Fate of Terra - Rise of Empires

Chapter 8.5 - Rewrite

Moving to stand by Rin's terminal, Michael asked,"Rin, Aki. The shuttles will be arriving soon. Can you assist Stacey with getting them settled?"

"We were thinking of doing that anyway," Stacey answered. "Was there anything else you needed us here for?"

"Not anymore," Michael said, resting an elbow on the monitor as he turned. "We've done what we can to minimize the risk and set the trap. It's going to accelerate the relocation of civilians though."

"Yeah," Stacey sighed, looking down at her tablet. Her fingers swiped away on the screen, scrolling through the thousands of names. "I don't think we can get everyone on in time."

"Cut anyone that doesn't want to settle indefinitely. Mark anyone that's got a rotation on the flight decks within the week, and halt their transit."

Stacey nodded, watching as Pan helped scrub hundreds of names from her screen. Scrolling down, she saw a couple of names she recognized. James Merrick and Richard West, although James's name disappeared as Pan continued to scrub the list. "I didn't realize Doctor West wanted to relocate."

"He mentioned he was considering it, last time we spoke with him," Rin offered, perching herself on the edge of Stacey's desk.

"Maybe he wanted a change of scenery?" Aki offered from Stacey's other side.

"Regardless, it's his choice." Michael said, cutting the speculations off. "Can you three go to meet them? Pan should be on the first wave to oversea the startup sequences of the residential areas."

"I thought they still needed decorating?" Rin asked, eyebrow raised.

"They do," He agreed, "The environment itself needs updating and renovating. The suites themselves belong to the families. That's up to them how they want it decorated."

"Listening to Aurora after all?" Stacey teased.

"I always listen-" A loud snort from behind left the women giggling and Michael grinning. "I do!" He called back, "I just don't always follow through with what you suggest."

Aurora turned away, talking with Raverjah. Michael looked back to Stacey and gave her a wink, forcing Stacey to cover her mouth lest her giggle turn to full laughter.

The truth was that Michael 'did' take to heart what they told him. The problem, as he saw it, was the balancing act of allowing those he needed to have their say, against the continued whinging of those who just wanted more for less. Inflexible, stubborn, tyrannical, he accepted the titles because, at the end of the day, the Intrepid was a war vessel. The Factory on the other hand, that 'had' to provide for more than militaristic ambitions.

The suggestions he'd received on softening the hard edges were good, and good advice was always worth listening too. That was something Michael was coming more and more to realise as his family grew. As their affinities developed down divergent paths, the more he was required to adjust his own defined role. He would be a tyrant for the soldiers under his command. He would do whatever it took to ensure he wasn't that for his family.

'Besides,' He thought, 'It costs me nothing to give them a free hand in designing their own quarters.' He just hoped that their 'victory' would promote the notion that he would bend, rather than invite more requests for handouts.

"We should get going," Rin observed, "They'll be docking soon."

"I'll forward you the topics for Doctor West. We'll be leaving the second the last shuttle returns and begin moving troops to the freighters. Can you explain to him about the delay?"

"I'll come up with something," Stacey agreed.

Tearing his eyes away from the retreating trio, Michael caught Sun Mi watching him. "What?"