''This affair is over,'' Kratz bit out. ''Form on the flag and render all assistance possible.''
Six hours later, they'd found out how little they could do.
Kris risked the battered nose of the Patton to push High Chance into an orbit that would last several months or until someone came along to put it higher. She was just stabilizing it when three ships came through Jump Point Alpha, announced themselves to be from the Helvetica Confederacy and asked what was going on.
Captain Slovo, now commanding the Fury, advised that there had been a slight misunderstanding and requested assistance. Kris and Steve seconded the motion in the name of their respective political entities.
The new arrivals listened, took a good look around, and sent one ship back through the jump to make a private call home, then drove for Chance at 2 g's. They docked a day later, just before Slovo brought the three surviving Greenfeld ships carefully alongside, as well.
Thus, Vice Admiral Quang Tu of the Helvetica Confederacy was present with Kris and Steve, when Captain Slovo gingerly brought an unopened survival pod onto the landing of Pier 2.
''I hope that is not what I think it is,'' Kris said.
''Regretfully, it is,'' Slovo sighed. ''One, very inoperable life pod with one Henry Peterwald the Thirteenth in it.'' The Greenfeld captain waited until representatives from the other two ships arrived, then ordered one of his own mechs to open of the pod. Jack and Beni were as close as they could get, recorders and sensors out, but there were no surprises today.
Hank Peterwald's very sculptured features were very dead.
''I guess I've finally met someone with more enemies than me,'' Kris said.
''May I offer assistance?'' Admiral Tu asked.
''No,'' Slovo said. ''Regretfully, this situation has become a crime scene and Greenfeld security will handle the investigation from this point.'' Kris suspected she recognized several of the hard-faced men who stepped forward. One of them had tried to enter the station's reactor. Yep. She'd ID'd them all right.
Captain Slovo nodded to Kris. ''If you will order communications through Jump Point Barbie reopened, I will call my headquarters for orders.'' Kris quickly did.
Vice Admiral Tu, who never explained what a vice admiral was doing commanding a mere division of heavy cruisers or how he happened to wander into the Chance system, let it be known he was in no hurry to leave and might well be expecting additional forces. There were hints of battleships.
Kris took Lieutenant Kovar aside and asked if he'd mind looking after United Sentients interests while she made a quick trip to Wardhaven. Nelly discovered a reg, dating back to the Iteeche Wars, that delegated authority to Naval District Commanders to approve battlefield promotions through Commander. With a grin, Kris promoted Steve to outrank her and gleefully sent the paperwork in to see how much trouble it would cause BuPers.
She was packed when Slovo detached the remnants of Hank's squadron and began a very sedate .5 g acceleration toward Jump Point Barbie.
As Kris marched down with her team to the Resolute, Steve went with her. And chuckled as Ron and a half dozen other mayors from Chance waylaid them.
''Kris, I know we can never thank you enough for what you've done,'' Ron started, ''but we've got to at least try. We of Chance have never awarded a medal for valor, but the people who fought with you certainly deserve one.'' And so Kris was handed the very first Chance Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star. Jack and Penny both rated the Silver Star version. Beni and Abby's award had Bronze Stars in them. Kris heard that those who served beer got palm fronds on theirs. It truly was an award to unite all those who had stood up for Chance in its time of need.
''I told them,'' Steve said, grinning, ''that all your fruit salad was just tourist stuff, been there, done that, got shot at. We made sure this one had a cross and a silver star on it.'' Kris hugged Steve, then hugged Ron… and got kissed.
''Any chance you could, maybe, hang around here long enough for a guy to get to know you? Deserve an entire chapter in that book I want you to write?'' Ron asked, his mom at his elbow.
''You know I have to take The Word back to Wardhaven. And now that Hank's dead, I have to tell them why.''
Ron was still waving as the Resolute undocked.
As soon as they jumped through Alpha, now monitored by a buoy from New Bern, Abby knocked on Kris's cabin door.
''I have a report I need to file with an employer.''
''I figured you'd be around soon. It mention aliens?''
''No, I won't give that away. They don't pay me that much.''
''Does it have anything in it that might harm me?''
''Other than your reputation, I think you're safe.''
''My reputation was lost long ago. Send it,'' Kris said, then had a second thought. ''Pass a copy along to Jack. I may borrow from it if I have to write a report on this.''
''You don't want a copy?''
''No, Abby, I trust you.''
''No you don't, Kris.'' ''Yes I do,'' Kris said, frowning at the bold contradiction.
''You don't trust us any more than any Longknife trusts anyone. Here you dragged us off hunting aliens and you didn't tell us a thing about it beforehand.''
''Your steamer trunks had what I needed.''
''Yes, but will they always?''
Kris went back to studying alien issues and Abby left. After five minutes, Kris found she was going over the same item for the ninth time. You don't trust me, kept coming back.
Well, the maid was selling Kris's life. Why should she trust her? But she hadn't told Jack about the jump points, either. Or Penny. And somebody hadn't told her that Hank was wandering these spaces. Longknifes don't trust.
Kris spent much of the voyage home thinking about that.
Chapter 19
Usually, Kris had to wait for a summons from General McMorrison until her ship docked at High Wardhaven. Not this time. She was just finishing breakfast aboard the Resolute with her team when the Comm Chief stepped in with a message flimsy.
''You know anyone named Mac?'' Kris averred she might.
''He wants to see you in his office ASAP after we dock. Message is kind of cryptic. You understand it?''
Kris sighed and put down an apple core. ''We have these little get togethers every time I come back from off-planet. Mac starts by offering me a completed resignation form to sign. I tear it up and things go downhill from there.''
''General McMorrison, the Chief of Wardhaven's General Staff?'' Penny asked, a bit unsure that Kris actually was on a nickname basis with someone of that elevated status.
''The same,'' Jack said. ''I cool my heels in the waiting room. Not sure what I'm supposed to do if he decides to threaten bodily harm. Interfere or cheer.''
''Well, I'm glad it's just you,'' Penny said.
''Maybe, maybe not. Jack, you're with me. Penny, you, too.'' She looked around the room. Abby was eating her breakfast alone at a corner table. ''You, too.''
''Me?'' the maid said in high theatrical shock.
''Can't tell when I might need a report composed.''
''Maybe you can sell the story,'' Jack said.
''Nobody pays for the obvious,'' Abby sniffed. ''Who's going to take charge of your steamer trunks? I've got to get them back to your suite at Nuu House.''
Kris looked around, found Beni munching waffles with Doc. ''Chiefs are the backbone of the Navy. I'm sure our good chief can get some trunks to toddle along after him.''
''What? How? Why me?''
''The what and how,'' Jack said. ''Ask Abby. Why you? That's too philosophical even for me, but I think proximity to greatness or the near great has something to do with it.''