The Supreme Coordinator of the Xenonite Forces rose from his seat, slamming his green fist on the table, scattering unstapled reports in all directions. “Someone take responsibility for this!” He snatched up a page at random, waving it in the air for emphasis.

  The head of software stood up. “Sir, the testing department should have better tested the product. They did not test the x-craft's ability to land in such a remote location. They are a disgrace to our work, and need to be restructured.”

  Testing stood. “Sir, it is our job to test software and ensure that it meets specifications. The specifications said nothing about landing an x-craft on such a steep slope! The landing gear was poorly designed. It should have adapted to the situation and stabilized the ship.”

  Engineering stood. “Sir, this is preposterous! Had the drivers of the craft been watching the ground while they landed, they would have immediately realized that they were not on a stable surface. Instead, they assumed the land was of uniform elevation, and dropped down the craft without even checking the readings. I move that we apply a more rigorous training program to all pilots, which you will note, we have been suggesting for years. The current pilot training course is clearly inept and should be done away with.”

  The head of said course rose in anger. “We train our pilots to the letter of the Instruction Manual for Xenonite Ciri. In the 'Landing: Unassisted' section, there is a clear warning about landing in swamps. This is followed by the warnings about landing in water, in lava, in a black hole, etcetera, but nowhere is there a single restriction on landing on an uneven surface. Had this been noted in the Manual, our pilots would not have assumed that the craft could handle such a minor incline as—”

  “It was practically a cliff!” shot an engineer. “Who lands an x-craft on a cliff?”

  A Personnel officer rose. “Supreme Commander Sir, there are two of our human Ciri down there, in urgent need of direction. They abandoned the craft, and have already picked up a subject for interrogation. We must take action immediately. If the men are—”

  The Supreme Coordinator cut him off. “The problem with bureaucracy is that everyone knows what needs to be done, and no one wants to do it!” The room fell silent.

  After a lengthy pause, Reconnaissance spoke. “Sir, what about Bimi? He’s on his respite, but he’s the only qualified human Ciri we have in our system at the moment. Personnel is correct; our Ciri cannot be left stranded on Earth. A human would be best for the mission. Unless we resort to sending out a non-native, he is our only reasonable hope. It seems the reason we got in this mess to begin with is because the Ciri we sent were not familiar with the region. Of course, we would need another ship…” The Xenonite looked over at Aviation uneasily.

  A spokesperson for Aviation stood. “Sir, we are taxed to the extreme. Our operation in M-13 has claimed the few Class Xa ships we normally have on reserve. Our Ciri are far abroad and it will be weeks before an x-craft is due back.”

  “Doesn’t Bimi have a private ship? Perhaps we could pay him for the use of his craft for the Service?”

  The Supreme Coordinator frowned. “How on Xenon did a human Ciri get a private craft in better condition than those of our own fleets? We must get those men back here before they are discovered. The success of our work across the entire galaxy hinges on the single requirement: that our Ciri are not discovered! Is that not the Number One rule in the Manual?”

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  Mission Planning sighed. He hated arguing with the boss. “Sir, as important as the lives of these two Ciri are, we cannot spare any more ships when there are far more pressing needs. Bimi does own an older model x-craft, and his familiarity with it will be a boon. If he does not take his own ship, we will have one less ship with which to monitor the Vorians... and they are far more dangerous than the humans.”

  “So be it,” said the Supreme Coordinator. “Resources, contact Bimi right away. Explain the situation. Offer him any reasonable amount.”

  “May the stranded Ciri continue their original mission while they await rescue? It is imperative that we determine whether the reports are true.”

  The Supreme Coordinator replied: “Yes, they should begin interrogation on their subject immediately and report back. But you must remind them that every precaution must be taken to avoid detection, and particularly, capture. Information gathering comes second to evasion. If they discover anything unusual, report to me at once.”

  “Thank you, we will let them know.”

  “Now, is that the end of our pressing business?” asked the Supreme Coordinator. “Wasn't it Aesthetics that called this conference? A week ago? They couldn't have known that we'd have an emergency today.”

  Aesthetics stood up. “Yes Sir, there is a matter we would like to discuss. It's about the Continental Xa.”

  “That ridiculous proposal to reshape the entire continent of Xado?” The Supreme Coordinator laughed. “What nonsense!” He frowned. “You are joking, no?”

  The Xenonite fidgeted. “Sir, you signed it into law yourself. See, here’s your signature. You even commented, ‘looks great guys.’ We feel this is a very important feature of our planet, and it will promote happiness and joy throughout the System.”

  “That was a bill? I thought it was a joke.” The Supreme Coordinator sighed. “This is a waste of our resources. Can you not see there are far more important things to work on... you are wasting my time calling meetings to discuss matters of such insignificance.”

  A city planner stood up. “Sir, it will bring tourism, profit, and recognition to Xado. The voters demand it.”

  An engineer stood. “I must echo the Supreme Coordinator's sentiments! We have humans stranded on an inhospitable planet in the other end of the galaxy! We have Ciri on M-13 struggling to resolve a planetary meltdown! The Vorians are doing who knows what out beyond the Zull-Hew Sector; there's no end to rumors of fleet rebuilding and planet hopping; we cannot afford this! Have you even considered the costs involved in terraforming an entire continent, just to make it... it... I don't even know what the point is, but it's an outrage!”

  “And consider what this means,” protested another. “Entire cities will be torn down and rebuilt. Millions of citizens will be resettled. Entire mountain chains will fall, while deep ocean trenches are filled in. Sir, it may be centuries, even eons, before this is complete!”

  The city planner countered, “Two hundred years–that is no time at all. Every detail is laid out in the plan, every cost accounted for.”

  “I have seen the plan! Think of how many Ciri we could equip with the billions that would be spent on this pointless endeavor! If we do not stem the tide of our enemies, we may not have a planet to play around with.”

  A lawyer stood. “Yes, we would all love the resources to solve every problem in the galaxy, but we cannot ignore the voice of our own civilians. A law is a law. Sir, you signed this. The people demand it. If you do not allow Finances to appropriate the necessary resources, there are groups waiting to take this government to court. The costs of such a legal battle could well exceed the cost of the Continental Xa.”

  The Supreme Coordinator resigned himself to the inevitable. “Fine. Great. Whatever. But if we are going to do this, let’s do a good job. This Xa had better be perfect. Finances, you must make the funds available immediately. Engineering, you are to follow the budget and plan laid out by the design. Just don't bother me about it again until it's finished and you need the ribbon cut. Two hundred years, eh? Good luck. I'll have a scissors ready. This meeting is adjourned.”

  The conference ended in an outpouring of commotion as everyone stood at once, arguing over the pros and cons of changing the shape of an entire continent.

  “Continental Xa, indeed,” he mumbled in disgust, leaving the room to go back to his quarters.