She wiped a last tear from eyes that had suddenly gone dry. “Is that what it’s been like for you?” she asked softly.
“To some extent, and I’ve been feeling guilty about doing nothing. I’m glad Chandrajuski brought me to my senses.”
“Remember when we were training as a crew on Earth? And remember what happened when I had George remove you from the crew?”
“It was a disaster. Everything came to a standstill.”
“That’s what’s happened to us here, but instead of you being removed, it’s Ellie. I didn’t realize it until just now, but we’ve graduated to a new phase of this war. We’re not just one ship anymore. We have truly moved into the realm of politics. You captained a craft of the state, but she’s captaining the craft of state now, and we’ve come to a standstill without her leadership.”
“And as on Earth,” he said, continuing the thought, “we’re over the shock and struggling to get things going again. I saw the inefficiency then, and I see it now. We’re stumbling along until she gets back in the saddle.”
“Yet we’re all leaders, titles or no. We can get things moving in the right direction without her, we’re just not as efficient.” Her eyes rose to the ceiling in thought, then she turned her gaze back to him. “You’ll miss her, but she’ll miss you more when she finds you gone. I know she’d like to wake up to your touch.”
“I’m counting on you to be there in my place. Give her whatever support she needs, just be there. And while you’re waiting, see if you can come up with a plan to recruit more Protectors. We’re desperately short-handed. And we need to design a training program for the trainees from Earth, assuming we can pull that off.”
“Yes, Sire. I might be able to get us started on some other things, as well. I’d better check on Val. He probably needs help packing.”
Mike, Val, and Chandrajuski met at the bottom of the entrance ramp to Resolve. Mike hid his surprise at the choice of ship, but Chandrajuski offered an explanation. “I had planned to take a fast scout, just the two of us, but after what you said, this makes more sense. The ship itself will add legitimacy to our positions. It might also complicate things, but in the end it will be worth it.”
Turning to Sir Val, he said, “I barely know you. Are you ready to get underway?”
“It’s just the three of us?” Val asked in surprise.
“No, I’ve borrowed some men from Jons’ squadron. We have enough to man all stations. I hope you don’t mind handling the conn when it’s your turn?”
“Not at all, Admiral.”
“Good, because you’re also Resolve’s captain on this voyage. I can give you ten minutes to assure yourself the ship is ready. Set course for Aldebaran I as soon as you can.”
“Yes, sir!” Val headed up the steps at a dead run.
“You know, Admiral,” Mike said with a grin, “as a Knight of the Realm, he outranks you.”
“I know that, but he doesn’t. Come on. You supposedly know your way around Resolve. Show me where my cabin is.”
Later, Mike found himself on the bridge out of old habit. Resolve was already underway with Val in Mike’s old command seat. He and the two other pilots were engrossed in the net, probably computing a micro jump. Sure enough, moments later the screens blanked as they jumped. The screens refreshed in a moment, then they jumped again. And again. In no time at all they settled into the first long jump, after which one pilot and Val took a break. Val removed his helmet and rubbed tired eyes before discovering Mike sitting quietly in a crew seat before one of the active screens.
“Hi, Mike. Feel at home?”
Mike smiled. “Not exactly. This is better. My time aboard Resolve was anything but relaxing.”
“So I’ve heard. Do you realize you’ve probably made more jumps manually than anyone else in the galaxy? Would you like to set up the next one?”
“Heaven forbid we ever get to that point again. I’ll pitch in wherever you assign me, as pilot, cook, or repairman. Do you realize,” he said in embarrassment, “I’ve never landed a ship?”
A look of astonishment came over Val’s face, then a glint found its way to his eyes. “Maybe not, but you’ve crashed them into the ocean a few times.”
“Ugh. You had to remind me.”
“I’d be happy to assist you through our landings.”
“We’ll see. Things might get a little tense when we arrive. They have a habit of doing that around us.”
“That they do.” A little sheepishly, Val said, “You know, I never imagined I’d be the captain of this ship. For me, it’s like… the ultimate.”
“This ship was really the beginning of the rest of your life, wasn’t it?”
“I guess it was. What’s for dinner?”
“I don’t know. I’ll try to scrape something up. Any idea what Gamordians eat?”
Their arrival at Aldebaran I came off without a hitch. Resolve broadcast a completely fictitious beacon code just in case the Rebels had taken charge of the sector. They emerged from hyperspace to find a large number of Chessori traders scattered through the system, and Mike stayed in the net as much as he could, ready to take over if necessary. Val set up a tight beam transmission to Admiral Harold Seeton, Fleet Commander, a human and an old classmate of Chandrajuski’s.
Chandrajuski met Seeton at the ramp and escorted him to the conference room where Mike and Val waited. It didn’t take long to get down to the purpose of their visit.
“How’s business, Harry?” Chandrajuski inquired.
“We’re basically locked down, just trying to keep the peace. How about you? I thought you’d been arrested?”
“I was rescued.”
“Rescued!” Seeton peered hard at Chandrajuski. “You were imprisoned, and now you’re a grand admiral traveling with two Knights. Please tell me you’re not here on Struthers’ behalf.”
Chandrajuski’s neck stretched across the table toward Seeton. “You know me better than that, Harry.”
Seeton let out a long sigh, then his eyes crinkled into a smile of triumph. “We know each other well, my friend. I got your message.”
He turned his head to Val. “Your sister was alive and well when we last met.”
Val stood abruptly. “She was here? How long ago, Admiral?”
“Two months. The formalities, Sire, if you will.”
Val removed a Pin from his pocket and passed it across the table. Seeton stared at the Pin for a long time, his eyes brimming. His hand shook slightly as he picked up the Pin. He couldn’t open it, though in fairness, he didn’t try very hard. He had been clinging to hope for two months and was afraid to lose it. Visions were one thing; the reality of a Knight of the Realm was quite another.
He handed the Pin back to Val. “Do you have the slightest comprehension of what this Pin means, Sire?”
Val looked hard into his eyes. “It means everything. Opening this Pin is a test of me, but how do we test you?”
“Open the Pin, Sire, and I’ll provide proof.”
Val opened the Pin, and Ellie’s countenance shone forth. Seeton stared, his hopes fulfilled. “She spoke true, Sire.”
Mike pulled the pendant from under his shirt, but Seeton held up a hand. “That vision was for another, Sire.”
Mike sighed and looked up to the ceiling. “Not again,” he groaned.
“Sire?”
“Never mind. You said something about proof?”
Seeton lifted a communicator to his mouth. “You can come in now.”
