(Lyka has been newly promoted to captain and with it comes some adjustments to her life in line with her new responsibilities. We hear about her officers helping as she still has lots of learning to do in the school she still attends.) 

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Russ: hi Lyka.

Lyka: hey.

Russ: how’s it going darling?

Lyka: (sighs) tired.

Russ: I can imagine, long trip?

Lyka: no, just up since about midnight. Actually not much longer than that, didn't even get to sleep last night.

Russ: bummer.

Lyka: uh-huh, spent most of the time that I planned to be asleep on guard duty and making sure my personnel were doing what they were supposed to be doing.

Russ: well if it’s not nightly it’s not too bad.

Lyka: no, we just had an exercise. Okay, any questions?

Russ: Skip, I think you’re probably more up on questions for Lyka than I am?

Lyka: anybody want to be knocked off their feet?

Shane: yeah the cat. 

Skip: my mind ain’t working right tonight at all.

Russ: well anyway Lyka, I guess congratulations are in order.

Lyka: oh thank you……

Russ: you’re welcome.

Lyka: mums the word, it’s quiet at the moment.

Russ: ahh okay.

Skip: I understand you had quite an exercise the other night?
 
Lyka: hmm last night yes, last night and this morning. They didn’t tell us it was an exercise.

Skip: that’s what I heard.

Lyka: uh-huh. Got dragged down there screaming and shouting in full combat gear, posted my guards and just made sure everything was already prepared and planned and strategized for the worst.

Skip: you’ve changed quite a bit young lady.

Lyka: I’m tired quite a bit.

Skip: no I mean you’ve changed since the first time I met you.

Lyka: how?

Skip: oh more conservative now than you used to be.

Lyka: not such of a party animal?

Skip: well, party animal I wouldn’t even say that but…..

Lyka: oh I am and I was.

Skip: responsibility has calmed you down quite a bit.

Lyka: uh-huh, yes it has and it’s not just the responsibility, it’s all the book learning I have to do.

Skip: well the learning comes with time…..

Lyka: uh-huh.

Skip: responsibility kind of jumps up and bites you.

Lyka: it doesn’t bite, it is takes big chunks out of you.

(Skip chuckles)

Lyka: my life is not my own.

Skip: no.

Lyka: I can’t go out and get absolutely blitzed and hammered and wake up in the morning and come in with a hangover because if I make a bad mistake as a captain, it’s not only me that has to live with the outcome, it’s the 90 individuals under my command.

Skip: yeah and it all runs downhill don’t it?

Lyka: uh-huh.

Skip: uh-huh and you seem them to be in the middle of the hill now….

Lyka: yep.

Skip: instead of at the bottom (he laughs).

Lyka: well as a second lieutenant and as a cadet lieutenant I did not have the headaches and the worries that I have now. And the fact that I’m going to college as well to….

Skip: well there's a cure for that.

Lyka: what is it?

Skip: it’s called delegate responsibilities.

Lyka: I delegate a lot but I can’t delegate what I learn, I have to learn that.

Skip: this is true.

Lyka: uh-huh.

Skip: it takes a lot of that pressure off you if you’re delegating responsibilities.

Lyka: that’s why I have an adjutant and two lieutenants under me.

Skip: there you go.

Lyka: they’re the ones that do my dirty work whilst I do my book learning and I do my reports and I read the reports that they write for me and I sign them or I initial them to say that I initialed instead of signing but I still enjoy things.

Skip: I’m sure you do.

Lyka: I still get the opportunity to go down to the piest (Sirian?) and get out my sword and practice. 

Skip: uh-huh.

Lyka: I’m not the best but hell.

Skip: what do you mean you’re not the best?

Lyka: I get killed from time to time with my sword.

Skip: so do you learn from it?

Lyka: uh-huh.

Skip: okay.

Lyka: but there is somebody better than me which means that I’m not the best.

Skip: they got more concentration than you do.

Lyka: they got more experience than I do. Don’t forget, I’m only 21, they’ve got several hundred more years experience than I do and they’ve got the past lives to draw on and I can’t seem to access those at the moment. I know I have them but, beats me.

Skip: anyhow….

Lyka: okay I’ll put on the next person, I’m tired as well.

Skip: yeah go ahead darling, get yourself some rest.

Lyka: uh-huh.

Russ: sleep tight love.