to be heard of again."
"Wasn't it an accident?"
"You tell me. The investigating officer, a Sub-Lieutenant Byrn, was formally charged for impropriety two weeks later and, thanks to Admiral Kaleri, given a chance to resign for the good of the Service."
"But the computer said he was dismissed."
"Yeah, once the kid signed on the dotted line, they changed the voluntary resignation to an other than honorable dismissal."
"Didn't he protest?"
"He didn't have time. The civilian courier carrying him home was attacked by privateers. All the patrol ship found was exceedingly small debris. With his death, his personal records are sealed and I don't know what the substance of the charges was." Or, to be accurate, I don't officially know.
"Ye gods," Siobhan suddenly shivered, "what the hell is going on, Ezekiel?"
"I could venture a dozen explanations, Skipper, but there comes a point where it just gets too damn dangerous to speak certain things out loud."
Somehow, Ezekiel's last comment worried Siobhan a lot more than anything else he'd said so far. But she nodded slowly, a grim look spreading over her lean features.
"That would explain a hell of a lot of things, and it makes me wonder whether I shouldn't tell Nagira that the crew is beyond saving, that he should start from scratch."
"Not a good idea, Skipper." Ezekiel shook his head. "That would please Kaleri to no end. She recommended the ship be put in long-term refit immediately. Our good Admiral is not exactly pleased by your appointment, but she figures you'll fail and be discredited, which is second best. And the crew will be dispersed anyways."
"So what is Kaleri afraid of?"
Ezekiel shrugged. "Dunno, but there again, I can speculate dangerously. Mind you, it was high time Forenza got pulled in front of a Board, even if she'll get off. I can't see her ever getting another command either way. Too many people in high places have had to take notice of her poor record, and Nagira is one of them. The Victoria Regina broke the bantha's spine and there's no turning back."
"Coming back to Kaleri's desire to see the crew of the Stingray dispersed, and by the same token isolated, this wouldn't perchance have anything to do with the fact that my time in space dock was cut in half this morning?"
"Yup." Holt ground out his cigar. "That and the fact that Forenza's Board meets the day after you sail. By the time the high ranking gentlemen and women will wish to hear the witnesses in person, the Stingray will be back on active duty, and oh so sorry, cannot be spared, but we have their recorded testimony."
"Machiavellian."
"No, not Kaleri. An understudy of Machiavelli's understudy, maybe, but if a crippled Lieutenant-Commander figured out so much for himself, definitely not Machiavellian."
"Crippled in body, Ezekiel, not in mind. You always had a flair for ferreting out deep dark muck. This has to be a lot more than a case of a lousy crew under an abysmally incompetent commander. For some reason, I feel I have to warn you to watch yourself. If there really is more to it than meets the eye, you could be at risk."
Thank you for that, skipper. But this time, the shoe's on the other foot.
"Even if I were, skipper, I couldn't let you go without telling you what I'd found. It's all because of that strange little thing called loyalty. You know what I'm talking about: one of humanity's nobler characteristics? Somehow you have an uncanny ability to bring it out in the most unlikely people."
Touched, Siobhan reached out to squeeze Ezekiel's good hand. She didn't know what to say, but let her eyes express her gratitude. Holt broke the spell and looked at the antique naval clock dominating the dining lounge.
"Listen, Skipper, I know you've got a hell of a lot of crap to handle. Believe it or not, so does Ezekiel Holt, Esquire, of the General Staff. If you can, I'd like to see you again before you sail. If not, good luck.
"Wasn't it an accident?"
"You tell me. The investigating officer, a Sub-Lieutenant Byrn, was formally charged for impropriety two weeks later and, thanks to Admiral Kaleri, given a chance to resign for the good of the Service."
"But the computer said he was dismissed."
"Yeah, once the kid signed on the dotted line, they changed the voluntary resignation to an other than honorable dismissal."
"Didn't he protest?"
"He didn't have time. The civilian courier carrying him home was attacked by privateers. All the patrol ship found was exceedingly small debris. With his death, his personal records are sealed and I don't know what the substance of the charges was." Or, to be accurate, I don't officially know.
"Ye gods," Siobhan suddenly shivered, "what the hell is going on, Ezekiel?"
"I could venture a dozen explanations, Skipper, but there comes a point where it just gets too damn dangerous to speak certain things out loud."
Somehow, Ezekiel's last comment worried Siobhan a lot more than anything else he'd said so far. But she nodded slowly, a grim look spreading over her lean features.
"That would explain a hell of a lot of things, and it makes me wonder whether I shouldn't tell Nagira that the crew is beyond saving, that he should start from scratch."
"Not a good idea, Skipper." Ezekiel shook his head. "That would please Kaleri to no end. She recommended the ship be put in long-term refit immediately. Our good Admiral is not exactly pleased by your appointment, but she figures you'll fail and be discredited, which is second best. And the crew will be dispersed anyways."
"So what is Kaleri afraid of?"
Ezekiel shrugged. "Dunno, but there again, I can speculate dangerously. Mind you, it was high time Forenza got pulled in front of a Board, even if she'll get off. I can't see her ever getting another command either way. Too many people in high places have had to take notice of her poor record, and Nagira is one of them. The Victoria Regina broke the bantha's spine and there's no turning back."
"Coming back to Kaleri's desire to see the crew of the Stingray dispersed, and by the same token isolated, this wouldn't perchance have anything to do with the fact that my time in space dock was cut in half this morning?"
"Yup." Holt ground out his cigar. "That and the fact that Forenza's Board meets the day after you sail. By the time the high ranking gentlemen and women will wish to hear the witnesses in person, the Stingray will be back on active duty, and oh so sorry, cannot be spared, but we have their recorded testimony."
"Machiavellian."
"No, not Kaleri. An understudy of Machiavelli's understudy, maybe, but if a crippled Lieutenant-Commander figured out so much for himself, definitely not Machiavellian."
"Crippled in body, Ezekiel, not in mind. You always had a flair for ferreting out deep dark muck. This has to be a lot more than a case of a lousy crew under an abysmally incompetent commander. For some reason, I feel I have to warn you to watch yourself. If there really is more to it than meets the eye, you could be at risk."
Thank you for that, skipper. But this time, the shoe's on the other foot.
"Even if I were, skipper, I couldn't let you go without telling you what I'd found. It's all because of that strange little thing called loyalty. You know what I'm talking about: one of humanity's nobler characteristics? Somehow you have an uncanny ability to bring it out in the most unlikely people."
Touched, Siobhan reached out to squeeze Ezekiel's good hand. She didn't know what to say, but let her eyes express her gratitude. Holt broke the spell and looked at the antique naval clock dominating the dining lounge.
"Listen, Skipper, I know you've got a hell of a lot of crap to handle. Believe it or not, so does Ezekiel Holt, Esquire, of the General Staff. If you can, I'd like to see you again before you sail. If not, good luck.
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