caterers cleared the chairs and set up the restaurant for the meal. Kelly mingled with the assorted guest and dignitaries. Steven Maynard came over and brought him a fresh drink.
“LCDR Blake, I want to thank you for all you did for Barataria. Admiral Minacci tells me that without your support he might have lost to the K’Rang. Let me assure you that we appreciate what you and your crew have done or us. Also rest assured that there will be no repercussions for your unfortunate engagement with Torpedo Squadron Six. We were pirates then and we took a pirate’s chances. We bear you no ill will.”
“Thank you, Mr. Maynard.”
“Please, call me Steven.”
“Okay, Steven, call me Kelly. I appreciate this gesture. I wish there had been a way that I could have accomplished my mission without the loss of your squadron. As a fighter pilot myself, I can assure you that I’ve never faced finer or braver opponents. You can be proud of Torpedo Squadron Six.”
“Thank you, Kelly. Excuse me, I see my assistant waving me over.”
It was time for the dinner. The bridal party led the multitude into the dining room. Place cards showed everyone where to sit. Kelly wound up at Admiral Minacci’s table with his ladies on either side. Alistair was at the head table next to Russell. Connie blew a kiss in his direction.
The meal was excellent. Even Sally was pleased. The toasts were long and witty; the wine flowed freely.
After a while, One-Eyed Pete stood up. “Ladies and gentlemen, I have a gift for the bride and groom, if they will accept it.”
He pulled out a pocket terminal and turned it on.
“This is a legal document I’ve had drawn up. It deeds Sally and Russell a full partnership in the Ruin View Restaurant, if they will agree to stay here on Barataria and help me run it.”
Sally stood up and pulled Pete’s face down to kiss him. Tears streamed down her face. She choked up and couldn’t speak, so Russell spoke for her.
“Pete, this is an unexpected pleasure. This is what we were hoping, but felt we couldn’t ask for. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Pete disentangled himself from Sally, who clung to his neck weeping with joy, and had them thumb the document. He held it up after to a round of applause and cheers.
After the dishes were cleared, the bride and groom circulated around the room, thanking all their guests for coming. When she finally came to the Admiral’s table, she told him and Kelly she’d better never hear either was in the sector without coming by for a meal. There would always be a table waiting.
They made their way around the table and One-Eyed Pete was there to hustle them along to change for their get-away.
The bride and groom changed into street clothes and the guests lined the entrance to wish them well. Rice flew as they ran to a waiting hover limo and it sped off into the night. Folks found out later that Pete had lent them his cabin by a lake for their honeymoon.
A long line for the taxis had Kelly, Mary, Connie, and Alistair waiting, until Kelly felt a tap on his shoulder. It was CDR Digg, motioning him to come with him. The four of them followed him around the corner to a large ground car. Admiral Minacci waved them all in, and they rode to the spaceport.
Mary rode up to the Golden Eagle in the Admiral’s gig. Her company would be embarked on the Golden Eagle until the 3rd ALG reached Gagarin. The remainder of the Marine Brigade from the Yellow Jacket would be split between the Assault Landing Carriers Wasp and Bee. Temporary berths were set up in the AS-500s to house the Marines. The Yellow Jacket’s dozen AS-500s would be parked at the Baratarian Main Spaceport until a carrier could be dispatched to pick them up. The pilots, copilots, and a small Marine detachment became honored guests of Barataria, as they remained behind to guard the craft.
Kelly, Connie, and Alistair spent a sober night on the Vigilant. A large part of the crew was out on the town.
The Vigilant lifted off the next morning, bright and early, with the crew only a little hung over. When they hit orbit, Admiral Minacci contacted Kelly to tell him he had been released back to Scout Force control and, again, how much he appreciated having him around. He hoped they could work together again some time. Kelly expressed similar sentiments. The Admiral signed off and Kelly heard a knock on his door. It was Yeoman Benitez, with a dispatch from Scout Force ordering him back to Antares Base. Kelly ordered Connie to set course for Alistair’s ship to drop him off first.
They docked with Alistair’s ship and transferred his gear over. Kelly watched as Alistair pulled Rojo out of the stasis chamber. He lifted him out of the carrier and placed him on the warm spot next to the command console. In but a few minutes, Rojo was up and purring, rubbing up against Kelly’s leg. Kelly had an idea and excused himself, leaving Connie and Alistair alone. He came back a discreet time later, making sure to make noise as he approached the control room.
“I understand Rojo likes sailor fish fillets. If that’s still the case, here’s a package of them for him.”
Alistair was astonished.
“You have sailor fish fillets in your galley stores?”
Kelly replied, “No, but a replicator is a wonderfully handy thing to have.”
They all three laughed.
Kelly told Connie that he had some things to take care of on the Vigilant before they left, so she could stay here to say farewell for a while. Kelly went back to his cabin, called in Yeoman Benitez, and finalized his award recommendations to transmit to Admiral Minacci’s Flag Secretary before they left the sector. He approved the list and had Benitez transmit it to Admiral Minacci’s staff.
Kelly piddled for a bit longer then called over to Alistair’s ship and asked if he could have his XO back. Alistair responded that he would send her over presently and asked to meet Kelly at the airlock.
Kelly walked to the airlock and called for Alistair. Alistair and Connie approached. Connie excused herself and went on into the Vigilant.
Alistair said, “I want to thank you, Kelly, for helping me to accomplish my mission. I wouldn’t have been able to without your help. I also want to thank you also for the chance to be shot at and missed. It was most exhilarating, but I think I’ll give it a miss in the future.”
Kelly thanked him for his valuable insight and hoped they could work together again some time. Kelly and Alistair shook hands and both captains cycled their airlocks closed.
Kelly returned to the bridge, confirmed readiness to undock, and separated the two ships. As Alistair’s ship pulled away, Kelly gave orders to set course for home at FTL power 4. Kelly took it easy on the crew on the return voyage. He only ordered three drills.
Alistair received a message containing his new orders. He and his cat were ordered to take a month off. He was pulled off mission status until the month was over. He was authorized to take his ship with him and use it during his leave. Working during these four weeks would be grounds for dismissal.
Alistair talked to Rojo, “I assume from the tone of the order that they are serious this time. Now all we have to do is figure where we can go for the next four weeks and not work. Rojo, I hear Armstrong is supposed to be nice this time of year. I hear Armstrong is supposed to be nice anytime of year. Now who do I know on Armstrong? You know, if I’m not mistaken, Connie Cortez is on Armstrong.”
Rojo wasn’t listening; he was too busy batting a fuzzy ball about the command console.
He continued, “Rojo, I vote for Armstrong. What do you say?”
Rojo let out a Merow!
“I take this as an affirmative response, boy. Did I tell you they have wing fish on Antares? I hear they taste very much like sailor fish fillets.”
Rojo jumped down off the command console and started doing figure eights around Alistair’s legs.
“Oh, so that sounds good to you, does it, boy? Armstrong it is, then. I wonder if Connie can get some time off?”
The Vigilant was cleared for a standard approach into Antares Base. Kelly had expected to be directed into Antares Station first. He guessed the Admiral must be planet-side today. The Vigilant was directed to a parking space and the helm sat her down smoothly, without a bump.
