Shoshone Station: The Galactic Consortium season 2

Episode Five: Adam #13

When Lannister finished work and went upstairs at the end of the day, he found Adam already there. Peeta was with hir, leading hir through a basic conversation in Consortium.

"He agreed to help me learn," Adam said sheepishly.

"I have such an easy job," Peeta said, his voice light. "Why not?"

It had become a joke between them, that Lannister had no demanding personal needs.

"Yes, that's why I invited my parents for Christmas," Lannister said as he got himself a cup of tea and joined them at the back of the room. "I figured my mother was the perfect present for you, remember? A few days of being bossed around."

Peeta chuckled. "Never fear, I shall treat her like a queen."

A voice was projected through the system. "Kleppie here, at your door. May I enter?"

"Enter," Lannister called back. To Peeta and Adam, "A sailor of mine. He's been on leave and traveling. I invited him over to talk about a proposal."

Peeta rose and met Kleppie halfway across the room. "A drink, sir? And will you be staying for supper?"

"Just whatever tea is brewing and—"

"Yes, he will," Lannister finished. "Come. This is my nephew, Adam." Adam rose and greeted Kleppie.

If Kleppie had any issue with Adam's name or gender, he kept it to himself. Then again, he was young, and Lannister had noticed the younger generation had fewer hang-ups about such things.

They sat and made small talk. Peeta brought a cup of tea for Kleppie and announced he would begin preparing supper. Adam thanked him for the lessons in halting Consortium speak.

Kleppie addressed Adam in Consortium, asking a number of basic questions to gauge hir knowledge.

"You've gotten very good," Lannister commented. "I've picked up a few words here and there. I keep thinking I need to make a concerted effort to learn the language properly, but I just don't have the time right now."

"So much to do, setting up a new station, I bet," Kleppie said in English. "I lost my translator collar the first day on Shin. Turned out to be a good thing. Nothing like having to rely on a language all the time to speed up learning. Besides, I was closer to being conversational than I thought. I just needed the push, you know."

"Still, it's remarkable. You seem to excel at whatever you put your mind to."

Kleppie blushed at the compliment. "You said you had a proposal?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Ah, yes. A part-time job. Adam here is doing basic education, as you are. Zie has stated hir intention to try to join the Kurgara, in time. I understand it's a very rigorous training."

"I can only imagine," Kleppie replied. "I saw Nara in action once. She was here, then she was there. So fast. There's biotech involved, as I understand it, but a lot is just physical training."

"I've been researching on the network," Adam said. "It's both, a lot of both. Most closely guarded secrets. But it's what I want. More than anything."

"She— uh, zie," Lannister wondered momentarily if he should stop and apologize, or if Adam knew it was only a slip of the tongue and not an intentional mistake, "is working hard on hir basic education. But zie'll need to get into shape too."

"I know," Adam said.

"And space camp will be rather rigorous, from what I understand."

Kleppie nodded. "Yeah, I'll have to start getting back into shape for that too."

"Then here is my proposal," Lannister said. "You will be Adam's trainer. Teach hir the PRT and basic CQC. You will train in the morning. After lunch, you will both have the day free to study for your basic-education tests. I'll pay you 0.5 and you can stay in one of the guestrooms. Sound fair?" PRT stood for Physical Readiness Training and CQC, Close Quarters Combat training.

"I'd be happy to help for free, sir," Kleppie said.

"Every morning? It's too much to ask," Lannister said. "Besides I'd let you stay in one of my guestrooms for free as well. But you won't agree. That damn pride of yours." Lannister smiled as he said it, to make it clear he was joking. "So I will put you to work instead."

"Of course, sir. That seems fair."

"Uncle?" Adam said, disbelief in hir voice.

"Consider it an early Christmas present, if you are excited. Or another condition, if you aren't. I'm glad to have you here, but I want you to prepare for a career, a successful life. You say this is what you want. Peeta said it's a brutal path. You had best be prepared for that, then."

"Yes, of course, sir." Adam rose and saluted. "I will do my best."

"There is room here for training," Peeta said as he came back over, "if you move the couch. The captain does his push-ups and sit-ups here. Or there is an exercise facility across the hall. This level is so empty, I think I'm the only one who's been in it since we went operational. It's public, and there are even padded rooms for martial arts. I'll show you tomorrow. For now, supper is served."

Lannister showed Kleppie to one of the guestrooms so he could throw his travel bag inside. His stomach grumbled as he smelled the meal Peeta was setting on the table.