Pearl of the Stars

Major Hynes, all but fully recovered from his recent ordeal, exited the interrogation room, shaking his head slowly. As the door swung quietly closed he rested his forehead against the door frame. He had spent the better part of twenty-four hours interrogating prisoner after prisoner, aided by the interrogation software of course, and it had taken a lot out of him.

None of the Others prisoners had been able to shed any light with regard to their fleet’s presence in the Callovan Star System, a system largely considered historically irrelevant by all parties involved in the War.

The interrogation software too had proved ineffective. Either the Others were extremely well conditioned, or they truly knew nothing.

Hynes removed his head from the door frame and activated his personal coms.

“Major.” Captain Ifhans answered his call.

“Captain,” he replied respectfully.

“Have we learned anything from our prisoners?”

“No Ma’am, not a fickling thing,” he replied wearily.

“Could there be a fault with the software?”

“Unlikely Ma’am, but I’ll have the techs look it over.”

“Do that, then I need you in the conference room.”

“Yes Ma’am,” he replied as his Captain cut the transmission and he went in search of the senior technician.

***

Grace nodded a greeting as Major Hynes entered the conference room. She lit a cigarette as he took a seat beside her, just as the screens around the table activated, the image of each unit commander appearing upon them.

“You have some explaining to do Ma’am,” said Captain Frost, speaking before Grace had said a word. “Why the fick did you allow that idiot Holding to do as he did?”

“You think I gave that order?” She was taken aback. Of course she had given the order, but that was not the point. “Captain Frost you are out of line Sir.”

“Am I?” He yelled in reply. “Your actions have put this entire mission in jeopardy. Not only are we a unit down but the Panzer, the largest of the MRV’s is gone too. For all we know, those vessels have been destroyed or worse, their crews taken captive.”

“Mind your tone, Captain,” said Major Hynes, his voice so low it was almost a growl.

“This is none of your business Major,” Frost snapped.

“One more outburst, Captain, and I shall have you removed from command.”

“Do the entire Fleet a favour, and remove yourself from command!”

Grace did not reply, instead she inclined her head towards Hynes and said, “Major, have your men on board the Rose of Sharyn take Mister Frost into custody.”

“Yes Ma’am. Gladly.”

***

Ten minutes later only three screens around the table were active. Captain Grace Ifhans glanced around at her fellow captains, looking for any sign of insubordination, but found no such thing. She was certain that if she were to ask each captain individually at least two of the three would tell her they would have done things differently. Grace had no problem with that. What she did have a problem with, was being called out in front of her peers. Frost had crossed a line, and she would see to it he paid for that.

“What is our next course of action Ma’am?” Captain Hubbard asked, showing no sign he resented the way Captain Ifhans had treated Frost, his friend.

“We continue our mission,” Grace replied, much calmer than she had been moments before. “Our next destination is the Xintax Star System.”

“That is an eight day jump Ma’am, to a border star system,” Captain Casper spoke. “Is that wise?”

“The sooner we reach Others controlled space, the sooner we can offer them chance to surrender. As part of that offer, I intend to put forward they aid us in fighting our new enemy.” She paused to light another cigarette. “I trust no one has any issue with that?” Grace allowed a few seconds silence, ample time for anyone to protest. “Good. There is of course one other issue we must address. We currently have a battleship without a commander.”

“Frost’s second in command, Villus. He’s a capable sailor,” Captain Hubbard suggested.

“He might be, however I’d rather someone who’s had nothing to do with Frost take command.”

“Karavel,” said Captain Jane Erstwhile. “Simone Karavel. She is on my crew, fresh out of the Academy for this mission.”

“I recognise her name,” replied Grace thoughtfully. “Thoughts?”

“It’s your call Ma’am,” said Captain Hubbard.

“Then it is settled. Captain Erstwhile, I leave it to you to issue Captain Karavel her new orders. Instruct her to contact me upon her arrival on the Rose of Sharyn.”

***

As the Fleet readied to jump, Grace attempted to get her head around what had occurred during the meeting.

Frost had challenged her command and as far as she was concerned she, had dealt with it quickly and effectively.

Karavel was by all accounts, more than capable of handling the stress of command and following their brief video conversation Grace was inclined to agree.

However it was the actions of Captain Michael Hubbard that had her confused. For weeks Grace had felt he and Frost had been working together, pushing her to the very limits of her patience. Yet during the meeting he had been extremely reasonable, and had shown no signs he had ever had anything but the utmost respect for Grace’s command.

Events were still playing out in her head as she gave the Fleet wide order to make the jump to the Xintax Star System. As a border system, security there would be tight. In fact Grace fully expected there to be a small fleet patrolling the jump points in and out of the system and with any luck, she would be able to borrow a few vessels to bulk up her Fleet before making the jump into Others controlled space.