Galaxy's End: Book One by LeRoy Clary (popular ebook readers txt) 📗

were formal and his smile quick to appear, especially when it was in her direction.

He said, “The trip will take a few ticks. If you have any desire for refreshments or other needs, I’ll see to them.”

Kat said, “Something to drink?”

“Can you give me a hint? We have a fully stocked bar.”

Captain Stone was prepared to glare at her protégé if she ordered a stim or alcohol, however, Kat said, “Water will be fine.”

The lieutenant turned to a steward who was barely within sight and nodded. Captain Stone glanced around and found the marines had also disappeared but would be willing to wager a year’s wages they were watching everything from nearby.

Her eyes went to the viewports along the sides. There were several ships in various stages of construction. The flash of welders came from the framework of one, a new destroyer if she didn’t miss her guess. A warship. Others had completely enclosed hulls and she imagined swarms of workers inside installing electrical, plumbing, partitions, doors, and of course, weapons.

Knowing the lieutenant would be reserved or silent on answers, she asked, “Was the woman I spoke to earlier the admiral?”

He nodded.

“I didn’t catch her name.”

“Swain. Admiral Susan Swain, perhaps you’ve heard of her?”

Captain Stone shook her head. “I’m sorry, I haven’t. Should I have?”

“Perhaps not, I guess. Word of our little war probably has not traveled far, but she is quite well known on both sides.”

“For her expertise in battle?” the captain asked innocently as possible. She knew one wrong question would bring the already limited conversation to an abrupt halt.

He waved a hand dismissively as he said, “Not really. It’s her ability to avoid direct confrontation and attack at her leisure. She is rather proud that her fleet avoided all major contacts and when they did choose to fight, it was swift to attack and swifter to retreat. She always has a fallback.”

“That sounds smart,” Kat said.

The lieutenant leaned closer and spoke proudly, “She has the lowest ratio of lost ships on either side while destroying the most.”

Kat went wide-eyed. “That must be hard to do. To have the lowest losses and the most kills at the same time, I mean.”

“That’s why they made her an admiral at such a young age,” he said pompously. He paused and spoke as if they were old friends. The tone changed slightly as he asked, “Your message said you came with information that would help us win our war.”

“We did.”

“Tell me about it.”

Kat glanced at the small shake of Captain Stone’s head. “I think that is a topic for my captain. And your admiral.”

“Well then, tell me how you and your captain came to be in command of a ship registered to a company that has never heard of her?”

Captain Stone gave another small shake of her head. They had used a subspace message to do a background check. Now, the lieutenant was fishing for additional information he could relay to his superior. Captain Stone curled a lip. “That’s a stupid thing to do, you know.”

Both faces revealed the same shock at her abrupt statement. The lieutenant muttered, “Stupid?”

“Yes, stupid, and just like the traditional military. Pull your best commander out of the field and promote him or her to a backwater assignment to build ships. Disgraceful. She should be out there with a fighting fleet at her back, using the skills that eventually got her pulled from the job she performed so well.” Captain Stone crossed her arms over her chest. “Perhaps if she was not so good at battle strategy, she would still have a fighting command.”

The lieutenant said stiffly, “Our admiral is respected by all. The work she does here is especially important to the war effort.”

Captain Stone thought that his words were exactly what he’d say if she were here with them, confirming her suspicion. She realized the admiral was probably listening to the conversation to get an advanced read on who they were before they met. The lieutenant was trying to ease things over, knowing what was happening.

She was not having it. “Respect is one thing. Leadership another. If I was in charge of your war, she would be in the front lines where she could win the damn thing.”

The lieutenant stood as if lost and looking for an escape. His eyes fell on the door to the flight deck.

Captain Stone was not about to allow that to happen. She snapped, “How long did it take her to recall you from whatever assignment you were on and dress you in that pretty uniform? To do that, you had to return to your quarters, clean up, dress, and then meet with her to get your final instructions. You had to launch this shuttle, which means gathering the crew and instructing the marines in their duties. During that same time, she could have already sent a shuttle to bring us to her. Without the fancy escort and easy conversation.”

His face reddened with every accurate statement.

Kat was wide-eyed, her mouth hanging open.

Captain Stone slowly stood and addressed the lieutenant nose to nose, her voice cool and crisp, “The charade is over. We’ll complete the trip in silence and tell your admiral that she can ask her questions personally instead of depending on you to do the groundwork. Sir, you may remove the ear-bug if you wish. Now, sit down and be quiet.”

He sat, tall and stiff.

Captain Stone wished she could hear what was being said into his ear. A glint high in a corner of the richly decorated shuttle revealed where a camera was watching. There would be others. Admiral Swain was watching and listening to everything.

Stone had anticipated both before boarding. She had allowed it while she learned what they were interested in by the questions asked, and the wisdom of sending