At Ralbrybh Naval Station , on the Commander’s Bridge of the flagship of the reconnaissance half-fleet the Ftuné , the patrol ship Hairbyrch ...
“You’re taking the Ftuné away from me!?” Sporr cried.
“Somebody with the rank of commodore serving as a half-fleet commander is an exception to the norm to begin with,” said the hologram of Glaharérh Chtymer (Naval Base Commander-in-Chief), Spénec Laburer (Star Forces Admiral) Uneuch (OONYOOSH), with an air of patience. “As you’re aware, our ships were greatly depleted in number after the engagement three years ago. Now, the array of battle is finally in order. We will be having you head up a full fleet , under the wing of Fofraudéc (Grand Commodore) Tlife.”
“And that fleet would be?” Sporr was not coy about her disaffection.
“It hasn’t yet been organized. We will make you Roïglaharérh Chtymer (Naval Base Vice Commander-in-chief) for the time being, but it won’t be for long. That’s because the time the enemy will be forced to recall the existence of the Imperial Star Forces fast approaches.”
“Has the ship I’ll be on been decided? I’m quite fond of the Hairbyrch , myself...”
“It won’t be the Hairbyrch . That’s the flagship of the Ftuné . Assign it to a successor.”
Her eyebrows of flowing scarlet-blue bristled.
“And that’s that,” said Uneuch, hastily. “Your appointment will come into effect in three days. I’d like you to set your personal affairs straight by then. I’m willing to discuss personnel matters at the new Headquarters as well. Now allow me to take my leave. And congratulations, Commodore Sporr.”
Hurriedly, the Commander-in-chief ‘s hologram vanished. Sporr continued to glare at a hologram that was no longer there.
“‘Congratulations’!? Does he think I WANT a promotion? I’m already a Grand Duchess !”
Having overheard their exchange, Cfadiss was relieved. Sporr had been difficult to work for. He thought it’d take at most three years to grow used to it, but that had been wishful thinking. She was incorrigibly self-indulgent, capricious, and worst of all, an incredibly capable commander despite that!
Cfadiss could see it now. A slightly more manageable commander to take her place. That would be nice.
“And what do you look so happy about, Senior Staff Officer ?” Cfadiss snapped to, to find Sporr staring daggers at him.
“Ah! I... I’m not,” said Cfadiss, stiffening his face.
“Oh? But I’m happy that you’re happy... so you’d better hurry and set your affairs in order, too.”
“Huh? How come?” he said, dumbfounded.
“You heard what the man said. He’ll hear me out with regard to the personnel affairs of the new Headquarters . And you’re the new Chief of Staff !”
“Please, hold on,” he said, dismayed. “I’m a hecto-commander . My rank isn’t high enough.”
“I think it’s high time you get your promotion. In fact, I’ll back your promotion. Why, I myself have just been promoted, so I simply must share this pleasure with my subordinates. Congratulations, Kilo-commander Cfadiss.”
“I’m beside myself with gratitude, but...”
“Does something about this inconvenience you?” she prodded, folding her arms.
“No, ma’am. It’s a stupendous honor. Thank you very much,” he said, his hand forced.
“You’re welcome.” She had an announcement for the other personnel on the bridge as well. “Everybody will rise up the ranks. I’m taking you all with me!”
Amidst the whole of the commander’s bridge cheering with jubilation, Cfadiss alone heaved a deep sigh.
In flat space , in a room in an isadh saura (lightweight transport freighter) named Clasepyr (CLASBULE) in transit near Saudec Matmatsocna Cloharr (Gate 229 of Cloha).
“This isn’t the kind of aboard-ship lifestyle I had in mind,” lamented Marca.
“No two ways about it,” said Undertaker.
“Here I am, having left my beloved husband and child to see deep space, only to have to do the Empire ‘s bidding and help haul their cargo. Why, I ask you?”
“Can’t be helped,” said Undertaker.
“And it’s not like we’re actually the ones doing the hauling, either,” said Bill, gulping down some booze. “It’s an Abh who’s piloting. Besides loading whatever cargo the Empire wants us to, all we can be said to be doing is drinking thusly, and watching our savings pile up.”
“No other option,” said Undertaker.
“Well, it helps to think of it as accumulating funds for the Clasbule Secession War to come.” Min took another sip of drink. “And the Empire ‘s helping us do it. It amuses me.”
“Oh, it amuses you, does it?” snapped Bill. “We can’t even return to Clasbule. We’re too famous there. I can hear the sarcasm now: ‘Ceucec reucer (sir gentry), I’m so terribly sorry to have to ask this of you, but could ya take 10 üésboc of pork shoulder into the next town over?’”
“Can’t do a thing about it,” said Undertaker.
“Well, I’m fairly satisfied with this arrangement. We can see different worlds. We can use these travels as reference for the independence effort. In any case, I say we should bide our time until the war’s over. When it ends, this ship’s destination will be freed up.”
“You want us to wait until the war’s over!?” Marca held her hands up in shock. “When’s it going to end? It hasn’t even really started yet!”
“It is what it is,” said Undertaker.
“I swear...” Bill looked Daswani’s way. “Hey, can you use your skills to take over this ship’s computing crystals ? Let’s get this thing in human hands.”
The hulking man shook his head silently.
“What the hell do we even do with ourselves!?”
“Oh well, nothing for it.”
“Undertaker,” said Marca, glaring at her comrade, “do you have anything else to add?”
Undertaker looked at her with eyes drowsy from drink. “Did I ever tell you about the guy who jumped into a bunch of thorns?”
“Oh yes, Undertaker. Hundreds of times.”
In the Sfagnoff Marquessate , at the Lune Beega Municipal Police Agency building on the planet of Clasbule...
“The election results are in!” said a subordinate who came barging in.
Entryua looked up from the screen on his work desk. The officer didn’t have to say a word; Entryua could tell from that look. Yet Entryua was forced to ask anyway.
“And?”
“Aizan’s done!” Fists pumping, he was thoroughly delighted. “We’re finally free from Commissioner Aizan’s two-year reign!”
Entryua grinned. “Looks like cooperating with the occupiers blew up in his face.”
“Aizan’s backers are up in arms. They’re saying that police officers passing damning information about the commissioner violated election law.”
“All I told the press was the truth. They can hold my feet to the fire if I ever lied, but I didn’t. What’re they going to attack me for?”
“Too right, sir,” replied the officer, smiling sweet revenge. “Though they’re saying that you shouldn’t have answered the press to begin with.”
“They must be joking,” said Entryua, cocking an eyebrow. “The people love us. We’re cops the citizens respect! So how could we keep mum when the cameras and mics are on us?”
“Exactly, sir,” said the subordinate, nodding gravely. “Now then, Inspector, allow me to make the rounds telling everybody the good news.”
“I think everybody probably already knows.”
“Probably. But I want to spread the message anyway — because there’s no doubt in mind they’d all like to hear this particular bit of news over and over again.”
Entryua watched as he flew right back out of the office like a whirlwind, and then looked back at the screen, which displayed a letter. A letter from Military Police Lieutenant Kyte, sent from Loneucebhic Siturr (Situr Prison Camp) in the faraway Faicec Üescor (Üesco Monarchy).
At the Countdom of Abliar , in the airlock room of the radéüiac baicœcer (antimatter fuel tank ship) Sélnaïc , sailing via inertial navigation in an astrospace sector located between the sun of Abliar and a point three light-seconds from the imperial capital Lacmhacarh...
“That was quite the close call,” said Seelnay as she shed her pressure suit . “The magnetic flux density had dropped so low. But the computing crystals in the remote surveillance bot have degraded, so instead of the current situation, I was seeing the memory drive ’s—”
“You don’t need to lie to me, too,” frowned Arsa, who helped her take off the pressure suit . “You’ve gone and done it again, haven’t you, Seelnay.”
“Guess you found me out!” Seelnay stuck out her tongue.
“Why on heaven are you pretending to have ‘repaired’ a fuel tank that’s not broken?”
“C’mon, the money from just an inspection’s nothing compared to inspection plus repair.”
“Sure, but we have so much work coming in, there’s no need. We just got word from Greda. The authorities think it’s strange.”
“Huh?” She frowned, a sense of foreboding in the air.
“They’re asking why the fuel tank inspected by Seelnay Ltd. was the only one with an unexpected anomaly spotted, and whether it’s breaking new ground in the field of statistics or stems from some other cause entirely.” Arsa took a breath. “Are you willing to gamble? Because I’d put all of my money on a new discipline of statistics NOT coming to be.”
“Don’t worry. We’ve the Royal House of Crybh backing us,” she said, putting on a daring front.
“You can’t be over-reliant on the good graces of the royal family . They’ve already funded this enterprise. Besides, how can you honestly ask them to be complicit in fraud? You’re not unlikely to incur the wrath of the Abliars that way.”
“But Seelnay Ltd. still has so much room to grow!” she replied, pouting her lips.
“And if you keep at it, that potential will get nipped in the bud.”
“Okay, okay...” Seelnay hung her head. “I won’t do it again.”
“Seelnay, do you have any idea how strange the authorities think this case is?” Arsa sighed.
“They’re that suspicious?”
“It’s worse than that,” said Arsa, thrusting her face toward her. “They’re not suspicious at all! They know what you did. But they’re willing to let past offenses slide, as long as you understand they won’t overlook anymore.”
“So, they’re saying I can pretend this incident never happened, either!?” Seelnay opened her arms.
“That’s right. They’ll forget it ever happened. Only, they’ll be paying you solely for the inspection.”
“But I repaired it, too!” said Seelnay, displeased. “I DID replace the magnetic flux density meter with a new one, and I even refreshed the data on the computing crystals . I didn’t NEED to, but I did.”
“I’m going to tell Greda to dock your cut of the pay,” resolved Arsa.
“But I’m the CEO!” said Seelnay. That said, she had no true intention of wielding her position of authority. If Arsa or Greda abandoned her, it was obvious that the newly formed Seelnay Ltd. would immediately tank, and to confound things further, it seemed the two of them knew that, too.