Last Measure of Devotion (TCOTU, Book 5) (This Corner of the Universe) by Britt Ringel

ancient, Terran wet navy ships.
    To
his right, Captain Nguyen sat patiently.  The gold braid signifying his status
as a ship captain twisted its way from the front of his right shoulder
epaulette, underneath his arm and reconnected to his epaulette at the back.  Commander
Joseph Tannault sat immediately opposite of Nguyen.  The pair were in an amiable
discussion about Tannault’s brother, Peter, a former Seshafian naval officer
who had transferred to the Saden navy before the recent skirmish.  Both
brothers had survived the last battle unscathed.
    Lieutenant
Jaynee Baldwin sat next to Lieutenant Covington.  Heskan eagerly agreed with
Nguyen to maintain both of the young lieutenants as ship captains.  Baldwin’s
corvette, Honor , sustained surprisingly little damage considering her
ship had sailed inside Heskan’s rear-turned-vanguard section.  Covington’s
snow, Ravana , on the other hand had been thoroughly smashed.  Only the
cannibalization of Heskan’s own shattered ship, Elathra , provided the
necessary parts to attempt to bring Ravana back from the dead.  Heskan
desperately wanted Ravana spaceworthy, not because of Covington’s desire
to have his first command back—that was never going to happen—but because
Seshafi needed every possible ship in the field.  Covington’s longing to
command Ravana again would go unfulfilled not only due to Ravana’s crippled status but also because the daring ship captain was slated to take
command of Captain Nguyen’s old brig, Hawk .
    Farther
down the table, Lieutenant Chadsworth was in conversation with Lieutenants
Williams, Thomas and Harris.  While his companions had acquitted themselves
well under Heskan’s command, Chadsworth was something of an enigma.  Fame’s captain had showed obstinance during the battle, even borderline insubordination,
but fought his ship well and refused to strike his snow’s lights when many
other Seshafian captains had capitulated much earlier.  Although there was
temptation to replace the bellicose man, Heskan relented to Nguyen’s counsel
that removing a senior lieutenant who performed well in battle would create
impressions of favoritism.
    Heskan
turned his attention to the opposite side of the table and thought, There’s plenty
of those rumors going around because of these two.  Lieutenants Selvaggio
and Truesworth sat next to each other, excitedly discussing the status of their
first commands.  Although initially shocked, both lieutenants had accepted their
ships with surprising professionalism.  No quips or sarcasm escaped
Truesworth’s mouth.  Likewise, Selvaggio accepted with muted resolve rather
than the self-deprecation Heskan would have expected six months ago.  Both
lieutenants assumed their new roles with a quiet confidence mixed with the
expected exuberance of youth.
    The
ten men and women seated at the conference table, in addition to Vernay,
comprised AmyraCorp’s space defense force and shield of liberty.  The eleven
ship captains were all that stood between the homes and families living inside
the Seshafi star system and foreign aggression.  Augmented by various
privateers, this seemingly trivial safeguard had been enough to ensure that
AmyraCorp survived the last round with Sade.  However, with the rules of
corporate warfare rewritten by Admiral Wallace, this tender wisp of security
appeared to be little more than a speed bump on IaCom’s bent for conquest.
    At
least the Iron Brigade is sending us ships, Heskan thought as he reflected on the looming
battle.  Maybe, after the outcome in Sade, other privateers will see that I
can play by the rules and they’ll be more willing to contract with us.  Heskan
cleared his throat and the subtle request for silence was received. 
Conversations withered away and all eyes turned toward the head of the table.
    “It
appears that Commander Vernay is running late,” Heskan recited.  “I will brief
her separately.”
    Heskan
fiddled with the table controls