Relentless (41 page)

“That’s great. I was afraid I’d have to kick up a storm to get the thing back.” He looked down, steeling himself for the next question. “There haven’t been any other messages for me?”

“No, sir. The only messages we’ve received from
Dreadnaught
were official status updates. Sir.” Geary glanced over at her. “She needs time. Jane Geary has to adjust to everything. Then she’ll respond to your personal messages.”

He closed his eyes for a moment. “We may not have a lot of time.”

“Everyone knows that, including her. Remember that Michael Geary had weeks to learn to deal with the fact that you were still alive before you first spoke with him.”

Geary opened his eyes but kept them on the stars. “And he still hated me.”

“Not at the end! You told me that. I have had communications from
Dreadnaught
monitored in a few unauthorized ways, and I know her commanding officer has been contacting some of the other commanding officers in this fleet. Officers whom Jane Geary knows. Officers whom know you. They’ll be telling her about you, about who you really are. Give her time, and she will contact you.”

“Those other officers are telling her that I left her brother in the Syndic home star system, and that he’s likely dead.”

Desjani took a step closer, her voice getting sharper. “Jane Geary is a fleet officer. She knew the risks as well as the rest of us, the same risks we all run. She can’t blame you for her brother’s death in combat, if that happened.”

He breathed a short, sad laugh. “You’re assuming she’s going to address the issue logically.”

“And may the living stars forbid that any Geary act logically!” Desjani shook her head. “Biologically you’re younger than she is even though you’re her great-uncle. You’re the mountain that has shadowed her entire life.
Give her time.
”

“Okay. It’s not like I won’t have plenty to keep me busy while I wait.”

“That’s right.” Desjani looked around. “Do you want me to bring the junior officers to your stateroom so you can start coordinating repair and resupply activity? There’s room here.”

“Sure. How soon?”

“Give me half an hour to find a couple of junior officers who seem underemployed.” She studied him for a moment. “Have you prayed to your ancestors yet on Jaylen Cresida’s behalf?”

Geary felt a stab of guilt. With so much else going on, that had kept being forgotten or pushed aside. “Not formally, no.”

“Why don’t you go down to the places of worship and do that while you’re waiting for me to get back here?”

The suggestion sounded more like an order, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t a good idea and an overdue obligation. For Jaylen Cresida in particular, and for a lot of other sailors who had fallen in this latest engagement. “Yes. I’ll do that.” He headed for the hatch along with her.

Desjani faced him before walking away, though. “We’re still going back, right?”

“As soon as we can,” Geary agreed. “If I can get approval for it.” He remembered Rione’s words, which summarized the situation perfectly. “We have to win swiftly, or we won’t win at all.”

“Then we’ll win swiftly.”

“Yeah. We will.”