costing you more than just your career.”
Isaac held Jacob’s stare for a moment longer, and then he looked away. “If they catch me—if they bring me down—then at least I’ll be able to tell her I tried. I did my best. Anything else and I’d disappoint her.” He met Jacob’s gaze again, and there was a hint of Isaac’s old smile in his eyes. “And at least then you’ll know I deserved whatever happened to me, right? What more can a man ask for?”
For a very long moment, Jacob stared at his friend. There was nothing Jacob wanted more than to order Isaac through another round of psych evaluations, but somehow he knew they would never be enough. Isaac was sane; he was simply committed to his course, and clearly Jacob could do nothing to deter the man. He briefly entertained the thought of removing him from command—or even from the Navy completely—until Isaac’s mention of ‘direct action’ came back to him. A chill went through Jacob’s heart as he considered what those words could mean, and he shook his head in frustration at his lack of options.
In the end, he only had two options. Jacob could let Isaac continue, or he could throw him in jail—and in the end, he knew which choice would leave David Kenning free reign to sabotage the Navy.
“Fine. If you’re caught, if you’re brought up on charges, I can’t stop them.” Jacob glared at Isaac, wishing for some outlet to unleash his frustration on. “Damn you, Isaac. I already lost Laurie on my watch. If I lose you too…”
Isaac’s hand landed on Jacob’s shoulder, and he looked back to see Isaac staring at him. His friend spoke plainly, without any hint of deception. “It wasn’t you, Jacob. Kenning was the one who got her killed; you did the best you could. Nobody’s perfect.” Then Isaac stepped back and came to attention. The impassive mask slipped back into place without any sign Isaac’s feelings had been exposed at all. Isaac saluted. “Permission to withdraw, Admiral?”
Jacob watched Isaac for a moment more, and then returned the salute. “Granted, Captain.”
Without a second glance, Isaac marched out of the room, leaving Jacob alone to ponder what had become of his old friend. Then Jacob banished those glum thoughts with a chuckle. Al-shira would not have been pleased to see him moping, and he had enough to do that he couldn’t afford to sit around. There was a plan to make.
The Odurans, after all, were waiting.
Chapter Seven
The Eagle entered the Tiredel system above the plane of the planet’s orbit. Given their position and the relatively slow acceleration of the dreadnaught, they wouldn’t reach orbit for another six hours, but Jacob could afford to wait. The delay would give him plenty of time to survey the situation and decide on his next move.
His seat in the Eagle ’s command room offered him an unparalleled view. The compartment had been designed to display all the tactical data an admiral could wish for. A pit at the center of the room made enough space for the gigantic projection unit. Above the unit was a hologram of nearly the entire Tiredel system. Stationed around the pit were the officers who had been assigned as his tactical staff, each with their own set of controls. Jacob’s own console spread out in a bank of controls before him, complete with a smaller projection unit to one side.
It was an effective arrangement that had been copied from the Badger , but Jacob was still growing accustomed to the differences in style. A part of him missed the relative simplicity of the bridge of the Wolfhound , but an Admiral couldn’t command a fleet from a destroyer.
Lieutenant Urchel spoke up from her position at Logistics, breaking him out of his reverie. “Sir, the ships of the task force report no engineering problems. All ships are returning to standard formation.”
Jacob nodded and searched out the dots in the hologram that represented his task force. The Eagle hadn’t come alone to Tiredel.
Isaac held Jacob’s stare for a moment longer, and then he looked away. “If they catch me—if they bring me down—then at least I’ll be able to tell her I tried. I did my best. Anything else and I’d disappoint her.” He met Jacob’s gaze again, and there was a hint of Isaac’s old smile in his eyes. “And at least then you’ll know I deserved whatever happened to me, right? What more can a man ask for?”
For a very long moment, Jacob stared at his friend. There was nothing Jacob wanted more than to order Isaac through another round of psych evaluations, but somehow he knew they would never be enough. Isaac was sane; he was simply committed to his course, and clearly Jacob could do nothing to deter the man. He briefly entertained the thought of removing him from command—or even from the Navy completely—until Isaac’s mention of ‘direct action’ came back to him. A chill went through Jacob’s heart as he considered what those words could mean, and he shook his head in frustration at his lack of options.
In the end, he only had two options. Jacob could let Isaac continue, or he could throw him in jail—and in the end, he knew which choice would leave David Kenning free reign to sabotage the Navy.
“Fine. If you’re caught, if you’re brought up on charges, I can’t stop them.” Jacob glared at Isaac, wishing for some outlet to unleash his frustration on. “Damn you, Isaac. I already lost Laurie on my watch. If I lose you too…”
Isaac’s hand landed on Jacob’s shoulder, and he looked back to see Isaac staring at him. His friend spoke plainly, without any hint of deception. “It wasn’t you, Jacob. Kenning was the one who got her killed; you did the best you could. Nobody’s perfect.” Then Isaac stepped back and came to attention. The impassive mask slipped back into place without any sign Isaac’s feelings had been exposed at all. Isaac saluted. “Permission to withdraw, Admiral?”
Jacob watched Isaac for a moment more, and then returned the salute. “Granted, Captain.”
Without a second glance, Isaac marched out of the room, leaving Jacob alone to ponder what had become of his old friend. Then Jacob banished those glum thoughts with a chuckle. Al-shira would not have been pleased to see him moping, and he had enough to do that he couldn’t afford to sit around. There was a plan to make.
The Odurans, after all, were waiting.
Chapter Seven
The Eagle entered the Tiredel system above the plane of the planet’s orbit. Given their position and the relatively slow acceleration of the dreadnaught, they wouldn’t reach orbit for another six hours, but Jacob could afford to wait. The delay would give him plenty of time to survey the situation and decide on his next move.
His seat in the Eagle ’s command room offered him an unparalleled view. The compartment had been designed to display all the tactical data an admiral could wish for. A pit at the center of the room made enough space for the gigantic projection unit. Above the unit was a hologram of nearly the entire Tiredel system. Stationed around the pit were the officers who had been assigned as his tactical staff, each with their own set of controls. Jacob’s own console spread out in a bank of controls before him, complete with a smaller projection unit to one side.
It was an effective arrangement that had been copied from the Badger , but Jacob was still growing accustomed to the differences in style. A part of him missed the relative simplicity of the bridge of the Wolfhound , but an Admiral couldn’t command a fleet from a destroyer.
Lieutenant Urchel spoke up from her position at Logistics, breaking him out of his reverie. “Sir, the ships of the task force report no engineering problems. All ships are returning to standard formation.”
Jacob nodded and searched out the dots in the hologram that represented his task force. The Eagle hadn’t come alone to Tiredel.
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