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This little piece of fiction was written by jfrazier. He has also written "Efficiency, Care For Your Work...". This is also Hive fiction.
Don't Cross Yang
--Another episode in the on-going Hive Chronicles. From the far reaches of a new empire:
People's Teeming was the new base that was just completing phase one of construction. The workers put much pride in there ability to complete architecture in such timely and efficient manner. The central facility was always constructed first, there upon the Governor would have his facility and staff cared for and then the workers would move to the housing facility and a special weapons and research facility and then finally the new factories for manufacturing would go up. People's Teeming would be the fourth such base constructed since planetfall. In the 20 years plus since arrival, many believed the other factions only had one base, maybe two, but Hivesters always had the confidence of knowing they did everything better and was far more efficient than anyone else.
This new base represented the Hive's newest and farther outpost base of the thriving young empire. Pride in the government could be felt clear down to the lowest members of the empire. Word spread among the workers with the excitement as to whom they would be working for at the new base. Rumors began to fill the air with hopes of Master Lodoyalla, who had many successes in production at his last base, or would it be the military genuise Master General D'Avilla? Or, maybe, the Great Chairman Yang himself? His personal leadership always led to great pride in workmanship and top efficiency. After several weeks of construction, the Hive leadership had still ignored the issue of naming a governor. The people started to become concerned. There was issues of important planning of the future that had to be done, furthermore, a governor set the the tone of its workers and gave them special meaning in there existence and pride in there daily routine. What worker would not want to work for a leader? To go leaderless was unthinkable!
Two weeks after completion of the People's Teeming factory, known as Facility AA11....
The Governor's transport foil arrived along with an escort of two Chaos Skimships. All the workers and specialists were told to line up and meet the new governor as he arrived. Columns of people stood as the new governor walked from his vehicle toward his final destination. He wore common garb, had small facial features, and appeared average height. However, his silvery white hair and stunning deep blue eyes bore a second look. His albino skin reflected as much light as the medals on his shirt.
As he strolled along the first column of soldiers standing at attention, he suddenly stopped and waved his arm back which signaled the dismissal of all the columns with the exception of his soldiers. Each column quietly began to leave in order while the governor's name was immediately announced across the base for everyone to hear.
"You now belong under the care of the Master Governor Laximer."
"Yang was able to control the masses by his charisma, but I shall control by force, and strength, he quietly said to his private elite council later that day. The group of elite ten or so from the base just stared at him as he spoke. No sound was uttered. Laximer began to smile as he looked at the seemingly docile group.
"My name shall be referred to the name I had in the early preplanetfall days, as Dragon," he cunningly ordered. I only answer to Laximer by the elite council at which our leaders sit. "I must caution you all. I will tolerate no inefficiency by any department at any time. Those found inefficient will be subject to criminal prosecution for negligence."
The meeting ended with no questions or even hesitations for questions. Everyone knew there duty: Efficiency was detrimental. Without efficiency, there was no loyalty. Without loyalty, there was no state.
Behind the unsecured room door, Dragon was now able to begin execution of his plan. The plan he wanted to use for the betterment of the state. His glory to be made, for his dream was to make the inner most elite circle of leaders that Chairman Yang sat at. 'Institute a plan that would bring him recognition and more power, while at the same time taking care of the state. It was a bold plan. If he failed, or any part of the plan fail, he could become a prisoner for treason in that he violated state law for personal gain. If it succeeded, then he had the chance of gaining a seat on the elite council of nine. So he kept dreaming....
People's Teeming was at full operation the minute Dragon had assumed leadership of the base. His schedule was that of any hive governor. He was on a schedule that required his most attention and that offered the highest efficiency necessary. At mid-morning, he would inspect the high-tech facilities; at mid-day, when the second sun arose, he would inspect the mining facilities and question his managers. At this time, he would pick out, usually a young manager and question his loyalty. He could always find something wrong with a manager that allowed him superior upper hand in gaining there submission. If he liked a particular level of effieciency that a manager had ascertained, then he required them to constantly obtain that level, or increase it.
Managers in departments quickly learned under Dragon that any less performance than the day before required a great deal from them, namely, to justify the reason efficiency was down. If it returned the following day to a higher rate, then the manager was left alone. If the efficiency of any department stayed down or continued to go down more than two days (decurns), Dragon was known to quickly have his elite secret service investigate the problem, find the source, make a recommendation, and then use appropriate action very quickly to remedy the situation. This always required Dragon's personal attention. Managers were rarely found to be inefficient and therefore rarely replaced. Inefficient workers were severely dealt with by managers and Dragon saw to this.
Like all Hivesters, People's Teeming was no exception. Competition brought about superior leadership. Hive bases competed out of pride and duty and attention from the council of elite leaders, namely Yang. Yang was always sure to recognize his most efficient followers. Dragon sought to grab this attention for his base and then make a power play to earn a coveted spot on the council once his efficiency was discovered. He quickly offered to take on more special projects and didn't hesitate to look into fitting these projects into his own personal gain at the expense of his workers.
*****
Dragon took a personal interest in seeing the hourly efficiency reports all day long and then would make precise predictions for the full daily report. When he was off by a few numbers, it gave him personal pleasure if one department pleased him or angered him. When Yang requested his appearnace befor the annual new seasonal council meeting of elite leaders, of which Yang held a permanent seat, Dragon took the opportunity to heart...'My efficiency is being recognized. Soon all the elite members will know of me and I will be sitting next to the great Yang.'
*****
"The council requests that your base begin operation of military goods for our people," came the order from one of the members sitting at the head of the table. Dragon looked up surprised.
"May I ask the council why the change in operations? My base is performing above top efficiency in Bore Hole drilling and extracting and we plan to top the 10,000 mineral extraction in record time. No other base has proven to be so efficient," inquired Dragon.
The scrawny short oriental man that had been doing all the talking for the council looked surprised when Dragon questioned his orders. The elder man lifted his boney finger. "It will be done. You will do as asked. You are a governor, nothing more," he added.
After a few seconds of silence, a soft, soothing and kind voice overtook the room with the feeling of passion and earnest concern.
"You...have done well my child. You have proven to be a resourceful and efficient leader, however, can you follow the orders we have given you?" said Yang. "Do you question our authority for what we tell you?" he added while smiling kindly.
Dragon knew this was a trick. Under that exterior smile, brew a monster. Yang could be cunning and ruthless yet kind and charismatic. If he answered 'yes', then he was allowing himself to be put in harms way by Yang, or worse not be trusted. Even the mere thought of speaking out or questioning orders, objectionable or not, was not at all advisable. As a matter of fact, if any Hive member questioned orders or suddenly showed a 'weak' sign of conscientious objection, they risked being severely dealt with. If Dragon answered 'no', then in effect he was accepting the council's sudden what seemed, 'irrational' orders. He answered no. Then quietly left the room. Yang smiled, knowing that his trusted governor may not be so cooperative as first suspected. This would have to be followed up.
*******
"We have a drone riot on our hands!" yelled the Hive security chief into his transmitter.
"Request instructions," he added. The workers had been totally submissive, but suddenly, and without warning, someone, or something was placed into the base central computer system, thereby causing workers to riot. The story was still unclear.
Dragon awaken early by the alarm bells, went immediately to call the security police to crush the rioters. His next order was to place his base military on full alert and to institute marshal law. But, worse yet, the elite council would see this and he would face posible embarrassment or replacement. A riot without being suspected or crushed early could be seen as a major criminal offense. Dragon began his ruthless terror of the People's Teeming base personnel.
After revealing some sabotage in the base facilities, many workers within the facility were imprisoned and finally executed in some cases. That night, as the second sun set, another drone riot occurred, setting alarms off and causing the military to react for another round of crowd control. By morning, the efficiency report was nothing to talk highly about and a summons that Chairman Yang was going to visit didn't help matters for Dragon.
He called his managers together hours befor the official visit to get a clear indication of what went wrong. There was little time to locate clues before Yang arrived, yet there had to be some answers. Yang required answers.
Yang's arrival was at the exact time as told and thereupon, he exited the deck of the fleet vessel first, then followed by what looked like hundreds of other workers and soldiers. Dragon tilted his head out of respect toward Yang.
"your arrival is appreciated," said Dragon.
Yang looked deep into the albino's eyes and gave his familiar gentle smile. "I see you have had riots last night. Is there some information you could share with me?"
Dragon returned the gentle smile back. "I regret that my security has found no immediate cause but are continuously looking to see what was at the source."
Yang nodded his head. "I was afraid of that so I took care to bring several additional security personnel and specialist to replace your staff."
Dragon was dumbfounded. "Replace my staff?" he said sounding meek and confused.
"I have come to replace you, my old friend. You are to be arrested and imprisoned for criminal inefficiency and allowing a drone riot to occur. This hurt the state."
"But the riots are not my fault," pleaded the once proud and powerful governor.
"Yes, but the health and loyalty of my people are....at your care. You may have plenty to think about in our latest version of the punishment chamber."
Later that day, on special Hive communication circuits throughout the empire, a report came out: "Laximer, or otherwise known as Dragon, Ice Eyes, is no longer governor of People's Teeming. After his unsuccessful try to put down a drone riot, was replaced by the Elite Council. There is no word on Laximer's disposition."
*****
Yang looked back at his own personal security report. It reads as follows:
"Provocation of inefficiency brought on by rioting noted." The report continued to Yang's approval: "As per Chairman's overriding the executive elite council, the hand picked rioters have performed admirably and been paid for there services in causing the riot at People's Teeming, as per this Chairman's orders. They have all been executed upon completion of there orders as per this Chairman's request. Reason for riot at People's Teeming to remain as follows.....Governor's inefficiency. End of project 009349-A.