So they abandoned those efforts and concentrated on the others, the experiments that, Jan now knew, were using hyperspace-3. All the hyperspace work since, Jan's included, had built on those efforts with hyperspace-3, and the earlier work had been forgotten.
Jan turned the papers over to the propulsion people, who started trying to pull an expanded theory of hyperspace transition from those early experiments, one that would allow transitions into hyperspace-1, hyperspace-2, and hyperspace-4.
She contacted Admiral Durand's office, and asked for a meeting with Durand and Birken.
They met in one of the Class 1 secure conference rooms in another part of the labyrinthine basements of the Intelligence Division headquarters building.
"All right, Captain. I assume that you have something to report," Admiral Durand said.
"Yes, Sir."
"Let's do it this way. Let me ask the questions, and the answers will either be 'Yes' or 'No', or I'll give you choices, OK? No volunteering information."
"Certainly, Sir."
"You have something to report. So it must be either progress or lack of progress. Which is it, Captain?"
"Progress, Sir."
"And that progress must be either positive or negative. That is, you now have reason to believe that the scenarios we talked about before are either possible or not possible. Which is it?"
"Possible, Sir."
"And you have either tentatively concluded they are possible, or definitely concluded they are possible. Which is it?"
"Definitely, Sir."
"And you can see your way forward from here, or you are not sure how to proceed yet. Which is it?"
"We can see the way forward, Sir."
"There's a next step in the way forward that you see, Captain. In one word, what is that next step?"
"Experimentation, Sir."
"Really?"
"Yes, Sir."
"So in your mind, it's time to ramp up funding for this project and send them off somewhere where they can play with their toys in private."
"Yes, Sir."
"My God."
"That pretty much sums it up, Sir."
"One more question, Captain. Is this something that if others, say Earth or an outer-colony polity, were to begin looking into, they might have similar results as fast as you have?"
"Yes, Sir."
"All right. Thank you, Captain. This has been most helpful. Go back to the others and tell them to start drawing up their wish lists. And they shouldn't worry about budgets. Just what they need and want to do the work. Oh, and personnel, too."
"Yes, Sir."
"Dismissed."
Jan had done what she could on the project. She had provided the initial spark, the realization of what hyperspace truly was – at least this iteration of understanding – and it could now be carried forward by others. On her own initiative, she was withdrawn from the need-to-know list, but kept on the knows-way-too-much-already list. Her membership in 'the basement' was rescinded.
During the last six months at Sigurdsen, the standard Fleet Book of Maneuvers that Jan had prepared had finally wound its way through the process and been approved. She had helped Tactical Division sell it to higher authority by giving lots of presentations to general staff, including the Chief of Naval Operations Thomas Leahy and his chief of staff.
Jan's work on the ATS course was also completed. She had polished the new course the Tactical Division had prepared from her book, "The Science of Surprise: Creating Military Advantage." In the process, she had also built in additional lessons from her experiences on Calumet.
She got a call to report in to Admiral Stepic, newly promoted to full admiral and head of the Tactical Division.
Captain of the Battleship CSS Boadicea
"I have submitted the new ATS class, with all your changes and improvements over the last six months, to higher, Captain. I expect it to be approved relatively quickly. The success in pushing through the Fleet Book of Maneuvers makes me hopeful anyway. Thanks for your help with that, by the way," Admiral Stepic said.
"No problem, Sir. Always glad to help out however I can."
Jan had made several presentations on the proposed standard book of maneuvers to staff at the Naval Operations Center, including a private briefing to the Chief of Naval Operations and his chief of staff. She had given those presentations, of course, in full uniform, wearing all her decorations: the CSF Combat Medal, the CSF Science Medal, with cluster, the Distinguished Service Medal, with two clusters, and the Victorious Action Ribbon, with three silver stars, along with Theater of Service ribbons in the planetary colors of Valore, Parchman, Saarestik, Pahaadon, and Calumet, and BTS, ATS and UCS badges. In those presentations, she was the most decorated officer in the room.
"Well, it helped a lot. And your recent familiarity with higher – or rather, their recent familiarity with you – will grease the skids for the ATS course, which is based on your now-approved Fleet Book of Maneuvers and your well-received "The Science of Surprise," and which, as I will often point out, was developed with your direct involvement. I don't expect any problems with that, now.
"And I do think the new ATS course came out splendidly."
"Thank you, Sir."
"I find myself in something of a tight spot, though, with regard to your future. The next step for you, in my mind, would be shipboard, as captain of a heavy cruiser, before moving on up to senior captain on a battleship. Something has come up, though, that has changed those plans."
"Come up, Sir?"
"Yes, Captain. Jeanette Xi just made Vice Admiral. She popped in to discuss staffing of her new command, and, among a lot of smaller requests, she made one big one. She requested you as her flag captain on the new-build CSS Boadicea. I explained to her that battleship captain is a senior captain's berth, much less flag captain, and you've never commanded a heavy warship. I also pointed out to her you are just twenty-six years old, though you have twelve years in commissioned service. She countered that an Academy graduate with twelve years commissioned service would be thirty-four years old, and then she asked me a question.
"She said, 'Well, if not Captain Childers, who would you recommend as being better than her?'
"I have no good answer to that question, Captain. So I inquired of higher, and got enthusiastic support for a promotion out of the zone. If you accept, you would be promoted to senior captain, become captain of Boadicea, and carry Admiral Xi's flag. As always, there are no black marks for turning down assignments out of the zone, Captain, so you should consider carefully."
Jan sat stunned. Senior Captain? Flag Captain? On a new-build Cleopatra-class battleship? Her mind raced around the problem, and came up with a question.
"Staffing, Sir? Who are the executive officer and senior tactical officer? Senior non-commissioned officer?"
"Unfilled pending the captain's spot. Senior captains have a lot of pull in getting the staff they want, and a flag captain has their admiral's weight behind it. So I await your staffing requests if you accept the position, Captain."
Names and faces popped up in Jan's mind. A table of organization started to fall into place.
"I'll be happy to accept, Sir."
"Then congratulations, Senior Captain."
Jan was standing in the living room of their apartment when Bill came home that evening.
"Hi! How was your meeting with – Oh. Oh! I see. A good meeting then, I take it."
"You might say that," Jan said, twirling in her uniform, now sporting shoulder patches and collar pins with the single star of a senior captain. "Senior Captain. A new-build battleship, the Boadicea. And flag captain to Admiral Xi."
"Flag Captain? In one step? Wow."
"Admiral Xi apparently said something like, if not her, who can you give me better than her, and Admiral Stepic had no good answer. When he asked higher, they signed off. Pushed him to do it, he said."
"I can believe that. Of both of them. So now what?"
"First, a couple of
months of working up. She's just been released from her space trials for duty. So a couple more months at Sigurdsen."
"And then?"
That dampened the excitement more than a little. Jan's voice was almost flat when she answered.
"Two years on Bahay."
"I'll have to see what Intelligence Division has going on at Bahay. Check and see if there're any postings available."
"What if there aren't?"
"Let's take it one step at a time, Jan. Live today."
The next night, Bill was gloomy.
"Well, there's a slot open on Bahay, but it's a captain's berth. I'm only six months in grade, so that's unlikely. I put in for it, though. We'll see what happens."
Admiral Durand was in Admiral Birken's office for their daily early-morning meeting, running through a raft of items for Birken's approval.
"One more, Sir. I have a posting request from Commander Campbell."
"That fellow who bottled up the Catalonia with the Blackball message?"
"Yes, Sir. He put in for a captain's berth on Bahay. He just made full commander six months ago, but that was in the zone. This would be way out of the zone, so it would need your approval if we want to do that."
"The promotion to commander was in the zone?"
"Yes, Sir. It was already in process when the whole Catalonia thing came up. One other point. Admiral Stepic has promoted Captain Childers to senior captain. She's going to fly Admiral Xi's flag on the new-build Boadicea. Boadicea's headed for Bahay. Two-year deployment."
"And Childers is still Campbell's companion?"
"Yes, Sir. That's why I bring it up. We could probably put him in the slot as a commander."
"No, let's go ahead and give him his fourth stripe out of the zone. We owe him one. That Catalonia business was well handled."
"Yes, Sir."
"What else do you have for me?"
"That's the last, Sir."
"All right. Let's draw up those orders for Campbell right away so I can sign off on them. I hate to leave him hanging if she already has her orders and we're going to do it anyway."
"Yes, Sir."
Jan was home when Bill got home that evening. He had his uniform jacket over his arm, folded-up papers in his hands, and a generally defeated air about him.
"Bill, what's wrong?"
"I got my orders."
"Oh, no. What?"
Bill's expression did a one-eighty. All of a sudden he was a little kid with the key to the candy store.
"Bahay!"
He thrust the papers into her hand and then put on his uniform jacket, revealing the four bars of a captain on his shoulder patches.
"Oh, you! I'm gonna kill you!"
She punched him in the arm.
"It's way out of the zone. I figure it must be the Catalonia thing."
Jan was scanning the papers. She froze on the last page.
"Ha! Did you see this?"
"What?"
"Under 'Transport.' It says 'Date: Open, Means: CSS Boadicea.'"
"No kidding. I didn't even read that far."
"Same thing for the return trip. Boy, somebody up there likes us."
"I really think it's that whole thing with Catalonia. We had the chance to screw up big time, and we didn't. Tucked it up all nice and proper. Intelligence Division doesn't give out medals, but they don't forget, either."
"So where's dinner this time? And don't say the mess!"
If Jan thought her promotion to senior captain, the single star on her uniform, or her position as captain of the ship, would make her unwelcome below decks, she was wrong. Senior Chief Rory Chin, the senior non-commissioned officer aboard, conveyed the invitation for what had become her traditional first-night dinner in the Goat Locker within minutes of her coming aboard Boadicea.
They were at Sigurdsen for two months before Boadicea left for Bahay. Jam spent most of her time aboard ship, but there were lots of trips back and forth, and she was at home for a night or two at irregular intervals.
Two weeks before departure, Bill moved aboard, hitching a ride on one of the innumerable shuttle trips as the Boadicea finished staffing up. He took a guest cabin on the captain's deck of the big ship, so that he would have extra space for his things, and so he would have a place to shower, change, and study up for his new assignment without being under foot as Jan went about her job. She, after all, was working this trip, while he was deadheading.
Toward the end of the working up of Boadicea, Admiral Xi and her staff moved aboard and took up their quarters on flag deck. She brought with her Boadicea's assignment, to join and take command of a squadron of battleships under Admiral Serge Ludkin at Bahay, relieving Vice Admiral Betty Cintra and CSS Amazon.
The crossing to Bahay was uneventful. There were sometimes general quarters drills as they shook out the ship and crew. There were also minor engineering failures, like the two days the entire ship, which had to radiate waste heat to space through the big radiator fins aft, could nevertheless not provide hot water in the crew spaces.
And this time it was his turn to be called Admiral by all the crew aboard. His new captain's rank was a conflict with the solitary role of captain of the ship, so the promotion of address was required so there would be no confusion. Jan Childers was the Captain.
For, have no doubt about it, it was Jan's ship. Even more, it was her crew. This was the first time Bill had ever been aboard ship with Jan when she was not deadheading. Her influence penetrated every space on the ship. He once overheard a chief petty officer talking to a work crew.
"You guys think this job is done? What would she think? Do you think she would be happy with this job?"
"No, Chief."
"Then do it again. And make it something you would be proud to show her."
There was a subtle emphasis on those pronouns. Her name was never mentioned, but it never had to be.
After four weeks in hyperspace, Boadicea arrived without incident in Bahay. Admiral Xi reported in to Admiral Serge Ludkin at Bahay Fleet HQ. The Boadicea rotated planet leave while she was restocked.
When they got to Bahay, Bill moved down to the planet. They had a townhouse in a block reserved for flag officers, to which Jan's rank as senior captain entitled them. When the Boadicea settled into rotations for planet leave, Jan would be joining him at home some of the time. Bill reported in to his superior on Bahay and began the duties of his new posting.
Sensor Tech Specialist Ginger Palermo had not returned from planet leave on Bahay in time for her scheduled shuttle to the Boadicea. After twenty-four hours, she was listed AWOL, and a BOLO was issued by Bahay Fleet HQ. That message issued to local police departments as well. She was found as a Jane Doe in a hospital in the capital city of Kabisera.
The police report indicated she had been found naked in a ditch by the side of the road. She had been raped multiple times, and beaten nearly to death. Her medical condition was critical. There was internal organ damage, and she had a skull fracture that had resulted in hematoma. It was not known whether she would live.
The police report and the medical prognosis were forwarded to the captain and the executive officer of the Boadicea in orbit.
Senior Chief Petty Officer Rory Chin burst into the Goat Locker. Chief Petty Officer Fritz Montague was just grabbing a sandwich.
"Fritz, where's the captain, do you know?"
"She's on-planet, or headed there. Her shuttle left a couple hours ago," Montague answered.
"Shit."
"What's going on?"
"A buddy at Bahay Fleet HQ just let me know they found Palermo naked in a ditch in Kabisera, gang-raped and beaten half to death. They don't know if she'll live."
"Damn."
"Yeah, and the police and medical reports were sent to the captain three hours ago."
"You don't think –"
"Yeah, I do think. Round up Angus, Joe, and Anton and meet me in Shuttle Bay 2."
"You're not going to get the MPs?"
"No. I'm
not sending cops, Fritz, I'm sending back-up. Oh, and you better grab Felipe, too."
"You gonna take Felipe? You know how he is about the captain. If somebody hurts her, he's gonna go off, big time."
"You wanna be the guy explains to him why we didn't take him?"
"Forget I said anything. I'll see you there in five."
"Have them bring some playtoys along, but nothing too obvious."
Chin set off for the bridge. Now to convince the XO sending what amounted to a riot squad down to the planet was a good idea.
Captain Donald Weatherby paced the ready room. He had been captain of a light cruiser in Calumet under Rear Admiral Bzofsky when Captain Childers had trained him along with all the rest of Admiral Chang's captains on the new standard book of maneuvers. He was pleased when Senior Captain Childers had tapped him as her XO aboard Boadicea. But he didn't know what to do about this.
The captain had told him she was going to the planet, and, as her executive officer, he had command in her absence. Her trip was unplanned, which was unusual enough. But the flat tone of her voice, and her sense of grim purpose, scared the hell out of him.
He had seen the reports on Palermo, too.
He thought about sending a squad of Marines or MPs down to the planet to keep an eye on her, but she would have his hide, and she was the captain.
He had about worn a hole through the carpet when Senior Chief Petty Officer Rory Chin came in.
"Ah, there you are, Sir."
Chin saluted, and Weatherby returned the salute and raised an eyebrow.
"Well, Sir, me and some of the fellas were thinking of taking a little unscheduled R&R on Bahay, and we need your authorization."
"Who are you taking, Senior Chief?"
"Well, I was thinking Montague, Dougherty, Kmiecic, Misek, and Fukuda, Sir. And myself, of course."
Weatherby nodded as Chin ticked them off. Berserkers one and all. And Felipe Fukuda? God help anybody who hurt the captain. He went over to the intercom and punched a combination.
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