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© 2024 by Walter Reimer
Chen Hlompho frowned as the zebra switched from one screen to another, reading the once-sealed executive summaries of every plan offered to repair Terra’s ecological damage. The Prime Minister had given him sixty days to come up with a plan, without granting him the required access to anything other than the published summaries of each proposal, all of which were sorely lacking in detail.
After seventeen days he had tried to access the reports himself, an action that drew the attention of one of the three artificial intelligences that managed Sol and the Terran Imperial government. The AI had granted him access to the executive summaries.
He had twenty days remaining to complete his task and present his findings to the Emperor, and he was worried that he wouldn’t meet the deadline. His career was on the line.
A shadow fell over him, and he reflexively blanked the data hovering in front of him before looking up at the two security officers. “Yes?” he asked.
“The Prime Minister wants to talk to you,” one said. They were both foxes, one red and the other a silver-morph; being a corsac fox, the Prime Minister favored vulpines in his security detail.
“Sure.” The zebra closed the desktop system, sending the data back to its encrypted vault before getting to his hooves and following the two officers. They escorted him as far as the door, ushered him inside, and closed it behind him.
There was another fur in the office with the corsac, a roebuck dressed in civilian clothes. “You wanted to s – “ the zebra started to say, only to stop as the fox growled.
The fox half-rose from behind his desk and said, “Chen, what the hell are you doing?”
The stallion was flustered, but only momentarily. “What you asked me to do, Sir,” he said. “I’m working as hard as I can – “
“That’s not what I meant! Where do you get off accessing classified materials?” The fox glanced at the roebuck, who smiled.
“I – I had to, Sir.”
“Had to?”
“Yes, Sir. I needed more data, so I needed the details in those reports for His Maj – “
“You didn’t have clearance! I could have you arrested right now – “ the Prime Minister said, but his ears flicked as he, in his turn, was interrupted.
“AI Shamir granted Chen-jih provisional access to the executive summaries of the reports, and filed a vetting request,” the roebuck said in an amiable tone, “and after proper procedure full access was granted to Chen-jih.” He turned his smile on the zebra. “You now have access to the reports themselves, along with all addenda and the raw data.”
The zebra’s ears semaphored in surprise before he said, “Thank you, Sir.”
“How dare you!” the fox found his voice and aimed it at the roebuck. “Don’t you know what you’ve done, Director?”
“I’ve assisted His Majesty with a project, Prime Minister,” the roebuck replied.
“But his,” and he pointed a finger, shaking with anger, at Chen, “access to the raw data will cast doubts on all of my predecessors – and, by extension, to me,” the fox snarled. He glared at the zebra. “Your career’s over, Chen, and when I get through with you the only job you’ll be able to get will be in the labor pool – “
“I think not,” the Director’s tone grew harder. “Chen-jih is reassigned.”
“What?!” the Prime Minister said.
“He is reassigned, Prime Minister – to the Directorate of Intelligence, and seconded to His Imperial Majesty’s staff.” Despite being the same height as the corsac fox, the roebuck seemed to loom over him. “Any attempt to retaliate against Chen-jih will not be looked upon favorably,” and the Director’s smile widened. “Is that understood?”
The fox shrank back as the words sank in. With a jerky nod he sat back down. “Y-Yes, ‘M.’”
“Excellent. I’m glad we had this conversation. Chen-jih? If you’ll come with me, please, I’ll show you to your new office,” and ‘M’ escorted the somewhat dazed zebra from the office.
Two new guards fell in behind the roebuck and the zebra as ‘M’ walked Chen to his desk. “I’ll give you a moment to get anything you need from your desk,” ‘M’ said, his voice betraying a touch of amusement. The stallion got a few items, and the group left the guarded office area.
“Sir?” Chen asked as they walked down a corridor towards the Intelligence Directorate section of Terra’s Imperial Quarter.
“Yes?”
“What – what just happened back there?”
‘M’ gave a soft chuckle and glanced up at the taller zebra. ‘The Prime Minister deliberately gave you a short time frame and no access so that you would fail at your task, Chen-jih. I would have thought it was obvious, even to someone as new to the game as you are.”
“I did suspect that,” Chen said, a trifle defensively. He wasn’t that naïve.
Was he?
“Even His Majesty thought you weren’t being given enough time to finish your project,” the roebuck said as they passed through one heavily guarded security checkpoint after another.
“I’ll be sure to thank him when I see him again,” Chen said.
‘M’ smiled.
© 2024 by Walter Reimer
Chen Hlompho frowned as the zebra switched from one screen to another, reading the once-sealed executive summaries of every plan offered to repair Terra’s ecological damage. The Prime Minister had given him sixty days to come up with a plan, without granting him the required access to anything other than the published summaries of each proposal, all of which were sorely lacking in detail.
After seventeen days he had tried to access the reports himself, an action that drew the attention of one of the three artificial intelligences that managed Sol and the Terran Imperial government. The AI had granted him access to the executive summaries.
He had twenty days remaining to complete his task and present his findings to the Emperor, and he was worried that he wouldn’t meet the deadline. His career was on the line.
A shadow fell over him, and he reflexively blanked the data hovering in front of him before looking up at the two security officers. “Yes?” he asked.
“The Prime Minister wants to talk to you,” one said. They were both foxes, one red and the other a silver-morph; being a corsac fox, the Prime Minister favored vulpines in his security detail.
“Sure.” The zebra closed the desktop system, sending the data back to its encrypted vault before getting to his hooves and following the two officers. They escorted him as far as the door, ushered him inside, and closed it behind him.
There was another fur in the office with the corsac, a roebuck dressed in civilian clothes. “You wanted to s – “ the zebra started to say, only to stop as the fox growled.
The fox half-rose from behind his desk and said, “Chen, what the hell are you doing?”
The stallion was flustered, but only momentarily. “What you asked me to do, Sir,” he said. “I’m working as hard as I can – “
“That’s not what I meant! Where do you get off accessing classified materials?” The fox glanced at the roebuck, who smiled.
“I – I had to, Sir.”
“Had to?”
“Yes, Sir. I needed more data, so I needed the details in those reports for His Maj – “
“You didn’t have clearance! I could have you arrested right now – “ the Prime Minister said, but his ears flicked as he, in his turn, was interrupted.
“AI Shamir granted Chen-jih provisional access to the executive summaries of the reports, and filed a vetting request,” the roebuck said in an amiable tone, “and after proper procedure full access was granted to Chen-jih.” He turned his smile on the zebra. “You now have access to the reports themselves, along with all addenda and the raw data.”
The zebra’s ears semaphored in surprise before he said, “Thank you, Sir.”
“How dare you!” the fox found his voice and aimed it at the roebuck. “Don’t you know what you’ve done, Director?”
“I’ve assisted His Majesty with a project, Prime Minister,” the roebuck replied.
“But his,” and he pointed a finger, shaking with anger, at Chen, “access to the raw data will cast doubts on all of my predecessors – and, by extension, to me,” the fox snarled. He glared at the zebra. “Your career’s over, Chen, and when I get through with you the only job you’ll be able to get will be in the labor pool – “
“I think not,” the Director’s tone grew harder. “Chen-jih is reassigned.”
“What?!” the Prime Minister said.
“He is reassigned, Prime Minister – to the Directorate of Intelligence, and seconded to His Imperial Majesty’s staff.” Despite being the same height as the corsac fox, the roebuck seemed to loom over him. “Any attempt to retaliate against Chen-jih will not be looked upon favorably,” and the Director’s smile widened. “Is that understood?”
The fox shrank back as the words sank in. With a jerky nod he sat back down. “Y-Yes, ‘M.’”
“Excellent. I’m glad we had this conversation. Chen-jih? If you’ll come with me, please, I’ll show you to your new office,” and ‘M’ escorted the somewhat dazed zebra from the office.
Two new guards fell in behind the roebuck and the zebra as ‘M’ walked Chen to his desk. “I’ll give you a moment to get anything you need from your desk,” ‘M’ said, his voice betraying a touch of amusement. The stallion got a few items, and the group left the guarded office area.
“Sir?” Chen asked as they walked down a corridor towards the Intelligence Directorate section of Terra’s Imperial Quarter.
“Yes?”
“What – what just happened back there?”
‘M’ gave a soft chuckle and glanced up at the taller zebra. ‘The Prime Minister deliberately gave you a short time frame and no access so that you would fail at your task, Chen-jih. I would have thought it was obvious, even to someone as new to the game as you are.”
“I did suspect that,” Chen said, a trifle defensively. He wasn’t that naïve.
Was he?
“Even His Majesty thought you weren’t being given enough time to finish your project,” the roebuck said as they passed through one heavily guarded security checkpoint after another.
“I’ll be sure to thank him when I see him again,” Chen said.
‘M’ smiled.
Category Story / General Furry Art
Species Zebra
Size 120 x 77px
File Size 57.5 kB
Listed in Folders
Yup yup, called the promotion up and out a while back. His Majesty wanted a real investigation into the matter, not another whitewash. Getting in the way of that can get you in a bit of trouble - and he and any still living predecessors should find themselves on Earth outside and without a mask - for however long they last.
Too many rings to this onion, more like several onions grew too close together and the layers converged (M is on the third ring of onion one, the fifth ring of onion two and the seventh ring of onion five ...)
Too many rings to this onion, more like several onions grew too close together and the layers converged (M is on the third ring of onion one, the fifth ring of onion two and the seventh ring of onion five ...)
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