“Quite likely, but his problems are far away, and our problems are right here underfoot,” Kris said, trying not to snarl. “What do we do with ours, Admiral?”
“I don’t think I will have any trouble registering Port Royal as a Navy colony,” Admiral Krätz said. “All the records of its previous existence seem to have been destroyed. I can’t picture N.S. Holdings making a bid to take back control of it, what with all the witnesses to piracy, drug production, and slavery around to raise questions about its former management, should they be identified.” The admiral fairly beamed at the outcome.
“We also have a strong lead to a certain shipyard concerning products from its space docks going missing and turning up flying the black flag. There are already Navy inspectors at that yard. They may get reinforced with Marines and do more no-notice inspections of this or that corner of the place. Yes, Your Highness, I think you can claim this job is done. What do you plan to do next?”
“Not go on vacation,” Kris said.
“Why am I not surprised?” Jack sighed.
“What do you think about most of PatRon 10 trailing me back to Wardhaven?” Kris asked no one in general.
“Most?” Jack Campbell said.
“You had the best luck on convoy duty, Jack. What do you think of you and the Dauntless coordinating your patrols and convoy duty with the admiral’s two new ships, assuming he gets to buy them?”
“I could do that. But what’s this about something that has even the Iteeche scared to death. That really sounds like fun.”
“Somebody has to see that trade flows, Jack.”
“And the rest of us?” Phil Taussig asked.
“You get to follow me back home, where I will have a little talk with my grampa about things that go thump in the night and the need for us to know more about it before it thumps us some night.”
“Volunteers, huh?” Phil said.
“Of the Longknife flavor,” Jack Montoya said.
“Oh hell, count me in,” the skipper of the Hornet said, followed by those of the Fearless and Intrepid.
“What about me?” Vicky asked.
“What about you?” Kris asked right back.
“Can I go with you?”
“I don’t think your father, my Emperor, would be very happy if I let you follow a Longknife home. Bad precedent.”
“So I have to go ask him,” Vicky said.
Kris could almost hear a little finger getting back in the practice of wrapping someone around it.
Kris sighed. She’d never wrapped anyone around her little finger. Or big finger. Or thumb, for that matter.
Some girls had it easy. Other girls learned to tough it out. Kris really didn’t mind being one of the tough ones.
“Captains, crew, tomorrow we sail for Wardhaven. After that, the gods of space only know where we’ll end up,” Kris said.
“You’re assuming your grampa don’t put a shorter leash on you next time he sees you,” Abby put in.
Kris laughed. “I’ve had enough experience with leashes. From now on, this girl is going to go for the free-and-wild ranging life.”
About the Author
Mike Shepherd grew up Navy. It taught him early about change and the chain of command. He’s worked as a bartender and cabdriver, personnel advisor and labor negotiator. Now retired from building databases about the endangered critters in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, he’s looking forward to some fun reading and writing.
Mike lives in Vancouver, Washington, with his wife, Ellen, and her mother. He enjoys reading, writing, dreaming, watching grandchildren for story ideas, and upgrading his computer—all are never-ending pursuits.
Mike’s hard at work on Kris Longknife: Daring for you to read November 2011. You can visit his website at www.mikeshepherd.org or drop him an e-mail at Mike _Shepherd@comcast.net.