sometimes trespassed into her territory, yet she couldn't really hold it against him. She’d once had a commanding officer who seemed to believe that he could hide in his office and let her do everything.
And he had managed to convince the dockyard manager to send them more workers.
Dauntless was almost ready for deployment now, she knew. She would have preferred a full shakedown cruise, the standard circuit of the Sol System that had been traditional ever since the human race had learned how to open portals into hyperspace, but that wasn't an option, not when the Governor was clearly impatient to be off. They’d just have to hope that nothing went too badly wrong in hyperspace.
She fought to keep her face under control as Commander Cynthia Smith entered the shuttlebay. The Intelligence Officer might claim to be there to provide Intelligence’s view of the situation in the Fairfax Cluster, but Sandy suspected that her real reason for being assigned to Dauntless was keeping an eye on the crew. As a former officer in the Colonial Militia, Sandy was definitely one of her prime targets for surveillance. No doubt her cabin had already been bugged. Cynthia might have been told to remain in her cabin, but Sandy had tracked her slipping all over the ship during the last few days.
There was a dull rumble as the shuttlebay hatch opened, revealing the inky darkness of space, broken only by faint pinpricks of light from the stars. It was a long moment before the shuttle appeared, illuminated by the starship’s running lights, and drifted through the forcefield to land on the deck. Sandy felt an odd flash of Déjà Vu – just how many times had she greeted a senior officer on the shuttlebay deck? – which she pushed aside ruthlessly. This was no time to lose herself in idle rumination.
The shuttle’s hatch opened, revealing a pair of Senate Security officers. They advanced out of the tiny craft, weapons at the ready, then took up position on each side of the hatch. Sandy wasn't sure if she should laugh or be insulted; did the Governor believe that armed guards increased her statue or was she convinced that Dauntless wasn't safe? There was no recorded case of a naval officer assassinating a politician and hardly anyone else would be assigned to Dauntless . It wasn't as if they were carrying a small army of reporters as they went to war.
Of course , she thought, as Governor Wu stepped out of the shuttle, there are worse things than reporters .
Governor Wu seemed almost patrician . She was tall, with elegant cheekbones, long dark hair, soft brown eyes and dark brown skin. The Governor had been born on Terra Nova, according to her file; she’d had certain facial traits engineered into her body when she entered politics, trying to create the impression of a woman who could be trusted to make the right decisions. Sandy had to admit that the Governor knew how to make an entrance, even though it cost her a considerable amount of money. The suit she wore cost more than a Commander made in a year by itself.
Captain Knight stepped forward. “Welcome onboard, Madame Governor,” he said.
“Thank you,” the Governor replied. She didn't offer to shake his hand, even though Sandy’s quiet investigations had proven that Captain Knight had far better connections than the Governor. After all, the Liberal-Progressives had come alarmingly close to dropping her like a hot rock once already. “It is a pleasure to be here.”
Sandy would have bet good money that it wasn’t . Dauntless might be the newest heavy cruiser in the navy, but she wasn't actually designed for a pleasure cruise. Even Admirals, when they flew their flags on superdreadnaughts or fleet carriers, had to endure small cabins. But then, they were palatial by navy standards. If the Governor had been expecting a luxurious trip, she was going to be disappointed.
Captain
And he had managed to convince the dockyard manager to send them more workers.
Dauntless was almost ready for deployment now, she knew. She would have preferred a full shakedown cruise, the standard circuit of the Sol System that had been traditional ever since the human race had learned how to open portals into hyperspace, but that wasn't an option, not when the Governor was clearly impatient to be off. They’d just have to hope that nothing went too badly wrong in hyperspace.
She fought to keep her face under control as Commander Cynthia Smith entered the shuttlebay. The Intelligence Officer might claim to be there to provide Intelligence’s view of the situation in the Fairfax Cluster, but Sandy suspected that her real reason for being assigned to Dauntless was keeping an eye on the crew. As a former officer in the Colonial Militia, Sandy was definitely one of her prime targets for surveillance. No doubt her cabin had already been bugged. Cynthia might have been told to remain in her cabin, but Sandy had tracked her slipping all over the ship during the last few days.
There was a dull rumble as the shuttlebay hatch opened, revealing the inky darkness of space, broken only by faint pinpricks of light from the stars. It was a long moment before the shuttle appeared, illuminated by the starship’s running lights, and drifted through the forcefield to land on the deck. Sandy felt an odd flash of Déjà Vu – just how many times had she greeted a senior officer on the shuttlebay deck? – which she pushed aside ruthlessly. This was no time to lose herself in idle rumination.
The shuttle’s hatch opened, revealing a pair of Senate Security officers. They advanced out of the tiny craft, weapons at the ready, then took up position on each side of the hatch. Sandy wasn't sure if she should laugh or be insulted; did the Governor believe that armed guards increased her statue or was she convinced that Dauntless wasn't safe? There was no recorded case of a naval officer assassinating a politician and hardly anyone else would be assigned to Dauntless . It wasn't as if they were carrying a small army of reporters as they went to war.
Of course , she thought, as Governor Wu stepped out of the shuttle, there are worse things than reporters .
Governor Wu seemed almost patrician . She was tall, with elegant cheekbones, long dark hair, soft brown eyes and dark brown skin. The Governor had been born on Terra Nova, according to her file; she’d had certain facial traits engineered into her body when she entered politics, trying to create the impression of a woman who could be trusted to make the right decisions. Sandy had to admit that the Governor knew how to make an entrance, even though it cost her a considerable amount of money. The suit she wore cost more than a Commander made in a year by itself.
Captain Knight stepped forward. “Welcome onboard, Madame Governor,” he said.
“Thank you,” the Governor replied. She didn't offer to shake his hand, even though Sandy’s quiet investigations had proven that Captain Knight had far better connections than the Governor. After all, the Liberal-Progressives had come alarmingly close to dropping her like a hot rock once already. “It is a pleasure to be here.”
Sandy would have bet good money that it wasn’t . Dauntless might be the newest heavy cruiser in the navy, but she wasn't actually designed for a pleasure cruise. Even Admirals, when they flew their flags on superdreadnaughts or fleet carriers, had to endure small cabins. But then, they were palatial by navy standards. If the Governor had been expecting a luxurious trip, she was going to be disappointed.
Captain
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