"Sir, we need to decide what's next for Captain Campbell."
"Well, that whole business with Feirm was nicely handled. Did you read Admiral Childers' AAR?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Did you think it was slanted with respect to Captain Campbell?"
"I don't think so, Sir. From what I can tell, that's not how she does business. The other thing is that the facts sort of speak for themselves. The intel on this op was spot on the money. That's not something we can say all that often. And it was Captain Campbell's project from start to stop."
"That's what I was thinking. So what do you have in mind?"
"I spoke with Admiral Stepic yesterday, Sir, to find out what he had in mind for Admiral Childers. He'd like to send her out to a number of Commonwealth planets that they just haven't gotten on top of yet with teaching the Fleet Book. Avoid another Waldheim. He was thinking a two-year tour. Hit half a dozen planets or so. Train them up, then move on."
"The Grand Tour, eh? Ouch."
"Indeed, Sir. Captain Campbell has his twelve years. I'd hate to lose him to half-retirement if he decided he'd rather part with the Navy than part with her. They've logged with Housing Division as companions for more than four years. More like five, actually."
"You never bring me problems that you haven't at least thought about solutions for. What are you thinking, Jake?" Birken asked
"One would be to ask Admiral Stepic to reconsider. The problem there is I think he's right. We got caught with our pants down in Waldheim, and we're just as or even more vulnerable in some of these other systems until they finish the rollout on the Fleet Book. And Admiral Childers is by far their best trainer. Anywhere she's given a free hand, defensive problems go away."
"So that leaves sending Captain Campbell off on the Grand Tour with Admiral Childers. I can see the benefit of getting some trusted eyes on some of these other planets, review our operations there, get some reports back from a consistent point of view."
"So can I, Sir. The issue is rank. He's two and a half years since promotion, so it's a little early, but we could promote him to Senior Captain based at least in part on his performance on the Feirm business. But Senior Captain is still subordinate to the Rear Admiral we would typically have in a planet's intelligence headquarters. He might not be able to penetrate what's going on if a planetary commander wants to stymie him. And he's way out of the zone for Rear Admiral, which would still leave him junior to a Rear Admiral on his own station," Durand said.
"I really like the idea, though. And if Captain Campbell is really destined for higher within Intelligence Division, as you and I have discussed in the past, doing the Grand Tour and packing a whole lot of experience on different Commonwealth planets into a two-year stint would be perfect. Give him the broad view."
"Agreed, Sir. There's still the rank issue."
"What about this, Jake? Make him Senior Captain, then put an Inspector's badge on it," Birken said.
"I like it, Sir. We don't do that very often; I didn't even think of it. But it's perfect. No command authority, but absolute authority to access any information and talk to anyone in the chain of command. It can be open to some abuse with the wrong person, but I don't think Captain Campbell fits that description."
"I don't either. All right. We're decided then. Promotion to Senior Captain Inspector. Assigned to travel wherever Admiral Childers' duties take her. General assignment is an assessment of Intelligence Division activities in whatever systems he finds himself in."
"Yes, Sir."
"And call Admiral Stepic and give him my regards. See if you can coordinate their interviews so Campbell and Childers get their orders the same day. Let's not get them fretting about it. I don't want Captain Campbell's thoughts going down that other channel."
"Yes, Sir."
"I read your AAR. That was nicely done, Admiral," Admiral Stepic said.
"Thank you, Sir."
"With thirty-two ships, eight of them destroyers, you destroyed twenty-four cruisers at Feirm, with no losses on your own part. They also lost their two senior field commanders and their staffs, and twenty-four thousand spacers."
"I took bigger ships, Sir."
"Granted. It's still a good piece of work. The Tactics Division will be writing about it for years."
Jan laughed, and Stepic went on.
"So what's Feirm got left now?"
"Two heavy cruisers and one light cruiser that were working up, and twelve destroyers, Sir."
"Well, that should keep them out of trouble for a while. They had hoped to prove to their neighbors they weren't to be messed with, because they could hit us with impunity. Now they and all the rest of the colony worlds know that's not the case."
His gaze drifted down to her decorations. A cluster to the CSF Combat Medal, another cluster to the Distinguished Service Medal, another star to the Victorious Action Ribbon, and a Theater of Service ribbon for Waldheim were all new.
"Well, at least the Combat Medal doesn't look lopsided next to the Science Medal any more, since they both have one cluster. And I thought it was a nice touch when Fleet Personnel insisted on the Waldheim Theater of Service ribbon."
"Yes, Sir, but I don't understand the DSM. I was just doing my job."
"Very few admirals fly their flag on a light cruiser and then use themselves as bait, Admiral Childers."
"But I had to verify the actual system envelopes matched up with the theoretical predictions or my ships could have been in danger under the preferred operations plan, Sir."
"So instead you put yourself in danger. I see. So did the Merit Board. That's the point."
"I see, Sir."
"Good. Now what do we do with you, eh? We don't have any more upstart outer colonies that need serious smacking this week, so what I had in mind is to give you a heavy cruiser squadron and have you go around to some problem planets and work them up, per the Fleet Book."
"Problem planets, Sir?"
"Not problems with senior commanders, Admiral. Just planets we haven't gotten to yet who could use training and exercises. The senior commanders are begging for help. It's been almost three years since the Fleet Book of Maneuvers was approved, and they're at sea out there. We just can't rotate staff through training fast enough.
"So I thought we could have you go out to a planet for, oh, two months, three months, and get them up to speed. You can take training staff from here, so you're not bearing the brunt of the training. You would be the one to play the op force commander – but, you know, using the published system periphery – so when they beat you, they know they can beat any outer colony navy out there. Basically, what you did in Bahay with Admiral Xi, but then once you're satisfied, you move on to the next one."
"That sounds like fun, actually, Sir."
Jan and Bill both had their interviews on the same morning, about a week after they returned from Feirm. Jan got back to the townhouse first, with orders for a two-year roving assignment.
She had to admit it was a tremendous assignment. Go into a system, assess what they had, train everybody up, get everything running smoothly, and then move on. No boring patrols. No routine duties.
But it would be a personal disaster. How could she and Bill deal with this? With travel times of three to five weeks, there was no such thing as popping back to Sigurdsen for a visit. It meant two years apart, no matter what assignment Intelligence Division gave him, or where.
Bill might just up and quit the Navy. She didn't want that, either. He had his twelve years, but he also enjoyed what he did. More, he was good at it. He had nailed the intel on Feirm, right down the line.
She saw no good way out.
Her thoughts were spiraling down this path when Bill got home. He had been delayed by a stop through the commissary.
"Hi, Hon!"
"Hi. Boy, you sound cheerful."
"Cheerful doesn't capture it. First, check these."
Bill pointed to his shoulder patches, now with the one star of a senior captain.
"And now this."
Bill pointed to a new badge, a specialty badge. Intelligence Division didn't go in much for specialty badges, but they made an exception for Inspector.
"Wow. Senior Captain Inspector, Intelligence Division? You can make anybody bend and spread 'em."
"Yeah. But, Jan, that's not the best part. Read this."
Bill pulled a folded sheaf of papers out of his inner jacket pocket and handed them to her. It was a standard orders form.
"Roving inspection of Intelligence Division assets on such planets as you may deem appropriate? That's pretty open," Jan said.
"Yup. Now read the last page."
Jan turned to the last page and the downward spiral of her emotions turned around and went straight to orbit.
"'Transport. Date: Open. Means: Rear Admiral Childers' flagship TBD.' Oh, Bill!"
She jumped out of her chair and threw her arms around him. There would be no separation.
"I thought somebody up there liked me. Now I'm sure of it," Bill said.
Jan stood on tip-toe and kissed him.
"They don't want you even thinking about half-retirement. That's why the interviews were the same day. I think they coordinated them," Jan said.
"Intelligence Division and Tactical Division? Working together? Nah, couldn't be. Isn't that against regulations?"
Jan laughed. The laugh came easily.
"Think about it. We've never had our assignment interviews the same day before. And we've always had to finagle your assignments to match mine. Not this time. The finagling moved upstairs."
"Well, however it works, I like it."
"Me, too, Hon. Me, too."
As ships were collecting for the squadron, the new-build CSS Patryk Mazur was released from her space trials and assigned to the squadron. Jan made Patryk Mazur her flagship, and requested and got Captain Bev Bhatia for her flag captain. Bhatia had been out of the zone for captain on the Midwest, and she needed a heavy ship command to move up to senior captain. Flag captain of a heavy cruiser squadron for a two-year deployment was icing on the cake.
Bhatia brought some of her staff over from the Midwest, and she and Jan worked on personnel to fill in other slots on the Patryk Mazur and throughout the squadron. They paid particular attention to ship's captains, executive officers, and senior tactical officers on the other ships, as well as hand-picking the entire tactical department for the Patryk Mazur. Jan also picked teaching staff from the Training Department of the Tactical Division at Sigurdsen, who would all go along on the deployment for the classroom training aspect. For the exercises, Jan's squadron would form the opp force.
Jan did most of this work from the planet, while Bhatia was on Patryk Mazur. They had established such a rapport on the Nils Isacsson and Hu Mingli, reinforced by the recent Feirm operation, that this worked for them where it might not work for others.
Bhatia did take the Patryk Mazur out of the system for two weeks during the two-month period Jan spent organizing the squadron. She didn't feel comfortable spacing in a new-build ship without wringing her out a little, and Jan didn't blame her. They practiced hyperspace transitions, ran the drive up to 100% for a 12-hour period while her crew coped with the constant 1.4 g, and exercised other ship's systems to try to work out the infant mortality on everything they could.
With two weeks left to go for departure, Jan and Bill moved aboard into the admiral's cabin on the flag deck. As usual, Bill also took a guest quarters down the hall to have a private workspace.
Within an hour of moving aboard, with Bill down the hall moving in his things, Jan's door buzzer sounded. It was Senior Chief Kmiecic.
"Senior Chief! We meet again."
"Yes, Ma'am. The Captain brought me across from the Midwest."
"Well, then I know the ship will be in good hands."
"Yes, Ma'am, I hope so. We've got some green wood aboard, but we'll get them shipshape on the quick. Admiral, Ma'am, we were wondering if you would do us the honor of joining us for a little 'welcome aboard' dinner in the Chief's Mess this evening. You and Admiral Campbell both, Ma'am."
"We'd be delighted to, Senior Chief. We wouldn't miss it for the world."
"Yes, Ma'am. Thank you, Ma'am."
Over the next two years, the squadron made port in Waldheim, Courtney, Natchez, Meili, Bliss, Hutan, Mountainhome, and Shaanti. The Sigurdsen training team taught classes on the Fleet Book, after which Jan's squadron put them through their paces until they could perform maneuvers with their eyes closed. At that point they moved on.
The first two to three weeks in a new location, Jan's squadron would patrol to cover the system while the command crews of the ships on station were in training. They split, with one division on the northern approaches and one on the southern. Once the classroom portion was done, the divisions of the squadron went to a two-in-four rotation for planet leave and restocking. After four weeks of exercises, the squadron took another two weeks of planet leave before moving on.
The first two weeks of exercises Jan left to her second in command of the squadron, Senior Captain Brian Dahl aboard the CSS Donal McNee, with her second division. Jan took the second two weeks with her first division.
Bill moved down to the planet on the squadron's arrival, presented his credentials to the Intelligence Division commander on each planet, and then started digging in to what they were doing, and how, and why. They knew he was coming, and there were never issues with his authority, but people were nervous. His relaxed attitude and just-routine, no-worries approach put people at ease, but it didn't keep him from being thorough.
The result was that Jan and Bill had a month together on board during crossings, and then planet-leave visits in the third, fourth, seventh, and eighth weeks in each system. And then they moved.
After two years and eight systems, the Patryk Mazur and her consorts headed home to Sigurdsen.
Commanding Officer of Task Force 32
Vice Admiral Durand and Admiral Birken were having their early morning meeting.
"Did you see Captain Campbell's report on Shaanti?" Durand asked.
"Yes. It looks like we need to replace another planetary intelligence commander. What is that now? Four?" Birken asked.
"No, just three. In Natchez and Bliss we replaced the intelligence commander based on his earlier reports."
"Retirement, wasn't it?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Well, I guess it's good we know where the problems are. Or were, rather. Also nice to know the other five were doing pretty well, all things considered," Birken said.
"Yes, and in a couple of those, we arranged follow-up visits to help them clean up minor things. So we've tightened up a lot on those planets. Good work all around."
"Jake, what makes me think you're building up to something?"
"Because you know me so well, Sir. We need to consider what Captain Campbell does now. What's the one thing he doesn't have?" Durand asked.
"Planetary intelligence responsibility."
"Exactly what I was thinking, Sir. So I got in touch with Admiral Stepic to see what we could work out. I figured we might coordinate in advance. The Grand Tour worked out really well for them, too, and he figures he owes Admiral Childers one. What he wants for her next is planetary responsibility on the tactical side. Command the task force assigned to system defense. And she's getting her third star."
"That could work out well with Campbell if we could agree on a planet," Birken said.
"Exactly, Sir."
"What planet did you come up with?"
"Kodu, Sir. Stepic wants to rotate Vice Admiral Deshpande out. He's been there two years," Durand said.
"Isn't Rear Admiral Gorski the intelligence commander there? I thought he was doing a good job."
"Oh, he is, Sir. But he's also a bit over two years from retirement, and Shaanti is his home world."
"Ah. Now I see the shape of your devious plans. Admiral Childers rotates out Deshpande,
Captain Campbell rotates out Admiral Gorski, and we put Gorski, who's a seasoned hand, on Shaanti to clean things up, which he will absolutely love because he can retire in place when he punches his ticket for twenty-four," Birken said.
"Yes, Sir."
"And Admiral Stepic is good with this?"
"Yes, Sir."
"And we give Captain Campbell his second star?"
"Yes, Sir. It's a rear admiral's berth. It's a little early, but he did a great job for us on the Grand Tour, and it gave him a planetary view. Eight of them, in fact," Durand said.
"Which is where we started. All right. I'm good with all of this. Let's see if we can't coordinate with Tactical Division again. Get them their orders the same day."
"Yes, Sir."
"Eight planets in two years, Admiral. That's a quarter of the Commonwealth. Outstanding," Admiral Stepic said.
"Thank you, Sir. I enjoyed it."
"And in the process you got to meet a lot of the other senior field commanders and their staffs. You probably know as many people in the CSF at this point as I do."
Jan laughed.
"Oh, somehow I doubt that, Sir."
"Well, close. Anyway, it was well done. We've finally gotten out in front of fully implementing the Fleet Book of Maneuvers across the service. It's taken us almost five years, but we're finally buttoned up on it. And outer colony navies, for the most part, are leaving us alone."
"For the most part, Sir?"
"Well, I do have a system I'm worried about. Kodu is a commercial powerhouse in the Commonwealth. Some of its outer colony neighbors don't appreciate that. Their diplomats have been screaming about it, and the Foreign Minister basically shrugged his shoulders. I think they may be getting upset enough somebody might try to pull something out there.
"You're up for promotion, Admiral, and I have higher screaming at me to do it. You already commanded a task force with four squadrons in the Feirm situation, so I was thinking promotion to Vice Admiral, commanding Task Force 32, stationed on Kodu.
"What do you think?"
Childers Page 22