Riss Series 4: The Riss Accession (16 page)

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.

* * *

<
Dynasty
.>

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. "

 
"True, " Sakaata conceded.

 
"I’ve heard that some of the Riss-attached
units and clan people are being permitted planet-side leave, " a tall,
good-looking man said. From his immaculate appearance, wavy red hair, and trendy
pencil-thin mustache, I’d bet he was a lady’s man.

 
"Yes, right now it's a very limited
experiment. If no problems result, I assume Admiral Zhu will extend it to the
SAS ships on station. "

 
"Why
allow
the Riss and
the clans— "

 
"Stop right there, Captain Sharpin.
The Riss and the clan personnel are working on Dong, so it’s impossible to
restrict contact with the general population. So the only people getting
shore leave
are SAS personnel, and
that is on a limited basis. I understand everyone would like shore leave, but
we are at war. If Admiral Zhu authorizes general planet-side access, no more
than five percent of the task force will be allowed planet-side at any one
time, and no personnel designated critical—like captains. "

His open-eyed
look
was
priceless. The laughs around the table eased the tension.

Sakaata said,
 
"Admiral Wattson is keeping us aware
of the situation in the SAS. He has stationed a cruiser in each system he feels
potentially vulnerable and equipped them with portable Comstats linked directly
to Echo. The joint task force is poised to respond to any
Medusa
entering a system. Incursions
by cruisers
only
are being ignored for now. They are operating under the premise that the
Aliens are being cautious because they have a limited number of
Medusas.
Your theory, I believe. " Sakaata
paused
, looking to me.