Strat-4 Chpt-17

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==Strategos (A Great Captain Roberts Tale!!) - Part 4 - Chapter 17 - What Rough Beast?==
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===Seeking a Vessel===
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She was gone...
…by zero five local time. Leaving Si Fu Lam alone in the diplomatic quarters, and only slightly bruised.
His first order of business, after realizing what a mistake it was, bringing the girl here, was to check his cache.
Kali's Spirit was still where it had been. Slowly feeding off the trickle-charge of a low-power battery. He added additional electrolyte solution and verified none of the synthetic connectives had signs of damage before resealing it inside the diplomatic portable he'd brought as a technical aid.
On the whole, the activity last night was of the more pleasant variety. Amanda Roberts had a few scars, and the prosthetic eye was hard to miss up close. But she was a flexible and somewhat eager lover, clearly unschooled and somewhat provincial… And she was a font of information, accidentally confirming several ideas he'd already been considering. Both for his primary mission, and for his 'other' mission for the Chancellor.
The Chancellor wanted AI technology, and wanted it through as legitimate a means as could be arranged. But Si Fu Lam knew what was hidden in the Chancellor's shuttlecraft behind diplomatic seals. And it was ever the Will of Kali that Sun Tzu Liao would be the face of Rule in the Confederation… and eventually, across all of mankind.
A face, with Kali's hand behind it.
Of course, to do that, would require Kali's spirit to be housed in a new body. Si Fu Lam knew exactly which body would fit. He'd rejected the Roberts girl, in part because of her obvious flaws, not limited to her scars.
Lori Crowe however, would make a splendid vessel for Kali's return. And would have the necessary access to secure an escape. He’d already observed her earlier, but the confirmation made her an even more obvious choice.
Which also confirmed the Hispanic machine-doctor Esme Gomez and Lori Crowe were close friends!
Not as good as lovers, but as has been implied numerous times, somewhat close.
He simply needed to identify or create a situation which would allow securing them, and the equipment, for the Chancellor. Before enabling the resurrection of Kali in the mortal realm…
He whistled, as he availed himself of the shower. Today is going to be a good day.
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===Feeling Good About Today===
"Today's going to be a good day…
…I can feel it," Amanda smiled as she came out of her quarters on Evanescent. 
"You know, you ARE allotted a quarters-apartment on the station, Amanda. I've even seen you use it," Samuel told her, falling in step with her as she headed for the p-way to the dock.
"I needed fresh clothes and didn't feel like dressing out." she said. "Duties today, skinsuit and coveralls, and a proper helmet if there's a blowout."
"You're sure about that?" he asked. "Foster could call you in again."
"He won't. He's got to ride herd on Stone and Liao, the AIs are handling most of the diplomatic meetings, and I've got a psychiatric appointment that fills most of the morning," she told him. "Mandated by the President, so Foster can't override and make me showpiece with the foreign VIPs until late this afternoon…" she paused. "...How's our refit going?"
"We're still in-budget. Erinyes cut a deal for structural endo-steel for us from a supplier, so we can finish the rib-replacement in the fore. The Loremaster got the Diamond Sharks to agree to a discount on armor plate. And we've got ammunition stocks waiting at the loading dock that should get every point-defense system aboard fully loaded for the first time since you took her out of Roberts' Nest. So we're not going to be short munitions for the next phase for a while. The galley's being fully restocked from sources on Sevon V, Northsun, and some of the new farms and food processors at Johnson."
"And crew?"
"I'll ride herd on Saya interviewing new pilots," he told her. "So you don't have to worry about Trina getting any jailbirds this time. I've also got crew interviews for Engineering mates, Able Spacers, and a replacement for Bos'n Weller, who's going ashore on Maternity."
"Did I miss her baby-shower?" Amanda asked.
"No Captain, that's Friday." he told her. "I've got three applications for you to do Captain's Ceremonies though."
"Verify, Sam." she said. "I don't want to hitch someone who'll be divorced by the time we hit the next port. Have the doc and Chaplain Russell interview them all. Then forward the ones who clear psych to my desk so I can have the station's Judge Advocate draft up the contracts."
He handed her a Noteputer.
"What's this?"
"Orders from the Admiral, you're to update your next-of-kin filing and Power of Attorney. I got everyone else, but you kept dodging me." 
"It's… No, it can't be the same, can it?" she sighed. "I'll get to it."
"Who do you want?"
"Daryl," she said. "My brother Daryl, and his wife for Next of Kin, and P-of-A."
"I kind of thought so. I took the liberty of drafting the update, you just need to read it, and sign it."
She tippy-toed in the low gravity and gave Sam a Kiss on the cheek. "THANKS!!" she said, and grinned.
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===Frustration and Priorities===
Whether on a ship…
…or station-side, gossip flows. Amanda's first stop was Station CIC, meeting room 11.
"Someone had a good night!!" Lori Crowe announced to the room when she came in.
"I did!" Amanda said. "How about you, Lori?"
"Saya and I kept busy," Lori stated. "Mostly toying with strangers, though she did make a play for the second shift nav officer off Tenebrous."
"Ooohhh… dish!"
"Nothing to say," Saya Yeh said, walking in. "If you had money on it-"
"I don't." Amanda shook her head. "I take it you found out Galadriel's got a man."
Saya made a sour face, "Aff."
Amanda chuckled to herself. "They're adorable together or so I'm told."
"They're… annoying together you mean!" The Scorpion aviator denied.
"Ouch, so she shot you down brutally. Lemme guess… she pretended to not know you were hitting on her?"
"Half the NIGHT!! And I was not SUBTLE!!!"
Amanda let the giggle fit out,then let it pass. "More serious news. Sam says the refit's going well, we should be fully stocked and provisioned by the Thursday after next, which means… Some of you have Replacement Personnel Interviews." Amanda brought out her own noteputer. "We're going to need to replace eight pilots, including a squadron leader, Saya…" She handed a chit to her CAG. "Two of those are for the shuttle aircrew, along with seven of our Mechanics, including one AsTech at NCO grade. Most of those are cash-outs, but three are maternity leaves."
She turned to Lori. "Which means we need a Crew Chief for the flight deck, since we're losing Weller to the Mommy Plague. Try to get a guy this time, preferably gay, so I don't have to deal with this shit again. Someone who won't reproduce or get knocked up."
"I'll… Gawd, Amanda, that's… so insensitive!" Lori made a face."Yeah, I have the sensitivity of an anvil. We can't afford to have key positions going empty because people want to have babies. Sue me, but do it in court, okay?" She handed over a second chit. "Also, I need your eyes-on review for these candidates for Nav officer training, since we're also losing Martens. Who's made enough he wants to stake into something safer. I'd like to have the floating shift navigation lead be from the officers we're keeping. But some of those are getting promotions out to another ship, so we'll be taking in new faces."
She turned to her Marine commander, "Chester… five of yours are going ashore. Three more to other vessels. We've got a batch from Dante coming on Friday and a batch from TC Northsun the same day, I want you ready with their files to poach the best ones you can to fill our ranks before one of the other Captains makes a play." She smiled. "Be the devious, clever, manipulative ****** you were during the poker games. But get good people. We're going to need drivers for the surface vehicles, assault men with suit cert, and weapons specialists. You already know that, but I'm underlining it. Get me the best people you can before someone else grabs them. It's your priority."
"Aye, Captain."
"Oh, and Chester? Don't let Seron bully you into a bad trade." she stated. "If you find someone and he wants them, you make damn sure you get to them first!"
"Sam's got some engineering people to get." Lori noted.
"I trust Sam's nose on that?" Amanda allowed. "He's already seeing who we can poach from the Yardies."
"We're losing Nick Martens? I thought he LOVED it on the Evanescent!!" Saya muttered.
"He did, he just likes the idea of not being shot at more. And now, he's got enough to Stake his own business. Not everyone actually enjoys the adrenaline, Saya." Lori pointed out. "Turnover's light this time. Last time we saw action we lost half our people to other ships, the station, or cashing out."
o/ ~"AH, the-life-of-a-pri-va-teer!!" o/~ Captain Roberts half-sang the line. "Get on it, we're looking good on equipment, but we're going to be starving for people. So we get in front of it."
"Where will you be?" Saya asked.
"Headshrinkers and Command Staff meetings." Amanda said. "Thankfully, I'm free of the dog-and-pony stuff for a little while today."
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===Provisions for Family===
Not everyone…
…was free of the dog-and-pony show. Sikh had guests in her little 'kingdom'. Assigned by the Admiral.
"A maternity ward?" Victor asked. "WHY??"
"People have sex, there are consequences." Stone observed. "Victor, in case you’ve forgotten, not everyone has a population in the trillions to be selective about their recruitment. Even with conscription, which isn’t the case here."
"We have multiple remedies available, gentlemen. Including prenatal care and termination services, contraceptive implants… and a day-care for those who insist on doing it the natural way," Sikh said with some distaste. "We’ve even begun investigating schools for those with older children."
“To make enlisting more attractive to those with older children and retaining the services of those who have children in the course of their service. After all, no contraceptive is absolute,” Daoshen said sagely.
"I take it you don't approve, Miss Sikh??" Stone asked.
“This is a military base, and space is dangerous enough. There are more suitable places to raise families.” Sikh shook her head.
"So… there are dependent's quarters?" 
“Yes. Fortunately, there is more than sufficient space for such indulgences. Despite my objections. It seems Admiral Foster feels the same way the Chancellor and Exarch do.”
"I believe I see a long term advantage you are overlooking, Miss Sikh," Daoshen said. "Children raised in a disciplined, martial environment will tend to gravitate to a disciplined, martial environment upon becoming adults. This maternity center represents your recruitment base in eighteen to twenty years. A school set up with the right… emphasis means higher quality recruits, already adapted to the life."
“Now that could be interesting indeed. Of course, Ottillie and Lucy would have to adjust their curriculum to be less flammable and explosive in nature due to this being a station, but they would be quite happy to teach some things to the young missing educational alternatives…” Sikh mused out loud.
"There's a social aspect as well," Stone said. "Children raised around AIs will not have the prejudices children raised without them do."
“I admit there’s that too. Where we’ve spent a lot of our time in seclusion bears that out as well,” Sikh nodded.
“Ah yes, I imagine if you had been free to operate during much of the period between the coup and revealing yourselves, history would be quite different,” Daoshen added.
“It would also explain why I hear some of the crew around here address some of you AIs as ‘Honored One’, or ‘Eternal Knight’,” Victor said cheerfully.
“Erh… Obviously not all of us are comfortable with that, but yes.”
"You're concerned about an honorific?" Victor asked.
"Yes, I personally find it very… disconcerting. Our local population developed… some habits." she confessed. "Some AIs see it as the proper relation between humans and AI. Personally, I’d rather not engage in such things, but I must admit I’m starting to appreciate individual humans. The entire species… I’m still not sure about.“
“Seems odd considering you’re from a scan of a human.” Victor said with a hint of confusion.
“Some of us have embraced our inhuman nature since becoming AIs more than others. I accept having a human looking remote and appearance because it is useful for now. It aids in my current duties, and since we’re reliant on human support to conduct this war, it aids in making such support more readily forthcoming.”
“Most interesting. Though I suspect you’re overlooking you must still be true to yourself, Captain Sikh. There will always be a human element to you, and obviously it’s not so bad. And well, we all need support of some sort. That it comes from humans should prove that there are a greater number of us worth more than your current estimations seem to indicate.” Stone gave a wry smile.
Sikh stood in silence for a brief moment.
“A most interesting thought, Exarch Stone. But I think our time is up.” Sikh gave her own wry smile.
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