GalTech and the Shadow Warriors: Growth of a Star Empire

by Magnum Indiana

  The current misinformation was that Shadows went through an extensive mechanical enhancement program to give them their physical abilities. While that kept the Galaxy from the truth, it also made for fewer volunteers from the military ranks. It would help if some celebrity, or even better, the Emperor’s son would volunteer for the Shadows.

  Why an officer instead of a Sergeant was pulling recruiting duty in the first public recruiting office in Taylorville, the Teaman Empire’s capital city, was still not clear to him. Emperor Jasper the First’s wife was a PhD in Botany. She and the Chief Doctor for the Shadow program wanted him to recruit fifty candidates that had experienced stress or trauma while growing up so they could chart the rate they accepted the Symbiont and compare it to that of the previous military volunteers. Yours is not to reason why, B-ball old son, it is to “get ‘er done on the run.” And here is the next contestant. I would not have picked her as a candidate for us…

  “Lieutenant Hoops, the Sergeant asked me to come to your office and speak with you before starting the application process with him. I am Eva Quan and I would like to become a Shadow.”

  B-ball was still wondering why an incredibly pretty blond that should have a line of guys…or even girls…chasing her would actively want to become a Shadow. Time to be blunt.

  “Thank you for coming, Ms. Quan. Pardon me for seeming a bit confused, but why the Hell are you here? You do know that the Empire rents Shadows out to unaligned planets for projects that are often solved by death and mayhem, right?”

  Lt. Hoops stared and Eva stared back. Then she blew out a sigh and said, “Lieutenant, you look at me and see a blond attractive enough to be a model and think that I would be more comfortable in a bikini than a uniform. You don’t see me as a soldier and a trained killer do you?”

  “No Ms. Quan, I am afraid I don’t. You are obviously trim and athletic, but you just don’t look like a potential killer. Do you want to kill people?”

  “If they did something to warrant being killed Lieutenant, then I would definitely be willing to do that. Can the Teaman Shadows teach me to do that?”

  “Yes Ms. Quan, we certainly can. If you have the will, we can give you the skill. Do you have the will Eva? What makes you think you can kill someone else and stay sane? What gives you the will to want to mete out terminal justice?”

  “This is not the kind of conversation I envisioned having at a recruiting office. Actually, it is much better than I envisioned. I will happily answer as long as we get two things straight first. One is that if you get to use my first name I get to use yours.”

  Her stare was ice cold with no flinch. Hoops had to smile.

  Okay, she does have a bit of fire in her. “My name is Leon. However, these days with my friends, I go by my team name. If your answer is real and we can bypass the bullshit, I will tell you that too. Second?”

  “Second, if you get my soul bearing questions answered to your satisfaction, then you owe me a couple of honest answers as well.”

  “Eva, I will answer anything you ask that I am allowed to without first requiring an entangle photon mind wipe precaution. That okay?”

  “Yippee Skippy, but you know the ultimate non-disclosure agreement you just mention is intriguing to a fan of The Art of War like me. I hope that does ruin the ditzy-blond-with-nice-tits image of me that you are trying to hold. I guess it’s time for me to make you drop that like a hot potato.

  “Lieutenant, I wanted to avoid this revelation because I figured it would scare the psyche people and I would not be able to get into this band of brothers plus one ditzy-blond-with-nice-tits. But the Sergeant already mentioned an extensive psyche review, so it was going to get out anyway.

  “Leon, I was fifteen when I was picked up at school and taken to the hospital to watch both my mother and father die. They were doing a two-year medical contract on Horseman, a sparsely populated and unaligned planet between here and the Republic Des Amis. Some pirate ships jumped in and raided the hospital for supplies. They shot many of the staff. They made my mom and dad, the only two doctors, treat a couple of them up. Then one shot my dad. When dad did not go down immediately they clubbed him…a lot. From what the doctor that flew in from the next settlement told me, they raped my mom and a couple other women and then clubbed them. The head injuries killed mom and the others.

  “I was numb. I did not know what to do at first. I was an only child. My folk’s estate was enough to get me off Horseman and through a Bachelor’s degree at Teaman University. I changed. Yeah, I was a bit of a ditzy-blond at fifteen, not so much since then. It was a while before I dated again. I took a Karate class at Teaman University and then started taking Aikido too. I hung out with some of my work out buddies. I dated, tried sex, but something was missing. Then I dated a guy I met at a Karate tournament. I probably would have hit the sack with him but he tried to force me. Instead, I put him in the hospital. While I was beating him half to death it dawned on me that I enjoyed it way too much and made myself stop. Fortunately, he had a history of sexual assault and they let me off but made me see a shrink. He advised me to find an outlet for my built up aggression and frustration…sort of, go kill someone legally and on purpose so you don’t do it by accident. That enough, Leon?”

  “Who is your best girlfriend Eva?

  “I don’t have one. I have a few female acquaintances that I like, but they are not really friends. The gals I know are overly concerned about some guy, clothes, getting fat, celebrities, kids, which bra makes them look best, or a bunch of other things that I find boring after five minutes. They are mentally soft. If I ever have a girl as a best friend, she will probably have to be able and willing to kick my ass. I have a hard enough time finding guys like that. They also have to like my sarcastic, wise-ass humor. It is a challenge.”

  “B-ball.”

  “Huh?”

  “B-ball is my team name. That is what my friends call me. For the record, you just passed the psyche test. I already knew what you just told me, but we needed to see if you would tell me the truth, how you handled it, and if you were coping with it. Shadows do not have psyche problems for very long. Sorry, it is a story you do not want to hear yet. Your teamies will have to know it someday and will have to believe they can depend on you in some hairy situations. Women Shadows are just as lethal as male Shadows, but we do not get many that come our way.

  Don’t ask about the process. You will have a 30-minute memory wipe option after I turn you over to the Sergeant. If you elect to take it, you will be told everything about the physical process of becoming a Shadow and the good, bad, and incredible after effects. If you then choose not to join, you lose memory back to when the information session began. That said; I owe you some honest answers.”

  “Thanks B-ball. Have you ever killed someone? If so, did it ever bother you?”

  “Eva, I killed someone on almost every mission; sometimes several. I have lost two teammates. The first person I killed did not bother me at all considering what he was doing to another human being when I killed him. I wish I could have killed him twice.

  I once shot through someone and hit the man behind him. It messed up his shoulder bad. We shipped him to the Teaman University Hospital and he came out just fine. When I went there to apologize to him, he got out of bed and hugged me with his good arm. He thanked me for saving his family. Other than that, I have no remorse.

  The Shadows do not take a purely political contract very often. The bad people are usually obviously bad when we show up. Something else you will learn during that short orientation is about a built in coping mechanism that Shadows have. Shadows do not get night-sweats, horrible nightmares or depression. Don’t ask more about that…yet. Next question?

  “Do Shadows still like and have sex?”

  “They seem to enjoy it more than before they became Shadows. They do tend to be more selective. That has been the case for my teamies and me. Next.”

  “When can I start?”

  “How soon can you be read
y to start?”

  “The clothes I own are in my air car in the parking lot. My apartment lease is up this Friday and paid through then. I have no one to notify and the guy I was sleeping with just left to do his field work for his Doctorate. I am yours. Again, when can I start”

  “You just did. Let’s grab the Sergeant, go tell a few blatant lies over lunch and a beer, then bring you back and throw you to the mercy of the medical team.”

  “What, no paperwork?”

  “Nope. Shadow Intel already checked you out when you applied. You just need to answer a few questions while that and every vital is recorded. Paperwork is for people that will do it. The Emperor figured out early on what any real Shadow would always have or find something more important to do. For the most part, we talk instead of write. Even verbal reports are kept to an absolute minimum because of security issues. No, we are not dumb: just the opposite. Studies show IQ will actually increase somewhat after becoming a Shadow. We are just not suited for a lot of sitting around. So let’s get some lunch. You’re not a vegetarian are you?”

  “No. I tried it once but it didn’t work for me. Any diet issues being a Shadow?”

  “Eva, I don’t know any Shadows that don’t enjoy eating. I never met a Shadow on a diet of any kind, and I never met a Shadow that was fat. You have a great body for a civilian. It will be even better as a Shadow. Let us now go enjoy eating too many calories. They will all be gone next week.”

  “I have to admit B-Ball, this promises to be more fun than taking a can of shiny, a can of Skippy, and a fifth of rum and blending the best possible future hangover.”

  “Ah, there is another big secret you cannot ask about yet Eva. You can drink without a hangover the next day.”

  “Oh, that is too Skippy for words!”

  B-ball smiled all the way to the Sergeant’s desk. This is like watching a fish discover water. I think I will keep close tabs on this one.

  Chapter 4 – Will’s First Test

  Will remembered the day with painful clarity. It was the day he had step outside the fortress of his adolescence and square into the tornado that raged beyond. Honor, duty, make mom and dad proud, and all the other concepts and phrases that shaped his thinking in the past, now served as the catapult that pushed him into the whirlwind. It was time to make the winds serve him or to be pulled along forever in their wake.

  Assembled in the secured meeting room were more than ninety of the strongest political and economic leaders in the Teaman Empire and the ambassadors from four other star Empires. The assassination of the Emperor and Empress a week before left the Empire in shock. The news media focused on William Jasper II, the twenty-four-year-old new Teaman Emperor. The consensus was that he was too young to keep together an Empire forged by his father and grandfather’s iron fists and iron wills. Most of the people in the room had met Will at least once at a social gathering and engaged in polite, shallow conversations.

  Willie Kimbo was the long time Prime Minister of the Empire, Will’s godfather, and Will’s mentor. The two had a relationship and respect for each other that went far beyond politics and business. He and Will spent many hours discussing the most effective way to assure the Empire that there was a new Emperor at the helm and the Empire would move forward. Willie finally concluded that Will should do what he did best, which was lead. Willie introduced Will.

  “Distinguished guests, I thank you for coming. After a week of mourning, it is time to acknowledge that the empire has a new Emperor. This is his first official meeting. It is my honor to make the formal introduction. However, first I think I will take advantage of my opportunity to make some unscripted observations. Some in this room are expecting that the Teaman Empire is about to fall prey to a young man who may be given to grandiose, altruistic, and unrealistic goals. You may be concerned that at twenty-four years old, this young man may not have the leadership ability or mental strength to handle an empire forged with iron fists, run by strong men, and designed and politically structured to be run by one main decision maker. Some who think that way may tempted to plot ways to steal power or wealth. They may see opportunity in turmoil.

  “To those few I will address these observations. I have known William since the day he was born. I am honored to be his godfather. William is the product of a unique environment. He has two PhDs from the Teaman University: one in economics and one in political science. During that course of study, he analyzed the strength and weakness of both the political and economic structure of the Teaman Empire and also that of its two partner Empires in the Sleet Alliance.

  “William started martial arts training when he was four. Most of you know that his father was a master of several martial arts. By the time William was twenty, his father could no longer best him. His father commented to me that he never met a man with more persistence or work ethic than his son. Those that knew his father know that he did not make comments like that lightly.

  “I took it upon myself to make sure that William understood politics on both a street level and a legislative level. One cannot understand politics without understanding those that have or seek power or money. My guess is that he knows more about each person in this room than you know about any of you closest business associates.

  “William was appointed by his father to the board of directors of GalTrust Bank when he was twenty years old. Anyone who doubts my concluding message may want to check with Ben Colin, the CEO of the bank. My guess is that he will tell you that William is smart as hell, a businessman to be reckoned with, tough as nails when he needs to be, and mature beyond his years.

  “My concluding message is this: take the new Emperor lightly at your own peril. With that said, I am honored to introduce the new Emperor of the Teaman Empire, William Jasper the Second.”

  After a standing applause, Will motioned everyone to sit.

  “I thank the Prime Minster for that unexpected introduction. Thank all of you for participating in my first function as Emperor. There is a lot I need to accomplish. That job of work starts today. First, some announcements that might help quell some of the rampant speculation that has been going around.

  “Our currency will continue to be backed by gold primarily and other precious metals secondarily. I will continue the policy of not accepting fiat currency for trade or debts. I am however, requiring that any currency traded through our system must be valued as a percentage to our own. Thus, an unaligned planet that backs its currency with nickel might find the value ratio to ours to be much the same it would find on the galactic currency markets. I have instructed the Teaman Bank to reset those rates each quarter-hour based upon market values. Details will be available through the bank and through the Prime Minister’s office. That valuation practice will start in sixty days to allow those to whom it may present a problem enough time to make adjustments. That announcement is happening publically this moment to eliminate the time needed for effective currency speculation.

  “Next, I am changing one of my father’s policies within the next three months. At the suggestion of the Prime Minister, I am appointing a study group headed by the Opposition Leader, Mohammed Rabbani, and utilizing the members recruited from Teaman University faculty and student body to recommend both the overall functions and method of implementation.

  “I do not want someone to commit a crime that created two victims instead of one. Those that commit crimes may now find a different punishment than a jail cell and free meals. Jailing criminals costs our society money that could be better used to help victims or aid society. Requiring society to spend money to incarcerate someone makes the society a secondary victim of the original crime. Soon, many of those that commit crimes may find themselves receiving a public whipping or other unpleasant physical punishment, related limited medical care, loss of some or all citizen’s rights, and immediate release. That is the primary remedy under current consideration but I am open to others that the committee suggests. Again, my intent is to listen to the findings and suggestions of the committe
e, subject them to citizen feedback surveys, and issue a decision and implementation order to the Prime Minister within ninety days.”

  The room grew quiet while considering his comments. This did not sound like a weak kid. That realization caused many a frown or raised eyebrow in the audience.

  “Next, I am rejecting a proposed tax on Teaman companies that elect to avoid taxes by moving production plants to unaligned planets. Instead, I will create a commission as early as next week to seek other positive methods or incentives to retain some or most of that production on Teaman planets. Some of you in the audience today will be invited to sit on that committee. I am open to all ideas so long as they are fair to the companies and economically viable to the Empire. My focus is not to point a finger at the very industries that we need to grow and flourish. Rather, let us understand why they feel the need to incur the expenses of moving production, losing key people that will not relocate, incurring additional expenses to ship some of their goods back to Teaman to sell, and increase the difficulty of internal communication and controls by decentralizing. Are our taxes on them so high as to justify all that, are regulations to oppressive, or are there other reasons we have not explored? I do not have a solution or timeline in mind, just a resolve to pay immediate attention to the problem. Feedback from people in this room to the Prime Minister or me would be greatly appreciated.

  “Next, there has been a great deal of concern about immigration by people to our Teaman planets to gain the free medical coverage, educational benefits, and other benefits our Empire guarantees to our citizens. I will personally work with the commission appointed two months ago by my father. However, as of now all applications for immigration that are in the system will be processed and granted or denied based upon current criteria. No new applications will be accepted until I reach a conclusion. I am meeting with the committee daily until we can resolve this issue. This is one of my top few priorities.