Two Left Fists

"-end report." 
"Rather more bullish than I expected. Hm."
The AI avatar lighting up next to Hari's terminal shouldn't have surprised her, but it did. 
"Crabtree. You know the final assessment is to be all-mine, right?"
"Well, of course. I wouldn't be so rude as to interrupt."
"But you've been keeping an eye on me and what I've been doing, haven't you?" 
"I wouldn't be so rude as to lie to you, either."
"Do you really think Owain can manage this deployment? It was only a few days ago that you made quite the scathing appraisal to me, said that even this one operation might crash and burn-"
"Crabtree-"
"-in perfect confidence, of course." He paused a moment before continuing. "Has your assessment changed in that time?"
"Not exactly."
"I'm sure you've read my files, AARs, all of that. You saw how well I did, we did, back on Earth? With all our shiny new gear, then?"
"Well." Long seconds were spent searching for more diplomatic wording. "It was a rather-"
"I fell apart. We fell apart." Her voice wasn't sharp or angry, just a little regretful. "Too reliant on our instruments, no will to drive them. Or faith, or belief. Whatever it is I came up short on, he's been running on empty for these two years."
"So now-"
"Now I do the opposite. Take all the gear away, let him score some wins with his own flesh and blood. Crude, sure, but it'll give him a leg-up in thinking he's still got it."
"And you think this boost, this leg-up will get him through this?"
"I think it'll help his odds."
"That's not an answer, Harriet. Taking a dive in a training bout to give him false confidence isn't going to do much good against a very real enemy. Not when you've been letting him win all these fights."
The hint of a wry smile wavered at the edge of her lips. "Who said I let him win all of ?"
The first breath of indignation from Crabtree was cut off by the terminal's COM chirping, and Hari double-tapped one corner of the panel to open it up. 
"This is Pelican Tango Two-Twelve, we are coming in to final approach now. All dropsites on the northern Epsoz coastline look clear. Most of these settlements still look in good shape; it shouldn't be hard to find some wheels down there. How copy?"
"Two-twelve, Hari here, copy loud and clear. How's your passenger?"
"Ask him yourself." A moment's pause, and the static-flicker of a COM-loop switchover. "Spartan Beta-One-Seven-Six here."
"Ready?"
"Ready, aye."
"Execute."
"Acknowledged."
Hari nodded, once, to herself. "Oh, and Owain?"
"Yes?"
"Good luck. And good hunting."
Category:The Weekly
Category:Tooth and Blade