Along the way to the Academy, I decided that after visiting him, I would drop in on Pennyweight Shipping Company and visit Penny, Jim, and some of the others. They were among my most supportive friends. I wanted to let them know that they were still my friends. I also decided to drop in on retired Admiral Cunningham. It wasn’t because I needed anything from the surplus store, but he had been supportive of me and a social call seemed appropriate then.
Chapter 17
The Sarge took a break in his work and talked with me. He could see the excitement in my eyes. Before I could tell him about my promotion to Captain this morning, he was telling me.
He said, “So, you’re a full-fledged Captain now. Congratulations, Dave. I know you’ll continue to advance. Of course, the rest of the promotions won’t come quite as fast until you’ve accumulated experience at more jobs. But, I’ve no doubt of your abilities and neither should you by now. I take it that this is merely a social call?”
I replied, “Yes, Sarge. I guess nothing gets by you. I’m not going to ask how you knew already about the promotion. Someday, though, I expect you to reveal how so that I can improve myself just a little bit more.”
“Sure, son. Now, this is a social call, isn’t it?” he asked.
I said, “Yes, Sarge. I mostly just came to visit and let you know that I’m doing well and to see if you’re doing likewise.”
He said, “I’m touched. Well, this is part of how that kind of information is picked up. Just make social calls and read between the lines. There’s a wealth of information that people give out without realizing it. If you hadn’t made Captain, I would have judged from the excitement in your eyes that you fucked the admiral’s daughter. Have you seen her yet? Ain’t she a piece?”
I was shocked for a moment. Sarge actually seemed to know just about everything that was actually going on. “Uh, yes. I saw her for the first time this morning as I left the Fleet Admiral’s office. She is, uh, very attractive.”
“From what I’ve heard about her, she’s good in bed and likes military men,” the Sarge said.
I replied, “I wouldn’t know. I haven’t heard that. I believe you, but I’ve been busy for the most part.”
He said, “I understand. Mind you, if she offers herself, go ahead and take her up on it. I know the Fleet Admiral. He’s not going to get upset about something like that. He gave up long ago on trying to tame her down to more refined behavior.”
We sat and talked about several topics, including how the Academy was now putting through cadets with the proper credentials, especially since rich families were keeping their kids out because of the shooting war that was going on. Additionally, the Navy was losing a number of rich kid officers who were resigning daily to save their hides. Now that some of the squadrons were going into combat, with combat rather than retreat in mind, they didn’t want to see their rich asses shot off. Sarge advised me to expect a new batch of officers soon that would be moving up quickly and be more worthy of the positions they would hold.
That was perhaps the best news he could give me. It inspired me to really work at improving the tactics I was developing so that they would work properly. I didn’t want to let down these new officers who held the same ideals as myself. They were the kind who joined a Navy they felt proud of. They did so to accomplish something, not for personal enrichment and fame.
My visit with retired Admiral Cunningham was pleasant and less informative. He especially appreciated having someone drop by just to socialize, even though business was three times more active for him than before. He was selling a projectile weapon to virtually every officer now. That much was evident to me the moment I walked into the store. Almost half the stock of projectile weapons he carried was no longer there. It wasn’t the only item that was selling fast. He told me that the note pads and markers had run out once. He had to find another surplus store on Earth to get more on stock until more were produced. I was amazed to learn that they were still manufactured.
Afterwards, I stopped by Pennyweight Shipping Company, where they were also aware that I had been promoted to Captain. I was tempted to walk through the off-limits area to get to the company, but remembered that I was still a Pennyweight employee, so I used a Yellow to get around the off-limits area instead of walking the short distance.
We drank some coffee together while they brought me up to date on how the company was doing. They had lost a few freighters because of the war, but otherwise they were holding their own against the pirates and the other companies. The Edmund and Theodore were both still running fine and keeping most of the freighters protected in space. We all wished for the war to end. Then I finally left to return to base, catching a Yellow for the last leg of my trip.
That night, another return raid was visited on our base. When the scramble alarm was given, I responded to my ship despite being on leave. I was pleased to see that almost my entire crew and its officers were there as well. Only a few who were off base at the time were missing. We took off immediately, most of us undressed or partially dressed, but dutifully manning our stations regardless. When we reached space, some of the other ships that used to be part of the Mad Dogs Squadron were also there. One hollered out over the radio, “Here comes the Rust Bucket! Now we’re going to kick some butt!”
We formed up and charged immediately at the three enemy ships that managed to slip through the border. There were enough of us in space to defeat them easily without incurring heavy damage or casualties ourselves. At least that time the warning was passed on from the border patrol in space about the three ships breaking through.
The Thurman returned to port along with some of the other responding ships. Two of the other ships’ captains stayed behind to conduct practice with their crews because they were dissatisfied with their response time. We landed in our area. I left the ship, wearing only the bottom half of my mesh undies, and returned to my quarters where I was about to get in bed when the alert first happened.
As I walked in the doorway of my quarters, I didn’t bother turning on the light. I shut the door and made my way to my bed, stopping only to remove the last of what I was wearing before lying down on the bed only to suddenly discover that there was someone else in it. I could tell it was a woman almost instantly because of the contacts of her body against mine. I started to reach for the light switch near the bed.
She said, “Don’t bother with the lights. Just snuggle up to me. We’ll light up the room in our own way.”
I recognized the soft voice as that of the Fleet Admiral’s daughter. “Uh, do you make it a habit to get into someone else’s bed when they’re not around?” I asked.
She said, “I knew you’d be back soon when you finished defending us. If I hadn’t been wearing such a tight skirt, I could have caught up to you and gone along with you into space.”
I said quite sternly, “No, you wouldn’t. I will not take a civilian into battle where I would be placing him or her in jeopardy.”
She said, “My father wouldn’t have minded.”
I replied, “He might not, but I do. Just as I mind someone deciding that they can have their way simply by jumping into my bed. It’s different if I ask or the other person asks and I say yes. Now I suggest you get up and go home. I’m tired and I’d rather get some sleep right now.” With that, I went ahead and turned on the light so that she could find her clothing and leave. She looked very disappointed as she picked up her clothing and carried it with her before she realized that she should put it on first before walking outside. Then she just slipped everything on into place and walked out the door without closing it. I turned out the light. Then I got up to shut the door before returning to bed.