by M. D. Cooper
Tanis stifled a laugh as the Reddings arrived at the bar.
Sanderson did the introductions. “Earnest, Abby. I’d like you to meet Major Richards, our new head of security.”
Earnest merely nodded while Abby cast Tanis an appraising look.
“So you’re the one causing all the trouble. I’ve got shipments backed up all over the place with your new security measures.” Abby wasted no time in bending Tanis’s ear.
“You’ve also got a dock to have them sit on, thanks to her.” Earnest commented as he retrieved a drink. His wife shot him a dark look.
“I’m sorry to hear that, ma’am.” Tanis did her best to be deferential. “I’ve spoken with Lieutenant Collins and provided reports on where I think additional staff will alleviate his problems. I’ve also assigned additional security personnel from the local TSF garrison to ensure that your shipments are not held up.”
Earnest chuckled. “Looks like she’s got all the angles covered, dear.”
“So it would seem.” Abby pursed her lips and darted her eyes away from her husband—back to Tanis. “Tell me, Major, other than backing up people and products, how do you intend to keep this ship safe from saboteurs?”
Admiral Sanderson’s mouth may have twitched in a smile. Tanis imagined he was quite happy to have someone else be at the receiving end of Abby’s ire.
“Most of what I’m doing cannot be discussed without showing you the time-mapping displays, but one thing I’ve proposed is the completion of the starboard docking hatch ahead of schedule to allow direct delivery of product from inbound ships.”
“That would throw our schedule out of whack considerably,” Abby responded.
“In the near term, yes, but if you look at the proposal I’ve suggested on the engineering boards under posting 472.9022.2 you’ll see that after three months it will increase productivity 2% over what we were at before the heightened security measures took effect. This also requires that we only allow ships that were cleared by TSF forces at the port of origin to dock there. All other ships will still have to go through the triple check at MOS and on our docks.”
“Numbers on that proposal look solid,” Earnest spoke between sips of his drink, having reviewed the proposal over the Link.
“So it would appear,” Abby grudgingly agreed. “How well it all works out remains to be seen.”
Earnest winked at Tanis. “We’ll discuss it at our morning engineering meeting tomorrow.” His wife merely grunted.
“I just hope all this security is worth it.”
“How can security not be worth it?” Admiral Sanderson asked.
“There’s security, and then there’s just getting in the way,” Abby replied.
“Without security nothing would ever be made. Security provides stability and that provides an environment for growth.” Sanderson’s tone was matter-of-fact.
“Just what you’d expect a military man to say.” Abby rolled her eyes at the admiral.
“Now, now, folks.” A voice boomed out from behind the Reddings. “No need to debate the rise and fall of civilizations. We’re here to celebrate our successes.”
Everyone turned to see Captain Andrews and Terrance Enfield walking toward them. Tanis had been expecting them ever since she was notified over the Link that the Marines at the maglev station had passed them through security.
“I’d rather be down in engineering.” Abby didn’t hide her distaste for the gathering.
“Now, Abby.” Terrance flashed a slick smile. “You know as well as the rest of us that all this shoulder clapping and back patting is an important part of the process. People like to see their investment up close.”
“They can see it all they want, just as long as they don’t twiddle with it,” Abby responded. Her husband laid a calming hand on her arm.
Terrance pretended not to notice her sour mood, a luxury the man bankrolling the construction of the Intrepid could afford. “I’ll do my best to ensure no twiddling occurs.” He turned to look at Tanis. “And you, Major, I must heartily thank you.” His handshake was warm and firm. “Things would have certainly gone badly on the Steel Dawn III if it had not been for your intervention. I have to be honest, when I saw that Andrews and Sanderson had pushed your application forward I questioned their judgment. You do have a bit of a reputation, Tanis Richards.”
“You’re that Tanis Richards?” Abby looked Tanis up and down. “I have to admit, I wouldn’t have expected someone so…”
“Pretty,” her husband supplied with a smile.
Abby cast him a caustic look. “Yes, quite…so pretty to be the butcher of Toro.”
“Guh…” Tanis shook her head. “I had forgotten that moniker.”
Sanderson gave Tanis what could almost be considered a sympathetic look. “Between those of us standing here, the official report does not accurately represent the events of that operation. Suffice it to say that the major here ended up absorbing far more blame than she should have. To be honest,” the admiral shuddered—an emotion so real it almost seemed out of character. “What her team faced was so…unimaginable that it couldn’t even be shown on VA.”
Tanis kept her amazement from showing on her face—and her dress since Angela wasn’t being a help on that front. She wouldn’t have expected Sanderson to be her advocate, but he must have been aware of the truth to bring her aboard the Intrepid. “Her performance on the Dawn is a far better reflection of her record,” the admiral added.
All eyes were on Tanis, regarding her in a new light, except for Andrews who must have known the truth as well.
“Well. Let’s hope that your devotion to the TSF carries over to your duties here.” Terrance gave his smoothest businessman’s smile. “Stopping that nuke certainly raises your estimation in my books.”
Tanis gave a genuine smile in return. “I like to avoid being blown up as much as the next person.”
“You’re too modest,” Captain Andrews said. “I look forward to seeing how your current security improvements pan out.”
“They’ll be an inconvenience at first, sir.” Tanis was glad to be back to business. “But given time, the new protocols will become part of the process.”
“I imagine they will.” Andrews picked up a drink as did Terrance.
“Well, we have to make the rounds. I’m certain we will talk more later,” Terrance said.
“We’ll join you.” Earnest smiled and pulled Abby along with him.
“You should get out there as well,” Sanderson said to Tanis, who nodded in agreement and left Evans’ side.
It was the typical mix of high society and canny businessmen. Tanis had just stepped away from a military contractor who was trying to sell her on her company’s improved Auth & Auth portal when a tap on her shoulder caused her to turn and come face to face with the MOS stationmaster. Tanis was expecting him to pay her a visit and was surprised he had taken so long to do it. She had, after all, commandeered a significant portion of his station.
“Major Richards, it is good to finally meet you.” His handshake was a tad too firm; one of those grasps intended to signify superiority.
“Yourself as well.” Tanis put on her most pleasant smile. “I hope you haven’t found our new security measures at all inconvenient.” There, it was out, let him either make a complaint or brush the issue aside.
“I can’t say I enjoy having TSF troops assume control of several decks on my station.” The stationmaster was going the more aggressive route. “I believe that our security is up to the task of keeping MOS in one piece. We’ve managed to do so for nearly a thousand years.”
“Indeed you have.” Tanis nodded, keeping eye contact. “But
over those eight hundred and ninety-four years there have been several explosions on MOS that severely debilitated the station. In fact, nearly five hundred years ago an attack by a militant arm of the Mars Naturalists actually had the Mars government considering shutting down MOS altogether. In the end TSF stepped in to provide security and the Marsian government refitted the station. So while MOS has handled itself well, it is also no stranger to TSF supplementation of its security.”
Evans was standing within hearing range and couldn’t keep himself from commenting.
The stationmaster coughed into his hand. “That was some time ago, Major. I assure you that MOS can handle itself now.”
“There have been other, more recent instances when MOS needed TSF and even GSS assistance.” Tanis smiled a bit too sweetly. “I could outline them for you.”
“No, that will be quite alright.” The stationmaster glanced around anxiously at some of the nearby dignitaries.
“I assure you, we will leave no lasting impact. In less than a year we will be gone and you will be free of the added burden the Intrepid has been imposing on you.”
Several groups in their vicinity appeared to have lowered their voices to better hear what Tanis was saying.
Everyone in the room was all too aware that MOS was laughing all the way to the bank with the money it was making from the construction of the Intrepid. It was by far the most profitable shipbuilding job that had taken place on MOS in decades.
The stationmaster fidgeted with his collar. “You misunderstand me, Major; the Intrepid is no burden at all. We are happy for your assistance with keeping the MOS secure.”
“I’m glad to hear it, Stationmaster Stevens. If you’ll excuse me, I have some routine checks to make.”
The stationmaster looked like he had something else he wanted to say and Tanis resisted the desire to push him over the edge. The admiral most likely would disapprove of a scene.
After a moment he nodded curtly. “Of course.” The stationmaster turned, his route describing a direct line to the bar.
Evans’ warm laugh filled her mind.
The evening progressed uneventfully and in time the dignitaries with adequate clearance gathered and made their way to the maglev station for their tour of the ship. Tanis went with the tour, both for security’s sake and to get a firsthand view of more of the ship. The guests weren’t being taken anywhere too dangerous, or too sensitive, but it was better than standing around in the ballroom. On top of that, she had a suspicion that Evans was considering asking her to dance. Tanis didn’t dance.
The tour was uneventful until the maglev ride back to the VIP corridor. No alert had come over the security net, but Tanis sensed something wasn’t right.
Angela didn’t respond for a moment.
Even as Tanis was issuing the order to belay docking for that vessel it made its seal and the airlock cycled open. Security responded that the lock controls were compromised and they were unable to close it.
Once the train was outstation a new train rolled in with a platoon of TSF Marines on board. They deployed with smooth precision, secured the station and set up a barrier at the entrance to the VIP corridor.
Tanis’s vision zoomed and she peered down the straight hallway to the dock. No movement at the airlock. So far. Four TSF Regulars stood like statues with their pulse rifles leveled at the hatch.
Her HUD alerted her to laserfire down the corridor. She switched her vision to IR and saw the bodies of the four soldiers on the deck.
“Fuck,” she swore softly.
Laserfire lanced down the corridor toward the maglev station. The Intrepid deployed refraction clouds and the beams played harmlessly against the TSF Marine’s shields.
“Lieutenant Forsythe,” Tanis called to the CO of the platoon. “We need to secure the ballroom to the right. Deploy your personnel in a scaled phalanx.”
“Yes, sir!” The lieutenant nodded and signaled her staff sergeant with the particulars of the maneuver. One squad stayed behind to keep the station secure and the other two interlocked their shields and advanced down the corridor.
Tanis looked back at the squad guarding the maglev station. “Someone want to give me a hoist up?”
“Up where, sir?” A Marine bearing a corporal's insignia asked.
“Into the crawlspace above the corridor,” Tanis replied.
One of the privates coughed. “In that, sir?” He looked her up and down.
"That's an officer you're gawking at, Mendez," the squad’s sergeant growled.
“Aw shit.” Tanis looked down at her new dress. “Someone give me a knife.”
The sergeant handed her his blade and Tanis cut her dress off at the tops of her thighs. “Now hoist me up and no comments please.”
At least the two privates who lifted her didn’t ogle. Rank had some privileges after all. Clambering up into the access hatch Tanis set a VIV on her HUD to Forsythe’s vision as she advanced with her men below. The vision-in-vision showed the two squads advancing under steady fire from the airlock toward the entrance to the ballroom. They were over halfway there, and judging from the angles of fire the attackers were closing in as well.
The accessway had a small ledge for maintenance crews and Tanis scrambled along it, wishing she hadn’t bowed to fashion and had simply worn pants. She could hear the shouts of the men below as they worked their way down the corridor, combined with the whine of the enemy’s lasers and the Marine’s pulse rifles. The corridor had never seemed so long and Tanis was certain she had drawn blood on her knees as she progressed. Luckily, the forces below her seemed to have battled one another to a standstill. Both were still over twenty meters from the entrance to the ballroom.
With her knees now freely bleeding, Tanis passed over the platoon, and a minute later she w
as positioned over the attacking force. Angela deployed probes through a grate and the team got their first clear look at the attackers. There were fifteen of them in heavy body armor—probably why the TSF’s pulse rifles were doing little or no damage. She relayed the feed to Lieutenant Forsythe.
Tanis added that to her to-do list.
Angela focused on the delicate procedure of slicing through the plasma conduit, while Tanis controlled other nano manually and used them to loosen the fastening for the grate.