“In that case, please call me Kelly.”
The admiral stepped in to continue the introductions. “Kelly, meet LCDR Davis and LT Bell, the CO and Exec of the Vehement. It’s the Scout ship in the dock next to the Vigilant. They should be through refit in three months or so.”
LCDR Davis asked Kelly to talk with him later about how the refit of the Vigilant was going. LT Bell asked to be in on that conversation, too.
Admiral Craddock then introduced Kelly to two Fleet Lieutenants. “Kelly, these two fellows are Kim Dae Wo and Al Bentine. They are being assigned here to work on my staff. Kim will be in operations and Bentine will handle officer personnel assignments. Ah, I see my wife motioning me into the kitchen. Why don’t you all get acquainted, while I go help Amy.”
Kelly said to both lieutenants, “Very nice to meet you. Have you just arrived on Antares Base also?”
LT Bentine said, “We got in this Wednesday. We just found out our assignments today. Neither of us came in specifically assigned to Scout Force, but we are glad to be here. I, for one, prefer working for the operational forces over support functions.”
LT Bentine saw CMDR Okanma look up at his comment. He quickly said, “Sir, not that there is anything wrong with working for the support services, but I want to get back out in space on a ship and hope to maybe command a Scout ship some day.”
CMDR Okanma just chuckled.
Candy Craddock looked over at him. “Dad left before fixing you a drink. What would you like?”
“I haven’t had time for a drink since I got here and I was on a dry Fleet carrier for six months before that. Are there any local specialties I should try?”
With a beguiling smile, she said, “Local specialties…let me see.” She bent down, giving Kelly a wonderful view of her cleavage. “How about a local wine? They make a marvelous Vidal Blanc to the southwest of here, and Dad has one in here chilled. I’ll have a glass with you.”
She opened the bottle, poured two glasses of a lovely amber liquid, and handed one to Kelly. She put a stopper on the bottle and replaced it in the fridge beneath the bar. This gave Kelly that lovely view of her cleavage again. He averted his eyes just before she straightened back up.
She reached over and clinked glasses with him. “Here’s to a safe patrol.”
Her comment caught Kelly a little unawares. It must have shown on his face.
“Don’t worry, Kelly. I don’t know Scout Force’s patrol schedule, but if you are about to come out of refit, you are obviously about to go out on patrol. It’s just how things are done.”
Kelly relaxed. The other guests had moved over to the den and were looking out the floor-to-ceiling windows at a storm coming over the mountains to the east, leaving Kelly alone with Candy.
“We seem to have been abandoned.”
She leaned over the bar, holding her glass in both hands, and asked, “Do you mind?” Her eyes locked with his.
“Of course not. How could I mind them leaving me alone with such pleasant company?”
Candy gave him a blinding smile in response.
“Tell me, Candy, who does the gardening for your folks? I was awestruck by the way the grounds look.”
“We don’t have a gardener. Mom keeps up the grounds. She has a real green thumb. She could plant a burnt stick and get it to flower.”
“Well, I’m impressed. Are they local plants or were they brought in?”
“Come on. I’ll walk you around and give you the tour.”
The two walked out the front door and over to a large planting bed. The flowers were arrayed with short ones in front and larger plants in the center. The effect was like a layer cake. Reds and crimsons were on top, blues through the center, and whites along the base. A sweet scent filled the air, mixed with the smell of the approaching rainstorm.
“These white plants are alabaster stars. They come from the southern hemisphere here on Armstrong. The blues are Antarean asters. They grow on Plymouth Island to the southeast of here, near where this wine comes from. The red and crimson flowers come from a Blood Bush native to the polar region and a parasitic plant called the Strangler Vine, native to this region. It grows on low-lying bushes and sucks them dry of nutrients. It eventually kills its host plant, thereby causing its own death, but not before it releases its spores. It’s beautiful, but so tragic.”
“Wow, that is tragic, but you're right, they are beautiful.”
They walked along together, enjoying the garden and each other’s company until the rumble of distant thunder caused them to look up at the approaching clouds. They walked back to the front door, where Candy put her hand on the handle and stopped. She looked at Kelly and said, “I wonder.”
Kelly looked at her and asked, “What do you wonder?”
“I wonder if you might be brave enough to date the admiral’s daughter?”
Kelly paused for a moment and said, “I’m brave enough, but I’m not looking for anything serious at this time. My present is too uncertain. As you said earlier, it is only a matter of time before I go out on patrol or a deployment. I could be gone a few weeks or a few months. I have no way of knowing. I’m afraid we couldn’t be much more than friends. There is one other thing. Although I’m no lady’s man, there are at least two other young women interested in me.”
She smiled that dazzling smile again, “That works for me. I could always use more friends. I’m not looking for a monogamous relationship right now, either. I just spent six tough years in school and I want to party a bit before I settle down.”
“Okay, Candy, I’d be honored to be your friend. Let’s get inside before this storm catches us out here.”
They rejoined the party. A large relish and canape spread had been set up on a buffet table in the den. Everyone was eating, drinking, and watching the approaching lightning storm. Candy took his glass to the bar to refill it. Kelly made a mental note to slow down his drinking. This local Vidal Blanc appeared to have higher alcohol content than he was used to. It wouldn’t do to get smashed at his admiral’s house.
Mrs. Craddock came over. “Are you enjoying yourself, Kelly?”
“Yes, ma’am, Candy was showing me your plantings. They are magnificent. I was impressed with them when I drove up. I asked who your gardener was. Candy told me you tended them. They really are remarkable.”
“I’ve always liked gardening. I’ve made sure we had a garden everywhere we’ve been assigned. I really like using the local plants. They are so much hardier and vibrant than plants brought in from Earth.”
Candy walked up and handed him his refilled wine glass.
Mrs. Craddock saw that and said, “I should warn you about the local wine. It's a good bit stronger than Earth wines.”
“Mom, I was trying to ply him with liquor and you spoiled it for me. Kelly here has agreed to be my friend. I hinted that he could be more than a friend, but he was a gentleman about it and pointed out that his patrol and deployment schedule might not allow for him to get more serious with me.”
Mrs. Craddock got a little goggle-eyed over her daughter’s last announcement, looked at Kelly, and said, “You’ll have to excuse my daughter, Kelly. We didn’t beat her enough when she was young.”
Candy and her Mom both broke out laughing at that.
Admiral Craddock walked over, “Now, what’s so funny over here?”
Mrs. Craddock spoke up. “It appears that Ensign Blake here and your daughter are friends.”
“Well, Candy is of age. Kelly comes from a good family. Why shouldn’t they be friends?”
Candy said, “Kelly is the first of your officers I’ve met that isn’t so afraid of you that they wouldn’t have anything to do with me. It is a refreshing change.”
Admiral Craddock put his arm round Kelly’s shoulder and told him, “Kelly, it is perfectly all right for you to see my daughter. Not that she would require my consent anyway. She is a bit willful. I don’t know where she gets it from.”
Kelly replied, “Thank you, sir. I consider it an honor to be her friend.”
Admiral Craddock, his wife, and Candy replied in unison, “As well you should.” All three broke into peels of laughter. Kelly noticed that Candy had an honest, throaty laugh. The admiral then said, “Now, let’s rejoin our other guests.”
Kelly trailed along behind, chuckling to himself.
