the Battle of Starlight had threatened to destroy the Navy’s moral completely. And military personnel gave up most of their rights when they enlisted. But Glen would never be comfortable with spying on his own crew ...
“People grumble,” he said flatly. God knew he’d grumbled, bitched and moaned himself in the past, when he had been a junior officer. “I do not wish to use such grumbles used as evidence of a deadly plot. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, sir,” Cynthia said, tightly. “However, it is my duty ...”
“To do as you are told by the commanding officer of this ship,” Glen snapped. Whatever else could be said about their wide-ranging authority, Intelligence Officers were never part of the chain of command. The youngest ensign on the ship would take command before Cynthia, if a freak accident killed everyone higher up the chain. “The XO has assigned you a cabin. I suggest that you remain there until we are finally ready to depart.”
He watched her go, unable to help noticing that her trousers were tight too, then rubbed his forehead. The mission was going to be hard enough – he’d known that as soon as he realised that his brothers were involved – but someone like her would only make matters worse. She could easily shatter crew morale if she were caught spying on them.
Shaking his head, Glen returned to his terminal. There was just too much work to do.
Chapter Five
“I wonder,” Sandy asked herself, “which sadistic bastard designed the dress uniforms?”
The standard naval uniform was light, woven from smart material that protected its wearer in all environments and, if necessary, could even serve as an emergency spacesuit. But the dress uniform was tight, uncomfortable, and decorated with too much gold braid to be taken completely seriously, at least for an experienced spacer. Maybe it had been a civilian who’d designed it, she decided as she set her cap and glanced at herself in the mirror. It had clearly been someone without any real experience in space.
She stepped out of her cabin and walked down to the shuttlebay, where the remainder of the senior crew were gathering. Sandy would have preferred not to provide a full welcoming party for Governor Wu and her staff – it was embarrassing enough that she hadn't been able to provide one for her new CO – but protocol was protocol. A Governor was not only a civilian appointee; Governor Wu also held the rank of commander-in-chief of all military assets within the Fairfax Cluster. She might not be expected to take direct command, but she could issue suggestions that had to be heeded.
As long as she doesn't start issuing orders to the Colonial Militia , Sandy thought, grimly. The Militia was unlikely to be impressed by a civilian appointee, particularly not one who had no military experience of her own. And she has no real authority over them, at least not in their own minds .
The thought made her face twist into a frown, which she banished moments later. Her reputation for blunt speaking would not make her any allies among the Governor’s staff ... if, of course, they weren't already concerned about her homeworld. Fairfax was a hotbed of anti-Federation sentiment, an understandable response to being largely abandoned during the war. Sandy could understand, even approve of, the need for human unity, but it wouldn't work if larger human powers tried to bully smaller powers. The smaller ones would grow to resent it, eventually sparking a civil war.
“Captain,” she said, as Captain Knight entered the shuttlebay. He managed to look good in his dress uniform, no small achievement. “The shuttle is approaching now.”
Captain Knight nodded. He might have used connections to get up the promotions ladder, but she hadn't caught him making a major mistake over the week since he had taken command. Of course, he had been an XO and
“People grumble,” he said flatly. God knew he’d grumbled, bitched and moaned himself in the past, when he had been a junior officer. “I do not wish to use such grumbles used as evidence of a deadly plot. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, sir,” Cynthia said, tightly. “However, it is my duty ...”
“To do as you are told by the commanding officer of this ship,” Glen snapped. Whatever else could be said about their wide-ranging authority, Intelligence Officers were never part of the chain of command. The youngest ensign on the ship would take command before Cynthia, if a freak accident killed everyone higher up the chain. “The XO has assigned you a cabin. I suggest that you remain there until we are finally ready to depart.”
He watched her go, unable to help noticing that her trousers were tight too, then rubbed his forehead. The mission was going to be hard enough – he’d known that as soon as he realised that his brothers were involved – but someone like her would only make matters worse. She could easily shatter crew morale if she were caught spying on them.
Shaking his head, Glen returned to his terminal. There was just too much work to do.
Chapter Five
“I wonder,” Sandy asked herself, “which sadistic bastard designed the dress uniforms?”
The standard naval uniform was light, woven from smart material that protected its wearer in all environments and, if necessary, could even serve as an emergency spacesuit. But the dress uniform was tight, uncomfortable, and decorated with too much gold braid to be taken completely seriously, at least for an experienced spacer. Maybe it had been a civilian who’d designed it, she decided as she set her cap and glanced at herself in the mirror. It had clearly been someone without any real experience in space.
She stepped out of her cabin and walked down to the shuttlebay, where the remainder of the senior crew were gathering. Sandy would have preferred not to provide a full welcoming party for Governor Wu and her staff – it was embarrassing enough that she hadn't been able to provide one for her new CO – but protocol was protocol. A Governor was not only a civilian appointee; Governor Wu also held the rank of commander-in-chief of all military assets within the Fairfax Cluster. She might not be expected to take direct command, but she could issue suggestions that had to be heeded.
As long as she doesn't start issuing orders to the Colonial Militia , Sandy thought, grimly. The Militia was unlikely to be impressed by a civilian appointee, particularly not one who had no military experience of her own. And she has no real authority over them, at least not in their own minds .
The thought made her face twist into a frown, which she banished moments later. Her reputation for blunt speaking would not make her any allies among the Governor’s staff ... if, of course, they weren't already concerned about her homeworld. Fairfax was a hotbed of anti-Federation sentiment, an understandable response to being largely abandoned during the war. Sandy could understand, even approve of, the need for human unity, but it wouldn't work if larger human powers tried to bully smaller powers. The smaller ones would grow to resent it, eventually sparking a civil war.
“Captain,” she said, as Captain Knight entered the shuttlebay. He managed to look good in his dress uniform, no small achievement. “The shuttle is approaching now.”
Captain Knight nodded. He might have used connections to get up the promotions ladder, but she hadn't caught him making a major mistake over the week since he had taken command. Of course, he had been an XO and
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