
To All Navigation Support Staff
Date: 2629-01-02

I was browsing the staff internal message board last night, and found a most disturbing subforum. Frankly, I am aghast. Someone has be holding unauthorized competitions between the pilot automatons. I'm not sure what upsets me more: that this is happening, or that so many members of Nav Support seem to be involved

Please cease this behavior immediately. The automatons are not here for our amusement. They are extremely important, extremely sensitive, and extremely <em>expensive </em>pieces of equipment. Only staff members with Technician IV clearance and above are allowed to interact with them to begin with, let alone stuff them into the simulation bays and pit them against each other in high-speed, high-stakes races. I shouldn't need to tell you people this. It's common sense. It takes ten of those things just to keep Rodina on course and away from all the nasty things floating out in space. We can't afford to have any of them damaged or mishandled.

The Council says we have the duty of selecting the automaton pilot for the Vanguard ship, but I'm quite certain this wasn't the method they had in mind. They probably wanted us to, I don't know, run some diagnostics and pick the one with the highest score. Not pit machine against machine in a winner-take-all battle of speed and precision across a simulated asteroid field. I don't care how adrenaline pumping it is.

Many people have criticized my management style, and said that I am not firm enough with the staff. Discipline wise, I mean. I simply feel that when given a fair shake and a clear goal, each woman and man is able to excel without some manager meddling in their business. But people, please, this has to stop. If the upper-upper management catches wind of it, it simply wouldn't do.

Thank you ever so much. And remember, next Friday is floral print shirt day!

Your boss,
Erroll Greka
