"I'm also forwarding a current damage assessment for each of our ships. I sent a copy of the Prometheus' vid log immediately following the battle. Each captain in the fleet will naturally be forwarding their own report at their earliest opportunity and you'll probably receive another copy of the Prometheus' log when Captain Gavin submits his report.
"I'll continue filing additional reports every twenty-four hours for the next few days as assessments of our condition become more precise.
"Jenetta A. Carver, Rear Admiral, Lower Half, from the GSC Battleship Prometheus, message complete."
Jenetta had sent Lt. Commander Ashraf to get some sleep hours ago and she decided that it was her time now. She walked to her quarters and was enthusiastically greeted by her cats, who had been alone in the rooms for almost thirty hours, except for the three very brief visits that she had made to feed them.
Jenetta sat on the floor of the bedroom with the cats and brushed their fur while they playfully rubbed against her or climbed over her. She intended to spend a half-hour playing with them and then go to bed but she wound up falling asleep as she lay on the carpeted deck.
Jenetta's cats awakened her early. They seemed to have an infallible internal clock. She stretched, rubbed the cats a little, and then changed into her sweats. Ten minutes later, they were in the ship's gym, currently empty of all other personnel. She spent a half-hour punishing the punching bag with her fists and feet as the cats looked on. They then spent the remaining half-hour running around the track in a flight bay. Returning to her quarters, she showered, fed the cats their breakfast, and then sat down to enjoy hers. Her steward, Chief Petty Officer Virginia Fairsmith was finally getting used to the cats having the run of the suite. CPO Fairsmith had quickly gotten accustomed to preparing enough food to satisfy Jenetta's appetite, and only needed to know what she preferred to eat at each meal.
Ashraf was already at work in the converted conference room when Jenetta arrived.
"Good morning, Admiral."
"Good morning, Lori. Anything that's requires my immediate attention?"
"Not too much that's urgent, Admiral. Do you need something?"
"I'd like to visit the sick bays today; all the sick bays."
"Aye, Admiral. I'm sure that most of the things can wait until after you've done that. Oh, one thing I do have to mention. The news reporters are all asking when they'll be allowed to file their stories on the conflict."
"Tell them that they can send them in two days. By then we should have everything completely stabilized. That might have more of a positive impact on the stories that they file. Things look pretty bleak right now."
"Very good, Admiral. 0800, two days from now."
Jenetta quickly took care of the things that she deemed urgent and they left to visit the sick bays on every ship in the task force beginning with the Prometheus.
During the first twenty-four hours after the engagement, sick bay personnel treated and released minor contusion and abrasion cases quickly. Even simple fracture cases were treated and released, leaving the medical staff able to concentrate on the more serious cases. A doctor joined Jenetta and Ashraf as they walked through the sick bay, stopping at every bed so Jenetta could talk with the crewperson, if he or she was awake. She told them how proud she was of their performance and asked them if they needed anything. Most asked when they'd be able to send a message home. Jenetta told them that the ban on outgoing messages would be lifted in two days, and that a nurse would help them prepare a message sometime during the day that could be queued for immediate dispatch when the ban was raised. It lifted their spirits more than anything else that she said.
After speaking to each of the patients in the Prometheus' sick bay, and several temporary wards, Jenetta and her aide moved to the next ship, the Song, and made the rounds in their sick bay and temporary wards. Having commanded the Song for a year, she knew many of the injured, if not personally, then at least by name.
That was the way that it went for the rest of the morning, and into the early afternoon. Jenetta would have called on her sisters during her travel, but they would have been asleep at that hour since both were on the third watch on their respective ships. Jenetta did look up her brother though, after they had completed their visits to the sick bays.
Upon entering the Mentuhotep, Jenetta returned the salute of the officer at the airlock and asked, "Do you know where the Captain is, Lieutenant?"
"I don't know, Admiral, but I'll find out," he said as he touched his Space Command ring and spoke to the ship's computer. "He's in the Auxiliary Control & Communications Center according to the computer, Admiral."
"Thank you, Lieutenant."
"Would you like me to show you the way, ma'am?"
"Thank you, but that's not necessary. I once commanded a Kamakura class cruiser so I'm familiar with the layout. Besides, I wouldn't want you to get into trouble for leaving your post."
"Yes, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am."
"As you were, Lieutenant."
"Aye, Admiral."
Since the Mentuhotep was virtually identical to the Song, both Jenetta and Ashraf knew the way to AC&C. Upon entering, someone immediately spotted Jenetta and said loudly, "Admiral on the deck." Everyone snapped to attention.
"As you were," Jenetta said.
As everyone relaxed, Billy walked to Jenetta and greeted her formally with, "Welcome to the Mentuhotep, Admiral."
"Thank you, Captain. How are you getting on?"
"We're making progress, ma'am. We'll have the ship back in fighting condition as soon as we possibly can."
"Very good, Captain. Is there someplace where we can talk?"
"Yes, ma'am. Follow me."
Billy led the way to a conference room down the corridor. As they entered, Jenetta signaled to Lt. Commander Ashraf that she should wait outside. Lori understood immediately and stood in the corridor in front of the door as it closed.
"Is it permitted for a ship's captain to hug an admiral?" Billy asked, smiling.
"If it isn't, I'll issue a standing order," Jenetta said as she wrapped her arms around her oldest brother and hugged him tightly. When they were young, he had towered over her, but with her height now a bit over five-foot eleven-inches, he was only a few inches taller.
"I'm glad that you're safe," he said.
"We're lucky. All four of us made it through safely. Eliza got a bump on the head, but that's all. She's probably forgotten about it by now, given our recovery rates. How are you enjoying your first command?"
"I've always wanted a ship, but I didn't think that I'd have to build it to get one," he said jokingly. "Seriously, things aren't so bad. Everything is repairable; it'll just take time. There are thousands of laser holes in the hull, but most of them have self-sealed and can wait until the bow is repaired. That's naturally our highest priority. I've assembled a temporary senior staff, to replace those killed during the engagement, and they're doing fine. You can assign other officers, if you wish."
"No, I made you the captain and it's your responsibility to assign people to vacant positions during an emergency."
"Thank you for this opportunity, by the way. I knew that I'd get a command someday, but I never thought that my appointment would come from my baby sister." He smiled.
"You earned it, Billy. You didn't get it because you're my brother." She paused for a second and then asked in a concerned voice, "Does it bother you very much that I outrank you?"
"I'm happy for you, sis, but I'd be lying if I said that my ego didn't feel a tiny bit bruised that my baby sister made Admiral while I was still a Commander. I promise that it won't affect my performance as captain of this ship or as an officer under your command. I've gotten a little ribbing from my friends about it though."
"I've been concerned about how you might feel but I've never thought for a second that you would let it interfere with your duty. I'm sorry that you've taken the ribbing. Perhaps it would make you feel better to know that I envy you?"
"You
envy me?"
"Of course. You're on a ship. That's all I've wanted for years, not the rank. I was happiest when I was First Officer on the Prometheus. I'd have been very content to remain there for the next fifty-five years, or however long they would have let me serve in a space officer capacity. This task force was my chance to get off Stewart for a while and back into the Prometheus. I'm just sorry that it took an invasion to find a good excuse."
"I thought that you were happy with the rank. You're the youngest admiral in the entire history of Space Command."
"I didn't ask for it, or even want it. They just felt that the senior officer of the task force had to be an admiral. There weren't any handy out here, so they brevetted me into the position because I already had the authority anyway as Base Commander of Stewart. I'm actually the only one out here that they could have brevetted while I occupied the position of C.O. at Stewart. But even though I'm the senior-ranking officer aboard the Prometheus, I'm still just a passenger. There are days when I feel as useless as clothes on a Pledgian. The Prometheus is Captain Gavin's ship, and I wouldn't even consider usurping any of his authority or responsibilities."
"What will you do when this operation is over?"
"I'll return to being the Base Commander at Stewart, but I was told that I'll retain the brevetted rank until the end of my tour. Captain Gavin thinks that my duties will change significantly now. He believes that SHQ will create a new level of bureaucracy beneath me. According to him, I'll be required to spend more time engaged in diplomatic activities and supervisory management, and have less direct contact with the daily operations of the base."
"That sounds more like what my idea of an admiral's day would be like. The admiral says, 'Build me a new officer's club' and it gets built, without him or her ever doing anything else."
"That's fine when you're ninety, but not when you're forty-one and want the involvement."
"I'm sure that you have plenty to keep you busy right now."
"Yes, until the task force is space-worthy again I should have quite a bit to do. But that's not something that should occupy your thoughts. You have plenty of important matters to deal with right now, so I'll go and let you get to them. I'm just glad that you're okay. I've lifted the ban on outgoing messages effective two days from now, so you'll probably want to queue up a message to Mom and Dad about your new command. Good luck, Billy."
"Thanks, sis. You too."
Jenetta and Billy hugged and then Billy headed back to AC&C while Jenetta and Ashraf began the trek back to the Prometheus through a dozen ships. Upon reentering the Ottawa, Jenetta decided to stop in to see Captain Crosby. They encountered Trader Vyx as they entered a lift for the ride to the bridge deck.
"Hello, Trader. It's good to see you again."
"Hi, Admiral. It's a pleasure to see you again. Permit me to introduce you to Brenda Cardiz."
"Ah yes. A.k.a. Maria Elena Morales. Hello, Brenda."
"Uh, hello, Admiral. Gosh, you look younger than I do. I'd heard you were young, but I never thought of you as that young."
Jenetta smiled. "It's just my appearance. I assure you that I'm almost old enough to be your mother. I'm forty-one now."
Brenda laughed. "Oh, come on, Admiral. Everyone knows that you spent eleven years in a stasis chamber aboard a life pod, so that would only make you like, thirty, really."
"Shhh. Don't tell anybody. I'm supposed to be in charge around here."
Brenda giggled.
"Is there anything that I can do to help, Admiral? I'm feeling a little useless lately," Vyx said.
"I understand, Trader. There's nothing right now, but stay loose. Something may come up very soon."
"Okay, Admiral. Just give me the word."
"Nice to have met you Brenda," Jenetta said as the lift door opened on A deck. "Goodbye, Trader."
"Goodbye, Admiral," they said simultaneously.
The bridge was very close to the lift and as Jenetta entered, she received the customary 'Admiral on the bridge!' shout. She responded with 'As you were.' and continued on to the captain's briefing room, not seeing Jeff Crosby anywhere in sight. The door opened almost as soon as she stepped in front of it. Crosby, seated at his desk, stood up when she entered.
"Good afternoon, Admiral. Come in, please. Have a seat. Would you care for something to drink?"
"Yes, I could use a mug of coffee."
"I'll get it, Admiral," Ashraf said, moving quickly to the food synthesizer. "Anything for you, Captain?"
"No thanks. I'm fine."
Jenetta sat down across from the Captain. This was the first time in many months that they talked in person.
"That was quite a collection that you brought back, Jeff. Good work, by the way."
"I just wish that I'd known how many ships I'd accumulated along the way."
"Maybe it's better that we didn't know, this time. Everyone would have been a lot more nervous. This way we were in the fight before we had a chance to think about it. Thank you, Commander," Jenetta said as Ashraf handed her the coffee.
"That was a clever trap that you laid, Admiral," Crosby said. "I don't think that the Milori ever wised up to what they were facing."
"It's too bad that we can't keep it a secret. Once the news reports are released, they'll change their pursuit tactics, if not sooner."
"Maybe not. If they were spread out, as we are when traveling, we would have known the size of the pursuing force."
"They might just establish multiple lines," Jenetta said. "You would just be able to see the four or five lead ships, and trapping them in a narrow cage that severely limits their maneuvering ability would be impossible because they were spread out."
"I guess that we'll just have to be prepared for anything."
"The one thing that we're not prepared for is another invasion force. I know that if you had seen anything you would have reported it, but have any of your prisoners mentioned anything that might indicate there are other Milori fleets out here?"
"I haven't spoken with them since we first picked them up. There wasn't much to say, and they weren't talking."
"I think that I'd like to speak to them. It can't hurt to gloat a little and see if their anger causes them to reveal something."
"Would you like to see them here or should I have them transferred to the Prometheus?"
"Your brig's interview room will do fine."
"Let's go."
Ten minutes later, Jenetta sat in an interrogation room with Crosby and Ashraf as two guards escorted the first prisoner in. Each of the Space Command officers had a translation device clipped to their belt that would send a translated voice message directly to their CT. A guard handed the Milora a translation device adapted to his physiology.
"This is Uthqulk, first deputy negotiator to Commander Acoxxuz," Crosby said to Jenetta. "He's the leader of the group."
"Hello, Uthqulk. I'm Admiral Jenetta Carver."
"I demand that my associates and I be released. You've kept us prisoner on this garbage scow for almost a year and a half. We've done nothing illegal."
"What is your true purpose in being in the Frontier Zone, Uthqulk?"
He didn't respond.
"Was it to gather intelligence prior to an invasion?"
He glanced at Jenetta sharply with all four eyes, but still said nothing.
"This ship has been to the Elurra system during the past year. You were mere thousands of kilometers away from your brethren."
"Why weren't we transferred?" he asked angrily.
"Tut, tut, you're not playing by the rules. I've given you several pieces of information that you didn't know and you've supplied nothing."
Uthqulk just glared at her.
"We learned that the Milori Empire was building a base in our territory and we went to investigate. Lord High Space Marshall Gulqulk of the emperor's Imperial Cruiser Reguffa informed us that the empire had decided to annex our territory and ordered us out, threatening us with destruction if we didn't comply."
"Ah, so you were aware of that. Is Gulqulk a relative by the way? I noticed that your names have the same last syllable. That identifies your clan, doesn't it?"
"He is my cousin."
"Oh; my condolences then. I'm sure that he was a very brave Milora. Foolhardy, but brave."
"What do you mean, was?"
"Only that I believe him to be dead. You see, the ships in the Elurra system gave chase to the Ottawa. They chased this ship all the way back to this point, where we were waiting. I offered Gulqulk the opportunity to surrender, but he felt that his fleet of a hundred three ships could defeat my task force of fifteen. I admit they gave us a bit of a fight, but the battle didn't really last very long."
"You lie. No fifteen Space Command ships could defeat so many Milori warships."
"No, I'm not lying. It's quite a mess out there. Too bad you missed the show. Stuck down here in the brig, you probably never even realized that a battle was going on, but you should have felt some minor buffeting when this ship was struck by weapons fire. It's only been a day and a half since it ended, so we haven't had much of a chance to clean up the battle site yet."
"How many Milori survived?"
"We don't know. We continued firing until they all stopped shooting. I doubt if any of the ships can move with anything other than thruster power. We've picked up radio signals coming from several ships, but I'm not sending my people in on rescue missions unless I know the survivors won't fire at them. So far, the ships refuse to acknowledge our hails."
"If what you say is true about the battle, you must mount a rescue operation before they run out of air."
"Not until somebody speaks for the survivors."
"I'll speak for them."
"You? You won't even answer my basic questions."
Uthqulk was quiet for a few seconds. "Prove what you've said is true and I'll answer your questions."
Jenetta walked to the large monitor on the wall. "Computer, show an accurate, closeup, sensor representation of the battle area, panning across it slowly." An enhanced image of the Milori ships appeared. It would have been too black to see anything with the naked eye, but the destroyed ships were plainly visible in the representation.
Milor! Page 22
