Emma lay on her side in bed, breastfeeding her child. Lübeck lay on his side behind her, his left hand moving back and forth, wandering from her waist to her hips, thighs, and the contours of her body. His face was pressed against her long hair, his nose breathing in the scent of her skin.
The pre-industrial era was a time conducive to population growth. After dark, there was little else to do, and men and women were together only to conceive children. Lübeck's mission was precisely to preserve and spread as many Germanic population seeds as possible beyond Earth.
After a while, the child fell asleep. Emma placed him in the cradle, covered him with a blanket, then turned to Lübeck and whispered shyly,
“Could you feed our son from the other side? It's getting really uncomfortable.”
“Sure,” Lübeck said, shifting his position downward, pressing his face against her chest, savoring the scent and texture of her skin while breathing in her scent. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her closer. Often, physical distance is the same as emotional distance, so Lübeck always wanted to give the closest people the closest contact, giving Emma all the love he could offer.
In terms of age, Emma's breasts were already quite full, firm, and well-developed, and combined with her tall stature, she resembled a very mature adult. Yet she still carried a childlike, pure heart—content, unassuming, peaceful yet occasionally playful. So much so that when Lübeck buried his head in her embrace, he often felt a sense of confusion, unsure whether he was the one giving her love or if he had already been enveloped by Emma’s love.
In the pitch-black night, there were again the cries of a child, and again Emma was handling everything. Again, Lübeck followed Emma's body to embrace her. In a daze, Lübeck even wondered if he should give her another child. One child might not be enough for her in her old age, but seeing how tired she was, he felt a bit reluctant. The thought flashed through his mind, and before he knew it, he had fallen asleep again.
When he awoke again, it was already bright outside. Emma and Ruth were quietly chatting in the kitchen, preparing breakfast, waiting for Lübeck to wake up.
After finishing breakfast with his family, Lübeck first took a carriage to the spaceport to inspect the spacecraft’s readiness for departure. Accompanied by the guarding sailors and crew members on duty, he toured the various stations on the spacecraft. After making a full circuit, Lübeck walked to the weapons storage area on the ship, ordered the soldiers to open it, and personally inspected it before issuing an order to clear out two-thirds of the space.
After inspecting the spacecraft, Lübeck went to the supply warehouse to sample and count some consumables, spare parts, and ammunition.
After checking the spacecraft and supplies, Lübeck rushed back to the security forces' headquarters, obtained the list of personnel ready to depart and those on leave from Trudi, and hurried back to City Hall with it.
By the time he arrived, it was already lunchtime, and everyone was waiting for him at the table. Lübeck felt a bit guilty and quickly called all the staff to start eating. The matters that had been gathered from various parties could only be discussed over the meal.
“William, have the surveying personnel for the first batch of surveys been confirmed?”
“Confirmed. Some of the personnel have received additional training. Aside from the first batch of surveying tasks, we won’t need this many people at the same time in the future.” William replied,
“Good. Kurt, are there enough marked stakes prepared for the surveying process?”
“The first batch of surveying tasks will be sufficient,” Kurt replied,
“Good. Wait for the notification to be issued.”
“What's the current situation? Is the situation still stable? Do we need to make any adjustments?” Lübeck asked Miller, looking at him.
“There are no disputes or disturbances at the moment,”
“Are there any feedback points? Or are there any specific operational considerations we should be aware of?” Lübeck continued.
“The main issues are related to surveying techniques. Operators must master them correctly to avoid excessive errors,”
“Hmm,” Lübeck nodded while looking into Miller's eyes. He had hoped Miller might have some firsthand intelligence, but it seemed he wasn't skilled in that area. Perhaps he had expected too much from this office clerk.
As he thought this, Lübeck added,
“To ensure the fairness of this project, I think we should publicly disclose the surveying methods so that people can understand them and have the willingness and ability to oversee the fairness of the process.” After speaking, Lü Beck surveyed each person in turn.
Miller thought for a moment and said,
“Most people probably won't understand it.”
"Hmm, as long as those who are willing and capable can see and understand it, Lübeck said, then added,
“Let’s make a concise printed version and post it in all communes and places where people gather.”
“Alright, I’ll handle that,” Miller said, then looked at William and told him,
“I’ll arrange a carriage for you this afternoon to go find the surveying technology supervisor. We’ll discuss how to issue this public notice.”
“Hmm,” Lübeck nodded in agreement, then shifted his gaze from Miller to the women cooking and doing chores, smiling and asking,
“Ladies, as representatives, you must speak for your people,”
This was followed by giggles and laughter,
Lübeck didn't give up and continued asking,
“So, what have you heard in the market?”
“Georg, who grows fruit trees, said that his land is always being occupied by his neighbors and some strong strangers. Each time they take a little, but it happens frequently. Because the other side has more people and is more powerful, he doesn't dare to say anything,” Ursula said timidly from the other end of the table.
Lübeck listened to her and nodded. After she finished, he turned to Miller and said,
“It seems necessary to have security personnel maintain order throughout the process. I’ll discuss with Trudi about allocating personnel. You should launch a publicity campaign to encourage public participation in supervising the process, ensuring fairness for everyone and upholding social justice. What do you think?”
“Alright, I'll convene representatives from each commune to convey this,” Miller replied.
During lunch, everyone exchanged opinions. After finishing their meal, Lübeck didn't take a nap but went directly to the security force's headquarters to find Trudi and explained the manpower requirements for maintaining order during the recent survey work. Trudi seemed hesitant and said,
“The number of security officers isn't the issue, but...”
Seeing his hesitation, Lü Beck encouraged him,
“What's the difficulty? Please speak freely,”
“You see, this is a matter of vested interests, especially for families with significant assets. There have already been incidents of gunfire with security personnel in the previous phase. How much support should I provide for maintaining public order during the surveying work?”
Lübeck looked at Trudi's expression and smiled slightly. He had been waiting for him to ask this question.
"Handle it according to the law. If anyone again resists law enforcement with firearms, treat it as rebellion. If necessary, I will deploy my troops to support you.” After speaking, Lü Beck stared into Trudi’s eyes, as if waiting for an answer in his gaze.
“Alright, it’s time to put an end to this. Over the years, Michael…” Trudi stopped himself before finishing the sentence, realizing it wasn’t appropriate to speak ill of others behind their backs.
Lü Beck understood that he was referring to the Chief Security Officer, Michael Krause. had been somewhat lenient during his tenure, which had, to some extent, fueled lawlessness and injustice in society. Lü Beck paused for a moment before adding,
“Select team members with no vested interests for this mission, or children from the general populace,”
“Alright, I understand,” Trudi replied.
After leaving the security force headquarters, Lübeck headed to the spaceport, announced the crew list, arranged for departure preparations, and then returned home by carriage.
The route was the same as the one taken during the previous voyage, but in the days since their return, many things had already happened, and many more were yet to come. Sitting in the carriage, watching the crimson sunset along the way and the bumpy road, Lübeck reflected on the arrangements made over the past few days. What he wanted to do was to protect the safety of his home and the safety of many other families.
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