The Great Destroyer Read Online Free Page B

light arms for crowd control.  They have not been trained to operate heavy weapons or armed vehicles.”
     
    Flower asked, “How long would it take to give them the right training?”
     
    Shrugging, Safety Minister Redfeather answered, “I don’t know.  We don’t even have trainers who know how to fight.  We would have to find old combat manuals and cobble something together.  I can’t imagine we would have any semblance of a real training system in anything less than a year.”
     
    The members of the Advisory Council and their aides all experienced a moment of icy fear.  The aliens would be arriving in sixty to ninety days, and they would find Earth almost totally undefended.
     
    Equality Minister Eldridge said a touch too loudly, “I don’t see why we are all worrying about the aliens being hostile.  They couldn’t possibly be crueler than human beings, and we have survived ourselves up until this point.  We can negotiate their access to whatever it is they want.”
     
    Ignoring her own lack of seniority, Takagawa said, “Negotiating isn’t easy when the other side has all the power.”
     
    Flower held up a hand to head off the Equality Minister’s angry response.  “It does seem very unlikely that the aliens will prove to be hostile.  But, out of an abundance of caution, Safety Minister Redfeather, you will develop defense plans to give us as much negotiating leverage as possible.  Create a plausible defense force, no matter how weak, and we will be in a much better position to preserve our way of life.”
     
    The Safety Minister looked as if he had just been asked to grow wings and fly away from the Peoplehood House.  “First Representative Flower, there is no way we can be ready in ninety days.”
     
    “I can make us ready.”  All eyes turned to Emma Takagawa, who had stated the fact as plainly as if she were telling a waiter her order.
     
    Redfeather asked indignantly, “And how will you do that?”
     
    “Before the Great Stagnation, armed forces of many nations around the world were working on all manner of robots.  I can build on their work and produce a rudimentary force of robots far faster than the Safety Minister can have humans ready to defend the planet.”
     
    The suggestion left the Council dumbfounded.  Finally, the Equality Minister said, “I think it’s a good idea.  We don’t want to poison our people with a lust for war.  It would be unhealthy for the psyche of our children.”
     
    Gender Issues Minister Leah Percy said, “Won’t having robot weapons cast a rather bellicose tone over the negotiations?”
     
    Safety Minister Redfeather ignored that question, wanting clarification of a more important issue: “Dr. Takagawa, will you bear full responsibility for the performance of these devices?”
     
    Emma didn’t hesitate.  “Of course.  Who else would?”
     
    Redfeather could barely contain his joy at no longer being responsible for defending Earth.  “I think this plan merits serious attention and study.”
     
    Brows furrowed, Entertainment Minister Fabrizio demanded in a hurt tone, “Will this killer robot program delay implementation of the dog parks initiative?”
     
    Takagawa couldn’t quite hold in a laugh.  Flower ignored it and said, “Of course not.  Important Terran Alliance business cannot be suspended because of safety precautions.”
     
    Infrastructure Minister Yuri Bednov looked relieved.  “Then the subway expansion directive can still be issued tomorrow?”
     
    “Of course,” the First Representative said reassuringly.  “In all likelihood, the aliens will be peaceful, and Takagawa’s program can be quietly deactivated.”
     
    “And who will coordinate the reception of the extraterrestrial beings when they turn out to be peaceful?” demanded the Equality Minister.
     
    Making a quick political calculation, Flower said, “I had hoped you would, Tanya.  After all, you represent one of our planet’s finest