The Labour Planet - A Working Title - Part Three

 

The Labour Planet - A Working Title - Part Three     939  words  Re-posted

The guard whose belt Jamie had picked up could be seen on a screen high above where they stood.   He was looking down at them  but as Jamie watched he saw him approach a door and press his belt but the door did not open and he seemed to be waiting.  Then he spoke in to some kind of receiver but Jamie could not hear what was said but he could see the guard pressing buttons on a keypad until the door hissed open and he disappeared into the room.

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“Well, is the cargo safely stowed?”

“Yes, Commander, they are  in the holding pens.”

"This will be our last harvest as we don’t have enough fuel to power any more ships.  Do they still think it is their own government that is taking them to a new planet?”

“Yes, Commander”

"So, why did you request an audience?

" To ask if  we will be stopping at Gruse?

“No, those that are left on Gruse are of no use to us.  Have you separated the young earthlings from the adults?”

"Yes, Commander"

"Good.”

“The Emperor will be pleased with all you have achieved, Commander..”

“Yes, I have been promised the reward of my choice and he knows what that will be.”

“The hand of Grand Princess Genalia?”

“It is no more than I deserve."

"It is less than you deserve, Commander, but what of the elders, I thought they had come up with a plan."

“They had but when they told me what it was I knew I had to take action. The plan they came up with went against all the teachings of our spiritual leader.  We would have been defiled but although I am Commander of the Frontier Fleet I do not have the authority to override the elders.”

“So did you go directly to the Emperor to get permission?”

“Yes.  Their plan could have blocked our path to spiritual glory and then we would be denied entry into Infinity.  That is why this mission must be successful and I am closing this audience now so that you can get back to your duties.”

“Commander, one more thing, there is a young earth female in the adult pen who seems very different from the rest.  She doesn’t seem frightened in any way,.  She is very calm.  She gives me cause for concern.

“She can do nothing.  She is no threat to us.”

“Just the same, Commander, I think I would like to have her taken out and disposed of.”

“No, we cannot afford to lose anymore.  You must see to it that from now on they must all survive.  That is a Federation instruction that must be complied with.  Do you understand, Guardsman Templar?”

“Yes, Commander, it will be done as you ask.”

“Now go and see that those needing medical attention receive it.   Next see they are fed and then subdue them and keep them that way until we reach the landing strip on Red Star One.”

“Yes,  Commander.”

Guardsman Templar made his way back down but couldn’t resist stopping to look for the woman in Pen Number Two.  Her demeanour disturbed him.  She should have been frightened, like the rest, but she was not.  He dare not disobey his Commander but just the same his own curiosity would see to it that he kept his eye on her and he had seen her talking to the boy who had picked up his ammunition belt.

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“So, what did your work with the Government involve?”

“I was a Staff Officer with the Defence department.”

“Oh, really, so that’s why you don’t think this is the work of our Government?”

She nodded.

“My name is Jamie, by the way,”

“And I am Staff Officer Tate,”

“Is that what I am to call you?”

She smiled then “No, of course not…it’s just that it is a generally accepted protocol within the department but I suppose we are not in the department now so there’s no need. My name is Georgia,” she said, smiling again.

“Well, Georgia, what makes you think this is not the work of our government?”

“Because there was an error on the department’s computer network and I mistakenly gained access to a dossier I did not have security clearance to see but it explained things that I had never understood.”

“Such as?”

“The Ozone Layer!  We never caused that.  Scientists very quickly saw the effect of CFC’s so they were banned immediately.  Yet a hole was still created.”

“That doesn’t seem to be much to base your argument on,” said Jamie.

“Not on its own, no, I agree, but taken with all the other things like the nuclear accidents, the seepage from the nuclear waste bunkers and the animals dying off, don’t you think there seems to be a pattern to all this?”

“Like what?”

“The destruction of our planet!”

“Seems a bit far fetched.”

“You think so then answer me this.  How is it that no space probes could ever find another planet that could sustain human life until now when we need it most?”

“I’m beginning to see where you’re coming from.”

“Yes,” said Georgia, “It seems to me our planet has been systematically destroyed..” 

Just then a well dressed man was about to walk past when Georgia suddenly stepped out in front of him.