Read Online Vanguard (Ark Royal Book 7) by Christopher Nuttall - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Christopher Nuttall
Tags: Science-Fiction, Space Opera, Military, Science Fiction & Fantasy, first contact, Space Marine
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right, although it was common for officers who were promoted to XO to be transferred to a whole new ship. But he hadn't tried to put up a fight or even show passive resistance. It worried her more than she cared to admit.
“I’ll see you on the bridge,” she said. She cast a longing look at the sleeping compartment, then back at him. “It’s been a long day.”
Mason nodded, then strode out of the compartment. Susan sighed, then sat down in one of the comfortable chairs. It struck her, looking around, that Commander Bothell hadn't entertained in his cabin. The space might be vast, compared to a junior officer’s cabin, but there were no sofas, no tables, nothing that suggested he ever had guests. Her old XO on Cornwall had been fond of playing poker with the other senior officers - his cabin had been comfortable, if shabby - but Commander Bothell’s cabin was his private place.
She shook her head in amused disbelief. It had only been nine hours since she’d been at the school, telling the teenaged children what they could expect if they joined the navy. And now she was taking up a new post on Vanguard , preparing to depart the system in just under a week. It wasn't what she’d been led to expect.
Rising to her feet, she padded into the bedroom and checked the compartments under the bed. The steward hadn't removed anything; Susan cursed under her breath as she poked through Commander Bothell’s uniforms, then placed her holdall on the bed and removed fresh clothing for the following day. She’d have to have HMS Vanguard sewn onto her jacket, she reminded herself; the stewards would see to it, if she told them when they took her jacket to be cleaned. Or she could just draw new supplies from the ship’s stores.
Gritting her teeth, she undressed and stepped into the shower compartment. Thankfully, someone had taken the original towels and replaced them with fresh ones, along with a small selection of navy-issue toiletries. She showered quickly, donned fresh underwear and walked back out into the cabin. Her body wanted sleep, but she knew she had to complete a number of tasks before she closed her eyes. Sitting down at the desk, she tapped the terminal and accessed the starship’s communications network. Sending a sealed message back to the Admiralty wasn't difficult, although it ran the risk of drawing attention. If someone was monitoring her traffic ...
And maybe you’re just being paranoid , she told herself, firmly. You have no reason to suspect foul play .
She shook her head. She'd had captains she would follow into the gates of hell itself and captains who had been blustery tyrants, but she’d never known one like Captain Blake. It was hard to believe the Admiralty knew of his failings ... unless Commander Bothell had been meant to keep him under control. No, that made no sense. The Admiralty wouldn't take chances with the commanding officer of a full-sized battleship. If Captain Blake had been deemed unsuitable for the post, he would have been reassigned, no matter what connections he had.
And that leaves me with a dilemma , she thought. Just what do I do about it ?
“Record the message, then encrypt it for the personal attention of the First Space Lord, to be released if Vanguard is declared missing or lost,” she ordered.
“Acknowledged,” the terminal said. “Key the switch to record.”
Susan tapped the console. “Sir, if you are receiving this message ...”
She ran through a long explanation of everything that had happened since boarding Vanguard , from her meeting with Captain Blake to her inspection of Commander Bothell’s office and concluded with an apology for not sending the message directly to the personnel department. It would have destroyed her career, she knew, even if Captain Blake had been proven unfit for command. She would have been lucky not to be shunted
“I’ll see you on the bridge,” she said. She cast a longing look at the sleeping compartment, then back at him. “It’s been a long day.”
Mason nodded, then strode out of the compartment. Susan sighed, then sat down in one of the comfortable chairs. It struck her, looking around, that Commander Bothell hadn't entertained in his cabin. The space might be vast, compared to a junior officer’s cabin, but there were no sofas, no tables, nothing that suggested he ever had guests. Her old XO on Cornwall had been fond of playing poker with the other senior officers - his cabin had been comfortable, if shabby - but Commander Bothell’s cabin was his private place.
She shook her head in amused disbelief. It had only been nine hours since she’d been at the school, telling the teenaged children what they could expect if they joined the navy. And now she was taking up a new post on Vanguard , preparing to depart the system in just under a week. It wasn't what she’d been led to expect.
Rising to her feet, she padded into the bedroom and checked the compartments under the bed. The steward hadn't removed anything; Susan cursed under her breath as she poked through Commander Bothell’s uniforms, then placed her holdall on the bed and removed fresh clothing for the following day. She’d have to have HMS Vanguard sewn onto her jacket, she reminded herself; the stewards would see to it, if she told them when they took her jacket to be cleaned. Or she could just draw new supplies from the ship’s stores.
Gritting her teeth, she undressed and stepped into the shower compartment. Thankfully, someone had taken the original towels and replaced them with fresh ones, along with a small selection of navy-issue toiletries. She showered quickly, donned fresh underwear and walked back out into the cabin. Her body wanted sleep, but she knew she had to complete a number of tasks before she closed her eyes. Sitting down at the desk, she tapped the terminal and accessed the starship’s communications network. Sending a sealed message back to the Admiralty wasn't difficult, although it ran the risk of drawing attention. If someone was monitoring her traffic ...
And maybe you’re just being paranoid , she told herself, firmly. You have no reason to suspect foul play .
She shook her head. She'd had captains she would follow into the gates of hell itself and captains who had been blustery tyrants, but she’d never known one like Captain Blake. It was hard to believe the Admiralty knew of his failings ... unless Commander Bothell had been meant to keep him under control. No, that made no sense. The Admiralty wouldn't take chances with the commanding officer of a full-sized battleship. If Captain Blake had been deemed unsuitable for the post, he would have been reassigned, no matter what connections he had.
And that leaves me with a dilemma , she thought. Just what do I do about it ?
“Record the message, then encrypt it for the personal attention of the First Space Lord, to be released if Vanguard is declared missing or lost,” she ordered.
“Acknowledged,” the terminal said. “Key the switch to record.”
Susan tapped the console. “Sir, if you are receiving this message ...”
She ran through a long explanation of everything that had happened since boarding Vanguard , from her meeting with Captain Blake to her inspection of Commander Bothell’s office and concluded with an apology for not sending the message directly to the personnel department. It would have destroyed her career, she knew, even if Captain Blake had been proven unfit for command. She would have been lucky not to be shunted
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