“I have dismissed you, Ensign. If I need more answers, I will call on you.”
Yes, sir.” I turned and started out of the office, wondering if I had misjudged Commander Boggs. Was it a case of - like father like son?
Chapter 18
Ireported back to Captain Hollenbeck’s office to explain my discussion with Commander Boggs and was admitted immediately. Again, I took a brace position before his desk with my hat under my arm. It was the proper way to report to a senior officer.
“At ease,” the captain said as he turned in his chair to some equipment behind the desk. He had an electronics console there with a mass of scanners and controls, holograms for the projection of data and much more than I could understand. He pressed a few power buttons on his desk, shut off the screens and turned back to me.
“Now, all of the monitors are off and no one can hear or record us. Go ahead with your report.”
“Is it possible for someone to monitor your office without your consent?”
“Not anymore it isn’t. I’d thought for years I was isolated and protected. Now I know I may not have been. It is a bit disconcerting.”
He paused, and then went on. “What did Commander Boggs say about this?”
I suspected the captain had watched it all on his own monitor and with no way to know for sure, I could not assume it. If it had been me and I’d had that power, I would certainly have done it. He had the legal right, the ability and would likely to have wanted to judge Commander Boggs’s reaction for himself.
“Nothing, sir. He did seem surprised that you knew about the five other monitoring portals. In fact, it was the first thing he asked about when we were discussing how Buryl had been caught.”
“Yes, I’m sure it was,” the captain said, an obvious low level of anger in his words. “So, you must now be quite curious about all this.”
He leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on the corner of his desk.
“Yes, sir.”
He thought for moment and then said, “You did a good job with this, Andy, and since you have been a part of the thing, I guess you have a right to know it all. It goes all the way back to the days when he and I were working on the ship’s construction. He wanted to be able to monitor all of the rooms on the ship at will, without warrant or protection for the ship’s company. I disagreed with him and limited the design to include only the two portals, one for him and one for me with our access restricted by the computer to our own specific areas of concern and probable cause situations. The AI computer was authorized to record everything everywhere, so we could go back later and see what had happened in any particular situation. By general agreement neither of us could gain complete access without the other’s permission.
He did not like it. The ship’s counsel agreed it would be best to protect privacy so people would have at least a modicum of peace in their various spaces. Clearly, we now know he did not comply with my order and built in the five extra portals only he knew about. I am assuming he also took off the restrictions needed for unlimited scans. The question today is what I should do about it? What are your thoughts?”
“You’re asking me, sir? I’m afraid this is substantially beyond my pay grade.”
“We get paid?” He said with a half-smile on his face.
“Uh, now that you mention it. I’ve not seen anything resembling money since well before I was born.”
Now we were both laughing. Money was not used on the ship. Tabs were kept on everyone to determine if they were staying within their consumable allotments and before the ship departed, every passenger had turned over all of their wealth and property to the state for use in new ship construction projects.
Finally, he seemed to relax. Perhaps he had come to some decision.
“Okay, this is how it is. I’ve been observing you for quite some time and have come to the conclusion that you have a remarkable mind and common sense well beyond your years. So, yes — I am asking your view. We have a full commander, probably the most important man on board, who has willfully violated a direct order. Of course it was over one hundred years ago during the final construction phases of the ship and we’d had a valid disagreement over the monitoring process. I’m guessing he has never violated the intent of the privacy rules and has used the monitors solely for keeping track of what was going on in the various compartments where his expertise might have been needed.”
“I would guess that too, sir. However, the existence of these portals did allow Buryl to scan for private purposes. The commander must have informed him of the one in his office. As to whether he told him of the other five, I have no way of knowing. Or, come to think of it, I’d have to inquire about that by way of the AI. It could probably tell us if Buryl had ever used one of them.”
“Regardless of all that,” the captain said, “It was a violation of the rules of command and a direct order. So, what would you do about it?”
I looked up at the overhead. Everyone else I knew did it when they were thinking, so what the hell. I did it too. The words then seemed to ooze slowly out of my mouth, as if I were a lawyer slick- talking a jury.
“There is a practicality to be considered, sir. He is too important to the ship to punish in the same way you might have done a hundred years ago or to a lessor officer. And then, there may well be an implied, if not written statute of limitations on such breaches of discipline. I have never heard of one of those applying within the uniform code of military justice or to interstellar vessels. Nevertheless, I don’t think it would unreasonable to assume if there is not, there should be. Basically, we are out here in the far reaches of space and have no doubt had to make up rules to suit our goals and purposes. So, yes, I don’t think you are forced by code or tradition to punish Commander Boggs for his former actions.
I think it would be sufficient to have him disable the portals involved and limit him to his own office’s equipment, at least for some period of time. Then, require that any need he might have for them be requested ahead of time and only with your permission. At some time, when you are sure he had such a need and was not likely to abuse it, lift the restrictions.”
The captain had his head back, his hands behind his neck. “Have you studied law, son?”
“No sir. I have watched a lot of television crime stories and read many mystery novels, so I have some understanding of what the law is all about. That’s all.”
Now he was laughing again. “Very good, Ensign. You are possessed of a remarkable talent for fabricating bullshit on a moment’s notice.”
He nodded. “This is all acceptable. I feel quite comfortable with such a solution and I’m sure Commander Boggs will feel the same. Would you like to be present when I inform him of my decision?”
“No sir. I would not. I think he considers me a punk kid who has no business being involved in this in any way.”
“Yes, and with his son in such trouble, he may well be looking for a scapegoat. It’s human nature. I will disabuse him of those thoughts when I call him in.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“And Andy, this is no doubt going to come as a surprise to you, but I’d like to promote you to lieutenant junior grade to serve as my personal aide. It is a position I should have already filled. Again, I’ve had this view based on my own early service that it is a form of involuntary servitude and thought to avoid it as long as possible. Now, with our approach to Kepler 186 a mere three years away, I’m going to need help with everything that will need to be done.
You fit the bill particularly well for several reasons. Loyalty is the most important factor in such a position, as well as anticipating things I may have to face. You have already demonstrated your capability in those areas. You’ve also demonstrated your ability to deal with recalcitrant officers quite well. I was impressed with the way you straightened Lieutenant Sparks out when he got snide with you. It showed you were not afraid to do what was necessary in an emergency, regardless of rank.
You have an inside tr
ack on how the ship’s complement is dealing with everything that comes up and that would also be valuable to me. You are well liked and people appear to confide in you. Among your friends, you are the most respected. If I needed to know what they were thinking, you would either know it already or could find out in short order.”
I stood to attention, not because it was required protocol. I was simply stunned. I finally pointed out that I had not completed the academy and much of my time would be taken up studying. Also, I said that promoting me to lieutenant junior grade without that graduation diploma, would be a breach of protocol.
He nodded. “Those things are all true. However, you have completed the most important classes, on the engines and fusion systems and have proven yourself capable of handling navigation and long range search. Once we get to Kepler 186f and offload those who are to colonize the planet, we can go back and have you complete the rest of the required basics and be done with it. In a way, you would be completing your doctoral studies before you chose a major. It would be unusual, although not completely out of the ordinary. Men like Einstein knew all they needed to know well before they ever entered the university. So, I am not worried about that.”
To say I was taken aback would be an understatement. “You can’t possibly be comparing me to Einstein, sir?”
“No, although the point is the same. And, who knows? One day you might be seen as comparable to other great men.
As for promotional protocol, the military has been promoting enlisted personnel to officer status since the American Revolutionary War and beyond. And, the system of moving officers up the ladder before their normal time has also been common. It is called a ‘brevet’ promotion. Some officers have jumped from colonel to lieutenant general in as few as four years. General Eisenhower is probably the best example. He went from bird colonel to four-star general running the entire allied effort during the Second World War in Europe. There are hundreds of other such examples, so I am comfortable with it.”
“Are you saying this would be a brevet promotion that could be taken back once the emergency or whatever we are facing comes under control?”
“No, it is based on talent and necessity alone and would be permanent. And, again, the fact that you were first to perceive a threat from the colonists, is evidence your intuition is spot on. I’ve been worried about this for some time, primarily because we are approaching the end of our journey. Such times have been historically dangerous. And this time I believe it will be even more so.”
“What have you based this on?”
“Think of Columbus’s journey across the Atlantic,” he said. “His crew was preparing for a mutiny just before the ship came upon the West Indies. Then, there was Cortez, who burned all of his ships before starting out to explore Mexico. He did not want his men to enrich themselves and then decide to go home because the West Indies might turn out to be a rough place full of bugs and foul water. He’d planned to stay all along and had not told his crew of the plan for fear they might mutiny. There are also numerous other examples of that same sort of thing over the past several hundred years.
Finally, there is the simple reality of starting out in a new, unfamiliar world. The colonists have been dreaming of a fantasyland, a place of great opportunity with all the comforts of home, and it will not likely be the case. It is more likely there will be very hard work required, where unknowns will rule the day, diseases could be rampant and all will not be as pleasant as anticipated. This will be disturbing to them while the comforts of the ship in orbit are just a quick AG jump away. I’m afraid their previously demonstrated excitement will fade and reality will overwhelm their pioneering spirit. We will need to start priming them for this shortly, with lectures and seminars.
So far, we have left the colonists to their own devices and they have formed their own vision of what life will be like on the Kepler planet or satellite. Now, they will have to start facing their real mission and the nature of what it means to be the first to arrive on a new world. How they handle it will be a lesson for all of those who follow.”
He stood up and began to pace.
“In addition to your follow-up of the mutiny suggestion, I want you to devise a plan for the organization of the initial landing and to speak to the colonists about it. They already have general plans, though specifics will have to be established as details of the two bodies become more apparent. Another thing you could do is explain all of this to the board of trustees and set up a series of seminars wherein the colonists themselves are allowed to provide their input. I want them to appoint a representative to accompany you and Commander Herman as you observe the planet on approach. We will no doubt see new things every day that might affect where they choose to land, and if they don’t have a comprehensive plan to rely on, they may well start getting antsy about going at all.”
“Sir, I think I could set up a monitor in the main meeting hall capable of receiving the images we are seeing up front as we approach. Similar, much smaller screens have been installed in many of our classrooms.
This would allow them to participate on a daily basis and develop the plan as we go. We could even install appropriate telescopes for them to scan the planet and the satellite as we get close. That should make them feel a part of the operation and help them make their choice for a landing area.”
“Very good. Do it. And, bring Lieutenant Commander Herman aboard as well. She will be able to advise them on those subjects of concern that you might not be aware of.”
I found myself pondering the plan. Although Lieutenant Herman was very knowledgeable, her interpersonal skills and rapport with others was lacking in the pizazz she might need to win over some of the more hesitant colonists.
“Sir, this may sound a bit over the top. Nevertheless, you need to know what I am thinking. I will need someone I can personally rely on to work with me and help come up with functional ideas. Commander Herman can deal with the scientific types, and there are many of them. Organizing the structure needed will require a schmoozer, someone with diplomatic skills they will all want to work with. Miki Sakura would fit that bill perfectly. She is a mathematical genius with advanced studies in sociology and diplomacy. And, as you no doubt know, she and I are bound and committed to life together. It would help our relationship for us to work together and also provide each of us with a trusted sounding board.
I’ve never met a person who did not accept her suggestions right from the start. She is a people person who finds out everything she can about each individual and designs her ideas around them. That’s what she did to me and I didn’t even know it until I was well into her trap.”
The captain pondered this for a moment and then said, “It’s up to you. If you think you need a closer assistant to work with, choose one and go with it. She will also need to be promoted to lieutenant because the colonists will not likely accept anyone of a lessor rank to advise them.”
“Agreed. We will all work on a general presentation and I will then put it to them. Herman and Sakura will help with the design and specifics and as soon as it is ready, we will present it to the colonists for their input. Commander Herman will ostensibly be in command. She will also handle the technical side of providing the colonists with the vision they will need. Lieutenant Sakura will be my aide and once everything is looking good, I will return as your full time aide. There are twenty four hours in a day, if I recall, so there should also be time for me to work on your needs while we are getting the colonists up to speed.”
“Very well, make it happen.”
I returned to attention, spun on my heel and left the room. One thing I had not told him was that Miki would serve to solve one other problem, and that was to keep Commander Herman at bay and me from doing anything stupid. Though she had done nothing yet, I had an itchy feeling it had crossed her mind.
Damn, I thought. I was turning into a doppelganger of Miki Sakura. I was creeping up on what I thought might be a problem in an effort to avoid it.
As
I walked down the hall toward the nearest tube car entrance, I started to laugh. A couple of others walking toward the entrance looked at me as if ‘I had lost the plot.’
Chapter 19
Before heading for our little bungalow, the quaint term Miki and I had been using to define the compartment used for our trysts, I called her on my communicator and asked her to meet me in the lounge. Before I headed over there, I stopped by the commissary to pick up the necessary rank adjustments and modified my uniform to conform to the accoutrements of a lieutenant junior grade and personal aide to the captain. I did not worry about a complete new uniform. It was sufficient to add one silver bar on my epaulets with a star above and an aiguillette over my shoulder. The latter was a gold cord that was attached to an epaulet and hung in a loop under my left arm. The tips of the loop were made of gold plated brass and looked much like the tips of a pair of shoelaces.
The aiguillette designated me as a major officer’s aide de camp. Flag lieutenants were normally only available to flag officers such as admirals, and since we were a ship without such an officer the captain was free to choose his aid-de-camp without restriction. I thought I looked especially spiffy and was quickly getting a fat head.
What was really important about the uniform change was that my position on the ship would be clear to anyone who wanted to know whose ass to kiss. Being the captain’s personal representative carried considerable weight and I did not want to abuse it.
Miki’s eyes lit up and widened as I approached. She was sitting with two of her friends in a booth and they did not at first realize what they were seeing. Miki stood and saluted. When she did that, everyone else in the bar of a lessor rank did the same. I waved at them to sit back down, chuckled a bit at the reaction and then said in a voice loud enough for all to hear that the captain had graciously appointed me to be his aide. The rank went with it. Still I had no intention of letting any of it inflate my already fattened head. The job I was being given was to implement the landing plans originally devised for Kepler 186f and change them as necessary when we approach the planet.
USS Kepler Dawn Page 11