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Path of the dilettante
Making friends, impressing people...

Making friends, impressing people...

Channing knew he was good at bollockings. Literally trained and professional at it. Experienced too. So he knew when it wasn’t working and Private Oxbridge was just beyond caring. He wasn’t quite walking off whistling but that was his general air. Stopping he looked at him “do you have a resist intimidation core there?”

Morgan grinned and gave a crisp salute as he replied “sir, yes sir. This Soldier does have a resist intimidation core for when he is being intimidated, fortunately sir this soldier is not using said core”.

Channing debated how to react and finally “at ease soldier. Permission to speak freely. I mean what the hell, what possessed you to drop the lot of them. You must have known it would put you in it up to your neck”.

Morgan relaxed and for the first time actually paid attention “yeh well they pissed me off. I mean ok I over reacted but hell sir I was just an inconvenience to them. They wasted a day waiting for quote ‘this arse’ unquote instead of thanking me for something only I can do. Sir I appreciate that I am an irreplaceable resource at this moment and everyone is planning what I do and how I do it and when I do it. Every bastard but me has a say in my life. Look I am more than happy to apologise to those dicks but I can’t honestly say it won’t happen again. The only person who has asked about my daughter or how I am coping with the death of my wife is the King of Britain presumably because he is the only one who came to talk to me rather than work out what he can get out of me” Aware he might be pushing the whole speak freely he saluted again and shut up.

Channing considered and then thought out loud “Well soldier you’re not wrong. We are putting a lot on you and not really crediting you with what you have done or as you say your value as a resource. I mean you haven’t even managed to complete basic. You know a lot of people ask how his majesty gets such instant loyalty, I will think on what you said.” Motioning to a chair he said “sit down while I think.” After a minute he said “until we can somehow assign cores without you people will always regard you as too valuable to trust your judgement even about yourself. I am aware of three separate international attempts to find out more about you and many of our so called allies want you to visit. Above my pay grade responding to any of that but I have been asked to provide a security detail if you leave base. Dealt with it so far by refusing to allow you to leave so there’s that”.

Morgan grimaced “I suppose any of those people looking at the expense of protecting me just think of me as a number then? Just ask why its worth humouring me?” Channing said nothing so he continued “I used to have a secretary who had domestic abuse problems that she didn’t tell anyone about. Her behaviour at work just started to get worse and worse. Eventually we had to fire her. Stress makes you do funny things and sir I am feeling it”.

Channing leaned back in his chair and blew out before saying “Stress is something the army gets a lot of so we do have a pathway for action. Using it on a recruit not even completed basic? Bad for the career son”.

Morgan interrupted “and thats another thing. Son. I am probably older than your father, don’t son me.” Sitting back he muttered “just infantilising me”

Channing paused and then continued “Ok bad for the career private. Still great job in convincing me your judgement is impaired. Great job. Right I am supposed to be giving you a bollocking and then AP. Thats not appropriate obviously. I will assign you to medical referral today and spend some time discussing this with someone senior to me. Is that ok?”

Morgan gestured helplessly with his hands “I mean I guess it gets us out of this situation but no its not ok. Sir my career in the army – do I have to remind you that I am not a volunteer? Climbing up the greasy pole, no not interested. My family my home my job. With the exception of my daughter all gone, I honestly can’t think why I should care about anything you say. Go along to get along. Yeh ok. I suppose you could threaten Annie and get compliance but it would not be cooperation and eventually she will die. She will die and I will still be young healthy trained and holding a grudge and what happens then?”

Channing harrumphed “you are stressed. How long have you been thinking that? Go to medical and take a day to chill. Dismissed”.

When Morgan left he put in a call and requested an appointment with the base commander. Walking over he planned what he was going to say. Walking up Rupert waved him in his black eye still healing after Helens charge through him. Coming in he saluted and asked for permission to speak freely. The colonel frowned but agreed. Channing started “Sir I think we need to change our approach to Patient Zero. We need to start giving him a reason to work for us rather than demanding it. Oh and kill the snatch op on quiet girl. Not sure if he found out or worked it out but he gave some rather specific and credible threats about any outcome from that op. I think today’s outburst might have been an experiment with malicious compliance and he has barely started.”

The Colonel fussed with his pen and without looking up asked “explain why I care Donal. Explain why I care what this upstart boy thinks about doing his duty. About his country, his king”.

Channing replied instantly “up to you if you care but if you want him to catapult this country to being a major player on the world stage once more then maybe pay attention to him. I just talked to an alienated man with no country, no family and no friends who effectively dared me to try and force him. Sir with the exception of an estranged daughter we have been manipulating to avoid him he has no ties. None at all. Whats worse is I think he has just worked that out. He will stay here out of inertia but you know that when we run the sims if he tries to escape he gets out 60% of the time. Oh and by the way that number increases the more training he gets. I think his majesty is the only one to have played this right. Make friends and make him grateful, encourage him to set roots. The squad is good but its not enough. Quiet girl would be ideal but we have had that doctor who hates him drip poison in her ear and called it therapy because without her he would find some other ties. Its just not working.” Channing ran his hands through his hair “we keep thinking he’s a young hothead because he looks the part. He is the oldest person on this base and smelling bullshit was part of his job. So incidentally was getting rare goods safely across international borders. It was my plan sir; I am grateful you backed it. Its leading us to disaster.”

The colonel looked at him “ok what do you want to do-how are you going to chain him?”.

Again the response was instant “Demob would be a mistake. Pull him out of the current intake, say he has missed too much, our fault, dreadfully sorry and all that. Schedule him for the next cohort where he has seniority and make him squad leader, give him responsibility. In the meantime send him on a runner hunt with the corporal and I, give him a chance to be a hero. Go out get drunk get laid. Make him feel a part of something and I don’t care if its the army, the church, the country or a golf club. We need him to have levers and only he can apply them to himself.”

The colonel nodded “ok I will kick it upstairs so hang fire for a few days but I am receiving reports from the directing staff that he is getting reckless and recommending a psych review already. This fits with that so it should be pro forma to get permission.”

The medical facility was one of the few places Morgan had not visited. He simply didn’t get sick or injured presumably courtesy of his cores. Walking in he looked round and an MP pointed him to a desk where a bored looking man held his hand out for the form. Frowning as he read it he said “any further directions? This just says to give you a medical but no reason. I mean what’s wrong with you?”. Still feeling aggressively unhelpful Morgan stared at him vacantly for a few moments then smiled and slurred “hello”. The guy just groaned and wrote on the form check for concussion otherwise psych review. Morgan slurred “your purty” and then sat in the chair. Asshole mode he thought. This could become too much fun.

He was called into a cubicle and told to strip down to regulation underwear. Sadly the warrant officer left before he could think of some joke about under where? In his underwear he folded his uniform and then looked for a place to put it when the doctor walked in. Marie gave a delighted squeal and rushed forward hugging him. “Oh when I saw the name I had to come and say hello, how are you its been what six weeks. Good god you’re filling out. They are feeding you right here. Anyway”. She stopped, let go and then in the professional tones more familiar to him “what appears to be the problem”. Morgan grinned, it was mad she was here but he still found her changes hilarious. Nothing like honesty he decided “I got in a fight and was sent here rather than being punished because the guys I fought were asshats”. She blinked several times and said “not sure what test that is. I mean Wendy is on call for Psych referrals and I think given the chance she would trepan you. Hubby didn’t come along. So do you want to just go? I mean everyone here is just at peak health, its not quite as bad as the institute but I mean I have enough time to catch up with an old friend”

They chatted for a while about how they had all ended up here, he told her about Skender, the Convent and the battle at the YMCA all of which she oohed and aaahed to at the right point. She told him about Major Channing coming looking for him threatening everyone. About being shown the form they had signed, agreeing that she was probably Dr kissy face and that Wendy was probably Dr married with a stick up her bum. The barristers telling them just take it you’re guilty and maybe get a plea for leniency and being sentenced to two years community service. And that’s what she was doing here. Morgan laughed and sympathised at what he hoped were the right times. About 40 minutes into the conversation a nurse popped her head round the cubicle door “just to check if you needed assistance doctor, also if he is going to stay in his underwear do you need a chaperone?”

It was the cue to stop chatting, he got dressed and promised to come round again some other time. At her suggestion he promised not to start a fight just to see her. As he left the medical facility he smiled at her parting comment about not needing an excuse next time. For the first time in at least three weeks he had no courses or exercises to attend and nobody trying to find him something to do. Rather than risk somebody being offended by his lack of activity he decided to walk the grounds. He had been here for ages and just never seen anything. Given Channings security escort revelation it was probably wise to stay on base. He had even been ordered to chill.

The route was best described as labyrinthine since he had to avoid live fire areas and areas marked as security zones but he managed to walk a good area of the grounds wasting a good portion of the day. There are few things as relaxing, pretty and just soothing as well maintained English countryside which certainly helped. Morgan found a tussock to sit on and thought about the day. He had been getting tenser and the feeling of just being tied down like the giants in Lilliput had been wearing on him. Truthfully he had been just as surprised at what he had said to Channing as he assumed Channing had been. It had obviously been sitting there in the back of his head but when he said it then it made sense. That though was anger, what concerned him still was sitting there calm and at peace when he thought about them threatening Annie it still felt correct. Lets get a second opinion then – voice can you analyze and assign a probability that they will attempt to coerce me with reference to Annie.

This unit has no data you have not provided it with. Given the data available it would seem likely that such an attempt would be made. Given that it is termination is a 1% probability, Kidnapping is a 31% probability, Bio agents – addiction or poison with a withheld cure 50% probability, induced trauma 20%, Physiological or Psychological manipulation 40%. The proportions add up to greater than 100% since more than one method could be applied at a time. For example she could be kidnapped and then subjected to an addicting regime to enforce her compliance.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

That seems exhaustive.

It is not. There are other options for example they could recite a similar list to you and then promise to do one or more unless you comply. That way they could refrain from the activity whilst still getting the benefit of the threat. As the only planetside upgrade authority in human hands you are valuable. You should cut off all ties in order to be immune from coercion.

Whose side are you on? I was expecting to be comforted about the absurdity of my beliefs.

One third of all the cores you have formed in the last month have related to espionage-detecting or resisting interrogation techniques, detecting or resisting psychological techniques of manipulation, detecting or resisting social manipulation. You are forming cores in response to what you are experiencing. Is this a normal level of control in your society?

That bad eh. I never really noticed so many forming – don’t list them I will take your word. I had always just noticed people pushing and when I pushed back they stopped.

It would be inefficient to maintain a failed methodology. It is likely that you are displaying uncommon resistance. For that reason other more gross methods of control are likely being put in place. This informed the probabilities in the previous analysis.

Aren’t you the little bag of sunshine. Any advice for me?

Escape and evasion methods are not known to me. I have several cores that would aid in evasion.

A few hours later he was walking back and Corporal Patel walked up “they are looking for you. I told them you were here, I could hear you breathing. This sensory core is crazy at level 3. How do you cope? “Level zero. Its fine” he replied. They walked back to the base chatting about their day. It wasn’t great and he wasn’t sure if his situation had improved but he could accept it for now. Whether it was his earlier conversation with voice or just sheer awkwardness he didn’t explain any of his thinking to Patel. Maybe he was just being an asshole still.

The next day he was removed from normal training duties and basically just kicked his heels for a few days. Even the science team kicked him out. Two days after that he was told to report with travel kit to Channings office at 10:00. When he got there Helen, no Corporal Patel handed him a folder marked Mercia Police. It contained several incident reports in Stamford and the details of two individuals Oliver Glen and Clifford Roach both rumoured to have superpowers. Channing told him he was coming along as an observer because it had been decided he might be more patient if he understood why they were needed. They were to assist with a raid at eleven tonight and then wait at least a day whilst it was confirmed that these were the right individuals and no others required pickup.

Thirteen hours for a three hour drive seemed a tad cautious but they all piled into an actual car, they must have run out of jeeps. Patel rode in the passenger seat and he got the back which led to the two of them engaging in what seemed like normal banter and just forgetting he was there. They appeared to be playing a game where each of them named some sort of stupid TV Programme from when they were kids that it was embarrassing to admit to liking now. Morgan didn’t interrupt the banter but he kind of agreed that Moorcock and Spluge was not a real kids detective agency on any channel especially not Disney no matter how much Patel protested. When Channing asked him to adjudicate he instead started talking about Captain Pugwash and the apocryphal crew names of bates the ships master and seaman Staines who constantly swabbed the deck which he decided to claim were real. The journey was good fun.

Predictably enough they got there with most of the day to spare. They were all checked in to a hotel and given twenty minutes to freshen up at which point they all trundled off to the police station. At the station prior to admission they were taken to an interview room to one side “Corporal there will be local media representatives present. I know you hate it but I will refer to you as the PR people requested as Micro. Private you need a media name, for the duration of this operation you will be referred to as Ox.” He left the room and she slammed her heel on the ground smashing a tile to dust. “Must learn to control that. Gods I hate that name” She started mimicking a Punch and Judy voice “Micro – the mini powerhouse that keeps you safe” and in a normal voice she added “still better than a big dumb ox I suppose”

Morgan winced and decided to pull up his status

Current Status

Maximum capacity

Health

96%

99%

Senses assistance

13%

100%

Physical assistance

16%

100%

Build systems

Not Implemented

Not implemented

Power bleed

17%

2%

Recovery systems

80%

100%

Status - other

98.7% pending

One million forty eight thousand two hundred and seven functional clusters installed of which one million twenty seven thousand six hundred and four functional clusters are currently unassigned. Would you like me to list all clusters Y/N

No. Everything looked slightly better. Steady improvement, no jumps. Channing returned and issued them each with a baton and a holstered sidearm. To Morgan he said “Don’t get excited its got blanks in. People expect soldiers to be armed but you stay out of trouble”. Suitably armed Helen leaned over “look tough – people need to be reassured that we are the iron hand in the velvet glove” to which Morgan absently replied “fist, its an iron fist”. Just as an argument was about to start the door opened and they were led to a briefing room.

Never having been to a pre operational briefing with the police Morgan had an excited buzz that was ruthlessly and quickly destroyed. The first 15 minutes of bitching about expense forms and parking permits for operational oversight numbed his brain to the point that while his eyes were open it took him a few seconds to realise he had been mentioned. His sudden attention caused a few snickers and one or two sympathetic grins as Channing repeated himself “As repetition is the foundation of clarity I will say again. Micro and Ox will count as SCAR support ready to intervene should special manifestations occur. Micro will be with me on the cycle path whilst Ox will be with Sergeant Murray at grange avenue. I will be with op command. We will observe only unless and until circumstances that bring the situation into our authority arise. SCAR personnel will be subordinate to civilian authorities until that point.” He turned back and indicating to the inspector leading the operation stopped talking.

Thats how a few hours later he found himself in a civilian car with a plainclothes cop in his army greens trying to look inconspicuous. The car was assiduously cleaned and despite a lifetime of TV shows he noted not a single snack or drink of any kind. Murray had the look of someone who used to be much more fit but as he got older was trying to hold onto as much as possible whilst fighting a losing battle with his paunch. Tall but wide shouldered he must have stopped fights just by saying hello. Trying to find a subject to talk about he was rescued by Sergeant Murray “So how long have you been working with those two? I’m sure they are the heroes the press tell us but what are they like?”. Morgan scratched his question and looked at him” not really long enough to answer your question. Less than two months when you count it up. I was rescued or recruited by the corporal, sorry Micro and recruited to SCAR” Murray nodded sympathetically “Frying pan fire eh? Well its only two years. Keep your head down, get it done” Morgan not really listening continued “Not talked to the major often, I mean less than I have talked to Micro and she usually just beats me up in PT without talking” Murray laughed “so I get the B team Eh? Don’t worry these guys special or no know the ropes. Soon as the blue lights arrive they will be quiet sheep” Morgan shrugged apologetically “B team, yeh sorry. What are we doing here? I mean I’m sure the briefing was clear but..” Murray pointed to a door “see that door? If anyone runs that’s where they’ll be. Our job is to apprehend any runners or if there’s a lot call for backup. Clear?”

With only a few minutes to wait for the scheduled start time for the raid Morgan spent it looking round and wondering why he was there. On one level this was what SCAR did, on another this was an insane risk with a unique asset. Still the time off base was nice even though that thought caused him a sudden mild headache. He started to try to work out what the issue was probing the thought like he was trying to work out which tooth hurt by prodding gently with his tongue. Presumably that’s why he was distracted enough to miss the start of the raid. Startled by the cries of police and the sounds of splintering wood he started to pay attention once more to what was going on round him. The door that grotty metal over wood fire exit burst open and people piled out.

By Morgans count there were about 5 of them and he spotted one of the targets amongst them probably Clifford. Sergeant Murray keyed his radio “Group at back, company would be nice” and then got out of the car and walked up “Now then lads where do you think you are going to go? Lets all just stay here and wait for a nice comfortable chat in the nick with a cup of tea”. For an instant it looked like it was working but the one Morgan was eying up suddenly shouted “NOW” and him and a guy with the hood up on his hoodie charged Murray.

Morgan bolted at them to intercept, he could see little lines of electricity starting to spark on hoodies hands which meant his job had started. Murray was backpedalling furiously while pulling at his radio as Morgan rushed past him. Deciding lightning guy in the hoodie was probably Oliver and the bigger immediate threat he angled towards him. Oliver raised his hands and started to form an arc between them. Running straight at him there was no way he was going to miss that so Morgan gambled and jumped, he had not done a adrenalin fuelled best effort jump and it showed. Whilst the lightning discharge passed underneath him he sailed uselessly over the guy towards a lamp post. Clifford reached Murray and grabbed the hand with the radio, with a flex the radio was shattered Murrays hand with it. His scream probably made up for the lack of radio but Morgan ignored that flipping his body round and hitting the lamp post with his feet he drove himself at the ground.

Angling his fall to move him closer to lightning guy he landed in a cross between press up position and a racers start. From that position he launched himself like a spear at the guy who was just in the process of turning trying to keep up with his movement. As he had planned the impact with his shoulder was at knee height cleanly knocking him in the air arms and legs whirling. Using the impact to kill his momentum Morgan spun and watched him land in a heap, ignoring Oliver and Murray he dashed over and kicked the tangled mess of limbs on the ground away with him slamming into a wall. Satisfied one was down he turned and just about managed to duck under a massive haymaker coming his way. The dodge was predictable apparently as a rising knee caught his ribs knocking him back and winding him. Using the momentum of the strike he pushed back to give himself time to recover but Clifford was not giving him time grabbing his guarding arm and trying to sweep him to the ground. Remembering what had worked in the past Morgan tried to grab Cliffords arm and roll but he disengaged instantly and then just followed the roll aiming a kick at his back.

While Morgan tried to get up he suddenly felt an arm go round his neck from behind and a boot placed in the pit of his knee forced him to the ground. Clifford was standing side on one arm around his neck braced by his other arm and using his leg to push down meaning Morgan was being both stretched and strangled. This was a bad position he had no leverage and no way to manoeuvre. For a few seconds he just struggled frantically with the arm feeling an ever tightening constriction on his neck. His panic brought a moment of clarity and he relaxed. Reaching behind him with both hands he found the foot in his knee. Moving one hand up to the ankle he put his hand on the top and twisted the foot 90 degrees to the ankle. There was a satisfying crack and nothing else happened. After about two seconds the feeling on his throat lessened and then his attacker was falling over. Morgan stood up and coughed a few times but eventually turned to look at the man who was making a really odd sound like a cross between a hum and a moan while fixated on his foot that no longer pointed where it should.

It was while he stood there coughing that the backup arrived in the shape of four uniformed constables who immediately took chase of the other fleeing suspects. Lets see he thought, Colleague injured, check. Suspects not apprehended ,check. Specials uninjured for recruitment, Check. Ok this was going to be an interesting debrief. He tried to remember what else the briefing talked about but just remembered his mind wandering thinking about how powerpoint had improved so much and how his old presentations would have been better with some of those functions. God he missed a job he could actually do. Murray started to try to stand and as he rushed over he determined to learn some proper first aid skills.

At least nothing else can go wrong he chuckled to himself then the lamp post he had bounced off fell over. That made him laugh out loud.