Chapter 58 The way I chose.

The next morning, Andrew started preparing to welcome his first guest.

He wore armor instead of clothes and he was armed with a taser, his Colt 1911, and the FN P-90.

The doctor should not pose any trouble, but interactions with his step-sister and her friends had taught him not to underestimate women.

When Lanarinre saw him entering the command center, looking like he was going to war, she panicked.

-Why do you need all these weapons?

 She asked, worried about her friend's safety.

-In case your friend turns out to be more formidable than any of us suspects.

Andrew answered and disabled the defense system setting it back into standby mode.

-The defense system is back on standby, so I expect to receive a call from your friends soon.

He said.

Then looked at her when she didn't answer.

Her expression was accusatory like the one she had when they were arguing over the drones.

-I promised that I would do my best not to hurt them, but they didn't promise anything like that so I needed to be ready to defend myself.

He explained.

-But you look like you plan on going to war and she's just a doctor, what can she do to you, especially when you have armor and all she has is a space suit?

Lan argued.

-The idea is to intimidate her into submission, that way I won't have to hurt her.

He said.

-With any luck, she will be too scared to try anything and it will all be over without any trouble at all.

He added.

-Why do I have a feeling that you are just saying what I want to hear?

She asked suspiciously.

-I don't know, maybe because you want to believe that she is harmless and will be easy to subdue.

Her answered.

-You don't believe she is?

Lan asked, finally understanding what he was trying to say.

-I don't know, and that's why I'm preparing for every eventuality.

Their discussion was interrupted by an incoming call.

-I see you managed to take down the defense system, good work.

The fleet commander said when Lan answered the call.

-Yes, finally, it took a lot longer than I thought it would.

Lanarine lied.

-Then could you tell me where I should dock my station?

The doctor asked as she was only six hours out.

-I didn't dock mine for now, Aelita designed this station so I didn't want to interfere with its function, you know how she is when it comes to engineering.

-The same as me when it comes to medicine.

The doctor answered and smiled.

-Then how will I enter the station?

She asked a moment later.

-You can park your station next to mine, and either jump or I can send a drone for you.

Lanarine suggested.

-Then how about you detach a module with me inside?

I don't trust these space suits that much.

The doctor asked.

-I don't see a problem with that.

Lan agreed.

-Then see you in six hours.

She said and disconnected.

-Lanarine, give us a call once the doctor arrives.

I know that she will want to check up on Aelita first, so she might forget about it.

The diplomat, who was silent till now said.

-I will, once she is safely onboard, and I'll remind her to also call you.

Lan said, and the other two disconnected.

-You heard them, the doctor will arrive in around six hours.

She turned to Andrew.

-Good that gives me more time to prepare, and it's also good that they will arrive one by one.

It would be troublesome to deal with two or three at once.

Andrew said, calmly.

-Well the diplomat will arrive in the next two days, and a day later, it will be the fleet commander, followed by a student a week later.

After that, the system is as good as yours.

Lanarine said, shaking her head at how easily he played them all.

-Not quite, there are still the sleeping ones.

He said, surprising Lanarine.

- How do you know about them?

She asked, not believing what he just said.

-The same way as I knew all your planes, and the system won't be considered mine until I subdue all of you, so they will need to be brought here as well, but that should be easy since they are in cryogenic sleep.

He explained.

-Why won't you spare them, they entered cryogenic modules for a reason.

Lanarine asked.

-Well if they choose to get back to cryo after they submit to me, I won't oppose, but as I said, to truly conquer this system I need to either kill or subdue all stationmasters, and they are station masters whether they are frozen or not.

He explained the situation to her.

-Ok, so you won't force them to stay awake?

-Of course not, if they so choose, then they can go back to sleep right after they either surrender to me or get their chips.

Andrew said and looked at Lan with surprise when her eyes went wide.

-That's it, that's the better solution you wanted.

She said with excitement.

-I'm not following.

He said puzzled by her words.

-They can just surrender to you, and then you won't need to turn them into slaves.

She explained.

Andrew sighed.

-Lan, I know that it sounds better, but it's not.

He said, stunning her.

-How is it not better?

She asked.

-If I make them into slaves, I will be able to free them later and they can get their stationmaster title back, just like you did.

But if they surrender to me, this option won't be available ever again.

To surrender means that they will become my subordinates out of their own will, and that status is impossible to reverse unless I get defeated and the victor decides to set them free.

He explained, what the surrender meant.

Lanarine was surprised, she thought that she had finally found a better option but it turned out to be even worse than slavery.

-How do you even know about this?

She finally asked, she never heard about any of that.

-I asked the merchant, and it cost me a few million credits, but this was a part of my preparation to capture you all.

He explained.

-Does Aelita know about it?

-No, I never told her and I won't even try to make her surrender.

He said honestly.

-Then how are you planning on taking this system if she remains a station master?

Lanarine asked, not understanding his logic.

That's easy, I will ask her to become a sub stationmaster, that way she retains her title and I get the system.

He said.

-Lan, I have been preparing for this for a long time, do you think that I haven't considered every possibility that I could think of?

He asked her, tired of this discussion.

-The way I chose to follow is not the least problematic one but it leaves me with some options for the future.

-Then what would be the least problematic way?

She asked, unable to imagine something like that.

-The least problematic way would be to kill you all and be done with it, that way I would claim this system in less than a week.

He explained.

The woman went pale hearing his words, but after thinking about it, she had to admit that he was right, this way he would not have any problems whatsoever.