“Married? How?” Adam looked at Jork, confused.
“Well, you left your guests to mate and didn’t 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 carefully, 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 them 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 don’t want to get on Jork’s 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? Don’t 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 don’t 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. That’s actually Kurn’s 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 didn’t say it, and I don’t 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.
Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
“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, to 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, you’re 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. Goddammit. 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, I’m supposed to be by your side until you die.” The last word was said as dramatically as she could, and Adam laughed. This was more like the confident and fun Evelyn he knew, not that she didn’t 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 don’t get in too 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, sir. 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 didn’t seem to care much about this part but indulged the civilian.
“Yes, I did. It’s 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. Don’t 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, it’s 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; you’re 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 didn’t lie when I said there is great potential here.”
“Then I will cut to 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; it’s 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.”