Orders
Obsidian Arrows
Orders
It was like a whirlwind. We only had
about a dozen applicants to go through due to the fact that many potential
applicants were weeded out by their profiles. They just wouldn’t fit into
a crew this small. The applicants that
were chosen, were individuals that were used to doing things alone. Much
like Tarinnish himself. Of those
applicants only six suited Clarish. And
of those six only three were selected. One
joined immediately, that would be Ensign Cline. A confident young man
that was third in his class. He was from
a small mining facility from the outer rim.
His family sent him back to the Gama colony when he was eight. It seemed that a student with an IQ of 135
just didn’t fit in with the rest of the kids. So, he was raised by his
grandmother and attended the advanced placement school from home. He was used to studying and playing by
himself and when exposed to crowds, well let’s just say, he does better by
himself.
Then there was 1st Lieutenant Malcom Sweets,
well let’s just say they broke the mold after he graced our world. He was
a loner but not by choice, he just had an abrasive way about him. He tried to be nice, he just wasn’t. Also top of his class, but due to his nature,
he failed to accomplish any of the required collaborative assignments.
How his application got into our file, well let’s just say, no one was doing us
any favors. After reviewing his file
Tarinniah turn to his captain and said, “I think I would prefer Copeland.”
Clarish nodded her approval of that. The
one thing that did stand out was that Sweets was a damn good pilot and all of his
solo assignments were top of the class. He was good. And it was the captain’s hope, that if he got
an assignment he would learn how to get along with the crew. After completing his final courses or getting
waivers for the last of his assignments, her joined the crew. As for the last applicant. Well we won’t mention any names, but his last
name started with a “C”. And his
application fell on the floor and wasn’t discovered until all the positions
were filled.
The Hōkūle‘a had it precious cargo loaded just
six rotations ago and about eighty percent of its rations. It was up to
the two lieutenants to finish loading the stores for the trip. Well as soon as Sweets got back from his
qualifying run to the moons. He was just rounding the smaller of the
moons now and everything looked good. A
little aggressive but that was to be expected from someone trying to impress
the boss. And Tarinnish was the boss right now. Captain Clarish had returned home. She was in the last seventh and he would be
joining her as soon as Sweet returned.
Her last few rotations on the ship were difficult as the baby kept her
up at night. She had lowered the gravity on the ship to keep from feeling
like a whale, but the doc at the infirmary told her that that was a big
mistake. The child needed to feel the
discomfort of being in the womb. He told
her that the child’s discomfort was part of the process of birth and if it was
comfortable, well it was just going to stay where it was. Clarish thought
the doc was crazy, but then decided to go home.
Because there, she could not be tempted to make herself comfortable as
there was no gav plating to play with. Plus,
she wanted to start interviewing nannies to help her mother take care of the
child, at least for the first six cycles.
It was very important to find someone that had her values and could get
along with mom. Dad was easy, it was mom that needed to be kept in check. If she had her way, she would spoil the
child. So, whoever Clarish found had to
have the discipline of a drill sergeant and the diplomacy of a
politician.
Back in the quiver, Tarinnish was anxious to
leave and was already packed when he got a message that the commandant wanted
to see him. He gave an affirmative response and told Cline to keep watch
over the lieutenant and to message him if anything went wrong. Cline didn’t talk much, but he obeyed orders
and was generally cheerful. Tarinnish remembered that the ensign wanted
to write a book and this trip was the perfect place to do that.
Tarinnish wished he could organize his thoughts
into a book, but that seemed far too hard to do and in just a few chapters he
would run out of things to say. No, he preferred spending his time with
Clarish, studying old textbooks and learning the latest on new systems, planets
and mineral deposits. That was tangible
and could make him very rich. He just might get his own ship and crew
once this was over. That’s what a lot of
x-arrows did. Sure, they would turn over
their findings to the counsel, but they always kept a few choice pieces of
information for themselves. It was a simple matter of leaving the
military, join the mining guild. Pay
their insane upfront commission and get a ship.
Once that was done, it was a simple matter of reporting the tonnage you
pulled out of some rock somewhere. When offloaded to a refinery you got
paid by how pure it was. Each mineral
was worth differing amounts. Platinum
and Iron being the most valuable. Gold
was good too, but not nearly as valuable as Platinum. After a dozen years or so, you turn the whole
operation over to someone else and go off to find a planet to settle on.
Some small island or secluded section that was accepting settlers and just
spend the rest of your life quiet, content and only with those you can
tolerate.
Cline interrupted Tarinnish’s thoughts, “Sir.
Sir the commandant is waiting.”
Tarinnish tore his eyes from the monitor and
out of the thoughts that kept him immobile. “Of course.” He didn’t explain to
Cline why he stood there for so long. He just left. Once outside the ship he let his shoulder
slouch a bit. It was difficult to keep
up the appearance that he always knew what he was doing and that aire that he
was in charge. It was just not natural for him. Clarish, on the other hand, was a natural.
She just lived the part so well. He was
the pretender. He didn’t want to be in
charge, but that was rank. If he did get
his own ship, he would hire a captain to run it. To run the men and he
would just oversee the operation. This could be a dangerous affair, but the one
thing that would keep him in charge would be his maps to all the treasure. And as long as he kept that the men would
follow.
The only thing that nagged him about his plan
was whether Clarish would follow him or go her own way. Both of them were
less than a hundred cycles old and they had at least two more centuries to go
before the reaper would be making his call. That’s if the jump didn’t
kill them first. So, would she be at his
side through all of this?
Tarinnish shook off the thoughts. He
needed to stay in the here and now. He needed to be at the commandant's
office in just five minutes and then grab his bag and head for the shuttle that
was leaving in just three hours.
Walking through the door at the Admin hut,
Tarinnish just waved at the T-model behind the desk and walked towards the
commandant’s office. The privilege of rank. He was acting captain and captains didn’t
wait to be called to the back. They
walked back and spoke directly to the commandant’s adjunct. Then they
waited.
The commandant did not let him wait too
long. She appeared at the door and signaled for Tarinnish to join her as
she walked away from her office. Once out of ear shot she asked, “How’s
Clarish?”
“Ready.” Tarinnish said then expanded himself,
“Ready to have our son and ready to be on our way.”
“Well she just might get her wish.” The
commandant said, with little emotion.
Tarinnish felt that there was more to the
comment. But only said, “Really.”
“We have a window approaching in three alunars
and your ship is the only one ready.” the commandant confided.
“I see.” Tarinnish didn’t, but it seemed like
the right thing to say.
“I don’t think you do.” The commandant pulled
up short.
Tarinnish stopped and turned to face her, “I
don’t understand, the Hōkūle‘a and her crew are ready.”
“I know you are, and I know that Clarish is
ready to be the Captain, but this is no ordinary jump.” The Commandant looked
up at Tarinnish, “This is one of the big ones.”
“How far?” Tarinnish asked.
“At least two thousand.” The commandant said.
“Wow.” Tarinnish thought “So, how long to
join?”
“The coats say about twelve to fifteen cycles.”
The commandant admitted.
“Has anyone ever jumped that far?” Tarinnish
asked.
“Yes, but none have lived to tell about it.”
The commandant said. Which explained why they were not having this
conversation in her office and why she was not excited for them. She was
giving them an opportunity to decline.
To find a reason for not being ready.
If this conversation was happening in the commandant’s office, he would
not have a way out. He would have to accept. But here, it’s just a casual conversation.
Tarinnish turned away. He looked down the
corridor and saw all the pictures of captains that had gone. Those that
had explored the galaxy and for some, paid the ultimate price. Clarish’s picture will be on this wall
soon. The question is, will it be posthumously, or will she do it herself?
Tarinnish also knew that the commandant should be talking to Clarish, but again
he is being given an out. He could decline and she would never know. It was just a walk with the
commandant.
A million thoughts raced through his
mind. Their child, her parents, the vision. There were a hundred reasons to
decline. But he was not making the decision. He had to be true to Clarish and what
decision she would make. He could not be Tarinnish, he had to be the
Captain. And she would not shrink away.
Tarinnish hated himself right now.
He hated being honorable. He
turned to the commandant, but no words came out.
She saw the pain in his eyes, “I know.” the
commandant said. “Shall we continue this conversation in my office?”
Tarinnish just nodded his head yes.
Tarinnish made the shuttle flight down.
He didn’t talk to anyone. He was lost in
thought. They were to stay on the planet for an alunar. The commandant
insisted that the orders would not come down for five sevenths. This would give them time. Time to have
the child, get their affairs in order and be prepared to leave. Tarinnish would not breathe a word of the
orders until their son was born, then he would tell her. At this point she
could decline them, but she wouldn’t. They would leave and their son
would be a man before they returned. A
tear rolled down his cheek, if they returned.
Next Chapter 11
This blog contains two books of the Remnant Series If you want to start at the beginning of Book 6, click the link below.1st Chapter of Obsidian Arrows
This blog contains two books of the Remnant Series If you want to start at the beginning of Book 6, click the link below.
1st Chapter of Obsidian Arrows
If you want to read more about the Remnant Series see the links below.
If you want to read more about the Remnant Series see the links below.
Book 1-3: Graham Heights available on Amazon.com Book 4: The Grey Abyss available on Amazon.com
Book 1-3: Graham Heights available on Amazon.com
Book 4: The Grey Abyss available on Amazon.com
Bood 5: Chaos coming soon to Amazon.com
Bood 5: Chaos coming soon to Amazon.com
Book 6: Obsidian Arrows
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R. A. Legg
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Or hit the subscribe button to get updates on new chapters or books.
Thank-you
R. A. Legg
R. A. Legg
R.A. Legg © 2016. All Rights Reserved.
R.A. Legg © 2016. All Rights Reserved.
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