The hover reached the edge of the property and headed into it. It crossed the lake and stopped beside the house. Admiral Oden stepped out and hugged Annie before he undressed and went to play with his kids. From the other side of the lake, reporters and journalists watched, unsure of their status, but confident they had finally tracked the old lion down to his lair.
Annie went over to the hover and said, "Would you mind going over there and telling those people that I mean what the sign says? Either they get naked or leave. This is my property and they're violating my rights."
"Sure, Mrs. Oden," the driver said.
***
Minutes later, some of the reporters left, not willing to undress in order to remain on private property. The rest stood around naked, holding their recorders, trying to catch what they could without trespassing onto the island without an invitation.
***
Admiral Oden got out of the hover and started for the front door of the headquarters building.
"Admiral Oden, I got some great shots of you and the family. I cropped them out as a favor to you," said Noel Manner. "Did you know that you surged ahead almost another five percent last night?"
"No, I didn't. Anyway, my private lifestyle has nothing to do with my intentions for any public office. I'm still very much satisfied with what I'm doing in the Navy. Would you excuse me now so that I can get to work?" Admiral Oden responded.
"Sure. Just thought you'd be interested. Anyway, I think you're going to be nominated as a candidate. It's only two weeks away now and you look like a winner on Edun," Noel said as he moved out of the way.
As Dave passed Noel, he whispered, "I appreciate you leaving the family out, but I won't return the favor. It's not my style. Sorry."
***
Admiral Oden left by the front door that afternoon to go home. There weren't as many reporters present as usual. He presumed that some of them were camped out on the edge of his and Annie's property. Others were probably tracking down other leads or interviewing kids at school, he guessed. He started for the hover when one face suddenly caught his attention. He stopped for a moment.
John Christiansen approached and said, "Hi, Admiral. I'm not with the Daily Bread anymore, not after I found out what they were into all along. I'm not here to smear you, either. That was the angle they wanted me to follow. Now I'm working for a much better organization and they just want the news."
Dave replied, "I'm glad you left the Daily Bread. That was a rather nasty state of business they were conducting."
"It sure was. They had me snowed. Anyway, I heard about you revealing your family finally. I guess we all know where you got your diapering experience now, don't we?" John asked.
Dave laughed as he remembered that. "Yes, I guess we do, at that. Anyway, I'm glad to learn that you were innocent and got your career back together. See me tomorrow and we'll talk off the record if you want. Interviews are still through channels."
"I'll stick to channels, Admiral. These people I work for want everything on the up and up. So do I. I'll talk to you later when you're not news. Then we can trust each other better," John said.
"I like you even better for that," said Dave. "I'll be seeing you around then."
Dave got into the hover and went home.
***
The hover had to pass among almost a dozen hovers belonging to news services. Around them, news reporters were standing around naked with their recorders, catching whatever they could to transmit to the satellite dishes mounted on their hovers. They became much more active once the admiral was around. Dave nodded to them in acknowledgement as he passed.
He'd seen the news during the day and knew what Noel told him was true. He was almost a guaranteed winner for the nomination as Edun's candidate after yesterday's surprise. Dave was beginning to wonder if he should begin going to work with only his rank painted on his shoulders. He could see the effect he would have then on the Academy where most of the cadets emulated him. He knew he'd be lucky if he could find as many cadets clothed afterwards as he had fingers.
Already, he knew that the news of his home nudity was well spread throughout the Academy. As a result, some cadets were already no longer wearing a uniform. His example had previously influenced a number of them to wear a uniform even though they were from families that practiced nudity. Now they were back to their old lifestyle, knowing that he was also a practitioner while off duty. They still felt that they were emulating him and they were, in a way.
Still, he didn't want to do anything that would guarantee him being nominated. He didn't want to leave the Navy. He knew that he'd still be serving the Union, but the Navy was something he fought for entry into. Dave just wasn't ready to give up what he gained. Maybe he would be ready in another forty years when he approached mandatory retirement age.
***
Admiral Oden looked at the news that now covered the war between the Federation of Planets and Galan Council of Planets. There was finally something that kept him from being the number one story on most of the news services and for more than one day. Despite negotiations with the Union, they were still at war with each other.
It was a nasty war as wars went with heavy casualties on both sides now that each side knew of the existence of others in the universe. Daily, the new neighbors were learning more and more of the universe while the news reported that Galan's Ambassador was attempting to establish relations with the remnants of the Malakin Empire. Not to be outdone, the Federation of Planets was also trying to establish relations with them, but not for the purpose of forming an alliance. So far, neither side had any success with the Malakin Empire. Only the Federation had any success in establishing relations with the Malakins on Milik.
At the same time, both sides were establishing trade with the Union if only to develop enough credit to purchase technology that would give their side a boost. Both sides were also trying to keep the other from getting hold of that technology. The war was certainly beginning to look as if it would spill over into Union territory.
Sergeant Pettibone came in and handed him a disk. "Just arrived, sir," she stated before she walked back out.
"Thanks," Dave said before she reached the door.
He put the disk in his computer and quickly caught up on what the Navy wanted him to know. It was almost exactly as he guessed it would be, judging by the news. The Navy was as concerned about the ongoing war between their two new neighbors as he was. He was being forewarned to expect more than the original fifty additional cadets for the next class. Dave realized that would make it much easier on the selection committee, since there were many fully-qualified applicants turned away each year. The selection process only got harder each year as the number of applicants piled up with those left over from the previous two to three years worth of non-selected people. That would require the Academy to build additional dormitories, but they would have three years to get those in place and that was the easiest part. He would also need additional instructors. That was the hardest part, but not impossible, either.
He read on about what else the Navy was planning to do, part of it based on his own report to them. They were going to expand the number of squadrons and marine units first. Dave felt that was needed considering the threats they faced in the future. There would be a base on Maria before the year would be out. Dave saw how that would be very helpful in giving the Navy an outpost closer to where the action might be. It was certainly a world that would be among the first to be attacked if either of their new neighbors declared war on the Union.
The Navy was also planning on protecting the shipping lanes from both neighbors in order to keep the fighting away from Union territory. That, he saw, would be a nearly impossible task. It was much too distant to keep under constant patrol. The only successful method would be for convoys to be escorted. The Q-ship, which was undergoing repairs to correct deficiencies, would probably be important as well to dissuade any aggression along the trade routes.
The Q-ship was poss
ibly the only ship the Navy received in the last thirty years that Dave knew to have deficiencies. That was mostly because it was so unique in design. It had to look and behave like a freighter while possessing the teeth and legs of a Navy warship. It was a difficult balance to achieve and the shipbuilders nearly accomplished it on the first try. If it hadn't been needed so soon, the builders would have taken it on its maiden voyage instead of the Navy. As it was, work on the remaining Q-ships was halted until the first one worked properly.
Dave looked at his own timetable of probable Union involvement. He wondered if even the Q-ship could either halt or slow down the estimates he had for the Union becoming involved in another war. At least, he had experienced ensigns to graduate soon. That was good fortune he still couldn't believe happened. The training trip gave a polish to this year's graduates that the Navy would surely recognize and probably help Dave get some additional vessels for training.
As he continued to ponder those needs, he realized that more ships would be necessary for training purposes anyway because of the increased class size coming in the next year. He looked back at the figures and realized that increasing the size of the class to four hundred would require close to twice as many ships. He realized that meant twice as many instructors for next year. That was the more important task facing him now.
"Sergeant Pettibone! Bring the staff into the conference room," he hollered out, rather than use the intercom on his desk. The intercom was necessary in a sealed ship, but next to useless for an open office and an equally short distance.
Dave got up and took the disk with him. He walked to the conference room and took a seat at the head. The sergeant and other staff members came in right behind him.
Dave said, "Sit down and get comfortable, folks. This is what the Navy sent us. We're going to have classes twice as large starting next year. They've upped the class size once more. Sergeant Pettibone, go through the file on instructors and instructor candidates. I want more than enough records to get started evaluating by noon tomorrow. We should put in our requests then to the Navy to have those personnel transferred here. Sergeant Graves, I want you to put together plans for expanding the dormitories. Have those ready by the end of the week. We'll put out bids, hopefully, by the end of the month. Sergeant Lamb, notify the selection committee that we want four hundred applicants for the new year. Then begin the work on taking the names they select and assigning them to instructors. We can't afford to wait on this until they finish. We've got twice the amount of work we used to have. Lieutenant Gregory, begin the procurement process to get the necessary ships to expand the Academy Squadron. Looks like you're going to get to go back to teaching inside fighters with Susan. Then get me a replacement for yourself inside the office. I want someone who's been out already and has some experience so that they can relate to what's going on out there when a cadet asks them a question. Sergeant Yak, I want you to travel to the shipyards where the Q-ships are being worked on. There, I want you to get specifications for the ships and find out what the shipbuilders will have available for training as far as simulators go. You can work on this partly with Lieutenant Gregory. I'd like to have the first one that they're working the bugs out of for the squadron. I think it will offer the cadets some real training opportunities and challenges. Another thing, Lieutenant Gregory, plan on being the silent voice on the bridge of that ship. I can't be with it and the squadron at the same time. When it trains, it's going out alone to add realism to the course. I figure we should have that ship two years from now. I'd like to see some of the other ships we need in our hands before the end of next year. That should leave plenty of time for a complete overhaul on each of them at the shipyards. One other thing, get me a fighter carrier to stay with the support ships. I know some of them are old and about to be scrapped, but there's still a function for them in support because of their greater fighter capacity."
"I can get you two, Admiral," Allen responded.
"Get them both, then," Dave replied. "We're going to be training a lot of fighter officers. I seriously believe that the Navy is going to see that as the direction for it to develop. Squadrons can't afford to merely triple their strength by putting out fighters from the carrier-cruisers and carrier-destroyers. The carrier-cruisers and carrier-destroyers were never meant to completely take the place of the regular fighter carriers. They were meant to provide fighter support to small operations where a carrier is inadvisable and to provide additional hangars for the fighters so that taking out the carriers won't jeopardize the squadron's fighter survival and effectiveness. Our potential adversaries are already beginning to see that fighters are easier and faster to make and man. We're going to see them developing fighters based on our success. I believe that we'll see changes in the composition of our squadrons from purely warships to include some support ships. This would be the fastest way for the Navy to increase the number of squadrons without a large rise in the number of warships being produced."
Allen asked, "You think that the squadrons will decrease in size then?"
Dave answered, "Probably they'll be the same number of ships, but there'll be fewer warships in each squadron. Most likely, only twenty-five with five positions taken over by support ships and transports. I would guess now that those five will be a mine-layer, a supply ship, a salvage ship, and two transports. One warship, a fighter carrier, will be detailed to stay with them and the other twenty-four along with most of the fighters will comprise the strike force. That's the most likely starting point of the new squadron organization. It could even evolve to be fewer large warships and more support, most likely with additional transports and mine-layers. Once this is seen as the way to develop, we'll see new carriers being produced to replace the older models so that each squadron will continue to have two of them. That's the kind of squadron structure that I believe we should plan on preparing our cadets for."
***
Admiral Oden was surprised after speaking with John Christiansen to see his article in the news was still delivering opinion. However, that was part of the press's function, he knew, so Dave didn't pay much attention to it. Regardless of what he thought, Dave realized that the opinions expressed genuine concerns about himself.
It was true that he knew next to nothing about making laws. John's article granted that anyone would have a learning curve in taking office, but usually that was buffered by the fact that the office holder usually possessed experience in local government whereas Dave had nothing of the kind in his background. On the other hand, there was nothing inflammatory in John's article about Dave's abilities as an officer. In fact, Dave noted that John went to the extreme in pointing it out that Dave was a superior officer whom the Navy needed.
***
Admiral Oden left the office and prepared himself to go through the gauntlet of news people at the front door. He wondered how many more ridiculous questions he would have to answer about himself. So far, everything seemed to hinge upon his personal life and family. He truly wondered what Edun and Beulah saw in him as a candidate for Congress. He stepped outside the door expecting more of the same.
"Admiral Oden, how do you feel about trade with our new neighbors? Should we trade new technology to them?"
"What are your feelings about the Union stepping in and separating the two sides by enforcing a truce?"
Admiral Oden stopped suddenly as he realized that the tone of the questions was remarkably changed in nature. These were substantive questions that he would normally avoid as an officer. Now he had to consider what he had to say very carefully since he was still an officer in the Navy. After all, they were asking questions dealing with policy which the Navy rarely questioned or attempted to influence.
"People of the press, you've touched on some questions that I really can't answer at this time because of my active status in the Navy. I wish I could share my personal positions with you. However, what I say as a senior officer in the Navy could be interpreted as being a Navy position. I know that I have the right as a ci
tizen to express my views, but I'm very concerned that others will forget that any answers I make are strictly my own and not representing the Navy," Dave replied.
"Then you're saying that you differ from Navy policy?"
"You disagree with Navy policy?"
Dave realized suddenly that even his non-answer was going to be taken as an answer. He said, "I haven't expressed any opinion yet. Please keep that in mind. I have neither expressed support nor opposition to Navy policy."
"Don't you, as a senior officer, help to make Navy policy or are you only involved in fighting when it breaks out?"
Dave said, "I'm sorry, but I can't answer these types of questions right now. If I'm nominated as a candidate and become inactive as a naval officer, then I feel that it would be more appropriate for me to express myself."
"Then you're thinking of requesting inactivation so you can seek office?"
"How soon will you be inactive?"
Admiral Oden realized that the press was reading everything into whatever he said and that he couldn't win. He held his hands up to stop the barrage of questions as he slowly made his way through the press to his hover. It didn't stop the questions, but he stopped attempting to answer them. He could tell that even not answering was taken as an answer. Now he wished that they were asking him the kinds of questions they used to ask. At least, those he could field easily and without anything more than a little embarrassment such as when his home lifestyle was divulged.
Chapter 11
"Well Annie, it looks like Edun is going to be the world that drafts me to run if it continues like this," said Dave.
"Oh? Why?" she asked.
"I dropped almost ten percent today on Beulah. The figures on Edun are holding firm at about forty-five percent. That's more than enough to guarantee a position on the ballot to run for candidate," Dave answered.
Paravoid (Rust Bucket Universe) Page 20
