TGoaW-132

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==Chapter 132 - The Glow of a Worm inside a Child's Eye==
Tharkad system's...
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...traffic control has improved significantly since the last time I was here. It's still not as elaborate as the Solar routes, but it's signficantly better than a handful of half-assed dropships trying (and failing) to cover the space between fortified stations at the zenith and nadir points, and Traffic Control has stations set back, with good sensor coverage of the main Jump Points and good control signals and schemes, plus active reaction forces capable of actually reaching a major breach into the system before an invader has had time to form a wall of battle properly.
It's gratifying to see that they took us seriously...at least, here.
There's still plenty of work to do, but this is significantly better than it has been in centuries.
I have had Elizabeth drilling on Lyran laws and ceremonies. It's not that I like either one, but she's human, she needs to at least make a showing of conforming to reasonable expectations.
His Majesty has an escort force ready for us when the timer brings my higher functions back on-line, this consists of a fox class leading a group of twelve cutters in close support configuration, but I can detect the rest of the group idling at good locations for initiating an in-system jump if they need to.
It's nice to be taken seriously, and nicer that they aren't painting me with targeting radar, since even with my warload, they have me on position and ranging.
which is gratifying in terms of seeing my doctrinal advice actually being taken seriously.
I'm given a newtonian approach of seven days at one gee to a designated orbital at Tharkad's moon, a cleared zone patrolled by aerospace elements of the 1st Royal Guard, and well within the air defense envelope that someone sane and intelligent worked out.
It's still a position of prestige, and well within a few hours of the planet by shuttle, but well outside standard orbital fire envelopes for the world below. In other words, it's an ideal position for parking a VIP's WarShip.
They even have an orbital tanking station and service gantry. Victor has been very forward thinking here, I believe, or he listened to Li when she went over logistics needs for a Navy.
My adopted realm has listened-something that my previous makers didn't.
"Are you going to be alright out here?" Liz asks me.
"I have a crew. They have shore leave passes, but we have a rotation that will maintain necessary manning to prevent...emergencies." I tell her. "Its only rational that the Archon-Prince would insist on keeping me at a location that is controlled, guarded, and relatively safe for both himself, and for standard traffic. Honestly, Elizabeth, I'm pleased as punch that your national sovereign has adopted so many of my observations into his doctrine. It reinforces my hope that this time, we'll get it right...and while you're down on the planet. I am sure that I will be invited to participate in low-impact training exercises, which is a good thing for your people."
"So you're okay with this."
"Very. If the SLDF's traffic control procedures were as well ordered as these? A great many flaws and failures would not have happened in the twenty-seven-sixties. Already, Tharkad is more competently protected than Sol was prior to, and during, the coup. I wouldn't have been able to attempt to bring Elizabeth Cameron to friendly forces if Amaris had a similar layout using the same ships and assets he actually had."
"Are you going to ever tell them what happened?" she asks me.
I mull it over. "I can not say 'never'." I tell her, giving her the same answer I've given every day for the last few months. "Humans need their legends, and it doesn't help anyone to learn what I know on the subject...but if it ever becomes relevant to the present, I will certainly provide that information to the world...okay, now, inventory! Suit, medical support bag, prescriptions and antivirals?"
"Present."
"Colonel Roshak, uniform, small arms?"
"I have them."
"identicards?"
"Present."
"Spending cash??"
"I have it." Liz says, "and my bankcard and tabulator."
"Personal comm and emergency comm?"
"Present." they both announce.
"Change of clothing?"
...and so it goes. They're going to be down there for seven days, and while Kowloon as a Member World maintains apartments for Nobles visiting the Capital, Elizabeth has rarely used them.
"Can we take one of the scuttles?" She asks.
"My maintenance spiders are not for use in cities." I tell her, "Especially cities full of people. even with your Trinary computer cores, they're not fit for use on a planetary surface, and they do not present an appearance that humans find anything but 'disturbing'."
"How about one of the upgraded-"
"NO." I tell her, "For one thing, the upgraded dustball chassis are still robots, and it's a sixty second delay at closest approach for remoting in, and you still didn't finish some of the autonomy routines involving inhabited cities and towns. I don't want you implicated in an incident without good reason, so the drones stay with me."
"Wise." Roshak comments.
Elizabeth is disappointed, but she isn't going to push me to deploy my own property just so she can show off. There are limits to what a Liege Lord can demand, and private property is one of those limits.
I own my remotes and drones, just like a human owns their fingers and flesh.
Really, they're in a similar category-I have human crew, but the drones are my backup immune system and healing.
"I understand, Tabby." Liz says. "I just wanted to..."
"to show off. I know, but until the products are ready for market, it's not a good idea to show off your prototypes to people who may be outright offended."
They load into a shuttle, and Coxswain Lian flies them down to Tharkad's shuttle port outside the Triad.
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