Banning Station - The Grønstedt Principles

1.

Justus M'Bati was hurrying through the corridors of the headquarters. He hated to wait, and so he hated to let other people wait. He did not wheeze, but it would have fitted well with his stocky body. He was a small man with to less hair. Always moving, he reminded people rather of a plodding professor. Though he had that interesting outward appearance, nobody dared to look after or even make jokes, while he wiggled along the hallways. He hastily tipped his access code into the panel at the backdoor of his office.

"Welcome General Staff Officer M'Bati", said the computer voice. M'Bati impatiently waited for the door to swing open. However fast the computers at the headquarters were – When M'Bati was fast, he was faster.

M'Bati was a well-trained Officer and Diplomat. Therefore, he did not outwardly react when he saw that Commodore Grønstedt was waiting in his office. With a mental headshake he made a note that he had to talk to his new adjutant. It was not acceptable that anybody waiting was left alone in his office. But at the moment, that was of second-rate importance.

He took some time to scrutinize her. Katira Grønstedt wasn't a very tall person. Approximately 1.7 meters. Her face had too much the shape of a square to be called pretty. Her hair – something with the color and the texture of straw – was tied together in a ponytail. There was something rough about her, but without the violent part.

"Hello Miss Grønsted, have a seat", he finally welcomed her. She had not shown any reaction to his scrutinizing, but this informal greeting seemed to puzzle her a little.

"Hello, Mr. M'Bati, Sir", she answered putting herself into a stiff position on the antique chair. Her voice was calm, but her movements where not naturally enough to disguise her nervousness. Obviously, she got something very wrong.

"How did you get the idea that I want to discipline you?" asked he.

"Conversely, there is no reason to honor me combined with the fact I have been waiting in this room for about 30 minutes." Her voice was still calm while her eyes where working hard on not showing what harsh voice she had liked to use. This answer, M'Bati thought, was what was meant by the note 'cruelly direct' in her file. But he considered it was a good trait.

"Calm down, you are not here because I want to discipline you. But to be honest, neither to honor you." He watched her face for any reactions, but she had totally regained control. There was a slight amount of awareness probably. M'Bati took a deep breath. He had to do what he had to do; long talks would not make his decision any better for her.

"Well, Commodore Grønstedt, I don't think you will consider that good news. I will transfer you to Banning Station."

Katira Grønstedt felt how the boxer hit her stomach. Those were the news, no soldier ever wanted to hear. Unless he was dreaming his most valiant or naïve dreams ever. Dreams no soldier should ever have. Being ordered to Banning was an honor – and some kind of a death sentence.

"What does you lead to the Idea that that is a good use of me?" she asked sounding very professional while her thoughts where on a rollercoaster ride. There must have been something more since he was telling her in person.

M'Bati took a deep breath and started to explain.

"Admiral Garnisch came back from Banning earlier this week. She is alive, but we don't know yet whether she will wake up from her coma ever again. Anyways, with all the injury, I think she will never return to her duties in the navy again."

There was silence between them for a moment. Katira was not sure what this piece of information had to do with her. She recognized that Melissa Garnisch was in a better state then some of her predecessors. But that was definitely not calming her in any way.

"In my position, I do have certain privileges. You all know that I can discharge any officer without a reason. It was a weird idea by the people who made our constitution. But I can also promote any officer at my own will."

It did not take Katira more than a second, to understand what M'Bati told her with that. It took her more than a minute to corporate her words into a sentence.

"You want to give me Banning" she said finally. It was almost too much for her.

"I am ranked Commodore, but my work onboard the Utopia is rather such of a Captain. I can easily give you names of more than ten persons who are more qualified for that position than I am."

Of course, she was good at what she was doing, but a good Mayor is not a good President.

M'Bati waited until she the information settled a little.

"It's not as erroneous as you might think. You have the reputation of somebody who thinks outside the box bot not making silly decisions. You have your very own perspective on everything.

On Banning Station, there has been a status quo for many years now, and it is not a good one for us. I constantly need to send really good people there, of which I see to less ever again. I need somebody there who cares about more than how he survives his period there, someone who really wants to make changes. There must be a better solution than a bottomless hole that must be filled with my best officers.

Your work onboard the Utopia is way more than the one of an ordinary Captain. Your Ship is quiet much like a space base. You once managed an impossible Project before. When you became part of the Utopia project, you did not complain and said it was a stupid idea to try such a thing like everybody else. Instead, you tried."

"With all due respect, the Utopia is like the opposite of Banning Station."

"The political motivations for those, they are. But first of all, Banning is a Space Base. A Base in need of changes."

Katira did not want to notify him that she did not spend much time with the reports from Banning recently. Banning was a myth, a place of danger and death nobody wanted to know much about.

"What did you imply when you were talking about promotions?" Katira bite into her tongue. That changed the subject of their conversation, but even for her it sounded bold. Luckily, M'Bati seemed not to mind it.

"The Commanding Officer of banning Station is usually a post for a Vice Admiral. But there have been several Rear Admirals in this position. During my time as General Staff Officer there were Eric Brahms and Mira Dubrovnik. And after five years of successfully commanding the Utopia, you deserve a promotion."

Katira did not agree with him, but it was not for her to make that decision.