Read Online Exultant by Stephen Baxter - Free Book Online Page A

expect to see him again.
    Here was the broad, crumpled face of Nilis, like a moon hovering before him. “Ensign? Are you all right?”
    “I don’t know. It doesn’t seem real. Sir, I don’t want to be placed under your supervision. I only want to do my duty.”
    Nilis’s expression softened. “And you think that if I pull you back from the Front, that pit of endless death, I’ll be stopping you from doing that? You think your duty is only to die, as so many others have before you?” The old man’s eyes were watery, as if he was about to cry. “Believe me,” Nilis said, “with me you
will
fulfill your duty—not by dying, but by living. And by helping me fulfill my vision. For I, alone of all the fools and stuffed shirts in this room,
I
have a dream.”
    “A dream?”
    Nilis bent close and whispered. “A dream of how this war may be won.” He smiled. “We leave tomorrow, Ensign; be ready at reveille.”
    “Leave? Sir—where are we going?”
    Nilis seemed surprised at the question. “Earth, of course!” And he walked away, his soiled black robe flapping at his heels.
    Chapter 6
    Nilis’s corvette was a sleek arrow shape nuzzled against a port, one of a dozen strung along this busy Officer Country gangway.
    Captain Seath herself escorted Pirius Red to the corvette. They were the first to get here; they had to wait for Nilis.
    Pirius wasn’t sure why Seath had brought him here herself. It wasn’t as if he had any personal effects to be carried; he had been issued a fancy new uniform for the trip, and anything else he needed would be provided by the corvette’s systems, and it would never have occurred to him to take such a thing as a souvenir. Officially, she said, Seath was here to make sure Pirius “didn’t screw up again.” Pirius thought he detected something else, though, something softer under Seath’s scarred gruffness. Pity, perhaps? Or maybe regret; maybe Seath, as his commander, thought she could have done more to protect him from this fate.
    Whatever. Seath wasn’t a woman you discussed emotions with.
    He studied the corvette. It was a Navy ship, and it bore the tetrahedral sigil of free mankind, the most ancient symbol of the Expansion. He said, “Sir—a Navy ship? But I’m in the charge of Commissary Nilis now.”
    She laughed humorlessly. “The Commission doesn’t run starships, Ensign. You think the Navy is about to give its most ancient foe access to FTL technology?”
    “The Xeelee are the foe.”
    “Oh, the Navy and Commission were at war long before anybody heard of the Xeelee.” It was disturbing to hear a straight-up-and-down officer like Seath talk like this.
    There was a reluctant footstep behind them. To Pirius’s surprise, here came Torec. She was as empty-handed as Pirius was but, like him, she wore a smart new uniform. A complex expression closed up her face, and her full lips were pushed forward into a pout that looked childish, Pirius thought.
    “You’re late,” Seath snapped.
    “Sorry, sir.”
    Pirius said, “Come to say good-bye?” He felt touched but he wasn’t about to show it.
    “No.”
    “Pirius, she’s going with you,” Seath said.
    “What?”
    Torec spat, “Not my idea, dork-face.”
    Commissary Nilis came bustling along the corridor. Unlike the two ensigns he did bring some luggage, a couple of trunks and two antique-looking bots which floated after him. “Late, late; here I am about to cross the Galaxy and I’m late for the very first step. . . .” He slowed, panting. “Captain Seath. Thank you for hosting me, thank you for everything.” He beamed at Pirius. “Ready for your new adventure, Ensign?” Then Nilis noticed Torec. “Who’s this? A friend to wave you off?”
    “Not exactly,” Seath said. “This is Ensign Torec. Same cadre as Pirius, same generation. Not as bright, though.”
    Torec raised her eyebrows, and Pirius looked away.
    “And why is she here?”
    “Commissary, I’ve assigned her to you.”
    Nilis blustered,