So...as promised! Finally!

Took me a bit to get this into this story line again. I've got the next few lined up, and plan to work on them in the upcoming days. Of course, as we all know by now, life takes a good long look at my plans and laughs. So perhaps I will....or perhaps I will be busy with some other nonsense...who knows?

In this, we only see a piece of Grey's actual plan. You will see more out of him coming soon.

I would say more, but that would ruin things.

As always, let me know, what you think!

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Promised Land Chapter 7
“Divide and Conquer”
By: Lu-Man

“Divide and rule, the politician cries;
Unite and lead, is watchword of the wise.”
- John Wolfgang von Goethe, Gedichte


Grey walked the halls to Darkpaws and Sunshine's room. He still didn't understand why Darkpaws and Sunshine got to walk around with the rest of the important staff. His job was sales, pure and simple. Grey wasn't even sure what Sunshine's job was. It couldn't be that important though if he didn't run across her at all in his tenure on this ship.

When he finally approached the room, he pressed the button to alert his presence and then smooth over his uniform. When Sunshine finally opened it, Grey could see her wearing a plain white pair of trousers, that some how accented her fur. Foxes. Always fussing and preening.

“Is your...mate around?” He asked. He almost said 'high one' but thought better of the crude joke. Darkpaws peaked over her shoulder, and Sunshine gave him a look, but said nothing and turned away. “Grey, what is it?” He asked, pulling on a shirt to match his tan trousers.

“We have an E-mail from that Julia. The council wants it translated. They also want to know about any and all complications that could occur in this deal.”

“You mean besides them snooping in my E-mail?” Darkpaws grumbled.

“Careful salesmen. Don't forget who's E-mail it actually is.” Grey snapped back.

“I apologize. I don't understand why they sent you to ask me to check the E-mail. I just find it odd, that's all.”

“They are just getting nervous. I will handle the council. I need you to check the E-mail and dig into that other small thing.”

“That,” growled Darkpaws “will take several hours, if not days. I require the hologram room for the entirety of that time. No interruptions either. Tell them to block it off.”

“Okay, but you must get started.” Darkpaws gruffed in annoyance. He nuzzled his mate and headed out the door.

Sunshine again looked at Grey, but said nothing. Grey ear tipped a farewell to her and headed out the door to the lower decks. The first part of his plan was in motion. It was going to be easy when everything was said and done. Grey found himself in a happy mood again, growling out a nice tune all the way to the mechanics bay.

In the bay, he found Scratch again underneath a vehicle. This one the transporter that had become 'disabled' in their last trip. Scratch didn't bother getting up.

“I have a lot of work to fix our alibi soldier boy, so make it fast.” He growled.

“Scratch! You actually bathed. I'm surprised!” Grey replied.

“I always bathe, I also always work so I always sweat, unlike some of you.” He grumbled. It was Scratch's traditional response. 'yes I do, but I do more work than you.' Truth was, he did, but not nearly enough or even as much as others. Everyone knew it. In fact, someone at one point had printed a log of every time he visited the bath in the past month and pasted it to the door to his room. It was less than seven times.

“Yes, well, regardless, you're needed.”

“For what soldier boy.” He grumbled again. Grey grabbed his foot and pulled him out from under the vehicle.

“You call me that again, and I'll feed you your own heart. Come on.”

Scratch grumbled but followed. Grey ignored it. Grey led Scratch down a stairwell, a long narrow passage way into the rear of the ship. After walking for sometime, Scratch asked. “What are we going to the engine bay for?”

Grey replied “Cause the council wants you to melt down those parts. They don't want any of our technology to end up in those apes hands right now.”

“The humans wouldn't even know what to do with it at this point. They have nothing like or near this technology, they probably couldn't even identify why we use gold to build them in the first place. Its wasted effort. I should be...”

Grey turned and snapped at Scratch “You should be down in the engine bay melting down that metal! Or doing whatever else the council asks you to do! Until all those parts are melted, and turned into nice little bars, like you see on those human pictures, don't turn back up top side! In fact, until that job is completed don't leave the engine bay! I will have your meals delivered. You are to finish your work here, and then contact me!”

Scratch looked down, but didn't say anything. He knew better than to say anything back. He simply nodded his agreement and let Grey have this round. Something smelled wrong about it, but Scratch didn't say anything. He would have to do some investigating on his own.

Grey led him down to the engine area. It was hot....extremely hot. The temperature rivaled that of most deserts on Earth. The extreme temperature was from the huge circular engine that was standing in front of him. It ran on a version of fusion, colder than typical fusion that lit the sun, but still put out plenty of heat. Its why it was usually empty. Unless the engine was off, no one wanted to be down here. In fact, prolonged exposure could kill you from the heat alone.

The floor itself was metal grating. A dim amber light lit most of the room. In one corner stood the robots that had been designed to work on the engine while it was running. No being could get past the heat shields while that engine was lit and live.

Grey gave instructions, but Scratch mostly just ear tipped at the appropriate places. Their version of nodding along. Melt the bars, be careful of the heat, take plenty of brakes, yeah, yeah. The machines would do the work in half the time anyway. Heck, working in hot temperatures is what they where designed for.

Scratch entered the control area of the engine room and looked around. A plate of cold protein paste and a jug of warm water awaited him on a table in the corner. Yuck. Grey was not far behind. “Oh good, they delivered it. Its not gourmet but it will get you through the next week. I'll make sure it keeps coming. And there's something wrong with this com station. You can contact me but it won't get on the main network.”

Scratch ear tipped an agreement again. Another nod. Won't get on, genius,he thought because its not designed too. You know that though. You want to keep me down here, and out of trouble. What are you hiding from me?

“Are you listening?” Grey growled again.

“Yes, you said be careful of the heat. This is an eat area and my break room. Also I sleep down here until the bars are completed to prevent anyone messing with the work or damaging anything. No one is to know that I am down here. And I'm not to use the robots, as they're on a repair schedule with the main engine and you don't want to drain there batteries.”

“Good. I'll be back by later. I'll check in often.” Grey turned around to leave.

“I bet you will.” Scratch growled.

“What was that?” Grey snapped.

“I said I can't wait.” Scratch replied.

With that, Grey left. Scratch sat down in a chair by the table. He looked around the room. Two large windows faced him. These windows revealed two robots hanging on the wall charging, and of course the stairs that let him here. Scratch also saw a com terminal between the two windows. “I can use one robot,” he thought, “and keep the other one charged. I can have what he wants done in a day. It won't take long. But I have to drag my feet.” He grumbled.

“Why?”

Scratch jumped. In the doorway was Darkpaws mate. Sunshine I think he said her name was. “I uh.....”

“Why does he have you down here?” She asked, walking into the room.

“My job is to stay down here and melt the gold parts down into bars. They have to be completed, by hand.”

“That would take a while.” She replied.

“I believe the high one already knows.” replied Scratch.

“He wants to keep you down here.”

“I know that.” Scratch growled. “But what I don't understand is why? The council gave their support. The deal is in motion, right? Why the busy work all of a sudden. Why is the council afraid a few human beings, who value this metal so much, will suddenly use it to backwards engineer a laser cannon or something?”

“I don't know” Sunshine said “but he's got Darkpaws tied up too. He's got him doing research into every possible way this plan could fail.”

“How much you want to bet that he will have to come up with ways to counter act each one of those methods too. This is not like the council. They are difficult to lead to a hunt, true. But once they're finally on a scent they don't like distractions and nonsense.”

Sunshine huffed. “He's up to something. We've got to find out what.”

“I'll do some digging. Once I find out something I will send you call.”

Sunshine head tilted in confusion. “I thought this com station didn't access the ship's main computer?”

Scratch ear grinned. “Not yet. I can fix that in a day. I'll contact you soon.”


Grey was almost beside himself. The plan went perfectly. Scratch, he would need to keep an eye on. But he was a simpleton at best. A simple trouble maker who thought himself smarter than what he actually was. The real problem was going to come from Darkpaws.

Divide and conquer. And by the time those two figure it out they probably already be locked up to be executed. And Grey, the dashing Grey. The hansom, smart Grey the hero of the council will be the one who had found them. His faithful contribution to their new nation will be assured.

And no one would ever be the wiser.