“I did not mean that you should be replaced.”

  “Ah, but you did, Ranas, you did, because your vision has us back together after I am no longer Proctor. Is that not true?

  “Perhaps.”

  “You said it,” she continued, “and you cannot withdraw from that. And while you are looking for my replacement remember that it was Weecs, not you, and not the Council who rescued me from Exeter the Castorian.”

  “With our aid,” Ranas added defensively.

  “Yes, with your aid, but he was the only one brave enough – or who loved me enough – to travel into space for me perhaps he should be the next Proctor.” Leri was as surprised as Ranas was by that suggestion.

  “You cannot mean that Leri!”

  “Why not? He is an historian, wise beyond his years, and he certainly has been exposed to the workings of the office under extreme conditions.”

  “The very suggestion is outrageous. He is too young, too immature, too obviously ruled by his gonads to assume the-”

  “Oh, hush! You cannot see Weecs for your jealousy. I will admit to you that this is the first time I have considered this possibility, but the very fact that he lusts after me not this office, makes him all the more an acceptable candidate.”

  “Leri, I don t understand how you can-”

  “Then listen to me, Ranas. You want me back – us together again? If so, you should be seriously considering every possible candidate to succeed me – if not Weecs, then others. But I suggest you look at Weecs’s qualifications very carefully because if he were to become Proctor, he certainly wouldn’t have the time for me as he does now, and without his constant desire for me, I am afraid my interest in him might wane.”

  “That is a poor reason to choose someone for Proctor.”

  “But Ranas, I never meant to suggest it as a reason, only as a side-effect that might interest you.” Leri could tell from his scent that despite his protests her suggestion had lodged in some positive area of his brain. She would miss Weecs. She was missing him already, but her intuition told her he would make a good Proctor, and she would gladly give up the office to him or anyone else who wanted it.

  “Go away now,” she said softly. “I am tired and need to rest.” And to think, she added to herself.

  10

  “SERGEANT JULIANNE DENORO, REPORTING AS ORDERED, MA’AM,” the trooper said with a perfectly executed salute.

  Rasha’kean Ingrivia returned the salute and appraised this lean, well-tanned sergeant in front of her with an eye that told her this woman had been through more than her personnel file indicated. Even in her postduty uniform Sergeant Denoro looked as if she were ready to jump into combat.

  “Sit yourself, Sergeant,” Rasha’kean said, waving Denoro to the only other chair besides her own in the cramped little office.

  “Thank you, ma’am.” Denoro sat in the chair at attention, showing the years of discipline that had become ingrained as part of her physical bearing.

  “Do you know why you were assigned to me, Sergeant? I mean, did anyone explain your orders to you?”

  “No, ma’am, they didn’t.”

  Rasha’kean laughed. “Typical of the Planetary Service, d’not you think – to send you somewhere without botherin’ to tell you what it’s all about?”

  “That’s been my experience,” Denoro said, allowing herself a well-controlled grin.

  “Well, Sergeant, I d’not know if you’re goin’ to like the assignment, but I can tell you right now that I am needing you and the benefit of your experience about as much as anybody in this Service. From now until Fate separates us, you will be my executive officer, second in command of any unit –“

  “Begging your pardon, ma’am. Sorry to interrupt and all that, but isn’t that a bit out of line? I mean, really, how am I gonna order some officer around if I have to?”

  Rasha’kean laughed again. “D’not worry about that for now, because there are no officers for you to order. When we get to our unit out on Mungtinez, then we’ll worry about it. But you wi’not be the first sergeant to hold the X.O. job, you know.”

  Denoro shook her head. “I’m afraid I’m a bit confused, Colonel Ingrivia. Maybe I still haven’t recovered from that bump on ,the head I got on Sutton. Let me see if I got this right. We’re going to Mungtinez to join a combat unit there, and you’re gonna be the unit commander, and I’m gonna be your Executive Officer. Is that right?”

  “You got it, Denoro, dead on the bullet.”

  “But why me, ma’am?”

  “For a lot of reasons, Denoro. Let me explain my situation and you feel free to interrupt whenever you need to. And you can drop the ‘ma’am’ stuff. I’m afraid I still like the oldy form when everyone was called sir. So either call me sir, or colonel, or Ingrivia if that suits you. All right?”

  Again Denoro shook her head. “All right, Colonel, but that will take some getting used to.”

  “Take all the time you need. Anyway, here’s my setup. I am currently workin’ on a logistics plan for General Schopper’s next line of attack against the Ukes. As soon as that is approved, I will be shippin’ out to command a Z-company in the first major counterattack against the Ukes. You with me so far?”

  “Yes, m-sir.”

  “Good. Now, I requested that a senior sergeant with combat experience be assigned to me as soon as possible so I could begin my get-readys for command and –“ She stopped when she saw the puzzled look on Denoro’s deeply tanned face. “A question?”

  Denoro hesitated. “Well, Colonel, maybe I shouldn’t ask this, but why would a logistics officer want a combat command?”

  “Because I’m a combat officer by trainin’, Denoro, and I’m only stuck behind this logistics desk because of some experience I’ve had in this area.” Rasha’kean smiled when she saw the look of relief on Denoro’s face. “Of course,” she said as her smile grew even wider, “you were afraid you were goin’ o have to follow a noncombat officer into battle. I’m sorry. I should have told you that up front.”

  “No problem,” Denoro said with a smile of her own. For the first time since she had entered the office, she physically relaxed. “But all that still doesn’t explain what you’re gonna do with me.”

  “You’re my source, Denoro. I ca’not and will not attempt to lead a Z-company into battle with only my training and experience to go on. You’re here so I can dig out of you everything you can possibly tell me about the actual fighting you’ve been through – and that’s why you’re my X.O. I want combat experience at the top, and there are not enough officers around who have it to spare one for a Z-company. Besides, I di’not want a junior officer. I wanted a senior sergeant, and from what I saw of your record, it looks like I got the best.

  “Don’t know about that, Colonel, but you certainly got a shit-load of experience when you got me. And I gotta tell you something right now, ‘cause I don’t want you to misunderstand later.”

  “Go ahead, Denoro. As far as I’m concerned, you should always feel free to tell me anythin’ you think I need to know whenever you think I need to know it.”

  “Good enough. Then this is it: if I’m gonna be your X.O., then I’m gonna do exactly what you just said. This is my second war and God knows I hope it’s my last, but I plan to do everything I can to live through it. Once we get into combat, Colonel, if I say, ‘Duck,’ you do it first and ask me why later. If I say, ‘Jump,’ don’t ask me how high till you’re already in the air, ‘cause a lot of what happens in real combat isn’t in any of the Corps’ training manuals. It comes from more than training and experience. It comes from instinct.”

  “Looks like your instincts have served you well so far,” Rasha’kean said “and I’m certainly not goin’ to buck them. As long as you remember at even when I’m jumpin’ I’m still in command, I think we’ll get along just fine. ..”

  Denoro grinned. “You jump, Colonel, and I’ll remember.”

  “Good. Now, Denoro, what do you know about logistics?”

  “Not much, Colonel – at least not the way I think you mean. Most of my experience in that area has been ground combat logistics, and I expect you’re talking about something more general than that.”

  “Well, you’re about to learn – probably more than you ever wanted to know. Anythin’ you can do to help me with this job means that much more time you and I will have to get on with my education. However, for the time bein’, go get yourself somethin’ to eat and – Where’s your kit?”

  “Oh, I’ve already checked into the Temporary Duty Quarters, Colonel. When do you want me back here?”

  “Oh-seven-hundred tomorrow.”

  Denoro stood and saluted. “I’ll be here,” she said, then hesitated. There is one other thing Colonel.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Well, when I got my orders, I asked around, and a couple of people told me that, uh, well, damn – that you were part Uke. Is that true, Colonel?”

  Rasha’kean smiled. “No, Denoro, it definitely i’not true. Whoever told you that di’not know anythin’ about my family history. Anythin’ else?”

  “No, sir,” Denoro said with a second salute. “See you in the morning.”

  After Denoro left, Rasha’kean turned back to her logistics plan with a positive glow. Having Denoro in her office had made her feel much closer to realizing her goal. She was going to make damned sure there was nothing in this version of her report for General Schopper to complain about, be cause she was more eager than ever to get her combat unit and start repaying her Uke cousins for what they had done to her family.

  * * *

  Captain Mica Gilbert cursed silently. Then, instead of destroying the directive per her instructions, she made a decision that went against all her military training. With very little hesitation she contacted Admiral Pajandcan’s office and requested to see her.

  Two hours later .she was ushered into the planning room where Admirals Pajandcan, Dimitri, and Dawson were huddled around a holomap of the polar sphere.

  “-and I still say there has to be some logic to these skirmishes,” Dimitri was saying.

  “Come in, Captain,” Pajandcan said when she saw Gilbert

  “Torgy said you needed to see me about something?”

  “Yes, I did,” Mica said, “but I believe it will have to be in private, Admiral.”

  “More of your father’s secrets?” Dimitri asked in a teasing voice, “or a spy report to send back to him?”

  “What are you talking about, Dit?” Admiral Dawson asked.

  “Didn’t you know she was a spy for her father?

  “Please, sir, I really don’t think-”

  “That will be enough, Dit. You and Dawson keep working on this. Project all the known skirmishes and see if you can figure it out. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” Pajandcan welcomed the break from the planning. Standing still for any length of time made her injured back ache, and more than once she had been forced to sleep in traction. The doctors had told her it would probably be like that for the rest of her life, and she didn’t relish that thought at all.

  Mica followed Pajandcan into a small office off the planning room and was surprised when Pajandcan grabbed an overhead bar, swung her feet up, and proceeded to hang upside down.

  “Forgive me, Mica, but this is the only way I can get relief. I hope you won’t mind talking to me like this.

  “I just hope you don’t fall when I tell you why I came here” Mica said with a smile that crept past the seriousness of this meeting. ‘’Admiral, you’ve seen the reports to my father, but what you haven’t seen and didn’t know was that I am an honor trustee.”

  “Doesn’t surprise me.”

  Pajandcan’s face looked strange when she spoke upside down as though the wrong part of her mouth were moving.

  “You mean you knew?” Mica asked.

  “I guessed. But I am surprised that you are telling me. Isn’t that against regulations?”

  Mica sighed and sat down, bringing her face closer to the level of Pajandcan’s. “Yes, it is, unless I have determined a need to confide in the overall commander-you-and the directive I received today made me feel like that need had arisen.”

  “Stonefield laid this on you, didn’t he?”

  “Yes. And now he wants me to increase my surveillance of you and Admiral Dimitri, and I just can’t do it.”

  “Why? If that’s what your orders are, why can’t you spy on us more than you have been?”

  Mica hesitated. “Please, Admiral, I don’t mean to deprive you of your relief, but it really would be much easier to talk about this if you were rightside up.”

  “All right,” Pajandcan said, pulling herself up to the bar and freeing her feet. “My head was beginning to fill up with blood, anyway.” She lowered herself gently to the deck then sat on the desk, facing Gilbert. “So, go on. Why are you breaking all the honor trustee regs like this?”

  Because, Admiral, I thoroughly despise spying on you for Father, much less for Admiral Stonefield. I hate being an honor trustee. I hate what Stonefield keeps asking me to do and I hate myself when I do it. There’s no way I can go on like this, Admiral. I just can’t.”

  Pajandcan felt sympathy for Mica Gilbert but wasn’t sure how she could help her. “So? What do you want me to do?”

  “Can t you get me out of it?” That was what Mica really wanted, relief from this onerous duty.

  “No. Only Stonefield can do that. The only thing I could do would be to – No! Wait, Mica, there is something, something we can both do if you’re willing.” Pajandcan only hoped

  Mica was woman enough to accept her idea.

  “I’m ready to try almost anything,” Mica said.

  All right, then, listen to me while I talk this out and remember that I hate this spying business, so I may not be seeing things as clearly as I should. If you force Stonefield to release you as honor trustee, that only means he will find someone else to take your place. However, if you were to keep the assignment, then you could continue sending Stonefield your reports, only Dimitri and I would help you with them.”

  “You mean falsify reports?” Mica asked

  “No. I wouldn’t ask you to do that. We wouldn’t tell him anything that wasn’t true. The three of us would just agree on what to tell him.”

  Suddenly Mica grinned. “You know, Admiral, I think I like your idea. Let’s do it.”

  “The three of us will have dinner in my cabin and can do our first report then. You can even tell Stonefield you had dinner with us and were privy to our conversation.”

  Mica’s grin turned into laughter. Oh, if Stonefield ever found out, the garbage would really hit the backblast, but there was no reason he should ever find out.

  11

  FRYE HAD BEEN SURPRISED TO SEE LIEUTENANT OSKA following Judoff into the Bridgeforce meeting. As the discussion of the attack plans ranged around the table, he had been even more surprised when the lieutenant had caught his eye for a second and given Frye a slight nod.

  Perhaps Oska and his mother were to be trusted, but Frye was going to have to ensure that Oska never again allowed himself a public acknowledgment of any connection between them. If Judoff ever suspected that Oska was feeding information to Frye, there was no telling what she would do to the lieutenant. Frye refused to let himself think about that. He had to make sure Oska understood the danger he was in. Bridgeforce was arguing about the bombships again, not only because the ships still were nowhere near completion, but also because they had become so psychologically linked with the concept of victory that even some of those who had originally opposed their construction now felt reluctant to approve the final attack plan without them.

  Frye was bored by all Bridgeforce’s repetitious arguments and let his mind drift back to the meeting with Oska’s mother just a short six days earlier.

  He had risen to meet her when Melliman ushered the tiny woman into his office, too surprised to speak until she gave him the traditional bow from the waist. Only then had he recovered his composure.

  “Please, be welcome Anshuwu Tashawaki...”

  “My honor to be in your presence, distinguished sir.” Melliman had prepared tea for them while he and Madame Tashawaki exchanged pleasantries, and it was only after they had drunk their first cup of tea that Frye dared to ask about the letter concerning her son.

  “He is a good son, distinguished sir,” she had said, “and he works for the honor of our family and the U.C.S. The shame would be if Marshall Judoff, under whose command he is forced to serve, did not work for the same honor.”

  “I understand your concern, Madame Tashawaki; however, I must know if your son is aware of what you have done.”

  “It was he who asked me to do this thing. Were his father, the honorable Sezua Oska – may his soul soar in peaceful winds – still alive, this duty of informing you would fall to him. Since he is not alive, and since by tradition I cannot ask my new husband to assume such duty, I must do as best as a humble woman can to assist my son in keeping his honor.”

  Frye had marveled at the strict, almost archaic formality of her speech and attitudes, and he had admired her for them at the same time. “You are a noble woman,” he had replied.

  “You are too kind, Admiral Charltos, yet I must presume upon that kindness on behalf of my son and ask that you accept this honorable commitment he would make to you.”

  “Most certainly I accept it. You have but to tell us how it may be arranged, and I will attend to the details.”

  “Sir, since my son dares not communicate directly with you, he asks that you accept my services to forward his communications and return your responses. The difference between his name and mine keeps all but members of our family from knowing our relationship, and none in Marshall Judoff’s command are aware of it. Would that arrangement be satisfactory, distinguished sir?”

  “Yes, Madame Tashawaki, it is a satisfactory arrangement, but I must caution you that no one discover what it is we do or your son could be in grave danger.” ‘

 

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