Rift in the Races by John Daulton

system, Captain Asad’s influence would grow amongst the captains and crews that were staying behind long enough to make repairs. He’d had to make an arrangement that would be palatable for all.
    “It’s not for long,” Altin reminded her. “Soon your ships will be fixed and on their way.”
    “And then what? They drag me back out into space, so I can try to catch up in time for the carnage?”
    “I won’t let that happen.”
    “What are you going to do?”
    “I don’t know,” he admitted. “But the first thing I have to do is get back out there. Maybe I can find the Hostile world before the fleet does. You said it will be years before your people get there, so we have time. We can find them on Citadel . Wipe them out before there is any need for your people to fight.”
    “You really think one space fortress can do what all our ships can’t?”
    “Look what one magician could do. Imagine nearly two thousand.”
    “Well, I hope that’s how it goes. They were idiots to leave. I can’t believe how stupid my people are sometimes.”
    “They certainly are willing to spend years of life in flight.”
    “They’re not all willing,” she said. “Some are stuck. Like me. Or like I was. Which is why I’m not going back. I have no duty to those people. I never asked to be on that ship.” She didn’t like how some of that statement felt as the words settled in her heart.
    Altin said nothing and stared out across the sea, letting her ruminate.
    “I do have friends that I care about,” she amended after a while. “And my father, obviously. I still wish they’d just left him in charge of Little Earth. He is a ground commander after all.”
    “They will need a ground commander when they reach the Hostile world,” Altin pointed out, which, of course, she already knew.
    “Well, we’ll see,” she said, dismissing it. “Hopefully the Hostiles won’t find them halfway out there. Hopefully we won’t encounter them at all. Ever. Maybe there is no Hostile world. Maybe they’re space creatures and we killed them all, or scared them off. That would be best. I don’t care what the admiral thinks. The idea that keeping all eighty-nine ships together is the game-changing strategy is ridiculous. He and his war buddies, Asad the worst of them, are willing to play a numbers game with so many lives. How do they know the Hostiles can’t come up with bigger numbers too?”
    “They don’t,” Altin agreed. “But even Captain Asad said your computers have worked out better cooperative strategies for managing missile flights and coordinating laser fire between ships. The wisdom gained from your battles with them before you came to Prosperion combined with the larger numbers of ships gives them a pretty good chance. Not to mention they only have to get word back to your people here, who can get word to us. We can send help.”
    “That’s true. Assuming they’re not too proud and stupid to ask for it, of course.” She put her chin onto her knees. “I just wish it was done. I just want to stay here with you. And with Kettle and Nipper and little Pernie too.”
    “They are good people,” Altin agreed.
    “Speaking of them,” she blurted suddenly. “I almost forgot. I have a surprise for you.” She jumped to her feet then with a rather excited look upon her face. “Get up.”
    He complied, looking somewhat bewildered. She reached up and pulled the gold chain he wore up and over his head.
    “What are you doing?” he asked.
    “Just watch,” she said as she unpinned her com badge. She held the two together, his golden amulet and her silvery badge. Both were enchanted with a fabulously effective spell called Greater Common Tongue which allowed the people of Prosperion and the people of Earth to understand one another. More than half the fleet officers had enchanted communicators now, and all the officers and crew of the ships being repaired at Tinpoa Base did. The magic did cause a bit of static in the com