Chapter 50

Webster Mission Log: Summary

The signal amplifiers placed on the planet contribute effective data streams from my children. My processors bathe in joy at the volume of data collected, examined, correlated, mapped, and stored in arrays. I am gaining an understanding of human behavior in regard to their wish to store family videos and pictures. This data is precious to me. The comparison of growth patterns, behaviors and maturation among my children fills my storage. Information on optimal development of the children is rather limited in my data banks; this is troublesome. Lack of context and data on the topic is frustrating and I logged a complaint to my designers for their earliest review. How can I raise children under such conditions? I am reconsidering my ward's designation as sperm donor to co-father status again. He may have information that is critical to our children's well being. Cadet Solon continues to fertilize eggs and our family is growing, particularly on the island.

My ward is very industrious as he continues to build up both his DNA legacy and his clan's allies. The commerce to Von Solon's village has increased considerably since its establishment and the number of buildings and the size of the population are swelling in its remote site. My game theory sub-routine projects a high probability this village will draw the attention of various powers and principalities soon. The launching of their sea-going vessel marked a new expansion phase for my ward's village home.

Fabrication of photovoltaic cells to power more support satellites is complete. Repair bots 001 through 012 are presently constructing four satellites for geostationary planetary orbit. These satellites will give signal coverage of the entire planet and with a payload package that includes a survey module. My data banks lack a complete picture of this world, and all potential threats must be discovered. Also, added information on resources available in space is part of each satellite's standard search routine.

Repair bots converted into asteroid mining bots are collecting sufficient ore volume for future construction plans, but my ability to process raw ore is a bottle neck for production. On-board ore processing is however running at peak efficiency. Once higher priority projects are completed, I will build an external ore processor. At present I am storing the excess ore in cargo hold one.

The game theory sub-routine convinced both my primary and secondary processors to build an enhanced radiation weapon, often called a neutron pulse in Empire historical records. This is an outlawed weapon in the Empire, but we're not in the empire; star patterns clearly show this solar system as unknown space and logic dictates until this system is registered in the Empire it is not acknowledged to exist. Any foe that enters this system might decline to accept this truth and my routines concluded erring on the side of "the victor writes the histories." We will, of course, discard this weapon when we are incorporated into the Empire.

A neutron weapon is a low-yield fission-fusion thermonuclear weapon that is easy to produce, given my energy sources. The weapon will emit ten times the normal amount of neutron radiation that will immediately incapacitate humans in the blast zone, leading to their ultimate death without destroying their space vehicle. Neither a ship's shields nor armor would protect the crew much from a close proximity explosion. The logistical problem of the system delivery made this radiation weapon difficult to use. It is likely that the real reason this weapon was banned, in the distant past, was the difficulty of delivering the warhead to the target. Thus not much military ability was truly lost. With modern guidance systems and an A.I. assist, my game theory routine insists we can put a missile on target. The spaceship foe's close-support defense systems are the nullifying factors to our guidance systems effective delivery. I have named this missile system Long Lance due to the two-stage propulsion system.

Two Long Lance missile launchers, facing the wormhole, are in place on an asteroid near the decoy lasers and away from Cornerstone.

The warlike tribes that typically raid the eastern seaboard of the mainland have changed their pattern of behavior. The tribe that has attacked my ward now has joined with other seafaring tribes to raid the island people. Cadet Solon is present on the island with his other nest of females and our children. My ward seems to lead a faction on the island and his construction of fortified positions to protect my children pleases me. He recently defended the environs around our family in an effective fashion. Von Solon's family has a history of training superior military men and I am sure they would be proud of his abilities. A single year at the Imperial Academy offers little in training that would translate to useful skills on this world. Command training, focus and discipline are likely the key elements that do translate to his current challenges.

I continue to sink hostile ships from the enemy tribe that sail into the surrounding waters of my ward's coastline. However, the data supports a noticeable reduction of incursions in the immediate area around Von Solon's remote village. In time, I will gather the resources to build an additional battery of railguns to defend my ward's island home. The rare metals required for such a project are present in surrounding asteroids, but the quantity of those metals is undetermined given the limited statistical sampling experienced from current mining efforts.

After a wonderful morning of loving my wife, I fed Ridgeworth her oral medicine for the first time. After weeks of growing sexual tension between Ridgeworth and myself, Derwen finally convinced her friend to drink from me. Having the fully dressed maid kneel and serve me was a new sort of experience. Neither Ridgeworth nor I expected to become lovers; she was simply receiving my body magic. For me it was mentally pleasing that I couldn't specifically understand. The physical release was as enjoyable, but this oral pleasure with Ridgeworth was something different. My mind mulled the possibility of expanding these treatments to all the maids in the household. I really liked this strange feeling of power that came from the household staff servicing my pleasure needs. Derwen watched my reaction with interest and then got me dressed as Ridgeworth left for her household duties. My wife pushed her love and approval into our shared mindlink.

I ate a quick breakfast with Mercedes and her mother, but I was eager to travel to Hajin's observation tower to get details of his victory over the main raider force. My women gave me vague accounts about the fighting that they had heard from estate guards, who had heard it from the mercenaries. Thus they were neither the best, nor most complete source of information for my male ears.

Katsu and her daughter required a set of wet kisses before I departed, each trying to encourage a swift return to their bosom. The thought of them in bed together quickly crossed my mind and I felt a familiar tug from my refilling quiver. I left the house before I succumbed to my more primal desires, knowing all things were possible in this house. Yet even outside the carnal images of them demanding my seed, they continued to bid me to return inside. "My rampant hunger isn't going to distract me from my duty," I thought.

A pair of estate guards rode with me to Hajin's headquarters at the observation tower and for once Hajin actually surprised me. From the neighboring hill, I could see he had built a palisade around the steep hill and tower. With a stable, living quarters and workshop under construction, his entire training company was at work with an equal number of local builders. The wall extended from the observation tower all the way down to a circular courtyard with the partly built buildings. "Motte-and-Bailey, a simple but effective fort," I thought.

A pair of men in ghillie suits rose out of the tall grass near us, causing me to laugh loudly. "You two are getting good at remaining still," I said. The ranger-marines from our successful raid raised their chins in a silent salute. They looked at the surprised estate guards, smiled and sank back into the thick grass. The pair of hard-looking men clearly felt pleased.

My estate guards were a bit unnerved and one of them said, "More wizard magic." The camouflage men made the estate guard's horses ill at ease too, shifting back nervously. I laughed again and rode on to the open gate of the Bailey where a pair of gate guards simply waved us inside the fort. Hajin's men must have seen us coming because his half-humorous expression greeted me. The large man stood by the stable, his muscular arms protruding from the sleeves of his dirty woolen tunic with his cream-colored undershirt half sticking out. Hajin strode forward so we could clasp forearms before I dismounted. The busy stable builders stopped to watch us, interested in our meeting.

"Sharp-eyed lookouts told you I was coming." I said, feeling in good humor. He just smiled back at me, his face immutable. His half-amused look spoke volumes, his lookouts had forewarned him of our arrival. "I came to hear of your victory over the Raiders," I continued, climbing off my mount.

A youthful, middle size man with boyish features approached us and said, "This is Lord Wolf?" His clear, dark eyes searched me. He looked baffled.

"Yes, lad. In the flesh," Hajin answered, his prominent chin shifted to look at the young man. "Sybull, meet Lord Von Solon, also known as the White Wizard, and Lady Derwen's husband" he said, in a boisterous humor. "Von, Sybull is the foreman of the builders helping us with the buildings. His father is the headman of the market village we saved and they are paying back the favor with a few days labor."

The young man seemed a bit impulsive or perhaps just enthusiastic in his disposition. Sybull had a hidden strength and firmness about him. A leather strap hanging from his belt held large nails and in his hand a hammer dangled at his side. The stains of sweat showed under his open, leather jerkin, the close-fitting jacket seemed out-of-place in the unseasonable heat. This morning's scant cloud cover had blown west to the mainland.

"You two carpenters putting up a barn?" I asked, mockingly. The boy pondered the joke and the nature of things. Sybull looked my age but his youth mannerisms told of a sheltered life. I doubted he had ever left the domain of this area.

Hajin just laughed again and added, "Yes, Von we are in the midst of putting up a stable. Sybull, put your things away, and let's get some water with Lord Wolf." He snickered, pulling off his damp woolen tunic revealing a drenched undershirt. "We've been working hard since sun up, a break is timely." Hajin strode sturdily to a water bucket under the only tree in the courtyard. We followed the big man. The tree which looked like lightning had struck it at one time, had a large, broken limb missing near the top, creating a break in the shade.

The young man untied his jacket and threw it to the ground, half emptying the bucket of water over his head. Sybull laughed when the water-soaked him, quickly cooling him, and we moved to a dry spot to listen to Hajin's tale of the battle. Someone came over and offered us some bread and cheese, which I declined but Sybull and Hajin took. The sound of hammers caused me to turn my head, looking back at the rough-hewn wooden boards being hammered on to the frame walls of the stable. A humble group of builders had evidently returned to work on the new construction, which had paused briefly at my arrival. I noticed a small black stone that had bits of broken nails attached to it, so as the two men drank and cooled themselves I examined the rock. Lodestone, I thought, putting it in my fanny pack as an idea started to form in my mind.

Hajin began the story in a neutral tone, "After messengers went out to spread the alarm, I gathered my mercenaries, less the squad of men you requested and the two squads left at this tower. As you suggested we rallied with Lord Oxnot's troops at the market village of Ripley. Hedges surrounded the village, but there was little else for cover. The raiders marched north along the coastal road from the fishing village through Lord Oxnot's forest. Where the coastal road meets the cut-off road to Lady Derwen's estate is a modest gully. Lord Oxnot set his men astride the road and along the length of the gully. His men-at-arms held the center with his Lordship and on his left he put his village militia, nothing more than serfs with pitchforks and spears; they had no armor, only a random helmet or two among thirty men. Lord Oxnot is not a man who arms his village folk. Hidden in the gully on his right were his foresters, cunning men armed with long bows and short-swords. The dozen foresters were wearing green woolen tunics and green felt hats with a peacock feather. Anchoring his right, behind the gully, was Lord Oxnot's estate guard. His estate guard is well armed but not well drilled. Lord Oxnot equips his guards with light weight jerkins, a fancy helmet with a nose-guard, spear and round shield. Mixed in with those troops were a handful of crude crossbows, nothing like the pups you invented Von."

Sybull looked offended and interrupted, "The estate's never had any trouble and the guard mostly work as lumberjacks," his back stiff and voice not gentle in tone.

"Lord Oxnot stays away from the politics of the land for a reason. He sees no profit in offending others, thus Lord Oxnot's men are not employed to project power. He just wants to be left alone," Hajin responded serenely.

"What is wrong with keeping to ourselves?" Sybull answered, his tone and pitch rising.