"For such a small officer," the admiral boomed as he towered over Jenetta, "you throw a mighty big shadow, Ensign. I've done little except talk to people about you for the past four weeks. I've been fielding calls from the Galactic Alliance Council, Space Command Supreme Headquarters, the Admiralty Board, the Nordakian Palace, the Nordakian Space Force, and every damned news organization in the galaxy."
"I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble, Admiral."
"Trouble? Did I say anything about trouble?"
"Uh— no sir. I thought that was what you meant."
Admiral Holt smiled and said in his booming voice, "Hell no! I've been having the time of my life! It's the most excitement we've had around here in years!" Lowering his voice to a more normal speaking level, he added, "That yarn that you spun at the trial was one of the best stories I've heard since I was a small boy, sitting on my grandfather's lap as he read C.S. Forester's epic tales about his fictional seafaring officer, Horatio Hornblower."
"Fictional? I assure the Admiral that every word of my testimony at the court-martial was true."
"Oh, I believe you, Ensign. Your story's been put through the wringer and checked every which way from Sunday to Saturday, and back again. Commander Kanes' boys and girls in Intelligence haven't been able to find a single statement that they could disprove— or even doubt. In fact, most of it has been verified by as many as fifty witnesses. If anything, the witnesses unanimously say that you understate your own participation and heroism in the events that transpired."
"I only did what I felt was fitting and proper for a Space Command officer, sir."
"It's our considered opinion that you went well above and beyond ‘fitting and proper.' You showed initiative and daring, properly coupled with superior intelligence and training. Those are qualities that we prize highly in our officers. Your escape from the detention center enthralled me the most. That was all guts and glory, from the moment you killed your guard in unarmed combat, and then single-handedly took out all the other guards, until the space station blew up. It's unfortunate that you had to leave Captain Starnos and his first mate behind, but confidentially, in your place I would have done exactly the same thing. You must be hell on wheels with a pistol, Ensign. The witnesses unanimously state that you drew your side arm so fast, they didn't see your hand move, and that you had shot Starnos' mate before Starnos had even started to fall."
"I anticipated trouble from someone, Admiral, so I was ready. I'd had a couple of weeks to plan every phase of the escape."
"But you couldn't know who would challenge your authority for command, or what the situation would be like once you got out of the detention center?"
"The situation was a bit fluid, sir, but aren't all military operations? I calculated that if the command issue was raised, it would likely come from someone not accustomed to following orders, such as a freighter captain or senior officer. I regret that I had to leave Starnos and his first mate behind, but a second escape group would have significantly reduced the odds of anyone attaining freedom. I knew that I was never going to be shipped off to a pleasure resort in the Uthlaro Dominion to live out my life as a mindless sex slave, so I was prepared to do whatever was necessary. And I'll make no apologies for the destruction of the station."
"And you shouldn't. We're not upset about the loss of that spaceport. Hell, we would have blown it to Hades ourselves if we knew of it. We're also extremely grateful that you were able to bring back both the Prometheus and the Chiron."
"Thank you, sir. It's nice that someone has acknowledged that little fact— at last."
Admiral Holt chuckled and said, "Been feeling a little unappreciated, Ensign?"
"Yes sir, a little."
"Well, don't be. We had to do what we did."
"Sir?"
"We had no choice but to put you through the hell of a general court-martial. You killed, on your own initiative and virtually single-handedly, over eighteen thousand Raiders in the spaceport, and another thousand or two in the ships you engaged while acting as captain of the Vordoth. That's more Raiders than all of Space Command has captured or killed in the past decade. There's no way in this universe that could just be swept out the airlock. There would have been a formal inquiry even if an authorized task force had destroyed the base.
"Supreme HQ believed that some of the more radical members of the press might try to propagandize the annihilation of the Raider Base as an example of military excess, so we decided to give them a different rallying position. They all love underdogs, so we gave them one they could really get behind, you. Commander Kanes, who by the way has been one of your staunchest supporters since your identity was confirmed, assured us that you could hold up through the rigors of the court-martial. After the things you accomplished, we all knew that you were made of stern stuff. The trial itself was planned down to the smallest detail, even to eliciting sympathy for you by hobbling you with prisoner transport chains during the early stages. I hear that fact alone brought people over to your side in droves before the trial even began."
Jenetta was stunned by the revelation. "You mean that it was all rigged, sir?"
"Oh, no, it was a real court-martial. The six jurors, who are all in this room right now by the way, weren't a party to discussions about the case until after the court-martial was over. We just knew in advance that the overwhelming evidence would lead to your acquittal. In fact, we made the charges as preposterous as possible so that acquittal was the only sane response. You see, this way people can't say that the military is trying to hide anything. Occasionally, situations do occur which the public is far better off not knowing about, but this was much too big to keep under wraps, so we had to bring it out into the open. Now everything has been bared, inspected under a microscope from every possible angle, you've been acquitted, and it's over. There are no dirty little secrets for reporters to dig out. Is that clear?"
"As crystal, sir."
"Good. And there won't be any further discussion of what I've just said, outside of this room?"
"Did you say something, sir?"
Admiral Holt grinned. "You'll go far, Ensign." He looked over at Commanders Kanes and Pierce and said, "Gentlemen?"
At that invitation, both officers came over to face Jenetta.
"Ensign," Pierce said, "we very much regret the way that we had to treat you, but we had difficult roles to play. We had to suppress our respect and appreciation for the incredible things you've done, while appearing cold and angry, and we needed your reactions to appear genuine. The fear and anguish that you had to be feeling after serving Space Command so heroically must have been horrendous. I know that nothing I say can ever erase that memory, but you should know I admire you more than I can adequately express."
"Ditto from the Intelligence section, Ensign," Kanes said, "but after what you did, and from the time that I spent interviewing you, I knew that you could take the heat without cracking. You're one tough little customer. Well done, Ensign. Very well done!"
Jenetta wondered what they'd say if they knew just how close she'd come to resigning her commission and separating from the service. Understanding the reason for the unfair treatment didn't erase the resentment she felt for being used so badly, but it began the process of healing the hurt. She swallowed the words that she'd like to hurl in their faces and instead said, in diplomatic fashion, "Thank you, gentlemen. I admit that I was feeling a little down, but you've completely restored my faith in the service."
"The reason that we've called you here today," Admiral Holt said, as Pierce and Kanes returned to where they had been standing before coming over to face Jenetta, "is to thank you for what you've done and let you know that all of us here support your actions one hundred percent. Most of us are even a little envious of the excitement that you had for a few months. The worst thing in the universe, for a command officer, is to be stuck behind a desk, as many of us here today can testify."
"Yes sir. I know exactly what you mean."
Admiral
Holt chuckled. "Not happy over in the Science Section? I can understand that. The work performed there is important, but it's not for everyone. Posting you there temporarily was just another part of the plan. We've all come to realize that you can best serve the Galactic Alliance in another role, but until we'd had a chance to perform a full psych exam, we couldn't possibly appoint you to any position that required more than a basic security clearance. You were in the hands of the Raiders for a full month, after all. Dr. Friedlander's call to the Psych Department was just a coincidence. You were already scheduled for a complete exam. Dr. Praeges has restored your security clearances, and your service classification has officially been changed from science officer to something more befitting your abilities and desires.
"Next week," Admiral Holt continued, "you'll report to your new ship. You'll be back in space again, and this time you'll be in a command position on the bridge. I wish that I was going as well, but my job is riding that desk back there now."
If Jenetta received nothing else for everything she had done, transfer to a command position as a helmsman or astrogator would be reward enough. She hoped that the position would be aboard a research ship instead of a quartermaster ship or reclamation vessel, but she would be immensely satisfied with any command slot.
"However," the admiral continued, "one of the best parts of this job is what I get to do now. The room shall come to attention."
The officers in the room formed several lines and adopted the appropriate rigid stance while the admiral took a holo-tube from his desk, activated it, and read the page that popped up.
"Ensign Jenetta Alicia Carver, by special order from Space Command Supreme Headquarters, with unanimous confirmation by the Galactic Alliance Council, you are immediately advanced to the rank of Lieutenant Commander." Lowering the holo-tube, he said, "Congratulations, Commander."
Jenetta had immediately realized that she was being promoted when the admiral began reading, but she expected to hear ‘Lieutenant(jg).' When the Admiral said ‘Lieutenant Commander,' her jaw dropped and she just stood there with her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open.
Admiral Holt chuckled. "This is the first time that I've seen you at a loss for words, Commander."
"Li— Lieutenant Commander? Surely you meant to say Lieutenant J.G., sir.
"No— I meant to say Lieutenant Commander."
With narrowing eyes, Jenetta asked, "Is this a joke, sir?"
Admiral Holt grinned. "Supreme Headquarters is not in the habit of making jokes, Commander."
"Uh, no sir. But isn't that— rather an unusual promotion? I mean, from Ensign to Lieutenant Commander? That's three grades, sir."
"Advancement from ensign to lieutenant(jg) is not really a promotion in the normal sense, but rather an upgrade at the discretion of a commanding officer when he or she feels the new officer is deserving. If not for all this brouhaha with the court-martial, you would have received that immediately upon your arrival here. So it's really just a two-grade promotion. And yes, even that is a bit unusual, although in Earth's history there have been battlefield promotions that far surpass it. I prefer to think of this advancement as simply being— overdue. You were repeatedly skipped over at promotion time because we, um— temporarily misplaced you, so Space Command is merely placing you where someone of your demonstrated talents and ability would no doubt be after eleven years in Space Command. Most of your classmates who have remained in the service have reached Lieutenant, and one recently made Lieutenant Commander. After what you've done for the people of the Galactic Alliance, we can't have you being junior to any of your former classmates. And Commander?"
"Sir?"
"I've made a small wager that you'll be the first of your graduating class to reach the rank of captain— officially. Don't let me down."
"No sir. I mean, yes, sir. Thank you, sir."
"Here's your first set of three bars to replace the single that you're currently wearing. Admiral Margolan, would you assist me, please."
"I would be most honored, sir," Admiral Margolan said.
Jenetta stood at attention as the two admirals replaced the ensign insignia on each epaulet with new insignia that showed her rank to be lieutenant commander. When they were done, both stood facing Jenetta and saluted her. She immediately returned their salute.
"Since we're officially at war with the Raiders, I'm also pleased to award this Purple Heart in recognition of the broken arm that you suffered while retaking the Prometheus," Admiral Holt said, holding out a medal case. "I'm as glad as you are that you were able to avoid those lattice shots."
"Yes sir. Thank you, sir."
"It's also my pleasure to give you the Space Command Star that you were awarded following the explosion of the Hokyuu. It was awarded posthumously, but the records have been amended, so you're entitled to wear it. I know that it won't make up for the many years that you lost, but it's the best we can do."
"Thank you, sir."
"And here's your new service classification insignia." Smiling widely, Admiral Holt held out a small jeweler's case and raised the snap open lid. The case contained the two new gold insignia for her collar.
Jenetta started to reach for the box and then froze as she saw the insignia. All command officers wear gold collar insignia in the shape of an inverted ‘V,' meant to be symbolic of an early spaceship blasting off from a planet. But the insignia that Admiral Holt was holding also contained a red garnet inset at the widest part of the ‘V.' Intended to represent the flames from the ignition of liquid fuel, only the collar insignia of a line officer contained that red inset.
"I don't understand, sir," she said.
With smiling eyes the admiral said, "You were expecting to be posted maybe to a research ship, quartermaster ship, or possibly a reclamation vessel? Something like that?"
"Uh, yes sir."
"Because of the regulation that requires all line officers be graduates of the Warship Command Institute?"
"Yes sir."
"The Admiralty Board endorsed your advance registration for the next class of WCI students."
"They have?" Jenetta said, her face lighting up.
"But then they withdraw it," he said, his face reflecting sadness.
Her smile immediately faded. Crestfallen, she said, "They did?"
"They decided that it would be— awkward— to have a Lt. Commander who had seen such action as you have, and been the subject of so much attention, in a class with a bunch of inexperienced ensigns. They felt that the other officers would be in such awe of you that it could affect their performance. Besides which, during these difficult times we can't have an officer with your abilities and experiences sitting in a classroom for two years while a professor tells you things you already know, and possibly even know better. Or worse, wasting those talents by posting you to a Quartermaster ship or Research vessel, as vital as those services are. So the Admiralty Board has decided to waive the regulation in this instance, and allow you to assume your new post aboard ship immediately.
"I fully endorse their decision. I've had an opportunity to review the bridge logs of your time as captain of the Vordoth; not just the logs recorded immediately prior to and during the attacks, but the normal watch logs as well. I recognize command ability when I see it. You belong on the bridge of a warship."
Jen returned her gaze to the small case and reached out with trembling hands to accept the insignia, a lump materializing in her throat as tears welled up in her eyes. It was her lifelong dream come true; a command posting to a warship.
"The room shall be at ease," Admiral Holt said and everyone relaxed. Handing Jenetta a data ring, the Admiral said, "Here are your orders to report to the captain of the Prometheus two days from now by 0700 hours. You are now the second officer of that ship. As second, you'll be back in the command chair for part of each day, although it will be the third watch."
Jenetta was dazed anew as she stared at the Admiral through moist eyes. "The Prometheus, sir?"
"One o
f the two best warships in the fleet, as you well know."
"Yes sir, but…" Jenetta took a deep breath and shook her head slightly to clear it. "Thank you, sir. It's more than I ever dared hope for."
"The Prometheus and Chiron are returning to Earth for their official launching ceremonies, but the Prometheus has been commissioned effective on the date that you took it back from the Raiders. As such, the logs, and the ship's identification plaque on the bridge, will forever show that the first captain of the ship was one Ensign Jenetta Alicia Carver. You're also entitled to wear a golden pip on your collar. There's one in the case with the new collar insignia."
Jenetta's jaw dropped again. As far as she knew, no other currently serving officer had been permitted to wear a pip before attaining the official Space Command rank of Captain, the rank required for promotion to warship command. Although Space Command and the Space Marine Corps have many different ship configurations for warfare operations and support, only Space Command's destroyers, frigates, cruisers, and battleships are included under the umbrella term, ‘warship'. A golden pip represents a previous warship command, while a red pip represents a current appointment. Admiral Holt wears five golden pips on his collar.
"You're the only ensign in the history of Space Command to be officially recognized as the captain of an active duty GSC battleship. In fact, I don't believe that any officer below the rank of Commander has ever been acknowledged as the captain of any warship. It's a great honor, Commander."
"I know, sir," Jenetta said, as she wiped at the tears that had trickled down her cheeks. "I'm feeling a little lightheaded."
"Stay with us, Commander, there's more. Following the official launching of the Prometheus, the ship will take you, and a delegation of Galactic Alliance Council members, to Nordakia where you will be awarded the Tawroolee Medal of Valor."
"Nordakia? I don't know what to say, sir."
"Then don't say anything until you've heard it all," Admiral Holt said.
"There's more?"
"The Galactic Alliance Council has voted to award you the Medal of Honor for your infiltration of an enemy base, your successful destruction of the Raider spaceport, and the return of the two stolen battleships. The ceremony will be held on Earth, preceding the official launching of the Prometheus."
A Galaxy Unknown Page 41
