“I think he thinks he’s our superior and carries the full authority of the Fleet Board.”
“And why is this just your decision? Don’t I have a say in this?”
“Of course you do.” Warner was trying to summon up the energy but it sounded more like pleading than an affirmation.
“Where is he? I’m going to give him a piece of my mind.” Her face was flushed. She moved her chair back to stand but Warner grabbed her with both hands.
“Don’t. You can’t do that.” His energy had returned and he was deadly earnest. Rihan was staring at him fuming. She tried to struggle but he tightened her grip, came to his feet and then wrapped his arms around her. She couldn’t escape his grip and eventually the heaving in her chest subsided. Warner sensed it and slackened his hold. He leaned his head back so he could see hers. Her eyes were already red and a tear was on its way downwards.
“This is so unfair” she said. He nodded. “If we marry…would you marry me?” she looked up into Warners’ eyes. He nodded. “If we do then we’ll have to be separated or one of us leave the Service.” Warner nodded again. “And even if you did leave the Service, where would you get employment out here?”
“Hold on a minute” said a shocked Warner “what do you mean I would have to leave the Service? What about you?”
She reclaimed more space between them and responded “I’ve a very good career here. I’m a Service gal remember?”
“What and I’m just a washed up, what was it you said, ‘hero that needs to take early retirement? Hey, I’m already a Commander…”
“What and I’m only a 1st Lt.”
“Well… yes.”
“God you think you’re so superior, don’t you?”
“No I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Oh yes you did. You men are all alike. You want it all your way or no way. Isn’t that right?”
“Hold on Rihan.”
“No you hold on. Hold on to your bloody Commander’s position, your career, your future but it will be a future without me.” She turned and started running out the room.
“Rihan” cried out Warner as he lunged to restrain her. But he wasn’t quick enough. By the time he got to the door, he could hear her crying but not see her form as she had already turned out of the wing. Standing at the end was Commodore Pious unmoved.
Warner resolved to pursue her. He marched down the corridor. As he passed the Commodore he gave him a foul look and mumbled to himself ‘smug bastard’.
Pious had seen this before and expected to see it again. He remained unmoved.
By the time Warner got to the downstairs bedroom where they had deposited their gear, Rihan was grabbing her bags.
“What do you think you are doing?” he called out alarmed.
“I’m going back to the Hermes.”
Warner pleaded with her “please Rihan, don’t do this. We can work it out.”
“It looks like you already have. You and the Commodore.”
“Be reasonable!”
“I thought you were better than this. But you’re just like all the rest.” She swung the bag on her shoulder clearing a path to the door and charged out, crying all the way.
Warner sank onto the bed, shattered.
Chapter 3. Shangri La 0905, 10 May.
Warner was waiting with the Commodore in the conference room. Chase was late for the briefing. He hailed him “Hanlon where are you?”
“I’m still wrapping things up here Sir. I won’t be long.”
It was another fifteen minutes before Chase came through the door looking like he’d run all the way. “The XO sends her apologies Sir but she has pressing business on board that must be done if we are to be ready to launch this evening.”
‘Blast’ thought Warner. He let Chase get on with setting up the connection between his portable console and the display server in the conference room. He sat there strumming his fingers on the table. That didn’t help Chase concentrate and it hadn’t gone unnoticed by Pious either. He leaned over and placed his open hand above Warners.
Warner stopped strumming and instead gave Chase a foul look. Chase was getting flustered and made a mistake with his settings. Instead of bringing up the operational battle map he instead opened a file that would under different circumstances have made the men in the room smile. But Warner was definitely not smiling.
Chase didn’t even bother with an explanation. Instead he buried his head and finally got it right. He sat back into his chair, casting a sheepish if not terrified look towards Warner. Warner’s look was withering.
Warner then turned to Pious, whose expression left no ambiguity. He was not impressed. He turned back to Chase. “Mr Hanlon, proceed!”
Chapter 4. Hermes 1130, 10 May.
It was an angry Warner that came on board. Actually, he was furious. He went to the command centre. The XO was not there. He was told she was in the dock supervising the stowing of the new warthog. He made his way there,he cloud of anger he was holding onto giving warning to all who crossed his path.
He got to the dock to find it almost empty, just a few crew loading some fresh food and other stores. The second warthog was there filling up what used to be a fairly large open area next to the first warthog. It was now as tight as a sardine can. Regardless there was no XO.
He went to her cabin but she was not there. Now he was getting really pissed. He hailed her on the intercom. “XO to my cabin please” and tersely hung up.
Rihan heard the directive but she too was in a foul mood. She had been in a foul mood all yesterday afternoon, all last night and all this morning. She didn’t see it getting any better and if the truth be known didn’t want it to be either.
If Fleet policies and regulations were the order of the day then she would enforce them to the letter. Hence, that’s why 2nd Lt Hanlon was ordered to complete the organisational rosters to cater for the new replacements. Hence, that’s why acting Chief Shavez was ordered to conduct induction interviews for each of the new marine replacements. Hence why Sgt Puket was ordered to update her flying achievements log and why 2nd Lt Bellard was ordered to undertake a performance assessment of the battle stations in the command centre and hence why a dozen other directives were issued to all and sundry that morning. The ship had never seen more activity and if that’s what regulations and policies demanded then that was what this professional XO was going to deliver.
The crew had no idea what had happened but they knew for sure that the XO was on the warpath and anyone caught in her way would be yesterday’s collateral damage.
Rihan noted the time and then deliberately slowed down her pace. She would make her way to the captain’s cabin but she noted no timeframe was specified. She knocked and received a terse “enter”. She came in and Warner said “close the door”.
“Are you sure that would be what the Commodore would want?” she said sarcastically.
“It’s what your commanding officer wants. Now do it.” And she did.
Warner deliberately kept her standing while he remained seated. It was his power play. “What is the meaning of tying up Chase on some unnecessary errand?”
“Regulations state that whenever new replacements are received, organisational rosters must be updated.”
“I’m well aware of that but you knew he had been tasked by me to deliver the briefing this morning. You went out of your way to make me look bad in front of the Commodore didn’t you?”
Rihan’s blood was rising now along with her voice. “You didn’t need me to do that. You did just fine yesterday all by yourself.”
“Rihan, be reasonable.”
But Rihan was not in a reasonable mood. “There is nothing in regulations which specifies that an XO must be reasonable.”
“No but there is about obeying your commanding officer. Don’t push it.”
“No Sir, not at all” returned a spiteful Rihan. “Will that be all?”
“Yes” said a frustrated Warner.
After she left, he
knew he hadn’t handled that well. He shook his head in disbelief at how it had panned out. But he couldn’t help himself admiring her pluck. She looked so good when she was all fired up. He even smiled.
Chapter 5. Hermes 1300, 10 May.
Warner was there to receive the Commodore as he came on. The military police guard was decked out and he was piped on with full military honours. It was not every day that they received a Commodore especially as they were operating virtually independently in this sector. When the member of the guard playing the pipes hit the wrong note, Warner cringed. ‘What else could go wrong?’ he thought. ‘I can’t take much more of this.’ But his stocks were yet to hit the bottom.
Private Popendreous was leading Warner and the Commodore along the corridor in the crew deck, carrying the Commodore’s luggage. When they passed the auxiliary officers’ cabin that was normally used for guest officers, Warner thought there must be a mistake. “Steward, where are you taking us?”
“To the Commodore’s cabin, Sir”
“And which one is that?”
Angie Popendreous turned and responded rather awkwardly “You know, your room Sir.”
“No… that can’t be right” said Warner.
Quick as a flash Angie came back “The XO said that since Mr Simons was already in the auxiliary room that you would be giving up your room for the Commodore”.
Internally Warner was fuming but somehow he kept a lid on it. “Please excuse me Commodore. There’s been a mistake. Steward, put the Commodore’s luggage for the moment in my cabin. If you wouldn’t mind waiting in the mess Sir I’ll sort this out.”
Pious raised an eyebrow and nodded but said nothing.
“Steward, once you have deposited those bags, please show the Commodore to the officers mess.”
“Yes Sir.”
Warner turned. If looks could kill.
He didn’t want another shouting match in his cabin with the Commodore just down the corridor, so he hailed “XO to Engineering” and added “ASAP”.
He then headed down to the central crumple compartment leading to Engineering.
Rihan entered and looked at Warner with a face that said ‘I know nothing’.
“I suppose you think that’s funny?”
“Sir, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh come on, you know telling the steward that the Commodore would be in my room.”
“Oh that. I presumed that since we already had one guest and that there were no other officers cabins left the Commodore being the senior officer on board should get the best cabin” she said feigning innocence.
“Right…” he said indicating his disbelief. “Well you can just go and fix this mess.” His dander was up and he was determined to let her know that in no uncertain terms was this going to be tolerated. Raising his voice even further “I’ve had it up to here with this nonsense”.
At that moment there was a clang of the bulkhead doors and Cpl Adrian Turner entered. He couldn’t help but notice that tempers were rising between the two ‘usual occupants’. He focused his gaze on the floor avoiding any eye contact, made his way across the compartment and tried unsuccessfully to close the bulkhead door quietly.
“As you wish” came back Rihan’s reply and she too left. When she closed the bulkhead door behind her she couldn’t help but smile. He looked exceedingly cute when he was angry.
Rihan went up to the crew deck and knocked on Art’s door. He opened it and standing in the doorway she explained the need to move the Commodore into his room.
“And so I presume I will be sharing with some other officer or do you have another plan. I would be more than willing to share yours” he cheekily added.
“I’m sure you would Art but I don’t think I’m fit company at the moment.”
He was about to come back with a witty response but he could see the sorrow in her eyes. He, like everyone else on the ship, was well aware of the recent hostilities between them. He reached out and offered his shoulder. She took it and he held her lightly. For a moment she thought she would cry. But she regained her composure and stood upright. His arms were now resting on her shoulders.
“Oh Art it’s all gone so bad. How is it possible to be so happy one moment and to be so miserable the next?”
Art said “Don’t worry I’m a great believer that everything works out for the best in the end” and he kissed her lightly on the forehead.
At that moment Warner reappeared, coming to ensure that the Commodore had been sorted. He stopped some ten metres away and stared at Art with his arms around Rihan and then the kiss. Part of him was in disbelief. Part of him was furious and part of him was hurt, very hurt indeed.
“You haven’t wasted much time” he called out.
Rihan and Art were surprised and turned to see Warner.
“It’s not what you think” said Art.
Rihan was just about to speak when Pious called out from the other direction. “Commander, are my rooms ready yet?” He had just come out from the officers mess keen to get his accommodation sorted. He observed the melodrama unfolding in the corridor but he cared little for it. Either Warner would deal with it or there would be changes.
Warner felt trapped. His heart wanted to pursue matters with Rihan but his head knew he had to respond to the Commodore. “XO are things sorted?” he said tersely.
“Yes Sir” she said turning to the Commodore. “Mr Simons will vacate and you can have his room. I will have it ready within the hour.”
“Very good” said Pious. “Commander, it’s 1400”.
Warner cast a look over to Rihan and he saw the pleading in her eyes but he couldn’t, he wouldn’t, pay it any heed. He marched past them both, his gaze fixed down the corridor.
Pious studied Warner as he approached, then looked back down the corridor at the two figures watching Warner. When Warner reached him he said in a quieter voice “I believe you owe me a decision.”
“There will be no marriage” said Warner.
“As you wish” said Pious.
Chapter 6. Hermes 1800, 10 May.
The mood in the command centre at launch time could best be described as miserable. The Commodore was there for the occasion and his presence didn’t help. Warner was still smarting over what happened on crew deck. Rihan was blaming herself for her stupidity and desperate for her own rapprochement with Warner but he was deliberately avoiding any eye contact with her. Ivan Kiralenko was the watch officer and while he was normally very competent he was making heavy going of it in the presence of the Commodore. He was receiving no assistance from anyone else either. In fact the whole team there were trying to keep as low a profile as they could.
But despite all this they did take off. They entered warp and were set for the eight hours it would take to emerge on the dark side of the Beta Phi moon. The plan called for a similar insertion as done previously, though with a drop off closer to Niku. From there Art and Sue Chalker would proceed to the suburbs of Niku, make contact with his source and hopefully conduct a first contact with the Alliance leadership on Beta Phi.
The Commodore wanted to personally go through options with Art and Sue straight after warp. Warner was also in attendance. At the conclusion, Art pursued Warner down the corridor. “Dave” he called out. Warner turned and said “Mr Simons on this ship you will refer to me as either Commander or Captain. What do you want?”
“Oh don’t be an ass. It was not what it seemed.”
“No? Well pray tell me what was it?”
“She was upset, about you. I was only giving her a shoulder to cry on.”
“And how many of your conquests, Art, have cried on your shoulder?” There was real venom in Warner’s voice.
“You’re making a big mistake.”
“Not any more” said an indignant Warner who turned and paced away.
Art shrugged. He felt ….inadequate. He wanted to help them get back together. He knew they belonged together. But time was against him. He had to go and p
repare his kit, shower and above all sleep. It would be a predawn start.
However he decided to at least tell Rihan that he had tried to talk to Warner. He went down to the crew deck again and knocked on Rihan’s door. She wasn’t there. There wasn’t a lot more he could do. So he resigned to go into enemy territory once again with another personal issue unresolved.
But when he finished packing he decided to at least put down in writing his account of what happened. He then knocked on Warner’s door but again no answer. In fact none of the officers were in their rooms. He was standing out in the corridor like a lost sheep when Sue Chalker turned the corner heading his way. She asked was he alright and he said fine but he was trying to deliver this letter to Warner only he couldn’t find him. He explained that he still had to setup his communicator and was running out of time. She undertook to deliver the message.
She tried various locations but also failed to locate the recipient. She too wanted to get some shut eye but she felt duty bound to find him. She went to the officer’s mess and asked the steward there if she could speak with the captain. Warner was talking to the Commodore and didn’t want to leave him unattended for too long. He came out to the ante room, which was more of a passage way than a room, with a door to the kitchen on the side. He beckoned Chalker to come in. She explained that she had a message from Art. He accepted it, unbuttoned his suit top and inserted the envelope. The steward backed into Sue carrying a tray forcing her into Warner. He instinctively grabbed her just as Rihan entered. She stopped in her tracks and then turned and fled back to her room.
Warner couldn’t believe it. In that moment he realised that he too had probably misread the previous incident with Art. He made sure Sue regained her balance and was just about to pursue Rihan when the Commodore called out for him.
Chapter 7. Hermes 1900, 10 May.
Warner finally extricated himself from the Commodore’s company. “XO to Engineering. Now!” he hailed over the intercom.
They met in the usual spot. Rihan’s fury was obvious but unstated. She was going to hold it this time she had assured herself on the way down in the elevator.
The Awakening: Book 1 of Warner's World Page 18
