slow in their
thinking.
“Oh well,” Admiral Meyers thinks. “At least they are trying.
***
Finally the party is over and her guide – Lieutenant Sonja Wuo – delivers her to her
stateroom and leaves her with comm numbers, for herself and other
assistants. Then she is alone at last. In an elegant apartment of
rooms – and with a huge bath – probably installed just for her.
That is all she needs to see. She runs the tub full of water; pours
in some bubble bath; grabs a drink - with a name she doesn’t know – undresses;
and gets into the tub. No sooner has she hit the water when her comm
rings. She says some choice words and gets out of the water long enough
to retrieve her comm unit.
She is just getting back into the tub, when Fleet Admiral Kinseat begins
speaking: “Admiral Meyers. This is Fleet Admiral Kinseat and I just wanted
to greet you on your first day home. Unfortunately, I was planet-side in
meetings with the Emperor’s staff, and I was not able to greet you upon your
arrival. I do expect to be back on the Station tomorrow, and I hope to
see you then.”
“I look forward to our meeting, Fleet Admiral Kinseat ,” replies Admiral Meyers.
“Fine. I will comm you when I know my schedule. Goodnight.
And you can get back to your bath now - - - how do I know that you are taking a
bath? Because that is what everyone does, when they first get back from
the frontlines. See you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight, sir,” she says as she puts the comm unit down, and slides
under the water. She is sure glad that he told her how he knew she was
taking a bath.
***
The next day is full of media interviews by the Empire press corps, along
with debriefing sessions by various Darinx Navy departments.
She is surprised and honored that the people of the Darinx Empire have,
at last, taken an interest in augmented humans. The press, from the
planet Earth, has shown a special interest. It seems that planet Earth
has claimed her as one of their own.
And the press corps has stopped speaking to her as if she is mentally
impaired. In the beginning they seemed surprised that she could even
speak in complete sentences. The Admiral gladly accepts all requests for
interviews, because she knows that the interviews will cause augmented humans
to be lifted up, in the esteem of all Darinx citizens. They will see
evidence that this species is as intelligent as any other species in the
Empire.
The official debriefings are wide ranging and thorough. She speaks
the truth about everything, without any regard for military politics. She
speaks her opinion only when asked.
***
Later in the day she receives a text message from Fleet Admiral Kinseat , ordering her to
report for a meeting in his office, in 1 hour. Lieutenant Sonja Wuo – her guide – delivers
her to the Fleet Admiral’s office.
The meeting is cordial and the Fleet Admiral implies, without actually
saying so, that Fleet Admiral Duncons has been forced into early retirement, because of his orders to Sweetwater
Fleet, which essentially amounted to a suicide mission.
The Fleet Admiral asks her about the captured Verm warships. Admiral
Meyers replies that she was originally planning on using them, because the
Darinx warships were out of munitions. But now that the Darinx warships
have been re-supplied, she foresees using the captured Verm warships, in
surprise attacks against the Verm Navy. Verm targets being attacked by a
fleet of Verm Navy vessels should spread paranoia throughout the Verm Empire.
Admiral Kinseat nods approval for that tactic and says: “Don’t forget that you can be
executed as spies for dressing up like the enemy. Although that won’t
really matter, in the case of the Verm – they are going to execute you anyway.”
Then he tells her that the Repair Depot estimates one month of repair
time, in order to bring her Fleet up to Battle Ready condition.
He suggests that the waiting time will
thinking.
“Oh well,” Admiral Meyers thinks. “At least they are trying.
***
Finally the party is over and her guide – Lieutenant Sonja Wuo – delivers her to her
stateroom and leaves her with comm numbers, for herself and other
assistants. Then she is alone at last. In an elegant apartment of
rooms – and with a huge bath – probably installed just for her.
That is all she needs to see. She runs the tub full of water; pours
in some bubble bath; grabs a drink - with a name she doesn’t know – undresses;
and gets into the tub. No sooner has she hit the water when her comm
rings. She says some choice words and gets out of the water long enough
to retrieve her comm unit.
She is just getting back into the tub, when Fleet Admiral Kinseat begins
speaking: “Admiral Meyers. This is Fleet Admiral Kinseat and I just wanted
to greet you on your first day home. Unfortunately, I was planet-side in
meetings with the Emperor’s staff, and I was not able to greet you upon your
arrival. I do expect to be back on the Station tomorrow, and I hope to
see you then.”
“I look forward to our meeting, Fleet Admiral Kinseat ,” replies Admiral Meyers.
“Fine. I will comm you when I know my schedule. Goodnight.
And you can get back to your bath now - - - how do I know that you are taking a
bath? Because that is what everyone does, when they first get back from
the frontlines. See you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight, sir,” she says as she puts the comm unit down, and slides
under the water. She is sure glad that he told her how he knew she was
taking a bath.
***
The next day is full of media interviews by the Empire press corps, along
with debriefing sessions by various Darinx Navy departments.
She is surprised and honored that the people of the Darinx Empire have,
at last, taken an interest in augmented humans. The press, from the
planet Earth, has shown a special interest. It seems that planet Earth
has claimed her as one of their own.
And the press corps has stopped speaking to her as if she is mentally
impaired. In the beginning they seemed surprised that she could even
speak in complete sentences. The Admiral gladly accepts all requests for
interviews, because she knows that the interviews will cause augmented humans
to be lifted up, in the esteem of all Darinx citizens. They will see
evidence that this species is as intelligent as any other species in the
Empire.
The official debriefings are wide ranging and thorough. She speaks
the truth about everything, without any regard for military politics. She
speaks her opinion only when asked.
***
Later in the day she receives a text message from Fleet Admiral Kinseat , ordering her to
report for a meeting in his office, in 1 hour. Lieutenant Sonja Wuo – her guide – delivers
her to the Fleet Admiral’s office.
The meeting is cordial and the Fleet Admiral implies, without actually
saying so, that Fleet Admiral Duncons has been forced into early retirement, because of his orders to Sweetwater
Fleet, which essentially amounted to a suicide mission.
The Fleet Admiral asks her about the captured Verm warships. Admiral
Meyers replies that she was originally planning on using them, because the
Darinx warships were out of munitions. But now that the Darinx warships
have been re-supplied, she foresees using the captured Verm warships, in
surprise attacks against the Verm Navy. Verm targets being attacked by a
fleet of Verm Navy vessels should spread paranoia throughout the Verm Empire.
Admiral Kinseat nods approval for that tactic and says: “Don’t forget that you can be
executed as spies for dressing up like the enemy. Although that won’t
really matter, in the case of the Verm – they are going to execute you anyway.”
Then he tells her that the Repair Depot estimates one month of repair
time, in order to bring her Fleet up to Battle Ready condition.
He suggests that the waiting time will
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