Engaging the Enemy Read Free Page B

identity no matter what the papers said. “Yes,” Ky said instead. “Simple, but something that can scale up.”
    â€œBased on Vatta tradition, or…” His voice trailed off; he eyed her as he munched on the flakes.
    Ky shook her head. “Until we take care of whoever’s been attacking Vattas, the old protocols aren’t any good. Sure, we need our tradeships back at work hauling cargo and making money, but we can’t count on that until we aren’t being blown up, shot at, and all the rest. I’m thinking small fleet. I have two ships now. I’m reasonably sure that not all Vatta ships have been destroyed; as we find them, we can bring them into the plan.”
    â€œWe. Meaning you?”
    â€œWe meaning me, my cousin Stella, and you, Martin. And the rest of the crews.”
    â€œBut with you in command.” No doubt in his voice at all.
    â€œYes,” Ky said. “I am the only Vatta I know of with the right training.”
    â€œYeah. I see that…” He ate two more spoonfuls, then put the spoon down. “See here, Captain, you have to understand: my background is supply and security. The security duties grew out of supply and inventory control. I’ve been in a ship in combat, in the Slotter Key System, but I don’t know as much as you need about weapons and tactical things.”
    â€œWhat about that organization stuff?” Ky asked.
    Another spoonful of flakes as he looked thoughtful. Then he nodded again. “I do understand a lot of that. If you’re asking me.”
    â€œMartin, the thing that’s bothered me since I first took command of
Gary Tobai,
back when she was the
Glennys Jones,
is the lack of a clear chain of command on civilian traders. Sure, the captain’s the boss, but who’s next? On the smaller ships, it’s a muddle. Muddles in war get people killed.”
    â€œSo what is it you want me to do?”
    â€œTake over training new crew into capable combat-ready crews. Find me some weapons specialists—if you don’t know the weaponry, I’ll bet you know personnel and can spot the good ones. Help me get this ship organized and ready.”
    He was nodding along with her words. “Yes, ma’am, I can certainly do that. And I can spend this transit with my head in a cube reader learning the manuals on this ship’s weapons, too. I just never had the chance before.”
    â€œI know I need a second in command, an exec. I wondered if you—”
    He was shaking his head now. “No, ma’am. I’m not the right person for that. I might’ve made a good senior NCO if I’d kept my nose clean, might even have made a good sergeant major, but I’m a hands-on, feet-in-the-dirt person. The air gets too thin for me in officer country.”
    â€œFor now, anyway,” Ky said. “You might surprise yourself later. So—what do you think of the other personnel aboard?”
    â€œYour pilot’s good,” he said. “He should shape up with a bit more training—I don’t suppose you’d tell them all to get in the gym every day for some physical training?”
    â€œOf course,” Ky said. “Good idea.”
    â€œThat kid Toby’s awfully young, but he’s smart and hardworking. Can’t always tell at that age.”
    â€œI hope to get Toby back in school as soon as we can find a safe place,” Ky said. Right now she couldn’t think of a safe place, but surely she could find something better than the very obvious target they were in.
    â€œJim’s coming along—”
    â€œThanks to you,” Ky said.
    Martin shrugged. “Typical young lout,” he said. “All he needs is discipline and training; he’s got the right instincts most times, though that stupid dog made me wonder. Not officer material, though. Alene’s better suited to civilian work than military, but she might fool me in another