“So here are the two facts. Fact one: he’s former Special Forces. Fact two: He’s retired. That’s all you have the need to know.
“He likes what he’s doing, he’s earned what is effectively downtime and there’s no better hand at training a young officer. Personally, you want him right where he is. Professionally, while he’d be an asset in your shop, he’d more or less automatically boot you out if he returned at rank. And he made the point that for social politics reasons, that wouldn’t work. When you create a splinter cell to go bootstrap the Pacific, the under secretary and I have already pegged him, notionally, as CINCPAC. He doesn’t know that and he doesn’t need to. It’s late your time. Do you have any salient questions?”
“No, ma’am,” Steve said. “That pretty much covers it.”
“Steve, seriously, he’s not a threat, quite the opposite, and I know him personally, not just professionally. He’s a great guy. You’re lucky to have him where he’s at.”
“Sort of got that, ma’am,” Steve said. “I can even see him wanting to play deckhand. I miss those days myself.”
“If you need someone that’s ‘next level,’ he’s there,” Brice said. “But, notionally, we’re looking at next stage. Get some sleep and don’t worry about Night Walker.”
“Walker?” Stacey said worriedly.
“Turns out I can now chase you around the cabin with my mind focused on that,” Steve said. “Super-secret squirrel. As trustworthy as black ops gets I suppose.”
“I was a little worried,” Stacey said, nodding. “That’s good to hear.”
“Hmmm…” Steve said. “Now, you have exactly one second’s head start, then I’m going to tickle the life out of you.”
“I’m just glad you think pregnant women are sexy…”
“So, how was your away time?” Sophia asked, yawning. It was past midnight and she was ready for the rack. “And I see Olga didn’t make it back. No surprise.”
“What they want for parts is crazy,” Celementina said. “I found a new water pump for the engine but they want a case of good booze.”
“We kept back some cases,” Sophia said, shrugging. “I wonder where it came from, though.”
“Like I say,” Celementina said. “Nobody turn in all their stuff they find. They trade it. They only turn in the stuff they can’t trade.”
“We still have the cases,” Sophia said. “And we’ll know better next time. Batari?”
“Plenty of spices and condiments,” Batari said. “Good stuff, too. Prices, not so bad. I can probably get all I need with some of the jewelry and a couple of bottles.”
“Works,” Sophia said. “Okay, tomorrow, we’ll go in shifts, get all the stuff we need we didn’t get from Squadron. Walker, you want to go over tonight?”
“I’ll take the watch, ma’am,” Walker said. “You get some sleep. I can run over tomorrow evening if I want to. Any other stuff we need to know or should know?”
“We can sleep aboard?” Celementina said. “The Boadicea. There’s cabins for us if we want them. Like a hotel. Might be where Olga is.”
“There’s an internet, sort of,” Batari said. “Really more like Spacebook. You can check on people in the squadron. Everybody has an account already set up. Oh, and you’ve got to see the night sky movie.”
“Blackness, I would think,” Walker said. “At least if it’s current imagery.”
“You need to see it,” Celementina said, looking at Sophia with an odd expression. “I’m so glad we’re doing this. All we see is the boat. I didn’t really understand, you know? Just see it.”
“Okay,” Sophia said. “On the agenda for tomorrow. We’ll see if we get Olga back so some of us can go get some…I was going to say shore leave…”
“Big boat leave?” Walker said. “Get some sleep, Skipper. I’ll take the watch.”
CHAPTER 5
“…we ain’t gonna give in to these fuckin’ zombies…”
“Ensign, welcome aboard,” the red-headed man said, offering his hand.
The Boadicea was in movement, cruising very slowly eastward. Most floating docks were designed to be used in ports and stationary, not at sea and in movement. This “floating dock” was actually the bottom of a lifeboat that had been reconfigured and was held away from the ship’s hull by two davits usually used to raise and lower lifeboats.
“Thanks,” Sophia said, stepping off the Zodiac. She didn’t really need the help but she sort of touched his hand getting onto the floating dock. Most people probably needed a lot of help.
She’d worn her uniform. It wasn’t mandatory but she’d worn it anyway. She’d debated then rejected the Master Savior Badge. The nonsubdued version, cast gold from salvaged jewelry, was authorized for wear with NavCam. She had decided to wear her Small Boats Badge. The badge was unauthorized but most of the small boat people wore one. It was a Viking longboat tossed in a storm. That she could get her head around. The Master Savior Badge was just a touch too gaudy.
“I guess this is old hat for you, Seawolf,” the man said, grinning. He was vaguely familiar but a lot of people were.
“I know we’ve met…” Sophia said.
“I guess I was just another face,” the man said. “Spring Keyzers. You picked me up about a month ago. Until I saw the movie I hadn’t really realized how many people you must have picked up.”
“Sailboat,” she said, shaking his hand. “Out of commission. What are you doing working guest relations? I’d have pegged you for small boat ops.”
“I’d had enough sailing for a while?” Keyzers said, smiling tightly. “Maybe later. I guess I’m sort of lighting a candle keeping freshies from going in the drink.”
“Understandable,” Sophia said. “Hope you’re doing better.”
“Much,” the man said.
“I’ll get out of your way,” Sophia said. “You take care.”
“You, too, miss.”
“That was you, wasn’t it?” a woman said, coming out of the theater. She was crying, as were most of the people with her. “The girl lighting the candle? Thank you.”
“For what?” Sophia said. She knew she’d never seen the woman in her life. But she was getting that a lot. Random strangers walking up and saying “thank you.” She wasn’t sure why. Some of them even hugged her and she wasn’t the huggy type. “And the what?”
Sophia had decided that since everyone was talking about the “night sky” movie she should probably see it. So she was waiting for the next showing. Most of the people with her were “boaties,” people fresh off a lifeboat. You could tell by the way they were slightly swaying on the relatively stable Boadicea. Not to mention being thin, extremely tan, wearing slops that didn’t fit well and shivering slightly in the air conditioning. They had a “sponsor” with them, whom she vaguely recognized. She was pretty sure she’d picked her up.
“Everything,” the woman said, hugging her. “Just…everything. Thank you so much for what you’ve done. It must have been so hard…”
“We need to get going so these people can see the movie…” her sponsor said, gently prying the woman loose.
“The theater is clear,” the next group’s sponsor said. “If we could start moving in…?”
“I’ve never seen this before,” Sophia whispered to the sponsor. The lady was probably in her seventies. “Anything I should know? Like, what that was all about?”