Debriefing

The officer’s cabin aboard the Retribution’s Chariot was as neat and orderly as its occupant. In the unlit room, the woman standing in front of the bookshelf was absorbed into the work before her, and had not moved since takeoff hours ago; the ambient electric light from the city of Sait below was more than enough to keep the room lit for her purposes. Tucked inside a book on tank warfare, a wrinkled expeditionary report from Veritas dated yesterday commanded the officer’s attention. Reading the words for the third time this evening, she wrinkled her brow in frustration. Another disappointment. Her private resources could only fund so many wild goose chases before someone started asking questions…

A pair of boots coming down the hall unceremoniously dragged her out of the page. In one swift motion, the officer closed her book and looked up at the clock above her desk.

Late.

She frowned. Who the hell would be foolhardy enough to bother her at this hour? She flicked the desk lamp’s switch and turned her gaze towards the door, waiting for the inevitable knock that followed moments later. I swear, if those two idiots in the engine room are still screwing around with the-

“Colonel Heim? May I come in?” asked a mousy voice that Cordelia Blériot Heim could not place. 

“Enter,” the colonel responded, barely cloaking the irritation in her voice.

As Cordelia placed the book on her desk, a woman who appeared to be fresh out of university stepped through the door, hands at her side and gripping her skirt for dear life. “Lieutenant Victoria Numé, your new radiooperatorreportinginMa’am!” She announced, offering a nervous salute.

Ah, that’s right. They said I’d be getting a new operator for this mission. Cordelia studied the woman’s face with a piercing glare, unimpressed. Besides the teal headset, Victoria looked more akin to an office clerk than a soldier. “What took you so long to report in? We took off several hours ago.” Cordelia asked, maintaining her stone-faced expression. 

The technician jerked back as her officer barked at her. “W-wellIwasbusytinkeringwithmy-” 

Scratch that, the poor woman looked like she was about to have a stress attack. Cordelia didn’t need that headache so shortly after takeoff. At least give it a week, like the last one before he requested a transfer. “Slow. Down.” Cordelia ordered. But if she’s this much of a wreck, I’ll file it myself tonight.

Victoria let out an “eep!” before taking a breath and offering another salute. “Yes ma’am, thank you ma’am.” The lieutenant took another breath. “I was busy tinkering with my radio set - it’s a custom model, but it was approved by Quartermaster Sybil as fit for duty!”

Cordelia cocked an eyebrow. Another inventor, and Sybil didn’t come to me? Someone’s getting an earful later. “Custom model?” She asked, her severe tone giving way to a probing one. As the young lieutenant raised her arm for another damned salute, Cordelia held her palm outward. “Stop that,” she shook her head in annoyance. “You have my permission to speak freely.”

Victoria’s face lit up. “Well, ma’am, the models Dallmoor used during the Legion’s war are still on the cutting edge of military technology, but they’re preeeetty bulky. That’s fine and all for radios installed in airships, but they require a lot of setup in the field. I was able to strip out a lot of the excess bits and turn it into a portable set! It’s much more efficient power-wise, and will allow me to be at your side to relay orders faster than any runner!”

The colonel took note how Victoria’s shoulders visibly relaxed as she dove into her explanation. She hummed. “Show me.”

“Colonel?” Victoria tilted her head, clearly thrown out of her groove.

A frown etched itself on Cordelia’s face, and the “Ice Queen” Colonel glowered at her. “Did I stutter, lieutenant? Show me.”

Victoria turned, and the sound of running boots down the hall signaled Cordelia was alone again. With a sigh, she returned the book she was reading to her shelf. She let her fingers linger, thumbing over the other titles in her collection: Kobold Squadron Tactics in the Hadano Hinterlands, The Rise and Fall of House Jierre, Triple Regicide: Investigating the Past, and Adaptation to The Shroud, Technological Advances in the War Against the Golden Legion. Each title’s pages were dog-eared, stuffed with hand-written notes sticking out of their pages like reeds. A pocket of imperfection in her otherwise tidy quarters. 

She found the one she was looking for, less a book and more a stapled collection of papers nestled between two hardcovers. She tilted it down before pulling it out entirely and dusting it off with her hand. A Treatise on the Practical Uses of Single-Manned Aircraft in Warfare and Other Inventions, a Thesis by Cordel- the rest of the handwritten title is too faded to read. She opened the booklet, flipping past schematics for light bulbs, prosthetics, and typewriters. The documents gave way to more weaponized designs: An early prototype of her shotgun repeater, anti-magic bullets, and the titular aircraft - a fixed-wing biplane - all dated 106 AoD. She brushed her fingers over the blueprint, wondering if things could-

“...Colonel Heim?”

Cordelia blinked back to the present. Victoria was standing behind her, gripping the harness straps for a gray box the size of a backpack. The technician turned her back to her officer, granting Cordelia a better look. Solidly built, the radio sat squarely on Victoria’s back. “Explain your modifications to me. Don’t hold back on the details.”

Victoria took no time launching into the finer technical details as requested. Cordelia listened intently as she inspected the radio the way a jeweler inspected a diamond. This wasn’t a simple hack-job like those that Dallmoor’s competitors put out. The fundamentals Victoria listed off were sound. Frankly, Cordelia thought, the Dallmoor military could have made this ages ago. But they hadn’t, she hadn’t, and now this woman, fresh out of basic, was standing before her.

She was exactly what Cordelia was looking for.

“Lieutenant.” Cordelia placed her hands behind her back, standing at attention.

“Er- Y-yes, colonel?” Victoria twisted her head to face Cordelia, before turning her entire body back to her.

“Answer me this. Why would a woman with your talent join the military, and not one of the plethora of industrial companies in the city?”

“Because of you, ma’am.” Victoria gave an earnest, timid smile.

“What?” Cordelia blinked, a small crack in her stony disposition. What nonsensense are you on about?

“I was attending classes at the Sciens d’Arms when you gave a lecture on the future of telecommunications and warfare, and how magic’s limits were proven by the Shroud. It opened my eyes up to a new way of thinking about the world. I think technology is the future of Gateway, and I wanted to specifically serve with the inventor who inspired me.”

Cordelia said nothing, watching with silent amusement as droplets of sweat formed on Victoria’s face with each passing second. It will take more than simple words and flattery to make it here. Almost every man on the Chariot was sent to the Ice Queen as a punishment, roughnecks for her to whip into shape and command their respect. Someone personally requesting an assignment with her was unheard of. Any lingering thoughts of Victoria’s transfer dissipated from her mind. Very well Lieutenant, show me how strong that conviction of yours is.

“Starting tomorrow, you report here at oh-six-hundred,” she finally responded. “Not only will you be serving as radio operator both on board this vessel and in the field, but you will also be performing duties as my adjutant. You will follow my direct commands without issue. Now get some rest. Dismissed, Lieutenant.”

Victoria’s eyes widened. She quickly stuttered out a “yes” and gave her commander an enthusiastic salute. “Understood, colonel! Thank you!”

“Welcome aboard, Lieutenant Numé.” An amused smile formed across Cordelia’s face. 

Victoria nodded, closing the door behind her. Cordelia returned to her desk, reopening her old design documents. She took a pencil to page and began drafting, editing, striking while the iron of inspiration was still hot. She’d ask Victoria her thoughts in the morning after handing out her assignment.

A commander should always know how best to utilize her troops - both on and off the field.