Helfort's War Book 4: The Battle for Commitment Planet by Graham Sharp Paul Page B

political expediency and narrow-minded self-interest over the needs of the Federated Worlds.
    Michael swore some more and stepped into the drop tube for the ride back to Nyleth’s surface. The loss of Jaruzelska’s protection and support was bad enough. Looking her in the eye knowing that he was going to steal the last three ships of the dreadnought force would be a million times worse.

Friday, August 31, 2401, UD

FWSS
Redwood,
in orbit around Nyleth-B

    “Attention on deck. Commander, Dreadnought Forces.”
    Flawless in dress blacks, the crew of
Redwood
snapped to attention while the age-old ritual of piping the side played out under Chief Bienefelt’s watchful eye: Bosun’s calls squealed,hands snapped to foreheads in salute, and Vice Admiral Jaruzelska saluted in turn as her tall, angular frame crossed the bow to board
Redwood
, her flag lieutenant close behind. Michael returned her salute; when the carry-on was piped, he stepped forward, hand extended.
    “Admiral. Welcome to
Redwood
, sir.”
    “Thank you,” Jaruzelska said, shaking Michael’s hand before turning to Ferreira. “Lieutenant. Hope you’re not finding
Redwood
and Nyleth too dull.”
    “A dreadnought spacer’s life is never dull, sir,” Ferreira said with a broad grin.
    “Hmm,” Jaruzelska said. “Why am I not surprised to hear you say that? Chief Bienefelt. How’s that enormous boyfriend of yours? Nyleth’s one hell of a long way from Anjaxx. What’s his name?”
    Michael struggled to suppress a laugh; Bienefelt’s face had colored brick red. “Er,” she muttered, “er, umm … Yuri, sir. He’s fine, thank you, sir.”
    “Please to hear it, Chief. When you get married, be sure to send me the holopix. I can’t wait to see you doing the virginal bride thing all in white. That’ll be one for my living room wall. Now, Captain,” Jaruzelska said, turning back to Michael, leaving Bienefelt speechless and the rest of
Redwood
’s gangway crew trying not to laugh. “Where to first?”
    “Ship tour, sir,” Michael said with great difficulty, forcing his face to behave. “If you’d follow me, please.”
       Jaruzelska’s trademark whirlwind tour of
Redwood
over, she and Michael sat back in the comfortable armchairs that dominated his day cabin.
    “Congratulations on your new appointment, Admiral,” Michael said, raising his coffee mug in salute.
    “Thank you, Michael. It’s the right job for me, and I’m pleased to have it. I can hear the ‘but,’ though.”
    “No surprises there, sir. The loss of a dedicated commander for dreadnoughts will make life hard for us. Those cruiser types don’t much like us.”
    “No, they don’t, Michael. Not one bit. However, I’ve briefed Admiral Jensch and his staff on dreadnought idiosyncrasies. Ithink you’ll get the support you need. Not every admiral in Fleet thinks dreadnoughts are the work of the devil.”
    “Pleased to hear it, sir. Any other developments?”
    “One, not that it will affect you. The INTSUM will be out this week, so there’s no harm in telling you that the reconsats have located the Hammer’s new antimatter facility. Well, what will become their new plant in however many years’ time. Bloody plant will be huge. Twice the size of the one you and your dreadnoughts destroyed.”
    “Oh, shit,” Michael whispered. “But why won’t that affect us?” he continued. “Surely dreadnoughts will be critical to any operation to destroy the plant. They were the last time.”
    “No, they won’t, not this time. The Hammers have learned their lesson. Trying to hide the plant in deepspace like they did with their first plant is fine in theory. There’s a lot of deepspace, after all, but we found the place and blew it to pieces, anyway. No, they’ve been much smarter this time around. It’s located on Commitment itself, on a small island so far away from civilization that nobody will notice if it goes up in smoke.”
    Michael’s face betrayed his shock. “They