Son of the Wolf, page 22
Showing these bureaucrats kindness was not helping because they saw his actions as weakness they could exploit. Fools.
Feng had his hands full, and Skadi was working with him to hide the fact that he was occasionally sending InSec agents to visit the administrators who didn’t take no for an answer or tried to bypass Mathison’s instructions. There were several managers who were sitting in InSec holding cells because they had decided their personal quarters needed an Inkeri generator rather than their citizens. Then there were those administrators who were stealing the food meant for the arcologies that had suffered dramatic failures.
Everyone had their hands full trying to keep citizens from panicking and the monolithic bureaucracy working.
It was one of Skadi’s nightmares, to be stuck in an office at a desk doing this paska. She was a fighter, not a button-pushing bureaucrat.
Vili had better appreciate what she was doing for him, and he’d better not get killed.
* * * * *
Chapter Thirty-Five: Departure
2nd Lieutenant Zale Stathis, USMC
Being a lieutenant sucked. Part of him had known officers had it rough, but he had figured they had their moments. The reality was very different. He didn’t have any time to relax and was always running around trying to get things done. Always holding meetings, discussing training, personnel problems, and more. Some ODT supply colonel did not think a mere lieutenant should be requesting that much ammunition and didn’t think a platoon needed so many extra weapons and drones. Another supply captain had decided that his platoon had less priority on armor repair parts than a reserve company full of replacements.
Then there was an issue with private Ryashkina who was not getting paid because the ODT paymaster said he was listed as a Peacekeeper and the Peacekeepers had him listed as ODT. Nobody was using the online database because they claimed it was offline for repairs, which Shrek had shown wasn’t, but every time he linked either of them they said it was, so he had to go visit them in person. Also, due to the nature of the digital currency, a human had to approve the change, and the SCBI couldn’t modify the blockchain without causing more problems and raising alerts in the entire SOG banking system.
Smimova was also having problems picking up supplies because they insisted he was a private and that the computer system was wrong. Nobody thought a mere second lieutenant had the authority, and they required him to submit a request through proper channels, and though they didn’t know what those channels were, they were sure that he had to take the matter up with his company or battalion commander, which Stathis didn’t have.
Of course, that was when he found the proper agency, or person, to make the request. Shrek had unlimited access to the SOG systems, but they were a convoluted mess most of the time, and people used the excuse that the network was unreliable with too much frequency. It was total bullshit, but everyone else seemed to accept it, and even letting Shrek make the changes didn’t mean people accepted those changes.
Stathis would not go to Prime Minister Mathison over this kind of stuff either. Calling General Hui was getting old. Stathis knew how happy he would be to get out of the Sol System. Calling the general about some administrative issue was like calling God to sweep up a room. Pure overkill.
Already, two of his men were in the Eagle’s brig for fighting, and he had taken to keeping their weapons in the armory.
Spending two hours of sand table time with his platoon sergeant and squad leaders was a luxury and gave him time to actually relax.
Staff Sergeant Smimova was a lot of help, but with all the Governance supply depots and warehouses run by self-important Governance officers, there wasn’t a lot a mere enlisted man could do.
He was just about to sit down with his squad leaders and do some sand table exercises when Shrek pinged him.
“There is an ODT major at the main hatch who would like to talk with you,” Shrek said.
“Why?” Stathis wondered who he had pissed off now. He really didn’t want to deal with another stuck-up, arrogant Governance major who knew more and didn’t consider the prime minister’s mission to be a priority.
“Unknown,” Shrek said as Stathis told Smimova to figure something out while he headed to the main hatch. He was getting better at threatening SOG officers but that only worked so much.
With the Eagle currently in a Lunar hanger undergoing repairs, anybody could enter the facility and approach the ship. Automated boarding defense turrets could discourage anything else.
When the hatch slid open, Stathis expected the overweight, balding ODT major to start yelling. Instead, he smiled. Not a predatory shark smile. It seemed pleasant and friendly, and that sent a chill down his spine.
Stathis tried to figure out if he should salute or something else and decided against it. In theory, he was indoors. The smile didn’t put Stathis at ease. Looking closer, it looked practiced and far too sincere to be real. This was socialism. People didn’t smile for real.
“How can I help you, Major?” Stathis asked. He was too irritated to stand at attention or treat the major as a superior.
“Lieutenant,” the major said, “the question becomes, how can I help you?”
“Who are you with, sir?” Stathis asked cautiously. This was not how majors started conversations with lieutenants.
“General Hui has assigned me to assist you with preparing for your mission. I am Major Grisha Petrov. I am an ODT supply specialist from the Fifth Division. At your service.”
“Supply specialist? Fifth Division? Uh, sir?”
“Correct. Until recently, I was the senior supply coordination adjutant for the ODT Fifth Division. General Hui has informed me that yours is a critical mission sanctioned by our beloved prime minister and that it is of the utmost importance to our glorious Governance. She explained that while you are only a mere second lieutenant, you are highly trusted by the prime minister and are creating a glorious new organization to rival the Peacekeepers. She asked that I assist and guide you through the difficulty of the Governance bureaucracy, both here and abroad.”
“How do you plan on doing that, sir?” Stathis asked. Senior supply coordination adjutant was a thing? A division level officer sounded important, but he was only a major.
“You tell me what you need, and I will make sure you get it,” Petrov said. “You are a combat leader. My specialization is logistical.”
“Abroad, sir?” Stathis asked. This major was acting like Stathis was an equal, and that made Stathis uncomfortable.
“I am being assigned to your unit for the time being. The general believes I can be of help taking care of the logistical requirements of your platoon. I also have some knowledge of armor systems, repair, and system modifications. I have some technical skills besides logistical skills.”
“From a division to a platoon?”
“It may seem to be a demotion on the surface,” Petrov said. “But I think this is a good career move for me. General Hui is a wise and capable leader.”
“I have just received confirmation through official channels,” Shrek reported. “Pending your approval. Prime Minister Mathison even approved this.”
That didn’t make Stathis feel any better. Was Petrov a spy? An agent who was going to keep tabs on him? Majors didn’t take orders from lieutenants, and no supply clerk would want to leave Sol with an elite combat team going into the jaws of hell. Something else had to be going on. Stathis was tempted to say no, but if the prime minister had approved it…
“Little buddy!” a voice called out and Stathis looked up to see Vili coming toward him, a small robotic mule piled high with gear, following him like a puppy.
“Vili!” Stathis said, feeling some relief and concern.
“Your gunny has asked that I come with the Eagle to help interactions with the ghost colonies. I have much experience with them.”
“Great.” Was Vili here to watch over him too? Or was he really here to help?
Stathis couldn’t help but feel that he was screwing up, and that the gunny was trying to help without being obvious about it.
What would the gunny do? A hard question because the gunny was the gunny and not a lieutenant.
But staff sergeants and gunnies trained and groomed lieutenants for command, didn’t they? The gunny wouldn’t do him wrong.
“Glad to have you, Vili,” Stathis said. “This is Major Petrov. He’s a, uh, a senior supply coordination adjutant and used to work for Fifth Division.”
“Ah,” Vili said, coming up the ramp and looking over the major. It was hard to read the big man, but he didn’t seem impressed. “This is a good thing. I have spoken with Skadi, and she is also frustrated with the Governance bureaucracy.”
“I am a specialist,” Petrov said with a smile. “I dare say I wield the bureaucracy like you wield your weapons.”
“For sure,” Vili said and looked at Stathis. “We should put him to use then.”
The inner hatch slid open, and Winters appeared. She was scowling when she saw them.
“Hello, ma’am,” Stathis said, coming to attention. The major snapped to attention as well, but Vili just watched them all with mild amusement.
She paused, perhaps surprised by them all standing there. “What’s going on?”
“Major Petrov is reporting in, ma’am,” Stathis said. “He is a senior supply coordination adjutant.”
Winters looked at him, and Stathis realized she wasn’t mad at him, but she was frustrated. Well, he hoped it wasn’t his fault.
He saw her take in Petrov’s ODT uniform.
“Great,” she said. “I wonder if I can get an adjutant for Fleet. These fucktards aren’t supplying any platinum, and I know damned well they have it. Blitzen has submitted all the forms, but nobody is delivering it. Not even going up the chain seems to work.”
“May I make a suggestion, Colonel?” Petrov said. Winters’ scowl deepened, but she nodded. “If going up the chain doesn’t work, go down the chain.”
“What do you mean?” Winters asked.
“Let the person responsible for providing you with what you need see you interacting in a friendly way with subordinates,” Petrov said. “Keep the responsible party out of your interactions.”
“Why would I do that?”
“This is one secret that I gladly share with you,” Petrov said, with a quick glance at Stathis. “This is a bureaucracy. Bureaucrats are very possessive of their authority and power. They deny resources because that makes them feel powerful and important. In many cases, by cooperating, they are seen as weak and inefficient. Many managers see themselves as gatekeepers, and only the most incompetent will throw open their gates and let others have free rein. Prudent managers are supposed to tightly ration and control their resources so that we will have what we need, when we need it. Frequently, they do not understand the greater good or the needs of our magnificent leaders.”
“I have full authority from the prime minister’s office.”
“Of course, ma’am. I’m sure they know this, but this can make them think it is more important they be seen as prudent and capable managers. By mentioning such powerful patrons, they salivate at the chance to interact and please such individuals. They can gain favorable recognition in this way.”
“So, their subordinates will give me what I need?” Winters asked.
“Of course not. However, by being friendly with the subordinate where the supervisor can see, and be excluded, will remind the supervisor they can and probably will be replaced. If you are friendly with a subordinate, they will feel threatened. Subordinates will buck for promotion, of course, and by excluding the supervisor from this friendly interaction, it will remind them how they likely got their current promotion. This will frequently change the dynamics of a relationship quickly as they seek to turn you into an ally. Subordinates can also be very helpful for this reason, and they may share specific, helpful details that will help you negotiate with their supervisor.”
Colonel Winters looked thoughtful as her eyes swept the hangar.
“That does not sound very efficient,” Winters said.
“Of course, ma’am,” Petrov said. “The glorious and tireless bureaucrats of our glorious Governance have a very important job to do. They do not have unlimited resources. They must constantly struggle to make sure there is enough for everyone. The active viewscreen displays the requested data, if you will. They must understand that if they do not work for the greater good, then they will be replaced. You, as a senior member of the Governance, know best what the greater good is. These tireless servants frequently struggle to understand the needs of the Governance. You are a beacon of integrity and managers will quickly understand that if they do not serve you and the greater good, it will replace them.”
Stathis struggled to keep the scowl off his face and keep his mouth shut. Lieutenants didn’t scoff or laugh at bullshit like that, did they? Colonel Winters wasn’t laughing.
The colonel paused and stared at Petrov.
“Do you have any pull with Fleet?” she asked. He was ODT and reporting to Stathis, but if Winters could use him, she outranked a mere second lieutenant and this dude was a major. Maybe she would have a better chance of keeping him on a leash.
“I am an ODT, ma’am,” Petrov said. “Technically, I do not. Our glorious Governance fleet does not take orders or requests from a mere ODT major.”
“A pity,” Winters said.
“Not that I can’t help,” Petrov said glancing at Stathis. What was that about? “I’m extremely familiar with Fleet, and I can get results if my patrons have proper authority.”
“What other tricks do you have?” Stathis asked.
“Many,” Petrov said. “As you wield weapons, I wield the bureaucracy. In many cases, acquiring the results requires understanding the needs of the parties involved.”
“I need platinum for our manufactories to produce certain components,” Winters said.
Petrov nodded sagely. “Platinum is very useful in many applications, ma’am. It is an essential catalyst and has medical uses. There never seems to be enough platinum. I may happen to know someone who has some platinum. Please use this link code I will send you and inform Chen that Petrov would kindly appreciate it if he gave you as much as you need, but add ten percent to what you need.”
“Why would he do that?”
“It will be unfortunate that the ten percent does not reach your hold,” Petrov said. “However, it will go to a good cause. Should less than ten percent be lost in transit, please notify me.”
Colonel Winters turned around and went inside the Eagle.
So that is what a senior supply coordination adjutant did. Stathis hoped he could get them the extra grenades and ammunition and started creating a mental a list for Petrov.
“Now, young lieutenant,” Petrov said. “If you would be so kind as to send me a list of those items your fine new unit is short of, I will be more than happy to make sure these critical supplies reach this ship. Furthermore, if there are any other bureaucratic interactions that need to be addressed, please inform me.”
“I would really appreciate that, Major.”
* * * * *
Chapter Thirty-Six: Avoidance
2nd Lieutenant Zale Stathis, USMC
When did officers get to sleep, Stathis wondered as his alarm buzzed.
He had thought things would chill out a bit once the Eagle was underway. Give him time to train with his platoon.
Wishful thinking. Vili had him creating training plans, doing PT with the platoon, teaching them drills. The two troopers who had been brigged for fighting were back in the brig and only let out for training and PT. Putting them in different squads wasn’t working.
“Let Smimova handle it,” Vili said. “In your Marine Corps, it is the staff NCO who handles things. Same in the Republic. You have told Smimova what you expect of him. Now it is your turn to let him do what he needs to.”
Vili had been consulting with Smimova too, and Stathis wasn’t sure he wanted to know.
Major Petrov was driving Stathis a different kind of crazy, insisting that everyone make sure the equipment was fully functional and accounted for. He also had to assign the equipment to everyone. He wanted the better machine gunners to have the machine guns, and then there were the squad marksmen who should get specialized rifles, but the rifles had to be properly zeroed. Then he had to figure out what he wanted for standard combat loads. Petrov gave him recommendations, but Stathis had to pare those down so the troops could move and fight, otherwise they would just be slow-moving pack mules.
There was also a batch of substandard trauma plates, and Stathis had to convince Winters to let him repurpose the Eagle’s manufactory to fix them, which meant rebuilding them from scratch. Since the replacements were better than the originals, Stathis had to convince her to upgrade all the trauma plates.
Vili also spent time with him going over tactics and leadership. How to identify when troops were too stressed, too tired, on drugs, and more. No wonder lieutenants sucked at tactics; they were too busy learning other shit.
Stathis missed being a private, lying around waiting for the NCOs and officers to get their act together.
Maybe when he made first lieutenant or captain, it would be easier.
Yeah, and when pigs flew he could strap a saddle on one.
It was six in the morning ship’s time. Stathis had slept in an extra hour. It was Sunday, supposedly a day of rest. Tomorrow, the ship would arrive at Zugla. Maybe today the Eagle could contact them and see if they were still alive.
He still didn’t know what he was going to do. You couldn’t storm a station with a platoon. He entered the main room and made a beeline for the food machine.
“Are you avoiding me?” a voice asked, snapping Stathis to full alertness.
Hakala was sitting at a table eating breakfast.
