Allison asks, "Why am I having so many problems, here at Desert Base 9?"

Jud sighs, "Desert Base 9 is a dumping ground for undesirables. Some of the undesirables are political outcasts and are competent and good workers. Some of the undesirables are incompetents and often trouble makers. A lady, who looks like you do, attracts the trouble makers."

Allison asks, "You don't consider yourself a troublemaker?"

Jud laughs, "I do my work. I interact with the software librarian people, pretty much daily, with no trouble. I have had one boy try to stop my work. I made formal complaint and my complaint was upheld, with no trouble. However, the boy did succeed in stopping my work."

Allison asks "You program computers and you work out. What else do you do?"

"I grew up in a very bad inner city environment. I had to fight, almost day by day, until the guys started to call me Death Hawk. The schools wanted me to be a poet. I wanted to get a decent job. After a couple of idiots conducted an unprovoked attack on me, the juvenile authorities made me take all kinds of tests. The tests showed that I was really good at math and computer programming. The tests also showed that I really have very little empathy. I then decided to leave the empathy stuff to others and concentrate on math and computer programming. I worked hard and earned a college scholarship. I continued to work hard and I graduated from college. I was then hired by the Aardvark Technical Corporation, as a Computer Programmer III. The job title was awarded only after I had completed a battery of company technical tests, with outstanding scores. I then planned to earn a nice house, a nice car, nice clothes and the kind of wife that both the boys and girls would wonder, 'How did a guy like Jud Hawk get a lady like that?'"

Allison then says, "Somehow, you wound up at Desert Base 9?"

"After college, I was hired by the Aardvark Technical Corporation, as a computer programmer. Then, after I had completed a battery of technical tests, with outstanding scores, I was a Computer Programmer III. The Aardvark Technical Corporation, had also hired, at about the same time, a woman named Tanya Cluver. Tanya was to work as a Computer Operator, at Desert Base 9. It was then decided that Tanya was to remain at the main plant and that I would work as a Computer Operator, at Desert Base 9, with a large reduction in my pay. I declined. The powers that be at the Aardvark Technical Corporation then decided to quote, 'beat some sense into you.' unquote. I defended myself. Fortunately, I had foreseen the possibility of trouble and I wore a bodyvideocam into the meeting. By the time that I was able to exit the Aardvark Technical plant, there were five dead. The trouble had attracted a Channel 13 mobile news crew and I got my bodyvideocam to them. The Aardvark Technical people and/or their lawyers then lied about my job title and a supposed agreement that I had signed, to exile me to Desert Base 9, for the term of five years. There were several court proceedings and several instances of perjured testimony by Aardvark Technical Corporation people. Due to the bodyvideocam recording, the criminal charges against me were dismissed, with prejudice. There are still a few civil actions pending. The Aardvark Technical Corporation has, thus far, been unable to produce any signed document, where I agree to be assigned to Desert Base 9, at a very low rate of pay."

Allison says, "If you agree, I'll request an official transfer of living quarters."]

Jud smiles and says, "I can't wait."

* * *

A woman comes out of a door, she says, "Allison Palmer, again."

The young woman stands and says, "Yes, Allison Palmer again."

The woman motions for the young woman to follow her.

The two go into an office. The woman sits behind a desk, Allison Palmer sits on a chair, in front of the desk.

The woman shuffles some papers and then says, "What is it this time, Ms. Palmer?"

Allison says, "I want to request a change of quarters."

The woman sighs and says, "Yes, Jud Hawk agreed to your change of quarters request. Do you realize what you are getting into here?"

"I thought that I was hired to work. The company apparently thought that I was hired to be a sex object. I am not a sex object, for the company and I am not going to be a sex object for the company."

The woman sighs and says, "Yes, that leaves us with Jud Hawk."

"There are several little boys who want to use me and then pass me around. Jud Hawk wants me, just for himself. Jud will deal with the little boys. That leaves me to deal with Jud Hawk. I have a plan for that."

The woman says, "While you deal with Jud Hawk, I have a senior NCO dealing with what you call the little boys. The senior NCO can be very persuasive. I ask again, do you realize what you are getting into here?"

Allison leans forward a bit, "Of course, personnel records are confidential. However, I have heard rumors that Jud is well up the pay scale, as a Programmer III. Jud wants a nice house, a nice car, nice clothes and the kind of wife that both the boys and girls would wonder, 'How did a guy like Jud Hawk get a lady like that?' As soon as we can get out of Desert Base 9, Jud can earn big money. As to the wife qualifications, I am working out, night by night, I have undergone a complete review of cosmetics, with a lady from a top of the line department store and I have, on order, a couple of nighties from the Nuclear Option line."

The woman sighs, "If I were a few years younger and a few pounds lighter, I would be tempted to try that sort of strategy, myself."

Allison says, "If you want to win, you have to play hard and smart."