2022-04-28: Irregular Enemies and the Essence of Strategy
Cutscene: Irregular Enemies and the Essence of Strategy
Cast: Reynold Hardin
Where: Reynold's Room, Dreisstrager
Date: 0096-04-28
Summary: Reynold Hardin sends an email.
Reynold Hardin tapped at his desk, irritation crossing his face. The Commodore had been alarmed at best when he'd informed him that Mayvy had approached the Captain about the ship -- moreso at the suggestion that Nergal would be calling next, more than likely, to ask about the finer points of the AOS.
As Military Academy 30's sole remaining instructor -- as the XO of the Dreisstrager -- as a human being, Reynold couldn't allow the things he'd heard to move this quickly. April's report to Commodore Fikes had apparently accelerated several timetables.
'I can't tell you why, but your reports these last two months confirm to me that Mayvy Hawkins is not the reason you need to file these reports off-ship. You are permitted to read her -- and Miss Hoshino -- in,' Fikes had said at the time. 'Only X0943 topics, though. X0944 will remain secret.'
He hadn't really needed to excuse himself from simulator monitoring duties, despite what he'd professed; an instructor, after all, is plenty comfortable standing for an hour while something happens. No, he'd been... frustrated? Agitated? Honestly, self-assessment had never been his strong suit. He felt bad. Making cookies for a meeting was easy and dealing with his own unease was not.
Having the cookies taken the wrong way by both the Sainklauses and the Captain was... equally difficult to describe, emotionally, but that was a type of unparseable Reynold could deal with just fine by comparison.
TO: Technical Chief Hawkins, Mayvy CC: Nergal Operator Hoshino, Ruri SUBJ: Information Security Concerns We will be synchronizing a routine resupply with the Nadesico's next routine resupply. I will be leaving a paper note with detailed information on a sensitive matter with Nergal staff for the two of you. I apologize for how abrupt this must seem. It is utterly imperative to the cause of peace and freedom in our world that you do not discuss this matter with anyone else, especially not on the Dreisstrager. Lt. Cmdr. Reynold Hardin, Dreisstrager Executive Officer
This would have to do. Having to keep secrets gnawed at his natural urge to explain, even when he was allowed to read people in... and all things being equal, this didn't exactly thrill him as a set of people to read in.
Reynold glanced out the window of his quarters, toward the stars -- one of the small luxuries of a command posting. 'Maybe if I'd taken up with the AEUG instead of Karaba,' he reflected, 'I'd have learned to talk to women and children.'