didn’t mind having someone else disassociate him from that mythical construct. Geary could also tell from the expressions around the table that most of the officers present disapproved of what had been said. Many still clearly worshipped Black Jack. Others seemed unhappy with the unprofessionalism of the comments made by the commander. He hoped at least a few were actually trusting him because of his actions so far.
So instead of reacting with passion, Geary deliberately leaned back and looked directly at his opponent. A name tag immediately sprang into view, identifying the man and his ship. Commander Vebos of the Arrogant. Of course. “Commander Vebos. I don’t claim to be more than human. I am, however, the officer who led this fleet out of the Syndic home system when it was threatened with imminent destruction. I know how to command a fleet. I know how to give orders. That’s because I learned how to take orders, a necessary skill in any officer. Don’t you agree, Commander?”
Vebos turned pale at the pointed reference to his actions in bombarding the Syndic base. But he bulled ahead anyway. “Other officers could’ve done better. Captain Numos. He’d have us halfway home by now!”
“He’d have us in Syndic work camps by now,” Captain Duellos noted dryly. “Though he was willing enough to try to get away alone in Orion while the Syndics were busy finishing off our damaged ships.”
It was Numos’s turn to flush red with anger. “I will not-”
Geary slammed his hand onto the table, and silence fell. “I do not wish to have my officers publicly malign other officers,” he stated.
Captain Duellos rose and inclined his head toward the place Numos occupied. “My apologies to Captain Geary and to Captain Numos.”
Geary inclined his own head in return. “Thank you, Captain Duellos. It is critical that we remain focused. This fleet is transiting the Corvus System en route to the jump point that leads to Kaliban. We are currently in negotiations with the Syndic authorities on the second planet. They are being told to provide us with supplies and raw materials as we pass through the system, on pain of having the fleet inflict extensive damage to their world.” Geary thought that of those present, only Captain Desjani would guess that Geary had no intention of actually bombarding an inhabited world simply to punish the people on it. “I am certain that the Syndics will be awaiting us with force at Yuon. I will take this fleet to Kaliban. And our ancestors willing, I will take this fleet home.”
A number of commanders still looked unhappy or skeptical, but most of the officers made their at-least-grudging agreement clear. Geary looked along the ranks of ship commanders, trying to identify those who looked to be trouble, then stopped himself. I won’t turn into a Syndic CEO, playing political games and purging officers suspected of “disloyalty.” But by the living stars, Commander Vebos won’t still be commanding the Arrogant when we leave this system. That man isn’t simply disloyal and insubordinate. He’s stupid.
The number of officers around the table dwindled rapidly as they broke the connections that had presented their images at the conference. Once again, the apparent size of the table, and the room itself, shrank along with the reduction in officers whose images had been present. Many of the officers paused, their images suddenly seeming to stand before Geary, and expressed brief words of support. Geary acknowledged them as gracefully as he could, trying to not grimace at how many of them looked at him with the worshipful eyes of those seeing Black Jack Geary in the flesh.
Captain Duellos was the last to leave, giving Geary a big grin. “Maybe you should’ve left Numos and Orion guarding the jump exit,” Duellos suggested.
“Why would I have wanted to do that?” Geary asked.
“You could’ve left him there!”
Geary laughed despite himself. “His crew doesn’t deserve that.”
Duellos smiled again. “No. I expect they suffer enough as it is.”
“Sorry I had to slap you down when you and Numos started to get personal,” Geary said. “I trust you understand why I did that.”
“I did, sir. Though I must confess I don’t regret making the remark and reminding my fellow ship commanders of the course of action Numos tried to endorse back in the Syndic home system.” Duellos paused. “I want you to know that you have my unconditional support.”
“Thank you.”
“Not Black Jack Geary. You.”
Geary raised one eyebrow. “You’ve figured out I’m not that person?”
“I’m glad you’re not,” Duellos confessed. “The man always scared me.”
“That makes two of us.”
“Captain Desjani is a very good officer. You can trust her.”
“I already know that.” Geary made a face. “Speaking of trust, do you have any officers you’d recommend for command of Arrogant?”
“I can give you some names. A word of advice, Captain Geary?”
Geary nodded. “I never refuse to listen to advice from good officers.”
Duellos made a small bow. “Thank you. Don’t replace that idiot Vebos with an officer certain to be loyal to you. It will raise concerns of a loyalty purge.”
Geary bit his lip, trying not to show his surprise that Duellos had echoed his own earlier thought. “Surely that hasn’t actually happened in the Alliance fleet.”
For the first time, Duellos looked grim. “Captain Geary, I know that you have already learned of some of the things that have happened in the Alliance fleet.”
“Damn,” Geary whispered, then shook his head. Loyalty purges in the Alliance fleet. Unbelievable. When? Where? I don’t really want to know. “Thank you, Captain. I’ll remember your advice. It’s very good to have officers like you and Desjani whom I can trust implicitly.”
“We can always trust in our ancestors as well,” Duellos offered. “I do not regard myself as an overly religious man, nor have I subscribed to the belief that the dead Black Jack Geary would somehow return when he was most needed. But it is nonetheless heartening even to me that you came to us when you did.”
Geary snorted. “I suppose I shouldn’t complain about being found since I’d have been dead for real before much longer. But I’m not sure even my ancestors can help me much with this situation.”
Duellos made a sweeping gesture and grinned. “Then perhaps mine can assist with avoiding the enemy fleet and looting bystanders. By dint of experience, that is. My ancestors include a few pirates.”
“Do they? I guess there are some skeletons in everyone’s family closet. A few of my ancestors were lawyers.”
“Ah! My condolences.”
“We’ve learned to live with it.”
Duellos stepped back and saluted. “You reminded us all of how our actions have dishonored our ancestors, you know. But you did it as well as such a thing could be done. You spoke of ‘us’ and ‘we,’ placing yourself alongside us. And placing us alongside you. There are many who will not forget that.”
Geary returned the salute, thanking whichever ancestor had inspired him to use those words. Because I sure didn’t think that out beforehand. “Thank you.”
“It is only the truth, sir.” Duellos lowered his hand, and his image vanished.
GEARY sat down heavily in his stateroom, staring glumly at the display he’d activated. It showed the situation in Corvus System, with a few ships from the Alliance fleet finishing up their work at the Syndic base on the frozen world while the rest of the fleet proceeded through the system in a halfway decent formation. Fourteen hours since we entered this system. How much longer until serious Syndic pursuit shows up?
I can’t believe how tired I am. Do I dare sleep? Will the fleet fly apart again if I’m not watching it?
