Calan and Rax met them outside at the front doors, casually blocking entry by the overlord. The psion didn’t like him one bit. He never knew the full story, only that Berke had caused his mother considerable emotional and physical pain.
Berke considered her personal property and punished her for leaving him. Chelle Narcaza would have killed him had his father not been dying and needing her to heal him.
Calan and Rax stood side by side, feet wide apart with their arms crossed over their chests. Berke approached flanked by his bodyguards holding his hands palms out to show he bore no weapons.
“Calan Narcaza, I believe you have my property,” Berke said as he came to stand a few feet in front of him.
“What property would that be?” Calan asked casually. “The onlypropertyI have here, I bought and paid for.”
“You know I’m talking about my people,” Berke smirked mockingly.
“The last I knew, slavery was against the law in the Federation. People aren’t property. They are my guests; they are free to leave at any time they wish.” Calan replied while Rax stood beside him stoically staring down Berke’s bodyguards.
“I would like to have them back,” Berke said with forced politeness.
Calan was certain Berke would have been happy to have his thugs blast both Rax and him then call in his gangers to round up his prostitutes. Only Calan was sure he wouldn’t just take his own. Berke’s greed would make him take any person he deemed able to provide the services he sold in his brothels.
“I would like to see them,” he said. Despite the civility of his tone, it was a command, not a request.
“They are free to speak with you if they wish. One moment, I will contact their quarters and see if they will see you.” Calan slowly reached for his com tablet in his pocket, then held up his hand as Berke’s thugs reached for weapons. “I am unarmed. I am just getting my com.”
Calan signaled the barracks general com. “Ladies and gentlemen, I have Mr. Redmyn Berke here asking to see those of you who worked in his facility. He is waiting at the main entrance.”
When he finished speaking Calan silently polled the rescues for their reactions to the announcement. Their emotions ranged from fear and anguish to pure hatred. Only one person answered Calan’s call. She said no with a colorful description of where Berke could go and what he could do when he got there---and she was speaking for everyone.
Calan took the call in privacy mode and schooled his features, so he didn’t look like he wanted to laugh out loud. “Okay, I will tell him. Thank you.”
Calan slipped his com back into his pocket and looked up, meeting Berke’s gaze. “I’m sorry Mr. Berke, they have declined to meet with you.” He paused for effect. “Would you like to come inside and see what we have done with the place?”
Berke frowned in surprise at the invitation.
“Your men can come if you wish.”
“All right,” he said, as Calan knew he would.
Calan nodded and turned, leading the way inside. The first module was Calan’s flat and office. His clinic was in the second flat on the left. He had planned to put the clinic and infirmary in the opposite wing, but his intakes got ahead of his deliveries of modules.
So far, he hadn’t needed an infirmary. The illnesses and injuries he’d treated hadn’t required round the clock monitoring. He’d treated them and let them return to their quarters. That had led him to rethink his original plan.
This was his first stop with the overlord. His clinic was equipped with the latest body scan technology and medications. It was an apartment he and Rax retrofitted with medical equipment. One of the bedrooms was converted to a surgical cell, and one was an exam room. The other room contained an automated birthing chair.
“Impressive,” Berke said. “This place must be costing you a fortune.”
“Doesn’t matter, I can afford it.”
“Why would you do this? You don’t even know these people, and you are providing them with food, shelter, and medical care. It’s no wonder they want to come here to live instead of working for a living.”
“That’s not exactly how this works,” Calan said, “come with me, and I’ll show you the sample flat, which is where I live with my mate.”
They went into the modest flat together. Like all the others, it was plain and simply furnished and low maintenance. It seemed luxurious compared to the ruins where Calan’s refugees were accustomed to living. The refuge provided the modest comforts of modern living---indoor plumbing, a soft bed, and a food processor with simple fare and a steady supply of nourishment.
Things that few of them had had their whole lives.
“Do you know the history of Earth, Mr. Berke?” Calan asked as they stood in the lounge. “Before the Mesaarkans came this is basically how people lived---in apartments and houses. They worked at jobs to pay for these things. When the Mesaarkans destroyed the cities and the infrastructure of the world, they not only destroyed the world economy, they all but destroyed civilization.
“My mother grew up in these ruins. One of her first memories was seeing her mother murdered in the streets. She almost never had enough to eat, and she slept in the dirt in ruined buildings. Children are still living like that here. I came to change that.”
“That’s very noble,” said Berke, “but you’re wasting your fortune. Free food, free housing, and free medicine---you’ll be supporting them their whole lives.”
