however. Koscuisko knew better than that.
Once the door was closed again behind them, Captain Vopalar spoke.
“Koscuisko. There are five bond-involuntary Security troops in the corridor outside. You may have noticed them when you came in.”
It would have been difficult not to. Koscuisko waited, without replying to this obvious statement.
“You’re outside the scope of most forms of discipline, which is too bad, because you need discipline. Tell you what. You ever. Forget your place like that, again. And I’ll find discipline that is within my scope, except it won’t be your back, which needs it, but one of those Bonds outside. Because I can’t have your hide, but I can have theirs. This is the way it’s got to be, Koscuisko. Get used to it.”
Captain Vopalar was right, too. She could invoke sanctions against Koscuisko’s bond-involuntaries that would be unthinkable in the context of disciplining an officer. Koscuisko seemed to rock back on his heels, fractionally, in obvious shock at what she was suggesting.
“Captain Vopalar, they have no recourse, how can you think to punish them — ”
“Not them, Koscuisko,”the Captain interrupted. “You. Make no mistake, if I invoke six-and-sixty against any of those people it will be only because I think you need discipline. From your behavior today that’s the only way I can be sure of getting your attention.” She held his gaze for a long breath, as if to be sure that her statement received the appropriate emphasis.
And then she looked past Koscuisko to where Caleigh Samons stood at command-wait. “Miss Samons, why hasn’t Fleet Captain Irshah Parmin killed this young officer yet?”
This was a clear attempt to lighten the atmosphere once the point had been made. It was also an interesting question. “It’s not for me to say, your Excellency.” Which was perfectly true. “With respect, he’s never found it necessary to invoke sanctions. I’m sure you’ll find no further fault with the officer’s behavior, Captain Vopalar.”
She didn’t think Sinjosi Vopalar would take that approach with Koscuisko unless really pressed to it. Captain Vopalar sighed, and seemed to relax a little. “There’s the problem with pretending people like you have any business exercising authority, Koscuisko. Fleet’s given you the rank. But you don’t have the authority. Because you clearly aren’t competent to exercise it at this level, but we’re stuck with you. Don’t take any drastic actions. I don’t want to flay your Security any more than you want them flayed. But I won’t tolerate insubordination. And that includes taking actions without keeping your chain of command informed.”
As deeply offended as Andrej Koscuisko was likely to be by this, Caleigh Samons thought Captain Vopalar had a point. Koscuisko had rank without having been promoted to it; he hadn’t spent years in Fleet learning to watch out for pits of the sort he’d just fallen into. Maybe that was why Irshah Parmin hadn’t killed him.
“Even as you say, Bench Captain.” Yes, Koscuisko was offended and angry. But Koscuisko was capable of demonstrating sense and discretion. “If we may be excused.”
Koscuisko didn’t understand how much he was excused by Fleet, in respect for his difficult position. On the other hand, Koscuisko earned those indulgences every time he went to implement the Protocols.
“Get out,”the Captain agreed, with no further anger in her voice. “And take those miserable Bonds of yours with you. I hope not to have to speak to you again, either of you.”
For a moment Caleigh could hear Koscuisko’s acid “The feeling is entirely mutual” so clearly that she was afraid he’d actually said it.
But the moment passed.
Koscuisko had got through this better than Caleigh had expected.
Now all she wanted to do was to get him and his bond-involuntaries back to quarters and lock them all safely behind doors till morning came.
Chapter Three
The Domitt Prison
Once the door was closed again behind them, Captain Vopalar spoke.
“Koscuisko. There are five bond-involuntary Security troops in the corridor outside. You may have noticed them when you came in.”
It would have been difficult not to. Koscuisko waited, without replying to this obvious statement.
“You’re outside the scope of most forms of discipline, which is too bad, because you need discipline. Tell you what. You ever. Forget your place like that, again. And I’ll find discipline that is within my scope, except it won’t be your back, which needs it, but one of those Bonds outside. Because I can’t have your hide, but I can have theirs. This is the way it’s got to be, Koscuisko. Get used to it.”
Captain Vopalar was right, too. She could invoke sanctions against Koscuisko’s bond-involuntaries that would be unthinkable in the context of disciplining an officer. Koscuisko seemed to rock back on his heels, fractionally, in obvious shock at what she was suggesting.
“Captain Vopalar, they have no recourse, how can you think to punish them — ”
“Not them, Koscuisko,”the Captain interrupted. “You. Make no mistake, if I invoke six-and-sixty against any of those people it will be only because I think you need discipline. From your behavior today that’s the only way I can be sure of getting your attention.” She held his gaze for a long breath, as if to be sure that her statement received the appropriate emphasis.
And then she looked past Koscuisko to where Caleigh Samons stood at command-wait. “Miss Samons, why hasn’t Fleet Captain Irshah Parmin killed this young officer yet?”
This was a clear attempt to lighten the atmosphere once the point had been made. It was also an interesting question. “It’s not for me to say, your Excellency.” Which was perfectly true. “With respect, he’s never found it necessary to invoke sanctions. I’m sure you’ll find no further fault with the officer’s behavior, Captain Vopalar.”
She didn’t think Sinjosi Vopalar would take that approach with Koscuisko unless really pressed to it. Captain Vopalar sighed, and seemed to relax a little. “There’s the problem with pretending people like you have any business exercising authority, Koscuisko. Fleet’s given you the rank. But you don’t have the authority. Because you clearly aren’t competent to exercise it at this level, but we’re stuck with you. Don’t take any drastic actions. I don’t want to flay your Security any more than you want them flayed. But I won’t tolerate insubordination. And that includes taking actions without keeping your chain of command informed.”
As deeply offended as Andrej Koscuisko was likely to be by this, Caleigh Samons thought Captain Vopalar had a point. Koscuisko had rank without having been promoted to it; he hadn’t spent years in Fleet learning to watch out for pits of the sort he’d just fallen into. Maybe that was why Irshah Parmin hadn’t killed him.
“Even as you say, Bench Captain.” Yes, Koscuisko was offended and angry. But Koscuisko was capable of demonstrating sense and discretion. “If we may be excused.”
Koscuisko didn’t understand how much he was excused by Fleet, in respect for his difficult position. On the other hand, Koscuisko earned those indulgences every time he went to implement the Protocols.
“Get out,”the Captain agreed, with no further anger in her voice. “And take those miserable Bonds of yours with you. I hope not to have to speak to you again, either of you.”
For a moment Caleigh could hear Koscuisko’s acid “The feeling is entirely mutual” so clearly that she was afraid he’d actually said it.
But the moment passed.
Koscuisko had got through this better than Caleigh had expected.
Now all she wanted to do was to get him and his bond-involuntaries back to quarters and lock them all safely behind doors till morning came.
Chapter Three
The Domitt Prison
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