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Chapter 44 - The Administrator[]
Antoinette Greer Station
Duran System
Lyran Commonwealth
3144
"It's beautiful." Fleet Admiral Sharon Ngo stood anchored on the hull of LCS Ia Drang as the squadron approached Semier Data-Tron's corporate headquarters.
In the distance, along a higher orbital path, the ribs of a new shipyard were being assembled by SDT's personnel. She felt a little bit of national pride seeing the skeletal forms of construction slips being assembled.
"Admiral, we've got approach clearance to dock with the cylinder. You might want to come inside, ma'am."
She studied the orbital stations and habitats around the O'Neill one more time, and sighed fondly. "Just a little longer, Em." she said. "The view here is beautiful, it's like the Boojum yards, only...the view is lovely. It really is."
She studied the gas giant that the colonized moon of Rhodes itself orbited. "Who's on helm today, Captain?" she asked.
"Lieutenant Schiffer, ma'am. He's new and I don't think he's docked with an O'Neill before."
"Tell the Lieutenant that I'd better not feel even the slightest hull-shock from this docking, Or he'll be cleaning the sewage reclamation system for the next month." Sharon stated, "Have the Bosuns ready for docking and mooring, I'll supervise that from out here."
Antoinette Greer Station
"Aye Mum..." Emily didn't sound pleased.
They were running a 'green' crew. Fresh Nagelring graduates and Spacers recruited from the sparse belter enclaves remaining near the core of the Commonwealth.
Most of the 'Experienced' crew and officers were sorting out LCS Golden Lake and clearing up misconceptions that had infected the Navy. The most prominent being the need to beat it into the heads of the LCN's combat commanders that warships are not battering rams.
The massive cylinder habitat loomed before her, lights coming on to guide the destroyer to the docking point.
Come on, Lieutenant, don't be a sheep ******. gently...gently... her fingers clenched and moved unconsciously, as if she were guiding the helm of the quarter-million-ton destroyer.
Braking thrusters fired, and they slid up to the connection umbilical, while vectoring thrusters matched the rotation of the docking point.
Dock and seal.
The kid didn't disappoint, for a dirtyfoot.
{Who am I kidding, I wasn't born a Rockjack either. she sighed, as the mooring crews from the station linked up with the Bosuns, and secured lines to keep the umbilical stable, and place the destroyer's fusion plant at the disposal of the station.} thought Sharon to herself.
"Admiral, Please come inside now?" Emily's voice echoed in her helmet.
"On my way, Kapitan." Sharon walked back to the service lock at the base of the A turret, and entered her flagship.
In the central passage, she floated to the airlock, using lines instead of mag-clamps, to reach the nose-dock.
"Airlock green." the CPO on duty was new, his clipped English a mark of Belter upbringing, coreward spacer habitats, his cranial tats marking him as a member of the Melani Folk.
"Petty Officer Clark, You're Melani, where from?"
"Ross, ma'am." he said, "My folks were out of Ross, before the Republic 'claimed' it."
"Glad to have you here." she said, as the personnel lock opened.
"Welcome to the Antoinette Greer, Admiral, I'm Administrator Stebbins."
"Pleased to meet you, Mister Stebbins...permission to come ashore?"
"Granted, of course." he smiled.
"I bring gifts for the Station." she said.
"that's not necessary-"
"It's tradition, who would we be without traditions?" Sharon asked, and a pallet was brought forward, "Whiskey, Beer, and Red Meat." she said, "I didn't have time to bring wood."
"Your gifts are generous, Admiral." he said, "And accepted."
"I apologize for their small quantity." She said, joining him on the station-side, her boots anchoring to the deck. "It's a small guest-rite."
"You still observe Guest-Rite out Kowloon way?" he asked.
"Yes." she said.
"Few enough do this close to the core." he commented. "Mister McQuinsoton's waiting for you. He was quite surprised you'd come out this way in person."
"I prefer to meet people I'll be doing business with personally when possible." she said, "Even after letting the contracts...quarter gravity?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Outstanding work." she said, as they entered the main cylinder and the vista was revealed. "The right contractors, I think." she said, gazing at the central lumen-tube, and the open space of the habitat. "Absolutely out-standing."
"They say it's the largest O'Neill since the Star League-"
"****** the Star League. This your people built, OUR people built. Lyrans." she said, "So ****** the ever-stupid Star League, right in the ear. YOUR people did this, and it is marvelous!"
Her harshness seemed to shock him. "The rumors are true-you Kowloonese don't admire the Star League?"
"Nasty history." Sharon admitted, "Why pine for the accomplishments of others, when you have the ability to do this? Remember, Sov Stebbins, the Star League spawned the Clans in their hubris and insanity." They caught a spiral-tram and rode up the cylinder's length in near-total silence.