Last Measure of Devotion (TCOTU, Book 5) (This Corner of the Universe) by Britt Ringel Page B

played out with the main section taking moderate damage from the computer-generated
Saden counterpart.  Like the majority of their passes, their overall fleet
instructions up to the exchange had been well planned.  Captain Heskan might be
a bit bloodthirsty but he also seemed adept at placing his fleet sections into
advantageous positions immediately before shots were fired.  Lieutenant Skoglund, Ajax’s navigator, had successfully accomplished the last-second task of
orienting the ship to her best facing in time for those shots even if Ricot
wished it had been performed slightly faster.  The hectic orders in the final moments
were necessary because Ajax was concealing her true target.  During the
brief time the opposing sections passed close enough to trade fire, Ajax turned slightly to attack not the Saden line ship she faced directly but the
brig trailing it.  The fourth-rate had consistently combined fire with Falcon and Hawk to decimate the unfortunate Saden brig.
    The
results of their most recent pass bore this result yet again.  Trailing
simulated fire and debris, the targeted Saden brig was a wreck.  Additionally,
the three Iron Brigade ships comprising the rest of Ajax’s section had
united their fire against a Saden snow with similar, ruinous effect.  In
recompense, the simulated adversaries inflicted damage upon the ships of
Seshafi’s main ranging from light to moderate.  Ricot confirmed the damage
estimated by their computers and came away smiling, pleased not only with Ajax’s performance but also with the opportunity to serve his captain an easy softball
she could use to compliment the crew.  “Not bad, eh, Captain?”
    “We
missed again with our first Maclex shots, Sam,” came the unyielding reply.
    Ricot
winced slightly at the observation as he looked away from the demanding ship
captain and toward her bosun.  The calm, grey-haired master chief petty officer
seemed to be the “yin” to the fiery captain’s “yang.”  Ricot took a moment to
consider his response and finally admitted, “Yes we did, Captain.  They’re
tough ones though.  That brig is a high deflection shot.  We’re just starting
our thrust and there’s no time to coordinate between the helm and the gunners.” 
He pointed at the main wall screen.  “They hit with everything after that.”
    Ricot
saw the “little” captain with a big attitude open her mouth, pause and then
close it again.  She typed rapidly on her datapad.
    Speakers
inside Ricot’s shocksuit helmet crackled to life.  “Attention all ships, this
is Captain Heskan.  Good work on that last pass.  We’ve punished our computer
foes for long enough, I think.”
    Ricot
saw grins break out over the bridge at their fleet commander’s praise.
    “The
next time we do it,” the reassuring voice continued, “it’ll be for real.  Let’s
assume caravan formation and head back home.  I want everyone to get a good
night’s rest.  All ships will be ready to form up tomorrow at zero-eight-hundred
when we will begin to make way for Sade.  Try to get some rest, speak with your
loved ones and come back tomorrow locked and loaded.  Ship captains will
conference with me tonight at twenty-hundred hours.  Heskan out.”
    “We can’t
afford to waste our shots, Commander Ricot.”
    Ricot
cringed again.  “I agree, ma’am.  We’re doing everything we can to hit.  In
fact, our first heavy laser barrage hits more often than not—”
    “I
don’t want more often than not, Sam!  I want hits!” Vernay snapped.  The
woman’s hands flew over her console and the bridge’s wall screen flickered before
producing the Seshafian fleet status display.  Vernay used her index finger to
draw a huge, sloppy circle around the fleet’s vanguard.  “Look at them,
everyone!”  Her voice boomed with an anger that seemed out of place.  “Our
section may be getting off lightly but those four ships in the vanguard are
getting pulverized.  They’re paying