Chapter 18: Preparations for Trouble

My master appeared to shake himself awake. "Damn, we don't need more trouble here. Michelle try to contact Borneo, we need to see if Admiral Himmel knows anything about this Chief Scientist."

"Is that even a rank?" Tiffany asked.

"Who knows," Yvette responded while massaging her temples. "But from the attitude on that man, he believes it means quite a bit."

Janice looked around. "Are these alien artifacts really that important."

I heard a snort. I turned to see where it came from and saw Terrence shaking his head. "It's junk. Or at least the items we can identify are. Most of what we are finding appears to be simple household goods or toys for children. There have been no weapons or power sources. I think our ruins were once a simple family home."

"Then why does this scientist want to see it so badly," Janice asked.

"Politics," a voice said. We turned to see Louis standing in the doorway. He blushed slightly, but walked to an open chair and sat down. "Sorry to interrupt, but Mike contacted me and told me we had a problem."

Yvette scowled. "Why bring you in?"

"Because he's a former corporate executive," James said. "If anyone knows the kind of games this scientist is going to play, he'll do better than the rest of us."

Louis laughed. "Got it in one, and Mike remembered me talking about that. Yvette, you are a wonderful lady and a damn good organizer, but if this Chief Scientist is anything like the engineers I had working under me, you don't have the right mindset to fight him."

"What will he do?" Yvette asked.

"Besides order you around and try to run everything?" Louis asked. "I've found there are a number of different types of scientist or engineer. The good ones just want to be allowed to do their work. However, the bad ones are dangerous. They think that because they have a lot of training and have studied one subject, they can run everything. This man appears to be like that."

"He didn't seem to know anything about Ishtar," I said quietly.

Louis laughed. "He probably still knows almost nothing. The only thing he knew were that someone found alien artifacts and it wasn't him, and that the AI told him that James was the person to talk to."

"You can't know that!" Janice shouted.

"Nope," Louis said with a smile. "But that's what I expect was happening. Like I said, I've worked with engineers who were like that. Outside their area of expertise they only learned something if they had to."

James sighed. "So we can expect him to show up and immediately begin issuing orders. And from what you are saying, they won't be intelligent orders either."

"Probably," Louis said with a shrug.

I reached up to put a hand on James' shoulder. He reached back to caress it when Michelle's voice called out. "James, I have Admiral Himmel."

"Put him through," James said.

"James, my favorite governor," Admiral Himmel said with a laugh. "What brings you to call?"

He sounded very happy, but then I heard a squeal of joy. "Oh, is that your friends on Ishtar, tell them that little Buster is just so precious. You have to do something for them," a female voice cried out. I thought it sounded like the Admiral's wife, but could not be sure.

James laughed. "You are most welcome Daphne. However, this call is a bit more somber. Admiral Himmel, have you ever heard of Chief Scientist Colonel Clint Johanes?"

"Who? And what the fuck is a Chief Scientist Colonel?" the Admiral spat. "I know we have research stations, but that sounds like someone sticking on their own title to sound more important."

James sighed. "So you know nothing of him?"

Admiral Himmel harrumphed. "I don't exactly talk to anyone working in research much. I'm too busy trying to keep this little corner of the galaxy a Sa'arm free zone. Why are you asking?"

"Because he found out about the alien artifacts we have been obtaining with our probes and demanded that we turn them over to him," James replied.

"Well," Admiral Himmel said carefully. "I'm sure that there are regulations saying that anything like that is supposed to be turned over for research and development. From what you've told me, no one on Ishtar has the right training for that."

Yvette laughed. "No, but we did figure out how to get the AI to do some work. So far everything we've found has been identified as a household good. Most are drink or food containers as far as the AI is concerned. I'm sure that Central Command can come up with a new weapon from a dead alien's plate and spoon."

Admiral Himmel's laugh echoed out of the speaker. "Damn, I'd love to have heard you say that to Central Command. I can't say what the scientists are thinking. I do know that it's become rather competitive with each research station trying to come up with new tricks. Too many of the scientists are former university professors and they play a lot of status games."

"Games?" Tiffany cried. "People's lives might count on what they develop and they are playing games?"

Louis put a hand up. "He means that they are competing for ... let's call it bragging rights. Each scientist is trying to develop the next big weapon. When they do, they can brag to the others that they have done more. I remember seeing it when my company started offering grants to some universities for some specialized computer research. The professors got very competitive."

"Exactly," Admiral Himmel said. "You don't have to wade through all the dispatches I get, but the various research stations play a very lively game of trying to top each other in the dispatches that go out to each district. I'm afraid your little discovery has someone thinking he can score points. So what did he demand?"

"Not much," Yvette said. "He's supposedly looking for transport here and is going to come and do his research here."

"I haven't heard a thing about this," Admiral Himmel growled. "And I sure as hell won't authorize any of my ships to go and pick him up."

"It's not official yet," James said. "First he demanded we send him everything on Peterbilt, but your daughter was in a hurry when she arrived. By the time we were told to do that, she'd made her delivery and was heading home. She was saying her concubine was going to give birth soon."

"Oh, Dixie! I miss her," Daphne cried. "Did she look fine? She has to be so lonely in that ship."

"We didn't actually see her," Yvette admitted. "She wanted to unload quickly and then leave, so she didn't come down. We did give her a bunny, and she seemed quite pleased by that."

"Well, little Buster here is so perfect. The older kids are thrilled to have a pet. I'm so happy you provided the AI with a schematic for a leash that a rabbit could wear. Although, I'm sure you are going to have requests for more. Everyone who's seen him wants one," Daphne said.

I giggled. "It was that way here. They are just so wonderful to have around."

Admiral Himmel sighed. "That sounds like Dixie. She was always happy just sitting alone and reading a book as a child. I just wish I knew she was happy."

"She sounded happy," James said. "We did encourage her to call you, but I think she's afraid that she disappointed you by going into the Auxiliary rather than fighting."

"Dear lord!" Admiral Himmel cried. "Dixie fighting? I couldn't imagine it. She's not the type. I expected her to end up on one of the breeder colonies as an administrator. Instead, she gets an important position running goods all over the Confederacy. You know she's cited as an example in training for all ship captains."

"Why? I mean, Stagecoach ships have no crew," Tiffany asked.

"Because she's organized and gets the most out of her ship at all times," Admiral Himmel said, pride in his voice. "That girl drives the crews at the supply stations crazy because she demands everything be loaded perfectly. She knows how a pound in the wrong container will unbalance her ship and will start checking manifests while still on approach to see that every piece of cargo is properly balanced and will go on her ship in the right order. Then her flight plans are aggressive in regards to flight time, but designed to minimize the risk of interception. Some Stagecoach ships have been forced to abandon cargo or a delivery due to Sa'arm activity. Dixie always gets the cargo to the destination and does it faster."

"You should let her know you are proud of her." James said.

"We'll send her a message," Daphne said. "Meanwhile, what should we do for you?"

"Sounds like we can only wait and see what this Chief Scientist managed to get approved," James said. "Let me know if you hear anything from Central Command."

"I will," Admiral Himmel said. "And while I don't have many contacts there anymore, I'll see if anyone can provide me with some information regarding the man. I'm sure you can use any warning."

We waited a moment and then Michelle sighed. "Call ended. Can we please call a relief team? I need a break. This has been too stressful."

Tiffany giggled. "AI, tell Paula and Jillian that they are needed for command post duty. They can bring Whitney and Claire. I'll be out of here soon and can do some training."

"Ouch," Estelle said. "Will Marilyn be happy watching all the babies?"

Tiffany shrugged. "Tam is with her today. She wanted a bit of experience with babies. They should be fine."

Everyone in the room looked at the table for a moment. I reached out to hug James, but he thrust himself to his feet and started pacing. "Right, so we know we are likely to get a very unwelcome visit from a rather self-important scientist. I think we need to prepare ahead of time."

"How?" Tiffany asked."

James looked at the table. "AI, reactivate the doors cutting the enclave off from the rest of the colony. We'll work out a way to schedule passage. Also the new rooms with the two entries need to be modified. The doors that allow people from the enclave to enter are to be converted into airlocks. Under no circumstances can both doors be open at the same time and should any outsider enter one of the airlocks I want them quietly knocked out and the command post alerted to send someone to investigate."

"You're that worried?" Estelle asked.

Yvette shook her head. "He's probably barely started."

"But that's..." the concubine said with a gasp.