“So, you three have the unfortunate pleasure of being assigned to me. What have you been told about the Job?”
An older lady that looks like a mechanic responds, “We uphold the law under you, and we’ll likely live on our shuttles.”
“I got told that I can get an office if I am persuasive.” A reedy man with glasses adds.
“And I was told that there would be enforcement opportunities.” A man that looks like an ex-soldier with a champion mustache chimes in.
I chuckle, “Looks like you were targeted with the parts of the job that suit you. Which means . . . it is now your responsibility to assure that each of your Marshal compatriots enjoy the benefits of what you want to enjoy.”
That, needs a re-do, Mik.
The confusion on their faces echo his sentiment. “Okay, lemme retry. Office guy, Talk with all of the Brony home worlds for office space. Ship living. Talk to First Consul about any Warp Shuttles they have available. Cop Bro, I’m putting you on gear and utilities. If the Empress is going to give us no direction, we’re going to take the grabby hands direction and ask for what we can get.”
They nod, then proceed to stare at me, as though waiting for further direction. “Okay . . . lets go get food, and you can tell me why the Marshals and what you want from this gig. Meet me at Guiseppe’s in twenty minutes.”
->M] Heading to Guiseppe’s, Kit and Penny. [<-
->K] Okay, I can’t be close, but I’m less than a minute out. [<-
->P] If this second meeting doesn’t last too long, I’ll join you. [<-
->M] Sounds great ladies. [<-
Duty done, I strap on my helmet, hop in the borrowed go-cart, and giggle the whole way from the Capitol district to the Lake district. I drive at a walking pace up to the restaurant once I hit Lake St. because rules and all, and the grille and Italian restaurant is as happening as ever.
“I’m sorry miss, we are packed, unless you have . . . special connections, we don’t have any room.” A woman I know is the son’s wife informs me. I am terminally terrible with names.
“Oof, I don’t suppose I could show you my profile and you could keep it discrete?”
She tilts her head, but nods anyway. I show her my profile and her eyes widen.
“Oh! Congratulations!!” I put a finger to my lips. “Oh, of course, of course. Let me tell the family, I’ll have Giselle escort you.”
My new Marshals look at both of us funny, but decide to wait for questions. Good situational awareness folks, plus marks for all. She leads us to the Empress’ table on the rooftop and I sit to the right hand side. My compatriots get the idea and sit on the long section as well.
“Did you bring meat with you, or is this a menu evening?” Giselle asks.
“I brought two kinds of Elysium meats. So please start the grille for us.” She nods then runs off.
Another child from the family brings a round of waters, a pitcher of Aether infused juice, and my favorite beer in the Empire. Gods I love this place, it’s nice to feel remembered.
“So, boss. I can’t help to see that you’re important. Care to share?” Brosephus asks.
“A little sure, but after I get your names. I’m just as ill-prepared as you all were.”
I find that the mechanic is named Fergie Havershime, the lenky office man is called Milhouse Penbroke, and finally, dude bro is Brenden Gilmore. All from different walks of life, all interested in the frontier life for various reasons.
“I can see why you all were offered a position in the frontier, but I’ll be goosed if I can figure why she made you Marshals.”
“We’ve all killed people,” Fergie says, the rest nod.
“Well, that’s a standard for sure. But in any case, I want you all to understand, that as the agreements currently state, outside of the system spaces, we are the law. The Empress has given me a bit too much leeway, but as of yet, I haven’t given her a reason to second guess that choice, and I don’t want you three to bring that into question either.”
“Isn’t this a bit, speculatory? No ruling has been made as to our involvement.” Milhouse interjects, having a solid point.
“Yes! But that is part of why we need to talk. Sorry, Mr. Pembroke, but only your task really suffers if our scope changes. If it does change, I need you to look into more permanent presence on prospects 3-6. Truth be told, however, I want an office on Twilight badly.”
Guiseppe and his son come up the stairs with their head bands and the trail of children carrying sauces. As the old Italian man comes to the table he gestures to provide him with something. Oh! The meat. I proffer a raptor flamingo and a part of a haunch of the tiger that Penny so thoughtfully collected for me.
“Wonderous! I look forward to seeing you more often, especially with gifts such as these!” The man starts barking in a way I don’t understand, but the opera of motion and sauces sure does. Moments later the rooftop grille is uncovered and lit, and the munchkins are running more fuel up to the apparatus. Moments later, a cart of appetizers and a sampling of wine is spread out for us.
“Damn, Senior, do you normally get the Imperial treatment?”
“As of late, Mr. Gilmore, yes. I find that my new title comes with the military equivalent of Commodore. You all should be Commander equivalents. Empress’ blistered teets, that’s going to be complicated on Kismet.”
As much as I might want to talk future work with my Marshals, they haven’t been to the sector or the systems in question. That leaves me in a major hole for conversation and far worse for relating to these assholes. I’ve been trawling the area for more than a decade and I’m barely holding on as someone actually responsible for the area.
You’re been responsible for the whole sector for the same time, you just don’t like being held accountable for it.
Kip, no fair being reasonable. Ass. “In case you’re wondering why I don’t have fantastic words of wisdom, it’s because I still think like a junior marshal, and we don’t have a set structure. However, if my plan gets a go, You should know that I just blast Pirates out of the sky. They fire on me first, without a hail or any comms? Engine failure and atmospheric issues.”
“Do we seize and tow?” Fergie asks.
“We do! Seize and take everything. Tow is pirates didn’t kill everyone and we recover. The gray between is best judgement. This is a Sherif-like job, you’re supposed to be elected, but I’ll take appointed.” I watch the gathered three seem offended at my lack of standards.
“I swear to Andromeda if I have to lay down the law like that again, someone dies.” A particularly angry Pixie says, plopping down into the throne chair set out just for her. “Thanks for getting the wines out, Mik . . . well, crap. What a second impression. Hi folks.”
While they look stunned at the sudden appearance of the Empress, I attempt to curb their inquisitive nature. “This is not the time to indulge your curiosity, the Empress is for good food and drink like the rest of us.”
“Listen to the Senior Marshal, it’s important to leave work at work some times. As the Empress, that is like asking a Zebra not to look like a prison donkey, but I’m sure you all can manage.”
My marshals are a little startled, stare and take a sip of their drinks be for looking at me for guidance. I sigh heavily.
“Don’t be rude, call her Empress or Astoria and you’ll be fine. If you know of any fun foreign foods, definitely tell her, she’s food motivated.”
“Hey! Wait, that is true. So, what’re we having tonight?” Penny asks.
“That tiger thing and those bird things.”
“Oooh!” she claps and glitter cascades down her shoulders in excitement. “The Flammanglers are quite tasty, but I have never had a Tyrant before. I must speak with the Grillmaster!” She blips over to Guiseppe and Paolo and chitters with them, the children playing in the cloud of sparkles behind her.
“Soooo, Senior Marshal, you’re close with the Empress?” One of the boys asks.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
“Hah, yeah, we’ve been friends for almost twenty years. Us bullshitting is what got the Marshals started. And please, Senior, Boss, Sir, all of those work in public. When we learn more about each other, maybe we can be friends.”
The woman scoffs and the other two chuckle. “The job posting said if you can’t work for a woman or are afraid of combat, this is not for you. Other than that, we don’t know much save we’re working in the Coreward Frontier just after the advent of three new Protectorates.”
“After we got hired, we were told our pay, given a clothing allowance and told our gear would be provided for us. Everything else ‘will be told to you when the Senior Marshal figures it out’.” The man with a top tier mustache says.
“Is there a training portion of this? Or an acclimatization time?” Mustache asks.
“Nope. If you just peeled the film off your badge, then I’m sorry. If this is your first police-like gig? Then we can talk. But, enough of the business questions, we’ll have a bit aboard the Kismet to talk about it while the shuttles get delivered.”
“Can we date during this job?” Okay, Cassanova. I chuckle.
“Of course you can. You cannot be in a relationship with one of the leadership of the Five Families, but other than that, just don’t let your escapades interfere with the work. Aka, don’t bang and bail the supply department on the Kismet, or say give a major weapons dealer the Clap.”
“Mik, can you not discuss diseases at dinner?” She flicks my ear, sits on the table next to me and starts eating my snacks. Was someone eyeballing me and she’s posturing or something? She stares at the other three, “I chose you three because you didn’t respond with academic, rehearsed answers and you had the right quals. Your Senior is crass, irreverent, and clever; and you seemed to be the best fit to work with and for my best performing Marshal.”
A calamity of cuisine descends upon us minutes later as meat upon meat is set along the table. This is the kind of feast that ends with full storage items and I am here for it. I can tell by the looks my new Marshals are giving us, that they suspect Penny and I are more than just ‘friends’, mostly due to my girl’s reckless affectionate gestures and glitter.
***
We arrive aboard Kismet later that evening, with only minimal fuss from the Captain because the ship is currently undermanned in the Marine department and their Officer Berthing can take three additional bodies no problem. He gets salty when I ask for shuttle time for my Marshalls, but when I site that I just want them in the nav seat not to get them qualified, he backs down and schedules them for ride-alongs while his pilots log flight hours for the month.
I introduce my new subordinates to Sergeant Rickman, explaining that he’s essentially our intel officer for the next five years or until he can find a replacement.
“It’s funny, I saw that tours of duty were extended from three to five years and full retirement was lengthened to forty years of service, I almost quit. But with tours like this, and the generous leave policies, combined with our double life expectancy, I’m much happier.”
“Is that’s what you’ve been doing for the last three days? Second guessing your life choices?” I scoff before humming pleasantly into a cup of coffee.
“I did much the same before accepting this gig. This is a ten year posting for us.” Gilmore adds.
“It also comes with a Pardon if we get an exemplary rating.” Havershime states matter-of-factly. Each of us stares at her in surprise. What the hells did she do?
“Yeah, we’re moving on from that for now, because as long as you don’t do anything that needs a pardon from the Empress without my permission, we’ll be fine.” I take a few breaths to re-set my attention. “My posting doesn’t have a time limit. I serve at the Council’s pleasure, and my performance has apparently rated being subject to experimental government scenarios. A.k.a. don’t expect this to be a polished thing, as this is new for everyone.” I drain my coffee and put it on the spent dishes tray in my cabin. I’m about to head out into the bridge when Rickman coughs loudly.
“Senior, before you kick us out, can you transfer permissions to the three stations to your Marshals so we can review their interface controls? I’d also like to prep them on the intel situations in each system.”
Bah, I want to be around for that, but Captain Howard wants another meeting and the Marine Major asked that I attend as well. “Sergeant, I have another meeting, is that intel report in my inbox?”
“Yes, it is, Senior. With extra depth on traffic from the prospects.”
“Stellar work as always, thanks.” I pause as I get to the door. “Y’all should take this to one of the ready rooms.”
Yep, in twenty seconds they’d forgotten they were in my quarters. I chuckle as they scamper past me. My meeting is in the Wardroom so I follow briefly as we all walk past the guest cabins before turning toward the wardroom and Officer’s scullery.
“Attention on deck!” the fucking XO shouts with a smile on her face. I think that harpy enjoys needling me.
“At ease.” The room is packed full of officers and the senior enlisted Marine and Sailor aboard. I see Howard not getting up. Seems like he’s feeling petty again today. Cool, I’ll stand right behind him. I duck my head into the scullery and see a CS3 on standby and ask them for a coffee and a few cookies if they’re available.
The screens click on and in big bold letters I see “Engagement Report”. Great, I love a good ambush. First, a Lieutenant briefs about flight hours and shuttle usage for the last three months and projected usage for various scenarios including “Flag Tasking”. A Commander briefs on Supply, parts, food, ammo, etc. There is yet another section concerning “Flag Visits and Tasking.” My cookies and coffee arrive at this time, so my anger is waylaid for a moment, but when the Marine XO gives a brief with “Committed costs to Flag Priorities,” I’ve had enough.
“Top six stay, the rest of you, get out.” I do my best to withhold my growl, but the Master Chief’s lifted eyebrows said I failed. I wait until XO’s CO’s and Senior Enlisted are all that’s left before continuing. “I want someone to tell me in as few words as necessary, why I was subjected to a tactical briefing that tried to put me on blast, but fucked up the numbers.”
“The numbers are accurate, I checked them myself.” Howard responds.
“Answer the question I asked you, Captain. And if you are still paying for Marines stationed off ship, you failed to read the orders I sent and are double paying them. Should I address the Flag visit extra costs that you’ve labeled? Half of what is itemized I have specifically asked you not to do.
“Now, before I write you up for insubordination and conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline, tell me why you wanted me to sit through a tactical brief.” I am inches from his face and all he’s doing is gritting his teeth in his special chair.
I turn to his Marine counterpart. “Major, any light to shine on this?”
“This briefing slid across my desk signed off by the Ship’s CO, so I didn’t look at it too hard. I will be checking the chain of custody after this and ensure that we correct any mistakes in pay and supply before I send a report back to you.”
“Not loving the oversight, but good follow-through Major.” I turn to the XO , “Your turn Commander.”
She sighs, “I wanted to ask for more stuff, and Howard thought that filing a report to support flag excess would get us that stuff.”
“If you had been more responsive to my earlier requests, I wouldn’t have had to go above your head.” The man says with belief in his behavior. Jeesus, this is the kind of pride I could see exterminated.
“Kismet, how many written requests from the CO were sent to me?”
“One, Senior Marshal. A requisition for additional shuttles. However, more than a dozen requisitions prepared by the XO have been sent on to the Consul of the Navy. A more detailed inquiry will have to be ordered to discover the depth of this behavior.”
Howard opens his mouth to speak, but I slap a hand over it and slide behind him while pushing his chair all the way in. I look up to glare at the remaining people while I address the ship.
“Kismet, suspend Captan Howards permissions pending a full investigation of his duties. I will be assuming command until such time you and I are confident that the remaining chain of command were not complicit with this fraudulent behavior, or other conduct unbecoming an officer.”
“Order received and Recorded, Senior Marshal. Captain Howard has been relieved of command, Commodore Solari has assumed command. Commodore Solari has initiated an investigation into falsified reports, insubordination, dereliction of duty, and conduct unbecoming. Please confirm your orders Commodore.”
“Orders confirmed Kismet.” Howard struggled while I was talking, but now that the ship has confirmed my orders, he can’t do much about it. Unless he has a good rapport with her, which I doubt.
/Corporal, Fire teams one and two are required for a prisoner detail at the Wardroom for escort to the Kitty. Hook up to the CO’s egress port to limit who we parade in front of./
\Roger, Ma’am. ETA 5\
I let Howard go.
“You both are entitled to submit independent reports that will be forwarded on with my and Kismet’s reports if you desire to have them prepared.”
“Are you going to include that you assaulted the Captain?” The Chief of the Boat asks.
“I will include the action, but I won’t be reporting it ass assault. I had every reason to believe he had a parting shot ready. Why would I allow that to happen?” The Marines understand, but the XO and the CoB are still looking at me funny. I shrug, nothing to be done about that. “Anything you want to say, Captain Howard?”
“Civilian police should not be put in charge of Naval units.” I snort at that. He has been pretty adamant about that since he found out he was working for me. I always thought there was a hint of sexism, but it’s possible that the idea of an Empress/Admiral and a Marshal/Commodore is just too fluid a structure for the man.
My fire teams arrive in uniform with sidearms, one team waiting outside and the other inside waiting for him to follow. Thankfully, he stands and lets the front team guide him without protest. The bridge crew attempts to look without looking, on our short trip, and when the door slides shut behind us in the CO’s quarters, I sigh with relief.
“So am I to be confined to quarters?”
“No, Captain. One of my Marshals will be escorting you to Aelea, where you will be put up in temporary quarters until the investigation is finished. I’ve been informed that confined to quarters is not a typical shipboard punishment for officers. I have no desire to make this more complicated or painful than it needs to be.”
Turns out, it doesn’t have to be complicated at all. I took command of the Kismet, so I have to stay aboard. I would rather turn him over myself, but I’ll settle for a briefing onboard with my mustachioed Marshal. I make Gilmore and the Captain sit through me telling the both of them that while the officer deserves all the respect and decorum we can give him, he gets tazed if he tries anything. After I tell Howard that he’s confirmed for a BOQ suite in the Heights, he calms down. Gilmore too calms down when I tell him he is to transfer custody to a Captain Purdy, the CO of the base, in the morning.
I send an after action to Tessa, Penny, and the Consul of the Armed Forces; with promises that a more detailed report would follow. Once I get back up to the bridge I hear “Commodore on the Bridge” and people stay seated and keep working. Hells, I like that much better than attention on deck.
“Alright OOD, can I see your logs?”
He projects his display and I review the last few hours.
“Alright, Lieutenant Commander, we have some things to add. I have relieved Captain Howard of command pending an investigation by my office. I am assuming command. Captain Howard has departed the Kismet aboard ASP-1 Kitty. Do you require anything more for your logs?”
“I am required to log your review of the Standing Orders and Night Orders upon change of command.”
“Thanks Commander.” Time to tuck into some data and to try and be a responsible Navy Officer, a role I’ve never attempted a day in my life.