Valor At Vauzlee by Thomas DePrima Read Free Book Online Page B

crew had reported aboard as other ships arrived at the spaceport. Gavin summoned Jenetta to his briefing room a little after 1100 hours.
    "Stand easy, Commander," Gavin said as she entered and braced to attention. "How are the preparations for departure proceeding?"
    "Very well, Captain. Armament is complete and victualing is nearly complete. The ship will be ready on time, but I'm not sure if all crewmembers will be aboard. A few haven't yet checked in because their ships haven't reached Higgins."
    "That can't be helped. We leave as scheduled and Space Command HQ will have to figure out how to get the crew members to us."
    "Aye, Captain."
    "Commander, I've been keeping a very close eye on your activity during the past week."
    "You have, sir?" Jenetta asked apprehensively.
    "I wanted to see how you would meet the demands of an extremely difficult administrative situation, so I purposely didn't help out. I admit that I was more than a little concerned about having an ensign that had just been advanced three grades, functioning as my acting first officer. In fact, for two days before you reported aboard, I intentionally let problems accumulate so that you'd have a real mess to unravel."
    "Things did seem a bit backed up at first, sir."
    "Well, I'm not going to be watching you so closely anymore. You've proven that your administrative skills are just as good as your reputed tactical skills. You have everything running like a shipboard chronometer."
    "Thank you, sir. I learned quite a bit during the months that I functioned as captain of the Prometheus."
    "No doubt," he said, letting his eyes drop momentarily to the pip on her collar. "I've noted your superior administrative performance in handling the difficult task of preparing a new command, in your file. I no longer have any reservations about your being my acting first for the trip ahead. Good work, Commander. That's all."
    "Aye, sir. Thank you, sir."
    Jenetta returned to her duties with a slight smile on her face and felt good for the rest of the day. The Captain's involvement in the ship's preparations had been conspicuously absent during the week. Even her access to him had been severely limited. Now she understood why. It wasn't personal, as she'd begun to fear; he was only testing her ability to handle the job.
    * * *
    As the Prometheus' bridge crew made final preparations to depart the spaceport at 1300 hours on Sunday, a call came from the deck officer in the forward cargo bay. The lieutenant responsible for securing the airlock reported that a large, unexpected group of Space Command personnel had just arrived. The officer in charge was requesting to be admitted. Jenetta told the deck officer that she'd be right down, and hurried out after turning over bridge responsibility to the next most senior command officer.
    When she arrived at the cargo bay, she found a group of about twenty-five GSC ratings, noncoms, and junior officers already standing inside. Jenetta immediately recognized Commander Keith Kanes of SCI, who stepped forward as she approached. The five-foot eleven-inch intelligence officer with brown hair and piercing steel-grey eyes saluted and spoke up first.
    "Permission to come aboard, Commander?"
    "Granted," Jenetta said after returning the salute. "Welcome aboard, Commander. What is this? We're about to get underway."
    "I've brought you some passengers for the trip to Earth. And I have special orders for the captain."
    "Passengers?"
    "Yes, including one for your brig."
    Jenetta's gaze flew to the group and she scanned the faces. Her eyes opened a little wider when she recognized Commander Pretorious, the Raider officer that had been in command of the Prometheus when she led the assault to recover it. As tall as Kanes, but with curly black hair and dark bushy eyebrows that gave him a certain comical look, he was manacled with prisoner transport chains.
    "Can you accommodate us?" Commander Kanes asked.
    "I'm sure that we can, sir. Is this your entire