Flag In Exile

'I see.' Honor returned his smile and wondered just what his relationship to the high admiral was. The conditions of Grayson's settlement had resulted in enormous, intricately linked clan structures, and she knew the Matthews family was one of the larger ones, but aside from his coloring, the lieutenant commander looked enough like High Admiral Matthews to be his son. He was too old for that, she thought, but the resemblance was almost uncanny.

He seemed to be waiting for her to say something more, which probably wasn't too surprising. He must get a lot of reactions, positive and negative alike, simply because of his family connections.

'Well, I'll try not to hold your nose against you, Commander,' she murmured, and his smile turned into a grin as he stepped back.

'Lieutenant Commander Abraham Jackson, Milady. Your staff chaplain,' Mercedes said quietly.

Honor tensed slightly, and Nimitz's ears pricked as Jackson stepped forward. For the first time, she felt more than a bit uncomfortable, for the RMN had no Chaplains Corps, and she was uncertain how to react. Worse, she had no idea how Jackson might feel about serving on an infidel's staff, particularly when that infidel had just been involved in the politically charged defrocking of another priest.

'Lady Harrington.' Jackson's pleasant voice was deeper than Matthews but much lighter than Sewell's. His green eyes met hers frankly as he took her hand, and she felt an inner quiver of released tension at what she saw in them, then scolded herself for feeling it. She should have known High Admiral Matthews and Reverend Hanks would see to it that the man assigned as her staff chaplain was no bigot. Jackson smiled slightly, a curiously gentle smile, uncannily like Reverend Hanks, and squeezed her hand firmly. 'Its a great pleasure to meet you at last, My Lady.'

'Thank you, Commander. I hope you feel that way after you've had to put up with me for a while,' she said with an answering smile, and he chuckled as he stepped back beside Matthews.

'And last but not least, Milady,' Mercedes said, 'your flag lieutenant, Lieutenant Jared Sutton.'

'Lieutenant.' Honor extended her hand once more, and this time she had to bite back a laugh. Sutton was short even by Grayson standards, a wiry young man with intensely black hair and anxious brown eyes that reminded her irresistibly of a puppy's. He was still young enough he'd probably received the original first-generation prolong treatments, and his feet and hands looked too big for the rest of him.

'M-M-My Lady,' he got out as he took her hand, then blushed bright red as his stutter betrayed his nervousness.

She felt a wash of compassion for him, but she looked him straight in the eye and made her mouth firm.

'Lieutenant. I hope you're ready to be worked hard.' Dismay flickered in his eyes, and she lowered her eyebrows. 'An admiral's flag lieutenant is the most overworked officer on her staff,' she went on grimly. 'He has to know everything she and her chief of staff know, and God help him if he screws anything up!' Sutton stared at her and squared his shoulders, snapping to a sort of parade rest without ever releasing her hand, and his expression was too much for her. She felt the grim line of her mouth begin to collapse, and reached out to pat him on the shoulder.

'And he's also the most under-appreciated officer on her staff, by everyone except her,' she said, and his dismay vanished into a huge smile.

'Yes, Ma'am!' he said. 'I'll try not to let you down, My Lady.'

'I'm sure you will, Lieutenant, and I expect you'll succeed.' She gave his shoulder another pat, then folded her hands behind her. She didn't know any of them, aside from Mercedes, but they looked good. Solid. And she could tell a lot about Mercedes' estimate of them from the way she'd introduced them. All in all, she thought High Admiral Matthews had done well by her.

'I'm sure we'll all get to know one another quickly,' she said after a moment. 'We're certainly going to have enough on our plates to see that we do, at any rate!' Several of them smiled back at her, and she nodded. 'I'd like to meet with all of you, and especially you, Commander Paxton, for an initial brief as soon as I've had a chance to get settled in.' She glanced at the time and date display on the bulkhead. 'If you'd be kind enough to assemble in the flag briefing room at ten-hundred, I'll see you all then.'

Nods and murmurs of agreement answered, and she turned back to Yu. 'I'd appreciate your joining us, as well, Captain,' she said more formally.

'Of course, My Lady.'

'Thank you. And now, I think it's time I went and got started on that settling in.'

'Yes, My Lady,' Yu replied. 'May I escort you to your quarters?' There was a slight pause between the two sentences, and Honor shook her head.

'No, thank you, Captain. I've taken up enough of your time. Captain Brigham can show me the way; she and I need to discuss a few things, anyway.'

'Of course, My Lady,' Yu murmured once more, his dark eyes still and just a bit opaque.

'Thank you. I'll see you all at ten-hundred, then.' Honor glanced over her shoulder at Mercedes. 'Captain Brigham?'

'Yes, Ma'am. If you'll follow me, please?' The Marines snapped to present arms as Honor followed her chief of staff past them, trailed by her armsmen and James MacGuiness, and she nodded in 'acknowledgment' of the courtesy. Then Mercedes led her into the lift and punched a destination into the panel, and Honor leaned back against the wall and let her breath whoosh out in relief as the doors closed.

'And thank the Lord that's done!' she said. Mercedes chuckled, and Honor sniffed. 'All very well for you. You already knew all those people!'

'Yes, Ma'am, I did. But I'm only a captain, you're an admiral. That gives you a certain advantage when it comes to introductions.'

'Ha!' Honor removed her cap to run a hand over her braided hair, and Nimitz bleeked a laugh and made a grab for her hand. She evaded him with practiced ease and gave him a gentle thump on the nose, then waved her cap at the other people in the lift.

'You already know Mac, Mercedes, but let me introduce you to my other keepers. This is Major Andrew LaFollet, my personal armsman and the head of my security detachment.' Brigham smiled and nodded, and Honor gestured at the others. 'And this is Armsman Candless and Armsman Howard. They go everywhere with me, the poor fellows. Gentlemen, in case you missed it, this is Captain Brigham, my chief of staff. Keep an eye on her and don't let that calm demeanor fool you. She has a low and evil sense of humor.'

'A base libel, Milady. My sense of humor isn't low.' The armsmen grinned just as a soft chime announced the lift's arrival. Mercedes waited for Honor to lead the way out, then escorted her down a passage. The Marine sentry who would have guarded Honors quarters aboard a Manticoran warship was nowhere in evidence; instead, Simon Mattingly stood outside the hatch and came to attention at his Steadholder's appearance. 'My Lady. Captain Brigham.'

'I see I don't have to make any introductions here,' Honor observed.

'No, My Lady. Captain Brigham was very helpful in making the security arrangements.'

'As a good chief of staff should be,' Honor approved. Mattingly smiled and pressed the admittance key, and Honor turned to LaFollet. 'Andrew, take Jamie and Eddy and go get yourselves settled in. Captain Brigham and I have a lot to discuss.'

'Of course, My Lady. I'll be back by oh-nine-thirty to escort you to your meeting.'

'I don't think that will be nee...' Honor began, then sighed at the familiar mulish look in his eyes. 'All right, Andrew. All right! I'll be good.'

'Thank you, My Lady,' the major said without a flicker of triumph, and Honor shook her head as the hatch slid shut behind her.

'Those people,' she said feelingly, 'are extremely attached to you, Milady,' Mercedes interposed. Honor paused, then shut her mouth and nodded.

'Exactly what I was about to say,' she agreed, and turned to examine her new quarters. 'Heavens, I could play soccer in here!'

'Not quite, Milady, but close,' Mercedes agreed. 'Peep admirals travel first class, and the GSN didn't see any reason to reduce your cubage.'

Honor shook her head and turned in place in the center of her day cabin. She'd always thought Manticoran flag officers were magnificently housed, but this surpassed anything she'd ever imagined. The day cabin was at