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

in the repair yards of other
corporate systems.”  He tapped on the inlaid conference table screen.  “I
expect this number to go down as we get closer to the battle.”
    “At
least we know it won’t be more than twenty-eight ships,” Nguyen added
optimistically.  By the rules of warfare, once sent, a corporation’s order of
battle could be revised to reflect the realities of logistics but only
downward.
    Heskan
nodded in affirmation.  “We’re actually pretty fortunate.  McMillon Group is
sitting this casus bellum out because of the casualties we inflicted on
them last time.  I also understand that a conflict farther east is soaking up
most of the remaining privateer firms in the Federation.  We’re outnumbered,
but then we expected that going in.”  He offered the group a conspiratorial
smile as he added, “Besides, the primary objective of this venture has already
been accomplished.  We’ve delayed Sade’s next casus bellum and gained
valuable time to repair our damaged fleet.”
    “Will
there be a secondary objective, sir?” Lieutenant Covington prompted Heskan as a
slight smile began to spread across his face.
    “Absolutely,”
Heskan acknowledged as he rearranged the order of battle.  “I’m breaking our
ships into these two sections.  We’re going to try to knock a Saden ship or two
out of the next fight before we retire.”
    The
door to the conference room opened and Commander Vernay stomped in with a grim
expression on her face.  “Sorry I’m late, Captain.”  She shook her head in a
frustrated manner as she proclaimed, “They won’t do it.  In fact, they’re all leaving
us.”
    Heskan
gritted his teeth and shook his head with disgust.  “After everything we’ve
been through…”  He trailed off, staring at the tabletop.  Finally, he asked,
“Why?”
    Vernay
circled the table and took the single, vacant seat.  “Lieutenant Gables says
that her crew has better things to do than commit suicide.”
    Nguyen
spoke for the remaining officers at the table.  “What are you talking about,
Commander?”
    Vernay
looked to Heskan who was slowly shaking his head.  “An initiative that might
have better balanced the odds,” he answered.  “I had hoped to employ Lieutenant
Gables and her shipmates’ unique abilities in this fight.”
    “Captain,”
Truesworth interrupted, “let me talk to her.  Gabes wouldn’t abandon us.  Not
after everything we’ve been through.”
    “Are
Pruette and Thomas going with her?” Selvaggio asked.
    Heskan
flashed an angry, quieting look at the twin lieutenants.
    “Those
two are staying,” Vernay answered.
    Truesworth’s
expression screwed itself into confusion.  “That doesn’t make any sense.  Lee Thomas
would follow Gables to Hollara itself—”
    “That’s
enough, Jack,” Heskan admonished as daggers flew from his eyes.  “They’ve made
their choices and that’s the end of it.”  He looked around the table.  “This
changes nothing.  Sade’s banquet is three days from today.  Per tradition, we
will travel together in one of AmyraCorp’s yachts.  We’ll then tunnel back to
Seshafi for final exercises before we make the dive to Sade for the real
thing.”  He looked darkly around the room with a sour expression that made his
final query a formality.  “Any questions?  Good.  Stacy, I want you to stick
around so I can catch you up on what you missed.  The rest of you are
dismissed.”
    As
the meeting broke, Truesworth and Selvaggio shot up from their chairs and ran
for the door.  After the rest of the officers had exited, Heskan turned to
Vernay and said, “You know they’re headed directly for Denise.”
    Vernay
smiled and shrugged.  “They won’t get to her,” she told him confidently while
glancing at her datapad.  “The Kite Fifteen are already aboard the transport.”
    “Maybe
we should have told them,” Heskan hedged.
    “No,”
Vernay insisted, “you were right.  AmyraCorp and IaCom are so in