by C. R. Daems
Now the XO laughed.
The next several weeks were enjoyable, as Uchida relaxed somewhat in my presence. With me as a go-between, Uchida and Thalia discussed the symbols we’d developed, and corresponding algorithms. At Uchida’s request, I downloaded the Symath we’d developed for her to study. She also asked me to compute the parameters for each jump to compare to those generated by the system. She intended to use the results to evaluate the viability of the Riss system, although Thalia and I felt it needed more work before it could be considered a viable system. The final result would require rigorous trials before it would be recognized by the SAS. Uchida wanted to be part of its development and evaluation. I felt excited. It would do much towards recognizing the Riss’ potential as allies.
* * * *
“The rumors are that bitch is doing well in Navigation. If she weren’t, the Captain would have her cleaning latrines. He hates her a much as we do, but he can’t take any action unless she screws up,” Blackstone said as he sipped his Zulug kaffa, which contained a powerful stimulant produced from Zulug flowers and was illegal on any SAS ship. At the time, the mess hall was practically empty.
“Well, I don’t plan on waiting. Dirty face owes me and I intend to collect.” Corporal Owin pounded the table, causing several of the Wasps, sitting several tables away, to look in his direction.
“Hard to sabotage her on the bridge,” Corporal Elson said. He followed Blackstone around like a little puppy, always ready to do his bidding—a Remora attached to a shark. Like a shark, Blackstone tolerated him. “Maybe we can catch her alone in the workout bay, when Valk isn’t around.”
“Won’t work. When she’s there, so are one or more of the Si’jin group. Valk wouldn’t only kick our ass but also put us on extra duty. Since their trip to Saipha, anyone in the Si’jin class would help her. I’m not even sure if one of the other troops wouldn’t. She seems to have made a lot of friends since Terril’s been exaggerating what happened on Saipha. The three of us could take her, but not if she has help.” Blackstone made a motion like choking someone.
“We need to catch her alone.” Owin smiled. “Maybe in her room. That would be fun.”
“Even if we could get in, it’s too small for us to surround her. We’d have to fight her one at a time. Not a good idea, hey Owin?”
“She got lucky.”
“You got lucky that Valk broke it up.” Blackstone laughed and raised a hand when Owin stood up. “Relax. She’s a disgusting animal. The SAS has created a monster that’ll eventually go rabid. There are a lot of senior officers, like the Captain, that would thank us if we get rid of her.”
“You mean kill her?” Elson whispered, his gaze darting from table to table. “I thought we’d just send her to the hospital with that dirt ripped off her face.”
Owin nodded agreement. Blackstone just shook his head.
“Are you two stupid? Unless we wear night gear and catch her alone in the dark, she’ll recognize us, and we’ll spend the rest of this tour in the brig and maybe hard time when it’s over. Besides, tell me where there’s a dark place on this ship? Even if we could find a dark place, if any one of us got hurt, it wouldn’t be hard to identify us. Only the army wears night gear. They could narrow the search easily. No. If we’re going to get the bitch, we have to kill her.”
“Any ideas on how we accomplish that?” Owin asked.
“Maybe. Are you two in this with me?”
“Yes,” Owin and Elson said together, although Elson whispered.
* * * *
When I reported to the Bridge the next morning, Commander Riddler had the watch. Before I could get seated, Riddler caught my attention and walked over.
“Good morning, Reese. Captain Gebauer would like to see you. He’s in his conference room.”
I stood in front of the Captain’s conference room door, needing Thalia to help calm me. Even if the Captain acted fair, he still hated me. I’d no doubt that given the opportunity, he’d strike like an asp. I knocked and waited.
“Come.” The Captain sat in the middle of the table with papers spread out around him. I closed the door, braced to attention and held a salute, waiting for him to return it. “Sit, Reese. There’s kaffa on the table, if you want.”
“No thank you, Sir.” The Captain looked up. He looked tired but calm.
“Reese, I’ve gotten Commander Uchida’s final evaluation. She believes you could, given time, be an assistant Navigator. From her that’s quite a compliment. I still believe you need to be rotated through the sections, if for different reasons than before.” He paused, watching me. “Before, I wanted you gone from my ship and the SAS. I believed the Riss-human project a mistake, which we would all regret. I thought it special treatment that the SAS had promoted a graduate of Prometheus to Lieutenant. I didn’t even like the idea of you being an officer or on a spaceship. I’ve read your file and contract since we last talked. Something I should have done before you reported. It may not have affected my opinion, but I would have been better informed. I didn’t realize they enrolled you in Hephaestus, and you graduated With Comment. To my amazement, you’ve done well in Shuttle Maintenance, Environmental, and Navigation. The problem still remains that you’re a highly controversial...individual.” He paused and took a sip of kaffa.
“You’re going to be on the Peregrine for, at least, two years. To minimize potential problems, it’s important that people relate to you as a person, not a...Riss-human. No one is liked by everyone—except me.” He grinned.
“I don’t have the authority to assign anyone to the Intelligence unit, even though it’s on my ship. Their chain of command’s different and their assignments are made out of the SAS Office of Security. A special college, Dionysus, is dedicated to intelligence training. That keeps their identity secret; however, Commander Wang has asked for you to be assigned to her. She has agreed it’s only temporary and to be considered as one of your rotations. Under those conditions, I’ve agreed.” He paused. When he didn’t continue, I assumed he was waiting for me to comment. I gave the most logical and safe answer.
“Yes, Sir.”
“You’ll report to her tomorrow. Her unit is located on level two, corridor six.”
I’d wondered about corridor six. It was a restricted area guarded by Special Security personal in non-standard navy uniforms. “Since this is considered one of your normal rotations, she’ll provide a standard evaluation when the rotation is over.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“You’re dismissed,” Gebauer said and went back to his reading. I stood, braced to attention, and saluted. I didn’t wait for it to be returned. He wasn’t paying attention. As I closed the door, Riddler joined me.
“Any problems, Reese?”
“No, Sir. I’m being rotated to the Intelligence Unit.”
“Intelligence. That’s unusual, but then again you’re...unique. You did well here. Keep up the good work.” He turned and walked back to the bridge. I’d miss the bridge. To me it’s a magical place. I said goodbye to Uchida, who wanted to continue working with Thalia and me on Symath. I saw that as an advantage. She was brilliant, and another person on the list of people who didn’t hate me and maybe even liked me.
Chapter 17
The next morning after a quick breakfast, I strolled down corridor six, not sure if this transfer constituted a good thing a not. I had no intelligence experience, even theoretical, as neither Prometheus nor Hephaestus covered the Intelligence functions. When I reached the guards, one watched as the other reached out his hand.
“Ma’am, your ID.” He scanned it a
nd stepped aside for me to pass.
I chuckled. Everything looked like fun to Thalia, even a confrontation with the Captain. The door had a large sign with large letters that read: “Stop. Authorized Persons Only.” I opened it and entered a room full of people and equipment. In a way, it resembled the bridge, except there was no view of the outside universe. Each monitor appeared active, some with pictures and others with scrolling script. As I looked around, a tall, good-looking Lieutenant swaggered over to me.
“Are you trying to spy on us, alien? This is a restricted area.”
I smiled again. I needed to develop better control of my face muscles. Thalia had loved reading about the animals on the various colonies. She thought the practice of animals marking their territory amusing.
“Something funny, Lieutenant?”
“I’m here to see Commander Wang.”
“On what business?”
“I’m being assigned here.”
He walked over to one of the doors and knocked, and after a minute entered. With the door open, I heard the exchange.
“There is an...alien...Lieutenant outside. She says she’s been assigned to this unit.”
“Yes, Hendrix. Thank you.” It was a clear dismissal. I entered, closing the door behind me. I braced to attention and saluted.
“Lieutenant Reese reporting for duty, ma’am.”
“Fine, Reese. Now sit and we’ll talk.” She waved towards an empty chair. “Do you know why I asked for you to be assigned to me?”
“No, ma’am. I assume it has something to do with me being a Riss-human.”
Wang looked at me, and a slight smile appeared on her face. As if she had made a decision, she nodded. “We’ve been watching you through your years at Prometheus and Hephaestus, your assignments in Shuttle Repair, Environmental, and Navigation, and your trip to Saipha. We’re also monitoring the other nine Riss project volunteers. Four have already rejected their parasite—”
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but that’s incorrect.” I almost put my hand over my mouth. I didn’t mean to blurt that out, but her statement wasn’t accurate. If they’re watching, they should get it right.
“Which part, Reese?”
“Two of the rejections were initiated by the Riss.”
“The two you delivered to Saipha? Can you explain how you know and why the Riss rejected them?” Wang leaned forward. “Would you like something to drink?”
I realized this would be a long introduction and an important one for the Riss. This discussion would be my real evaluation. “Yes, ma’am, kaffa please.”
Wang crossed to a side table and poured two cups. She handed one to me before sitting.
“Thank you, ma’am.” I went on to explain the circumstances resulting in Aldric and Egon being returned to Saipha.
“You know this how? I understand the two Lieutenants didn’t talk during the trip. Did they talk to you in private?”
“No, ma’am. The Riss talk mind-to-mind in streaming vid. They told me when I visited them in custody.” I would have thought the SAS already knew this.
“You mean pictures. That would seem slow.”
“No, I mean streaming vid like watching a vidcast. There is no ambiguity as exists using words, and it’s impossible to lie. Lies distort the vid.”
Wang cup stopped half way to her mouth.
“Like a...play reenacting what had happened?”
“That’s a good analogy. The real point is that it isn’t words or pictures of words or even single pictures one at a time.”
“I would have surmised that the Riss would stay so long as their human host remained functional. They could control their hosts.” Wang froze while she waited my response. As if the slightest movement might disrupt me from answering.
“Commander, the last thing any Riss wants is a human host.” I went on to explain that’s the first step for them in a long journey to join the SAS in their natural hosts. Wang laughed until tears ran down her face.
“In thirty minutes, you’ve stood all our theories on their collective heads. Why are you telling me these secrets?” Wang asked.
“They’re not secrets. Humans have made assumptions based upon their prejudices and fears.” I pointed to my cheek. “If the Riss had told you this in the beginning, would you’ve believed them? Will you believe me now?”
“You refer to humans like they’re separate from you, like you’re a Riss talking,” Wang said, now serious.
“Commander, I’m several things. I’m a human, a human with an intelligent mind inside mine, and to the high-Riss a sister. I stand in two worlds. I share our dreams and theirs.”
Wang and I spent the next several hours discussing the world of the Riss; my integration with the Riss; and the problems I’d encountered as a Riss-human. Wang asked question after question. Each question generated ten more. Finally she shook her head.
“I’ve just learned more from you and...Thalia…than SAS security hoped to learn over the next five to ten years. I’d wondered whether inviting you into a secret operation constituted letting a...Saipha snowcat lose in a wisent herd, but I’m pleased with my decision.” She went on to explain Lieutenant Hendrix outranked me but wasn’t my supervisor. I reported directly to her. Petty Officers Jack Phalan and Sue Wunk currently tracked the Riss-humans as well as trying to find information about the pirates operating in this area. They would be assigned to me.
“Ma’am, I believe the men who attacked us on Saipha were raiders. They weren’t locals; therefore, they had to have been dropped off, and picked up at a later date.”
“I’ll put you in charge of determining who dropped them off.”
“The Compton.”
“What?”
“I talked to Master Sergeant Wilson at the garrison on Saipha. Only two ships visited during the two weeks prior to the incident. I asked him to let Colonel Quentin know the names of any ships that visited during the following two weeks. He recently contacted Colonel Quentin. Only the Compton returned.”
“You don’t happen to know where the raiders’ home base is located, do you?” She shook her head. “I’ll leave it to you to track the Compton and anything else you think of.”
* * * *
Wang informed me that they ran three shifts. Lieutenant Hendrix generally took the first shift. The second and third shifts where minimally manned. Master Chief Arnet was the resident technical genius and worked part time during the other two shifts, unless needed on first shift.
“Can I move Phalan and Wunk to either shift two or three?” I asked.
“They work for you.”
* * * *
Lieutenant Hendrix waited for me as I left Wang’s office. “Well, Reese, are you ready to start work? I’ll give you the tour.”
The tour included stopping at each station, meeting the person, and getting a brief description of his or her duties. Mostly they tracked incoming communications and scanned for key words or phases. Senior staff then looked for connections between the various data. When Hendrix finished, he gave me a predatory smile.
“I’ll want you to work first shift with me, so I can keep an eye on you. After all, you are an alien and this unit handles very sensitive information.”
“I thank you for the tour, Lieutenant Hendrix. It was very informative.” I turned and walked over to Phalan and Wunk’s stations.
“After shift, I’d like to see you both for a few minutes. We’ll meet in the conference room if no one’s using it.” I noticed Master Chief Arnet standing off to one side. I sensed he was amused, although he stood there expressionless.
“Lieutenant, these people work for me, not you. You’re not to go near these i
ndividuals. They’re tracking you. I don’t want you compromising their work or trying to intimidate them into changing information about you. You’ll remember that I’m senior to you, and you report to me.” He sneered with the last remark.
“Master Chief, I’d appreciate you joining us if it’s convenient. Lieutenant Hendrix, Commander Wang did tell me you were the senior Lieutenant. It’s certainly not my place to tell you your duties. Perhaps there has been a misunderstanding about my duties. I suggest you and I talk to Commander Wang. She told me that I report to her and that Petty Officers Phalan and Wunk are assigned to me.”
I felt her laugh and satisfaction.
* * * *
After the shift ended, Arnet joined Phalan and Wunk in the conference room. I had managed to get kaffa brought into the room to make the meeting less formal. Petty Officer First Class Phalan was a short, plump man in his middle years with ribbons to indicate he had been in service for many years. His face was round and his hair receding. Petty Officer Second Class Wunk was a tall woman in her late twenties, black hair, straight nose, high cheekbones, and a narrow face. She was one rank lower than Phalan and had fewer years in service. Neither had combat experience, judging by their service ribbons. Master Chief Petty Officer Arnet stood taller than Wunk, had a rugged-looking square face, stocky build, and close-cut graying hair. Arnet had ribbons indicating he had combat experience.
“I’m Lieutenant Reese, a Riss-human, if you didn’t already know.” I smiled, pointing to my cheek. “If you’ve any questions now or in the future, I don’t mind answering them rather than let your imagination or rumors form your opinions. I promise I don’t bite or morph into anything.” I waited for questions. When there were none, I continued.
“Which shift would you two prefer, second or third? I’ve much to learn and those shifts will have the fewest interruptions.”
Phalan and Wunk decided on third shift.
