Chapter 72 The System master (part 2)

Andrew's mention of the railgun option scared the ladies.

They all knew his goal of conquering the system, but they preferred the bloodless way.

-Actually, if you want them here, we can send small substations to bring them.

Aelita suggested.

-How long would that take?

Andrew asked, interested in the idea.

-With 62 component manufacturing modules, I can have the substations ready by tomorrow and the drones would be ready as well.

Then it's just a matter of sending them and bringing back the stations of the sleeping ladies.

Aelita explained.

-And how long would that take?

Andrew asked.

-The closest one to us would be reached in around two days by standard drones, but thanks to all the upgrades, it will take around 30 hours now.

This time it was Lanarine who spoke.

-The furthest will take around 5 days to reach, so in around two weeks we will have all of them brought here.

She said, looking at the distances and calculations.

-Can we use the same method to bring the student here as well?

Ilia asked, curious about it.

-We can, but it would not shorten her arrival time.

Our drones would need to reach her station and then bring it back, with her own drones she will arrive faster.

Lan explained.

-Alright, Aelita, start working on the substations, Lan, find the best route to the sleeping ones.

Andrew said.

He liked this plan, with it he would get the system in around two weeks instead of a month or longer.

-I'm way ahead of you.

Aelita grinned, sending the data to the command chair.

The first substation would be ready in 12 hours as the module elements were already being produced.

-And what would you do if I decided to just shoot them?

Andrew asked amused.

He noticed that after the regeneration tank treatment, Aelita was becoming more and more cheeky.

-I would still build them and tell you it's a surprise, then you would use them either way.

She said with confidence.

The girl was almost certain that he would not let her efforts go to waste.

Andrew started laughing, not believing how different the girl had become after her body and mind were healed.

What's more, he liked the change in her.

-You got me there.

 He finally admitted after he could control himself again.

This made her smile in triumph.

-But don't get too carried away with it.

This trick won't work on me every time.

He reminded her.

As much as he wanted to please her and allow her self-confidence to build up, he could not let her get carried away or it would end badly.

Aelita got a bit embarrassed for letting herself get carried away, but at the same time, she was happy that he agreed to her idea.

-Alright, while you're at it, make a few small substations, nothing much, a solar power generation module or two, a drone recharge module, and basic shields would do, added with some drones.

Andrew said having an idea.

-Why do you need something like that?

All the ladies asked at once.

-To bring the other stations in this system here.

-But there is no point to that, they are all obsolete, not to mention damaged.

Aelita protested.

-Be that as it may, some of them still have intact beginning modules and we need to secure them all before someone has a bright idea of claiming them.

Andrew explained.

-Not to mention that our shopping lists are updated with each beginning module we add and some of the modules from your lists are superior to mine, and I bet the same goes for the other beginning modules as well.

-What do you mean, I thought that we all have the same modules.

Lanarine asked.

-Take a look at the stats of the human hydrogen generator module and the Cheroni one.

He said without explaining.

All the ladies took a look and were shocked to discover that the Cheroni module produced the same amount of power but used 5% less fuel than its human counterpart.

-How did you find this?

Aelita asked, still shocked that she missed something so important.

-By accident, but then I found some more similar examples and that's why I want the beginning modules of every stationmaster in this system.

Andrew said.

-That will make you the most powerful stationmaster here.

Iliana said, still shocked at the discovery the human made.

-Ilia, I am the most powerful stationmaster here, but conquering this system is only the first step.

If we want to be taken seriously by other factions, then we need a few more systems under our control or even better the whole sector.

The ladies were shocked yet again, it was the first time he ever spoke of controlling more than this system.

-That's quite ambitious, but I don't think that other system stationmasters will just line up to pledge their allegiance to you.

Lanarine said.

-I know they won't, but if I can secure this system and get a fleet as fast as possible, then there is a system next to us that doesn't have any stationmasters left alive.

If we can take control of that system then we will be in a much better position to deal with the other ones, not to mention all the resources we could gain from there.

-Maybe it would be a good idea to tell us all the plans you have at once, that way we won't be shocked anymore.

Aelita said, trying to wrap her head around the idea of ruling multiple systems.

The ladies were certain that Andrew would stop the expansion after he conquered this system.

-That's actually as far as my plans go so far.

The rest depends on our success or failure, but one thing I'm sure about is that we are already behind many stationmasters, and factions are popping up everywhere.

I have no intention to serve anyone so the only way for me to remain free is to become powerful enough that the others will think twice before challenging me.

The same goes for all of you, or do you think that I want to keep you all as slaves indefinitely?

-Wait, are you saying that you will free us at some point?

Runir who was listening with Tarina at the entrance spoke.

Since they both were behaving lately, Andrew lowered the level of control to two allowing them way more freedom.

-If it's the two of you, I can send you back to your people the next time the merchant visits.

He said, not even surprised that they were there as he saw them on the internal sensors.

-Why would you do that?

Tartina asked not believing his words.

-Because I have no use for you, and even if I gave you your freedom, there is a good chance that you would still try something to take over this station.

-Then can you send us back when Her Holiness is here?

Runir asked.

-If we return by ourselves, we will be executed.

Tarina added.

This surprised even Andrew.

-Why would they execute you, when you were captured and simply returned to your own people?

The human asked.

-For failure to capture this system as her holiness ordered and for leaving her behind when we were ordered to protect her.

The diplomat explained.

-And if you return with her?

Aelita asked.

-We will still be punished, but by keeping her safe, we will be able to avoid being killed.

Runir said.

-Will the federation ships still come here if I send all three of you to them?

Andrew asked.

-Yes, they will come to reclaim her station and claim this system.

Runir said.

-So no matter what I do, I will still need to deal with them?

He asked, just to be sure.

-Yes.

Both ladies nodded.

-Then why the hell should I release any of you?

Andrew asked.

-Because then they won't just kill you, and you might have a chance to become a slave.

Runir said.

-Well, that's not a convincing argument, I have no intention of giving up this system, and sure as hell, I'm not becoming anyone's slave.

Andrew said with determination.

-That's your decision to make, we just want to get her holiness out of here and survive it.

Runir said.

-I will decide on that once I become the system master.

Andrew said, cutting this discussion, which seemed to go in circles.