Read Online Marque and Reprisal by Elizabeth Moon - Free Book Online

insubordination.” One commanding officer’s comment, “This individual does not know where initiative ends and rocket-propelled idiocy begins,” stuck in her mind. She looked back up at him.
    “Not going to be promoted, Captain,” he said. “Too independent.”
    “I don’t need a loose cannon,” she said. “I’ve already had one of those, and he almost got me killed.”
    “Ma’am, I’m not a loose cannon. I know what statement you’re referring to, and that officer was willing to let the depot be robbed blind rather than admit he’d trusted the wrong civ. What I did was go over his head, when he wouldn’t do anything about it.” A tight grin split the man’s face. “I couldn’t go over your head, ma’am—you’re the top of your command chain.”
    Despite herself, Ky grinned back. “Did the consul explain that I’ve been attacked and so has my ship? It’s not a safe berth I’m offering.”
    “Yes, ma’am, Captain. It’ll be my pleasure to keep you alive and the ship safe. And I understand you need someone with expertise in inventory control?”
    “Yes. My cargomaster was killed last voyage; his second is excellent but not experienced with inventory, since Gary did all that.”
    “I’ve handled inventory control for this post and others.”
    “The shuttle leaves in an hour and a half,” Ky said. “I don’t know about transport out—”
    “I can take care of that, ma’am. If you’re willing.”
    It was crazy. But something about him, about that solid, obviously experienced man, gave her the first real confidence she’d felt since losing contact with Vatta headquarters. He was certainly not the type to need saving, either—for once she couldn’t be accused of playing rescue. “Let’s not miss the shuttle,” she said. “Glad to have you along.”
    The trip back to Belinta Station aboard a governmental supply shuttle was as boring and uneventful as she hoped. Flanked by a police escort, with Martin beside her, she made it unscathed through the station corridors to her own dockside and aboard.
    There she found not the calm she expected, but chaos and dissension, a knot of obviously scared and angry people yelling in the rec area.
    “I’m not staying,” Riel Amat, her senior pilot, was saying. “You can’t make me. It’s too dangerous.”
    “You can’t leave!” Quincy’s voice was hoarse, as if she’d been talking a long time.
    “What’s going on?” Ky asked. Her crew whirled to face her. Martin, she noticed, had placed himself along the bulkhead in a position to shield her from Riel.
    “Captain—” Riel reddened, then plunged on. “I just can’t do it. It was bad enough before, and now that someone almost blew up the ship—I just can’t. The station board says there’s a Pavrati ship headed insystem; I want to transfer.”
    Quincy was glaring at Martin now. “Who’s this?”
    “Our new cargomaster and security chief,” Ky said. “We need someone in charge of ship security—meet Gordon Martin. Ex-Spaceforce, just retired. Also experienced in supply.” She turned to Riel. “I don’t know if you realize it, but there’s a break in communications between here and Slotter Key—something’s going on, and there’s no guarantee there’ll be another ship home anytime soon.”
    “I don’t care. I do not want to stay on this ship and you can’t make me.”
    “I can take care of the piloting, Captain,” said Lee. She hadn’t noticed him before; unlike the others in the compartment, he was sitting relaxed on the bench. “I’m staying.”
    “Who else wants to leave?” Ky said.
    “If there was a ship,” Sheryl Donster, her navigator, began, “I’d want to take it. But there’s not. And I don’t want to stay on this station; we’ve already been attacked here. So I guess I’ll stay…”
    “Crew briefing in an hour,” Ky said. “I’ll tell you what I know then. Meanwhile, start preparing for departure. Riel, I’ll see you in my cabin