"We can turn the scaffolds you used to repair the Kiev and
other ships over to you as a start Admiral. That should give you something to
work with to... rebuild your ships. After of course they are repaired. The
pirates were not kind to them," Hishina Fu said.

"All right," the Admiral replied, nodding politely. He
was cautiously optimistic on how well this would go. This was a good start, he
reminded himself not to look too much into it, but not to let them hold back.
"I'll need access to more resources and replicators though."

"I believe your last proposal has been debated and approved
of Admiral," the station delegate replied.

"A week?"

"You can have as long as you damn well need Admiral,"
the system Governor said with considerable heat as he glanced at the station
rep and then locked eyes with the Admiral. "We need you to get your people
on your feet."

"Okay."

Governor Randall studied him for a long moment. "You were
right Irons, I know that. Hell, I knew that
before
you left, I just let
my stupid pride get in the way of telling you that. The pirates coming
here..." he sighed and ran a hand though his eyes. "Let's just say it
woke me up. Woke the people up. Idealism has its place but not in today's
universe."

"Thank you Governor," Irons replied simply.

The Governor looked up again. "Don't thank me, I'm just
giving you the tools to work yourself into an early grave Admiral," the Governor
replied with a snort of laughter. Irons snorted as well. "Hell, I heard
about your work ethic. I wish I had
people like you on my staff!"

The Admiral smiled. "It's not all me Admiral, I've got some
good people."

"I know."

Irons turned to the stationers. "I don't want to disrupt your
build schedules..."

"Hell, you leaving screwed them all to hell. Right up until
your ship actually left they thought you'd stick around," Taylor Warner
said. His wife nodded.

"Did you..."

"Not far Admiral, and of course the damn pirates blew or tore
up a lot of what we did," the cyber sighed. "The Yard Dogs are doing
their best, but... well, their hands are tied in some areas. I hate to ask, but,
we need you..."

"I'll jack in when I get the chance." Irons turned to
the Governor. "Which reminds me, we do need to sort
you
out Governor,"
Irons replied.

"Oh?"

"Well, my departure prevented me from setting you up with
system Governor implant code keys." Randall's eyes went wide in surprise
and gratification at that. "I'm available now so if you can clear part of
your schedule and if a cyber implant specialist is available we can take care
of that."

"What do these keys allow me to do?" Randall asked cautiously,
dampening his enthusiasm.

"A lot more than what you can do now!" Taylor snorted
with a laugh.

"I can give you a list. Most of it is authorizing
construction of civilian grade tech that's on the proscribed list. Also taking
control of some networks and other things in the case of a system
emergency."

The Governor nodded, but his eyes narrowed at a certain
qualifier. "Civilian grade you said."

"That's right. You aren't a military Governor or Senator so
I can't give you those keys unfortunately. But the civilian grade keys will
allow you to unlock civilian replicators, parts for fusion reactors, that sort
of thing."

"Ah."The Governor smiled.

"I wish you'd had that sooner sir," a staffer said.

"Well, he wasn't the Governor at the time I left if I recall
correctly," Irons replied dryly.

"True."

"The truss extruder..." Irons turned to the station
cybers.

"Was destroyed but it's a simple thing so I've ordered
another. I'm... ah, it's just been bumped up the priority list. Imagine
that," Taylor said, giving another stationer an amused look.

"With that out and some materials we'll get started on the
basic yard works. I can parse out everything I need and we can work on the
build schedule. Set it up to allow you to continue to meet any of your
commitments."

"Admiral, we need new reactors the pirates..."

"I don't know your station status. But if you need reactors
we... I can make myself available. That is if the Governor isn't
available," the Admiral said nodding politely to the Governor.

"So, I'll have these... for how long? Will they be in when
I'm out of office? Will I have to have them rem
oved?" the Governor asked.

"You and the lieutenant Governor can have them sir,"
Sprite replied from the AI interface. They turned to her. "In the case of
an accident befalling you the lieutenant Governor's will become active. Until
then they will be dormant. If you lose office the codes will deactivate when
you leave office. They will be placed in inactive archives in case you resume
office... or if after ten years you do not they will over write
themselves."

"It seems a waste."

"Unfortunately that's how the system was set up. Certain
civilians, those in major corporations had similar set ups."

"The system needs work," a staffer said.

"The system can't be changed now, it takes a 2\3rds majority
of the congress to do that."

"A goal I understand you are working towards," the Governor
said, nodding to Irons.

"Reestablishing the government is a major goal, yes
sir," Irons replied.

"Good."

"Can I designate someone to build stuff? Keep the keys? How
do we handle succession?" the Governor asked.

"I can send you the unclassified files sir with a FAQ,"
Sprite said kindly. She was on her best behavior Irons noted in approval. He
nodded as did the Governor.

"I believe you can appoint a minister of various departments
including manufacturing and industry. If memory serves you can only give him or
her temporary access keys that will function for a short period of time. And
they are limited to what they can build as well."

Sprite rolled her virtual eyes. "Oh very well. If you are
insistent on pursuing this further... you can give temporary code keys to a
number of appointees. Each has to pass the system congress for approval. Each
key is good for one year and the higher key codes can only function with your
approval."

"In other words a minister could initialize oh, say a fusion
injector for your fusion reactor but you would have to approve it before the
replicator would turn on and replicate the parts."

"Oh. So what good is that then?"

"Well, you don't have to be in the same room to give
approval. You can do so over an encrypted link."

The Governor nodded as that idea sunk in. "Ah. I see."

"Right. So unless you want to be chained to replicators 24/7
or have one in your office... or put your office here on the station then that
might be a good idea."

"You said they have to be approved by the assembly?"
The head staffer asked. Irons nodded.

"Each person has to be vetted by intelligence services and
pass Federation testing but I'll handle that on my end," the Admiral
replied.

"Oh great."

"It's fine. I've come to realize my own mortality and that
it is better that more people have keys... or at least some keys."

"True," Sprite reluctantly admitted.

"Admiral, the scaffolds have been cleared and I've got two
tugs ready to tow them to where you want."

"Leave them there for now. If you could assign the tugs to
tow the Maine to one of the scaffolds?"

"The Maine?"

"The Maine," Irons replied with a curt nod. "She
needs some work and if we can keep her fusion reactor online then we can tap
her replicators. I've made good on some of her repairs but not all. What the
replicators on board can't handle yours can... and hers can build parts for the
new yard and the other ships."

"All right."

"As soon as I can get her sorted out I want her on station
near the B459c Warp point. We'll cycle through one of the other ships and shift
some of the forces to guard the Triang warp point. Once we do that I'll feel a
little more secure."

"Interesting," the Governor said. "But it is your
department," he said surprising the cybers and his staffers. "Just as
long as we do not have a repeat of that attack."

"I can't guarantee that now sir, but give me the resources
and people I need and in time I will be able to do so," Irons replied.

"They will be yours Admiral. It's time we ended these scum
once and for all," the Governor growled. Irons nodded.

"Mayweather said you build ships in Pyrax?" The Governor
asked. Irons nodded confirmation. The Governor smiled, clearly happy about that
confirmation. "How soon do you think you can do that here?"

The Admiral sat back a bit in the chair. "Once we get the
basic repairs on the ships sorted out we will focus on building the
infrastructure and munition factory satellite. Once we've got them going I'd
say less than six standard weeks we'll start laying our first hulls."

"That soon?" a staffer exclaimed in surprise.

"Well, one the first ships will be small gunships and
escorts, sublight ships designed to swarm an enemy at the warp point. They are
easier to build than say a larger ship like a cruiser," Sprite replied
with a slight hint of frost in her voice. "That is if we get enough
support and no shenanigans," she said dryly, eying the Cybers.

Fu spread his virtual hands. "You'll get no argument from me
Commander. I'm all for it."

That sudden change made both Sprite and the Admiral blink. Irons
glanced at Fu's wife. She merely smiled demurringly.

"I know. But not all of your fellows share your pragmatism
shall we say," Irons said, keeping his own enthusiasm in check. This was
going too well! His instincts said. There had to be catch somewhere!

"Some of our fellows have... retired. A few died when the
pirates attacked. I guess you can say things have changed. We will do
everything we can to make certain that attack doesn't ha
ppen again," Fu replied, looking
aged.

"See that you do," Sprite growled.

Governor Randall got up. Everyone followed hastily.
"Gentlemen, ladies, I thank you. Please let me know what you need from me
and my office. Admiral, I'll push any bill you need through the assembly, just
let me know. And please let me and Lt Governor Mitrian know when to schedule
the implant procedures."

"I will sir," Irons replied, shaking the man's
outstretched hand without hesitation.

"See that you do." The Governor nodded and left.

...*...*...*...*...

Hopefully you'll see the rest in 2014!

BOOK: Wandering Engineer 6: Pirates Bane

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