Read Riss Series 4: The Riss Accession for Free Online Page A
Authors: C. R. Daems
your
mission—and we had better be under the protection of the space gods if we
aren't helpful making his agreement with you succeed."
"I'd trust you and the
Scorpions at my back anytime. And we won't disappoint Admiral Plimson. He's
told me many times, ‘Admirals don't like to be disappointed’."
I left Seng laughing as I
made my way back to my office . Stopping on the way to see how the repairs were proceeding , I was
assured the Mnemosyne and Eirene would be operational in two weeks
or fewer . At my office
door, I motioned Terril to come in.
The corporal closed the door after us.
Terril fetched two cups of kaffa, handed
me one, and flopped into one of the padded chairs.
"Well. " I took a sip of my
kaffa. "What's the latest news?"
"Wattson replaced ten Captains and
five XOs of the thirty ships currently assigned to Freeland. Most are being
forced to retire. About half were replaced by commanders on station, and the other
half came from Eden. He’s promoted four Captains to Admiral and put each in
charge of a squadron composed of seven to eight cruisers. It seems to have had
a positive impact on the fleet. A lot of people got promotions , as every
retirement slot had a ripple effect that reached down to the lieutenants.
People are beginning to understand and to expect serious consequences for not
following orders and for poor performance."
Terrill grinned. "Overall, I think
the focus is off the Riss and onto pleasing Wattson. He's conducting exercises
seven days a week, and he’s taking notes."
* * *
I called for a meeting with the
Riss-humans, Ta'Lona , and Da'Maass to discuss our new project.
" Ta'Lona is replacing
Da'Maass as project manager while he’s a candidate for Riss-human. If Da'Maass
is accepted, Ta'Lona will assume the responsibilities permanently. Ta'Lona , I've
identified several Riss I'd like assigned to Project…"
"Invincible," Pavao said,
smiling.
"Yes, Invincible. You and your
teams must forget conventional ways to stop manned and unmanned missiles… Oh,
and ninety centimeter lasers. Think about the impossible and then implement it.
The Riss are adept at doing the impossible, and the clans built the Riss cruisers.
The nastiest cruisers in space."
"Yes, dybbuk ." He
grinned. "We will find a way. Ni'Shay and the other elders want you
wrapped in a cocoon. They say the Riss are our future."
"Pavao, I'd like us both to be
actively involved."
"Sounds like fun. No better time to
build the cruisers of the future than in a war when Aliens are trying to kill
you. As you so elegantly pointed out, each Riss is the equivalent of over three
million humans."
"Da'Maass, Doctor Dayton informs me
you have no significant health issues, except maybe your liver is having to work
overtime to keep up with the wine you force it to process. Twenty Riss
volunteers are waiting at Rupea to talk with you. It will help you understand
the Riss, whether you really want one to share your human vehicle , and whether
one or more of them is interested in you as a host."
"I thought you could force... tell
them to..."
"My words are the words of the
Riss, but only when I feel they benefit the Riss nation. Forcing a Riss to
accept a host wouldn't be in the Riss best interest."
"Nor mine, although I would do
anything to fly one of your cruisers. You did help me begin to understand the
potential… ramifications."
"Good. We’ll depart for Rupea as
soon as I talk with the Riss-humans here."
Da'Maass stood and left the room.
"Pavao, if he's accepted, I'd like
you to be his mentor during his transition, although I expect all of us to
help."
"I think that is a good idea.
Da'Maass already has a crush on you."
"How are your attached units doing?
Any trouble?"
"Just the opposite. They are
delighted to be back on the Eirene . They like the environment,
level three, and the fact it's safer." She laughed. "And they
mission—and we had better be under the protection of the space gods if we
aren't helpful making his agreement with you succeed."
"I'd trust you and the
Scorpions at my back anytime. And we won't disappoint Admiral Plimson. He's
told me many times, ‘Admirals don't like to be disappointed’."
I left Seng laughing as I
made my way back to my office . Stopping on the way to see how the repairs were proceeding , I was
assured the Mnemosyne and Eirene would be operational in two weeks
or fewer . At my office
door, I motioned Terril to come in.
The corporal closed the door after us.
Terril fetched two cups of kaffa, handed
me one, and flopped into one of the padded chairs.
"Well. " I took a sip of my
kaffa. "What's the latest news?"
"Wattson replaced ten Captains and
five XOs of the thirty ships currently assigned to Freeland. Most are being
forced to retire. About half were replaced by commanders on station, and the other
half came from Eden. He’s promoted four Captains to Admiral and put each in
charge of a squadron composed of seven to eight cruisers. It seems to have had
a positive impact on the fleet. A lot of people got promotions , as every
retirement slot had a ripple effect that reached down to the lieutenants.
People are beginning to understand and to expect serious consequences for not
following orders and for poor performance."
Terrill grinned. "Overall, I think
the focus is off the Riss and onto pleasing Wattson. He's conducting exercises
seven days a week, and he’s taking notes."
* * *
I called for a meeting with the
Riss-humans, Ta'Lona , and Da'Maass to discuss our new project.
" Ta'Lona is replacing
Da'Maass as project manager while he’s a candidate for Riss-human. If Da'Maass
is accepted, Ta'Lona will assume the responsibilities permanently. Ta'Lona , I've
identified several Riss I'd like assigned to Project…"
"Invincible," Pavao said,
smiling.
"Yes, Invincible. You and your
teams must forget conventional ways to stop manned and unmanned missiles… Oh,
and ninety centimeter lasers. Think about the impossible and then implement it.
The Riss are adept at doing the impossible, and the clans built the Riss cruisers.
The nastiest cruisers in space."
"Yes, dybbuk ." He
grinned. "We will find a way. Ni'Shay and the other elders want you
wrapped in a cocoon. They say the Riss are our future."
"Pavao, I'd like us both to be
actively involved."
"Sounds like fun. No better time to
build the cruisers of the future than in a war when Aliens are trying to kill
you. As you so elegantly pointed out, each Riss is the equivalent of over three
million humans."
"Da'Maass, Doctor Dayton informs me
you have no significant health issues, except maybe your liver is having to work
overtime to keep up with the wine you force it to process. Twenty Riss
volunteers are waiting at Rupea to talk with you. It will help you understand
the Riss, whether you really want one to share your human vehicle , and whether
one or more of them is interested in you as a host."
"I thought you could force... tell
them to..."
"My words are the words of the
Riss, but only when I feel they benefit the Riss nation. Forcing a Riss to
accept a host wouldn't be in the Riss best interest."
"Nor mine, although I would do
anything to fly one of your cruisers. You did help me begin to understand the
potential… ramifications."
"Good. We’ll depart for Rupea as
soon as I talk with the Riss-humans here."
Da'Maass stood and left the room.
"Pavao, if he's accepted, I'd like
you to be his mentor during his transition, although I expect all of us to
help."
"I think that is a good idea.
Da'Maass already has a crush on you."
"How are your attached units doing?
Any trouble?"
"Just the opposite. They are
delighted to be back on the Eirene . They like the environment,
level three, and the fact it's safer." She laughed. "And they
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