Case #48: Video

[19centconstable]

[It's formal announcement time! George stands in his cabin with his helmet tucked under one arm. The brass buttons on his uniform are particularly shiny.]

It's my duty to inform you all that Detective Hoffman is no longer my inmate.

[George lets that hang vaguely in the air for a moment, before continuing:]

Because Detective Hoffman has graduated! Please do heartily congratulate him. He has earned it.

Comments

Private

[19centconstable]

Ragnarok?

Private

[umgekehrt]

My last ship of assignment. JFS Ragnarok.

Re: Private

[19centconstable]

Ah, I see. It must have been quite a large ship.

Re: Private

[umgekehrt]

Large but under-crewed. Less than two hundred souls, and she a cruiser-killer.

Re: Private

[19centconstable]

She was alive?!? But why did she kill them?

Re: Private

[umgekehrt]

[...]

Aren't ships called 'she' even in Earth parlance? It's not like Commander Rhade's universe. She's just a vessel--a very large one, quite dangerous, Cruiser-Killer class ships aren't a joke-- and her crew is fine when last I saw them.

Re: Private

[19centconstable]

Oh. I had mistaken the cruisers for people who were taking a cruise.

Private

[umgekehrt]

Ah, no. She both cruises and kills. More the former than the latter the last few years-- diplomatic assignments, then a bit of... well, that's a longer story.

Private

[19centconstable]

Do people ever find it difficult to enjoy the cruising knowing that the same ship has been used to kill?

Private

[umgekehrt]

We're all Fleet doing the cruising. It's menacing cruising. Designed to remind other people that Fleet's about.

So we're used to it.

Re: Private

[19centconstable]

Ah, like walking a beat.

Re: Private

[umgekehrt]

Basically. It'd been a while since we saw action. I missed the fun when the Captain used main cannon to express her dissatisfaction with Fleet investigative procedure. But only automated defense plats were harmed.

Re: Private

[19centconstable]

I...didn't understand much of that, but I believe I know what you mean.

Private

[umgekehrt]

Part of that long story. Possibly I'll tell you sometime.

Re: Private

[19centconstable]

I look forward to it. I do enjoy a good story.