Chapter
Forty-Three
Both North and Morn knew what would occur. Soon an Emissary would go to
The Peepians with a demand from The Lord God that they accept His
Divine Rule.
2 If The Peepians refused, The Lord God would declare them rebels, then
a fleet would be sent to conquer them. Most would be annihilated. The
few that survived would be executed or kept as breeding stock as a new
order of slaves.
3 "The scouting report," commented Morn, "says they have an extensive
fleet of system class ships, but no star drive. They'll be able to put
up a fight, but they'll end up like my mother's people.
4 With their numbers, they might even be able to stop The Empire, or at
least hold it at bay for a while, if they had some star drive engines.
It would be a surprise to an attacking fleet if they GOT some engines,
wouldn't it, North?"
5 "It sure would! " North smiled, a smile that told his old friend
North was already scheming how the Peepians would get the engines.
6 Within days forty of North's freighters were sitting on the edge of
the Peepian system, negotiating with their leaders. North's people were
willing to give up two-hundred precious star drive engines and spare
parts. Plus, provide the Peepians the technical assistance to
incorporate these engines into their ships.
7 But it could not be without cost. The Peepians had to pay for the
engines in some way. The freighter’s cover story was they were a
trading expedition out to get Peepian artifacts before hostilities
began. If the Peepians would provide such artifacts, it would not only
make their mission look authentic, but it would provide The Rebel
Forces with badly needed funds with which they could replace the star drive engines and obtain more, and also provide the
Peepians further assistance later.