John Ringo: Kildar

“Thanks,” Mike said, grinning as the intel NCO turned away. “Have fun.”

Mike walked to the harem next, opening the door to the area carefully. Anastasia had started classes and he didn’t want to interrupt if she was lecturing. However, it seemed most of the girls were working on something when he came in.

The girls were seated on cushions, using short desks. He saw that Katya was frowning as she wrote something. The girl had been picking up reading fairly fast but her writing ability still left a lot to be desired.

He waved to Anastasia and walked to the small room on the ground floor she’d set up as an office.

“Yes, Kildar?” the girl asked as she followed him into the room.

“Three things,” Mike said, grabbing a chair in front of the desk and letting her have the swivel chair behind it. “I want to get computers in here, for one. Knowledge of how to use a computer, if not programming, is pretty much a necessity in modern life.”

“I don’t know anything about computers, Kildar,” Anastasia said, frowning. “I don’t even know how to turn one on.”

“You’ll have to learn, too,” Mike pointed out. “When we get them, I’ll have Vanner set up a network. They can be used for learning, too. Maybe I’ll just get each of the girls a laptop and a wireless card. But that brings me to the second item; we need to get a tutor for the girls. I know you’re used to instruction, and you might be better for basic instruction. But I’d like some of these girls to get to at least advanced high-school level by the time they leave. Not just basic reading and math but history, science, what have you. I’d like you to look into that. Look around Tbilisi. Female, obviously, and open-minded just as obviously.”

“Very well, Kildar,” Anastasia said, her brow furrowing. “I can find someone; I have hired people for the hareem before.”

“Great,” Mike said, one more detail handled. Hopefully well. “Last item: the girls. I’ll have a session with Klavdiya tonight. I’d rather spend some time with each, rather than deal with them assembly line. Does that make sense to you?”

“Very much so,” Anastasia said, relieved. “I would suggest that you spend quite a bit of time with each of them for at least a week.”

“I don’t know how much time I’ll have, day to day,” Mike said. “But I’ll figure something out. Now, any problems you can’t deal with?”

“Katya is, yes, very much a bitch,” Anastasia said, frowning. “Also smart and manipulative. I would have her out of here as soon as possible; she poisons all around her.”

“I told her if she gave me any trouble, I wouldn’t bother selling her, I’d just put her down like a rabid dog,” Mike said. “Is it that level of trouble?”

“Not… quite that bad,” Anastasia said, hastily. “But she is poisoning the new girls. She is a problem, but I don’t think she should be killed .”

“Don’t put a huge value on her,” Mike said, shrugging. “Her problem is she’s underutilized. I don’t mean sexually; all the trainers think she’s the greatest thing since sliced bread. But she’s got one hell of a mind. A rabid one, admittedly, but she’s intelligent and fast-thinking. Unfortunately,” he sighed.

“She has virtually no education,” Anastasia said. “So you can’t put her in the intelligence and communications section.”

“Wouldn’t think about that, anyway,” Mike said. “She’d figure out a way to knife me in the back. Let me talk to her after we’re done.”

“I think we are,” Anastasia said, smiling faintly. “I guess I’ll be missing your company for a while?”

“I think I’ll be a little busy, yeah,” Mike said, grinning sheepishly. “I don’t hold you as monogamous, though. Feel free to trip up a trainer if you’re of a mind. I know you think I own you, but I don’t . You’re a free agent.”

“I think I’ll wait my turn,” Anastasia said, sighing. “The rest would be a come-down, I’m sure.”

“Can’t find out unless you check,” Mike pointed out. “I’ll go get Katya and have a little chat. Have Klavdiya meet me in my suite at dinner.”

“Damnit, Kat,” Mike said when the obviously apprehensive hooker was seated in his office, “do you want me to have to put you down?”

“I am trying not to be a problem, Kildar,” Katya said, sniffling and dropping her head.

“Oh, quit the act,” Mike said, sharply. “We both know it is one. I won’t ask you the last time you actually cried.”

“A long time ago,” Katya said. Her head came up and she gave him a poisonous look. “It doesn’t do you a bit of good.”

“Well, you’re screwing up my harem and I won’t have it,” Mike said. “But that’s the only place where there are classes you can attend…”

“I hate them,” Katya said, angrily. “All the other girls are so slow !”

Mike started to open his mouth, then closed it. He gave the situation some thought and then blew out, angrily.

“Okay, in addition to a dozen other duties I have, I’m making you my personal project,” Mike said. “That does not, by the way, mean that you’re going to be having sex with me. But I’ll undertake to instruct you. How far along are you in reading?”

“I can read well in Russian,” Katya said, carefully. “I don’t know all the words…”

“Ever heard of a dictionary?” Mike asked. “I’m not going to be nice about teaching you, by the way.”

“We don’t have a Russian dictionary,” Kat snapped back. “Or, yes, I’d look the words up.”

“I know we’ve got one around somewhere ,” Mike said, making a note on a pad. “But I’ll order a few. What about English?”

“Only speak little,” Kat said in broken English. “Not read well.”

“Next project,” Mike said, nodding. “You need to get English down . It’s the de facto international language. As of now, you’re my assistant. Did you understand that?”

“Yes,” Katya answered in English.

“I need a list of the girls who have not been broached,” Mike said. “I want to spend a week with each of them. Make up a list and a calendar. I’m going to run it by Anastasia before I go with it, though. If you figure out some way to make trouble doing that, and it’s obvious, I will beat the hell out of you. Understand?”

“Yes, Kildar,” Katya said, frowning.

“Here’s a Day-Timer,” Mike said, digging in his desk and finding one he’d picked up free with some office supply orders. “I want you to, in general, have the girls lined up in reverse order of age, that is the oldest ones first. None who are under sixteen. Did you get that?”

“Yes, Kildar,” Katya replied.

“Repeat it,” Mike said. “In English.”

“To make schedule,” Katya said, carefully. “Oldest girls to go first. One per week. Younger be sixteen.”

“The youngest to be sixteen,” Mike corrected. “Start with Klavdiya, though. And after lunch, meet me in the workout room. If you’re going to be my assistant, you’re going to be training with me all the way. Go work on the schedule for now. When you’re not working with me, go down to the intel section and talk English with Vanner in his free time. Got it?”

“Yes, Kildar,” Katya said.

“Take off,” Mike said, turning to his paperwork. “And don’t get in trouble.”

Mike ate a sandwich for lunch and then changed into workout gear and headed down to the weight room. When he got there, Katya was waiting.

“I have the schedule, Kildar,” Katya said, handing him the Day-Timer. “I have listed all the girls in reverse order of age, with Klavdiya first.”