Finally, there was Lieutenant Commander Con Vertring, presently the Rekesh ’s Assistant Ops Officer. Vertring was an outerworlder, though he went to great pains to conceal that fact, affecting innerworld speech and manners. Since Vertring’s duty station was the bridge, Kas had observed his performance and behavior. He was effective and competent, but he had a tendency to insist that things be done ‘by the book’, and he seemed to treat those junior to him brusquely and with scant courtesy. He had never held command, though he had been the Exec of a corvette.
Kas sighed. He might have four names, but he really had little choice. To-Ling was really shaping up as his XO, and seemed to be working to overcome her prejudices; but he was not ready to put her in command of a crew of outerworlders.
His first impulse was to give the command to Rom, based on his observations on the trip out and Rom’s excellent performance under pressure. Nevertheless, he could not escape the feeling that Rom wasn’t ready for command.
His objection to Vertring was based more on a feeling than a fact. Based on what he had observed, he suspected that, given the opportunity, Vertring could easily become a martinet, commanding by fear rather than respect. While that technique could be effective in certain circumstances, a combat situation without expectation of reinforcement was not one of them.
No, there really was only one choice. He called Commander Tre Wansung to his cabin.
The young Commander entered with a snappy salute and a bearing worthy of an academy cadet. As usual with Wansung, the man’s shipsuit was faultlessly pressed, with knife-edged creases.
After inviting Wansung to sit, Kas began, “Commander, when we last met, I suggested you use the strategic and tactical library and simulations to overcome your lack of combatant-ship experience. How’ve you been doing?”
The man was sitting at attention; bolt upright, with his knees together and arms at his sides. At Kas’ words, his expression became one of suppressed excitement. “I’ve been studying the manuals and texts nightly, sir, and I’ve been running tactical simulations several times a week. I have more to learn, of course. But I’ve wanted to talk with you about that. I think I’ve learned the most important lesson, and it’s not in the manuals. Tactics isn’t procedures, is it, sir? I mean, it’s not applying a textbook response to a situation. It’s a way of thinking, isn’t it? Like in chess, or jask.
“You can read hundreds of books about chess and still not be a master, because each situation is just unique enough to need a unique solution or maybe just a unique twist on an old solution. So a chess master studies texts as a means of learning techniques he can adapt to his use, rather than a person who might memorize hundreds of past games and still lose, because he is trying to use solutions that worked in the past in situations that aren’t exactly like those in the book. So, he loses.”
Kas smiled and nodded. “I think so, Commander. You always need to know what has worked, or even failed, in the past — but you cannot try to endlessly repeat them. Very good. But don’t stop studying. Some ancient wise man once said that those who do not study the past are doomed to repeat it.”
Wansung bobbed his head excitedly. “Exactly my conclusion, sir! And I wasn’t planning to stop now. Those texts are fascinating. Did you know that some are so ancient they may even be pre-spaceflight? Incredible!”
Kas’ smile turned to a grin. “I’ve heard that rumor, too. I don’t believe it. Just because someone has an odd name like Sun Tzu or Clausewitz, it doesn’t mean his book goes back to Old Earth.”
Kas made up his mind. Wansung might be green, but Kas was willing to give him an opportunity to prove himself. Besides, there was no real alternative. “All right, Commander,” he said. “I’m giving you temporary command of Starhopper.”
Wansung’s eyes widened, and then narrowed in determination. “You won’t regret it, sir.”
Kas nodded. “I’m sure I won’t, Captain. However, there’s no time to waste. Starhopper has sustained battle damage that must be repaired before our next jump, in… about forty-two hours. Repairs are underway as we speak, and I have every confidence that Rom Reffel will make certain they are done correctly. But she needs a skipper. First priority is repairs to her Astrogator’s station, at least well enough to let her jump with her system slaved to ours.”
“Excuse me, sir,” Wansung said with a frown, “but what’s the hurry? They can’t be ready to attack us again.”
Kas sighed. “True. However, we do not even know who they were. Sheol, if it weren’t for the fact that their ident beacons were disabled, I’d be wondering if perhaps they were sent by the Empire to escort us back!”
Wansung’s frown deepened. “I guess I just assumed they were Glories, sir.”
Kas shrugged. “Perhaps they were. But they could just as easily have been from Libertad. And I can think of a couple of other independents that would not be above a bit of piracy for a prize like the Rekesh.
“The point is,” he continued, “whoever they were; they probably aren’t the only ones chasing us.” He shrugged. “That group might not be able to attack again for awhile, but another group may have arrived almost immediately after we jumped.”
Wansung smiled sourly. “If so, maybe we’ll get lucky and they’ll fight each other.”
Kas grinned. “Want to bet your life on it? No,” he continued seriously, “we’re running a gauntlet. And our only chance is to run it as fast as we can, while expecting attack at any moment.”
The young Commander jumped to attention. “I won’t let you down, sir,” he said crisply.
Kas’ smile was warm. “I know you won’t, Captain. Now, get out of here and get your ship fixed.”
Wansung snapped him a bone-cracking salute, and marched from the office.
The ease with which Wansung assumed command of Starhopper was a pleasant surprise. By the time they approached the jump point, Starhopper ’s jump comps and systems had been installed and double-and triple- checked. A small crew of civilian techs would remain aboard her to complete repairs to her comm systems and to fine-tune her weapons systems while she was in jump.
Kas breathed a huge sigh of relief as they jumped with no sign of any pursuers. Life again assumed the more relaxed pace typical of jump. The tiny bubble of the jump field was again an oasis of reality in the nothingness of Supralight.
Kas returned to shaking down his crew and his vessel. Tremling returned to his solitary ‘special project’. A pleasant bonus was Sha-Tren, Tremling’s replacement as Engineering Department Head. Perhaps warned by Kas’ treatment of Tremling, Sha-Tren had become more careful about his grooming and military courtesies, and had begun insisting on the same from his juniors. The engineering department was beginning to again resemble part of a military ship more than a shipyard workshop.
Raskin and Vertring, the two officers Kas assigned to share a cabin, were another matter. They studiously tried to ignore one another, and were icily polite when forced to associate. But Raskin went out of his way to display the rudest and crudest of outerworld manners, while Vertring was becoming almost a cartoon of a mincing innerworlder. Since both were frequently on the bridge at the same time, the tension was often palpable.
Finally, To-Ling escorted them to the ship’s gym, where she locked them in, with instructions to call her when they had their problems settled. It was some two hours before they called for release. Both were disheveled and panting. Raskin had a bloody nose and was cradling his left arm in his right, and Vertring was bleeding from several small cuts and favoring his right leg. To-Ling savagely dressed them both down, then sent them to sick bay to have their wounds tended before letting them return to duty.
To-Ling’s own distaste for outerworlders was much less obvious. Kas had hopes he would be able to recommend her for command and promotion to Captain when the mission was over.
However, paperwork and personnel matters were not Kas’ favorite activities, and a feeling of relief tinged his apprehension as the jump timer ticked toward emergence.
As the universe flared into existence on the main screen, Kas scanned for Starhopper. He breathed a sigh of relief when she emerged within seconds. But he did not relax until Vertring announced that no other ships in detection range.
Within a few hours, Be’Rak completed her recalibration, and they boosted for the jump point, Starhopper nestled at their side.
Still, Kas found it impossible to relax during the three days in normal space. He kept half-expecting detection alarms to sound at any moment.
All of Starhopper ’s systems were back online, and the civilian techs returned to Rekesh. Wansung remained in command of the freighter, as Ler-Traken had yet to recover enough to return to his duties.
