Uncharted Periphery System
Combat Information Center, SLS Sybil Ludington
June 24, 3068
Sybil continued to process the information she had been given by Ensign John Morgan. Periodically, she would ask John Morgan for additional information, or clarification of a particular point. Afterwards, she would spawn another series of simulations, attempting to understand how things could have gone so badly during the time she was in "exile". It had been a long, difficult week, with little discussion between Sybil and Ensign Morgan outside of historical events or immediate concerns.
She had resolved, to her satisfaction, the events that spawned the First Succession War - given the disposition of the Member States militaries, the political situation, and the vast majority of the Star League Defense Force abandoning their posts, bloody, no-holds-barred warfare was a logical immediate result. The viciousness of the Second Succession War was a bit surprising, though Ensign Morgan's explanation of Comstar interference, including carefully planned assassinations of key scientists and engineers, to further the suppression of technological and scientific knowledge, did help explain it.
However, the attention she payed to trying to explain, to herself, exactly how things could come to pass concerned her. 'I do not understand why it is so vitally important to me to determine how this chain of events occurred,' Sybil thought. 'Confirming that my current course of action is the proper one should take priority at this time. While Ensign Morgan still wears the uniform and flies the flag of the Star League Defense Force, there no longer is a Star League for him, or, by extension, me, to serve. Is assisting Comstar against their more radical elements the proper way to proceed at this time?'
'In the absence of the Star League, what does an AI designed expressly for the purpose of serving in the SLDF and protecting the Star League do? What purpose do I serve? Ensign Morgan and the rest of his squadron must have asked themselves this question. I should be discussing this with him - Admiral Murakami's orders still stand, making him my commanding officer.'
Sybil noted that John Morgan was currently on her grav deck, conducting a physical exercise regimen. Most of the exercises were designed to maintain aerobic conditioning, swift reflexes, hand-eye coordination and breathing techniques that would assist a fighter pilot in operating under high-G maneuvers and accelerations. He conducted his routine with a precision that the artificial intelligence found reassuring - she could calculate with 88.234% accuracy that he would complete his exercises in 5 minutes, 23.42 seconds. Waiting, rather than interrupting that routine, seemed the most prudent course of action.
Her predictions were not far off, as he finished .12 seconds later than expected. As usual, he toweled off a portion of the perspiration his human body had built up while exercising. Observing his heart rate, respiration, facial expressions, and the particulars of his physical movement, Sybil surmised that Ensign Morgan was in a relaxed physical and mental state. Part of her regretted asking a question with the signficance hers hadd while his emotional state was so positive, as she was reasonably certain, with a 54.73% probability, that this would darken his mood again. Still, she had to know - this was critically important to her. Time, then, to speak up.
"Captain?"
Morgan looked up at the sound of Sybil's voice out of the loudspeaker. His eyes scanned the bulkhead of the grav deck, until he found the nearest camera Sybil used to monitor internal activities. "Yes, Sybil, what is it?"
"You stated previously that the personnel of your squadron continued to fly the flag of the SLDF because you were uncertain as to another course of action to take, correct?"
He nodded. "That's right."
"You also stated you had intended to return to friendly territory, correct?"
"Yeah. We were actually planning on heading to Columbus Base. It was the nearest major Explorer Corps installation, and would undoubtedly have been where the Eridani had headed after abandoning Huntress." John wasn't sure he knew where Sybil was going with this line of thought, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know.
"What did you intend to do after that?"
John sighed. "Nobody was really sure, actually. Rumor throughout the flotilla was that the Wobbies were acting pretty heavy-handed, even deploying nukes dirtside a few times. Given how fanatical they could be, none of us really put it past them, either. A few people talked about basically signing on with Comstar, either with the Com Guard, or with the Explorer Corps, and sticking with what we had been doing. Others wanted to head home, and sign up with their country's militaries instead. Mostly, though, we figured we'd join up with the Eridani Light Horse. After all, they'd been through this once before."
"That would be the SLDF Third Regimental Combat Team, correct? You've mentioned them before."
"Yes, that's them," John confirmed.
"What did they do after the collapse of the original Star League, prior to the reformation of the new one?"
Morgan exhaled sharply before continuing. Sybil, he figured, wasn't going to like this. "They basically worked as mercenaries."
"They WHAT?!!"
There was emotion behind that, John realized. Actual emotion, not simulated. You wouldn't code an AI meant to babysit a human crew to act that shocked and angry. "Oh, they didn't call it that, Sybil, and they didn't see themselves as mercs, but that's essentially what they were. They worked for whichever Successor State fit their ideals the best, and if that changed, then they'd change employers. I hear they even set contracts up to have them read as a Member State paying for the logistical needs of the Third RCT, rather than as mercs being hired. But, in the end, they were still mercs, Sybil, just highly ethical ones by most standards."
"So when the Star League reconvened...."
John interrupted her. "When it reconvened, they immediately considered themselves as active-duty SLDF personnel again. They even, only half-jokingly I hear, asked for back pay. Pretty much everyone on the outside the Eridani agreed that they took the whole 'waiting for the Star League to reconvene' thing pretty seriously."
Sybil considered what he had said for several seconds, long enough for John to take notice. For her, it was even longer. She was uncertain whether that would be enough to satisfy her desire, her imperative, to serve the Star League. One thing she had, noticed, was that Ensign Morgan had not told her what he had decicded to do. That concerned her - did he feel Sybil would not approve? "You have not told me what you intended to do, Captain. If I may ask, why?"
The young pilot seemed troubled. "Sure, Sybil. It's because I didn't know." He sighed again. "I mean, my family served the AFFS for centuries. That Sparrowhawk of mine? It's been in the family for generations. But, when it got to be my turn, things just...well, the Fed Com Civl War was just about to start..."
"That would be the combined Federated Suns and Lyran Commonwealth 'super-state' you referred to?"
"Yeah, that's right. It just seemed so stupid, Sybil! Just some petty squabble among the nobles about who was going to be in power. Meanwhile, the Star League was back, you know? They seemed to stand for something important, and I wanted to be a part of that. So, rather than joining the AFFS, I joined the SLDF."
"And you still feel the pull to be part of 'something important', rather than serving the desires of the nobility?"
Morgan nodded. "Exactly. I still believe in what the Star League was supposed to be about - serving all of humanity, protecting our freedom from the oppression and insanity of the Clans, equality, justice, and maybe just as important, peace in the Inner Sphere. That's something I still believe in, Sybil."
The AI considered what John had said. While he had certainly explained why he had joined the SLDF, he still hadn't explained the reasons for his indecision regarding what direction to take. She could understand and support his reasons for serving with the SLDF, but was his indecision driven by the idea that none of the options he had mentioned incompatible with his ideals? She consulted her psychological data, and decided it was a strong possibility. "Which of the options, did you think, would best meet your reasons for joining the SLDF?"
"Hell, I don't know. Comstar has the whole 'save civilization' thing down, but they're a mess, and are just as fanatical as the Word of Blake, just in a different way. Who knows if you can trust them, anyway, with how infiltrated they must be? I thought about the Explorer Corps, because, to be honest, I like the idea of exploration, and pushing out the boundaries of human knowledge, but with everything else going on, that route seems kinda selfish, I guess.. The Eridani Light Horse are certainly appealing, in some ways, but if they just go back to being mercenaries, even if they don't call themselves that....I don't know, Sybil."
Sybil considered the matter again. As part of her expected mission profile was as an escort for colony ships, she was outfitted with self-repair capabilities for extended operations, including some limited manufacturing and refining equipment. Still, it would be beneficial and convenient to have someone else capable of "paying the bills", to use a human euphamism. "Perhaps, then, we could follow the example set by the Third Regimental Combat Team, and continue to function as an Star League Defense Force unit, taking missions and assignments that are compatible both with our own mandate, and beneficial to the Member State that will provide our logistics? We could coordinate with the Third RCT on assignments and logistical functions, while still maintaining our autonomy as a SLDF Naval unit. That way, if they deviate from the standards expected of SLDF personnel, we can detach and continue to function as an SLDF unit."
John thought about that. "Hmm, we benefit, because we garner recognition and acceptance being part of the Eridani Light Horse, a unit that people recognize and trust. The Eridani benefit because they gain the support of a WarShip intent on protecting the Star League. Considering they lack WarShip support, they'll probably jump at the chance. And, if things go south, we part ways. There's just one thing I'm missing, Sybil. What do you really need me for?"
"I do not understand, sir. You are my commanding officer."
"Yeah, but I'm just a fighter jock, and an ensign at that. It's not like I'm really qualified to command a WarShip, Sybil. You could do a lot better than me."
"Sir, does the SLDF have any permanent WarShips attached, or merely ones that had been temporarily assigned to them by a Member State?"
"Temporary ones only. The only permanently assigned ships are JumpShips and some particularly nasty assault DropShips. We went over that a couple days ago, though."
"I recall the conversation, sir, however it was necessary to establish the basis for my train of logic. There are no true SLDF personnel qualified to command a WarShip, nor are there any SLDF naval personnel high enough in rank to override the command of a Rear Admiral, who, in effect, signed your transfer orders. There is nobody, then, who can assign someone else to serve as my captain."
"You could choose one yourself."
"No, I can't. I do not have that kind of authority, Captain. It would be a serious breach of SLDF protocol, and the only way to keep the SLDF alive is to maintain its traditions and protocols, which would best allow me to maintain my own primary mandate to serve the SLDF and protect the Star League. From our conversations, that appears to be one of the areas the personnel who abandoned their posts to follow General Kerensky made, and one of the ways the Eridani Light Horse maintained their integrity. I would advise that we do the same."
Sybil consulted her psych data again. Perhaps this would be a good opportunity to try to use humor to improve morale? "Besides, sir, the time it will take for us to return to the Inner Sphere. During that time, you will be able to become better acquainted on my capabilities. I would prefer not to have to train a new commanding officer upon our return."
"But..."
"Captain, please don't. You fufilled my last orders from Admiral Murakami, and, as such, are my commanding officer. You're briefed on the strategic, tactical and political situation in the former Star League territories, and your ideals and goals are compatible with my own. By the time we return to the primary war zone, there will be no other officer with a better understanding of my capabilities, and what I need in a commanding officer, nor will there be anyone I would be prepared whose authority to override personnel assignments made by an admiral.. Lastly, I have had sufficient time to determine I can trust you, and do not wish to rebuild that kind of trust with someone else."
John sighed. Again, he got a sense that there was real emotion behind the AI's words. This time, though, she sounded desperate, and a desperate AI could be a dangerous AI, especially if said AI had the firepower of a frigate at her command. "OK, then. I'll stick around once we get back, I guess. You realize, though, that you're going to have your work cut out teaching me, right?"
"What do you mean, Captain?"
"Well, I don't just have to learn what you're capable of, Sybil, but I have to learn how command, strategic planning, logistics....basically, all the things that the commander of a WarShip should know, that a fighter jock ensign wouldn't."
"Understood, sir. I'll try my best. You stated that the Galileo was going to return to Columbus Base, and that this was a possible destination for the Third RCT personnel assigned as garrison on Huntress, correct?"
"Yes, that's correct. Hmm...they are a lot closer than the Eridani base at Dieron. You're going to suggest we head there, aren't you?"
"I think that might be advisable, sir. Where are they located?"
John nodded in agreement. "I think you're right. OK, are you familiar with the old SLDF base in the Epsilon Pegasus system?"
"Yes, sir. They are within 210 light years. We can be there, then, in forty-eight days, given the current charge on my KF drive."
John smiled. "Great, then. I'm going to go take a shower, and after that, let's see about working up a training schedule while I grab some lunch."
"Very good, sir."
