Rom straightened. “Understood, sir. I’m sure you’ll make the best decision.”
Kas gave Rom a sardonic look. “Sarcasm doesn’t become you, Commander.”
Rom flushed. “Yes, sir. Sorry sir.”
Kas grinned. “Now, with Dr. Kor-Nashta’s permission, let’s go find our engineers and see if we can get them to tell us anything interesting.”
Chapter 16
A swarm of civilian techs stampeded past as they were leaving the bridge, headed for the Astrogator’s station. Kas’ sense of urgency was communicating itself.
Ler-Traken would be spending at least a month in a regeneration station. “He was literally seconds from death when they got him into that stasis pod,” Ro-Lecton reported. “He’ll recover, but it won’t be quick and it won’t be easy.”
That meant that Kas had about two days to decide who would command Starhopper.
In fact, he had a number of choices. First, of course, there was San To-Ling, his exec aboard Rekesh and the senior Commander. By seniority, she was the obvious choice. However, Kas was not confident she could overcome her innerworld bigotry.
Next by seniority was Tre Wansung, the recruiting-poster Commander who now served as Rekesh ’s Ops Officer. Wansung lacked combatant-ship experience, but from what Kas had seen since he had been aboard, the young Commander displayed a quiet competence that impressed Kas.
Next in seniority was Rom Reffel, but Kas was not impressed by that fact, since much of his seniority was based on inactive reserve time. Rom did have command experience, and he’d done well under the pressure of a combat situation. Still…
Finally, there was Lieutenant Commander Con Vertring, presently the Rekesh ’s Assistant Ops Officer. Vertring was an outerworlder, though he went to great pains to conceal that fact, affecting innerworld speech and manners. Since Vertring’s duty station was the bridge, Kas had observed his performance and behavior. He was effective and competent, but he had a tendency to insist that things be done ‘by the book’, and he seemed to treat those junior to him brusquely and with scant courtesy. He had never held command, though he had been the Exec of a corvette.
Kas sighed. He might have four names, but he really had little choice. To-Ling was really shaping up as his XO, and seemed to be working to overcome her prejudices; but he was not ready to put her in command of a crew of outerworlders.
His first impulse was to give the command to Rom, based on his observations on the trip out and Rom’s excellent performance under pressure. Nevertheless, he could not escape the feeling that Rom wasn’t ready for command.
His objection to Vertring was based more on a feeling than a fact. Based on what he had observed, he suspected that, given the opportunity, Vertring could easily become a martinet, commanding by fear rather than respect. While that technique could be effective in certain circumstances, a combat situation without expectation of reinforcement was not one of them.
No, there really was only one choice. He called Commander Tre Wansung to his cabin.
The young Commander entered with a snappy salute and a bearing worthy of an academy cadet. As usual with Wansung, the man’s shipsuit was faultlessly pressed, with knife-edged creases.
After inviting Wansung to sit, Kas began, “Commander, when we last met, I suggested you use the strategic and tactical library and simulations to overcome your lack of combatant-ship experience. How’ve you been doing?”
The man was sitting at attention; bolt upright, with his knees together and arms at his sides. At Kas’ words, his expression became one of suppressed excitement. “I’ve been studying the manuals and texts nightly, sir, and I’ve been running tactical simulations several times a week. I have more to learn, of course. But I’ve wanted to talk with you about that. I think I’ve learned the most important lesson, and it’s not in the manuals. Tactics isn’t procedures, is it, sir? I mean, it’s not applying a textbook response to a situation. It’s a way of thinking, isn’t it? Like in chess, or jask.
“You can read hundreds of books about chess and still not be a master, because each situation is just unique enough to need a unique solution or maybe just a unique twist on an old solution. So a chess master studies texts as a means of learning techniques he can adapt to his use, rather than a person who might memorize hundreds of past games and still lose, because he is trying to use solutions that worked in the past in situations that aren’t exactly like those in the book. So, he loses.”
Kas smiled and nodded. “I think so, Commander. You always need to know what has worked, or even failed, in the past — but you cannot try to endlessly repeat them. Very good. But don’t stop studying. Some ancient wise man once said that those who do not study the past are doomed to repeat it.”
Wansung bobbed his head excitedly. “Exactly my conclusion, sir! And I wasn’t planning to stop now. Those texts are fascinating. Did you know that some are so ancient they may even be pre-spaceflight? Incredible!”
Kas’ smile turned to a grin. “I’ve heard that rumor, too. I don’t believe it. Just because someone has an odd name like Sun Tzu or Clausewitz, it doesn’t mean his book goes back to Old Earth.”
Kas made up his mind. Wansung might be green, but Kas was willing to give him an opportunity to prove himself. Besides, there was no real alternative. “All right, Commander,” he said. “I’m giving you temporary command of Starhopper.”
Wansung’s eyes widened, and then narrowed in determination. “You won’t regret it, sir.”
Kas nodded. “I’m sure I won’t, Captain. However, there’s no time to waste. Starhopper has sustained battle damage that must be repaired before our next jump, in… about forty-two hours. Repairs are underway as we speak, and I have every confidence that Rom Reffel will make certain they are done correctly. But she needs a skipper. First priority is repairs to her Astrogator’s station, at least well enough to let her jump with her system slaved to ours.”
“Excuse me, sir,” Wansung said with a frown, “but what’s the hurry? They can’t be ready to attack us again.”
Kas sighed. “True. However, we do not even know who they were. Sheol, if it weren’t for the fact that their ident beacons were disabled, I’d be wondering if perhaps they were sent by the Empire to escort us back!”
Wansung’s frown deepened. “I guess I just assumed they were Glories, sir.”
Kas shrugged. “Perhaps they were. But they could just as easily have been from Libertad. And I can think of a couple of other independents that would not be above a bit of piracy for a prize like the Rekesh.
“The point is,” he continued, “whoever they were; they probably aren’t the only ones chasing us.” He shrugged. “That group might not be able to attack again for awhile, but another group may have arrived almost immediately after we jumped.”
Wansung smiled sourly. “If so, maybe we’ll get lucky and they’ll fight each other.”
Kas grinned. “Want to bet your life on it? No,” he continued seriously, “we’re running a gauntlet. And our only chance is to run it as fast as we can, while expecting attack at any moment.”
The young Commander jumped to attention. “I won’t let you down, sir,” he said crisply.
Kas’ smile was warm. “I know you won’t, Captain. Now, get out of here and get your ship fixed.”
Wansung snapped him a bone-cracking salute, and marched from the office.
The ease with which Wansung assumed command of Starhopper was a pleasant surprise. By the time they approached the jump point, Starhopper ’s jump comps and systems had been installed and double-and triple-checked. A small crew of civilian techs would remain aboard her to complete repairs to her comm systems and to fine-tune her weapons systems while she was in jump.
Kas breathed a huge sigh of relief as they jumped with no sign of any pursuers. Life again assumed the more relaxed pace typical of jump. The tiny bubble of the jump field was again an oasis of reality in the nothingness of Supralight.