Sir, the transition would be smoother if we used multiple tele-bots at the same time, observed Jonathan.
Yes, Nickelo agreed. But limiting our hack to a single tele-bot at a time decreases our probability of discovery. A little data undetected for a long time is better than a lot of data which leads to our immediate discovery.
Probability confirmed, said Jonathan. My calculations confirm your analysis.
Understood, Nickelo said.
Nickelo relayed instructions to Jonathan to have the tele-bot inside the DNA Center trail the VIP’s. The group consisted of five human females, four males, and six non-humans of various races.
Who is the human female talking to the commandant? Nickelo said.
I’ve taken the liberty of accessing the tele-network, said Jonathan. The female in question is Councilwoman Diane Deloris.
Hmm, Nickelo said. Of the Deloris Armament’s family, I assume.
Affirmative, said Jonathan.
And the others? Nickelo asked.
Besides the commandant and TAC Officer Myers, said Jonathan, the important ones are Councilwoman Fulbright, Councilman Jenkins, and Ambassador Kreeillian from the planet Mintos. And of course you recognize Chief Instructor Harriet Winslow.
Nickelo did. Increase the audio please, Jonathan.
Nickelo sensed Jonathan sending the instruction to the tele-bot. Within a nanosecond, Jonathan was forwarding the decrypted audio data to him.
“Yes, Councilwoman Deloris,” said Chief Instructor Winslow. “The DNA gas vent is what makes creating a DNA baseline possible. No other such compounding of elements has been discovered anywhere else in the galaxy. We believe the DNA gas vent is actually a hole into another dimension.”
“So I’ve been told,” said Councilwoman Deloris.
Using Jonathan as a relay, Nickelo had the tele-bot increase magnification of the councilwoman. She appeared to be a handsome woman in her mid-twenties. According to the data from Jonathan, she was actually in her late forties. With the increased magnification, Nickelo noticed the telltale microscopic scars of antiaging surgery.
Hmm, Nickelo said. I think our councilwoman is a little on the vain side.
So it would seem, agreed Jonathan.
“Tell me, chief instructor,” said Councilwoman Deloris. “Is it hard working in a facility dedicated to eternal youth while knowing you yourself will never benefit?”
“Ah…, I’ve never really thought about it,” said Chief Instructor Winslow.
“Come now, chief instructor,” said Councilwoman Deloris. “We’re both women. Haven’t you ever been even the least bit jealous?”
When Chief Instructor Winslow didn’t reply, Councilwoman Deloris shrugged her shoulders. “The commandant tells me you’ve only been with the Academy five years.”
“Almost six, councilwoman,” said Chief Instructor Winslow.
“I stand corrected,” smiled Councilwoman Deloris. The smile was not a friendly one. “Tell me, chief instructor, what do you think about the efficiency of the Academy’s training program?”
“I’m not sure I understand,” said Chief Instructor Winslow.
With a wave of her hand, Councilwoman Deloris gestured to the large reactor and the array of recliners that took up most of the DNA Center’s interior. “Take this for instance. The Academy consists of three schools. There is the one here on Velos dedicated primarily for humans, and two others off world for non-humans. Yet all cadets are brought here for their DNA baselines.”
“But Councilwoman, everyone has to come here,” said the chief instructor. “If we tried transporting the venting elements, the increased security would be horrendous. It’s easier to bring the cadets he–.”
“So you say,” interrupted Councilman Jenkins as he turned to face the commandant. Councilman Jenkins was an overweight man who appeared to have a constant frown on his face. “Let’s talk about security.”
Nickelo saw the corners of Councilwoman Deloris’ mouth turn up slightly. The momentarily lapse quickly disappeared, but for that slight moment, Nickelo thought she look like the owner of an attack dog who had just released their pet for the kill.
“The spaceport’s security is the best in the galaxy,” said the commandant.
TAC Officer Myers nodded his head in agreement. So did the chief instructor.
“Is that so? I wonder,” said Councilman Jenkins. “It’s certainly the most expensive. And yet, the signs of yesterday’s battle still scar several areas just a short distance from this very building.”
“As I have explained–” began the commandant.
“You have explained nothing, sir,” said Councilman Jenkins. “The Empire’s finances are not what they were. The war with the Crosioians continues to take its toll. And yet, each year the cost of the Academy’s security increases. Additionally, the Academy freely uses the Empire’s teleporters to travel all over the galaxy at great cost. In the meantime, important delegations such as ours are forced to spend days cooped up in a starship to perform our duties. There are many in the council who question the continued waste of resources on a program whose time may have come and gone.”
Chief Instructor Winslow’s face turned a shade of pink. Between clinched lips, she said, “Sir. With all due respect, the wizard scouts are the thin line keeping the Empire safe. Without them–”
“Without them,” interrupted Councilman Jenkins, “the Empire could afford the additional weapons and tele-bots necessary to adequately defend itself.”
“Forgive me, Councilman Jenkins,” said Councilwoman Deloris with a demeanor that was much too smooth for Nickelo’s liking. “But perhaps this is really something we should discuss with the entire Imperial High Council, don’t you agree? I doubt arguing with the hired help will do anything to settle the matter.”
At the words ‘hired help’, the color of Chief Instructor Winslow’s cheeks went from pink to a bright red. She stuttered as if trying to find the words she needed to convey what the councilwoman could do with her attitude.
“Fortunately,” said the commandant, “many on the council understand the necessity and value of the Empire’s wizard scouts.”
“Perhaps not as many as you may believe,” said Councilman Jenkins in a voice which was growing ever louder. “The wizard scouts are no longer the legendary force they once were. That is, assuming they ever were.”
In what Nickelo took to be a fake attempt at appearing as a peacemaker, Councilwoman Deloris said, “Now, now. The council has nothing but the highest regards for the commandant and all the valiant wizard scouts.” She paused before saying, “However, I have to admit a growing movement within the council does believe the wizard scout program may benefit from… hmm, how shall I put it? A trimming of resources?”
The commandant was too wise in Nickelo’s opinion to rise to the councilwoman’s bait. However, Chief Instructor Winslow and TAC Officer Myers didn’t hesitate to defend what they saw as an attack upon their beloved wizard scouts.
“Two cohorts of cadets have been decimated as a result of the council’s trimming of resources as it is,” said Chief Instructor Winslow.
“And flooding the pre-Academy with marginal cadets will not help,” said TAC Officer Myers. “We need quality, not quant–”
“That’s enough, Gaston,” said the commandant. He nodded his head at Chief Instructor Winslow. “And thank you, Harriet, for your rousing defense of the wizard scout corps.”
“Oh,” said Councilwoman Deloris. “Please don’t misinterpret our observations. The council has nothing but the highest respect for all wizard scouts, past and present.” She looked at Councilman Jenkins, “Isn’t that right, councilman?”
A sly smile crossed the councilman’s lips. “Oh, of course,” he said. “And, I will go so far as to say the wizard scout training program has improved dramatically under the commandant’s watch care.” He paused and gave a sidelong glance at Councilwoman Deloris before continuing. “In fact, it has improved so much that our recommendation to
the full council will be that the wizard scout program be curtailed.”
“What?” exploded TAC Officer Myers.
“How can you even think–” started Chief Instructor Winslow.
Nickelo noticed the commandant remained silent. He calculated a ninety-nine percent probability the commandant had already known what the delegation’s recommendation would be.
“Now, now,” said Councilman Jenkins as he held his hands out for silence. “Allow me to finish. I meant to say curtailed in its present format. It will be replaced by a more streamlined version of the current wizard scout curriculum. The Empire can and must do more with less. There can be no exceptions even for such a hallowed program as the Intergalactic Wizard Scout Academy. Perhaps the name could be changed from wizard scouts to dragon scouts.”
“I assure you, sir,” said TAC Officer Myers, “we’re only training our cadets on the minimum it takes to be a wizard scout. We cannot compress or cut the training further. All the other services already offer shorter courses for training normal scouts. The Empire needs fully-trained wizard scouts to insure–”
“Nonsense,” said Councilman Jenkins. “Correct me if I’m wrong, TAC Officer Myers, but wasn’t the majority of the fighting here yesterday done by partially-trained cadets?”
“That was different, sir,” said Chief Instructor Winslow. “Wizard scout Trinity was with them. And cadet 147 was a battalion commander with twenty years of military experience before joining the Academy. He’s hardly typical.”
“Yes,” said Councilman Jenkins. “I read his file. Very impressive. But I noticed one of the cadet’s has a very small Power reserve. From the security videos, it appears he did a majority of the fighting. Yet TAC Officer Myers belittled the current pre-Academy cadets as marginal. Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t they all have Power reserves larger than the cadet of which I speak?”
“That’s different,” said TAC Officer Myers. “Cadet 832 is the best wizard scout cadet the Academy has ever produced. His Power reserve may be small, but his use of that Power is phenomenally efficient. Councilman Jenkins, you may not know this, but he killed a Crosioian scout during his internship assignment last year. Intelligence indicates she was their best, and that she had previously killed five wizard scouts. You can’t compare cadet 832 to normal cadets.”
Hmm, Nickelo said to Jonathan. What have we here? Praise for Rick from TAC Officer Myers? Will wonders never cease?
“Actually, I know all about cadet 832,” said Councilman Jenkins. “In fact, the defeat of the Crosioian scout by a partially-trained cadet was a major boost to my campaign to modify the current wizard scout program. Please give my thanks to your cadet for his timely assistance.”
“Yes,” said Councilwoman Deloris. “Some in the council took your cadet’s victory as proof the current wizard scout program over trains our scouts.”
“That’s not true,” said the chief instructor. “The cohort that should have been seniors this year was pulled out of the program early.”
“As were the two cohorts ahead of them,” said TAC Officer Myers.
“That’s right,” said the chief instructor. “Are you aware over sixty percent of those three cohorts are now dead or permanently disabled?”
Instead of being daunted, Councilman Jenkins seemed embolden by the chief instructor’s comment. Nickelo noticed the commandant continued to refrain from entering the increasingly-heated discussion.
“The council has been made very aware of the status of those three cohorts, chief instructor,” said Councilman Jenkins. “Their status only proves my point.”
“What?” said TAC Officer Myers. “We’re talking about the deaths of a hundred and fifty plus cadets. They died needlessly because they were removed from their training early.”
“There we must disagree, TAC Officer Myers,” said Councilman Jenkins. “I too believe they died needlessly. But in my opinion, their deaths were the result of a poorly designed training program.”
“That’s crazy!” said a red-faced TAC Officer Myers.
“Gaston!” said the commandant interrupting his TAC officer before he said something that might be construed as a court-martial offense.
“You heard me correctly, TAC Officer Myers,” said Councilman Jenkins. “Wasn’t there a fully-armored Crosioian scout in the battle yesterday?”
TAC Officer Myers didn’t bother answering. His red face appeared to get even redder.
“And, were any of your cadets wearing armor?” said Councilman Jenkins. “Even wizard scout Trinity was in a normal cloth jumpsuit, was she not?”
Again TAC Officer Myers remained silent.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” said the councilman with an ever growing smile. “Correct me if I’m wrong, TAC Officer Myers, but weren’t the cadets unarmed? And, wasn’t wizard scout Trinity’s phase rod her only weapon?”
“Yes,” admitted TAC Officer Myers between clenched teeth. “But, that’s diff–”
“Different how?” interrupted the councilman. “Different in that maybe certain combat and weapons training should be emphasized over the more useless wizard scout training?”
“Sir–” began Chief Instructor Winslow.
“Don’t waste your time, Harriet,” said the commandant. “I believe our esteemed visitors have already made up their minds about the future of the Academy.”
“Commandant,” said Councilman Deloris in a pleasant voice. “I assure you we intend to report only what we have observed. What becomes of those observations will be entirely up to the council. We are merely acting as their eyes and ears at the Academy.”
Councilman Jenkins said, “I’ve seen more than enough. If I have my way, the Academy will be compressed from the current six years of training to a more financially reasonable two years. Academics will be limited to only those necessary to support anticipated combat functions. The other fluff of which some wizard scouts seem so proud will be removed.”
Councilman Jenkins glared at TAC Officer Myers and the commandant. “I have personally approved the forty-five hundred cadets now in pre-Academy training. They shall be the future of the Empire. Wizard scouts as you know them shall be a thing of the past.”
“Then I believe we are done here,” said the commandant.
“I believe we are,” said Councilwoman Deloris.
Nickelo didn’t bother waiting for any closing pleasantries. He’d heard enough.
It’s time to go, Jonathan, Nickelo said.
Where are we going now, sir? said Jonathan. Not back to the armory, I hope.
No, Nickelo said. We’re going someplace I think you’ll find very interesting.
Chapter 24 – Heart to Heart Talk
_____________________________________
At 2200 hours on the dot, Richard nodded his head at the gate guards as he forced his overworked body to walk the remaining distance to his tent. To say he was tired would be a vast understatement.
Richard didn’t need the sporadic tent lights to tell him most of the junior cohort was back from their three day pass. Their lifeforms dotted his passive scan. Richard tried to make a count, but he was too tired. He kept losing track and having to start over.
Let Myers figure it out in the morning, Richard thought.
As he approached his own tent, Richard noticed the light was on. A check of his passive scan confirmed Jerad was back. The frequency of another lifeform in the tent confused Richard.
After opening the tent flap, Richard saw Jerad stretched out on his cot with eyes wide open.
“It’s about time,” Jerad said. “Your buddy showed up about an hour ago. I think she’s been trying to decide ever since whether she wants to eat me now or save me for breakfast.”
Richard glanced at his own cot where the second lifeform he’d noticed lay stretched out on his cot.
“Tika,” Richard said. “I’ve asked you not to lie on my cot. You get hairs on it. The TAC officers go crazy with demerits when they find them.”
Tika rais
ed her head and yawned. She didn’t seem impressed. Tika flopped her head back onto his pillow. Richard noticed a wet spot where her long tongue lay on one corner.
Growling the word ‘move’ in dolgar language, Richard pulled his pillow out from underneath Tika’s head. Several drops of saliva dripped off the pillow onto the floor below.
“For crying out loud, Tika,” Richard said. “How am I supposed to sleep on this?”
Tika didn’t answer. She just rolled onto her back for a belly rub.
Richard sat on the edge of his cot and absentmindedly scratched Tika’s belly. Still holding his pillow, Richard looked over at Jerad.
Jerad sat up in his cot and laughed. “No,” he said. “We’re not trading pillows.” Jerad swung his feet to the floor and stuck his feet in his boots.
“We’ve got to do something about your dolgars, Rick,” said Jerad. “This one about gave me a heart attack when she popped in here. I was just getting ready to turn the light off when she came crawling up out of the ground.” Jerad smiled and said jokingly, “It’s enough to give someone nightmares.”
“Sorry about that, Jerad,” Richard said. “But as I’ve said before, they aren’t my dolgars. It’s not like I can control them or anything.”
A thought occurred to Richard. He stopped scratching Tika’s belly. She opened her eyes and gave him a what-did-you-stop-for expression.
“You know, Tika, we could have used some help yesterday at the spaceport,” Richard said. “I was yelling for help like crazy. We could’ve been killed.”
“Somehow, I don’t think she cares about the rest of us, Rick,” said Jerad with a grin. “Your dolgars only tolerate us because we’re your friends.”
No counterargument came to mind, so Richard didn’t try to answer. Although Richard didn’t like to think about it, he was pretty sure the dolgars viewed humans as another food source. Hopefully, present company was excluded.
Wizard Scout (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 3) Page 26