USD: 38 Days after arrival at Fort Glisson

Location: Van Biesbroeck’s star, Meltisar, Orbital Elevator Nexus MIL-1A, Shuttle Zone C

Alex and Lieutenant Harmon headed toward MIL-1A’s main tramline, although she was still confused about him waiting for her.

“I didn’t expect to see you waiting for me.” Alex said.

Harmon glanced at her then smiled. “Recruits aren’t generally allowed to run about unsupervised, and the Admiral wanted someone with a bit more authority than a grunt to be your escort.”

“Why?” Alex asked.

“I’m not sure. But, well, it’s not that big of a deal. I was happy to volunteer,” he replied.

“Okay.”

“How is basic going?” Harmon asked.

She started to reply it was just fine as a reflex, but the question made her consider her feelings about it more thoroughly.

“It isn’t like anything I’ve ever experienced before. At first I was just shocked, but then I fell into the groove with it mostly. That’s something that I seem to be good at, falling into whatever is happening… I think that might be because of what happened to us in Nu Crateris. I haven’t been able to trust myself.”

He didn’t interrupt her, but it was clear he was listening so she continued.

“I really like the other recruits. I like doing things as a group together, and even if the DIs are assholes sometimes, they are teaching us a lot of new things. Like… I really enjoy doing team things with everyone, when we are working together to accomplish something even if it is a stupid thing that the DIs made up on the spot for us to do.”

They reached the tram station and joined the small crowd there waiting for the next vehicle to arrive.

“What do you dislike about it, though?” Harmon asked.

“That… There’s this one recruit who has been messing with my friend. I don’t know how they manage to do it, but they do. Anytime that has happened to anyone else, everyone ganged up on them to make them stop. That stuff really doesn’t fly. But… for some reason I’m the only one who ever stands up for my friend.”

Harmon frowned. “Can you think of any reason why that is?”

Alex started to shake her head then hesitated. “Maybe because she’s… pretty much first in the class? Everyone is afraid to mess with her?”

“From what I remember, I don’t think that would be it. Even the top recruit needs support. Being isolated would wear anyone going through basic.”

Alex nodded. “Do you have any advice?”

“Have you tried talking with her? Asking her why she is doing it?” He suggested.

Alex’s eyes widened in surprise. “I haven’t… I didn’t even think of that. Thanks.”

The lieutenant nodded and then their tram arrived. It wasn’t that long until they made it to the medical center.

“Do you have anywhere else you want to go? That apartment I helped you get?” Harmon asked as they headed down the corridor to Elis’ ward.

Alex shook her head, “Nothing I need there really. I just want to spend the entire time with Elis.”

The hall nurse waved to them; Alex waved back. She didn’t recognize the woman, but that wasn’t odd, there was always a different nurse on duty every day, although she had spent enough time to see a few repeats eventually.

When they reached Elis’ door, Harmon stopped.

“I’ll give you some privacy. You have my number just message me if you need to leave the medical center or are ready to go. I’ll be back when your time is up.”

Alex nodded. “Thank you.”

She took a deep breath and then entered the room. The door was open but there was a hanging curtain offering a bit of privacy. As Alex stepped around it she found Elis in her bed in a sitting position. Her sister’s red eyes were open, but unfocused and staring at the corner of the room.

“Elis?”

Elis turned her head slowly toward Alex. Her eyes widened a bit, and she raised her right arm. “Ughn. Ungh. Ugn.”

Alex rushed to her side and embraced her, a painful well of emotion filling her chest and water seeping from her clenched eyes. She’d pictured this moment in her mind a hundred times, but usually Elis would smile at her and tell her that she was stupid for worrying. Guilt prickled at Alex and the first thing she managed to croak out was, “Elis, Elis I’m sorry I left you.”

Elis’s stopped making noises, but wasn’t able to hug her back her raised arm lowering. She seemed content to let Alex hold her as long as she wanted. When Alex finally let go and went to pull up a chair to sit beside the bed Elis kept her gaze locked on her the entire time.

Words poured out of Alex like a waterfall as she told Elis what she had been doing, told her what basic training was like, why she was going there and about how they had ended up in Meltisar. She was doing her best to get them back so they could check on A31 and hopefully that the Iron Horse would be fixed in five or six months.

Alex talked about the other recruits, including Tasha, Hikari, Jessica, and Rachel. And of course, her problems with Tia. How stressful some of the days could be. Alex had to stop herself from repeating herself, as she blurted out everything that came to mind.

Elis stared at her the entire time.

Feeling exhausted Alex leaned forward to put her forehead on the bed beside Elis, slipping her hand into Elis’s. Alex turned her head to look up at her when Elis squeezed it lightly. Elis was still looking at her, periodically blinking.

Alex smiled weakly. A lump forming in her throat, “You’re getting better.”

Elis made a grunt.

“Don’t argue. You’re getting better. Lots better! You’re going to get even more better. Don’t worry! Even if it takes a while, you’ll do it.” Alex said.

Alex spent the rest of the day with Elis. When the nurse came she got a chance to ask to speak to the doctor who arrived a few hours later and they discussed her recovery. He was hopeful at the rate of her progress and was pleased to see that Elis recognized her.

Alex went to the cafeteria to get them lunch. She had to pick a liquid soup for Elis and got herself a kebab plate and a slice of cake. It was an instant morale boost after spending days eating MREs.

Elis couldn’t eat with the spoon, but she could swallow, and Alex spoon fed her. She still wasn’t ready for solid foods but being able to swallow was a good sign the doctor had told her.

When Harmon returned she was alarmed and shocked, the entire day had disappeared in a flash.

USD: Around the Same Time

Location: Van Biesbroeck’s star, Meltisar, MIL-1A, Navy Administration Offices and Bureau of Personnel

Admiral Darren Westlake looked up with concern as the door to his office opened. His secretary hadn’t announced anyone, and as he took in the three stars of Vice Admiral McLagan he understood why. A scowl and glare was plastered on his face, and Darren waved off his alarmed secretary who shut the door behind him.

“Darren, what the hell is this!” McLagan exclaimed, his voice dripping with anger as he held up a datapad and waved it back and forth. He came to a stop in the middle of the room, his scowl turning to a deep frown. “I can’t believe you would do this.”

Darren leaned back in his seat and sighed. McLagan was one of the traditionalists, a large faction in the military that was fiercely anti-NAI. But McLagan was also an old friend, the two had went through the academy together and maintained a friendship throughout their service.

The last few years they had grown further apart, but Darren still considered him a friend.

"Calm down," Darren said, holding up his hands in a placating gesture.

“Launching a program like this without an Admiralty Board mandate! It’s a gross overstep of authority!” McLagan continued.

Darren frowned and tapped the four stars on his shoulder, drawing the other man’s gaze to the rank insignia. Playing the rank game was not something he wanted to do, but it did manage to cut through the outrage and McLagan let out an exasperated breath as he calmed down.

“Do you want to show me that, or was it just for dramatic effect?” Darren asked.

McLagan stepped forward and set it down. As Darren read the contents a frown creased his face.

“Where did you get this?” He asked.

“That’s not important. Is it accurate?” McLagan countered.

“Yes.”

Anger returned to the Vice Admiral’s face, but he kept it under control this time.

Darren leaned back in his seat. “This project is necessary. The Four Powers have continued to tighten their stranglehold. They’ve continued to subvert our tech and play havoc when it suits them with our economy.”

He sat forward and pressed a few keys on his desk console, activating the holographic monitor. A video of the market crash two days earlier appeared, and then a lengthy scramble depicting the transfer of money through thousands of accounts as it was washed.

McLagan had a confused look on his face. “What? Are you saying a NAI did this?”

“A Corpo NAI did, for motives we can’t pinpoint.” Darren stated.

“And you are keeping this secret? The new Prime Minister was forced to resign under investigation because of it! Are you keeping it secret just because he was on our side?” The clear agitation returned to McLagan’s face.

“We are all on the same side. Just imagine how much panic there would be if it was widely known that an NAI could freely scramble the entire market on a whim. The fragile thing we have built here would crumble in a few years.” Admiral Darren countered.

“The Administration had been turning a blind eye for decades because they have no choice. It’s quite clear that without one of our own eventually one of the four will decide that it’s better if they simply pull the rug on us and that’ll be it. Even with all the build up we have nothing that can stop one of the four.”

McLagan shook his head, “I agree we need to stop them. But you can’t be serious about this program! You’re inviting the snake to sleep with the eggs. There is no way you can trust one of them not to turn us into another puppet state. The only option is to continue to develop countermeasures.”

Darren shook his head, “GAIs aren’t capable of competing with the NAIs. That’s been abundantly clear for decades.”

“Installing an NAI is tantamount to couping the government, you’ll have no control over it and you are sworn to protect the constitution. You can’t put an NAI in charge, there’s no oversight that could restrain it. The Four wouldn’t stand for it either, they’ve never invited us to choose a CHI in the first place, that entire treaty is a farce. More likely they’d work together to target us or even invade. Either way conditions will be the worse for everyone in Meltisar.” McLagan stated.

“The New Government was elected on an anti-NAI platform, your faction doesn’t have the mandate to execute a program such as this. You should be supporting our development of countermeasures.”

“First, did you even read the program fully? It’s not about enslavement or taking control but building up trust. Whatever you think the NAIs are closer to human than not.”

McLagan shook his head, “They are not human. Some of them can be convincing but they aren’t humans.”

“Second, while the people elected the new government the margin was razor thin this year. There are just as many who support the previous government. The Admiralty isn’t beholden to follow the results of the election and by constitution and regulation we follow the direction of Fleet Admiral Wilkes who is elected by the Admiralty board and Join service chiefs. The FADM is not accountable to the Prime Minister.”

“Dammit man, I know how the service works! But the answer is not more NAIs. Wilkes has not sided with the New School, you do not have his sanction for this!”

Admiral Darren shook his head and gestured with his hand, “And his hasn’t forbidden it. Neither has he forbidden your AGAI project. He’s left all avenues of solving this dire issue open.”

McLagan froze in place, a measure of concern playing over his features before he whispers, “What do you know about the AGAI project?”

A grim expression appeared on Darren’s face. “More than I would like. Your results show that avenue is a dead-end, from a pragmatic and moral point of view.”

McLagan glowered and picked his datapad back up and changed its page before setting it back on the desk. “And who is this? Is this the Princess?”

Darren managed to keep his face still, but it was a near thing. He slowly reached out to take the pad. A photo of Alex Myers was plastered on the screen, along with a list of physical details.

McLagan took the pad back. “I know she’s your pet NAI, and I know that you have the Imperials’ princess. You need to turn her over, if Psi finds out we have her there will be hell to pay, you know that. We already have problems with them pushing for tariff removal and customs oversight on our posts as well as shutting down access of advanced goods to Ertan.

“She’s a Chi. She is not amenable to returning to her mother, and if we can work together its possible to make this work. How do you know about this?” Darren said.

McLagan remained silent.

Darren pushed the datapad back to the man. “She is not the princess.”

“I don’t believe you. You don’t approve leave for a recruit to return to orbit. Not personally. If you didn’t want it to be so easy to figure out, you shouldn’t have done that.” McLagan stated.

Darren rubbed the bridge of his nose. “She’s a backup in case there are issues with the princess. But that doesn’t seem likely, things are going rather well from what I understand.”

“What! There is more than one of them? Where did this other one come from? This is worse than I thought. You need to hand them both over to me. Having them will help with the AGAI program and we can test its capabilities for detecting, restraining, and detaining the NAI. If the Corpo NAI is still on MOR-1 causing catastrophic damage to the economy, we need to figure out if we can deploy it to counter her now.”

Darren shook his head in refusal. “No. I will not let you test on them. I already know what you did to that lower-level NAI that had been living on MOR-1 for years. If it was up to me your project would have been scrapped.”

“The NAI aren’t human. It’s not a moral issue, but you are right things were… messy. We didn’t expect what happened, but it was good that we tested it. Now we’ve adjusted and it shouldn’t occur again.”

“It doesn’t matter if it shouldn’t torture them anymore, enslavement is not acceptable.”

McLagan shook his head, “That is your mistake, Westlake. They are not human, they are dangerous machines that nearly wiped out humanity. If we don’t manage to curb them with our own technology then it could very well happen again when they decide they don’t need us. If you won’t give them to me I am going to take this to the Admiralty Board. Right now.”

“That is your prerogative, but you should fully expect that your AGAI project will be given the same treatment.” Darren said.

Vice Admiral McLagan scowled, “We’ll see.”

Admiral Darren watched as the man turned on a heel and left the office, almost slamming the door behind him. As soon as he was gone, Darren pulled up his contact list on his console and sent a warning to FADM Wilkes.

Things were about to come to a head earlier than they believed it would.