Ch. 7 Neural Networking

Ch. 7 Neural Networking

Standing in front of Captain Hunks was almost a relief.  Alice had to fold her hands to keep from saluting him.  She looked around the office, noting how even more cramped it seemed now that the membership had grown considerably larger.  She hoped civilian life hadn’t made her too soft.

Hunks looked at her and smiled.  “Some tea, Contessa?” he asked.

Hearing him say her noble title rather than her military title pained her, but she knew why he made the deliberate distinction.  As a noble, and not as a lieutenant, she couldn’t go around barking orders like before.  This “mission” was going to be very different.  To be technical, it was Oreldo who would be the highest ranking officer…by all outward appearance.

She shook her head.  “No thank you, Captain.  I’d rather we get right down to business.”

Hunks nodded.  He motioned her to the facing sofas and they both sat.

“All right,” he said.  “So what’s this about you returning to active duty?”

“It’s only a minor stipulation, sir,” Alice said.  “I know that Lt. Oreldo would be in charge, but in case it’s necessary, I want to be able to take command, should he or Lt. Martis become compromised.  If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to return to active duty, at least on paper.”

“Being a Contessa isn’t enough?”

Alice smiled.  Oh, how she had missed working with him.
 
“You know as well as I that nobles are still considered civilians.  The attack on the ball years ago proved as much.”

“I see,” Hunks asked.  He raised an eyebrow. “Are you comfortable with Oreldo giving you orders, Contessa?”

Alice’s smile grew sad.  Hunks kept using her noble title on purpose to remind her.
 
“Probably not as much as I should be,” she admitted.  “But I’ll get used to it.”

Hunks signed the forms on the coffee table and sat back, satisfied.  “Very well,” he said.  “Now, I know you will want the old crew back, but I actually need Sergeant-Major Stecchin to stay here.  She’s on a separate mission for me.  She’s been training Private Albrecht and crunching numbers with Lord Schultz.”

Alice was shocked.  “L-Lord Schultz?” she spluttered. “But…but he’s never said anything to me about working with you!”

“No, of course he wouldn’t,” Hunks said, his tone growing stern, “especially if it’s a covert operation investigating Marquis Hoost.  You know better, Contessa.”

Alice clamped her jaw shut and bowed her head. As the current head of her house and former XO of State Section III, Alice had a huge target on her back. Of course Schultz would have kept her in the dark.  He’d do anything in his power to protect her. This also made her realize how much stronger Schultz had grown.  Why, only years ago, after he’d heard about the attack at the ball, the poor man had broken out in hives and was bedridden for two weeks.
 
Alice smirked in spite of herself. Poor Schultz…he tried so hard. She almost wished she could return his amorous overtones, but she couldn’t. She made a mental note to thank him later.

“Why are you telling me now, sir?” she asked Hunks in a subdued voice.

“Because you’re returning to active duty, and you should at least be aware of what we’re currently working on."

Alice sighed and nodded.  “What else are you working on, sir?”

“Well-“

“HUNKS!”

Major Connery bustled into the office like he owned it.  He walked up to Hunks with a sheaf of paperwork.  “From the top.” He turned to Alice and gave a curt bow.  “Ma’am,” he said.

Alice nodded in reply.  She looked back and Hunks and knew immediately something was wrong.  Although Hunks’ expression remained neutral, his breath had changed and his fingers were frozen.  Everything in her screamed to know what had him spooked, but she knew better to speak out of turn, especially with Connery standing right next to her.  Ally or not, Connery was still dangerous.

“Well,” Hunks sighed.  He didn’t even try to hide his sarcasm, “If the top brass says it’s all right, then it must be.”

Connery smirked.  “Naturally,” he said.  “I trust you’ll handle things as you normally do.”  He turned to Alice.  “My lady,” he began, and Alice was surprised to hear him speak in a cordial tone. “I want you to know I fully support your endeavors.  I have been told the Grand Duke himself is sending a person to spy for the Emperor.  Is that true?”

Alice regarded him with a cool stare.  Very few people outside of the Imperial council knew about that.  Connery’s network was faster than she’d remembered.  He must have improved it over the past two years.  It wasn’t a matter of which councilman was blabbing.  They all did in one way or another, but who owned the major?

“Yes, Major,” she replied, “it’s true.  His Grace wants to ensure all goes well.”

Connery waited for her to elaborate.  When she didn’t, he frowned.

“I hope whoever he sends has enough good sense to stay out of the way,” he said, curling his upper lip in a sneer.

“I’m certain whoever His Grace chooses will be a helpful addition,” Alice replied sweetly.  Connery glared at her but said nothing more.  The invisible question had been given and answered.  Yes, an Imperial spy was going to be part of her entourage, and no, she didn’t know who it was yet, or, at least, she wasn’t telling.

“Thank you kindly, Major,” Hunks said, “it’s looks to be all in order.  Was there anything else?”

Connery shot a look at him.  “You’d better not be dismissing me, Captain!”

Hunks raised his eyebrows but otherwise kept his expression mild. “I wouldn’t dream of it, sir,” he said, “It’s just that I’m sure the Contessa has much more important things to do than stay here talking to us soldiers.”

Connery’s grin returned and he nodded.  “Right,” he said, “she doesn’t need to know our military operations, does she?”  He turned to her and gave another curt bow.  “Contessa,” he said, before turning on his heel and leaving the room.

“Still a hard ass, isn’t he?” Alice muttered before covering her mouth.  Oops.  She wasn’t supposed to speak like that anymore.

“A major pain,” Hunks replied without looking up.  She watched the corner of his mouth quirk upwards.  She snickered and motioned at the paperwork.  “I’ll only ask if it’s something I need to know, sir.  Otherwise, it’s probably best not to tell me.”

Hunks frowned slightly, considering.  He sighed.

“It’s regarding your entourage,” he said.  We, that is the army, are sending along a few extra people.”

He shuffled the papers and gave them to her to read over.  Alice looked them over but didn’t notice anything unusual.  

“What does the top brass care who comes with me?” she asked.

Captain Hunks turned to the third page and pointed a stubby finger.  “Because of that.”

Alice took a closer look.  She looked up at him in alarm.  “They want to send Corporal Francia?  The only woman who earned her way into Claymore One?”

“That’s right,” Hunks replied.

“Won’t that send the wrong message to the Republic, to use one of members of the ‘Sword of the Empire’ as a security escort?”

“The message will be ‘Don’t mess with us,’” Hunks offered, “and that we are watching every move they make with you...and the rest they can only speculate.  Think of who Princess Septieme sent when she invited us to the Halloween ball.  What message did that send?”

Alice nodded.  “Does the team know?”

“No, but they will,” Hunks said.  “You’re going to be the focus, so work with that over everything.”

“Yes, sir,” she said, automatically saluting him.  She caught herself and looked at him sheepishly.  Hunks smiled kindly at her.

“Don’t worry, Contessa,” he said.  “I’m actually glad to hear it.  It means you still think like a soldier.  But you will need both your noble sense and your military knowhow to make this mission a success.”

“I hope it will be, Captain,” Alice replied.  She grinned.  “Is First Lieutenant Webner taking bets on it yet?”

“The pot grew over five thousand within an hour, last I heard,” Hunks muttered.
 
Alice laughed. “Then I’m not too worried,” she said.  “If she thinks it can be done, then it must have a pretty good potential.”

She handed the paperwork back to him.  He reached for it, but placed a hand on hers and paused.  She looked up at him, surprised.

“There’s one more thing,” Hunks said.  “I know I don’t need to say this, but,”

“I know,” she said quickly. “This is just the first foray.  I won’t do anything to compromise the mission.”

“Even if I told you I knew in which prison to start looking?”

Alice gave a short gasp but collected herself.  She sat up straight, settling back into her military bearing.

“You must have a reason for announcing that,” she said.

“I do.”

“Please, tell me everything.”