avoid him. Obviously Stone was going to take advantage of his last opportunity to boss Hopper around in an official capacity. For a moment, Hopper considered telling Mullenaro that he couldn’t make it. That he wasn’t leaving the
John Paul Jones
and if the
Sampson
didn’t like it, that was too damned bad. If Stone wanted to take the time to bitch out his younger brother, he could bloody well come over here and do it.
Yet all he said was, “Aye, sir.”
Minutes later he was on a chopper heading toward the
Sampson
, chewing himself out mentally for his inability to say what was on his mind. Ultimately he decided that there simply hadn’t been any point to it. Let Stone have his say.
You have it coming, and you know it
.
Stone was standing on the flight deck of the
Sampson
, displaying as much emotion as his name might suggest. As the chopper set down, Hopper emerged from it, holding his hat securely under his arm to make sure that the whipping blades didn’t blow it away. He came to a halt several feet from his brother and, standing at attention, saluted. Normally such a move would have prompted Stone to smile, seeing Hopper display genuine respect for the uniform and rank. Now, though, all Stone could think was,
Too little, too late
. He returned the salute dispassionately and indicated, with a nod of his head, that Hopper should follow him.
They made their way down to Stone’s quarters. Stone stood to one side as Hopper entered and then he shut the door behind him. He dispensed with any niceties. They were both busy men, and besides, there seemed no point in trying to candy coat a poison pill.
“Captain’s mast is real,” said Stone as he walked around to the far side of his desk and sat down. He gestured for Hopper to sit; Hopper remained standing, and Stone saw no reason to push the matter. “Just got off the phone with 3rd Fleet JAG. I can’t get you out of this one.”
“When?”
“The day we get back. Nagata is being charged, too.”
Hopper took in this bit of news. Stone could tell from the look on his face that he was relieved. If he was going down, at least Nagata was going down with him. Then he realized his priorities were out of whack. He brought himself back to his own concerns. “What do I do?”
“I don’t know what to tell you this time, Hopps. It’s three strikes.” Stone shook his head. “I don’t get it. Youhave everything. You’ve got the skills. More talent than me. You’ve got a great girl. And you just keep shooting yourself in the foot. Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“Yeah, you do,” Stone said impatiently. “You’re not that oblivious to whatever’s going on in your head. But you try to avoid it, and if someone really presses it, you make a joke about it. It isn’t a joke anymore, Hopper. This time it’s very real. So tell me what the hell’s going on.”
“I’m just not you,” said Hopper. “You got the character and quality. I got the other stuff.”
“Yeah. Except you’re on the verge of losing all the other stuff, including Sam. Is that what you want?”
Hopper stared at him. “Honestly?”
“That’d be nice.”
He sighed heavily. “I don’t know what the hell I want.”
It sounded trite, but Stone could feel his brother’s pain. Hopper had been so lost for so long, and Stone had done everything he could to get him back on track. Instead they were here, in this situation, and Hopper’s career—which had seemed so promising—might well have hit a dead end.
“I hope you find it, Hopps,” Stone said with sincere concern for his brother. “And I hope you find it before you’ve completely sunk yourself.”
DEEP SPACE
They have been moving at a steady velocity as they plummet through the emptiness of space, but now thatemptiness is coming to an end. A solar system is hanging in front of them. Nine worlds, or eight if one doesn’t count the planetoid in the outer rim. In any event, it does not matter, for the incoming vessels have
John Paul Jones
and if the
Sampson
didn’t like it, that was too damned bad. If Stone wanted to take the time to bitch out his younger brother, he could bloody well come over here and do it.
Yet all he said was, “Aye, sir.”
Minutes later he was on a chopper heading toward the
Sampson
, chewing himself out mentally for his inability to say what was on his mind. Ultimately he decided that there simply hadn’t been any point to it. Let Stone have his say.
You have it coming, and you know it
.
Stone was standing on the flight deck of the
Sampson
, displaying as much emotion as his name might suggest. As the chopper set down, Hopper emerged from it, holding his hat securely under his arm to make sure that the whipping blades didn’t blow it away. He came to a halt several feet from his brother and, standing at attention, saluted. Normally such a move would have prompted Stone to smile, seeing Hopper display genuine respect for the uniform and rank. Now, though, all Stone could think was,
Too little, too late
. He returned the salute dispassionately and indicated, with a nod of his head, that Hopper should follow him.
They made their way down to Stone’s quarters. Stone stood to one side as Hopper entered and then he shut the door behind him. He dispensed with any niceties. They were both busy men, and besides, there seemed no point in trying to candy coat a poison pill.
“Captain’s mast is real,” said Stone as he walked around to the far side of his desk and sat down. He gestured for Hopper to sit; Hopper remained standing, and Stone saw no reason to push the matter. “Just got off the phone with 3rd Fleet JAG. I can’t get you out of this one.”
“When?”
“The day we get back. Nagata is being charged, too.”
Hopper took in this bit of news. Stone could tell from the look on his face that he was relieved. If he was going down, at least Nagata was going down with him. Then he realized his priorities were out of whack. He brought himself back to his own concerns. “What do I do?”
“I don’t know what to tell you this time, Hopps. It’s three strikes.” Stone shook his head. “I don’t get it. Youhave everything. You’ve got the skills. More talent than me. You’ve got a great girl. And you just keep shooting yourself in the foot. Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“Yeah, you do,” Stone said impatiently. “You’re not that oblivious to whatever’s going on in your head. But you try to avoid it, and if someone really presses it, you make a joke about it. It isn’t a joke anymore, Hopper. This time it’s very real. So tell me what the hell’s going on.”
“I’m just not you,” said Hopper. “You got the character and quality. I got the other stuff.”
“Yeah. Except you’re on the verge of losing all the other stuff, including Sam. Is that what you want?”
Hopper stared at him. “Honestly?”
“That’d be nice.”
He sighed heavily. “I don’t know what the hell I want.”
It sounded trite, but Stone could feel his brother’s pain. Hopper had been so lost for so long, and Stone had done everything he could to get him back on track. Instead they were here, in this situation, and Hopper’s career—which had seemed so promising—might well have hit a dead end.
“I hope you find it, Hopps,” Stone said with sincere concern for his brother. “And I hope you find it before you’ve completely sunk yourself.”
DEEP SPACE
They have been moving at a steady velocity as they plummet through the emptiness of space, but now thatemptiness is coming to an end. A solar system is hanging in front of them. Nine worlds, or eight if one doesn’t count the planetoid in the outer rim. In any event, it does not matter, for the incoming vessels have
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