Giacomo wasn’t being encouraged.
“But when it comes to the crunch,when it’s for real, you won’t choke.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because I know you.”
Giacomo sighed. It was not theanswer he was after, but it was the only one he would get.
The pilot picked up his untouchedglass. He looked at the deep brown colour with its reddish tinge. “Andurianrum?”
John nodded. “See, you do knowsomething.” He turned his attention away from Giacomo. “And it sounds likesomeone has had more than enough. Excuse me.” He was on his feet and headingtowards Humphries and his group.
North and Hartford were silencedby his approach. Rodgers and Humphries had their backs to John. Encouraged bythe engineer, Humphries was still noisily recounting his victory. Each versionwas louder and more exaggerated than the previous.
Rodgers caught John out of thecorner of his eye and stopped. At the sudden silence, Humphries swung around,barely managing to stay on his feet, and stood face to face with the commander.
“Hey, shir, come to help mecebelate?” he asked, his voice a little slurred, his eyes glassing.
“I think you’ve done enoughcelebrating for one night. You’re beginning to disturb the other customers.”
“No, I not. They all cebelate…cebel… ceb… happy witsh me!”
He flung his arms up in delight,nearly tumbling backwards. North put a steadying hand on his back, keeping himupright. He staggered forward a step, his head level with John’s.
“Sep for him.”
He was looking over John’sshoulder to Giacomo.
“Hey, Jack! Aaaagh!” He putboth hands around his own throat in an imitation of being choked.
Giacomo was on his feetinstantly, his chair scraping the floor.
John’s reaction was just asquick. He knew Giacomo hated his name being shortened and he’d be quite happyto wrap his own hands around Humphries’ throat. He turned enough to meet thepilot’s glare, his arm outstretched, his finger pointed. “You. Sit,” heordered.
Giacomo reluctantly complied.
“You…” He turned back to Humphries:a silly grin on the man’s face showed great amusement. It was useless to talkto him. “Get him out of here,” he told his companions.
No one moved.
“Now!”
This time they all moved. Humphries was quite willing to go with them as they bundled him towards thedoor.
John stood there and slowly shookhis head. He remembered what he had told Decker: Humphries was a good kid. Now he used other words to describe him – immature, irresponsible… Oh no, nowhe was beginning to think like the captain.
As he returned to his seat, themood in the bar returned to what it should have been. Humphries hadn’t upsetanyone, but his party was about to, however unintentional it would have been.
“Finish your drink and calmdown,” John told Giacomo.
Giacomo obeyed. With Humphriesgone, he calmed quickly.
A competitive rivalry had sprungup between Giacomo and Humphries. To start with, it had been a healthycompetition. More recently, it had become physical. The last thing Johnneeded at the moment was to break up a public brawl.
They were both after the positionof chief helmsman. McReidy was navigator; there was never any question ofthat. And her rank made her first officer. Helmsman was the next covetedrank. And the day shift certainly had more prestige than any other.
John wanted a rest. He wastired, but it wasn’t sleep he was after. He looked at Giacomo. The strain wasshowing on the pilot. He knew he was pushing too hard. If he didn’t dosomething soon, half the crew would probably snap.
It was then that he decided toput into port. It was not in his schedule, but so what? The ship was ahead ofschedule as it was. Twenty four hours wouldn’t make any difference.
In his quarters, he opened hisstar charts. Pinpointing their current position, he looked for somewhere theycould take a break. There was only one choice.
It was a small planet a few hoursout of their way. The people were kind and gentle, the atmosphere completelyrelaxing. For a day, they could forget their worries, sort out their frustrationsand return completely refreshed.
He called the bridge and gavethem the new course.
Back to top
Chapter seven
John was on the bridge as theship neared the planet. Giacomo had the helm. Humphries remembered little of theprevious night, but felt he deserved the helm. He deliberately baited Giacomo,trying to make him angry. It was not hard to do. Despite his best attempts toignore it, even using McReidy beside him to block direct visual contact,Giacomo couldn’t ignore the messages that kept appearing on his console.
McReidy saw his discomfort andglanced at his console. “No, don’t,” she whispered, placing a hand over his ashe began to answer.
He restrained. But the nextcomment of “hiding behind a woman” had him on his feet. An angry outburst inhis native tongue brought Humphries to his.
“All right, that’s it!” Johnexploded. “Sort out your problems elsewhere, not on my bridge. You’ve gottwenty four hours to kill each other in. If there’s even a hint of this sortof behaviour continuing when you get back, you will both be off the bridge. Permanently. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, sir,” they both answered,and sat down slowly.
There was another ship in orbitaround the planet – the hulking battlecruiser Shimodo. A crew of over twothousand, including several hundred fighters.
John couldn’t help wondering ifshe’d encountered the enemy. Scanning the ship would have him in trouble withher captain. As she came up on the main screen, he couldn’t see any signs. Her hull was undamaged, her paintwork consistent.
Giacomo put the ship into orbitand set her on automatic.
John glanced at his watch. Thecrew were waiting like a class to be dismissed. “Twenty four hours, nolonger… Now, get out of here.”
They disappeared within seconds.
Was that a hint of a smile onMcReidy’s face as she made her way to the door? John shook his head: now hewas imagining things.
There was still the rest of thecrew, and he needed a minimum of staff on board. He grabbed a pen and a copyof the roster from the office. The engineers had worked themselves into theground. They were getting the full twenty four hours. The senior officersdeserved as much time as he could give them. They’d stepped up and
