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Authors: Susan R. Matthews
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good officers, especially in the lower ranks.
As the links all fell into place along authenticated lines of communication, ap Rhiannon stood up. Not a moment too soon, Brecinn thought, with contemptuous amusement. Junior officers rose to their feet in the presence of superior officers. Ap Rhiannon was being close to insubordinate.
“Pesadie Training Command presents its heartfelt sympathies to the Ragnarok on the loss of its Captain.” Brecinn opened the engagement on the offensive, without waiting for whatever ap Rhiannon might have wanted to say by way of ingratiating herself. From what Brecinn had seen and heard of ap Rhiannon, she didn’t have the sense to know when she ought to be doing her best to curry favor . . . like now, for example. “And expresses its concerns over the cause of this distressing incident.”
Brecinn chose the word carefully, and employed it for full effect. Incident, not accident. Whether or not ap Rhiannon had the political sense of the average bulkhead was none of Brecinn’s concern. The word would put ap Rhiannon’s people on notice that Pesadie thought there was quite possibly sabotage afoot: ap Rhiannon’s people, and Brecinn’s observers, as well.
“Thank you, Admiral Brecinn.” On–screen, ap Rhiannon had seated herself once more. She was clearly intent on pushing the rank privileges associated with her status as acting Captain of the Ragnarok to their fullest. “We are also deeply distressed by the unfortunate accident that has deprived Fleet of not only one Captain, but several other valuable resources as well.”
Ap Rhiannon’s choice of words in turn was lost on no one in the room. Brecinn had said incident. Ap Rhiannon said accident. It was just short of calling the Admiral a fool in public.
Ap Rhiannon only dug herself deeper into her own trap as she continued. “In my capacity as the senior Command Branch officer on board of the Jurisdiction Fleet Ship Ragnarok I respectfully request the immediate assignment of a duly detailed Fleet Incident Investigation team to determine the exact cause of the accident.”
A what?
Brecinn was all too fully aware of the attention of the observers in the room fixed on her, wondering how she would react to this. She couldn’t allow it.
“You are doubtless aware that there are no such teams assigned to this Command,” Brecinn noted, coldly. This was an intolerable imposition on ap Rhiannon’s part. “In the absence of a duly selected First Judge Presiding, no such teams can even be chartered.”
Ap Rhiannon was counting on just that, though, Brecinn realized suddenly. Ap Rhiannon was technically well within her rights as acting Captain to demand a Fleet Incident Investigation team. In fact, now that she had made her claim in official transmission — and in front of all of these witnesses — Brecinn was left with no choice but to accede.
“Understood, Admiral Brecinn.” Ap Rhiannon was clearly trying hard to keep the note of gloating out of her voice. Brecinn was sure of it. The ghost of a jeer crept into her language, nonetheless. “With all due respect, I cannot insult the memory of my former commanding officer by accepting anything less than the most careful investigation of the accident that took his life.”
It would take weeks, at minimum, to locate a Fleet Incident Investigation team that could be assigned. Then it would take weeks more to wait for the new First Judge to be seated so that an administrative investigation order could be issued. Fleet Incident Investigation teams were not ordinary, everyday affairs. The Bench liked to keep an eye on them.
“As you wish, ap Rhiannon. I will forward your stipulation to Chilleau Judiciary on priority transmit.” She’d confused the people who were watching her. She could tell. Even that Clerk of Court from Chilleau Judiciary was staring at her, while the expressions on the faces of her staff smoothed quickly from surprise into undisguised admiration. They’d
As the links all fell into place along authenticated lines of communication, ap Rhiannon stood up. Not a moment too soon, Brecinn thought, with contemptuous amusement. Junior officers rose to their feet in the presence of superior officers. Ap Rhiannon was being close to insubordinate.
“Pesadie Training Command presents its heartfelt sympathies to the Ragnarok on the loss of its Captain.” Brecinn opened the engagement on the offensive, without waiting for whatever ap Rhiannon might have wanted to say by way of ingratiating herself. From what Brecinn had seen and heard of ap Rhiannon, she didn’t have the sense to know when she ought to be doing her best to curry favor . . . like now, for example. “And expresses its concerns over the cause of this distressing incident.”
Brecinn chose the word carefully, and employed it for full effect. Incident, not accident. Whether or not ap Rhiannon had the political sense of the average bulkhead was none of Brecinn’s concern. The word would put ap Rhiannon’s people on notice that Pesadie thought there was quite possibly sabotage afoot: ap Rhiannon’s people, and Brecinn’s observers, as well.
“Thank you, Admiral Brecinn.” On–screen, ap Rhiannon had seated herself once more. She was clearly intent on pushing the rank privileges associated with her status as acting Captain of the Ragnarok to their fullest. “We are also deeply distressed by the unfortunate accident that has deprived Fleet of not only one Captain, but several other valuable resources as well.”
Ap Rhiannon’s choice of words in turn was lost on no one in the room. Brecinn had said incident. Ap Rhiannon said accident. It was just short of calling the Admiral a fool in public.
Ap Rhiannon only dug herself deeper into her own trap as she continued. “In my capacity as the senior Command Branch officer on board of the Jurisdiction Fleet Ship Ragnarok I respectfully request the immediate assignment of a duly detailed Fleet Incident Investigation team to determine the exact cause of the accident.”
A what?
Brecinn was all too fully aware of the attention of the observers in the room fixed on her, wondering how she would react to this. She couldn’t allow it.
“You are doubtless aware that there are no such teams assigned to this Command,” Brecinn noted, coldly. This was an intolerable imposition on ap Rhiannon’s part. “In the absence of a duly selected First Judge Presiding, no such teams can even be chartered.”
Ap Rhiannon was counting on just that, though, Brecinn realized suddenly. Ap Rhiannon was technically well within her rights as acting Captain to demand a Fleet Incident Investigation team. In fact, now that she had made her claim in official transmission — and in front of all of these witnesses — Brecinn was left with no choice but to accede.
“Understood, Admiral Brecinn.” Ap Rhiannon was clearly trying hard to keep the note of gloating out of her voice. Brecinn was sure of it. The ghost of a jeer crept into her language, nonetheless. “With all due respect, I cannot insult the memory of my former commanding officer by accepting anything less than the most careful investigation of the accident that took his life.”
It would take weeks, at minimum, to locate a Fleet Incident Investigation team that could be assigned. Then it would take weeks more to wait for the new First Judge to be seated so that an administrative investigation order could be issued. Fleet Incident Investigation teams were not ordinary, everyday affairs. The Bench liked to keep an eye on them.
“As you wish, ap Rhiannon. I will forward your stipulation to Chilleau Judiciary on priority transmit.” She’d confused the people who were watching her. She could tell. Even that Clerk of Court from Chilleau Judiciary was staring at her, while the expressions on the faces of her staff smoothed quickly from surprise into undisguised admiration. They’d
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