Container garden on front steps: kale harvestable but bitter due to the heat, new generation of lettuce coming in fine. Onions will be ready soon, to my surprise. The rest of it makes do on its own. Have put in an irrigation system as I am growing forgetful of the water rotations. Almost a relief not to have an entire vegetable garden to weed and oversee. How did I ever have the time and energy? I would even forget to feed the cats if they did not remind me.
Frank continues to crunch numbers and create formulas to further understand the quipu, querying Erszebet about her object and then examining the “witch’s mop” as we call the artifact from the attic chest. Tristan agrees this is a priority. He has determined to save time by traveling directly between 1601 to 1640 if possible, now that we have “Known Compliant Witches” (inevitably “KCWs”) in both of those DTAPs, but it seems foolish to do this without calculating the risks, and Erszebet—although willing to do it—has warned that she can only calculate so fast. In the meanwhile, he has decided to travel from 1601 London to 1640 Cambridge but then return here—so far, without success. The maple syrup boiler remains. At least the yard is no longer getting dug up once a day.
The other item of note is the addition to our team of a new man. Frink, the fellow with the lapels and the desk in Washington, has sent us his protégé because, he tells us, based on Tristan’s progress reports, we need to “boost our morale,” “take the bull by the horns,” and generally make ourselves more of an historical nuisance than Erszebet feels is a good idea. His name is Lester Holgate (“Call me Les”), and by a strange coincidence—is it a coincidence?—he is the nephew of one Roger Blevins, who was the chair of Melisande’s department at Harvard.
Rather than attempt to describe Les and his effect on the team, I attach a “hard copy” of a PowerPoint presentation that he accidentally emailed to me.
SLIDE 1: —CLASSIFIED—
INTERIM SITREP
OPERATION “BOLSTER GAINS”
From: LESTER (“LES”) HOLGATE
(currently embedded DODO Site Prime—Cambridge, MA)
To: FRINK—EYES ONLY
SLIDE 2: DODO PROGRESS TO DATE
? Key personnel recruited and papered
? Prof. Blevins
? Lieutenant Colonel Lyons
? Dr. Stokes
? Auxiliary personnel
? Dr. Oda
? Rebecca East-Oda
? The Asset
? “Elizabeth Karpathy” (real name, DOB unknown—FOREIGN NATIONAL)
? The Asset’s personal computational device, “Smallogep” (spelling?)
? Functioning ODEC
? Magic
? Diachronic Transport confirmed—multiple insertions/recoveries of 2 DOers (Stokes and Lyons) to 2 DTAPs (Cambridge, MA, 1640; London 1601)
SLIDE 3: CHALLENGES/ISSUES
? General Schneider confirmed KIA—possible fratricide incident?
? Failure to achieve cash flow positivity on sustainable timetable
? Bay Psalter gambit stalled
? Requirement for multiple, redundant re-execution of same DEDE in different so-called “Strands” entails massive duplication of effort and prolonged delays
? Unanticipated requirement to go farther back in time to complete secondary DEDE suggests possible recursive “forking” of tasks/spends
? No end in sight
? Unauthorized involvement of irregular/unpapered personnel
? ? Unprofessional conduct between Stokes and Lyons ?
? Insubordinate/undisciplined witch—murders colleagues, not on board with mission objectives, declines to disclose functionality of Smallogep
? Ad hoc/improvised mission plan
? Lyons: excessive personal investment in current roster & game plan—not enough professional detachment
SLIDE 4: GOALS OF OPERATION “BOLSTER GAINS”
? Overriding goal: secure the future of DODO by aggressively monetizing its unique skill set without further delay
? Strategy: stir the pot/incentivize current roster (the Lyons-led “Blue Team”) via insertion of competitive “Red Team”
? Provisional “Red Team” leader: Lester (“Les”) Holgate
? Insert Red Team Leader @ DODO Site Prime ← ACHIEVED
? Observe/evaluate/report on performance dynamics of existing “Blue Team” ← ACHIEVED
? Challenge Blue Team to raise expectations/boost performance ← ACHIEVED
? Spearhead innovative operational modalities
? Possibly submit Asset’s Smallogep to DC labs for analysis
? Take executive action with prejudice to get current DEDE back on track
? Cauterize Blue Team, replace with new personnel if indicated
SLIDE 5: LESTER (“LES”) HOLGATE
BACKGROUND/QUALIFICATIONS
? Education
? North Pointe Preparatory Academy, Marblehead, MA
? Captain, chess team
? Valedictorian
? Letter (6”) in lacrosse
? Dartmouth College
? Magna cum laude
? Psychology/political science
? Vice President, Gamma Theta Rho chapter
? Intramural lacrosse
? Harvard MBA
? Woolsack McNair Dobermann
? As management consultant for America’s preeminent business consultancy firm, exceeded expectations assisting various public and private sector clients in optimizing operations and maximizing ROI
? Defense Intelligence Agency (classified)
? Worked with multiple stakeholders in the black ops ecosystem to obliterate institutional roadblocks and maximize ordnance on target in complex operational environments characterized by ambiguous/ad hoc chains of command
SLIDE 6: OPERATION “BOLSTER GAINS”
ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE (1 OF 5), INSERTION OF RED TEAM LEADER TO DODO SITE PRIME, CAMBRIDGE, MA
Transportation from Washington, DC, area proceeded nominally via civilian transport modalities. Exploitation of a remote credentials override on site security system enabled Red Team Leader to achieve ingress to facility without incident at 6:04 a.m. Tactical objective was to arrive, set up temporary work base, and “hit the ground running” prior to the arrival on site of existing (“Blue Team”) personnel, setting an example and jarring them out of complacent work habits.
SLIDE 7: OPERATION “BOLSTER GAINS”
ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE (2 OF 5), INCIDENT REPORT
Upon breaching secure perimeter and achieving site ingress at 6:04, Red Team Leader was confronted by Blue Team Leader (Lyons), who contrary to expectations was already on site and awake, having pushed all furniture to the walls, stripped to his underwear, and was performing drills with a long, one-handed sword [sic], later identified from Internet research as a “backsword.” Blue Team Leader was perspiring heavily, indicating a high degree of physical activity, and executing a combination of thrusting movements with sweeping cuts at various angles. Upon becoming aware that Red Team Leader had ingressed the facility, and not knowing in advance of his insertion, Lyons placed the tip of his weapon in close proximity to Red Team Leader’s chest. Upon visual inspection the tip was observed to be sharp, in contravention of common-sense safety procedures. Lyons advanced, obliging Red Team Leader to retreat until cornered behind a potted plant (deceased). Having thereby gained tactical advantage Lyons interrogated Red Team Leader as to his authorization, making a cellphone call with his free hand, until satisfied that Red Team Leader was duly authorized. The standoff then terminated without further incident (and without apology).
Action Item: Review and upgrade weapons safety procedures. Institute mandatory training webinars for all DODO personnel authorized to handle weapons.
SLIDE 8: OPERATION “BOLSTER GAINS”
ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE (3 of 5), “BROKEN WINDOWS”
POLICY PLACED IN EFFECT