Assignment Part 1

January 1, 3053
Sian
First Cappellan Hussars Briefing Room

      Many people do not realize this, but the mode for keeping time it the Terran Standard. In ancient history they used the Greenwich Meridian for main marker on the time zones. Now everything is synced to the day and time in Geneva. A city on the continent of Europe, back on the "cradle of Humanity" or Terra. It is easier to keep track of time by using the Terran Standard, but my home planet of Hexare it throws off your genetic patterns. Hexare has only a 307 day year. Instead of a twenty four hour clock, we have 27 hours. But like on most planets, this still counts has "Terran-like." We would trace the seasons based off of marker constellations then adjust when we would expect to see different weather patterns. If you only live on the planet you're born on and never leave, it doesn't effect you too much. Your body gets use to the new day cycle, the annual cycle, you even pay less attention to the TST then those of us who have to travel between planets. For example, you land on a planet and it is 0700 TST, yet for the spot you landed it is 1600 the sky is darkening because the planet is on its Winter cycle, and you have to adjust for all of it: your life depends on it. Understanding this is part of the Officer training. Not your basic officers or non-commissioned officers, but you start to a basic idea as part of your training after reaching the rank of Major - er, sorry, still getting use to the title change: Zhong-Shao. Their is a small faction among the Jiang-jun(Generals) and Sang-jiang-jun(Senior Generals) that as part of the Capellan "Re-birth' we should move all military time stamps to a standardized time based on the time of day, time of year, and year of founding for the Forbidden City on Sian. While in theory this is a good idea, all the military codexes would need to be re-written. I personally agree with this change in our military doctrine, that way the Chancellor always knows what is happening on His schedule. But as a Sao-Shao my opinion is unwelcome, not enough influence among the factions yet. Which brings us to today's briefing: the mobilization of the Capellan Hussar regiments to support the newly reformed SLDF's efforts combating the elite warrior of the Clans. It maybe January first on Earth, the middle of Earth's winter rotation around Sol, but here it is the beginning of the Summer season. I was glad to be recalled back to Sian for this, as the Cherry Blossom festival in the Forbidden City is the best in all of the Confederation. It is even made better with the visiting Canopians being here too. I'm not as Xenophobic as some Cappellans, I've had to travel outside the Confederation, seen different cultures, even indulge in some differences. I feel that by far the Canopians are the most festive to have around. Sure they are hard to get use to being that their culture is matriarchal, their woman enjoy a level of freedom that even the most loyal citizen cannot. I can see where most Cappellans would be jealous and mistrustful of our forming alliance. But they should know better, it is our history to form alliances to build a better future. But my thoughts wander. The crisp voice of the briefing officer brings me back to the room where mobilization orders are being handed out.

 "Are you deaf? Or has too much time at the circus dulled your duty? ANSWER ME Sao-Shao Mason!"

 "I was just thinking to the future, of the Glory the Confederation is seeding," I responded with a bit too much whimsical joy in my voice. It worked, it threw him off his verbal assault.

 "Maybe you should be reassigned to be a gardener where you can daydream and you are only responsible for your own skin," he stammered out. His name wasn't important enough to remember. He had been permanently station on Sian, a desk officer.

 "I have been a gardener for the Chancellor, I have attended him personally, watered his plants and fed his pets: never once during those duties was my thoughts away from his protection. This briefing was one I could have been sent a holovid of, it did not require my full attention."

      He went rigid, into full attention as my words reminded him of where I was assigned. I had earned my rank through blood and combat, I wasn't a fresh grad student of the academy. My Zhong-Shao sent me to the briefing as punishment for insulting his 6th wife in front of her. I was a bit intoxicated, the words I said were said to me by him when she was not around, so the punishment was more out of her benefit then mine. Speaking of wives, I should check on mine now that this briefing is over. I'll be surprised if she lets me spend the night. After our second child was born, she has felt that her obligation to the state is complete and that the love I feel for her doesn't matter. I'm not angry at her, or disappointed, I understand. I spent more time on campaign, then at home. If it wasn't for the test showing that our children were mine, I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't. But she knows the punishment for birthing other children when married to a Hussar. My thoughts were on this as I left the room.

    The briefing packet was pretty standard, a review of all the information, save on an encrypted data pad. I unlocked it to review it further after getting back to the barracks. But this time there was something different, this time there was a file tab with my name on it. It was rare to receive personal orders this way. It had happened once before, that mission failed. Which is why I hesitated to open the file tab. Once opened, those would be my standing orders. Once open I would have to obey or die for the glory of the Confederation. I finger the touchscreen of the pad and open the tab. The person who wrote the orders had personalized it for me: the first line read, "I know you hesitated to view these orders, but know that your last assignment was not a failure: which is why you are still alive." All this for the glory of the Confederation...maybe I'll make in as a footnote on some military text about how that last mission was a success. It never felt that way.


May 30, 3051
Purvo Nadir Point
Capellan Confederation

     There are some good things about zero G, there are some things that I can never get over. Jumping between systems still bothers me, but the zero G after the jump helps calm me while we prepare to pull away from the jumpship and head towards the planet in the system. This assignment was my first as a Sang-Wei(Captain). It was odd. Officially I was being assigned as a liaison officer to help ensure training of CCAF units on the Davion border. But there was a second order there too: verify the loyalty of units along the Davion border. Identify the units with sympathies to the rogue state of St. Ives.


 (To be Continued)