meet Adams lawyer, Min-Na. Min-Na, met Ginny Hicks, the closest you will get to Adams sister you will ever get. My pleasure, Min-Na said, then turned to Evelyn. Sister? I thought Adam was made. They made more of us. Im from the same Gen pool, the same litter in a way. They made six of us, and then our donors got to pick the one they wanted. The new administrator is the one they picked. Ginny explained, and Min-Na looked surprised. Wow, I guess a lot of people will be surprised to learn this. As she said, I am his lawyer and wanted to ask Evelyn about something. If you do not mind, Min-Na replied. She seemed more focused on her job now than being social. Sure, but why not ask Adam? Evelyn replied, Min-Na smiled. Because I need a human lawyer. I dont think he knows anybody on the ship that has arrived, but you can ask around. I can do better; there is a very good one I have used who joined us. Carl Gong, he is very capable and trustworthy, Ginny interrupted, and they both looked at her. Carl Gong? Who is he? Evelyn asked, trying to figure out if she had heard of him before. He is one of the orphans. Adam helped him get through law school and interned at one of the biggest law companies. He was sent here to negotiate for Ares. He brought his wife and three adopted kids. He would jump at the chance to help Adam. Gong? The name doesnt ring any bells. Evelyn said while Min-Na was already checking her pad, smiling as she saw his name on her list. Oh, his name back then was Carl Salvador; he changed it when he got married. Ginny said, then tapped her earring and asked for Carl Gong while they walked over to a wall. With a small, gestured section, it turned into a screen, and soon a young man in his twenties appeared; he had dark, messed up hair, two toddlers were climbing all over him, and he was dressed casually. In the background, a beautiful Asian lady was sitting with a young child doing homework. Evelyn suddenly remembered him. The first time she met Adam, he had been one of the sick kids. He wondered if he remembered her; he had been a very smart kid even back then. Hello Ginny, oh, this is business. Give me a second. He put down the kids, said something to his wife, and entered another room. They waited as he sat down behind a desk and quickly tried to fix his hair. Sorry about that. I didnt expect this kind of call. They just smiled at him; Min-Na seemed already taken by him. He is perfect. Ginny chuckled. Carl, meet Adams Lawyer, she needs some assistance from a human lawyer. Are you interested? Carl didnt need time to think about it. Of course. When and where do you need me to drop by? I will send somebody over with a contract, and if you accept the terms, they will give you what we have. Can you drop by here tomorrow at noon in Sistan? Hopefully, Adam will have time to meet his lawyers by then. Min-Na said, and Carl agreed. Thank you. We won''t hold you anymore. Those toddlers are probably already missing their climbing toy, Min-Na replied, smiling at the two as the screen went blank. If you would excuse me, I have to get back to work. If you need me, ask a guard or maid. They have given me an office and room here. Min-Na left them to continue exploring the wannabe prison as Evelyn explained to Ginny all the craziness of the prophecies about Galius. When she heard it all, Ginny didn''t know if she should laugh or fear for Adam. It was past midnight when Evelyn grabbed Adam to get him some well-deserved sleep. Chapter 28 – Coffee Rebellion Adam woke up, relaxed, and looked at the beauty next to him. She was already awake and just looking at him. Morning, beautiful. Been up long? She kissed him, and they melted together. When Evelyn finally got out of bed, Adam was worn out. She winked at him as she headed to the showers and gave him a few minutes to recover. It did wonders to the mood, and when they had breakfast on the terrace, they playfully teased each other as Min-Na came to disturb them. Im sorry to disturb you Mr Wrangler but.. oh.. oh. She stopped for a second as she accidentally sniffed the air, then grinned. Well, you are clearly in a good mood. But still we do need to discuss the upcoming trial. Do you have time to go over the plans? She said, and before Adam could answer, Evelyn replied, Yes, he has. I have to leave anyway. Doc just sent me a message. There is some trouble brewing. We are low on coffee. Adam was looking at Min-Na to answer her then turned surprised to Evelyn. I had five tons of it. How? People got addicted, I need to find a way to solve it, or we will have a rebellion. She said as Min-Na hid her coffee cup behind her back innocently with a smile. Evelyn winked at her, gave Adam a kiss, and then left them alone. Adam looked after her as he indicated for Min-Na to sit. That woman drives me mad. Then he took a deep breath and looked at Min-Na. So, is everything going as planned? There are a few changes, first of a new judge. Mr Lee will not be the Judge; the Judge is Mrs Agnivanshi. I have her file here. Not much on her, actually. Oxford-educated, adopted at a young age into a rich family but married into an important family, quite conservative, got into law at a young age, and worked her way up the corporate ladder. Among the youngest lawyers to become a judge, she just got the promotion before they left for Dirt? She looked at Adam, who just smiled and lifted his cup of coffee. I bet she has been pretty hostile towards you, too? To the point, you think she got something against me? Adam said as he sipped his coffee, and Min-Na nodded. Dont worry about it; it''s a human way of showing they dont pick any sides. The trial needs to be as neutral as possible. If it goes our way, then that new law will be struck down, and we can free everybody here. He said, and Min-Na smiled. They already are. All your slaves were confiscated and freed. I have been informed that if you win the case, you will be reimbursed for the loss of your property. She replied as a young man approached them. He was dressed in a nice suit and well-combed hair. He looked like a lawyer and Adam smiled, then turned back to Min-Na. And how did they take that? How many left? Fifty-six left, two-hundred and six joined your clan; most are afraid to lose their jobs. Vorts have been working overtime trying to calm down people. Then she turned to the young man. Ahh, Mr Gong. A pleasure to finally meet you. They both stood to greet him, and he looked a little flustered at the behavior while a maid droid that looked like a famous actress of the ancient days cleaned up the table and brought some snacks and drinks. The pleasure is all mine, Mrs Min-Na. Then he took a second to just look at Adam. Sir, Thank you. I owe you everything. I will do my very best to help ensure this goes away. You dont owe me anything, Mr. Gong, Please join us, and let''s start this meeting. He replied as they sat down. I can see you have made something of your life. Thats all we can ask for. Yes, I have worked hard to reach where I am now, and I have gone over the files Mrs Min-Na has provided, and she seems to have everything covered. As she has surmised, she can only be co-council as her lawyer status is not valid for inter-Earth jurisdiction. Something Im sure she will quickly be adjusted too. He said as he looked at her, and she smiled. I will simply hire some human lawyer to solve that problem. Anyway, our main problem is Mrs Agnivanshi, I dont trust her. She seemed xenophobic when I approached her. She said, and Mr Gong nodded. That would not be a flawed assumption. She has lost colleagues in some of the wars Earth has been involved in against other species. She also has a bone to pick with slavers. Then he turned to Adam. Somebody who doesnt like you has made sure she became your judge. Because the whole trial should have been dismissed on standing. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Yes, Min-Na said and looked at Adam, What are you up too? They cant arrest you when they dont have jurisdiction over your system. She said. Well, thats not completely true, when he accepted the military outpost, then he accepted some Earth jurisdiction of the system. Still, if they went that route, it should have been a military tribunal, as he is a former marine. Mr. Gong replied as Adam just watched them. Yes, that is correct. But then it should have been Major Garrison. Or Admiral Hicks, not the administrator. That made this case civil and not military. Adam shrugged, Seems like somebody messed up. Who is the prosecutor? Oh, I know him, Xavior Fry. Not much of a problem. One of those who bought his position. He is good, but like a dog chancing a bone, he will not see anything else coming. He will most likely argue that Earths got jurisdiction when Adam approached Earth for colony status and, even after that, bought a slave pen, knowing it was illegal. Which Im actually wondering about. Why would you do that? Mr Gong said. What would you do if you walked past a group of children being marched into a slave pen to be sold to the highest bidder? I did my best to save them and ensure that place stopped that business. That place is now selling droids for me, no more slaves, and if I could, they would be freed immediately. The children were, but all adults had to stay enslaved for a minimum of five standard years before they could be freed. You have to understand that they have no jails. Instead, it is slavery. All slaves are prisoners? Even the children? Mr Gong said, and Min-Na shook her head lightly. No, anybody can become a slave. But all convicted criminals become slaves, the closest we have to prison is holding cells for awaiting trials. She said, and he looked between them. But the children? How would they become slaves? He was trying to grasp this, thinking of his own kids back home. Piracy or their parents are given a slave sentence, Adam said. This is why I ended up buying so many. I have a contract set up like a regular work contract. It includes sick days, vacation, work hours, pay for their work, and a place to stay and work offer when they are freed. They even got union rights, yet I dont think they know what it is. The contract has become quite popular, actually; it''s even used between regular employees and employers. It has become the golden contract they all want. And for unions, well that is a privilege few have been granted. To get his contract means youre a valued member of the company or somebody you want to save. The funny thing is that it''s such a simple solution to the slavery situation, yet nobody thought about it. Min-Na said, and Adam shrugged. Anyway, I will provide the witnesses, and you have to present him in court. I will be with you and help with the cultural aspect of the situation. That is something they have completely ignored, yet as I can see from your laws, it should always be taken into account when dealing with such trials. She said and Mr Gong nodded. Yes, there are many precedences in these cases; the most famous are State vs. Statham and State vs. Johnson. Unfortunately, they can''t be used here as those cases didnt involve slavery. A whole new can of worms. Mr Gong looked at Adam. I was thinking more of the State Vs. Roberts. Min-na said and Mr Gong looked at her then smiled. Of course, we can involve the other two as well. As her case involved breaking human law to preserve human ethical laws, it just becomes a matter of how much they can judge Mr Wrangler for using the Xeno law to preserve human ethical decrees. The big problem is that Mrs Agnivanshi might not care as she is fond of saying The law is the law and feelings have no place in the court room. He said and Adam chuckled. Whats so funny? Min-Na said. She is forgetting the media. The trial is open, which means it will be broadcasted, and I have already paid for it to be sent all the way to Earth; you know how they love court drama. He looked at Mr Gong, who looked confused, then facepalmed. You want to lose this case? Just to drive home the point and change the law? He asked, and Min-Na looked at him. No, but if I have to, I will. I want to change the law. Freeing my slaves doesnt stop slavery here? If the price is Dirt and a life in prison, then I will take it. It will hurt and I will hate every minute of being away from Evelyn and my kids, but how can I let them grow up in a galaxy where they can at any moment be snatched up and sold into slavery? I have to at least hope that if that happens, somebody will set heaven and hell in motion to free them and punish those who did it. They looked at him, and Min-Na chuckled. You never change, always thinking about others when you should be thinking about yourself. Oh, I am, If Im going up against the system like this, then I will cheat. He winks. Evelyn looked at Roks and Vorts. That was 5 tons? Okay, who stole it? Nobody, it''s all drunk up. Roks said, and Evelyn cursed out. This is worse than his trial. Okay! Let''s fix this. Vorts, please tell me you guys planted coffee beans. Yes, but we are one month away from being able to produce the coffee. These things take time. He said and she cursed even more. How much longer will what we have last? She asked. About two weeks at most, Vorts said, and then Evelyn cursed again. We are going to have a rebellion! she said as she sank down in the chair. Chapter 29 – Trial part 1 Hmm, is it Noah Kent or Adam Wrangler? Judge Agnivanshi asked. She looked down at Adam, who was standing in front of everybody. The room was filled with people. Adam could see the judge had not thought that such a case would get so much attention from the aliens in the sector. She stared at him, and Adam just smiled. I was given the number 001312409 when the Cartel made me; the orphanages in Kent gave me the name Noah Kent. When I left it, I legally changed my name to Wrangler in memory of the police officer who died saving me and all the children the cartel had made. Adam was my choice. So, I prefer to be named Adam Wrangler if it pleases the court. She took a second to think about it, then just nodded. Adam could hear some murmuring in the background, and then he mentally cursed himself. That information was for humans; god knows what the locals would do with it. Well, Mr excuse me, do you even have human status? I get the impression you are a clone. Are you under stewardship? She said, looking a little annoyed at it all. Yes, we all were given full human status; just because I was designed in a lab does not mean Im any less human. I still have two DNA donors like anybody else. Or a mother and father, if you like. Adam didnt like this part. He was supported to just get up, confirm his identity, pledge guilty or not guilty, and then give a short declaration. hmm, She looked at her pad and adjusted her seat. Then we can start. Are you Mr Adam Wrangler, previously known as Noah Kent and 001312409? Yes, Your honor. I am. Adam replied. Good. You are accused of owning slaves, as well as owning a slave pen. An Action that is illegal under Earth''s commercial laws. How do you plead? She looked at him and he could see how much she wanted the case to be over quickly. Your honor. I plead that these actions were committed outside earths Jurisdictions therefore, Im not Guilty of these crimes. Adam said, and she just stared at him. So you wish to go to trial? Then please be seated and we will start. She was not happy with his reply and Adam nodded and sat down. Mr Gong and Ms Min-Na smiled to him. She really doesnt like you, Min-Na said, and Mr Gong nodded in agreement. I think you should speak as little as possible now. I knew she was strict, but this is ridiculous. Why question your status? Because she wants to make me less human; if Im guilty, she blames it on me being a faulty clone that didnt act properly, and she could seize the system, Adam said as he looked at her. Then turned to Min-Na. Is Sig-San back? Yes, but you''re not using him, Min-Na said and Adam smiled. Just ask him what secrets she hides. Thats all. If you are finished chatting, then perhaps we can start? Judge Agnivanshi asked, then looked to the audience. Before we start, I would like to address the audience. I do not want this trial to turn into a theater; these are serious matters we are dealing with, and I will not accept any side that tries to play to the audience. We are simply here to review the evidence and let the Jury decide if Mr Wrangler is guilty or not in the act of owning slaves. With that, I will ask the prosecutor to put forth their case. Then she indicated to Mr Fry to stand up. Xavier Fry was a tall, well-built blond man who might as well have been a movie actor. He started to put forth the evidence. There was no doubt that Adam owned slaves as he had provided them with the contract for the transfer of ownership of the different slaves as well as the contract Adam had signed with each slave in his possession. A number that, at the point of arrest, had been 17 203 adults. Adam could see the jury was shocked by the number, and for a moment, it looked like the case was over at that moment. Xavier then continued by explaining that Adam also had regular employees, and most of the now about 100 000 inhabitants were employees, including some children. Mr Gong looked at him, and Adam chuckled. I gave some kids some money for doing scans and access to play with the drones. It felt wrong to have them do the scans and not get paid. Min-Na chuckled. Traditionally, they would not even get paid here. When Carl Gong stood up, the jury stared at Adam. Yes, all of this is correct. They showed you the contract of sales but not the contract he made with the slave bound. A contract that now has been copied and used by companies in this sector among regular Employees and Employers. Why? Because its a good job contract. But I digress, why did he buy slaves? And what is a slave? These are just as important as the most important questions of them all. Was he bound by Earth''s jurisdictions when he bought them? But we will also have to take into account intent. Was it mr Wrangler''s intent to keep slaves or make them free from such bonds? We will prove that first, System GKB-12658, is currently not part of Earth''s jurisdiction and is just under the Galactic Federation of Trade, and such falls under their jurisdictions of this federation where slavery is both a legal and a common practice. And while Mr Wrangler himself is a known advocate in these regions as an anti-slaver, he is still bound by the laws, and his seeking to become one of Earths colonies was simply so he could free the slaves. Which has now been done. I do not care much about the theatrical speeches in my courtroom, Mr Gong. We are not here to decide his intentions but if he broke the law. Please continue. Judge Agnivansh said. Adam watched them argue back and forth on the different merits, and it became increasingly clear that the judge did not like him. When they broke for the day, he was tired and just wished to go to sleep. He was led out by armed guards and shuttled back to prison. Evelyn was waiting for him, clearly upset. She has already decided that you are guilty, this was a bad idea. She hugged him as she spoke. His lawyers retreated to give them some peace. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Maybe, but its the jury who decided after all. He said, and she looked worried. They dont seem convinced either. Some of them did. That blond woman. She just wants you, she doesnt care, she will flip the moment she finds out you got a pregnant fiance, which reminds me. We need to get married fast, just in case you get convicted. We have a big wedding later. Oh my god, if they convict you, they might send you back to earth in standard jail. The cartel will get to you then. Evelyn suddenly panicked. Easy, if I get convicted, I can still appeal, and that has to happen here at Dirt, and if we do become an Earth Colony, then they have to use our prison. Which means I have to stay here. He said with a smile, trying to calm her down, but she didnt believe him. No, they might hand you over to the locals as a criminal. Find an obscure law to turn you into a slave, just to punish you. I know! We kill the judge. It will be easy; we can blame it on that other guy. What''s his name again? Kun-Nar? Right? Yeah, I get Sig-San to fix it. Failed assassination attempt on you, and it takes out the judge instead. She broke the hug and paced as she ranted on. Adam looked at her and chuckled, then sat back, ordering a cup of coffee from the maid. No, you cant. We have to save, ration it. There isnt enough coffee, remember? She said as she saw the cup being brought to him. What are you talking about? I know there was a shortage, but you fixed that, right? He sipped his coffee, realized something and stood up, giving her the cup. Drink! Thats an order! She looked at him and then took the cup and took a sip, then one more, and then drank the rest in one big gulp. Ahhh, I needed that. So What were we talking about, yes, the judge and the coffee. We dont have enough coffee until we can get it replaced, so we are about to have an armed rebellion on our hands. Adam took the empty cup, looked at it then put on the table. Did you ask my brother if he brought any? Your brother? Do you mean John Mo? Why would he have coffee for us? She asked, confused. Adam started to laugh. Seriously? Come on, Eve. Think, why would John Mo have coffee? I mean he just came here with three colony ships filled with humans as well as a military escort. She looked at him and then slapped her forehead. Damnit, of course. I will contact him. He is bound to have some we can steal. She said. Buy, we can buy. We have the money. He said, and she grinned. Naw, I will just tell Doc they have coffee and we dont. Adam shook his head and then ordered two more cups. Anyway, nobody touches the judge, and I gave Sig-San a job, so dont disturb him, okay? She gave him a mock salute. Yes, sir! Then she sat down as the coffee arrived and just looked at him. What? Just wondering why you keep up with me. After all. Because you do the same with me. You stop me from the same bullshit that I stop you from doing. And I love you silly. He said as he nonchalantly sipped his cup. She winked and leaned back, looking at him, then put her hand on her tummy. Did you hear that? Your dad loves me. Now we just got to keep him from going to jail. Dont do anything stupid. Let the case go as it should. Remember, they are watching even on Earth. He said with a smile. Yeah, about that. The whole trial? How much did that cost you? One millionit''s been filmed and sent. Now, I only have to hope the right people see it back there. I know some who are watching, but I don''t know if it''s enough, " he said, and Evelyn suddenly smiled. Where is Arus? She asked as he could see her mind working. At his office in Piridas? Why? She got up, kissed him, and winked. Oh, nothing. I just remembered I needed to do something. Dont wait up. No killing! Not even metaphorically? She grinned, and before he could reply, she had gone. He took a deep breath. Whatever she planned, he hoped it wasnt going to destroy his plan. He got up and went to the lawyer''s office, which was filled with lawyers and assistants; he saw humans and new aliens that had come with Carls''s firm. He was quickly introduced to the whole team, and then they started. They went over the whole trial again as they studied every aspect of it. Mostly, there was a need to explain how the different cultures crashed or overlapped in systems. Adam started to realize he needed to find a cultural attach when this was all over, somebody who could meld the different cultures into their own, for the lack of words, Dirt culture. But now he needed to find out what was going on. In the late evening, a haran man came to the office and asked for Min-Na; he was a sophisticated man with early signs of becoming elderly around his neck with clear signs of bite marks; Min-Na blushed as a teenager when she saw him. All her lawyers treated him with utter respect, and Adam stood up , put his palms together in almost, and bowed his head slightly. The elderly man returned the greeting and then offered his hand in a shake. I finally get to meet you Mr Wrangler, I am Admiral Kon-Na, Min-Nas husband. I am truly sorry that I did not get to meet you earlier. My campaign has kept me from this sector for years. I just arrived. I must say your military is quite strong. I think my battlecruiser and fleet got your Admiral Hicks a little upset. Adam just stared at him. Wait, what? Then, he caught himself. Im truly sorry that you arrived into this mess, and I was unaware that Min-Na was married. He shot her a glance, and she just grinned. But Im extremely happy to meet you, and I think we can manage the rest of the night without your dear wife. Perhaps we can have dinner later. I would love to get to know you and discover why your wife has hidden you from me. He said with a smile. Kon-Na chuckled. Thank you. I will take you up on that offer. Perhaps tomorrow evening after the trial? He replied and Adam nodded. That sounds like a plan. Then he looked at Min-Na. Go with your husband now. We can finish up here. She looked around the room, and her employees bowed their heads. She simply nodded back, If you insist. Then she left the room with her husband. Carl came up to him and looked after them. What was all that about? That was me finding out my lawyer has a Haran fleet at her calling, and if his bite marks at the neck are fresh tomorrow, then their relationship is strong. Why bitemarks? Carl asked. It''s how the Haran gets married; the bride bites her husband in the neck to mark him, and she will do so as often as she pleases to keep the scar fresh. It''s why people say the Haran ladies eat their husbands. He said, and Carl looked at a Haran male who grinned and showed his neck, a fresh set of scars, then winked, and a female grinned, showing a set of short white fangs. Adam finished up and retired when he got found out he had several missed calls from Admiral Hicks, so he called him up. Yes, Admiral? WHAT THE HELL? What do those seventeen warships do here? They belong to my lawyer''s husband, an admiral in the Haran navy. He is simply here to visit his wife. Im pretty sure he was as surprised as you to find a fleet here. He told me to apologize for scaring you. And if I know these people right, then he will soon try to befriend you and ask for a joint military exercise. But why ask me? Didnt Roks take care of this? Yeah, he did. As did the Major. I just dont like to be surprised like this. What else do you have hidden out here? he asked. To be honest, there isnt much. We have a pirate hunter named Kira Lam, and we are working on a conclave of Mega corporations. Hicks checked his files and then whistled. Kira Lam? Is it this one we are talking about? He said as an image of Kira showed up, and Adam confirmed. Yes, why? Oh, nothing; I will contact her later. Nothing to worry about. He said, and the image vanished. Oh, there is a shortage of coffee at the colony, did Evelyn contact you about it? Adam said and Hicks nodded. Yeah, and we have resupplied the outpost. I told Mr Lee about it as well, and he was willing to supply the colony as well. I have already sent a request for supply to the Poole colony. They have the best coffee in the galaxies and are only seven months away with regular travel. He said, and Adam was relieved, one less thing to worry about. In the next few weeks, he could focus on the trial. Chapter 30 – Trial Part 2 The next day, Adam had breakfast with Evelyn and Hyn-Drin, who was shocked that Adam still took time to chat with him and even introduce him to his mate, as he called Evelyn. Both to Adams and Evelyns delight and when he found out she was pregnant, he just stared at her. Twins? Are you expecting twins? Wait, did she save you? He asked, and Adam chuckled. Dont start this Galius talk, please, Adam said. Oh Yeah, I saved his ass, he got shot through the ribs. Outside the domes. He would have died if I didnt show up. Evelyn said with a grin, then looked at Adam. But that does not make him Galius; it makes him an idiot for trying to talk it out with a pirate who wants him dead. Nobody said Galius was smart, Hyn-Drin replied, and they looked at him, and then they all burst out laughing. It took them some time to gather themselves. Besides, doesnt Kun-Nar claim that title? Adam asked. Yes, but Im starting to doubt that and regret following him. He turns to violence too quickly. This is the second time we attacked you, and you didnt attack us back. He said, then looked around, Instead, you build this. Yet you still have a military force that easily could attack us. Why? What is it that Roks calls you? Peacemaker? Evelyn said, and Adam shrugged Well, violence just leads to more violence. If I can change your mind, we can have peace. It doesn''t mean I won''t defend myself or even attack if necessary, but it hasnt been for the moment. Im not going to let Roks loose to fight as he wants just yet. Adam added. Wait? Peacemaker? You know thats a literal translation of Galius, right? Who is called you that? Roks, when we meet. He is my second in command. Why? Adam asked, and Hyn-Drin just looked at him. And you do not claim the title? Is this some kind of joke? He asked and Adam was confused. No, why? Adam asked. Please just tell me, was she here when the pirates attacked? Helping defend the settlement? Ehh. No. I didnt even know she was coming. She just showed up. I had ordered a few things from the Earth, and she decided to bring them. We had a past. We knew each other from before. Hell, we almost got married back then. But a vile forked tongue beast split you up with lies and promises? Hyn-Drin said, and Evelyn just looked at him, her mouth agape. Kun-Nar has studied the lore and tells us tales of how he and his mate meet. I know they are false but He looked between them, who just stared at him. Look, please. No more talk about this. I am not a god, prophet, avatar, or whatever you guys claim. Im just a human who is very much in love with my wife-to-be, and Im just trying to do the right thing. It''s hard enough, and I really dont need this prophecy talk. Adam said as he squeezed Evelyns hand gently. I''m sorry. I will retreat and not disturb you anymore. I was way out of line, Hyn-Drin replied, and Adam shook his head. No, stay. I would rather hear about your travels and the galaxy, let''s just drop the religious talk, okay? Adam replied, and Hyn-Drin nodded before he started talking about his travels. Evelyn just stared at Adam, unable to speak for the rest of the meal. When Adam got to the courtroom, he saw Kon-Na with a fresh bitemark on his neck and smiled. Min-Na seemed to be in a great mood as well, but the mood didnt last as the trial started; Adam was first reprimanded for bringing an alien fleet to Dirt, and the judge said she would not be intimidated. Carl explained that the Haran Admiral had no idea about the ongoing trial and was here to meet his wife. The judge did not believe them. The rest of the day was spent going through witnesses both for and against Adam. Carl pointed out that Adam had even allowed his slaves to return and serve their terms from home with no oversight, and those working here had a trust fund set up to be paid out when released. The prosecution countered that these people were still slaves and that what he allowed them to do had no bearing, as all of them knew that if Adam said no, they had no right to quit or leave unless given permission first. This launched into an argument about what a slave actually was. Adam looked at Xavier, who seemed to be frustrated; it was as if he alternated between being excited about the ethical debate and seeming to forget that there was a trial ongoing, or he was unable to put his ethical feelings in check, the debate seemed more to be Xaviers trying to resolve his own thoughts about the trial than Adams trial. Adam was about to mention it to Carl when the judge suddenly had enough and broke for the day. Carl looked at Adam, confused. Adam was just as confused then looked around and saw somebody he recognized. Isnt that Jar-Mork? Adam said, and Min-Na looked at him. Who? A Mugga Corp Lawyer, talk to Mr. Heri-Ro-Ro. He threatened me with pirates, you have the copy of the file. Min-Na nodded, leaned back to her aid, and told her to get Mr Heri-Ro-Ro as the courtroom slowly emptied and Adam was escorted back to the prison. When he got to the transport, he found Admiral Hicks waiting for him. Evening, Admiral; I didnt know you would do prison transport. He smiled friendly and Hicks just grinned. I got an invitation for dinner by the Major, something about having a friendly talk with the admiral of the other fleet. Besides, it gives us time to talk. He replied as the ship took off. Evelyn is the smart one among us, I just hope the judge isnt going to use this against me. She is already pissed off that he showed up. Adam replied. It doesnt make sense, to be honest; I even got a call from the Brass asking what the hell she is doing, Hicks replied, and Adam took a deep breath before answering. I suspect she is paid off. You should have them look into her finances. He said he didnt like it, but it was the truth. Why would you say that? You know she is a designer baby, just like you. Her donors chose her, just like John Mo Lee, your brother. Well, that explains it. Not all of the chosen liked to be exposed to what happened. There was much blame going around back then. Some even blamed the chosen. Even I did that for a while, but I got over it. Adam said. So, she hates you. God damnit, we thought she would be a good choice because of her background. we should have gone with Mr Jun. Im so sorry. Hicks replied. How could you have known? John Mo is nothing like her; that guy has some serious survivor''s guilt. Please tell me he got married? Adam said with a smile. Nope, still single from what I know. Do you know anybody good? Hicks said, and Adam grinned. Set him up with Kira? Now I know you''re crazy. She will eat him up. Hicks replied. Well, he needs a strong woman, and a captain in military intelligence would be just right for him, Adam said, and Hicks chuckled. How did you know? Hicks asked. After your reaction, I went back and asked what we had helped her with. My mentor suggested both sisters join the military. He was actually quite honest about it, telling us he would personally take care of them. There were a few he had that attitude to, but most were either hackers or trained to be killers. Just as you also are military intelligence. Right? Adam said, and Hicks just grinned. They said you were the observant one. Yes, she is one of mine, actually. Both sisters were sent to be scouts. Kira wanted to recruit you, we said no but didnt explain why. You do know you can''t tell anybody about this, right? Not even Evelyn. Hicks said, and Adam replied with a nod. I won''t, but dont be surprised if she already knows, Adam said, and Hicks agreed. The ship landed at the prison, and they went inside. Adam let the two admirals chat at the bar while he went to the lawyer''s offices, where there was full chaos. Whats going on? Adam asked, and one of the assistants looked at him. Mr Heri-Ro-Ro has been killed! WHAT! When? Were? Adam looked surprised, and then he got angry. He was found in his room. He has been tortured. It seemed like they were looking for something. She said, and Adam cursed loudly just as Carl and Min-Na came in. He could see Min-Na was angry as well. I will kill them. This is war. Who the hell do they think they are? She said and Adam agreed. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. What were they looking for? Do we know? Carl agreed, and Adam suddenly realized. Fuck. That''s why he was here, that bastard. He treated me at Mr Knug''s office. I have a recording; I gave him a copy. They must have thought He had all the evidence. Where is Archangel? Adam asked, and soon after, Archangel came in. He had a scorch on his head but seemed fine. Search your database for the recording of Jar-Mork threats from the meeting at Mr. Knug''s office, the one you sent to Mr Heri-Ro-ro. And please tell me where you got that scorch mark. The file was immediately downloaded on several of the computers as Archangel spoke. There was an attempt on the Major''s life; the assassin has been dealt with. She gave me strict orders not to tell you. Sig-San got to him before I could. The assassin is being interrogated now. Do you need me for anything else sir? Adam just stared at him, then took a deep breath. Where is Evelyn now? Im here, " she said as she came in with another droid escort. They refuse to let me send them away, and you were not supposed to know! Adam just looked at her. They tried to kill you! And Im supposed to just let it go! Yes, you all are, you deal with the courtroom, and let us soldiers deal with the attackers. And Im not going to tell you what Roks is up to. Let''s just say it''s bloody, and thats all you need to know. Now! Min-Na, Adam, you two will come to have a nice dinner and calm down. The rest of you are going to work and find out everything you can to win this case. Is that understood? Because if I find out your slacking, I will summon the hounds of hell to hunt your ass! Then she walked out, and Adam looked at Min-Na. I guess we are going to dinner. He said, and she nodded. Im not going against her now. She replied. The dinner was relatively calm despite the chaos within and outside the chaos. Evelyn and the Admiral steered the conversation away from the courtroom and even invited Hyn-Drin to join them in discussing the galaxy. Adam was more and more impressed with the information he provided. While he was almost blank about any history that was over 50 years old, he had a vast store of information about the galaxy, even pinpointing Earth on a galaxy map and several other species, known and unknown. Both admirals tried to recruit him, but he refused, saying his place was with the true Galius as he looked at Adam. Adam ignored the look. Instead, he told him if Galius didnt want him, he was free to stay on Dirt. Hyn-Drin accepted the comprise. At the end, the Admirals got into a bragging fight, primarily for fun and a war game was agreed on when this trial was over. The night with Evelyn was intense as they both needed to get out some steam, and when he got into the shuttle, the guard sat across him and suddenly asked him if he wanted the judge dead. Adam looked at him as the face melted away and revealed Sig-San. What happened? Adam demanded, and Sig-San sighed. "The conclave is panicking. They are going to blame it on Kun-Nar but he doesnt even know whats going on. He sits on a false throne, and they order his men around while he rants about you stealing his divinity. They had a 17% loss of profit since the droids came out. The other corps are circling them. I fear they might just try to attack if their current plan fails. He explained. What is their current plan? He asked They have bought the judge, she is going to convict you, but in traditions with the local customs, which is how they interpret that human law you got so angry about. Slavery? Is she going to convict me into slavery? But the jury? He said, and Sig-San took out a pad and showed a picture of the jury, then changed the filter to x-ray; it looked normal. First day. Then he switched to a newer picture. Yesterday. When it changed the filter, he saw all of them had Android brains installed. They turned them into Clone droids? He stated at it, and Sig-San nodded. They found where they were secluded and moved in. My men and I were more focused on the judge and the conclave lawyers. This is my fault, and I take full responsibility. It will not happen again. He said and Adam cursed. Okay, have this given to Min-Na and Admiral Hicks. I have to continue this charade. Of course. Do you want me to deal with the judge? No, let her play her part. We will deal with her after. If she convicts me, we have the right to appeal. If she refuses them, Hicks and John Mo can intervene. Are you sure about John Mo? He hasnt been to your trial at all. Instead, he has focused on settling the people in the cities and conversations with Earth''s government and somebody called Wukong. Sig-San said. Adam just smiled slightly, and Sig-San''s eyes got wide for a second. Let him work, no need to involve him. Just focused on gaining as much intel on the judged and the Mugga corporation as well as the rest of their conclave. We might not be able to deal with them now, but we can stop their plans. The transport approached the city, and Sig-Sans face melted away into a human guard. Then he led him into the courtroom and left. The judge arrived last and they all stood up as the judge dismissed the jury to deal with a matter. It has come to my attention that Mr Kent entertained Admiral Hicks of Earth''s navy and Admiral Kon-Nan last night. Are you trying to intimidate this court Mr Noah Kent! One more such attempt, and I will sentence you on the spot! Adam stood up and waited to be addressed, and she gave him a wave with a grunt-like noise; he took that as permission to talk. Im sorry if my dinner arrangement offended the court, your honor. Both sides asked me to calm down the Admirals to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings. As your judge probably was aware, both ships were confused about the presence of such a military force here, and if the Admirals had not been such experienced and excellent officers, we might have gotten a much worse outcome. So as the current. Are you a licensed diplomat Mr Kent? she interrupted him and Adam shook his head. No, your honor. He replied and she looked down at him. Then you had no right to hold a diplomatic meeting on behalf of Earth government. Sit down and let''s finish this. It''s beginning to be very clear what kind of person you are. I dont even know if I should use Mr Kent to address you. Then she waved to the bailiff and called in the jury. Min-Na and Carl leaned over to him. Is she aware earth government is watching this? It''s not even delayed anymore it''s live. Carl said, and Min-Na chuckled as she heard the murmuring from the audience. And she just made herself an enemy of many people in the court. Your appeal is guaranteed. Min-Na said as they looked at the jury. Jork said he could switch them off if you want, Min-Na said, and Adam shook his head as the trial started. Carl finished his arguments for what a slave was and why somebody who buys a slave with the intention of freeing the slave on the earliest possible point with back pay for all work could not really be judged by the current anti-slaver laws as the intent of the law was to punish people who willing kept slaves for slave work with the intent to keep them as slaves until their usefulness was over. Xavier just looked at Adam, looked at the judge, and shook his head. Prosecution rests their case. Are you not going to give closing arguments? Xavier got up, packed his things, and looked at her. "No. I became an attorney to prosecute criminals. This is not it." His head dropped, and his voice filled with emotion. "Do you honestly want me to argue that it is a crime to buy slaves and free them? You want me to convict someone who is fighting slavery...of slavery? No. The elements are not met. Prosecution moves for dismissal." Anger lit her face. "Denied." "Then I resign." Xavier picked up his case and turned his back on the judge, then strode towards the door. "You are in contempt." Her voice was losing her calm demeanor. Xavier muttered something under his breath but did not pause. Someone in the audience began to applaud, then another. The audience stood as Xavier passed, wave after wave of them, while the judge called for order. Adam joined them on his feet, applauding as the prosecutor passed out of sight. Carl stood and touched Adam''s shoulder, then moved a hand to interrupt Adam''s clapping, gently motioning with his head back to the judge. Decorum. The sound died as the bailiffs moved among the audience, following the judge''s instructions to force order into the crowd. Carl turned and waited for the judge as she seethed. When she finally looked squarely at him and raised an eyebrow, it was his turn to make a standard motion. "Defense moves for dismissal." "Denied. This is for the jury..." She turned to them. "...who will disregard the personal and inflammatory remarks by the former prosecutor. You will rule on the evidence presented and on the law as I have instructed to you. Do you understand?" The jury glanced at each other and nodded, almost at the same moment, as if they had practiced it that way. "Before you go to deliberations, you may perform a preliminary vote here. If each of you believes that Mr Wrangler has violated the Terran Anti-Slavery Act of 2325, vote now; if you find him guilty unanimously, then your service will be finished." Again, the jury glanced at each other and nodded, then they all voted. Adam calmly watched as the jury found him guilty and promptly dismissed. You have been found guilty of buying slaves for work, owning slaves for work, as well as owning a slave pen. Now, due to our location and the new law about respect for the alien culture, I find it fitting that I should sentence you to their criminal system. She banged the gavel, and the courtroom erupted. SILENCE! she shouted, her cool, calculating demeanor gone; Adam could see her frustration growing; she probably just wanted the trial finished. Guards, take him away! We object and demand a mistrial! It''s clear this case has been biased against my client! Carl said, and the judge laughed and regained her composure, and again, her voice was calm, cool, and collected, though her disdain was shining through. Of course, it is biased. He admitted that he owned slaves; there is no excuse for that, but a made creature like him doesnt seem to understand human ethics. So there will be no mistrial. Take him away. No guard moved. Then we appeal the case on the same grounds: earth government granted him human status, which supersedes your personal beliefs, and you have been biasing. I follow the law; my bias does not influence my judgment! She said, staring at Carl. And one more word from you, and you will be held in content! Adam was impressed on how she could utter that line without coming of as completely unhinged, it was simply said as a matter of fact. Then she turned to the guard. I said, take him away! She remained calm, but when she didnt move, she became visibly angry and stood up. She was about to shout when she noticed what they were looking at. John Mo Lee was standing in the audience; he was, after all, the Earths government representative and the administrative leader. Stand down. A message is incoming from the Supreme Court. They have been monitoring the case live, courtesy of the Navys FTL communication system. This case has caught the eye of Earth''s colony council on Mars as well as Earths Government, and they have requested the Supreme Court to go over it. Then, to the confused judge, he explained. Major Everly has been so kind to arrange all of this. So sit down and wait! She fumed but sat down as he finished speaking. A screen blinked alive, and seven men and women became visible; in front of them stood a 3-star Admiral. Adam recognized him immediately. Good evening, good people of the Colony Dirt. My name is Admiral Christofer Blackthorn. I have been chosen to speak on behalf of the Supreme Court. Let''s not waste time on long deliberation; all deliberation will be sent through normal channels. So, with that underway. Admiral Hicks? Yes sir! The admiral stood up to make himself known. Good. Can you please take Judge Agnivanshi into custody? She has grossly abused her power, and we have just received evidence that she has been receiving money from a Mr Jar-Mork to influence the result of the trial; we would like him to be arrested as well. With a nod from Admiral Hicks, the guards immediately went over and took the judge out of the room, and then one of them addressed Adam. We have gone over the trial as it proceeded, which is highly controversial, but due to her wish to convict you and sentence you into slavery, we saw no other choice but to intervene now. We are declaring it all a mistrial. As for your matter with slavery, we have to go by your current status, not your former status, when you were not under Earth''s Jurisdiction, and you currently do not own any slaves, so the trial is also moot. The good news is that we have granted you Earth colony status. We expect your new nations government structure to be sent to us by the end of the year. Good luck, Adam. When the judge finished, the Admiral turned back to the camera and looked at Adam. It was nice seeing you again. Adam smirked and nodded to Christopher. Thank you, and I will be in touch soon. The screen went blank, and the room erupted in chaos as everybody started talking at once. John Mo casually made his way to Adam, who winked. Damnit, you really cut this one short, bro. You''re crazy. John Mo said. Me crazy? Just wait until you meet Kira. Adam grinned. End of book 2 Thank you for reading until the end of book 2. Book 3, Coloney Dirt, will start shortly and hopefully be more consistent in its publication. I need to find a cool picture and make a makeup front page for it, as many of you might have noticed. The quality of the grammar isn''t the greatest, mostly due to my dyslexia, and I consider this to be my draft for my book format. It also helps me with letting me know if I make any huge mistake, as you guys can and hopefully will point out inconsistencies. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Again, if you want to support me, you can buy my books on Amazon or my Patreon. Book two, which I just finished here, is being edited now, and the characters have already undergone a few minor changes.