Free Warpath by Randolph Lalonde Page A

Governor would not be able to press a button and have
the immediate attention of the Overlord of the Order of Eden Fleet in
front of him holographically. “Governor Tate,” Overlord Clark
Patterson said. “I have been looking forward to meeting you, but I
did not expect you to find me through the Echo network. We only
captured the module two weeks ago.”
    “My sources informed
me that you have one yesterday, it is a pleasure to finally address
you outside of my weekly reports. I am impressed with how you have
commanded the fleet since the coup, Overlord, but I didn’t go to
these lengths to contact you for praise alone, I’m afraid.”
    “Thank you for
getting to the point, Governor,” the Beast said.
    The holographic image
of his face was blurry, but that exoskeletal skull with its shifting,
scraping plates made Governor Tate’s skin crawl. “I am concerned
about the impending arrival of our High Priestess, as her people have
begun to call her, Eve. My branch of your military does not run on
faith like her coterie does, they are military trained and believe
that their service will improve their quality of life. This religious
zeal that she inspires, it seems fickle, dangerous. It even seems
difficult to direct.”
    “She inspires
millions,” Clark Patterson said in defence of Eve. That was
unexpected.
    “It all hinges on
her, and her ability to deliver immortality and paradise. I have
difficulty believing in her, and I can’t help but suppose that a
great number of her followers are sceptics who are going along for
the ride because they see little alternative at the moment. They’ll
break away the moment they see an opportunity.”
    “You are one of the
wealthiest people in four sectors,” the Overlord said. “If I’m
not mistaken. Paradise is within your grasp, even though you have
responsibilities. How could you understand the struggle of people who
were stranded, accosted by the Holocaust Virus? You cannot. At the
same time I have to admit that you have a point, one that I’ve been
thinking about for a while. My own fleet is performing exceptionally
well without constant exposure to the religious side of the Order of
Eden. Their gratitude for a place in this wounded galaxy and the
camaraderie they feel towards each other keeps them in line. I
concede one point to her, however. The ideas of immortality and
paradise are intoxicating. I am in the process of founding my own
paradise world right now, and have made many of my soldiers immortal
by implanting them with framework technology and making them Knights
of the Order. These things are enough to motivate my soldiers like
nothing I’ve ever seen, even though a number of Order Knights have
been destroyed. They are hailed as great heroes and few question that
earning a place as a Knight is the best way to survive this war.”
    “But that’s not
religious zeal,” the Governor pressed gently. “That’s
presenting your servicemen and women with rewards for improving
themselves, for proving themselves. I award my top people in similar
ways.”
    “Ah, but not in our
ways,” Overlord Patterson said, “Paradise and immortality do not
have to be connected to religion any longer. Not when our control of
high technology can make us seem like Gods. We don’t have to call
ourselves Gods, just leaders, but the result is the same. They will
lay their lives at our feet. The difference is that we don’t try to
trick our people into thinking that we are somehow supernaturally
superior, or some chosen prophet.”
    Wheeler had warned him
about getting too deep into a debate. The Governor was to befriend
the Beast, not argue with him, or try to change him. “You are
absolutely right, Grand Admiral. I find myself wondering if I should
follow your example in elevating some of my men to Order Knight
status.”
    “You should. In fact,
if you have a personal guard, I’d begin there,” Grand Admiral
Patterson said. “You should also create propaganda that