on the far side of the room. All sounds trigger minute changes in the surrounding light patterns as the sound waves pass through the room. That light fluctuation is then measured and delivered via the fiber optics to a computer that converts those modulations back into sound and records them.
“An electronic sensor will not pick up a fiber optic lead,” he said with a smile, “and the computer is too far removed from the room for the sensors to detect it.”
“Very ingenious,” I replied. I recalled seeing a demonstration years ago where a classmate achieved something similar by way of a flashlight and a photocell connected to a device he had built for a science project. “This is precisely the sort of ingenuity you will all need to have when you are on assignments. Stealth is of the utmost importance. Once a spying device is uncovered, your targets will be on guard and looking for you. As long as they’re unaware that they’re under surveillance, achieving your objective safely will be a hundred times easier. I want all of you to get with Geston and learn exactly what he did to successfully install and collect this information; and I expect each of you to build a working model of this device within the next two weeks. In the meantime, we will be going to the surface for some survival training in the forest on my estate. Are there any questions?”
“Yes, sir, I have a question,” replied one of the recruits. “What sort of supplies and gear shall we take with us?”
I grinned and replied, “Nothing. Not one damn thing . You will all be dropped off – naked – in different locations about the estate. You will take nothing with you. Your assignment is to get to the lodge at the far end of the estate within three days without detection. You’ll obtain food and shelter from your natural surroundings by your own resourcefulness. You are not – I repeat – you are not permitted to team up with others and are to avoid all such contact. Anyone who doesn’t make it to the lodge in three days and has to be retrieved in the wilderness will be washed out of the program. When you’re released at the drop-off point, you’ll be given information as to your location on the estate. In the meantime, it’s up to you to obtain details regarding the layout of the estate, including locations of all relevant landmarks, structures and environmental factors that will influence your movements. Be at the hangar area in two hours for deployment to the surface. If there are no other questions, you’re dismissed.”
The look of shock on the faces of these recruits would have been amusing, had it not been for the seriousness of the jobs they were expected to perform in the future. I wondered how many of them would opt out by deliberately not showing up at the lodge on time.
After I left FSO training, I sought out Marranalis to check on his progress regarding our stowaway. I called him on my wrist com and he gave me his position within the vacant accommodations area. When I arrived, I found him staring dumbly at the wall, completely unaware of my presence.
“Is this some new investigative method?” I inquired.
“Oh… sorry, Tibby. I’m just puzzled, that’s all. I figured that, if our stowaway was using the food dispenser in this section of the ship, he might likewise be using one of the clothing replicators and cleaning units. I did a computer search of the units installed in this area of the ship. Since it’s supposed to be unoccupied, none of them should be in use; but the computer identified one unit that is being used almost daily back here…meaning right here ,” he said emphatically while gesturing around him in the featureless end of a corridor. “I just can’t find it. Not only that, but there is supposed to be a food dispenser near it. The ship’s computer shows it as being inoperative due to some malfunction, which is no doubt why our
“An electronic sensor will not pick up a fiber optic lead,” he said with a smile, “and the computer is too far removed from the room for the sensors to detect it.”
“Very ingenious,” I replied. I recalled seeing a demonstration years ago where a classmate achieved something similar by way of a flashlight and a photocell connected to a device he had built for a science project. “This is precisely the sort of ingenuity you will all need to have when you are on assignments. Stealth is of the utmost importance. Once a spying device is uncovered, your targets will be on guard and looking for you. As long as they’re unaware that they’re under surveillance, achieving your objective safely will be a hundred times easier. I want all of you to get with Geston and learn exactly what he did to successfully install and collect this information; and I expect each of you to build a working model of this device within the next two weeks. In the meantime, we will be going to the surface for some survival training in the forest on my estate. Are there any questions?”
“Yes, sir, I have a question,” replied one of the recruits. “What sort of supplies and gear shall we take with us?”
I grinned and replied, “Nothing. Not one damn thing . You will all be dropped off – naked – in different locations about the estate. You will take nothing with you. Your assignment is to get to the lodge at the far end of the estate within three days without detection. You’ll obtain food and shelter from your natural surroundings by your own resourcefulness. You are not – I repeat – you are not permitted to team up with others and are to avoid all such contact. Anyone who doesn’t make it to the lodge in three days and has to be retrieved in the wilderness will be washed out of the program. When you’re released at the drop-off point, you’ll be given information as to your location on the estate. In the meantime, it’s up to you to obtain details regarding the layout of the estate, including locations of all relevant landmarks, structures and environmental factors that will influence your movements. Be at the hangar area in two hours for deployment to the surface. If there are no other questions, you’re dismissed.”
The look of shock on the faces of these recruits would have been amusing, had it not been for the seriousness of the jobs they were expected to perform in the future. I wondered how many of them would opt out by deliberately not showing up at the lodge on time.
After I left FSO training, I sought out Marranalis to check on his progress regarding our stowaway. I called him on my wrist com and he gave me his position within the vacant accommodations area. When I arrived, I found him staring dumbly at the wall, completely unaware of my presence.
“Is this some new investigative method?” I inquired.
“Oh… sorry, Tibby. I’m just puzzled, that’s all. I figured that, if our stowaway was using the food dispenser in this section of the ship, he might likewise be using one of the clothing replicators and cleaning units. I did a computer search of the units installed in this area of the ship. Since it’s supposed to be unoccupied, none of them should be in use; but the computer identified one unit that is being used almost daily back here…meaning right here ,” he said emphatically while gesturing around him in the featureless end of a corridor. “I just can’t find it. Not only that, but there is supposed to be a food dispenser near it. The ship’s computer shows it as being inoperative due to some malfunction, which is no doubt why our
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