Herdez turned back toward Paul, missing the sight of Jen's jaw dropping. 'I imagine you nonetheless felt some qualms about bringing about the court-martial of a fellow junior officer.'
'Yes, ma'am, I did.'
'But you overcame them.'
'Yes, ma'am. Partly because I remembered something else you told me once, about honoring the sacrifices of those who die.'
Herdez seemed amused. 'I rarely hear myself quoted back to me so often in one conversation. Life is full of advice and experiences, Mr. Sinclair. Some good, some bad. That advice and experience doesn't directly shape us. It's the lessons we draw from them that do that. And then our own examples help shape others. This was Lieutenant Silver's greatest failing, that he did not realize his responsibility to others.'
Paul snorted a brief laugh. 'You don't have to tell me that, ma'am.'
'Indeed. You handled yourself well.' Commander Herdez consulted her watch. 'I see time is passing. I'm sure you need to return to your ship soon.'
'Yes, ma'am.'
Paul and Jen stood as Commander Herdez watched. 'You make a good couple.'
Jen stared back, rattled again. 'Ma'am?'
'Oh, you heard me, Lieutenant Junior Grade Shen. There's nothing wrong with your ears or your mind. As for you, Mr. Sinclair, I'm still keeping an eye on you. I'll be going to another ship when I leave the staff. Your presence onboard that vessel would be welcome.'
It was Paul's turn to be thrown off balance. 'Ma'am?'
'If circumstances permit, Mr. Sinclair, I'd like you as a subordinate again. Was it clear that time?'
'Y-yes, ma'am.' Working for Herdez again? Oh, that's going to be painful. But how could I turn down her offer?
'That is all.' Commander Herdez checked her watch again. 'And I must return to work as well. Until next time, Mr. Sinclair and Ms. Shen.' She walked briskly out of the bar, half of her drink still untouched.
Jen watched her go. 'Did you hear what she said?'
'You mean about us being a good couple?'
'Oh, please. Since when does Commander Herdez care about the personal lives of her juniors?'
'Jen, she does.'
'That woman has had her bitch-switch stuck on battle-override since the day she was born, and she never cared for me. 'Watch that attitude of yours, Ms. Shen.' 'Are you certain, Ms. Shen?' 'Is there a problem, Ms. Shen?''
'But she said she thinks you're a fine officer.'
'Yes. Exactly. What do you suppose she meant by that?'
'That… she thinks you're a fine officer?'
'Herdez? Ha!'
'What do you think she meant?'
'I don't know, but I'll find out. Right now, you and I have another call to make.'
'Where?'
Jen mustered an artificially bright smile. 'USS Mahan.'
'Jen!'
'I mean it, Paul. There's unfinished business. Trust me on this. You've got to beard the, um, lion in his den.'
'I didn't know lions had beards.'
'Whatever! Let's go.'
'Just what am I supposed to say to a captain who thinks I'm pond scum?'
'Just wait.' Jen met Paul's stubborn gaze. 'Trust me, Paul Sinclair!'
Paul let his gaze drop and shook his head. 'Okay. You're the expert on your father, and I'm sure as hell not going to hide from him for the rest of whatever career I have in the Navy.'
'Damn straight.'
The lieutenant junior grade standing officer of the deck on the Mahan reacted to Jen's presence with a barely concealed sense of panic. When he saw Paul, the panic rose by an order of magnitude. Clearly fearing the worst, the Mahan 's officer of the deck called the captain, listened to the reply, then ordered the petty officer of the watch to escort Paul and Jen to the wardroom.
Captain Shen sat there at a table which mirrored that on the Michaelson except for a different random pattern of nicks and scratches. Two other officers occupied the wardroom, but after one steely glance from their captain they hastily exited. Captain Shen, as erect as if he were sitting at attention, turned to face Jen. 'I gather you're not here to give me an apology.'
'I only apologize when I'm wrong. I learned that from a certain senior naval officer.'
'That you did.' Captain Shen stood, then pivoted to look at Paul, his eyes seeming to bore straight into Paul's brain. 'It seems you were declared right by the court-martial, Mr. Sinclair. And I was declared wrong.'
'Sir, we both did our duty.'
'Don't condescend to me, young man. I screwed up. I failed to accurately determine the causes of that accident on the Michaelson. I hope you're not expecting me to thank you for bringing that to public notice.'
Paul shook his head. 'No, sir.'
Captain Shen's glower didn't diminish, but he slowly extended one hand. 'But I do thank you for what you did for the Navy. You did a good job, mister.'
Paul stared at the hand uncomprehendingly for a moment, then reached out to shake Captain Shen's hand. 'Thank you, sir.' Shen's grip was so tight Paul almost flinched, but instead he returned the pressure.
Captain Shen's eyes locked on Jen. 'My daughter is not a fool.'
'No, sir.'
'There's a difference between courage and foolhardiness. Do you know that difference?'
'Yes, sir.'
'That'd better be correct. I will be keeping an eye on you, Mr. Sinclair. God help you if you harm my daughter or her career.'
'I will never do that, sir.'
'I'll be watching. Dismissed.'
Paul saluted, but Jen suddenly lunged forward and hugged her father. 'Thank you, dad. Sorry we fought.'
Captain Shen's face actually revealed a brief, gentle smile. 'Me, too.'
Jen stepped back, saluted, then followed Paul out the hatch. The messenger escorted them back to the quarterdeck, and they left the USS Mahan behind.
Paul strode along, his thoughts focusing on Captain Shen's last words to him. Great. Commander Herdez is watching supportively from afar to see if I measure up to her impossible standards, and now Captain Shen will be watching antagonistically from afar to see if I measure up to his impossible standards. Maybe I should just dive out an airlock in my gym shorts. That way I'd only be subjected to impossible pressure for a few seconds.
'A buck for your thoughts,' Jen stated with a smile.
'You don't want to know.'
'I can imagine. My father isn't going to forgive and forget anytime soon that you made him look real bad.'
'Pardon me all to hell. How can such an intelligent man fail to see I was trying to do right by Chief Asher and prevent anyone else suffering because of an officer who failed in his duties?'
'He knows that, Paul. He respects what you did. That's why he shook your hand. He just doesn't like it.'
'Is this supposed to be helping me understand?'
'Paul Sinclair, I've spent my entire life trying to understand my father and I'm a long ways from achieving that goal. He's proud and he's smart, too proud and too smart sometimes to realize he can be wrong.' Jen sighed. 'This all complicates things. I wanted to be able to tell you my answer to your proposal by now.'
'Proposal? What proposal?'
'Your marriage proposal. Did you forget about it already?'
