by Drew Avera
The words lingered for several solemn moments. “Chuck’s testimony in the tribunal corroborated many theories that the war that took place on Karnak had ties to the Heshian uprising and their plans to dissolve the Consulate. The black stain on the Consulate's past had been a ruse all along, and it sacrificed millions of lives for political leverage. I’ll be glad when all of this is put behind us and we can move on with peace.”
"Captain Dickson," Auden said as she took a step towards them. "Thank you for your letter of recommendation. The Academy accepted me. I class up next term."
Dickson smiled. "I'm happy to hear that, Auden. If you’re anything like your old man, you'll be a great officer in the Consulate," Dickson said. "But, how does your mother feel about you joining the ranks?"
"It’s going to take some getting used to," Kevin replied as he pulled back another shot of whiskey and then set the glass back down. "She’s supportive, but she also doesn't want to see her little girl ship off for the military."
"I can understand that, given the circumstances. Still, the Consulate has a lot to offer and it’s cleaning house right now. I don't think we'll see the level of corruption that we've noticed over the years."
"I certainly hope you're right about that," Kevin replied. "I’d like to retire knowing that the Consulate is a better place for my kids."
Dickson scoffed and then handed his glass back to Kevin. "Retirement? You are becoming an old man, aren’t you?"
Kevin chuckled at the joke. "I appreciate what you did to get me the cushy desk job, but we both know I belong on a scout ship free of the burden of politics." He glanced out the window to see the base. His job had little to do with training or making policy decisions. It was purely budgeting finances for technological advances of the spacecraft. From a policy point of view, the new tech was a great thing. However, what I wouldn’t give to be one of those who get a chance to enjoy it, he thought.
"This is a two-year billet, Kevin. You either draft your retirement paperwork because you're bored of desk duty, or you do it because the time is right. Besides, you never know what the future may hold. There's still an option to take command of a ship if you decide you want to go the command route," Dickson said. Kevin knew he was pushing him to step up and take the promotion, but family life was more important to him right now.
"I think you know my answer to that, Captain," Kevin replied with a sheepish grin.
Dickson frowned but not because he was sad to hear the response. They had this same discussion many times, mostly over drinks, but certainly not with the ordeal they had just gone through shadowing over them. If anything, current events would only push him closer to declining a command, not that Dickson could blame him. "All right," Dickson said. "I won’t push you anymore. Either way, you should enjoy the short time. Especially with your daughter shipping off to the Academy in a few months."
Kevin smiled. "Thank you for understanding."
"Captain Dickson," Auden said, drawing his attention to her. "I have an invitation for our graduation tomorrow night. Would you like to attend?"
Dickson shot a sideways glance at Kevin. "Of course, I’ll attend your graduation, Auden. It would be an honor," he said.
"Thank you,” she replied with a smile. “If you’ll please excuse me, I need to go take care of a few things."
Kevin watched his daughter walk out of the office leaving the two men alone. "She doesn't know, does she?" Dickson asked.
Kevin shook his head. "Nope, I thought it best for you to tell her. Though I have to say, I was surprised that you would give up command of the destroyer to take command of the Academy. It sounds like a boring job to me and I’m about to be in charge of budgeting," Kevin replied jokingly.
Dickson shrugged. "I just need a change of pace. I’ve been burning through space so long that I almost forgot what it's like to be around people. Besides, if I’m ever going to settle down, I won't be able to do it while turning and burning."
"Are you going to tell her that you’re taking command of the Academy, or will it be a surprise when she gets there?" Kevin asked.
"Let’s surprise her,” he said with a grin. "Besides, I don't want her to think she got in because she saved the commanding officer's life."
"Didn't she?" Kevin asked with a smirk.
Dickson scoffed. "It didn't hurt, but that’s all I’m going to say about that." He extended his hand to Kevin and the commander took it. "See you tomorrow, Commander. Seriously, enjoy the desk duty. You deserve a job where you don't get shot at."
Dickson nodded before releasing his grip on the Captain's hand. "That makes two of us."
Acknowledgments
This is the first book I’ve written and published in the last year due to some significant constraints in my personal life. There was a solid six months where I was certain I was finished as an author, but my love for storytelling held on for dear life…and I’m glad that it did. I weathered the storm and came through it with a rejuvenated and inspired outlook on what I wanted to do next.
This is the first book with my new lease on writing.
Thankfully, I had a few friends help me and I want to show my appreciation for them here.
First, Rick Partlow is an inspiration. He’s a friend and collaborated with me on the Broken Arrow Mercenary Force series. His drive and enthusiasm is contagious, and I think that had a lot to do with my wanting to keep going despite what I was going through last year.
Next, Terry Mixon turned me onto using dictation to get my words done. He shared a lot of his tips and tricks which led me to dipping my toes back into writing. I appreciate his advice and that little bit of inspiration turned into a drive to write a new series.
Last, but not least, I had a team of people help me with the proofreading. The science behind dictation software is amazing, but when you have a bit of an accent, or fail to annunciate correctly, transcribing your recordings in Dragon can be disastrous. Despite several edits, there were more than a few misses that snuck their way into the final draft. I want to thank Gary, Trish, William, and Chuck for helping me polish this book. Like food on a Navy ship, this book was not yet fit for human consumption, lol.
I want to thank you for reading. I hope that you enjoyed it.
For anyone out there who is dealing with depression and anxiety, just know that there’s light on the other side of the storm. I know what you’re going through.
About the Author
Drew Avera is a Navy veteran and the bestselling author of The Dead Planet Series and The Alorian Wars. He lives in Virginia with his wife, kids, and two cats who allow him to pet them from time to time.
Visit www.drewavera.com for more about Drew and his books. Be sure to sign up for his newsletter for updates on new releases.
Also by Drew Avera
The Alorian Wars
The Dead Planet Series
The Syndicate Series
Broken Arrow Mercenary Force
Consulate