Systems engineer salary

Positive update, I managed to get sponsored role, and soon I will be able to give notice to the existing company. For anyone else in the same boat and looking for a change, the following is what worked for me:

• Using rezi.ai and cv examples (basically using good cv practices) to tweak my CV
• Spamming my CV on LinkedIn Easy Apply, I did over 500 applications using easy apply (avg 15-20 per day), and around 30-40 applications going through the application form/cover letter etc
• ChatGPT for the cover letter (some easily apply links ask for this)
• LeetCode and System design interview practice
• Most importantly, keeping notes on the interviews I got and then practising the questions I could have done better. This really helped in future interviews.

Another thing I did was undervalue my current TC that I am getting. I wouldn't recommend this, but I did this as I wasn't confident about getting a new position. I got lucky and managed to get a small TC bump despite this.
 
The whole process took around 2 months from my first application Result: 9 Shortlisted (8 from easy apply and 1 from doing the full application process) - 4 Rejections - 2 Offers - 1 Withdrawn - 2 In progress (as a backup if the current offer falls through, most likely will withdraw from them)
 
I wanted to thankEngineerOnCoffee and halfercode for their advice on the previous posts, and special thanks to EngineerOnCoffee for supporting me in the DMs. It was good to know that they went through a similar process.
 
Hope this helps others, feel free to DM me if you need any help, and I will try my best with whatever info I have. Currently, I am going through the visa switch process.
   
Previous parts:
2nd Post: https://www.reddit.com/cscareerquestionsuk/comments/12cg704/umbrella_company_for_visa_sponsorship/
First post: https://old.reddit.com/cscareerquestionsuk/comments/11xnu0j/most_likely_getting_redundancydismissal_where_to/

I’ve been digitally painting with an iPad Pro for a while. I paint on large canvas sizes for printing my art onto giclee papers. Usually 4800x6000 @300 dpi. That translates into 16”x20” natively and allows me to print much larger. I bought a 22” XP-Pen monitor in hopes of switching to Photoshop or Krita for 2D painting, but my current PC setup makes painting on very high resolution in any program pretty much impossible with the amount of brush lag I get. My current system is old. i5 6500, 32gb ram, and GTX 1080. I know I most likely have a bottle neck from my weak cpu, as well as performance issues from it. I’ve just ordered parts for a Ryzen 9 7900x, 32GB DDR5 system while repurposing my M.2 SSDs, and GTX 1080. I plan on saving up and buying a 5090 when it launches (or AMD equivalent if it’s the best of that gen), as this is also my gaming rig, but I can’t find a lot of info on how much of Photoshops brush engine is actually GPU reliant. I just find it incredibly odd that there is zero brush lag on large canvas sizes on my 2020 iPad Pro using Procreate, but in Photoshop on my older system with a 1080, which is still more powerful than the iPad, it’s unusable.
So my questions for anyone that might know is:
How much of an improvement will a 4090/5090 have when painting in 2D on a large canvas?
And how much GPU does PS’s brush engine actually use?
There just isn’t a lot of info out there for this as most benchmarks are geared towards Game FPS and 3D/video rendering.

Currently a product specialist making a small salary. No raise this year and no real prospect for promotion. There is an opening for a tech support engineer role in my company that I'd like to apply for but not sure if that would help or hurt my overall goal of being a product manager.
Tia

There is no chance we could have prepared for this, the Winged Empire has found something AGAIN we hadn't planned for, and now as we are slowly picked off all I want to do is punch my commander in the face.
This entire debacle started about two months ago now. I was leading the spearhead into the enemy lines, and for months before we had been pushing them back easily.We thought within another year we would have humanity off that planet. It might take a century to crush the Winged Empire and another to destroy the remnants, but we would win.
That was till I retrieved the report that ended it all. Our flack and anti-air teams had been strong for months, even with how mobile the enemy's aircraft was, but our adaptation of their anti-air systems made them easier to kill. Then our anti-air teams suddenly came across a target they found impossible to kill.
The aircraft moved without reason, no pilot could ever control it, it moved more like a bird than a plane, its wings moved independently, each metallic surface bending like flesh. Yet it clearly wasn't, it flew over our gun emplacement at Mach speeds dropping bombs and firing missiles, yet from the reports something was wrong. I refused to believe it till I saw it but I couldn't go to our anti-air lines as I was needed in the front.
Although my lead of the campaign quickly came to an end, our anti-airlines had been thoroughly dismantled and our resupply was stopped by this one aircraft that had quickly been joined by many of its kind.
It was on our final push attempting to gain new fronts in the enemy lines when I first saw the beast.
The first thing to happen was the enemy lines fell quiet as we charged into their trenches only to find they were empty. Along the trench walls, falls guns were set up and every gun had a crude system set up where a weight filled with water would slowly pull on the trigger till it fired.
As we walked through the trenches trying to find any intel we could send back to base.
It's then we heard the beast for the first time. I came running out of the trench to the sound of something crashing in the center of no-man's land, only to see a ghostly white creature standing there. I wasn't instantly proven my men were not wrong, it was colossal about twice the size of a normal human aircraft but supported itself on several small spindly feet. Four were on the end of what I assume were its wings while another two were at the end of its tail on long thin legs.
The creature looked at us with curiosity. I couldn't see its eyes as it was clearly an aircraft originally I assumed they were behind the windshield while two colossal engines came out of its body ahead of its tail legs.
Slowly I clambered up onto the top of the trench and walked towards it holding out my hand trying to calm the creature. My men instantly started to call it the blood ghost, I had no idea why they called it that the only part that made sense was the ghost part as the entire creature was white except the tip of the engines and the frame of the windshield.
As I drew closer the creature opened its mouth, I suddenly understood why my men had called it the blood ghost. As it shifted its wings opened showing blood-red threads of skin and the inside of its mouth was entirely red.
“Do not treat me like a mindless beast foe of my masters. Why do you fight, warriors of the false empire.” I recoiled in fear and surprise as the beast spoke in perfect Terran standard.
“Y-you can talk?” For a moment the beast seemed to think about whether it should speak or not. “Answer my question alien, your answer will determine if you live or die.”
I stood for a moment thinking of an answer and only came up with one. “I fight because those are my orders, if I do not my family and I will be punished.”
The beast reared up on its hind legs. “Such a pathetic reason, you hold no ideals of your own, you only fight for your own desire, I always question my master's orders but I see the dragon empress was right. So as the monarch of the Aerodargon, I will put the mindless animals down.”
I froze up as the beast lunged at me biting down on my arm, it lifted me up into the air as with many smaller arms I hadn't seen before reached into the equivalent of a bomb bay in its stomach and removed several missiles.
It finally bit down on my arm fully and tossed me away like a ragdoll into the trenches as it began to toss the missiles at my men like javelins, as along its nose on the left side a section of its skin peeled back with a metallic clink before the sound of a rotary cannon spinning up was heard and bullets began to fly from it.
Several of my men instantly started to fire back, our plasma rounds bouncing off its skin or simply sizzling away.
As my soldiers quickly fell they started to run from the fighting, a few of them grabbed me as I bled out and dragged me into the tree line to escape.
As we vanished into the trees, the beast relaxed and watched us as we left, as if it was stalking its prey. “I've hunted prey much deadlier than you on Earth, and an Aerodargon never forgets its prey.”
We hoped the beast was bluffing, no animal could hunt its prey as far as we ran, as I and my men healed our wounds we found a disturbing truth, many of my men who were struck by bullets found that the bullets we pulled out were actually teeth, about 20 cm long and 5 wide they were colossal but nowhere near as large as the ones in its jaw.
As we stayed hidden in the woods we knew our assault had collapsed as we watched our starships fall from the sky. So we devised a plan, there was a logistics point within a nearby city that we should be able to call a rescue ship. But we had to split into small groups to avoid that beast and military patrols.
Slowly we made our way to the city, over the weeks-long march we lost many men, by the time we had started with 80 men, and by the time we got to the supply point, there were only 30 of us remaining.
We did our best to get in contact with our forces, as one by one we were picked off by snippers, but every time we tried to get through our communication either were blocked or just couldn't find their target as our fleet slowly was pushed further back, our failure on this world had created a domino of failures.
We had no options further except to surrender or fight our way out, and neither was possible with our orders, but the beast's question to my surprise sat in the back of my mind.
With no way out we decided to take the honorable exit, one by one my men took their own lives disintegrating their bodies with their plasma pistols till I was the last one left.
I stood for a moment between the piles of ashes, looking up into the buildings I could see maybe a hundred glints of snipper scopes.
But as I was ready to take my own life I heard it again, the engines of that beast getting louder before it shot over me, a white and red streak shot through the air circling the courtyard I was standing in before it came to land on a skyscraper its many claws digging into the steel frame causing tonnes of rubble to fall to the streets below.
Again I found myself enthralled as I watched the beast change from the rigid perfectly shaped form of an ancient Terran aircraft to the beast, hundreds of blood-red tendrils stretched between the wings that formed its arms and the main body.
In a display of power, the beast clambered up the tower till it was at its peak and just looked at me. It didn't smile, laugh, grin or anything, it didn't attack or move, it just sat clinging to the tower breathing as it looked at me.
In anger I brought my pistol up to the beast ready to fire on it but before I could several sniper shots all at once pierced my head.
—------------------------------------------------------
As the body fell to the ground the Aerodargon jumped from the building landing on the street below tossing up dust. Its white body emerged from the dust cloud as one of the snipers came out from the buildings.
For the moment the Areodargon stood in front of the body before leaning down and biting on his feet, tossing his body into the air and opening its jaw letting the body fall into its maw swallowing it whole.
Slowly the snipper walked up to the Aerodargon and ran their hand along its cold skin. “You ident take too long to think of eating that one Arolan. Something different?”
Arolan snapped his head around defensively bearing his teeth, caught off Garud by the snipper as he had been so indulged in eating the body. As soon as he realized who was there, he relaxed as he stood up on his legs to their full height.
“This man had no soul, he was nothing more than a robot taking orders so I treat him as such.”
“Hummm, we're lucky to have your kind on our side.”
“I am not loyal to your kind, Tailon. I am loyal to my makers, I am loyal to you only as long as you are loyal to humanity. Do not take my peace with you as loyalty, I would consume you just as readily.”
Tailon walked around in front of Arolan tossing her rifle over her back. “Yes, but I am loyal to humanity, I was born under the winged empire's wing, I would die before going back to the curse my parents saw under the first empire.”
Arolan looked down at her for a moment before chuckling. “You are the only one to speak to me so brashly Tailon, your strong soul is why I indulge you so willingly, now, let us return to the enterprise before we are left on this barren rock for the rest of the war.”
Hopping into the air the twin engines that were a part of Arolan’s body burst into life sending a warm gust of air across the land as he shot into the air leaving Tailon behind for her to walk over to a transport truck the other snippers were clambering into.

==> https://bazarcom.org/samovens 

Job Title	Company	Salary	Full Remote in...
Staff Accountant	Discourse	-	USA
QA Engineer	Dusseau and Company, LLC	$25 - $50 /hour	Worldwide

When I come to a red light or any stop for that matter it starts blowing warm air but when I start moving again it starts again. Sometimes it acts like the engine is about to shut off but never actually does it's been doing it for a year now. I charged the system already. Today when it did it the battery light came on

From the Dissociated Press:
WILLOW CREEK, KY - A recent incident following the disclosure of extraterrestrial life has captured the attention of social media nationwide, a Slibbernox tourist from the planet Zyrklaxa found themselves at the center of a violent inter-species altercation.
With the official first contact diplomatic preceding completed and formal relations opened with extraterrestrial species, naturally an influx of alien tourists and immigrants had been unleashed on the nation. Seemingly it had been only a matter of time before an incident of gun violence involving an outer-space visitor would happen.
The incident unfolded when the Slibbernox, Gthulgraxazilgarnalthroz, caused some traffic congestion while peacefully traveling down Evans Cutoff Rd. Preferring natural means of transportation, these interstellar visitors find our existing roads a perfect esplanade when enjoying the natural beauty of the Planet.
The Slibbernox, pejoratively referred to as "Slimebacks" by certain Americans, originate from the planet Zyrklaxa in the Vraxion system. While they resemble slugs at first glance, their immense size distinguishes them. Standing at an astonishing 8 feet tall, with elongated cylindrical bodies stretching over 12 feet in length, they prove too large to fit on sidewalks. Additionally, their bodies naturally secrete a sticky slime, leaving behind a gooey trail wherever they wander. To accommodate their transportation needs, courts have invoked existing draft animal laws, granting Slibbernox fair use of the roads.
Many motorists patiently waited behind the Slibbernox, however, one impatient local, apparently frustrated with the situation, decided to pass the slow-moving alien illegally, and while doing so engaged in the controversial practice of coal rolling. "Coal rolling" refers to a custom in which diesel trucks are equipped with modified engines and intentionally emit thick, black smoke by manipulating the vehicle's exhaust system. Coal rolling is sometimes used as a form of harassment or intimidation against cyclists, electric car drivers, or apparently slow-moving alien pedestrians.
With humanity freshly steeping in the newfound complexities of intergalactic culture, it's now apparent that expelling Nitrogen Oxides at another is, in fact, one of the most offensive Slibbernox gestures known in their culture, to the point of constituting legal assault on Zyrklaxa.
Witnesses reported that Gthulgraxazilgarnalthroz, rightfully outraged by the assault by any standard on Zyrklaxa, did not hesitate to confront the man. As it is now known, despite their ability for auditory speech, the Slibbernox posses apparent physic abilities. With unknown severity or extent, Gthulgraxazilgarnalthroz began to psychically castigate the already agitated motorist, who then, as he was driving away, frantically dove out of his moving pickup truck and began to writhe on the pavement. After a vividly agonizing 6 minutes, the telepathic beration had ended.
Video evidence captured the man regaining his composure, visibly disturbed by the psychic invasion. Upon standing up he immediately drew his openly-carried M&P40 pistol and fired several rounds at Gthulgraxazilgarnalthroz, causing slime chunks to explode off the alien's body and neon pink goo to slowly leak from the bullet holes. In Kentucky it is legal for anyone over 21 to open- or conceal- carry a legally owned firearm. Moments later, the alien began pulsating rapidly.
Too much dismay, the situation took an ill-fated turn, the man began to clutch and became flush red, then started aggressively screaming. One shockingly amused onlooker can be heard in the video, "Bro goin' Super Saiyan!" Then, disturbingly, the man is seen pointing his firearm at his own head and pulling the trigger. Onlookers compelling reactions to the macabre seen can be heard in multiple videos. One man, "Holy [expletive] [expletive] balls!" Another frantically repeating "He just [expletive] bodied himself!"
Reports indicate that Gthulgraxazilgarnalthroz surrendered to authorities but was not held on charges, and they intend to cooperate fully with the investigation. In an unadorned and blunt series of short social media uploads, Gthulgraxazilgarnalthroz uses an obnoxious but popular text-to-voice function to explain their side of the incident: "Enjoying Willow Creek, maybe buy some land." - "Arrogant and aggressive human male attack me. Just scratch so I am peaceful and restrained." - "I tell man he do a bad thing, I make him feel bad like me. Man couldn't handle confrontation with his own actions. I feel bad, why sad and angry man allowed devastating weapon?"
Authorities, grappling with the lack of laws governing psychic powers, deemed Gthulgraxazilgarnalthroz the victim in this incident and did not press charges. Many Americans are now left contemplating the profound implications of intergalactic encounters and the need for comprehensive legislation to address such complex situations.

Is anyone else curious about how Taiwanese can afford to buy an apartment in Taipei with the pathetic salaries on offer?
Are people’s mortgages generally very high i.e. 100% LTV or close to?
Do salaries go up a lot each year and start off low?
Looking at experienced Software Engineer salaries of 40-60K yuan p/m.
Just can’t fathom it! 😳

I am a recent engineering graduate with no internship experience. I expected to get a lower application acceptance rate, but I'm surprised to find only one interview so far, which is tomorrow. Is my resume not impressive? How can I improve my resume for entry level electrical engineering positions? Any and all help would be appreciated. (I also wouldn't mind some advice for my interview tomorrow, but the resume is obviously the important part here lol.)
​
https://preview.redd.it/6sc9uh8sl23b1.png?width=1700&format=png&auto=webp&s=45b9328f2af1df222295676e74c44abe77c1c194

Hi All,
I am an EE with 6 years professional experience as a RF/communications systems/hardware engineer, with an MS EE degree I got via an accelerated program. Tried aerospace and commercial, turns out I hate the general engineering churn in both areas. I always have enjoyed computer systems work, and have experience in some basic networking stuff professionally (no certs), and current have a role I can describe as PHY work for broadband tech, with some network design on top of it.
I found I am more interested in the minor bits of the IT side of my role over anything else, and I am a bit overwhelmed with what I should do to be serious about a career change. I have some training in basic CEHish and CCNPish type work, but didn't get funding/time for full training and certification - you know the typical "Oh good enough for me and this particular use." I have high proficiency and knowledge of Linux, Python and several other programming languages, moderate experience with SQL, and have used managed switches, routers, firewalls and aps for home networking. I have also done work with cloud applications in the past and adding them into some lab systems I worked in (AWS data pulling).
Does anyone have any advice on where I should start and what roles I realistically could look into with my experience? Thank you in advance!

Hi all. I would appreciate some outside perspective on my situation. I live in California, in a high cost of living area. I've been job hunting for the last few months, and have been fortunate enough to recently receive two job offers, both with the State.
Job #1 is with the Department of Social Services, and job #2 is with a local state college, and both are administrative positions. Job #1 has a mix of office and field days, which require me to use my personal vehicle, while Job #2 has a fixed office location on campus. Job #1 has a starting pay of $4500 per month in the first year, and since it has a step system, the pay would increase to $5000 per month in year two. It also has a union. Job #2 has a starting pay of $3500 per month, but there is no step system, so there is no guaranteed pay increase annually, though it also has a union which fights for one.
Both positions have comparably good medical, dental, and vision benefits, with Job #1 requiring a minor deduction from each employee paycheck (about $50 for the employee contribution), whereas job #2 has a stipend that covers all benefits (if the basic options are selected). Both jobs have a pension, both have a union, and both have a good degree of job security, though I would suspect job #1 with the Department of Social Services would be a bit more secure, since it is more directly connected to the State. I suspect job #1 would also make more opportunities for growth and movement available to me, whereas people working in job #2 say opportunies for growth are very limited.
Since I am looking for a long-term career, and since I hope to one day buy a home in my area, job #1 seems to be the better choice by a wide margin, due to its higher pay, step system and security, as well as the doors that this position would open. However, based on my research, job #1 is highly stressful, has a high turnover rate, and is a position many feel to be overworked and underpaid. While Job #2 pays significantly less, many say that it is an enjoyable position, with low-stress, and a comfortable work environment (though a common complaint is the low and stagnant pay). If the pay for both positions were equal, I would take job #2 in a heartbeat, however, since that is not the case, I just need to determine how much of a premium I am willing to place on having a low-stress and pleasant work environment.
What are others' thoughts on my situation? Is there anyone who has ever been in a similar situation? Is there any chance job #2 would be able to match the salary of job #1, if I were to show them my official offer paperwork (I suspect they wouldn't, since it's a union job, but they also mentioned that pay was based on skills, experience, and equity, so I was thinking I could frame my request by saying that another state body, which also uses those same criteria, determined I was eligible for 4500 per month starting). I know mental health and happiness are important, and I wouldn't want to wake up every morning for the next 30-40 years dreading work, but past a certain point, I don't want to have unreasonable-- or as some could say, childish-- expectations. I should also note that, as other factors for consideration, there is a handful of people who say they love job #1, and that job #2 would be at a school I once attended, so it has tremendous sentimental value to me. I am also aware that, with either job, home ownership in my area will be difficult, and likely not possible for a few years. I appreciate any advice or wisdom anyone can share!

++I regret to say, we have lost control of the system to these invaders.++
The words hung in the air of the command centre, literally stunning those present. It was almost impossible to imagine. The image of Quinn on the screen continued.
++I’m pulling back to the jump limit, to preserve whats left of my forces. The repair ships can rendezvous with us there, and contact temporary repairs to enable us to get to Ti’an for proper repair work.++
Himdo took some time to react, as the enormity of what the fleet-master was saying sank in. When he responded, he spoke with A tone that was equal parts surprise and indignation
“You’re abandoning the system?! We cant just let these humans have a sector capital! Its unprecedented!“
Due to the distances involved, their was a significant delay fore the fleet-master responded.
++The humans ALREADY have the sector capital, My lord. I am in no position to stop them. ++ Quinn countered. ++We need to fall back at Ti’an, wait for the Battle fleet to arrive from the Core, and then retake the system. Parbat is lost.++
Dar’cy reared onto his true-feet, bringing him to his full height
. “We may have lost the orbitals, but we still hold the surface. Unless they are willing to destroy their prize, they will have to dig us out!”
“They may well decided to do just that, Corps-lord” Dal’ton said. “Those ships have more than enough firepower to raze most of the planet if they chose to, but they lack the transports needed to occuy the system. Only the Palace is fortified enough to survive.”
Himdo shifted his weight slightly as he was reminded of the weakness of the planetary defences. The Central Command, ever-paranoid about rebellion in the Frontier (which was not without cause, considering Imperial history) did not allow much fortification of worlds in the frontier. Normally, only the governor’s palace was properly fortified against orbital attack. The rest of the world was at the mercy of whoever held the orbitals, and when the Imperial Navy was the only force around, it made sense.
“Incoming transmission form the Human fleet!” a comms tech shouted, and the terran admiral appeared on a screen, and began to talk again. The translation text indicated it was a repeat of their demands to release any human prisoners, or “suffer the consequences”.
Himdo turned and advanced towards the camera pickup
“You do understand what your facing, don’t you? The Great and Bountiful Empire is more than a thousand worlds! We will not be dictated too by some upstart species that doesn’t recognise how overmatched it is!“
The terran grunted, the translator labelling it as mirth.
++wiː ɑːr əˈbaʊt tuː teɪk kənˈtrəʊl ɒv jɔːr ˈɔːbɪtl speɪs ænd dɪˈmɒlɪʃ ˈɛvri ˈsteɪʃᵊn ɪn ˈɔːbɪt. duː juː ˈrɪəli wɒnt tuː luːs ɔːl ðæt ˈəʊvə jɔː praɪd? ++
“They ask if we are really willing to loose the orbital industry for our pride” Mer’es, the xenologist, dutifully translated
“Tell them we do not have any prisoners, they were taken further into our great realm.” Himdo lied.
The human nodded in agreement as he heard the message.
++ðæts tuː bæd. ɪn ðæt keɪs, pliːz pɑːs ɒn tuː huːˈɛvə dʌz hæv ðɛm ðeɪ kæn ɡɛt ðɪs ˈsɪstəm bæk wɛn ðeɪ ɡɪv ʌs ˈaʊə ˈpiːpl bæk.++
“They say they will hold this system until we return their people” Mer’es read out.
Himdo reared up in anger…then forced himself back down, and spoke with a tone of measured anger.
“Tell them anything they do here will be repaid a hundredfold onto their people”
The face of the human was hard as stone, his eyes as cold as the depths of interstellar space.
++juː ɑː ˈwɛlkəm tuː traɪ, bʌt ðæt wɪl nɒt hɛlp juː naʊ.++
“He says we can try, but it wont help us now” Mer’es said as the human admiral carried on
++ aɪ ˈɒfə juː ə ʧɔɪs. juː kæn səˈrɛndə, ænd ˈɔːdə jɔː fliːt tuː rɪˈmeɪn ɪn ˈsɪstəm æt ðɪs ləʊˈkeɪʃᵊn. ɪn rɪˈtɜːn, wiː wɪl lɛt juː ɪˈvækjueɪt jɔːr ˈɔːbɪtl ˈɪnfrəˌstrʌkʧə wɪˈðaʊt ˌɪntəˈfɪərəns, ænd liːv ɪt ɪnˈtækt. rɪˈzɪst, ænd wɪl klɪər ˈɔːbɪtl speɪs ænd ˈskaʊə ðə ˈplænɪt ++
“He offers is a choice, surrender and order the fleet to this location” A image of the system flashed up, a location not far form Parbat orbit highlighted, as Mer’es translated. “If we do, he will spare the orbital stations and even let us fully evacuate them. Or we resist, and he scours orbit clean and then starts on the planet.”
The terran spoke one final, short sentence, then cut the feed. Mer’es said “he says we have until he reaches orbit to choose”.
Dar’cy reared up onto his rear True-feet, and bared his fangs. “Choice? What nonsense is this? What makes him think we would agree to such terms?”
“Control of the orbitals” Dal’ton said sourly.
“You don’t think they are actually going to carry through with their dire threats, do you?” Dar’cy scoffed “They must understand the scale of the response it would provoke!”
“They just went face to face with the majority of the sector fleet and crippled it”. Dreams of Cogs, the gangly, simian Chief of Engineering interjected “Would glassing a major planet really provoke the Empire that much more?”
Dar’cy looked puzzled “Well...” he said, then composed himself. “Could they even damage the palace? I was told the planets rain-storms would cause plasma weapons to suffer excessive bloom and waste most of their energy in clouds.”
“That is half-truth, Corps-lord” Gor-sek, the small, hyperactive Vren who was the chief physicist for Dal’ton answered Iit would be inefficient, yes-yes, but perfectly possible for a point target. Also, their rail-guns will punch though that without issue. They would struggle to get though the damper field, but they could dig us out if they wish-desire it” He carefully did not mention what effect the Terrans could have on the rest of the planet and its inhabitants, as it was clear the Corps-Lord did not care what happened to the subject races who worked the systems industries.
Dar’cy’s ears flicked in annoyance, then the army commander stalked across the room, muttering to himself “Who does this human think he is, holding a knife to our throats and dicating terms? Who does that?”
Dar’cy then became aware of the gaze of more than 30 subject race techs in the room, all looking at him in amazement. “WHAT?" He snarled as they all jumped back to their work.
Gor-sek, however, skittered over “You act like that.” He explained. “The Empire jumped into Vren clan-space, destroyed any ship you encountered, and melt-fused to glass any clan that didt surrender fast enough for your liking”
Dar’cy looked up at Dreams of Cogs, who’d come up behind the rodent “We were still pre-stellar when you found us, but yes, this is EXACTLY how you guys act to everyone else”
“BUT WE’RE THE EMPIRE!” Dar’cy exploded in a rage so violent, the two subject-scientists literally ran in fear of their lives. “WE ARE THE GREATEST FORCE IN KNOWN SPACE! NONE CAN STAND AGIANST US!”
“ENOUGH!” Himdo, who’d been quiet until now, suddenly shouted, which brought the raging Dar’cy to his senses.
Himdo pointed to a comms tech “Order Quinn to move his fleet to the designated location, and send the mobile repair ships to meet him there.”
Dar’cy physically stumbled in shock, “your agreeing to his terms!?”
“Yes” Himdo said simply. the room fell silent, all eyes on the Noble.
​
“You said it yourself. Hes got a knife to our throat. If we are to have any chance of salvaging this…disaster” Himbo waved his armed expansively to encompass the events unfolding around them. “then we are going to need to Quinn and his fleet in as good a state as we can get it. If Quinn is here, the terran fleet will need to stay here as well, to keep watch on him. We have heavy elements of the Battle Fleet and over a dozen divisions of the Army en route to us, here. If we can keep the systems yards intact until they arrive, we might still be able to push them back.”
Himdo looked at Dal’ton “Your subordinates have the right of it, as well. These demons” for the first time, Himdo called them ‘demons’ without mockery “are acting like us. We need to stop thinking of them like just another subject race we can conquer with a few ships and some threats, and start thinking of them as our equals... at least temporarily.” Several of the staff in the room looked openly shocked. The Empire had not dealt with a near-peer opponent in over 300 cycles, not since Emperor Shaddam had broken the Tulak Hordes and secured the Core-ward borders of the Empire.
“if we can stall them here, we can regain the initiative. But for that to work, we will need to play their game, and set the board for my successor to capitalise on.” Himdo seemed to slump, and said in a quiet voice “Send the orders to Quinn”. The Lord High Commander then turned and walked out of the command centre
Dar’cy looked at the departing Lord High Commander with a mix of awe and condolence. He understood, as almost no one else in the room did, what Himdo had meant by “his successor”.
The Imperial Court did not choose the rulers of Imperial Domains by pulling names out of a bag. For Himdo to be granted such an honour was a sign he was destined high office in the Court, but that destiny was contingent on him delivering success.
Himdo had just admitted, to himself and his staff, that he fully expected to be recalled, tried and disgraced for his failures. If he was lucky, he might be allowed to keep title and current rank, but any shot he had at a nice Minsters position was gone. Himdo now know that Glory was beyond his grasp.
All that was left was the burdens Duty.
Duty, to a government that was going to crucify Himdo, to avoid looking too hard at its own decisions, the decisions that had sabotaged their chances before they ever met the humans.
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Duty, that must be carried out, even in defeat.
This is part 6 of my ongoing work, the First Rift war. Part one is Post-Mortem.