Auberon (The Jessica Keller Chronicles Book 1) by Blaze Ward Read Free Book Online Page A

three envelopes left.
    Tamara suppressed a shiver at what might be in them.
    Oh, what the hell.
    She pulled the three out. Each had a number hand–written on the outside. 2. 3. 4.
    Tamara turned to look over her shoulder. Command Centurion Keller stared back, a hard and unreadable look on her face.
    Tamara held up the three envelopes and looked a question Keller, comfortably seated in the corner.
    She was rewarded by the commander holding up three fingers.
    Tamara cracked open the wax seal and pulled out the paper inside to read.
    Oh, my.
    She called up a navigation gazetteer and cycled through planetary systems until she found the one she wanted.
    Yes. That’s what I thought. More adventures for the crew. Wonder if I’ll still be in charge for that? Might be fun. Might totally suck.
    She pressed a button her screen.
    “Navigation,” she called, loud enough to wake everyone up from any daydreams that might have intruded. “I’m sending you coordinates for the far edge of the Simeon system. Lay them in and prepare to jump.”
    Tamara took a deep breath, aware she was showing off, but understanding that she needed to right now. Command Centurion Keller had a reputation as a brilliant tactical officer, but also a good commander who took the words of the command orders seriously, to “ exercise excellence and demand the same of her crew. ”
    “Engineering,” Tamara continued, “Gazetteer says eighty hours to Simeon for a well–founded ship. What’s your estimate?”
    Ozolinsh fixed her with his best withering stink–eye. “When we jump in eleven minutes,” he replied firmly, not willing to give an inch on damaging his engines without a fight, “Seventy–two hours. If you jump in six minutes, seventy–seven. Your choice.”
    Tamara fought down the smile. Needling the man was fun, but inappropriate now that she was the commander. She understood suddenly why Keller looked so harsh.
    She was never off duty.
    Will I grow up to be like that?
    Tamara thought about it for a second.
    Do I want to be that successful? That respected?
    Yes.
    She started to work on what she considered her Command Scowl. Hopefully she would get more chances to use it.
    “All right,” she said suddenly, thumbing a button to bring the Flight Deck into the conversation. “Department heads, please rearrange your schedules to have senior staff come on duty in roughly seventy hours. As you may remember, Simeon is a naval weapon’s range, and we will be exercising bangs and booms when we get there. Flight Deck, we’ll discuss weapons load–out tomorrow and then plan sortie schedules.”
    Tamara watched a scrolling marquee message appear on her board from the Flight Deck Commander. “Roger that. Iskra,” was repeated until she pushed a button to acknowledge it.
    They hadn’t been nearly as surprised down on the flight deck as the looks and gasps on the bridge had been.
    Tamara smiled. Auberon really was going to war.

Chapter VIII
    Date of the Republic October 2, 392 Jumpspace outbound from Kismayo system
    She considered belching.
    That had been an utterly amazing shrimp and spinach risotto, followed by a tiramisu that was divine. Jessica watched the Wardroom’s Chief Steward remove the last dessert plates from in front of her, Bitter Kitten , and Denis Jež before he refilled mugs and disappeared.
    She smiled. Someone had taken the time to research the new Command Centurion in far greater depth and detail than the command staff had thought to do. It was too bad that it was her new chef.
    Then again, maybe not.
    Her mug of coffee was even the right roast. Who said life on the frontier had to be all deprivation?
    “So, Lagunov,” Jessica began, “how ready is the flight wing going to be?”
    Pilots, by their nature, tended to be cocky, arrogant, and full of themselves. Bitter Kitten was none of that, as six hours of close contact had revealed. Instead, she was a skinny brunette of average height who spoke with quiet care and precision