Riss Series 4: The Riss Accession, page 12
"Red-Admiral Yang, that is an excellent question. I chose to host a Riss for my own very selfish reasons as I'm sure if you or your officers do, it will also be for selfish reasons—to save the UFN from the Aliens. But the Riss are an amazing race, and having one constantly with you is a precious gift. Although a Riss can be removed, no one who has become a Riss-human has asked to have her removed. "
I turned to Zhu. "Admiral Zhu, I’m sure the officers you have assembled here on Dong are some of your best, and many would meet the criteria we are looking for certified crews and Riss-human candidates. "
"Yes, that is correct. "
"Red-Admiral Yang has asked a question everyone has on their mind and rightfully so. Parasites are normally considered a very bad thing, and no one here knows anything about the Riss. I would ask for a week delay so that we may expose them to the Riss. That should be long enough to determine those receptive to being teamed with a Riss to learn Symath and later entertain the idea of becoming a Riss-human. "
I turned to look at Yang. "Red-Admiral Yang, in the end, both the human candidate and the Riss must be willing participants. "
"Yes, Leader Reese, " Zhu said, "an excellent suggestion and well worth the delay. The Riss Symath will be a critical technology in our fight against the Aliens, and we must implement it as quickly as possible. "
The discussion went on for several hours, until Zhu stood—along with the entire dinner party. "I neglected a tour of the Dynasty, not out of secrecy. Your engineers must examine our weapons system to make adjustments to your new missiles, and examining our technology might evoke new ideas. I thought to eat first and get acquainted. Now that my officers know yours, they will guide them on a tour and pair off to discuss their particular areas of interest. I would also like to speak with you… and your Gunny, alone. "
That seemed to be a queue for specific officers to seek out the Mnemosyne’s and guide them away.
I walked with Zhu to his office. It was impressive, not only five times the size of mine, but decorated like a combination of the Mnemosyne’s third level and the inside of a planet-side house.
"Would you like wine, or would you prefer kaffa or more tea? " He waved towards two comfortable chairs.
"I rather liked the tea served at dinner, if it isn’t too much trouble.
He nodded to Xun, who opened a side door in the back of the room and said something to someone. She and Terril had taken less comfortable chairs in the back.
"You understand that teaching us the Riss technology is potentially dangerous but necessary. Without you, I doubt Admiral Wattson would have consented to a Riss-facility in UFN space. I’m grateful. We both hope it leads to something good. How do you intend to expose my officers to the Riss in a week? "
"It might have to be two weeks, Admiral Zhu— "
"Zhu, please, and Reese if I may, in private, " he interrupted.
"I would like that. " I smiled. "The Riss can’t make human sounds, and I suspect many of your people aren’t fluent in SAS standard. As you saw, the Riss use a voice box that translates hand signals into words. If you could assign a team to work with my Riss, we could update their boxes to generate the standard UFN dialect. "
"In a week "?
"The Riss have perfect memories, so it is mostly correlating the UFN words to the corresponding SAS words. Once we have a basic set, it will build quickly and can be updated daily. It's going to be necessary for those working to create the planet-side facility, and it will be the only way for your officers to see the Riss as intelligent individuals. "
I waited for Zhu to digest what I had said. He appeared to be a slow thinker, but I suspected he was considering the short and long range ramifications.
When he nodded, I continued. "Talking with them will make them real. I’d like to put Riss on a few of your cruisers and conduct exercises designed to demonstrate the tactical and navigational advantages of Symath. Then select those officers who appear interested in the technology and are not afraid or repulsed by the Riss to attend a two-week Symath class… " I went on to explain what we had done to create Riss certified crews and my willingness to place Riss on those ships.
Zhu sat silent for several minutes with his eyes closed, barely breathing. "Interesting. I find you more willing to support the UFN and the Alliance than I suspect the SAS would be. You are actually more concerned about the Riss than the sharing of technology. I could guarantee my officers will show the Riss respect and give them every curtesy, but that is not what you seek. "
"No. Most of my career, I was abused mentally and physically by officers and enlisted because they were afraid, repulsed, or they hated me. I want the Riss in an environment where the crew sees them as partners in the fight against the Aliens and as individuals and hopefully friends. You cannot order that. "
"You have no reason to trust me as you do your Admiral Plimson, but I give you my word to give you my complete and unconditional support to do what must be done to implement the Riss technology—and build ties that will last past our lifetimes.
An image with Zhu and a white goatee dragging along the ground.
I managed not to smile, but Zhu managed to pick up some sign.
"A conversation with… Thalia? An intriguing concept. Two intelligent beings inside one body, Where does your loyalty belong? " Zhu asked.
The question stunned me. "With the Riss, so long as an action does not violate my ethics, " I said. "My dreams are the dreams of the Riss, but the Riss would not ask me to abandon the SAS in a time of need. "
"So a UFN Riss-human would still be loyal to the UFN, although his or her dreams would be the Riss dreams? "
"Yes, they are good dreams, Zhu. The Riss do not want money, or power, or what others have. They merely want to be free to see the stars. "
* * *
Using the SAS dictionary currently on the voice-box, ten teams of UFN, Riss, and SAS personnel developed the appropriate UFN equivalents. Working night and day, a basic UFN language voice-box was up and running in six days. On the seventh day, the voice-box was used in conversations with senior officers and adjustments made where necessary.
"That is remarkable, " green-Admiral Husing said after a lengthy discussion with r-Kharis about Dusters, Demons, and Dragonflies. He looked to Zhu and me. "I look at a Riss and understand they are intelligent, but my mind still sees them as… animals. Now that I can talk with a Riss and she has a name, she feels like a person. And after my conversation about weapons systems, I know she is an intelligent person. Leader Reese is correct. Our officers need to interact with the Riss if they are to understand them. "
"Yes, I had concerns about integrating the Riss technology within the UFN and thought it would take years integrating the Riss and Symath—and that a UFN Riss-human would be an impossibility. But the Riss are making it remarkably easy, " Zhu said. "What next, Leader Reese? "
"I would suggest some exercises where the Riss can demonstrate the applications of Symath. We should use your cruisers so that no one thinks our computers are doing the work. The demonstrations should include all captains, XOs, navigation, and weapons officers. "
* * *
It took two days to remove the sensing devices and warheads from one hundred missiles, arrange for ten cruisers to participate in the exercises, organize the two hundred observers into teams of ten, and plan the exercises. Each exercise was the same: a ship with Riss and observers would let a UFN ship skip in some random direction. The Riss would then compute a skip to within five kilometers of that ship. At the same time, the UFN navigator using the system computer would compute the same jump. The second exercise would have a UFN cruiser three light seconds away on a random course attempt to destroy any of the five dumb missiles that reached it.
On the morning of the third day, Damaass, Jaelle, and I―with two Riss each―conducted a two-hour pre-flight briefing with the ten officers who would be along as observers. We explained the exercises and the purpose. Most of the two hours was devoted to answering questions, which I let the Riss handle. We then boarded Red-dragon-2 (the Heavy assigned to task force two of the Red Dragon fleet) along with red-Admiral Yang. Afterward, I had each officer fill out a brief questionnaire designed to help me determine each officer’s feelings towards the Riss: What did you think of the demonstration? Do you think Symath would be useful in an engagement? What did you think of the Riss? Etc.
They were told by the Fleet Admiral to be honest. The results were to be used to evaluate the Riss, not them. Zhu and I reviewed the results each night. After some assignment changes to keep the fifty officers who appeared likely candidates for learning Symath and being Riss-certified, Zhu released thirty ships to Echo.
Two weeks later, we had certified four teams. I assigned two Riss to each cruiser, and Zhu sent off the remaining ten cruisers to Echo to meet his agreed-upon commitment of forty. The UFN now had five task forces on Echo, designated: Red-1, Red-2, Red-3, Yellow-1, and Yellow-2.
* * *
Immediately, Zhu’s face appeared on the overhead monitor.
"What may I do for you, Admiral Zhu? "
"I want you to know I’m very pleased with the progress you and your people have made. We've sent off our designated commitment to Echo several weeks late, but Admiral Wattson should be pleased that we have four Riss-certified cruisers. And work on Dong is ahead of schedule. With the new voice boxes, communications between the UFN and SAS has been better than could be expected. As a result, we managed to make room in our present facilities to begin limited production while the new structures are being built and furnished. All in all, a remarkable start. And I have three Riss-human candidates. I would like to introduce them to you and make sure they meet your requirements. "
"At your convenience, Admiral Zhu. " I was somewhat surprised he had found any, although there wouldn’t have been the same feelings about the Riss as were prevalent in the SAS. The Riss concept had many years of publicity: some based on fact, but most on rumors and hearsay.
"If you are free, my office at seventeen hundred hours and dinner afterward. "
"I’d like that. Seventeen hundred hours, " I acknowledged and broke the connection.
"Are you coming? " I asked Terril, who seemed to be with me most of the time.
"Depends. What are we having for dinner? "
"Whatever Admiral Zhu fancies. "
"I'll ride over with you, but I’ve been invited to dine with Xun. She and I managed to trade off watching training sessions. The differences are startling in the beginning, but as the student progresses toward master, the similarities are amazing. It’s been interesting. I also get the feeling that Zhu has made it clear we are to be considered… trusted allies. "
"I agree. Zhu is already thinking about the future. The relationship with the SAS will be forged during these early years. "
"Interesting, while most of us are worried about today, you and he seem to be focused on tomorrow. Talking about today, I need to attend to your detail for tonight. I’ll see you at the shuttle, " Terril said and left, leaving two guards.
"Jaelle, what do you think of this assignment? " I asked when she finished her conversation with r-Kharis at the navigation console.
"It’s been interesting… and fun. The UFN personnel are very reserved and steeped in tradition, but they are nice to work with and very attentive. You know by the questions they ask that they are paying attention and are very smart. And it’s helped me. Demonstrating Symath has given me a better understanding of its potential in a battle. In a strange way, I’m looking forward to an engagement with the Aliens. I think this assignment has made me more eager to be a Riss captain. "
"I understand. If we must fight in a war, we must strive to be good at it, " I said, shaking my head at the sad reality.
* * *
I arrived at the shuttle just after sixteen hundred hours. Terril stood waiting with two new guards. I entered and waved Terril to sit beside me.
"How is the shore leave working out? " I asked. Zhu and I had discussed the possibility of limited interaction of clan personnel with the general population and slowly providing shore leave for the SAS personnel on station. We had started with the Mnemosyne and Minerva personnel first, as I thought they were better disciplined than Sakaata's task force. Not that Sakaata wouldn't rip the hide off anyone caught causing trouble, but the task force wasn’t as close-knit a group as the Riss-certified troops.
"The feedback has been excellent. The troops are enjoying an opportunity to visit a new place with new and interesting things to see. And no incidents have been reported. Of course, they know if they cause any trouble their shore leave will be canceled for the rest of their lives, and then they will have to answer to you. "
< Failed your trust in them.>
I saw Thalia’s point. If you didn’t trust someone or thought them dishonest or… they had nothing to lose by being dishonest or… However, if you trusted them, they did.
When I exited the shuttle, I received the same pomp and ceremony as before. Oh well, "When in Rome― " wherever that was? As I was ushered into Zhu's office, he stood, and the three other officers braced to attention.
"At ease, gentlemen. Leader Reese, I would like you to meet red-Captain Sato of Red dragon five, " he said, gesturing to a man in his middle thirties.
He had an athletic, wiry frame, olive skin, and straight black hair. He was several centimeters taller than the other two men. He stiffened and gave a stiff bow from the waist.
"Captain Sato has several years’ experience fighting in border wars with the JPU and is second to the red-Commodore of task force five. " Zhu then nodded to the short, stocky man next to him. "Yellow-Commodore Chung of Yellow Dragon one task force. "
Chung looked to be in his forties. He was the shortest of the men, and his long, black, thick hair framed a round stiff face. He too gave a stiff bow but not as low as Sato’s.
"Commodore Chung leads the yellow-one task force and fought in the JPU war and border skirmishes with the SAS. And this is blue-Admiral Zhang, " Zhu said with a slight smile, "my younger brother, although I assure you he expects no special consideration. He has experience commanding in our early war with the SAS and in the later one with the JPU. I interviewed ten officers, and believe these men meet your initial criteria. I did not consider age since you did not stipulate it as a consideration. "
Zhang’s facial features did resemble his brother’s. They both had long mustaches and chin beards, although Zhu’s was pure white while Zhang’s still had strands of black. His bow was gentle and relaxed, and his eyes twinkled.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, gentlemen. No, age is not a criterion. Tactical experience or demonstrated tactical ability and a willingness to consider becoming a Riss-human are the only requirements. Please relax, " I said. The seniority of the volunteers was intriguing, of course needing war experience did more or less rule out young officers.
Zhu waved them to their chairs.
"On one hand, most Riss do not wish to be hosted by a human, as it limits their freedom. On the other hand, most humans find it hard to have an intelligent being in their minds. Need drives us together, but for the few who choose to become Riss-humans, it's a life-changing experience none of us would give up. So volunteering means you have to choose to host a Riss, and a Riss has to choose to be hosted by you. If for whatever reason the pairing doesn't work, it is possible for the Riss to be removed. "
"What does the program encompass? " Chung asked.
"I will have you transferred to the Mnemosyne, where you will be given a physical, an indoctrination about the Riss and the process, and spend hours interacting with potential Riss candidates. If at that point a Riss is willing to be hosted by you, you will be tattooed, " I pointed to my cheek, "and the Riss will be inserted. It will take several weeks for you and the Riss to get acclimated, and then you will become part of the Riss Nation Navy and learn to captain a Riss cruiser. "
"You say the Riss must choose. I thought you were their Leader. " Chung questioned.
"Each Riss is given a position, and all positions are equal. Every Riss on the ship will be equal to you. But because your position is captain, they will follow your decisions without question. I speak for all the Riss but not for each individual, although when I speak for the Riss each individual will follow without question. "
"Including the Riss-humans? " Sato asked.
"Yes. Riss-humans are Riss. As humans, you will have your own opinions, but you will, like the other Riss, know my words are made for the benefit of the Riss and, therefore, feel required to follow. "
"An intriguing concept—both a gift and curse, " Zhang said.
Chung and Sato gave him questioning looks.
"I assume the Riss parasite becomes a companion over time and has the ability to control you if it… she wishes. "
"Yes, but I leave that for your orientation. "
After a leisurely dinner where I learned a little about each officer, we returned to the Mnemosyne. There, I gave them a brief tour and assigned each some quarters and a security guard.
* * *
"I understand you have three UFN candidates for Riss-humans. I know Admiral Plimson has agreed you have the right, but… " Sakaata said. She had invited me for dinner and had included her task force captains.
"Although many individuals will be apprehensive over the idea of someone from the UFN being a Riss-human. I doubt it's the Riss-human issue you are uncomfortable with; it’s the sharing of technology. I assure you that since the Riss will not allow any of us Riss-humans to act in a manner inconsistent with their ethics, none of us could kill a defenseless individual, much less massacre hundreds, " I said, surveying the table.
"I guess you’re right, Reese. But with the Riss technology, the next war between empires is going to be a nightmare, " Sakaata said to nodding heads.
Everyone looked shocked when I laughed. "To a Riss or Riss-human, any conflict in which even one person dies is a nightmare. But since both sides will have equivalent technology, the result will be the same as today—many good people will die. Only the technology will be different. "
I turned to Zhu. "Admiral Zhu, I’m sure the officers you have assembled here on Dong are some of your best, and many would meet the criteria we are looking for certified crews and Riss-human candidates. "
"Yes, that is correct. "
"Red-Admiral Yang has asked a question everyone has on their mind and rightfully so. Parasites are normally considered a very bad thing, and no one here knows anything about the Riss. I would ask for a week delay so that we may expose them to the Riss. That should be long enough to determine those receptive to being teamed with a Riss to learn Symath and later entertain the idea of becoming a Riss-human. "
I turned to look at Yang. "Red-Admiral Yang, in the end, both the human candidate and the Riss must be willing participants. "
"Yes, Leader Reese, " Zhu said, "an excellent suggestion and well worth the delay. The Riss Symath will be a critical technology in our fight against the Aliens, and we must implement it as quickly as possible. "
The discussion went on for several hours, until Zhu stood—along with the entire dinner party. "I neglected a tour of the Dynasty, not out of secrecy. Your engineers must examine our weapons system to make adjustments to your new missiles, and examining our technology might evoke new ideas. I thought to eat first and get acquainted. Now that my officers know yours, they will guide them on a tour and pair off to discuss their particular areas of interest. I would also like to speak with you… and your Gunny, alone. "
That seemed to be a queue for specific officers to seek out the Mnemosyne’s and guide them away.
I walked with Zhu to his office. It was impressive, not only five times the size of mine, but decorated like a combination of the Mnemosyne’s third level and the inside of a planet-side house.
"Would you like wine, or would you prefer kaffa or more tea? " He waved towards two comfortable chairs.
"I rather liked the tea served at dinner, if it isn’t too much trouble.
He nodded to Xun, who opened a side door in the back of the room and said something to someone. She and Terril had taken less comfortable chairs in the back.
"You understand that teaching us the Riss technology is potentially dangerous but necessary. Without you, I doubt Admiral Wattson would have consented to a Riss-facility in UFN space. I’m grateful. We both hope it leads to something good. How do you intend to expose my officers to the Riss in a week? "
"It might have to be two weeks, Admiral Zhu— "
"Zhu, please, and Reese if I may, in private, " he interrupted.
"I would like that. " I smiled. "The Riss can’t make human sounds, and I suspect many of your people aren’t fluent in SAS standard. As you saw, the Riss use a voice box that translates hand signals into words. If you could assign a team to work with my Riss, we could update their boxes to generate the standard UFN dialect. "
"In a week "?
"The Riss have perfect memories, so it is mostly correlating the UFN words to the corresponding SAS words. Once we have a basic set, it will build quickly and can be updated daily. It's going to be necessary for those working to create the planet-side facility, and it will be the only way for your officers to see the Riss as intelligent individuals. "
I waited for Zhu to digest what I had said. He appeared to be a slow thinker, but I suspected he was considering the short and long range ramifications.
When he nodded, I continued. "Talking with them will make them real. I’d like to put Riss on a few of your cruisers and conduct exercises designed to demonstrate the tactical and navigational advantages of Symath. Then select those officers who appear interested in the technology and are not afraid or repulsed by the Riss to attend a two-week Symath class… " I went on to explain what we had done to create Riss certified crews and my willingness to place Riss on those ships.
Zhu sat silent for several minutes with his eyes closed, barely breathing. "Interesting. I find you more willing to support the UFN and the Alliance than I suspect the SAS would be. You are actually more concerned about the Riss than the sharing of technology. I could guarantee my officers will show the Riss respect and give them every curtesy, but that is not what you seek. "
"No. Most of my career, I was abused mentally and physically by officers and enlisted because they were afraid, repulsed, or they hated me. I want the Riss in an environment where the crew sees them as partners in the fight against the Aliens and as individuals and hopefully friends. You cannot order that. "
"You have no reason to trust me as you do your Admiral Plimson, but I give you my word to give you my complete and unconditional support to do what must be done to implement the Riss technology—and build ties that will last past our lifetimes.
I managed not to smile, but Zhu managed to pick up some sign.
"A conversation with… Thalia? An intriguing concept. Two intelligent beings inside one body, Where does your loyalty belong? " Zhu asked.
The question stunned me. "With the Riss, so long as an action does not violate my ethics, " I said. "My dreams are the dreams of the Riss, but the Riss would not ask me to abandon the SAS in a time of need. "
"So a UFN Riss-human would still be loyal to the UFN, although his or her dreams would be the Riss dreams? "
"Yes, they are good dreams, Zhu. The Riss do not want money, or power, or what others have. They merely want to be free to see the stars. "
* * *
Using the SAS dictionary currently on the voice-box, ten teams of UFN, Riss, and SAS personnel developed the appropriate UFN equivalents. Working night and day, a basic UFN language voice-box was up and running in six days. On the seventh day, the voice-box was used in conversations with senior officers and adjustments made where necessary.
"That is remarkable, " green-Admiral Husing said after a lengthy discussion with r-Kharis about Dusters, Demons, and Dragonflies. He looked to Zhu and me. "I look at a Riss and understand they are intelligent, but my mind still sees them as… animals. Now that I can talk with a Riss and she has a name, she feels like a person. And after my conversation about weapons systems, I know she is an intelligent person. Leader Reese is correct. Our officers need to interact with the Riss if they are to understand them. "
"Yes, I had concerns about integrating the Riss technology within the UFN and thought it would take years integrating the Riss and Symath—and that a UFN Riss-human would be an impossibility. But the Riss are making it remarkably easy, " Zhu said. "What next, Leader Reese? "
"I would suggest some exercises where the Riss can demonstrate the applications of Symath. We should use your cruisers so that no one thinks our computers are doing the work. The demonstrations should include all captains, XOs, navigation, and weapons officers. "
* * *
It took two days to remove the sensing devices and warheads from one hundred missiles, arrange for ten cruisers to participate in the exercises, organize the two hundred observers into teams of ten, and plan the exercises. Each exercise was the same: a ship with Riss and observers would let a UFN ship skip in some random direction. The Riss would then compute a skip to within five kilometers of that ship. At the same time, the UFN navigator using the system computer would compute the same jump. The second exercise would have a UFN cruiser three light seconds away on a random course attempt to destroy any of the five dumb missiles that reached it.
On the morning of the third day, Damaass, Jaelle, and I―with two Riss each―conducted a two-hour pre-flight briefing with the ten officers who would be along as observers. We explained the exercises and the purpose. Most of the two hours was devoted to answering questions, which I let the Riss handle. We then boarded Red-dragon-2 (the Heavy assigned to task force two of the Red Dragon fleet) along with red-Admiral Yang. Afterward, I had each officer fill out a brief questionnaire designed to help me determine each officer’s feelings towards the Riss: What did you think of the demonstration? Do you think Symath would be useful in an engagement? What did you think of the Riss? Etc.
They were told by the Fleet Admiral to be honest. The results were to be used to evaluate the Riss, not them. Zhu and I reviewed the results each night. After some assignment changes to keep the fifty officers who appeared likely candidates for learning Symath and being Riss-certified, Zhu released thirty ships to Echo.
Two weeks later, we had certified four teams. I assigned two Riss to each cruiser, and Zhu sent off the remaining ten cruisers to Echo to meet his agreed-upon commitment of forty. The UFN now had five task forces on Echo, designated: Red-1, Red-2, Red-3, Yellow-1, and Yellow-2.
* * *
Immediately, Zhu’s face appeared on the overhead monitor.
"What may I do for you, Admiral Zhu? "
"I want you to know I’m very pleased with the progress you and your people have made. We've sent off our designated commitment to Echo several weeks late, but Admiral Wattson should be pleased that we have four Riss-certified cruisers. And work on Dong is ahead of schedule. With the new voice boxes, communications between the UFN and SAS has been better than could be expected. As a result, we managed to make room in our present facilities to begin limited production while the new structures are being built and furnished. All in all, a remarkable start. And I have three Riss-human candidates. I would like to introduce them to you and make sure they meet your requirements. "
"At your convenience, Admiral Zhu. " I was somewhat surprised he had found any, although there wouldn’t have been the same feelings about the Riss as were prevalent in the SAS. The Riss concept had many years of publicity: some based on fact, but most on rumors and hearsay.
"If you are free, my office at seventeen hundred hours and dinner afterward. "
"I’d like that. Seventeen hundred hours, " I acknowledged and broke the connection.
"Are you coming? " I asked Terril, who seemed to be with me most of the time.
"Depends. What are we having for dinner? "
"Whatever Admiral Zhu fancies. "
"I'll ride over with you, but I’ve been invited to dine with Xun. She and I managed to trade off watching training sessions. The differences are startling in the beginning, but as the student progresses toward master, the similarities are amazing. It’s been interesting. I also get the feeling that Zhu has made it clear we are to be considered… trusted allies. "
"I agree. Zhu is already thinking about the future. The relationship with the SAS will be forged during these early years. "
"Interesting, while most of us are worried about today, you and he seem to be focused on tomorrow. Talking about today, I need to attend to your detail for tonight. I’ll see you at the shuttle, " Terril said and left, leaving two guards.
"Jaelle, what do you think of this assignment? " I asked when she finished her conversation with r-Kharis at the navigation console.
"It’s been interesting… and fun. The UFN personnel are very reserved and steeped in tradition, but they are nice to work with and very attentive. You know by the questions they ask that they are paying attention and are very smart. And it’s helped me. Demonstrating Symath has given me a better understanding of its potential in a battle. In a strange way, I’m looking forward to an engagement with the Aliens. I think this assignment has made me more eager to be a Riss captain. "
"I understand. If we must fight in a war, we must strive to be good at it, " I said, shaking my head at the sad reality.
* * *
I arrived at the shuttle just after sixteen hundred hours. Terril stood waiting with two new guards. I entered and waved Terril to sit beside me.
"How is the shore leave working out? " I asked. Zhu and I had discussed the possibility of limited interaction of clan personnel with the general population and slowly providing shore leave for the SAS personnel on station. We had started with the Mnemosyne and Minerva personnel first, as I thought they were better disciplined than Sakaata's task force. Not that Sakaata wouldn't rip the hide off anyone caught causing trouble, but the task force wasn’t as close-knit a group as the Riss-certified troops.
"The feedback has been excellent. The troops are enjoying an opportunity to visit a new place with new and interesting things to see. And no incidents have been reported. Of course, they know if they cause any trouble their shore leave will be canceled for the rest of their lives, and then they will have to answer to you. "
< Failed your trust in them.>
I saw Thalia’s point. If you didn’t trust someone or thought them dishonest or… they had nothing to lose by being dishonest or… However, if you trusted them, they did.
When I exited the shuttle, I received the same pomp and ceremony as before. Oh well, "When in Rome― " wherever that was? As I was ushered into Zhu's office, he stood, and the three other officers braced to attention.
"At ease, gentlemen. Leader Reese, I would like you to meet red-Captain Sato of Red dragon five, " he said, gesturing to a man in his middle thirties.
He had an athletic, wiry frame, olive skin, and straight black hair. He was several centimeters taller than the other two men. He stiffened and gave a stiff bow from the waist.
"Captain Sato has several years’ experience fighting in border wars with the JPU and is second to the red-Commodore of task force five. " Zhu then nodded to the short, stocky man next to him. "Yellow-Commodore Chung of Yellow Dragon one task force. "
Chung looked to be in his forties. He was the shortest of the men, and his long, black, thick hair framed a round stiff face. He too gave a stiff bow but not as low as Sato’s.
"Commodore Chung leads the yellow-one task force and fought in the JPU war and border skirmishes with the SAS. And this is blue-Admiral Zhang, " Zhu said with a slight smile, "my younger brother, although I assure you he expects no special consideration. He has experience commanding in our early war with the SAS and in the later one with the JPU. I interviewed ten officers, and believe these men meet your initial criteria. I did not consider age since you did not stipulate it as a consideration. "
Zhang’s facial features did resemble his brother’s. They both had long mustaches and chin beards, although Zhu’s was pure white while Zhang’s still had strands of black. His bow was gentle and relaxed, and his eyes twinkled.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, gentlemen. No, age is not a criterion. Tactical experience or demonstrated tactical ability and a willingness to consider becoming a Riss-human are the only requirements. Please relax, " I said. The seniority of the volunteers was intriguing, of course needing war experience did more or less rule out young officers.
Zhu waved them to their chairs.
"On one hand, most Riss do not wish to be hosted by a human, as it limits their freedom. On the other hand, most humans find it hard to have an intelligent being in their minds. Need drives us together, but for the few who choose to become Riss-humans, it's a life-changing experience none of us would give up. So volunteering means you have to choose to host a Riss, and a Riss has to choose to be hosted by you. If for whatever reason the pairing doesn't work, it is possible for the Riss to be removed. "
"What does the program encompass? " Chung asked.
"I will have you transferred to the Mnemosyne, where you will be given a physical, an indoctrination about the Riss and the process, and spend hours interacting with potential Riss candidates. If at that point a Riss is willing to be hosted by you, you will be tattooed, " I pointed to my cheek, "and the Riss will be inserted. It will take several weeks for you and the Riss to get acclimated, and then you will become part of the Riss Nation Navy and learn to captain a Riss cruiser. "
"You say the Riss must choose. I thought you were their Leader. " Chung questioned.
"Each Riss is given a position, and all positions are equal. Every Riss on the ship will be equal to you. But because your position is captain, they will follow your decisions without question. I speak for all the Riss but not for each individual, although when I speak for the Riss each individual will follow without question. "
"Including the Riss-humans? " Sato asked.
"Yes. Riss-humans are Riss. As humans, you will have your own opinions, but you will, like the other Riss, know my words are made for the benefit of the Riss and, therefore, feel required to follow. "
"An intriguing concept—both a gift and curse, " Zhang said.
Chung and Sato gave him questioning looks.
"I assume the Riss parasite becomes a companion over time and has the ability to control you if it… she wishes. "
"Yes, but I leave that for your orientation. "
After a leisurely dinner where I learned a little about each officer, we returned to the Mnemosyne. There, I gave them a brief tour and assigned each some quarters and a security guard.
* * *
"I understand you have three UFN candidates for Riss-humans. I know Admiral Plimson has agreed you have the right, but… " Sakaata said. She had invited me for dinner and had included her task force captains.
"Although many individuals will be apprehensive over the idea of someone from the UFN being a Riss-human. I doubt it's the Riss-human issue you are uncomfortable with; it’s the sharing of technology. I assure you that since the Riss will not allow any of us Riss-humans to act in a manner inconsistent with their ethics, none of us could kill a defenseless individual, much less massacre hundreds, " I said, surveying the table.
"I guess you’re right, Reese. But with the Riss technology, the next war between empires is going to be a nightmare, " Sakaata said to nodding heads.
Everyone looked shocked when I laughed. "To a Riss or Riss-human, any conflict in which even one person dies is a nightmare. But since both sides will have equivalent technology, the result will be the same as today—many good people will die. Only the technology will be different. "
