Helfort's War Book 4: The Battle for Commitment Planet by Graham Sharp Paul Read Free Book Online Page B

there you go. As soo—”
    “Sir!” Ferreira protested. “Sir, you can’t—”
    “Don’t interrupt me, Lieutenant.”
    “No, sir. Sorry, sir.”
    “Apology accepted. Now, from here on out, this matter is no longer up for discussion. As soon as we get back to Nyleth, I’m going to see Commodore Anjula. If she asks, I will tell her that I told you of the problem and that you advised me to report the matter to her as soon as possible. And maybe she and the powers that be can come up with something to get me out of this mess.”
    “As you wish, sir,” Ferreira said, her words taut with bitterness and anger.
    “Come on, Jayla,” Michael said with a half smile. “I’m pretty sure the first thing Anjula will do is relieve me of my command. I know I would if I was in her place, so it looks to me like you’re going to get your first ship rather sooner than we expected. And what a ship; I’m going to miss
Redwood
.”
    “Sir!” Ferreira objected, her face coloring.
    “Sorry, bad time to be kidding around. Anyway, there it is. My decision’s made, and I want you to respect that. You are not to raise this matter with me again. Is that clear, or do I have to give you a formal, written order?”
    “No, sir,” Ferreira said, her face an expressionless mask. “No, that’s clear and I understand the order.”
    “Good. Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?”
    “No, sir.”
    “Very well. You may carry on.”
    “Sir,” Ferreira said. Without another word, she climbed to her feet and walked out of Michael’s day cabin.
    “Shit,” Michael said softly as Ferreira’s exit hammered home the brutal fact that he would never see Anna alive again.
       “Captain, sir.”
    “Yes, Jayla?”
    “Can you meet me in Conference-2, sir? There’s something I want to show you.”
    “Okay,” Michael said with a puzzled frown. “Anything I should know about?”
    “I’d rather show you, sir, if that’s okay.”
    “Fine, fine. I’m on my way.”
    When Michael opened the door to the conference room, what he saw brought him to an abrupt halt. The fact that the people who made
Redwood
an effective fighting ship—her officers and senior spacers—sat at the table waiting shocked him, not least because he knew they were not there to talk about the weather back on Nyleth.
    “Attention on deck,” Ferreira barked, the order snapping everyone present to his or her feet.
    “Carry on, please,” Michael said as he sat down. “Jayla, I think you’d better tell me what this is all about.”
    “Yes, sir. I will.” Ferreira paused to collect herself. “In a word, sir, it’s about you,” she said.
    Michael struggled to maintain his composure, his body reluctant to breathe properly, his heart racing out of control. Had Ferreira decided to exercise her right to declare him unfit for command? She had every reason and every right to do exactly that, and this was the way to do it: in front of witnesses whowould testify to the inevitable board of inquiry that she had followed due process. Was that why he was here?
    “Okay,” he said. “I’m listening.”
    “First, let me tell you what I’ve done since last we spoke about Lieutenant Cheung,” Ferreira said.
    In an instant, anger flared up white-hot; Michael fought to keep it in check. “What the hell are you doing raising that here, of all places?” he said, his voice a shout. “That’s a private matter, and you know it.” Eyes narrowed with rage, Michael glared at Ferreira. “Did I not give you a direct order that you were not to raise it ever again? I damn well did, didn’t I?”
    “Yes, sir. You did. You gave it to me, and I understood that order. No argument, sir.”
    “Then what the hell are you doing, Lieutenant? You realize I cannot ignore your willful refusal to obey that order?”
    “Yes, sir.” Ferreira nodded. “I do realize that.”
    Michael shook his head, baffled. “Then what the hell are you playing at? If we’re here to talk about