Command and Control

By Hallett German

Command and Control covers the dramatic transformation of a scrawny, clueless business student desperate to complete his doctorate to a fearsome and hunted pirate. Will he complete his dissertation in time about a ship afloat and running without a captain? Along the way, there are discussions on leadership style and organization culture, memorable adventures on and off the ship, and a crew trying to hold their ground against rapidly changing circumstances. It is a one of a kind work bridging across multiples genres while never losing its footing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hallett German
• Release date: Mar 27, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310982828

Hallett German

Hallett German is a fiction and technical subject author on various aspects of IT. His works of fiction cross multiple genres including children, young adult, dysfunctional corporate mysteries/fantasies, historical fiction, and steampunk. His books offer a unique and original ride into other worlds and lives.

Book preview

Command and Control

Version .01r 4/2/2016

Copyright 2016 Hallett German

Written by Hallett German

Illustrated by Alessandra German

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Other Works by the Author:

Series Books:

Amazi Chronicles:

Story #1: How I Overcame My Inventor's Block

Book #1: Automatons for Peace

Book #2: Translators for Peace (Future)

Corporate Intent:

Story #1: Missing Profits?

Book #1: Missing Employees?

Book #2: Missing Owner?

Book #3: Missing Company?

Book #4: Missing Syndicate?

Olivia Plymouth, International Traveler and Fashion Consultant:

Story #1: Joyous Travel with the Wrong Suitcase

Book #1: Brazilian Quest

Book #2: Boston Wedding

Book #3: The Year Fashion Changed

Book #4: Encounter at Tokaido Road

Non-Series Books:

Command and Control

Combustible Networks

Ghosts vs. Robots!

In Small Doses 1 (A Collection of Short Stories)

In Small Doses 2 (A Collection of Short Stories)

In Small Doses 3 (A Collection of Short Stories)

Killing Thoreau

Missed Landing

Saving Eddie

Simply Business/IT (Best of Short Stories Collection)

Transitions

Why I Document (Short Stories)

Musings (Non-Fiction Collection)

More details at http://hallettgermanfiction.ml and https://sites.google.com/site/hallettgermanfiction

Cover Art Credit: Thanks to fine folks at Pixabay for supporting royalty-free images.

For excellent web sites, graphics, and book covers, please consider using my illustrator:

http://www.alessandragerman.com

Chapter 0: Introduction

In your digital hands is the result of an accidental and a most unexpected journey. Part of the story is documented in http://hallettgermanfiction.ml/how-writing-with-patience-yields-rich-fruit-and-an-accidental-book/. This has been a real adventure to write straight out of the gate. It started out as a simple short story for the second edition of Simply Business/IT. I was hoping to complete it in a few weeks. Yet, time dragged on and I kept struggling to finish on time. Moreover, this little project was putting a serious crimp in that book's release. In a fateful moment, I decided to split this effort into two different projects. As a result, I transitioned my mindset for this work from being a long short story to a full book. During the original timeframe, the story was written with three different approaches. The first iteration involved writing from John Perso's perspective. The next round was having Josiah Roe as narrator. This last and happily final version alternates between the viewpoints of three characters.

Command and Control will likely cause confusion on what the purpose really is. It is not a veiled attempt to provide a work of business management/leadership philosophy wrapped up in an adventure story. Nor is it suggested for the student of this text to take up following some ism such as piratism or any illegal activity. Instead, the intention is to be nothing more than provide some harmless, amusing light reading. And to do only that. Some other hungry writer may have expanded this into a series filled with prequels, covering the sordid tales of other pirate ships, and providing countless combinations of content. However, the wise author knows to quit when ahead. One perilous voyage on the Revival with these salty dogs is more than sufficient for this author.

[The original opening: Command and Control designates a top-down, leader-follower management approach. However, in corporate circles it has become a dismissive term for micro managers. Still, there is more at stake here. Centralized vs decentralized, having managers vs self-management, reactive vs proactive. This story looks humorously at some of these themes.]

Chapter 1: Foreword by Dr. Karl Tamasi

Dear Reader:

I was asked to review this cursed tome by the scurrilous knaves that present yourself as your narrators. I swear by old Captain One Tonsil's Tompkins grave, a most heinous injustice has been brought on the stellar graduates with the dubious collection of words that follows.

First, we are led to believe that the dear band of bandits presented herein are knowledgeable and capable enough to run one of our beloved ships undertaking illicit commerce. It also casts aspersions as to the worthiness of our courses and certifications. We at the Pirate Leadership Institute want to set the record straight.

Our three-hundred year institution has been offering basic and advanced education opportunities to captains, and captain candidates. We boast thousands of alumni having more than successful careers in the business. Our non-profit agency also offers an online library as well as sponsoring an annual beauty pageant. Please investigate further at our website once it comes back up.

Dr. Karl Tamasi, 15th

Dean of the Pirate Leadership Institute,

Somewhere in Florida, USA.

[After receiving this letter, Dr. Karl Tamasi and the Pirate Leadership Institute mysteriously disappeared.]

Chapter 2: Thrown Hard to