The Commander by CJ Williams Page B

some warships out into the solar system just in case. That reminds me; we haven’t established any firm rules of engagement. We need to get that nailed down quickly. And we need to formally establish our military arm. Right now I feel like we’re just a bunch of gentlemen adventurers going along by the seat of our pants.”
    “There’s another thing that’s coming up fast,” Roth said. “We’re only about sixty days away from the expiration of our first employment contracts. You keep reminding me that if even one person exercises their option to go back it means the lid comes off. Everyone on Earth will know about us. I told Amanda Carlson to create a marketing and PR department. She’s hiring reporters and copywriters. Soon we will have our own newspaper and TV station.”
    “Keep them away from me,” was Morrow’s reaction.
    Luke nodded in amusement but didn’t speak. The three lapsed into a companionable, if troubled, silence. Everyone was overwhelmed with the day-to-day business of extraordinary growth. The new challenges that kept cropping up just added to the burden.
    “This is a dangerous time for us,” Luke said. “This is the period that every startup company goes through. Excitement, events, and fast moving changes carry us along and adrenalin helps us keep it together for a few months, maybe a year. But without a solid backend bureaucracy, employees will start cutting corners or make up rules based on the situation at the moment. It’s a recipe for disaster.”
    “So what do we do?” Roth asked. “Want us to pull back? Slow down?”
    “Nothing I’d like more,” Luke replied seriously. “Except for one small factor.”
    “The Bakkui?” Morrow suggested.
    “Exactly.” Luke sighed heavily. “We don’t have a choice. We have to keep plugging away; keep moving as fast as we can. But let’s start thinking about long term, let’s get policies and regulations in place. And I hate to say it; but we need one more thing.” Luke looked at his two best friends. “We’re not going to be around forever. We need to establish a self-sustaining system that will keep going long after we’re dead and gone.”
    “You mean politics,” Morrow said, his face sour.
    “Yes, God help me.” Luke nodded. “I mean government and politics.” He looked at Roth. “This is your baby. Start working on it.”
    Roth shook his head slowly while Morrow burst out laughing and pointed at Roth’s long face. “Thank God he picked you for that. I want nothing to do with that kind of thing. Just make sure whatever you come up with includes free beer.”
    After his two colleagues departed, Luke opened just such a free beer of his own and sat on the couch, waiting for his new lover to come back from the surface. Today Moonbase had started building its own navy, and Luke felt good about their progress. But in the evenings, when he rested on this very couch with Annie sitting beside him, he worried about what kind of technology the Bakkui were bringing to the party. The thought made him shudder. He wished that Annie would hurry and get home. He looked forward to next week when it would be his turn to commute.

Day 355—Population 9,359
    Luke stood over the sizzling skillet in his Earthside home, expertly flipping the omelet into thirds, neatly encasing a sprinkling of diced ham, grated cheese, and spicy vegetables.
    To be together as much as possible, he and Annie took turns commuting, and this was his week to make the twice-daily trip between Earth and his place on the moon. Their unspoken agreement was that the person commuting would make breakfast and the one remaining was responsible for dinner.
    After many serious discussions with Luke, Annie put her grandmother’s house on the market and moved into Luke’s planetside residence. It was bigger, if a bit more rundown. During his life of solitude, Luke hadn’t put much effort into renovation. Annie had assumed that responsibility and Luke was happy with the