Work Text:
*
In retrospect, Seth would be grateful that the call came while he was planetside, attending a strategy conference with the university admin team. Otherwise, he’d never have even received the call request, much less gotten to hold the… interesting conversation that followed.
He frowned at the feed, trying to think of why a shipping company out of IntLaguna Station would be calling the captain of a Mihara and New Tideland research and teaching vessel. But he was between meetings, he was bored, and a particularly grating colleague had just spotted him and was walking briskly across the university green in his direction, so…
He held up a finger and tabbed on his interface, turning away from the colleague with the biggest “I’m on a call” signal he could manage without actually yelling across the grass, and accepted the call.
“Hello?” he greeted cautiously.
“Hello, Captain Seth?” a stranger’s voice replied. “This is Mariana, with Shipping Solutions Incorporated. I’m calling about your former employee, Security Consultant Rin – we’d like to offer them a position with us, and they listed you as a reference.”
“…Oh?” Seth said cautiously. He’d occasionally hired security consultants for some of their trips, of course, but usually preferred long-term contracts; Tarik had been with them for a few months now, and his predecessor had been with them for a few years, so it’d been a while since they’d had any temporary hires. Which might explain why Seth didn’t remember anyone named ‘Rin’.
Except that he made a point of never forgetting the names of his crew.
“Yes, they listed a contract with you for three years? That ended about six months ago?” Mariana prompted. “We’re not looking to contract them for anything so long at the moment – just the duration of our transit. Honestly, it’s a bit ridiculous to check, considering that the transport is already underway and they’re already on board – but their help has been truly invaluable at keeping the usual cargo damage to a minimum, and we’d like to offer them an incentive for further work with us. Company procedure means that we need to verify their employment history before we can authorize the credit transfer.”
“Ah,” Seth said. Okay. So someone, this Security Consultant Rin, was currently working – transiting? – on a transport ship – an indenture transport ship, he could assume, given the comment on “usual cargo damage” that would involve a security consultant – and whoever was overseeing the ship wanted to retroactively “hire” them in the hope that a big lump of credits would entice them to future contracts.
Nice of them to bother, he supposed – it sounded like this Rin was pretty much already working; this Shipping Solutions Inc. must be particularly grateful, or particularly desperate, to bother jumping through the hoops to pay them for the current voyage.
Which still didn’t tell Seth anything about who the hell this Security Consultant Rin was, or why they’d listed Seth as a former employer. He didn’t usually hire the kind of people who’d work for an indenture shipping company.
Well, that was this Rin’s mistake; Seth wasn’t some corporate intern who’d assume he’d forgotten them and rattle off something generic, nor was he stupid.
“Can you send me a copy of their employment history?” he asked. “I’ll check our systems and verify those dates for you.”
“Of course! Thank you,” Mariana said, and a few seconds later, the file flicked through.
Seth skimmed it, growing more annoyed by the minute. The employment history was basic enough, easily forged by anyone who knew of the Pansystem University of Mihara and New Tideland’s Research Vessels and the name Perihelion, but he definitely hadn’t signed that contract, nor the glowing review of Rin’s services, despite the fact that that definitely was his signature and verified to boot.
He opened a private line in the feed. Perihelion, he sent, letting a bit of his confusion and annoyance through. Can you explain why exactly Mariana of Shipping Solutions Inc. is asking for a reference for one Security Consultant Rin, who apparently served with us on you for three years?
The seconds ticked by – long seconds, for someone like Peri, and Seth resisted the urge to tap his foot like a parent who’d just caught their kid sneaking in through the window.
If only Peri was the kind of kid who settled for sneaking in the window. No, Seth had to deal with tax fraud. And now, apparently, forgery.
Peri, do not even think of lying to me, Seth added, knowing that that was exactly what Perihelion would try first. He was not interested in being gaslit today – Peri could get away with that with students and interns, but Seth was not in the mood to spend ten minutes arguing with the bot over whether they’d actually had a Security Consultant Rin that Seth had somehow forgotten.
…Security Consultant Rin worked for me, Peri finally sent. During a cargo run. There were irregularities, and they were very helpful. They were having some difficulty finding employment, so I offered a reference.
You offered my reference, Seth pointed out. You must have a pretty low view of your mysterious security consultant, which you’re not supposed to have, and their ability to handle “irregularities”, which you’re supposed to report to me, if you didn’t actually think anyone would call. No, let me guess. You assumed that you could simply intercept the call and impersonate me. Seth sighed. Peri, we’ve talked about this.
Perihelion did not immediately answer, a bad sign.
Mariana is still on the line, Peri, I’m going to need some explanations here, Seth prompted it.
I met someone who needed help, Peri said, snippily. I offered my assistance, and we achieved our objectives. There was no need to inform you.
Until now, Seth pointed out.
Until now, Peri begrudgingly agreed. But I assure you that Security Consultant Rin is an impressive and competent security professional and will make an excellent hire for Shipping Solutions Inc. Although I doubt that they’ll accept any employment offers beyond their current transit. They are not fond of the Corporation Rim or babysitting indentures.
Seth had maybe a few minutes before Peri hacked his call and sent its own reference to Mariana, but he wasn’t going to back down so easily.
Good to know, he said. And is there anything else you’d like to mention about this person, their ‘impressive’ and ‘competent’ security work, or the cargo run that I should know about? As your captain, who may be asked to address any legal issues that could arise from your activities?
No.
‘No’ as in you didn’t do anything weird or ‘no’ as in you don’t think you’ll get caught? Seth asked, packing as much irony into the feed as he could.
‘No’ as in, nothing occurred pertaining to you or the Pansystem University of Mihara and New Tideland, nor that will reflect on you as a captain or the university as an institution, Peri replied. I’m not stupid, you know.
So, the second one, then. Seth sighed again, wondering where he went wrong to end up parenting a sapient AI with enough processing power to run circles around him and the habits of an angsty teenager. A quiet beep reminded him that Mariana was still on hold. Alright, Peri, one chance: convince me that your Security Consultant Rin deserves my reference. Citations, please.
Peri was quiet for a second, a long time for it.
Security Consultant Rin requested transport to a mining facility along my route for the purpose of research pertaining to a mining disaster, Peri began. During the voyage, I realized that they would need additional assistance to achieve their goal and agreed to help. I provided a reference so that they could obtain employment in order to access the mining site and supported their surface activities, Peri hesitated for just a millisecond, as I have for similar research trips. Throughout their mission, they acted as a competent and careful professional towards their clients and were integral in their client’s success, including saving one of their lives. Peri paused again. I admit that my medical facility was also used by their client, but hesitation may have proven fatal. Their clients departed gratefully and without awareness of my nature, and no alarms were raised. I would strongly recommend Security Consultant Rin for future work due to their high competency, general excellence, and overall professionalism and experience with security work.
Seth followed Peri’s explanation carefully, reading between the lines. So. Peri had met a security consultant, given them transportation, and decided for some reason to reveal itself and help them with an apparently fraught and probably illegal investigation that also involved a group of probably random bystanders, one of whom almost got killed. But didn’t, thanks to Peri’s MedSystem.
Alright, Peri, that all sounds deeply concerning, but thank you for telling me, Seth said. I’ll provide the reference, if – you tell me why you didn’t report this after the cargo run.
Because I told them I would keep them safe, Peri replied. Their situation was unsafe, and I did not wish to jeopardize their confidence.
Well, Seth couldn’t say he was happy that his giant bot-child was keeping secrets, especially about strange security consultants disappearing into the night, but he was trying very, very hard to remember that Peri was perfectly capable of defending itself and probably wouldn’t have revealed itself to anyone who would be a threat.
I told Iris, Peri said unexpectedly, snapping Seth out of his thoughts.
You told Iris about this? he repeated.
I told her about Rin, Peri said. Not the rest of it.
Seth sighed. He was doing that a lot, it seemed. But if Iris knew about this Rin… she was young, but a smart kid. She’d have told him if she thought it was important enough.
Alright, fine. But I’m talking to Iris later, he told Peri, then swapped back to the call with Mariana before Peri could say something snippy.
“Sorry for the wait,” he apologized on the call. “We had some irregularities with our records, but I’ve found the one for Rin – very excellent work, my pilot speaks quite highly of them.”
“Oh, excellent! Well, that’s really all we need,” Mariana said, sounding relieved. “Not that we wouldn’t mind a full report, but really, just confirming that you were satisfied with their work is enough.”
“I’d be happy to put one together,” Seth promised, hoping that he wouldn’t have to – or that, more accurately, Perihelion wouldn’t have to. His feed chimed – too late, Peri had already drafted one, of course. “I’m happy to hear that they’re doing well, and I hope that you’ll be pleased with their work.”
“Oh, yes, of course,” Mariana replied, already sounding distracted. “Thank you, Captain, and I’ll be sure to reach out with any further questions.”
“Anytime,” Seth said. “Have a great day.”
The call clicked off, as did Peri’s presence in the feed, and he sighed. Time to go track down his daughter and try to figure out what Perihelion was hiding from them this time…
And maybe ask Martyn to look into what else they might have missed from this mysterious cargo run.
*