Read Online Steven Gordon 3: The Modloch Empire by J. W. Murison - Free Book Online Page B

planet.’ Added another.
    ‘ Sorry I didn’t know
that.’ Charlie finished his coffee and the Chief saw him
out.
    ‘ We got another half
dozen of these buggers scheduled for tomorrow Charlie. Do you have
the day off?’
    ‘ Looks like
it.’
    The Chief slapped him on the shoulder,
‘As soon as you can make it then.’
    ‘ Catch you tomorrow
Chief.’ Charlie was beamed away.

CHAPTER 12
     
    Rannalld’s senses were being assaulted.
Mya had been completely honest with him. In the morning he had
shown her around the grounds but when lunch time came he very
quickly realised that he could not do her request justice. He
called in reinforcements, and within an hour half of his general
staff had arrived. Cookie had thought they were going to have a
lazy day, but with the arrival of the general staff, the whole damn
thing kicked up a few gears and he sent for back up. Another dozen
chefs arrived, but not to cook. They were needed to take notes and
ask questions. The quiet home quickly turned hectic. The Modloch
servants helped where they could, and Cookie had them transporting
dishes back and forth.
     
    Rannalld groaned as he climbed into the
aircraft. ‘What have you done to me Mya. I can hardly move
now.’
    ‘ I am so sorry
Rannalld. I did not think they would bring so much food with
them.’
    ‘ Most of it was
delicious. Never mind, my staff will soon make short work of it. If
there is one thing they do really well, it is eat.’
    She laughed, ‘Where are you taking me
now?’
    ‘ We are heading
towards your villa at the mountains.’
    The craft took off and made for a
distant point in the mountains. Mya was getting used to the uniform
green strips of grass. Here and there large machines swept over the
rectangular fields. As they approached the mountains, Mya noticed
the terrain begin to change. She pointed down. ‘What is happening
here?’
    ‘ Every now and then
you come across a parcel of land that simply refuses to drain.’
Rannalld explained.
    ‘ Can I see
it?’
    ‘ Why?’
    ‘ Please.’
    He shrugged and relayed an order to the
pilot who changed course. They flew back and forth across it for
half an hour before she was satisfied.
    He was watching her with great
curiosity. ‘What are you thinking Mya? Nothing grows there except
for water grass. Only the poorest would even contemplate eating
that stuff.’
    ‘ You said all this
belongs to the Emperor; are you allowed to plant food on land like
this?’
    ‘ You mean there is a
Human crop that would grow in such conditions?’
    ‘ I think rice would
grow here.’
    ‘ Ah! That white dish
you are so fond of.’
    ‘ Yes that’s
it.’
    ‘ I don’t know, I
would have to look into it.’
    ‘ Do you think there
is fish down there?’
    ‘ I doubt it. The
insects that thrived in such places were considered detrimental to
the health of the people many thousands of years ago, and wiped
out. When we killed them off, I think most of the species that
lived off them also died off.’
    ‘ Still, it might be
worth a trip to find out.’
    ‘ That it might.’
Rannalld smiled to himself. He had been looking for an excuse to
visit her again, once his official duties had been carried
out.
     
    The craft resumed its course and they
soon reached the mountain villa. Green fields stretched out on any
flat piece of ground to be seen. Mya could see where fields had
been carved out of solid rock. The higher regions were almost
devoid of life, untouched. The villa itself nestled on a long ledge
on the lower slopes of the mountains. High enough to be cooler, but
not so high that the air was thinner. It was exposed to the sun all
day long and sheltered from the prevailing winds. The grass fields
that surrounded it were of a different variety to that which grew
well on the lowlands.
    It was a long, single story building.
The flat roof had been converted into a garden, while the far side
had a pool. There were no roads, and the only in was by air; or so
it seemed.
    The craft