“Phoenix is your ship, Rayne. You will officially take command, head to that sector, take her through the wormhole and find out what’s really going on out there. Your primary mission is the safe return of Endeavor or her crew. Your secondary mission is gathering intel on just what in blazes is happening on the other side of that wormhole. I would prefer you didn’t confront the ORA in any direct engagement. But you use whatever means necessary to complete your mission successfully. How you execute it . . . is entirely up to you. You’ll find your usual accomplices aboard Phoenix and some additions.
“I’ve re-routed a taskforce to the location. We’ve still got some internal security concerns. There are still those within the United Systems and the Baridian Empire who haven’t taken kindly to the overtures of peace. Political wrangling and unknown allegiances are the worst of it for now on both sides. But I won’t deploy the Homeguard and leave Sol undefended. Phoenix is the only ship here not assigned to the Homeguard. Task force Sierra, led by Exeter and Valiant will be on location several days after you’ve arrived to provide support from our end. All I need from you is a simple message—whether or not to bring the pain.”
Aaron considered the disposition of the Fleet at the moment. It was spread thin. During peacetime, ships didn’t roam around in squadrons or wings by the dozens. The USS was responsible for peacekeeping a 500 light-year area of space. Such amalgamation of ships into fleets occurred only during war or other crises.
“Might I ask, sir, why you’ve considered giving me this assignment despite Doctor Tanner’s objections?”
“I wouldn’t send you, if I believed for one moment you weren’t fit. I’ve had the other doctors assessing you these past two weeks. Aside from the hiccup with your memories and your awkward legs, they’ve reported you’re in good health and fit for duty. You aren’t going in guns blazing. You’ll understand when you meet your crew. I need your good sense, and your keen grasp of Phoenix’s abilities. You had one month to familiarize yourself and your crew with that ship before you reached the Border Worlds. What I saw during the battle of Atlas Prime was phenomenal. You used the ship’s unique abilities in ways I wouldn’t have thought to that soon. That’s what I want on the other side of that wormhole.” The SC had a harried look on his face. “I believe the doctor has more personal reasons for trying to confine you, although I don’t know what they are. Maybe you should ask him.”
What could Max be trying to save him from . . . other than himself. Before he got lost in the thought, Shepherd sucked the wind from him.
“I have one favor to ask of you, Rayne.”
Favor? The Supreme Commander doesn’t need to ask favors. This was going be something he would never consider otherwise. Shepherd was skirting it cautiously.
“I’ve assigned Lieutenant Delaine as your ship’s Intelligence officer—”
Not happening. He shook his head. “Sir, she left me for dead. You can’t be serious. If not for Lee, I’d still be on Atlas Prime, or whatever remained of it, I should say.”
“It didn’t happen like that, Commander. I’m asking you to trust me. I’ve earned that much from you. There’re many things you don’t know about your last mission, but you know for certain that neither myself nor Delaine were part of any conspiracy. Delaine had a job to do and she did it. I’ll leave it at that. But in the end, I think she’s best suited in your new full-time assignment. As an experienced starship captain you bring a great element to a covert ops starship on intelligence assignments. She brings the intelligence aspect and is perfectly suited to be the expert on those matters. It worked out well enough before. However, I won’t order you to take her on.”
Aaron sighed deeply. “It’s not about me, sir. If her being along increases the chance of success in our present mission, then I would be indifferent to refuse her help.”
“Indifference is only natural for you, Rayne. You’re strong willed, stubborn, sometimes reckless…”
“I get it, sir.” Aaron said, lowering his head before the SC could continue. Why did everyone always like quoting from his file?
Someday he’d like to know who wrote some of those things.
Chapter 8 – A Good Crew
“I’ve been off exploring my own final frontier” – Aaron Rayne
United Fleet ship—Phoenix
Twelve hours later, Aaron disembarked a small shuttle after it whisked him from the station to Phoenix, which waited nearby. The crew was assembled aboard and his executive officer was awaiting his arrival.
He was officially assuming command. Sometimes, such an occasion as this demanded some type of ceremony. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case here. Despite adequate training in protocol and diplomacy, Aaron never stood on ceremony—it just wasn’t a part of him and never would be. The training had been mandatory at command school. One never knew when a starship captain might have to mediate a dispute between other feuding enclaves.
Although human space nations settled dozens of planets, they didn’t all subscribe to a universal umbrella of local planetary law. Most independent human worlds respected the stability the United Fleet engendered, and they adhered to interstellar law ratified by interstellar treaties. But sometimes, major territorial or trade disputes occurred.
Thankfully, he’d never had to suffer through any such assignments. His low tolerance for stupidity was very topical among Fleet Command.
Particularly, how he dealt with said stupidity.
His thoughts drifted to the crew. Apparently, the new personnel were excited to be aboard and to be part of the infamous Aaron Rayne’s crew. Hopefully, they hadn’t set themselves up for a big disappointment.
Aaron’s gaze swept across the hangar deck. He smiled when his eyes rested on Star Runner. She was a high-speed courier built and used by the Intelligence services. They’d used it during their mission to the Border Worlds. Phoenix’s two auxiliary combat craft—Hammerhead and Reliant—occupied two of the three remaining hangars. There’d been four such auxiliary craft originally. Where were the other two? He’d check on it later.
At the center of the deck, the crew stood line abreast at attention in full dress uniform. A white outer jacket, pulled over an inside shirt. The jacket didn’t button and fell slightly below the waist with an angular cut inwards. Affixed to the left breast of each uniform was the sparkling gold United Fleet emblem—an old starship accelerating into Earth’s orbit . . . and onward to great glory. He swallowed a chuckle.
Ordinarily, a new arriving ship’s captain would exchange brief words with the current captain if the latter was being relieved, or the ship’s executive officer, and inspect the crew and that would be the end of it. But Aaron wanted to greet his new men and women. His new family. He wanted to look each of them in the eyes and convey with a silent expression that their trust in him wasn’t misplaced.
A Lieutenant Commander stepped forward and approached. He recognized her from the crew dossiers Shepherd gave him. Alana Ayres his new Executive Officer. She had long brown hair covering her forehead—the length up to her shoulders was swept behind. She was a full head shorter, with very round features. Her small lips were a stark contrast to her very distinctive philtrum. She had a commanding presence.