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Interval 2.1~ Man under Siege
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Author's note: with this segment I was hoping to give readers a good idea of who and what Owusu is and also to start really planting the seeds of the main plot as well as start bringing some conlfict to light. Question: Do Owusu and Choskin come across as realistic?
Baako Owusu cranked his door seal closed and stood looking at his small office. Going on eight years, his tenure as Commandant for the Armstrong Celestial Academy was wearing on him. During his career in the Earth’s Space Forces, he’d been assigned to many a long tour of The Black, but none of them had plagued him in such a heavy way.
And as a Captain in the Outlyers, he’d seen some of the longest flights in the Corps. His Training in deep Space Psychology an anvil for tempering his ability to remain stable during his duties in the Black, but now, that same strength which preserved him and many of his fellow Outlyers was fading under the strain of a political ball and chain.
‘I am a Soldier. I don’t belong here anymore.’ He thought gazing at his display wall. Medals and photos arranged in an orderly grid hung against the bulkhead. His gaze lingered on the Decades of memories, frozen bits of time framed in plastic. ’Hell, did I ever belong here? It takes a special man to capably handle a post like this. I’m not subtle nor taken to chairs and books and scheming. A man of action, that’s what I am… was… once. What have I become?’
He reclaimed his desk chair and sat, staring down at his hands. He inspected the wrinkles of his knuckles and the softening calluses on his fingers and palms. He was a long way from the life he’d signed up for. Turning his head he could watch his life’s chronology unfold across the display wall…
A Skinny young recruit, standing next to his mother as his father took a picture of them on his basic training graduation day. No wrinkles, no graying curls in his hair…
A blood soaked and stark-faced Sergeant, His lean frame now bulked up with the virtues of combat. He stood over a fresh Sauran kill; trophy spread out for all to see. His students knew he kept that frame where he could see it every day so that he never forgot the horrors of war. Early in his career he thought his life had no purpose but to kill others for the glory of the Commonwealth; now he knew different…
A gilt frame held a photo from his wedding night. His hair was gray but only just. His bride was a full two decades younger than him, a bright smile emanated from skin the color of chestnuts, her shining laugh-filled eyes sparkled with a fiercely ignited passion and love...
He wondered when it had all gone so wrong. He looked back down at his hands; his eyes couldn’t help but stare at the plain titanium wedding band sitting tight against his left ring finger. Had he really changed as much as she said; enough for her to risk everything by hacking the biometrics computer and corrupting a First Class’s biodata in order to carry on an affair with the boy? He surely didn’t think so.
He’d given her every chance he could to find herself Earthbound. He’d given in to increasingly needy whims. He’d even listened and committed her ramblings to memory. He’d been everything he thought a husband should be, but once the thrill faded and they settled into the rut of everyday living her feelings waned and despite all efforts there was one problem he couldn’t overcome… his maturity.
And now he found himself lost in the darkness of uncertainty.
The headset situated snugly in his left ear canal chirped and he tapped the mechanism slung over his ear’s helix activating the device.
“Owusu.” He quipped robotically, his tone quite bored.
“Sir, you have a Call… Planetside.” an equally bored female voice responded.
“Thank you; bounce it to me.” He turned in his chair.
“Sir?”
“Yes what is it?” His voice tinged with annoyance.
“ I… I… just wanted to warn you, Sir. It’s Senator Choskin. I thought you might like the chance to make an excuse…”
Senator Choskin, head of the Extraterrestrial Education Committee chomped at a bit, the bit being the newly found ruins of Deoluna and he had found himself responsible for coordinating with the myriad of government and civilian agencies wanting to get their fists into it. Senator Choskin found every opportunity to text and call the Academy. He and his task masters wanted control of everyone stepping foot on the new moon and every artifact ripped from its surface.
For months now the Senator had been pushing an addition to the ACA’s curriculum. The District wanted an Archeology program added to the course load for the Administrative Path. Although he had fought it, the school’s Board of Directors overruled him and in response to his adamant arguments, created one slot as a course for all three Paths. Introductory to Low Gravity Astral Archeology was the first new course introduced to the ACA in five years.
In a childish gesture, the Commandant refused to speak with the instructor when he arrived. Merely sending a cadet as he had sent Hera to see to the younglings, Owusu had insulted the man and his leaders by proxy. He was sure the Senator was calling merely to give him a slap on the wrist.
Owusu sighed, resigned. “Patch him through. I’ll take it.”
A click could be heard as the communications clerk transferred the call. The computer screen on his desk flipped on of its own accord and he found himself face to face with the Senator.
The man’s face was screwed up with anger, his pale skin a deep crimson color as if he’d been holding his breath for longer than recommended.
“Owusu! What are you playing at?!” He yelled in one large strained breath.
“Senator, I’m not sure I know what you are talking about.” He responded trying not to grin. He actually enjoyed seeing the rise he’d managed.
“Oh you don’t, do you?”
“You’ve gotten your course; your man is safely on the station, what more do you want?” Owusu waited for his foil’s face to transition from red to purple.
“I want compliance!” Choskin slammed his hand down on his desk.
“I will do what the President asks of me, but you cannot expect me to pretend to like it.” Owusu leaned back in his chair.
“I surly can, that is the way the game is played Commandant.” A normal and somewhat pale color was returning to Choskin’s face.
“There is no room for game playing out here in The Black. Trust in our fellow residents will be the only thing that keeps us alive if it all goes wrong out here.” The seasoned soldier crossed his arms.
“You’re not an Outlyer anymore. Life is more than mere survival here on the Home-world.” The Senator attempted to out flank him with a piece of faulty logic.
“The unplanned and catastrophic can and often do happen anywhere Senator. You are a fool to think otherwise.”
The two men stared at each other; despite the thirty-nine thousand kilometers which separated them an inescapable tension hovered. Remembering an Old Earth maxim, ‘the best defense is a good offence’ Owusu decided to take control of the situation.
“Was there something else you wanted? Classes are about to begin, this is the busiest portion of the season for me and I’m sure you have other more important things than I to deal with” It was a self abasing but effective strategy for ending the call.
“Oh I almost forgot why I called.” Choskin’s face was growing red again, this time with embarrassment over letting the commandant get under his skin. “There is something else we would like to request, if you would be so kind…”
“Hmmmm, I guess you’ve got me over a barrel already, how much worse could it be?”
The aging Sanator smiled, his fingers pressed together to form a steeple.” I would like my Archeologist to choose a team of students to do some simple preliminary excavations on the Site.”
“What! It’s too dangerous. I will not allow it.” Owusu frowned. “I’d be sued silly if any of the students were injured.”
“Why must you be so difficult?” Choskin worked to keep his temper bridled. “I’ll have waivers sent to their parents. Next problem…”
“I cannot stress more strongly how against the ACA’s mission to begin to stress anthropology here. We are a small specialized school. We are not equipped for such expeditions. The Armstrong Celestial Academy is not here to do your cheap labor!
“That is exactly what I thought your response would be, so I took the liberty of having lunch with the Vice President…” Choskin’s face puffed with smugness.
“And?” Owusu had lost all humor. He gripped the forward edge of his desk with his long, slender fingers.
“Within the week I will have an Executive Order giving the Committee jurisdiction over all administrative Path Cadets. There is nothing you can do.”
“I can quit and wash my hands of you…” Owusu grumbled.
“Yes… you could, but then who would watch over your children? Would you let Dr. Ch’oe take your place? I’m sure the Bones would enjoy having one of their highest members in such a profitable position. I’d hate to see your years of fine service to the planet come to such an empty end. Think about it won’t you?”
The monitor clicked off and Senator Choskin was offline.
“Idiot! Sonofa…” He shouted, vibrating the frames on his display wall. His hands still gripped the desktop. Digging his fingernails into the shiny metal surface, he wrenched at the desk with all his might trying to overturn it. Fortunately the emergency gravity locks were in place and it would not budge.
He strained his muscles in his arms, neck and back trying to force his will on the desk. But, like everything in his life since leaving the Outlyers, it only succeeded in breaking him. He felt the tendon in his left arm give way like the rubber span of a slingshot, snapping back against the joint of his elbow. Heat burned downward to his wrist and he tried to grip the desktop only to discover he couldn’t.
“Dammit!” He growled. Letting his arm hang loose at his side he leaned against his display wall. He refused to let a politician dictate his fate and resolved to call the VeeP himself once he returned from the Infirmary.
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