Subject: Fleet Leader Barrilin Onaya

Species: Oyan

Description: Avian humanoid, feathered tail. 6'1" (1.8 m) avg height. 96 lbs (43 kg) avg weight. 161 year life expectancy.

Ship: RSV Nolbarinil {Majestic In Flight}

Location: Rigara

--

Order 316.04.51LG-S

Fleet Leader Barrilin Onaya is to report to United Systems Diplomatic Office aboard the Galactic Diplomacy Station in the Rigara system for assessment by United Systems Artificial Intelligence John. Further orders will be given once the results of the assessment are evaluated.

May the Suns be with you, Onaya.

-High Commander Uliriona

--

I couldn't believe my eyes. I hadn't even realized my own candidacy. I read the message again, and the knot that had been forming in my gut grew tighter. A mixture of excitement and nerves. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity, but also a massive amount of responsibility. I thought about calling Admiral Heckett for advice, but decided against it. He was likely chosen as well, and as such would be in very much the same nest as I. I read the message again as our shuttle finished the docking procedures.

"Welcome aboard the Galactic Diplomacy Station, fleet-head," the shuttle pilot said warmly.

"Careful," I softly chided. "The proper rank is Fleet Leader. Most of us don't mind, but all it takes is one."

"Yes, sir," the pilot nodded. "Good luck, Fleet Leader."

Luck. I wonder which would be luckier, being chosen or declined? If I'm chosen, there's an opportunity for honor. My family will certainly be proud of me for my part in what's to come. It's not as if being declined will get me out of fighting this battle, either. On the other talon, getting declined would mean that it wouldn't be my fault if we were to lose. Every chance for honor and glory comes with an equal chance for dishonor and shame. I cleared my throat and stepped off the shuttle. I was immediately met by a familiar face.

"Hello, Fleet Leader," Ambassador Uleena saluted. "I hope you forgive me, but when I heard you'd be coming aboard I had to stop by."

"Uleena!" I clicked my beak happily, returning his salute. "It's been ages! Are you well? I've heard nothing but good things!"

"That's certainly not true," Uleena laughed. "Accidentally dragging an alien race into our war with the machines had to have made some people upset."

"True enough, I suppose," I said as we began to walk to my destination. "How's your family been?"

"My sister is well, and as you know my father likes to keep his distance," Uleena said with a sly smile. "I've heard he's been doing well, though. Same with my mother and other siblings back home."

"That's good to hear. How has the life of a diplomat been treating you?"

"Well enough, but if I'm being completely honest I definitely prefer combat. Same nerves, but it seems less reasonable to be nervous in this position. Makes me feel... weak."

"I suppose it would, but you must realize that the nerves are there for a reason. There is a lot riding on diplomacy at the moment, so it makes sense that your hearts are beating faster. Only a complete fool wouldn't be at least a little anxious in your position."

"Yes, Fleet Leader."

"How has your crew been holding up?"

"They're a bit more thrilled at our new assignment than I am. Especially the pay increase. The new crew members have been fitting in well, too."

I nodded sadly. The ship-head had lost a good portion of his crew in the OU ambush that led to our current situation.

"How about you?" he asked. "Are you nervous about your assignment?"

"Of course," I admitted with a wink. "For one thing, I'm not entirely certain that I trust these AI. I don't exactly have a reason to distrust them, but they're different enough from us that I can't help but be wary. I've decided to go with the breeze for now, though. Is it true that the US Embassy has gutted all their equipment to make sure the AI can fit in their systems?"

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"They returned the equipment that we donated to them and installed their own, but it wasn't just because of the AI. Their machines are much more efficient than ours and their personnel are not used to our equipment. The engineers are thrilled that the power draw has decreased."

"Have they expressed any concern about the AI aboard the station?"

"Truth be told, I don't exactly know all of the engineers personally. I'm simply repeating what I've been told," Uleena shrugged. "There are probably some engineers aboard the station that are nervous about the AI. I've even heard a couple of pilots discussing a potential conspiracy between the OU and the USAI. They seem to think that the USAI and the OU are plotting to bring us all together in one location so the OU can destroy us easier."

I laughed, "If only they knew how close we were to extermination to begin with. All it would have taken is for one ship to have jumped home during a fight. My feathers quake at the thought."

"Indeed," Uleena replied somberly.

We approached my destination and I turned to face him.

"This is my stop," I said. "It's been a pleasure to see you."

"You as well, fleet-leader. Good luck."

I watched Uleena walk away for a moment, then turned to the door. It was metal, like all the other doors aboard the station. It could even pass for one of the doors aboard the RSV Nolbarinil. The only real difference was the markings. Writing that indicated that the room was for the usage of the United Systems was directly below an upturned triangle containing several geometrically aligned shapes and an eye. The eye had a carefully crafted neutrality to it, so why was such an ominous aura emanating from it?

I took a deep breath and stepped forward. The door slid open, and I stepped inside the room. There was a single chair facing a table with a holographic emitter and a terminal. There was also a window looking out into space. I sat in the chair and gazed out the window, admiring the beauty of the void. After a moment, a hologram of a humanoid figure in United Systems armor appeared.

"Hello, Fleet Leader Barrilin Onaya. I am USAI John, and I will be conducting an evaluation to determine your role in the upcoming assault against the Omni-Union," it said.

"I understand."

"Then we'll begin," John gestured at the display and it began showing my service record. "During the majority of your time as a Fleet Leader you have been in command of the Yinori fleet. This fleet is typically comprised of one million vessels. In your first engagement with the Omni-Union, you suffered more than a twenty five percent casualty rate. Considering that you did not know about the OU warp tracking capability nor their xenocidal intent, why did you not order a retreat after sustaining two hundred and fifty thousand casualties?"

The question hit me like a stun baton. This artificial intelligence was going for my throat with a question designed to shake me to my core and cause me to doubt my command capabilities. The incident in question was the first and last time that the Yinori {rattling blades} fleet had been so badly damaged.

I had lost so many soldiers over the course of that battle. It lasted several days and had very nearly broken my spirit. There had been many closed-doors meetings afterward, but in the end I was heralded as a hero. I felt that wasn't fair to those who died, but high command had deemed it necessary.

"They actually rounded down the casualties," I replied. "We lost two hundred and eighty-three thousand, four hundred and ninety-two vessels during that battle."

"I see. That's not..."

"Regardless, there were multiple reasons that I didn't order a retreat," I interrupted. "While we didn't know for certain, there were suspicions that the Omni-Union had been following our ships home. We had also suffered quite a string of defeats and we were in desperate need of a win. Above all that, though, my pride as a commander couldn't take it. We suffered those casualties so quickly that I barely had any time to react, and I convinced myself that if I ordered a retreat the morale of my fleet would never recover. I now know how foolish I was to think that, but I am somewhat vindicated by the results of our victory."

"In what way?" John asked.

"The Republic used our victory to bolster the morale of the other fleets. I lost a quarter of our forces, true, but I won. An untested Fleet Leader had beat the Omni-Union. That's the story that they fed the media and the other Fleet Leaders. This led to more victories against the OU, and the battle has since been called a turning point in the war."

"I understand. Moving on, you were given command of a combined fleet and assigned to the defense of Sol. During this, you ordered your ships to form firing lines instead of skirmishing with the enemy. If it had not been for the fortunate timing of the FTLD patch, your forces would have been vulnerable to flanking fire. Explain why you chose this formation."

My heart throbbed in my chest as my anger rose at the AI's brash questioning tactics. However, I'm certain that's what it is trying to accomplish. When you imply incompetence, those that are competent will explain away your implications. Those that are truly incompetent will lash out, instead. I carefully took a deep breath, and thought out my response.

"We had been informed of the Faster-Than-Light Drive patch before the beginning of the battle. Once the OU's warp disruptors were no longer effective against your ships, my ships were vastly outclassed. As such, I had my ships form lines to serve as bait for the OU. This course of action was agreed upon by your own Admiral Heckett, who ordered the ships under his command to hunt down the OU ships that took the bait."

"A shrewd decision," John nodded slowly. "I will acknowledge that you are a fine commander, one worthy of the many commendations and awards that you have received. I have only one more question, relating to the most important attribute of anyone who is given command over others. Fleet Leader Onaya, are you willing to sacrifice your life and all of the ships under your command to defeat the Omni-Union?"

This interview was just one shock after another. I had been expecting a similar question to this, but to hear it put so bluntly gave me pause. I thought about Hindal, Salin, and the rest of the men and women aboard the Nolbarinil. I thought of our families. My wife and son, forced to continue through life without me to support them. Then I thought of the million ships that contained almost countless personnel whose families would suffer a similar fate. Or, they would all be mercilessly slaughtered by the Omni-Union.

"Absolutely," I said.