Journal 1/31/13

Charlie's partner, Eli, really isn't wild about podders in general, and I don't think she much likes Cia specifically either. Given what must be in Cia's file, I guess I can see how she wouldn't be endorsing the idea entirely enthusiastically.

Maybe some of it's frustration with the job. I guess they've got some poor bastard who was beaten to death by a mob because of a rumor he was somehow involved with the Sanshas. The invasions have everyone on edge.

Cami and Cia even had a fight about it, apparently. The invasions, I mean. I talked to Cami, and tried to explain that trying to be positive when you're worried isn't the same as lying. I think she understood, though with Camille the lesson she takes away is often not the one you were trying to teach.

Journal 1/27/13

Had that talk with Charlie. I think it help - hope it helped.

I guess I'll see. I don't know if it's really something he has any control over.

Journal 1/24/13

Some crazy shit going on with the Sanshas. Heard they cracked the DED station in Yulai in half like an egg.

Journal 1/23/13

Visited Cia. She wants to go home - to Debreth - for when the babies are born. I think it's a pretty good idea, if it's okay medically.

I don't think I've seen her as sure about much of anything as she is about being a mom.

Oh, and I need to have a word with Charlie.

Journal 1/17/13

Cia had some trouble. We were having dinner, and- I don't know. The doctor says she needs bed rest. Strict bed rest. Silver and I are going to take it in shifts. I'm going to head back over there when I get off duty, he's over there now.

The doctor didn't seem too worried. I'm sure everything will be fine.

Journal 1/16/13

Cia gave Silver a present. She even worked on it herself. On the com he sounded like a little kid who'd just found a big bag of candy. Except, you know. Very serious about it.

Journal 1/12/13

I met Tani, Hiri's sister, today at the Rens Bazaar. She seemed excited to be off-planet for the first time. Reminded me of Camille in a way, with the enthusiasm. I'm afraid she sort of became a little more withdrawn when she found out I was - technically - a podder.

I guess I'm used to people who interact with podders more frequently. Still, Tani will have time to get used to the idea. She's probably going to have to wait for all the people involved to get put away before she can go back home.

Anyway, she got Saer a 'thank you' present. That'll probably be a new one for Saer.


Journal 1/11/13b

I talked to Saer. I think she'll be a bit more careful about how she deals with Tani, and Hiri for that matter. I think she might have already realized.

She knows that there aren't that many second chances.


Journal 1/11/13

Saer said, Someone roughed Hiri up a bit, while we were looking for her sister.

I went to visit Hiri, and it turns out 'roughed up a bit' translates into 'got the crap kicked out of her'. I'd bet on cracked ribs, at least.

They brought her sister back with them, too. I guess the situation on the planet needs time to settle down some.

Hiri said Saer has been advising her sister. I don't imagine that the kind of advice Saer has would be the kind that a teenager needs, so much - in fact I suspect that it had something to do with Tani ending up in the situation in the first place. I'll talk to Saer about it.

Journal 1/9/13

Saer commed me to let me know she was taking a couple of days. Going to go and help a friend. To help Hiri.

I feel a little bad, like I should have warned Hiri or something, when they became friends. I mean, they're both - well. Saer isn't exactly a friend. Or maybe she is. She something, anyway. More than a colleague, and I owe her. She really does seem to be trying, too.

Plus, it's not like there's much of it I really could tell Hiri.

Anyway, I'm sure whatever this trouble is - something about Hiri's sister and some man - it will get worked out, and worked out efficiently.

Journal 1/5/13

Silver going to start giving Cami lessons in the Sim again. I think it'll be good for both of them. Even if Silver did say something about 'Safety drills until she's forty.'

Journal 1/4/13

I went shopping for spare parts at the Bazaar today. Ran into Camille. She was there shopping, helping out Cia. Camille seems to be taking this responsibility thing pretty seriously. I told her I'd talk to Silver for her, about maybe resuming lessons on the Sim sometime soon.

Cami invited me over, and I'm not one to pass up some dinner. I guess you don't really realize it, being there the whole time, but Cia's getting really pretty far along. Cami and I helped out with dinner, and it turned out good, of course. Cia just seems to have that touch.


Journal 1/1/13

Seems like the year passed awfully quick. They say that they feel like that, as you get older. Maybe that's all it is.

I feel like I'm coming out of the last year better than I went into it. I guess that's all you can really hope for. I'm looking forward to this year, though. The year where I'll be an aunt, ancestors willing.

Journal 12/31/12

Visited Cia. It was nice, being in Debreth again. Well, it's almost always nice in Debreth, that's the kind of place it is. Cia seemed, I dunno, happier or more relaxed, maybe.

The food at Alain's is even better, when it's so cold out, too.

Journal 12/30/12

Cia's taking a break, visiting Debreth. I think it's good, she could use the time off and the office can run without her for a couple days. Silver and I going to go down and visit, tomorrow maybe.

Journal 12/28/12

I wrapped things up on the Ideal and headed back to Gulf today. Mostly just paperwork stuff, and a few disciplinary matters. One crew member drunk on duty, couple cases of petty theft, and one case of assault on duty. That last is pretty serious, and none of it is a lot of fun to deal with, of course.

It's important to maintain discipline, though. Particularly on a ship like the Ideal where months of inactivity can be interrupted by a few hours where everyone has to do their job perfectly or put the whole ship in danger.

Sometimes I do feel like the town magistrate in one of those Frontiers holos.

Journal 12/27/12

I checked on the garden, on the Ideal. It's the first time in a while. It seems to have been doing alright without me. It was good to get my own hands dirty though, taking care of it. Saer - Col. Teirild - has been looking in on it for me, from time to time, while I've been busy.

She still has that little animal, the brpbrp, Lucky. I think having him is helping her image with the crew. She can come off a bit cold, and I know there were some rumors. Not like she can really discuss her past a lot, and her getting the position, so suddenly, when noone had heard of her, it was bound to make conspiracy theories pop up. Anyway, I'm glad she's dealing with it.

Journal 12/26/12

The manufacturing I've started helping with seems to be going well. It's the first time I've felt at all like a podder, implants or no. It isn't just the piloting, it's the rest of it that really makes podders. The big resources and huge factories.

Journal 12/25/12

I went over for dinner at Cia's. The food was good.

She's still working on that thing for Hiri. The story.

It's hard for her. Spirits, I have some idea how hard it can be. She's doing it though. Getting it down the way it was, instead of the way- She'd getting it put down the right way.