by John Ringo
"What the hell are those?" Mike asked, pointing to a couple of what looked like very large radios.
"Oh, well . . ." Vanner said, clearing his throat. "I didn't use the full budget getting the primary gear, so I pulled a couple of those off E-bay. They're last-generation intercept gear. German. I've been teaching the girls about intercept. Most of the Chechens that use radios speak Russian and most of the girls know Russian. So we've been listening in on the Chechens from time to time, trying to figure out their operational pattern. They don't use encryption systems, but they do occasionally use codes and their transmissions tend to be cryptic anyway. I got a freeware program that gathers codes and looks for patterning so we're picking out some of their code words and we're getting a feel for their shorthand. I've been using a remote site for triangulation, trying to get a feel for the movements. Most of them don't have radios, anyway, or use sat phones. I can't do much with those; you need a ferret satellite to pick up sat-phone transmissions. But we're picking some stuff up. Nothing we can use, yet, but we're establishing some patterns."
"Oh," Mike said, blinking. "Good." When he'd budgeted for an intel setup he'd expected a bit of improvement in the maps and maybe a stab at pattern generation. Not this.
"I don't get many indicators that there's any special activity directed at the valley at the moment," Vanner continued. "Only three out of sixteen indicators that the Keldara are a target. The term has come up twice, both in reference to changes in movement away from the valley. There may be a force forming near the Pankisi Gorge for an incursion into Chechnya, that's got about a nine-point indicator rate with an almost three hundred percent increase in traffic in a localized region. I dropped that through our Russian conduit since it doesn't affect us."
"Okay," Mike said, grinning.
"Is this a social call?" Vanner asked.
"No," Mike said, shaking his head. "I want to set up a microbrewery so the Keldara can look at exporting their beer. I'd like you to do the initial research. Think of it as . . . intel gathering. I need a design for a microbrewery, how to run one, what goes into it, maybe a few consultants to contact."
"Okay," Vanner said, his eyes going distant as he nodded. "I'll get started on it right away."
"Thanks," Mike said, grinning as the intel NCO turned away. "Have fun."
* * *
Mike walked to the harem next, opening the door to the area carefully. Anastasia had started classes and he didn't want to interrupt if she was lecturing. However, it seemed most of the girls were working on something when he came in.
The girls were seated on cushions, using short desks. He saw that Katya was frowning as she wrote something. The girl had been picking up reading fairly fast but her writing ability still left a lot to be desired.
He waved to Anastasia and walked to the small room on the ground floor she'd set up as an office.
"Yes, Kildar?" the girl asked as she followed him into the room.
"Three things," Mike said, grabbing a chair in front of the desk and letting her have the swivel chair behind it. "I want to get computers in here, for one. Knowledge of how to use a computer, if not programming, is pretty much a necessity in modern life."
"I don't know anything about computers, Kildar," Anastasia said, frowning. "I don't even know how to turn one on."
"You'll have to learn, too," Mike pointed out. "When we get them, I'll have Vanner set up a network. They can be used for learning, too. Maybe I'll just get each of the girls a laptop and a wireless card. But that brings me to the second item; we need to get a tutor for the girls. I know you're used to instruction, and you might be better for basic instruction. But I'd like some of these girls to get to at least advanced high-school level by the time they leave. Not just basic reading and math but history, science, what have you. I'd like you to look into that. Look around Tbilisi. Female, obviously, and open-minded just as obviously."
"Very well, Kildar," Anastasia said, her brow furrowing. "I can find someone; I have hired people for the hareem before."
"Great," Mike said, one more detail handled. Hopefully well. "Last item: the girls. I'll have a session with Klavdiya tonight. I'd rather spend some time with each, rather than deal with them assembly line. Does that make sense to you?"
"Very much so," Anastasia said, relieved. "I would suggest that you spend quite a bit of time with each of them for at least a week."
"I don't know how much time I'll have, day to day," Mike said. "But I'll figure something out. Now, any problems you can't deal with?"
"Katya is, yes, very much a bitch," Anastasia said, frowning. "Also smart and manipulative. I would have her out of here as soon as possible; she poisons all around her."
"I told her if she gave me any trouble, I wouldn't bother selling her, I'd just put her down like a rabid dog," Mike said. "Is it that level of trouble?"
"Not . . . quite that bad," Anastasia said, hastily. "But she is poisoning the new girls. She is a problem, but I don't think she should be killed."
"Don't put a huge value on her," Mike said, shrugging. "Her problem is she's underutilized. I don't mean sexually; all the trainers think she's the greatest thing since sliced bread. But she's got one hell of a mind. A rabid one, admittedly, but she's intelligent and fast-thinking. Unfortunately," he sighed.
"She has virtually no education," Anastasia said. "So you can't put her in the intelligence and communications section."
"Wouldn't think about that, anyway," Mike said. "She'd figure out a way to knife me in the back. Let me talk to her after we're done."
"I think we are," Anastasia said, smiling faintly. "I guess I'll be missing your company for a while?"
"I think I'll be a little busy, yeah," Mike said, grinning sheepishly. "I don't hold you as monogamous, though. Feel free to trip up a trainer if you're of a mind. I know you think I own you, but I don't. You're a free agent."
"I think I'll wait my turn," Anastasia said, sighing. "The rest would be a come-down, I'm sure."
"Can't find out unless you check," Mike pointed out. "I'll go get Katya and have a little chat. Have Klavdiya meet me in my suite at dinner."
* * *
"Damnit, Kat," Mike said when the obviously apprehensive hooker was seated in his office, "do you want me to have to put you down?"
"I am trying not to be a problem, Kildar," Katya said, sniffling and dropping her head.
"Oh, quit the act," Mike said, sharply. "We both know it is one. I won't ask you the last time you actually cried."
"A long time ago," Katya said. Her head came up and she gave him a poisonous look. "It doesn't do you a bit of good."
"Well, you're screwing up my harem and I won't have it," Mike said. "But that's the only place where there are classes you can attend . . ."
"I hate them," Katya said, angrily. "All the other girls are so slow!"
Mike started to open his mouth, then closed it. He gave the situation some thought and then blew out, angrily.
"Okay, in addition to a dozen other duties I have, I'm making you my personal project," Mike said. "That does not, by the way, mean that you're going to be having sex with me. But I'll undertake to instruct you. How far along are you in reading?"
"I can read well in Russian," Katya said, carefully. "I don't know all the words . . ."
"Ever heard of a dictionary?" Mike asked. "I'm not going to be nice about teaching you, by the way."
"We don't have a Russian dictionary," Kat snapped back. "Or, yes, I'd look the words up."
"I know we've got one around somewhere," Mike said, making a note on a pad. "But I'll order a few. What about English?"
"Only speak little," Kat said in broken English. "Not read well."
"Next project," Mike said, nodding. "You need to get English down. It's the de facto international language. As of now, you're my assistant. Did you understand that?"
"Yes," Katya answered in English.
"I need a list of the girls who have not been broached," Mike said. "I want to spend a week w
ith each of them. Make up a list and a calendar. I'm going to run it by Anastasia before I go with it, though. If you figure out some way to make trouble doing that, and it's obvious, I will beat the hell out of you. Understand?"
"Yes, Kildar," Katya said, frowning.
"Here's a Day-Timer," Mike said, digging in his desk and finding one he'd picked up free with some office supply orders. "I want you to, in general, have the girls lined up in reverse order of age, that is the oldest ones first. None who are under sixteen. Did you get that?"
"Yes, Kildar," Katya replied.
"Repeat it," Mike said. "In English."
"To make schedule," Katya said, carefully. "Oldest girls to go first. One per week. Younger be sixteen."
"The youngest to be sixteen," Mike corrected. "Start with Klavdiya, though. And after lunch, meet me in the workout room. If you're going to be my assistant, you're going to be training with me all the way. Go work on the schedule for now. When you're not working with me, go down to the intel section and talk English with Vanner in his free time. Got it?"
"Yes, Kildar," Katya said.
"Take off," Mike said, turning to his paperwork. "And don't get in trouble."
* * *
Mike ate a sandwich for lunch and then changed into workout gear and headed down to the weight room. When he got there, Katya was waiting.
"I have the schedule, Kildar," Katya said, handing him the Day-Timer. "I have listed all the girls in reverse order of age, with Klavdiya first."
"Okay," Mike said, flipping through the book and sighing. "We're going to work out together, then we'll go do some shooting. Go change into shorts and a T-shirt for this. I suppose you could work out in a skirt, but it's not normal."
Mike was through his warm-up when the girl got back to the room. He looked her over and nodded.
"Your thighs are pretty solid," Mike said. "We'll start today working on upper body."
"Yes, Kildar," Katya said, puzzled.
"You need to warm up, first," Mike said, leading her over to the cross-trainer. He showed her how to use it and set it for a fifteen-minute light course. "When the time runs out, we'll start warming up your upper body; this is just to get your heart working."
He moved over to the circuit training and dialed in his settings, then started pumping. He'd barely gotten through the triceps workout when Kat was done. He showed her how to reset the Nautilus machines and gave her a general weight range to work with. She noticed that he was moving at least five times her workout weight.
"Are you set me low to keep from making strong?" Kat asked, looking at him coldly.
"You have to start low," Mike said just as coldly. "I'll build you up to the max you're good for. But if you think you're going to pump my level, ever, you're sadly mistaken. You can go ahead and try if you'd like," he added with a grin.
They worked on the circuit for an hour, a light workout for him but about as much as Kat could take on her first day.
"Arms tired," Katya said, working her shoulders. She had sweat dripping down her face and wiped at it with a towel.
"You just thought you were in shape," Mike said, grinning. "Come on."
He led her down the corridor to a room at the far end from the intel room that had been set up as a dojo, where there were punching bags and floor pads.
"I'm going to show you a few fight moves," Mike said. "If you use them on the girls . . ."
"I'm in trouble," Kat said, nodding.
"When I start working the girls, I'll bring them in for this as well," Mike noted. "But you'll be doing this most of the time. In time, you'll be helping to train."
"Yes, Kildar," Kat said. "Thank you."
"Most people, when they fight with hands, use a closed fist," Mike said, handing her a pair of fighting gloves. "Like this," he said, punching a bag with his fist. "And they punch to the target. Try to hit the surface. You understand?"
"Yes," Katya said, frowning.
"Better to use the open palm," Mike said, opening up his hand and pointing to the base of the his palm. "Curve the fingers, hit at the base of your palm. That has the bones of your arm lined up with the target and it transmits more power. It also won't break your fingers, which hitting with a closed fist will do. And hit through the target," he continued, striking the bag hard. "The important thing is the speed of the strike. You must do it over and over again, learn to strike very fast, like a snake, and hard. Work on that for now," he said, stepping away from the bag. "Hard and fast."
She stepped up to the bag and punched it, hard, with an open-hand right hand.
"Harder," Mike said. "And faster. Think of someone you hate, me if you want. And punch through the bag," he continued, pointing to the middle of the bag. "Try to get your hand through to here."
She hit again, harder, then again, her face working.
"Gets some of the mad out, don't it?" Mike said. "Now the other hand, alternate the two. Hard, fast and through with both. Go."
She started hitting with both hands and then shifted around on her feet uncomfortably.
"You noticed you weren't standing right, good," Mike said, tapping at her ankles with his foot. "Right foot there, left foot forward. Cat stance is what it's called, coincidentally. Hit twice, one each hand, then pause."
When she'd finished the strikes he had her move one foot then the other, circling the bag.
"Keep your body centered," Mike said, running his finger down an imaginary line. "Bring your butt forward a bit; you're leaning away from the target. If you know where your center is, you can bring more power to the strikes. Don't kick, just strike, then move. We'll work on kicks later; most kicks are for show-offs anyway."
"You kick in Ondah contest," Kat said, panting. She hit twice, then moved, circling the bag.
"I was showing off," Mike said. "And Oleg was a big SOB. Kicks have more power than hand strikes. But there are more counters, too. Keep going."
He worked her on strikes and moving for about an hour until she was dripping with sweat.
"Go take a shower," Mike said, when the girl was pretty much worn out. "Then meet me at the office in regular uniform."
Mike was back at his desk, showered, when Kat turned up. She'd spent enough time to get makeup on but she wasn't much slower than he had been.
"Have you worked with a computer?" Mike asked, pulling his laptop out of its case.
"No, Kildar," Katya said, her eyes widening.
"This one doesn't have anything secure on it," Mike said, opening the computer up. "I was working on my typing, though. I'd never learned to touch type. So it's got a teaching program on it." He brought up the program and led her to the room he'd set up as a conference room. "This program will run you though how to touch type. It's about the most boring thing in the world, but it's important to learn. And it's in English, so you'll have twice as much to think about. It should keep you occupied," he added with a smile.
Mike ran through his bare minimum paperwork and then headed out to the household range. As part of the whole improvements program, Meller had bermed the walls of the range and Praz had upgraded the range and included a small tactical range.
Mike ran through a program circuit with M-4 and pistol, which was his scheduled shoot for the day, taking up most of the rest of the afternoon. By the time he was done the sun was starting to set. He dropped the weapons in the armory—Latif had been trained in cleaning so he could leave it to him—and washed up for dinner.
He stopped by the conference room and found Katya still plugging away at the computer.
"Dinner time," Mike said, walking over to look over the girl's shoulder.
"This not hard," Katya replied. She'd run through the first four levels of the training program, which had taken Mike most of a week of solid work. Given that it wasn't in her native tongue, it was doubly impressive. And the program wouldn't let you move on to the next level until you'd passed the requisite test.
"You're doing very well," Mike said, shaking his head. "I think you were bei
ng severely underutilized. If you keep to this rate, I'll be using you a secretary in a week," he added with a grin. "I won't keep you as a secretary—you'll get bored to tears after a while—but you'll learn some useful skills."
"Would like learn more about computer," Katya said. "Am have trouble with pad," she said, pointing to the touchpad on the laptop.
"The only way to learn is to do it," Mike pointed out. "There are games on there, simple ones. If you play those you'll learn to use it faster. I'll show them to you sometime, not now. It's time for dinner."
"And time for Klavdiya to learn, yes?" Katya said maliciously.
"Unlike for some," Mike pointed out, "I'm planning on having it be a good time."
* * *
Mike had had some changes made to the rooms upstairs. He'd had the master bath opened out into one of the adjoining rooms, adding a large shower and Jacuzzi tub, used the rest of the room to make a small office and sitting area, increased the size of the closet, had a gun safe installed in it and converted one of the rooms adjoining his suite into a small dining room with attached kitchen. Effectively, he never had to leave the suite.
When he got to the sitting room, Klavdiya was sitting on the couch awaiting him nervously. She was wearing a light-blue, low-cut dress he hadn't seen before, presumably the fruits of her purchasing. It suited her well.
"Mother Savina was supposed to bring up a light dinner," Mike said, smiling at her. "Let's eat."
"Okay," Klavdiya said, standing up.
