America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Book 4: Demilitarized Zone by Walter Knight Read Free Book Online

stop.
     
    * * * * *
     
    I met with Legion engineers and
geologists.
    “We are still getting technology-driven
seismic activity,” explained the engineer. “At first we thought it
was more spider tunneling because it was on our side of the border.
But now I think the spiders are angling their well drilling
equipment under the border in hopes of tapping into an aquifer on
our side of the DMZ.”
    “Can we stop or intercept their drills?” I
asked. “I do not want the spiders stealing from our water
source.”
    “That would be impossible,” said the
engineer. “The only way to stop their drills is to attack their
equipment on the surface.”
    “That can be arranged.”
    “I have some more interesting news,” said one
of the geologists. “The source of our water is an underground
river. It runs for hundreds of miles.”
    “Is that why there is no water on their side
of the border?” I asked.
    “Most certainly the river crosses the border
at some point,” explained the geologist. “The spiders just have not
yet found where it turns north.”
    “How much water is down there?” I asked.
“Enough for a large city?”
    “That is the exciting part,” said the
geologist. “The underground river may be as large as the New
Mississippi River. There is enough water down there to irrigate the
entire New Gobi Desert.”
    “Is that something we want to do?” I
asked.
    “I thought that was why we are here,” said
the geologist. “There is no gold or oil in the New Gobi. But the
New Gobi’s year round growing season makes it invaluable if you
have a dependable source of water. As an area for growing food
crops and raising livestock, the New Gobi could be turned into a
paradise that rivals Old Earth California. Its potential is
unlimited.”
    “Should we be buying real estate?” asked
Captain Lopez. “Do you think we could grow oranges and raise
cattle?”
    “I don’t see why not,” answered the
geologist. “Add water to the mix, and the New Gobi would be perfect
for that.”
    “My hacienda will grow oranges for as far as
the eye can see,” said Captain Lopez. “I will be the Marquis of the
Valley. We need to keep this a secret just among us until we can
buy our land. If this information gets out, the price of land will
skyrocket.”
    “Who owns the New Gobi Desert?” I asked.
    “The United States Galactic Federation owns
all public land on our half of New Colorado,” replied the
geologist. “Anyone can file a claim for free land if they have a
plan to develop it. However, water rights are held in trust for the
public good and regulated by the Office of the Governor.”
    “ Dios maldita sea,” fumed Captain
Lopez. “There is always a catch to prevent my prosperity.”
    “The Office of the Governor is General
Kalipetsis,” I said. “We will have to bring him in on any land
speculation. He can seal the deal on water rights.”
    “No way,” argued Captain Lopez. “That won’t
be necessary. When word gets out, a land rush will happen. We want
that. By then we will already own the best land. General Kalipetsis
will have no choice but to sell water rights to the new
settlers.”
    “What about the spiders?” I asked. “I am not
cutting that spider commander in on any deal.”
    “The same thing will happen on their side of
the border once they tap the underground river,” said the
geologist. “There may be border disputes. We should survey the
border and make sure boundaries are clearly marked.”
    “Can we buy land on the spider side?” I
asked.
    “That would be a risky investment,” said the
geologist. “You might consult a spider lawyer on that. Being that
the spiders have nationalized human mining and oil operations in
the occupied North, I don’t think your investment would be
secure.”
    “It might be if the Arthropodan Governor
ceded the New Gobi Desert to us,” I suggested. “Maybe we could work
out a land swap deal with them.”
    “Don’t be greedy,” said Captain Lopez.