by Neely Dobbs
CHAPTER 46: Coalition
Braang Pezzer was in a foul mood— something all too common, as those with the misfortune of crossing his path would quickly confirm. Even in Pezzer's best of moods, the most one could expect to receive from him was a sardonic smile or a haughty hint of a scowl.
His current foul humor was the result of two rather severe setbacks he had suffered— one the day before and the other only an hour ago. And either problem (both self-inflicted) could bring unpleasant consequences.
The first problem resulted because of his flouting of Coalition government regulations. All personnel were required to take periodic proficiency tests, and Pezzer had arrogantly rushed through his. He had finished at the very bottom of his class and, to add insult to injury, his grade had been posted along with those of all the others on the class instructor's office door! l can handle some government flunky's official reprimand... but not stiff old Uncle Ktor. I'll never hear the end of another one of his mind-numbing lectures about "a noble's need for personal responsibility to be worthy of his station."
The second problem concerned damage Pezzer's done to the duty station's robotic attendant. Its required presence was— in Pezzer's eyes— unnecessary. Pezzer felt it was just a tin lackey good for nothing more than abusing in whatever way Pezzer's personal whims might demand. He had intended merely to amuse himself by having the robot proffer him "hand salutes." while in Pezzer's presence. Not just once but continuously. Unfortunately, the sloppy instructions he actually issued omitted "in my presence." Worse, he absent-mindedly left his duty station without countermanding the order.
As a result, when Pezzer returned for his current shift, he found the attendant frozen in place, a red light in its chest panel rapidly blinking. He had addressed the machine and was rewarded with, "Sir, I am unable to salute you. The primary servo-motor in my the servo mechanism for my right arm seems to have failed.. May I go to have it replaced?"
Although Pezzer had instantly recognized that his abusive and imprecise orders caused the problem, the motor's failure was of no concern to him. Actually, it did do the damage to itself! However, the true cause would be revealed during the service repair analysis. I'll be called on the carpet, but what else can I do? He reluctantly dismissed the damaged attendant.
Pezzer leaned back in the console's comfortable chair as he mulled over his problems. The chair obligingly cradled his head as his unseeing eyes stared up at the blank ceiling, creating distasteful visions of what his immediate future might hold..