by Isaac Hooke
“We’ve all felt the need to make amends of some sort, I suppose,” Jonathan said. “In our own way. All right, well, good luck.”
“Thank you, Captain,” Barrick said. “You know, for the first time I’m living a future I have not lived before. All the key waypoints I once spoke of have come and gone. The road forward is open and undetermined. Humanity might still destroy itself, but that is out of my hands now.”
A week after the departure of the Elder vessel, Jonathan held a formal dinner in the captain’s mess aboard the Salvador. Rail had graciously allowed him access to the compartment. He was a VIP, after all, as CO of the flagship.
All his bridge crew and department heads were present around the wide table, as were some enlisted men. Stanley, Harv, Robert and his wife, Miko, Lewis, Lazur, McNamara, Albright. Wolf and Akido. Galaal and Johnson.
The captain eyed his former crew. “I want to thank you all for your many years of service aboard the Callaway. Without you, I would never have been able to crest the rocky waves that the galaxy threw my way.” He pressed his lips together. “So it is with heavy heart that I hold this final farewell dinner with you all. From this point forward, we must all go our separate ways.
“Some of you will go on to captain your own ships. Some of you will merely be reassigned, though you will receive your due promotions. Whatever the case, it is highly unlikely any of us will ever serve aboard the same ship together. But our paths will cross again, I assure you. It’s a big navy, and yet it’s also a small one.”
Jonathan stood by the door when the meal had ended, and he shook the hand of every officer and enlisted man that passed his way. There were many tears, but Jonathan somehow managed to hold back his own.
When Robert and Bridgette stood before him, Jonathan told his former commander: “Eugene is the future. Raise him well.”
He searched Bridgette’s eyes for some sign that would betray who the real father was, but she gave him none.
He shook the hands of the remaining members of the dinner party and then returned to his stateroom. He opened the closet where he had stowed Maxwell’s AI core and delicately retrieved the cylinder.
“I suppose there is someone who I will be serving with again after all,” Jonathan said. “Huh, Maxwell?”
The deactivated core could not answer, of course. Jonathan gingerly set the cylinder aside.
It felt bittersweet. He had saved Earth and yet lost his ship. But at least all of his crew had survived. If only the same could be said for all the other brave men and women who had gone down with the lost warships under his command. Though he grieved for them, he knew their sacrifice was not for nothing.
It was a small consolation, at least, that NAVCENT would eventually give him a new ship. Or at least, he hoped so.
However even if he did get a new vessel, like he had told his former crew, in all likelihood he would never serve together with any of them again. But they were used to that. Navy ships were ever-changing entities. Officers transferred in and out with each duty tour. Captains were reassigned, or promoted.
He thought of Bridgette. It was going to be hard, not seeing her ever again. But maybe that was for the best.
I could have selected a different path. Bridgette could be my wife...
No. This is the course I have chosen for myself.
My ship is my wife.
The Navy, my life.
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postscript
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about the author
USA Today bestselling author Isaac Hooke holds a degree in engineering physics, though his more unusual inventions remain fictive at this time. He is an avid hiker, cyclist, and photographer who sometimes resides in Edmonton, Alberta.
acknowledgments
THANK YOU to my knowledgeable beta readers and advanced reviewers who helped smooth out the rough edges of the prerelease manuscript: Nicole P., Sandy G., Amy B., Lance W., Myles C., Lisa A. G., Gregg C., Jeff K., Mark C., Jeremy G., Doug B., Jenny O., Bryan O., Lezza M., Gene A., Larry J., Allen M., Gary F., Norman H., Eric, Robine, Noel, Anton, Spencer, Trudi, Corey, Erol, David, Charles, Walter, Lisa, Ramon, Chris, Scott, Michael, Chris, Bob, Jim, Maureen, Zane, Chuck, Shayne, Anna, Dave, Roger, Nick, Gerry, Charles, Annie, Patrick, Mike, Jeff, Lisa, Jason, Bryant, Janna, Tom, Jerry, Chris, Jim, Brandon, Kathy, Norm, Jonathan, Derek, Shawn, Judi, Eric, Rick, Bryan, Barry, Sherman, Jim, Bob, Ralph, Darren, Michael, Chris, Michael, Julie, Glenn, Rickie, Rhonda, Neil, Claude, Ski, Joe, Paul, Larry, John, Norma, Jeff, David, Brennan, Phyllis, Robert, Darren, Daniel, Montzalee, Robert, Dave, Diane, Peter, Skip, Louise, Dave, Brent, Erin, Paul, Jeremy, Dan, Garland, Sharon, Dave, Pat, Nathan, Max, Martin, Greg, David, Nancy, Ed, David, Karen, Becky, Jacob, Ben, Don, Carl, Gene, Bob, Luke, Teri, Gerald, Lee, Rich, Ken, Daniel, Chris, Al, Andy, Tim, Robert, Fred, David, Mitch, Don, Tony, Dian, Tony, John, James, David, Pat, Jean, Bryan, William, Roy, Dave, Vincent, Tim, Richard, Kevin, George, Andrew, John, Richard, Robin, Sue, Mark, Jerry, Rodger, Rob, Byron, Ty, Mike, Gerry, Steve, Benjamin, Anna, Keith, Jeff, Josh, Herb, Bev, Simon, John, David, Greg, Larry, Timothy, Tony, Ian, Niraj, Maureen, Jim, Len, Bryan, Todd, Maria, Angela, Gerhard, Renee, Pete, Hemantkumar, Tim, Joseph, Will, David, Suzanne, Steve, Derek, Valerie, Laurence, James, Andy, Mark, Tarzy, Christina, Rick, Mike, Paula, Tim, Jim, Gal, Anthony, Ron, Dietrich, Mindy, Ben, Steve, Paddy & Penny, Troy, Marti, Herb, Jim, David, Alan, Leslie, Chuck, Dan, Perry, Chris, Rich, Rod, Trevor, Rick, Michael, Tim, Mark, Alex, John, William, Doug, Tony, David, Sam, Derek, John, Jay, Tom, Bryant, Larry, Anjanette, Gary, Travis, Jennifer, Henry, Drew, Michelle, Bob, Gregg, Billy, Jack, Sandra, Libby, Jonathan, Karl, Bruce, Clay, Gary, Sarge, Andrew, Deborah, Steve, and Curtis.
Without you all, this novel would have typos, continuity errors, and excessive lapses in realism. Thank you for helping me make Worlds at War the best military science fiction novel it could possibly be, and thank you for leaving the early reviews that help new readers find my books.
And of course I’d be remiss if I didn't thank my mother, father, and brothers, whose untiring wisdom and thought-provoking insights have always guided me through the untamed warrens of life.
— Isaac Hooke
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