Stories of the Confederated Star Systems (2 page)

“Ready to go, Krys?” she asked as she boarded and took the right-hand seat.

“All systems normal. What’d you do this time, Erica?” the COB answered.

“Same old shit, Krys. Same old shit. Admiral Kerhonkson wants to know what we are doing with ‘that old derelict’ in one of her dry docks. I can’t tell her, which she interprets as
‘won’t’
tell her, and she’s going to try browbeating me again.”

“The old man won’t help?”

Captain Reordan shook her head at Krystal referring to Lord Kenyon as The Old Man. “Haven’t called him about it yet. So far she’s just being nosey. If it comes to it, though, I’ll com him for help.”

Master Chief McCormack nodded and grasped the shuttle’s joy-stick. A slight movement of her wrist caused reaction thrusters to puff and the small vessel pushed away from the dock. Another twitch shoved her nose away from the station. She waited until they had a hundred meters clearance before engaging the main drive.

Captain Reordan felt a fat man sit on her chest for a minute, then weightlessness replaced him. “I’m not in that much of a hurry, Krys.”

“Had to get clear of an incoming cargo shuttle,” Krystal replied as she fiddled with her controls. “Three hours to Luna orbit. Probably an hour more waiting for landing clearance.” She brought out a deck of magnetic cards. “Hearts or Aces?”

Captain Reordan laughed. “You never change, Krys. And I hope you never do. Hearts.”

* * *

The yeoman stood when Captain Reordan entered the admiral’s office. “May I help you, Ma’am?”

“I’m Captain Erica Reordan. I—”

“The admiral said to send you right in, Ma’am,” the yeoman interrupted. “This way please.” He led the way to a door at the back of the office and opened it, then announced, “Captain Reordan is here, Ma’am.”

The reply was a cold, “Send her in.”

Captain Reordan marched into the admiral’s office and came to attention. “Captain Erica Reordan reporting to Admiral Kerhonkson as ordered, Ma’am.”

The admiral didn’t even look up from her desk. She seemed to be ignoring Captain Reordan, and continued the charade for five minutes while Erica stood at attention. She finally spoke, still not looking up. “What is that ship?”

“Ma’am, with all due respect, I am not at liberty to disclose that information.”

The admiral took a quick breath through her nose, then blew it out just as fast. “You will answer me, Captain.” Now her eyes came up, and they might as well have been laser cannons. “I have clearance to every engineering secret in the Confederacy. Now what are you doing with that ancient piece of crap?”

“Ma’am, with all due respect, I have been ordered not to discuss the particulars of the
Wells
with anyone without written authorization from Lord Kenyon.”

The admiral shouted,
“You insolent little bitch!”
just as the door opened again. “I said I wasn’t to be disturbed!”

“Admiral Kerhonkson, Lady Les—”

The yeoman was pushed aside by a large man in the uniform of the Presidential Security Service and a little old lady walked in. “Who in the hell are you?” the admiral demanded.

“I’m Lady Princess Leslie Ann Elisabeth Courtney Del Rios Roberts, and if you speak to me in that tone again I’ll have Eric bust your sorry ass,” the old lady replied with a scowl. “Captain Reordan and her ship are under my jurisdiction, and you’ll keep your nosey ass out of my business. Is that understood, Admiral Kerhonkson?”

“You have no—”

“Six months ago the Confederate Congress authorized a new research directorate, and the
Wells
is our first vessel.”

“I was informed of no—”

“You don’t have the clearance,” Lady Leslie interrupted.

“I have clearance for—”

“Not for this, and since
I
am the only person who can grant such a clearance, you’ll never receive it. Captain Reordan, return to your ship.”

“You have no authority over Naval personnel,” Admiral Kerhonkson snarled.

Lady Leslie just glared at her for a moment, then pulled a small com unit from her handbag. She flipped it open, and a voice answered a moment later. “Yes, Mother?”

“Eric, dear, I’m having more trouble with that Kerhonkson woman,” Lady Leslie replied.

The voice replied, “Yes, Mother,” and the com went dead.

“Am I supposed to be intimidated by that?” Admiral Kerhonkson asked with a sneer.

Lady Leslie smiled serenely. “Oh, no. You’ll be intimidated by someone else entirely. I’ve been aware of your harassment of Captain Reordan and her people, and it’s going to stop.”

“There are very few people in the Navy who can intimidate me, Lady Leslie, and even fewer civilians.”

“If you keep interfering in my directorate’s business,” Lady Leslie replied in a low, angry tone, “you’ll be a civilian.”

“I am within my rights to—” The admiral’s snarled, then her line beeped. It was a personal line, straight from the CSS Navy Headquarters on Earth.

“Admiral Kerhonkson,” she said as she pushed the answer stud.

“Mara, what the hell are you doing?” the voice of Fleet Admiral Franco asked.

“Sir?”

“The president just chewed my ass about you interfering in the—in the business of a new research directorate. Damn it, woman, there are some things you just don’t have a right to know. Whatever the hell you’re doing, stop it before you get beached.”

“Admiral, what are—”

“Do it before I have to make it an official order and have you relieved, Admiral Kerhonkson.”

“Yes, sir.” The line went dead and the admiral looked at Lady Leslie. “Your son?”

“You may refer to him as President Roberts.” Lady Leslie turned and pointed a wrinkled finger at Captain Reordan. “Return to your ship. The
Wells
and her crew are on detached duty from the Navy. You answer to me and my staff, not this officious busybody.”

Captain Reordan gave Admiral Kerhonkson a pensive glance, then came to attention and said, “Yes, Lady Leslie.” She left the office, but behind her she heard Lady Leslie say,
“That’s one. You don’t get two.”

* * *

Captain Reordan found Master Chief McCormack engaged in a lively discussion with a male Senior Chief when she returned to the shuttle. The chiefs immediately ended their discussion with a wave and Master Chief McCormack waved her captain on board before closing and securing the hatch. “Is everything all right, Captain?” she asked as she took her seat.

Captain Reordan didn’t look up from her computer terminal as she answered, “Yes, Krys, everything’s fine. Head back to the dry-dock. I have to look something up.” They had been underway for fifteen minutes when Captain Reordan grunted. “I’ll be damned.”

“Erica?”

Captain Reordan shook her head. “My meeting with Admiral Kerhonkson was interrupted by our new boss. Lady Leslie Roberts is the head of our new research directorate. She’s also President Roberts’ mom. She’s got quite a bio. Born on Hector’s World as the youngest daughter to King Alonso Del Rios, her brother was King Rolando, and her nephew Antonio is the current king. She was married to Prince Rupert of Andersen’s Planet for three years, no children. No information on the divorce beyond the fact they got divorced. She married Lieutenant Commander Gregory Roberts, who eventually became Admiral Lord Roberts, and then First Lord of the Admiralty Roberts.”

Krystal let loose a long, low whistle. “Boss lady’s no one to mess with. What happened?”

“She came in, slapped down Admiral Nosey, and then called the president when there was a question of who works for who. We work for her and her directorate.” Captain Reordan sighed gustily. “And I still have no idea what that directorate is called or what our mission is.”

“Given the capability of the
Wells
, you know it almost has to be historical research.”

Captain Reordan nodded. “Too true. Where’re the cards? I’ve got to win my pants back before we reach the dock.”

* * *

There was a message waiting for Captain Reordan when she reached her office. “Erica,” Lady Leslie’s voice said as her image formed on the screen, “you are hereby directed to ignore any further summonses from Admiral Kerhonkson. While you are inhabiting one of her dry-docks, and her people are refitting your ship, you don’t answer to her.” Lady Leslie’s face frowned out of the screen.

“However, because of her actions today, Eric has decided that we need to make an announcement. I want you on Earth tomorrow morning for the formal presentation. We’ll be holding a press conference on the steps of the capitol building in Geneva at eleven in the morning, so present yourself in full dress kit no later than nine. The paperwork is being transmitted for your executive officer’s clearance, and will probably be waiting for you. Get him briefed, then head planet-side.” The screen went blank without another word.

Captain Reordan muttered, “Damn,” as she checked her in box. Sure enough, Kellin Frazier’s full clearance was right on top. She pushed a stud on her com panel and he answered almost immediately.

“XO’s stateroom, Commander Frazier speaking.”

“Commander, come to my office. I have your clearance and I’m ready to brief you on our ship.”

“On my way, Captain,” he answered and the com clicked. The Marine at the door announced him a moment later and he came to attention in front of her desk. “Commander Frazier reporting as ordered, Ma’am.”

“Sit down, Commander. This is the story of our ship.” She waited until he was seated, then related the story as she had been told. His reaction was predictable.

He whispered, “A time machine?”

“A Temporal Cruiser. We are unlikely to be using her for interstellar flight, though. Not sure the drive can function like that anymore. But we will be making hyper-jumps to different time periods. Right now, you, me, Jarred Williamson and his twenty engineers, and Krystal McCormack are the only ones outside the upper echelons of the service and government who know about this. Even the few other crewmembers who’ve reported haven’t been told anything other than we’re refitting an old ship as a research vessel. Most of Jarred’s people came from the
Chaffee
, so they already knew most of it.”

She paused and shook her head. “I’ve been summoned dirt-side for the official announcement. Then I’ll find out what our directorate is actually called. I’ll take Krys with me—oh, I should mention that Krys McCormack and I served together on the
Volochev
twenty years ago. She was a Second Class when I was a JG acting as ComOfficer. We’ve been friends for a long time, and I requested her for this duty.”

“Understood, Captain. Damn. Time travel. Never thought it would really happen.”

“I’m pretty sure no one did. Like many great discoveries, it was a total accident, but we’re going to take full advantage of it. Now I’ve got to tell Krys that we’re going to a formal occasion—she’s gonna love it—and then go dig out my dress uniform.”

“I’ll keep our ship on an even keel while you’re gone, Captain,” Commander Frazier said as he came to attention.

“Very well, XO. Dismissed.” When Commander Frazier closed the door on his way out, Captain Reordan pushed the com button once again.

“Chief’s Quarters, Chief Samson speaking.”

“This is the captain. Is the COB there?”

There was a brief pause and then Master Chief McCormack’s voice came on. “COB.”

“COB, come to my office.”

“Aye, Ma’am.” It took less than two minutes before the Marine announced, “Chief of the Boat, Ma’am.”

“Send her in.”

Master Chief McCormack came to attention in front of the captain’s desk and said, “COB, reporting as ordered, Ma’am.”

“Fuel your kitty again, Krys, then lay out your dress whites.” She pushed the replay on her com unit and let Krystal see and hear the message. “We’re going to play dress-up and go to a party.”

Master Chief McCormack’s grin was as wide as her face. “Oh, Erica, you know me
soooo
well. We going tonight or in the morning?”

“Tonight. I contacted Space Port Geneva for rooms while I was waiting, but they are already booked due to the ceremony. It was only announced an hour ago, but you know how bureaucrats are. So, being the kind captain that I am, I arranged two rooms at the Avalon.”

Krystal’s grin grew even wider. “The last time—”

“We’re not doing that again,” Erica interrupted. “This time I’m the captain and
I’ll
have to cover our asses. Though I have to admit, it was fun.”

“So we have to behave like grownups this time. Damn. Ah, well, it may be time. I’ll need about three hours. My whites are still packed. I’ll have to have station services do a quick run through. Want me to take yours?”

Captain Reordan shook her head. “No, mine are freshly pressed. I’ve been expecting something formal for a while, though I didn’t think it’d be this elaborate. Be sure to bring all your costume jewelry and fruit salad as well. Especially the blue one.”

“Oh?”

“If someone asks why I brought along an enlisted woman, I want them to see it.”

“You’re expecting trouble.” Captain Reordan nodded mutely. “So you think that’s going to shut someone up?”

“Not the person I’m thinking of, but Eric Roberts once wore a Marine lieutenant’s uniform.
He
will deal with any trouble as soon as he sees that ribbon. Or his mom will. Tell you what, Krys, I’ve never been so instantly intimidated by anyone before, and the woman can’t be more than a meter and a half tall. There’s just something about her that made me feel like a toddler again.”

Krystal shook her head slowly. “I gotta meet this lady. I’ll com you when my uniform is ready.” She came to attention briefly, then did an about face and left her captain’s office.

* * *

The trip down to Earth was routine. They received clearance to land and park the
Kitty
in among dozens of other Navy shuttles, then they slipped into a locker-room and changed into civilian clothes. Their day-to-day uniforms were unceremoniously stuffed in a rented locker. When they walked out, all anyone saw was two well-dressed, attractive, forty-something women as they caught a transport to the Avalon Resort.