“Oh, you are bringing a drone body?” Casey called out as she stuck her head around the door jamb from her closet. There was a woman standing there. Casey shrieked. The woman shrieked, which startled Casey again. She promptly closed her mouth.

  “I am not really sorry, because that was so worth it.” The woman said in Peggy’s voice.

  “Peggy? You have some explaining to do!” Casey demanded.

  “We have been watching you since your early days. We have understood your biology well enough to create passable facsimiles for most of that time."

  “So are you in a human body now?” Casey took a moment to take in what she saw. Peggy was very tall. Over six feet in the flat soles of the black ship suit that she wore. Her bone structure was muddled enough to make labeling her with some kind of ethnicity impossible even with the long blonde ponytail she had her hair up in. Ironically, everything about her appearance seemed carefully curated to command complete attention.

  “No. This is alloy and synthetic materials, just like the last body you saw me in.”

  “That would make a more logical explanation for the apparent lack of gravity.” Casey interrupted. “The old meme ‘God really does have favorites.’ comes to mind.”

  “While we do have the technology to create real organic ‘clone’ type bodies, that is a major time investment.” Peggy ignored the remark. “As if we want them to develop properly then we can't grow them any faster than you can.”

  “And your people have done this?”

  “Have we done this? No, Casey. We still do. At any given time there have been and still are a handful of volunteers living among you incognito for the last several thousand years. They have really advanced our understanding of your cultures.”

  “I’m going to need some time to unpack that.”

  “You will have plenty later. We have an appointment to get to.” Peggy pulled her by the arm towards the main compartment.

  “You’re wearing that?” Casey vaguely indicated the black shipsuit.

  “I have a nice cloak and a tiara to go with it, but yes.” Peggy answered with a smirk. “Is it producing the desired effect?”

  “‘I don’t know. I don’t consider myself bi, but I think if you stepped on me I wouldn’t be terribly put out over it.”

  “A wise human once said ‘Psychological warfare starts at the door.’ I think that disruption will help to advance my goals.” They continued through the hallway and airlock into the cargo hold, where Peggy opened a concealed locker where hung an assortment of clothing items. She took out a small ornate hoop that had a length of fabric hanging from it.

  She put it over her head and it just kinda settled and hovered around her shoulders. The matching tiara hovered off of her forehead.

  “I’ve taken the liberty of engaging the services of a limousine company for the ride. They are arriving now.” The two walked down the ramp and the chauffeur held the door for them as two security men looked around sternly. Once they were inside the car the security followed them, with one sitting up front with the driver.

  “Thank you for working with us on this, Officer Martin.” Peggy’s tone was light, as if she was suddenly distracted.

  “This is certainly an unusual set of circumstances.” replied the man from the protective services. “Most visits of this nature involve a lot more preparation and logistics.”

  “Well, this issue is rather time sensitive for your country, so we needed to move fast.” Casey informed him. He nodded, but for the rest of the ride kept up distracted small talk at best while scanning the areas around the outside of the car.

  “Welcome to Rideau Hall.” He said as he climbed out of the car and scanned around. The two were led inside and to the state rooms. There was a collection of people there waiting. After everyone had made themselves comfortable one of the men spoke up.

  “The Governor General regrets she was unable to attend this meeting, as she is currently overseas. We have been granted dispensation to meet with you in her place, as it seems to us that we were the ones you wanted to speak to anyway.” He made introductions around. He was the Chief of the Defense staff, and with him was the Chief of Naval Staff and a number of support staff.

  “We have come today with an opportunity, but those kinds of coins always have a flipped side.” Peggy began. “We are requesting the services of a Canadian submariner, specifically a Petty Officer First Class, to join myself and Ensign Trainor here in our pilot program. They will remain in the Canadian Navy for the time being, but like Ensign Trainor here will have certain expectations and obligations, which Ensign Trainor can explain to you.”

  They all looked at Casey expectantly.

  “First, I am likewise in the US Navy for now, but when our people in orbit manage to get all the i’s dotted and t’s crossed then I and the others likewise assigned will be expected to convert over to this new global Navy they are working on. Secondly, while Princess Arpeggio is my trainer and advisor, my boss is a Commander at the Pentagon. Nothing I learn or observe is classified and I can report to whoever my leadership requires.”

  “Third, the learning curve is steep and the working conditions potentially hazardous. We will need someone assigned who can keep up with an environment that can be incredibly challenging.” Casey continued. “Finally and most personally consequentially, this Petty Officer needs to be open to the requirement of technological augmentation in progressive stages, up to and including brain modification to allow for computer interface.”

  “Hive Harseese would appreciate it if this Petty officer was asked if they would join up rather than being ordered. While he or she will be free to return to Canadian soil as often as operating conditions allow, it would be best to consider this an extended deployment.” Peggy added.

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  “Brain modification?” One of the staffers asked.

  “The necessary hardware is built in place by blood cell sized machines so surgery is not required.” Peggy supplied. “Most available augmentations will be optional, but the core processing module allows for real time language translations and will be quite important to not only your multinational integration efforts but also speaking to the Galaxy at large at some future date.”

  “And you have these modifications?” The Chief of Naval Staff asked Casey.

  “There is some build time required for the infrastructure, so I only have the first few stages completed.” Informed Casey.

  “Why submariners? Another staffer asked. “Our submarine crews aren’t very large, so we don’t have many to pick from.”

  “There aren’t many windows on Squiddie ships, and often there isn’t anything to see out of them anyway.” Casey snarked.

  “We will talk about your proposal this afternoon, and perhaps have a name for you shortly.” Informed the Chief of the Navy. “How do we contact you?”

  “Administrator Tempo aboard the new space station can pass messages. Your government should already have contact info for them.” Prompted Peggy. “Our next stop will be London.”

  “Before you fly out there though, we would appreciate the chance to do a search for your candidate.” said the Chief of Defensive staff quickly.

  “We were planning on spending the night at the airport since we have some checklists we have to get through. We can call you at lunchtime tomorrow before we depart to see how you are doing.” Peggy conceded.

  “Splendid.”

  The ride back to the airport was quiet. Casey wanted to talk about the meeting with Peggy, but the driver and security guards were still with them. Once they got back onto the ship though she nearly exploded.

  “London? You are really twisting the screws.”

  “Canada is seventeen out of twenty for top Naval forces, so they got a seat at the table for organizing the new Navy, but with only two operational submarines they didn't make the cut for the pilot program and never would, full stop.” Peggy defended. “If they don’t see the gift we just gave them then I will go to the UK, who is number twelve in the world by the way, with a skip in my step.”

  “I suppose you do have a point.”

  “Not to worry though, they won’t let this pass them by.” Peggy opened the closet in the cargo hold and stowed her accessories before opening another compartment next to it which held an elaborate padded storage rack for her body. The closet lights went out as the door closed and Peggy continued from the overhead speakers.

  “We have to look busy for the evening.”

  “Checklists then?”

  “Sure.”

  The rest of the night was uneventful, but Peggy had news the next morning at breakfast.

  “We’re going to Halifax. They came back with a candidate.”

  “Sweet. How does his record look?” Casey inquired.

  “Good scores, a few deployments. Currently instructing at one of their schools.”

  “And his personal life? I know you looked.” Casey teased.

  “I did. Married but separated, there doesn’t seem to be any animosity. Spends time with his daughter. Seems unproblematic.”

  “Are we ready to go talk to the man?”

  “Already talking to Departures.”

  Casey went back to her quarters to change into another Navy uniform as Peggy flew them to Nova Scotia. Rather than land at the airport though, Peggy took them to the naval base and hovered over an unoccupied pier. Peggy dressed casually for the visit, which Casey noted meant that she wore supermodel fashion and heels that brought her synthetic body to a whopping 6’7” height.

  “Have you always been just an absolute gremlin?” Casey asked from a good number of inches closer to the ground.

  “Yes, but I am number one because while I may be the whole problem I get RESULTS.” Peggy adjusted her sunglasses and strutted down the pier. It was only a few minutes before the MPs came to pick them up and take them to an administrative building to wait. They were ushered into the base commander's office after a predictable time left waiting.

  “I am told by the powers that be that you are taking one of my best instructors.” He accused them after the expected formalities.

  “Respectfully sir, we are not kidnapping the man.” Casey countered. “We are interviewing him, and if he agrees to join the program then we will need orders cut for him.”

  “I've already got the orders. He will report to the deputy chief of naval staff for now, but they tell me they expect to assign him to a more logical office once they figure out how all this is supposed to work.”

  “That makes sense, sir. I was co-opted by the office of Naval Intelligence when I accepted the position.”

  The admiral’s phone rang and he answered it.

  “Yes, thank you.” he hung up. “Your Petty Officer is waiting in the conference room. Go knock yourselves out.” He waved them out as Casey stood to salute, and the assistant in the outer office ushered them to the correct room. An NCO stood and saluted as they entered, but looked confused by Peggy who draped herself artfully over a chair. Casey sat with the proper military bearing and waved him into a seat.

  “Petty Officer First Class Bruce Rock Lee.” Peggy said with a smirk. Casey just raised an eyebrow.

  “A name that has caused me a lot of problems that I still blame my parents for.” He stated flatly.

  “Understandable. I presume someone told you why you are here.”

  “Yes Ma’am.”

  “What are your thoughts on the matter?” Casey prompted.

  “I’ve seen way too many movies for me to be comfortable with a blanket yes answer.”

  “I had pretty much the same reaction, PO.” Casey chuckled.

  “So we are not charging headlong into certain doom?” Lee confirmed.

  “No doom here.” Peggy said from the other side of the table.

  “I’m sorry, we were not introduced.”

  Peggy made a rapid series of clicks. “Also known as Arpeggio, also known as Peggy. Princess type. One Each.” she joked.

  “Peggy would be our trainer, liaison, and advisor while we are learning how space works.” Informed Casey.

  “And I’ll still get to see my wife and my daughter?”

  “Fairly frequently, although it may be more convenient for them to visit at the space station due to dealing with air traffic control and airport security.”

  “Then I’m in.”

  “Then we’ll stop by your quarters to get your bags on the way. Your orders were already cut.”