Yeah, potential Spartans are aggressively screened - first, by their genetic profiles, for physical attributes, and second, they're personas through covert observation.
In the first, and possibly second, generation, no one knew that -children- were being selected and then trained like that. Dunno if I would keep that up in my fic as it would proabably get out eventually. And before you ask, the missing children were replaced by flash-clones... But, unfortunately, the clones all died at early ages of congenital disorders. Utterly ironic.
And Spartans and Manticors do indeed get killer bonuses... If they ever do retire or go to inactive duty. Seeing as the bonus money is not likely to ever be touched since the enhanced soldier is busy with their careers, the money is placed in a trust where it not only increases with the amount of time served, but through the interest accrued. This, of course, doesn't apply to their regular pay which is the same as other soldiers at their respective ranks.
Believe me, Rhodes is gonna have a WTF!? moment when he finally sees how much money he actually has. ^_^ He knew that he was getting some pretty nice bonuses, he just never bothered to check it out because he figured he'd never have much need. That kinda changes when you got a kid to take care of, though.
Also, if the Captain always wants to know what happens on his missions, and they have a good working relationship, he'd know that she'd want a report without being told, and probably report to her as soon as he docked. She, in turn, would know to expect that of him, and wouldn't bother to send a message.
I suppose you are right about how that would work out, given their relationship. One thing I have discovered, though, is that in our Navy, 'Sirs' and 'Ma'ams' are forbidden. You're specificly to refer to everyone by their rank. Informally, you can refer to others by last names, of course. I dunno if I could ever bring myself to refer to a superior the way Spock does with Kirk, but... Lessee, lemme tweak it a bit...
When I awoke later on, I was mildly surprised to see that Amelia was hovering just a few centimeters over me as she slept. I supposed that as she regained strength her flight ability improved. I just hoped that it wouldnt become a problem later on the last thing one would need would be to drift around ones home aimlessly in their sleep.
It was already oh-six-hundred. Given how how much time had passed in transit, that meant we were still about two hours out. The Captain would proabably want to hear my report a bit sooner, given what had occured.
After getting a nutrient drink on the way to the control room (for the curious: Mexican hot chocolate flavor - Yum!) I asked Aki to put me through to Captain Keyes. I sat there in the pilot's seat, nursing my drink and imagining what was going on on the other end:
The Captain, in her seat on the bridge, proabably going through some reports as the Adamant went about her patrol duty, when Aki pops up letting her know that I was ready to report. She would decoriously drop what she was doing because she'd know that my reporting in a bit early meant something had happened, and go to her ready room just off the bridge where she can take my call in relative privacy.
Presently, the Captain's face appeared on the monitor and with it, came the polite chirp from the computer that let me know that I was on the air.
"Good Morning, Captain Keyes. CPO Rhodes reporting in."
"Ah, Rhodes. I was wondering when you'd get here, but I didn't think that you'd find something interesting enough to report early."
"Well, I guess that's just me for you."
"Great. What was it this time and how big is their fleet?"
"You're never gonna let me live down my reputation, are you?" The Captain only smiled endulgently.
"Leave it to you, Rhodes to find all sorts of trouble even when you're not trying. So, what was it this time?"
"Well, 'Randa, despite all odds, I actually managed to find a survivor on that water world."
"Now that is remarkable!" said Miranda, truly impressed by the notion. "Tell me about this person."
"Well she's an eight year old girl named Amelia Zot." If the Captain was surprised before, she was shocked now.
"How the hell did she survive?"
"I'm not sure," I replied, shrugging for effect, "but I think it has something to do with a special talent of hers. She flies."
"What?" she replied, her ex-pression seemingly puzzled, but quickly turning to surprsie again. "You're not kidding, are you?"
"Nope," I said, shaking my head. "She never walks around or anything like that. She just hovers from point A to point B. She even seems to float in her sleep."
Miranda sighed. "You know that the folks over in Sciences are gonna want to figure out how the hell she does that."
"They'll have to do it under my supervision," I said in a rather serious tone. "I've already decided I'm gonna adopt her." I don't think I could have got a funnier look from her if I had told her she had suddenly sprouted a tail.
"Excuse me?" she drawled out slowly. "Rhodes, you're a Manticor. You've been rebuilt to run straight up to Wraiths and punch them so hard that you knock 'em into next Tuesday. You're hardly what I'd call 'Parenting Material.'"
"I know that, 'Randa, but she's already latched onto me. Besides, you weren't there to see what happened after I found her."
"Oh no," moaned Miranda, wincing at whatever thoughts were going through her head. "Rhodes, I'm almost afraid to ask."
"No need. Aki is now sending you a copy of my mnemonic memory logs from the battle." Right on cue, the Captain's terminal chimed for her attention and I waited while she watched the digital facsimili of what I had seen and done on that battle.
Jesus H. Christ, Rhodes! uttered Miranda once the battle had ended. What the hell is it with you? Youre like a magnet for this kind of supernatural shit. Indeed, I thought to myself, thinking about, among other strange things that had happened to me, the Soulstone embedded in the bio-pod in my chest.
I have no idea, 'Randa, but Im starting to get the feeling that someone up there has it out for me.
"You're telling me? Oi... So, this Zot girl saw all this?"
"Yeah, she had front row seats thanks to Aki."
"Great, I can see why she'd be so attached to you then," she said a bit sardonically. "You're that girl's hero."
"Ugh, I seem to be everyone's hero."
"Should have thought about that before you joined up - it's what you get for being The First Manticor."
"Yeah, yeah, I've heard it before. We're getting off topic, here. Anyhow, can I keep her, mommie?" Just as she was taking a drink of her coffee - perfect timing! But lo, she had become accustomed to my habit of doing that and merely paused mid-sip to swallow and give me a dirty look. I only smiled innocently.
"You do realize that you will have to be inactive, right?" she said, brushing aside my intention to make her do a spit-take. What were friends for?
"I do. At least until she's old enough to be able to take care of herself for a few days at a time so I can pull reserve duty."
"I just don't see why you don't go ahead and get a discharge. We both know this life doesn't entirely suit you."
"I know, but I also know that I'd miss the action. Being a liason to Section 9 was pretty fun. So was being a fugitive from the AD Police." Ah, the memories! One moment, you're a liazon to an Anti-Mecha police force, then once they discover you're a cyborg they start coming after your head and you wind up allying with a bunch of ladies in power armor. Ah well, it was for the best, I figure. Without having met Sylia, we would never had been able to repackage Mjolnir as Athenean.
"Yeah," agreed Keyes. "And then there was Meijer and Tarok... Oh."
"Yeah. Meia." I sighed at that. Been a while since I had thought of her. It suddenly occured to me that I might accidently lead Amelia down the path of becoming a soldier, and thus, potentially to the same fate of Meia. No, that would not do. I'd have to make sure that she didn't grow up that way.
"I'm sorry, Rhodes. I didn't mean to remind you of that."
"It's okay, 'Randa," I replied, pulling my thoughts back together. "I'm past it and I think she'd be glad to see me doing what I'm doing now."
"It means that much to you, huh?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Alright then. I'll pull what strings I can. If I have to, I'll see if I can't get the best JAG Lawyer in the fleet to represent you. I'll also have your living accomadations upgraded. Do you still want to live in Ft. Whitcomb?"
"Not particularly. Not that I want to totally disasociate myself with everyone else, but I don't think it wise to bring Amelia up in the company of the service."
"What do you mean?"
"No offense, 'Randa, but I just don't want her to get any romantic ideas about the Service."
"Rhodes, you can't force that ideal on her. If she gets it in her head that she's gonna join up, then she's gonna join up."
"I can't guarunte her protection in the service."
"Rhodes, I know you've lost people that were close to you in the past, but you can't protect everyone around you forever." I had no answer for that. Miranda understood - she knew me, knew what I was feeling.
"Ft. Whitcomb it is then," I said with a sigh.
"That's better. The place would be pretty boring without you to livin it up anyways. Hurry up and get your tin-can ass back here, okay?"
"Sure thing, 'Randa. Rhodes out." We saluted each other and Aki cut the signal. I sat there for a moment thinking about what sort of life it would be like raising that girl around a bunch of Manticors, Spartans, and ODST's. I sighed, finished off my drink, and then got up to go wake Amelia. Good habits start early, after all.
Black Aeronaut Technologies Group, LLC
Aerospace Solutions for the discerning spacer
What!? Were you expecitng something witty?
In the first, and possibly second, generation, no one knew that -children- were being selected and then trained like that. Dunno if I would keep that up in my fic as it would proabably get out eventually. And before you ask, the missing children were replaced by flash-clones... But, unfortunately, the clones all died at early ages of congenital disorders. Utterly ironic.
And Spartans and Manticors do indeed get killer bonuses... If they ever do retire or go to inactive duty. Seeing as the bonus money is not likely to ever be touched since the enhanced soldier is busy with their careers, the money is placed in a trust where it not only increases with the amount of time served, but through the interest accrued. This, of course, doesn't apply to their regular pay which is the same as other soldiers at their respective ranks.
Believe me, Rhodes is gonna have a WTF!? moment when he finally sees how much money he actually has. ^_^ He knew that he was getting some pretty nice bonuses, he just never bothered to check it out because he figured he'd never have much need. That kinda changes when you got a kid to take care of, though.
Also, if the Captain always wants to know what happens on his missions, and they have a good working relationship, he'd know that she'd want a report without being told, and probably report to her as soon as he docked. She, in turn, would know to expect that of him, and wouldn't bother to send a message.
I suppose you are right about how that would work out, given their relationship. One thing I have discovered, though, is that in our Navy, 'Sirs' and 'Ma'ams' are forbidden. You're specificly to refer to everyone by their rank. Informally, you can refer to others by last names, of course. I dunno if I could ever bring myself to refer to a superior the way Spock does with Kirk, but... Lessee, lemme tweak it a bit...
When I awoke later on, I was mildly surprised to see that Amelia was hovering just a few centimeters over me as she slept. I supposed that as she regained strength her flight ability improved. I just hoped that it wouldnt become a problem later on the last thing one would need would be to drift around ones home aimlessly in their sleep.
It was already oh-six-hundred. Given how how much time had passed in transit, that meant we were still about two hours out. The Captain would proabably want to hear my report a bit sooner, given what had occured.
After getting a nutrient drink on the way to the control room (for the curious: Mexican hot chocolate flavor - Yum!) I asked Aki to put me through to Captain Keyes. I sat there in the pilot's seat, nursing my drink and imagining what was going on on the other end:
The Captain, in her seat on the bridge, proabably going through some reports as the Adamant went about her patrol duty, when Aki pops up letting her know that I was ready to report. She would decoriously drop what she was doing because she'd know that my reporting in a bit early meant something had happened, and go to her ready room just off the bridge where she can take my call in relative privacy.
Presently, the Captain's face appeared on the monitor and with it, came the polite chirp from the computer that let me know that I was on the air.
"Good Morning, Captain Keyes. CPO Rhodes reporting in."
"Ah, Rhodes. I was wondering when you'd get here, but I didn't think that you'd find something interesting enough to report early."
"Well, I guess that's just me for you."
"Great. What was it this time and how big is their fleet?"
"You're never gonna let me live down my reputation, are you?" The Captain only smiled endulgently.
"Leave it to you, Rhodes to find all sorts of trouble even when you're not trying. So, what was it this time?"
"Well, 'Randa, despite all odds, I actually managed to find a survivor on that water world."
"Now that is remarkable!" said Miranda, truly impressed by the notion. "Tell me about this person."
"Well she's an eight year old girl named Amelia Zot." If the Captain was surprised before, she was shocked now.
"How the hell did she survive?"
"I'm not sure," I replied, shrugging for effect, "but I think it has something to do with a special talent of hers. She flies."
"What?" she replied, her ex-pression seemingly puzzled, but quickly turning to surprsie again. "You're not kidding, are you?"
"Nope," I said, shaking my head. "She never walks around or anything like that. She just hovers from point A to point B. She even seems to float in her sleep."
Miranda sighed. "You know that the folks over in Sciences are gonna want to figure out how the hell she does that."
"They'll have to do it under my supervision," I said in a rather serious tone. "I've already decided I'm gonna adopt her." I don't think I could have got a funnier look from her if I had told her she had suddenly sprouted a tail.
"Excuse me?" she drawled out slowly. "Rhodes, you're a Manticor. You've been rebuilt to run straight up to Wraiths and punch them so hard that you knock 'em into next Tuesday. You're hardly what I'd call 'Parenting Material.'"
"I know that, 'Randa, but she's already latched onto me. Besides, you weren't there to see what happened after I found her."
"Oh no," moaned Miranda, wincing at whatever thoughts were going through her head. "Rhodes, I'm almost afraid to ask."
"No need. Aki is now sending you a copy of my mnemonic memory logs from the battle." Right on cue, the Captain's terminal chimed for her attention and I waited while she watched the digital facsimili of what I had seen and done on that battle.
Jesus H. Christ, Rhodes! uttered Miranda once the battle had ended. What the hell is it with you? Youre like a magnet for this kind of supernatural shit. Indeed, I thought to myself, thinking about, among other strange things that had happened to me, the Soulstone embedded in the bio-pod in my chest.
I have no idea, 'Randa, but Im starting to get the feeling that someone up there has it out for me.
"You're telling me? Oi... So, this Zot girl saw all this?"
"Yeah, she had front row seats thanks to Aki."
"Great, I can see why she'd be so attached to you then," she said a bit sardonically. "You're that girl's hero."
"Ugh, I seem to be everyone's hero."
"Should have thought about that before you joined up - it's what you get for being The First Manticor."
"Yeah, yeah, I've heard it before. We're getting off topic, here. Anyhow, can I keep her, mommie?" Just as she was taking a drink of her coffee - perfect timing! But lo, she had become accustomed to my habit of doing that and merely paused mid-sip to swallow and give me a dirty look. I only smiled innocently.
"You do realize that you will have to be inactive, right?" she said, brushing aside my intention to make her do a spit-take. What were friends for?
"I do. At least until she's old enough to be able to take care of herself for a few days at a time so I can pull reserve duty."
"I just don't see why you don't go ahead and get a discharge. We both know this life doesn't entirely suit you."
"I know, but I also know that I'd miss the action. Being a liason to Section 9 was pretty fun. So was being a fugitive from the AD Police." Ah, the memories! One moment, you're a liazon to an Anti-Mecha police force, then once they discover you're a cyborg they start coming after your head and you wind up allying with a bunch of ladies in power armor. Ah well, it was for the best, I figure. Without having met Sylia, we would never had been able to repackage Mjolnir as Athenean.
"Yeah," agreed Keyes. "And then there was Meijer and Tarok... Oh."
"Yeah. Meia." I sighed at that. Been a while since I had thought of her. It suddenly occured to me that I might accidently lead Amelia down the path of becoming a soldier, and thus, potentially to the same fate of Meia. No, that would not do. I'd have to make sure that she didn't grow up that way.
"I'm sorry, Rhodes. I didn't mean to remind you of that."
"It's okay, 'Randa," I replied, pulling my thoughts back together. "I'm past it and I think she'd be glad to see me doing what I'm doing now."
"It means that much to you, huh?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Alright then. I'll pull what strings I can. If I have to, I'll see if I can't get the best JAG Lawyer in the fleet to represent you. I'll also have your living accomadations upgraded. Do you still want to live in Ft. Whitcomb?"
"Not particularly. Not that I want to totally disasociate myself with everyone else, but I don't think it wise to bring Amelia up in the company of the service."
"What do you mean?"
"No offense, 'Randa, but I just don't want her to get any romantic ideas about the Service."
"Rhodes, you can't force that ideal on her. If she gets it in her head that she's gonna join up, then she's gonna join up."
"I can't guarunte her protection in the service."
"Rhodes, I know you've lost people that were close to you in the past, but you can't protect everyone around you forever." I had no answer for that. Miranda understood - she knew me, knew what I was feeling.
"Ft. Whitcomb it is then," I said with a sigh.
"That's better. The place would be pretty boring without you to livin it up anyways. Hurry up and get your tin-can ass back here, okay?"
"Sure thing, 'Randa. Rhodes out." We saluted each other and Aki cut the signal. I sat there for a moment thinking about what sort of life it would be like raising that girl around a bunch of Manticors, Spartans, and ODST's. I sighed, finished off my drink, and then got up to go wake Amelia. Good habits start early, after all.
Black Aeronaut Technologies Group, LLC
Aerospace Solutions for the discerning spacer
What!? Were you expecitng something witty?