Rust Bucket (23 page)

***

The men and women of our ships were jubilant when we touched down and handed over our combat videos to show how much damage we had done to the enemy in one raid. From that moment on, I knew I had a squadron that could perform effectively as a team as well as individually when the situation called for it.

      The Fleet Admiral called me to his headquarters office later. I went in to see him smiling and obviously pleased.

      "Have a smoke. Care for a drink?" he asked as he took two glasses from the shelf.

      I said, "I guess a small one would be fine."

      He smiled and said, "Good. I hate to celebrate alone. I've seen some of the videos from the combat your squadron was in. I'm impressed. I've had my ears to the ground and found out where you got the idea. Eighteenth century sailing ships and Admiral Nelson. I looked it up. It was good reading. I made it an order for all the other squadron leaders to read it. I don't think they'll catch on by themselves. They're too much into the habit of losing. Now the problem is how to get this old way of fighting back into use throughout the whole Navy. I'm sure you don't want to go through two months of training just to get nine more ships capable of functioning right. Am I correct?"

      I replied, "Yes sir. This is hard work. It might be better to take some of the officers serving on those ships and give them their own commands. Then take the current ships' captains and make them squadron leaders. That way, you'd get nine squadrons instead of one within the same two month period. They won't be as successful and I sure wouldn't send them against the enemy home world until they're more experienced. But they will be more successful than what we experienced in the past."

      "So, you're still going to be instructing another nine ships, but you're giving me a way to get nine, I take it, squadrons reformed?" the Admiral asked.

      I said, "Yes sir. I realize you're leaving me the one experienced crew to show the others how to do everything. I appreciate that."

      He said, "It's not for that reason. I don't want to risk losing your services. I may be called selfish for doing that, but right now only you and the people you trained are having any success. It's the only success we've had since winning one battle at the beginning of the war. You had a part in that one, too, as a civilian I remember. Yes, your ship put the naval squadron to shame when you waltzed right between both forces and took out six of the enemy by yourselves with less firepower than the whole squadron had. You managed to embarrass them into attacking and winning that battle. Then they reverted back to how the Navy has been until you took over your ship and showed them how to win. Right now you're the most important asset this Navy has. Until you create enough leaders to win this war, I'm going to back you to the hilt and let you get away with a lot. Hell, I'd even let you get in bed with my own daughter if I thought it might make you more effective."

      I replied, "I appreciate the compliment, sir."

      He replied, "Compliment, my ass! It's the damn truth! But, at the same time, I don't want you to overwork yourself. So take a week off. Give yourself and your crew a rest. Then you'll have nine more ships while we stay busy with what you've given us so far. Get yourself laid and drunk or whatever you do in order to keep from burning out. I want you ready to work in a week. I'm also promoting you to Captain. I'm sorry that it's still a temporary commission, but it's the best I can do for now."

      I realized that I had finally caught up completely with my class and passed most of them in the process. Only a few members of my class had made captain yet. The few that had been promoted to captain made it on their own merit, but they weren't having the impact on the Navy that I was. The only thing lacking in my progress was that my commission was temporary while theirs were regular commissions. I wouldn't be completely satisfied with my own progress until I achieved a regular commission, the same commission I would have been granted if I hadn't been dropped from the Academy by the reduction in force. Sergeant Clark's prophetic words about officers leaving the service came back to me then. That's when I realized some officer resignations were contributing to my rapid rise in rank. It wasn't solely attributable to officer losses in battle or my ability.

      "Yes sir. Thank you, sir," I responded.

      He said, "Good! Now go give your crew the week off and get yourself some rest and whatever."

      I stood up and saluted sharply, receiving a return salute from the Fleet Admiral that was just as sharp. Then I turned around to leave his office and saw a beautiful woman, dressed very seductively, standing in the doorway.

      "That's my daughter," the Fleet Admiral said. "Annie, I don't suppose you've met Captain Oden. He's the young man in charge of the Mad Dogs Squadron that just tore new assholes into the Ape-oids a few days ago. He's the same Captain who was in command of the
Thurman
when it did the same thing a few months ago."

      "Hello, Captain Oden," she sighed in a silken voice so soft and light that it floated on the breeze.

      I said, "Hello, Miss Reason. I'm pleased to meet you."

      She walked by me, managing to let her baby-soft body come into full contact where possible with mine, before taking a seat facing her father.

      I said, "If you'll excuse me, Admiral, Miss Reason, I need to see about giving my crew shore leave." I turned back to the door and exited. I could imagine having her in bed and took a deep breath for a moment as I walked back to my ship's area and called my crew around.

***

I stated with a broad smile, "The Fleet Admiral is pleased with the mission results and you are on shore leave for a week. We'll be training a new group of ships and crews afterwards. We'll show them how to use our tactics in practice and in real battles, if we can find some enemy ships willing to be our targets."

      The men and women laughed at that remark and then waited for me to say something else.

      I went on, saying, "In my own opinion, you did an outstanding job. I can only say well done and enjoy your shore leave. Dismissed!"

      They cheered suddenly and then dispersed as each went his or her own way to start enjoying the week off.

      For myself, I thought about Admiral Reason's comment concerning his daughter and her sudden appearance, especially considering how seductively she was barely dressed. The tight skirt with a slit up one side that exposed her leg all the way to one hip and the nearly translucent blouse with the plunging neckline was enough to stiffen any young man. Certainly, I had felt something when she brushed by me and it wasn't just her that I felt moving.

      For my own time off, I decided to visit some of my old friends, particularly the Sarge. I hadn't seen him in months and it was time to visit him socially instead of because of business. I went inside the ship and put on my shoulder pack before I left the base and took a Yellow to the Academy.

      Along the way to the Academy, I decided that after visiting him, I would drop in on Pennyweight Shipping Company and visit Penny, Jim, and some of the others. They were among my most supportive friends. I wanted to let them know that they were still my friends. I also decided to drop in on retired Admiral Cunningham. It wasn't because I needed anything from the surplus store, but he had been supportive of me and a social call seemed appropriate then.

The Sarge took a break in his work and talked with me. He could see the excitement in my eyes. Before I could tell him about my promotion to Captain this morning, he was telling me.

      He said, "So, you're a full-fledged Captain now. Congratulations, Dave. I know you'll continue to advance. Of course, the rest of the promotions won't come quite as fast until you've accumulated experience at more jobs. But, I've no doubt of your abilities and neither should you by now. I take it that this is merely a social call?"

      I replied, "Yes, Sarge. I guess nothing gets by you. I'm not going to ask how you knew already about the promotion. Someday, though, I expect you to reveal how so that I can improve myself just a little bit more."

      "Sure, son. Now, this is a social call, isn't it?" he asked.

      I said, "Yes, Sarge. I mostly just came to visit and let you know that I'm doing well and to see if you're doing likewise."

      He said, "I'm touched. Well, this is part of how that kind of information is picked up. Just make social calls and read between the lines. There's a wealth of information that people give out without realizing it. If you hadn't made Captain, I would have judged from the excitement in your eyes that you fucked the admiral's daughter. Have you seen her yet? Ain't she a piece?"

      I was shocked for a moment. Sarge actually seemed to know just about everything that was actually going on. "Uh, yes. I saw her for the first time this morning as I left the Fleet Admiral's office. She is, uh, very attractive."

      "From what I've heard about her, she's good in bed and likes military men," the Sarge said.

      I replied, "I wouldn't know. I haven't heard that. I believe you, but I've been busy for the most part."

      He said, "I understand. Mind you, if she offers herself, go ahead and take her up on it. I know the Fleet Admiral. He's not going to get upset about something like that. He gave up long ago on trying to tame her down to more refined behavior."

      We sat and talked about several topics, including how the Academy was now putting through cadets with the proper credentials, especially since rich families were keeping their kids out because of the shooting war that was going on. Additionally, the Navy was losing a number of rich kid officers who were resigning daily to save their hides. Now that some of the squadrons were going into combat, with combat rather than retreat in mind, they didn't want to see their rich asses shot off. Sarge advised me to expect a new batch of officers soon that would be moving up quickly and be more worthy of the positions they would hold.

      That was perhaps the best news he could give me. It inspired me to really work at improving the tactics I was developing so that they would work properly. I didn't want to let down these new officers who held the same ideals as myself. They were the kind who joined a Navy they felt proud of. They did so to accomplish something, not for personal enrichment and fame.

***

My visit with retired Admiral Cunningham was pleasant and less informative. He especially appreciated having someone drop by just to socialize, even though business was three times more active for him than before. He was selling a projectile weapon to virtually every officer now. That much was evident to me the moment I walked into the store. Almost half the stock of projectile weapons he carried was no longer there. It wasn't the only item that was selling fast. He told me that the note pads and markers had run out once. He had to find another surplus store on Earth to get more on stock until more were produced. I was amazed to learn that they were still manufactured.

***

Afterwards, I stopped by Pennyweight Shipping Company, where they were also aware that I had been promoted to Captain. I was tempted to walk through the off-limits area to get to the company, but remembered that I was still a Pennyweight employee, so I used a Yellow to get around the off-limits area instead of walking the short distance.

      We drank some coffee together while they brought me up to date on how the company was doing. They had lost a few freighters because of the war, but otherwise they were holding their own against the pirates and the other companies. The
Edmund
and
Theodore
were both still running fine and keeping most of the freighters protected in space. We all wished for the war to end. Then I finally left to return to base, catching a Yellow for the last leg of my trip.

***

That night, another return raid was visited on our base. When the scramble alarm was given, I responded to my ship despite being on leave. I was pleased to see that almost my entire crew and its officers were there as well. Only a few who were off base at the time were missing. We took off immediately, most of us undressed or partially dressed, but dutifully manning our stations regardless. When we reached space, some of the other ships that used to be part of the Mad Dogs Squadron were also there. One hollered out over the radio, "Here comes the Rust Bucket! Now we're going to kick some butt!"

      We formed up and charged immediately at the three enemy ships that managed to slip through the border. There were enough of us in space to defeat them easily without incurring heavy damage or casualties ourselves. At least that time the warning was passed on from the border patrol in space about the three ships breaking through.

      The
Thurman
returned to port along with some of the other responding ships. Two of the other ships' captains stayed behind to conduct practice with their crews because they were dissatisfied with their response time. We landed in our area. I left the ship, wearing only the bottom half of my mesh undies, and returned to my quarters where I was about to get in bed when the alert first happened.

***

As I walked in the doorway of my quarters, I didn't bother turning on the light. I shut the door and made my way to my bed, stopping only to remove the last of what I was wearing before lying down on the bed only to suddenly discover that there was someone else in it. I could tell it was a woman almost instantly because of the contacts of her body against mine. I started to reach for the light switch near the bed.