First Comes Duty (The Hope Island Chronicles Book 2) Read Free Page B

better than anything else that they belonged to a Telford. Ellie squealed with delight as he scooped her up. Holding her at arm’s length, he recited the old song: “Hellooo baaaby!” She gurgled her approval, then went quiet when he held her close to his beating heart. Whenever he held her in his arms, he felt as if his heart would break from pure joy. Like mother, like daughter.   
    The exercise would cost him sleep at some obscene hour of the following morning, but at the moment he could not care less. 
     

CHAPTER 3
    Date: 8 th September, 321 ASC.
    Position: Monitor Corps base Minos, Planet Crete, office of the commanding officer, Flight Operations.
     
    “You’re kidding!” Captain Palter blurted.
    Worsfold grinned and shook his head.
    “He dodged the bullet in the ambush scenario, then brought his damaged boat into the boat bay sternward? How could he do that with his flight controls out? You did cut his flight controls?”
    “I took his mag plating first, then his engines, one at a time, then his thrusters. I thought I had him.” Worsfold took a sip of his coffee and snorted. “The young buck saw me coming and rerouted stern thrusters to a silent relay.”
    “Didn’t you keelhaul him for not aborting?”
    “I tried to, but he talked me out of it.”
    Palter chuckled.
    “I swear, for a moment I thought he was going to take a swing at me.”
    “Who is this kid?”
    “Oh, Rosie, you should see him: fire and passion clamped down by an iron-willed determination. He’s the best natural pilot I’ve ever seen.”
    “Better than Jenny Teal?”
    Worsfold nodded slowly, staring into his coffee mug.
    “It wasn’t your fault, Henry.”
    “I pushed her too hard.”
    “You push them all hard, that’s your job.”
    “There’s a line you’re not supposed to cross with grommits. I pushed Jenny over that line, and it killed her. I don’t ever want to do that again.”
    “But you will, Henry,” Palter said, her voice turning appropriately formal. “Our sole purpose is to prepare these kids for the real thing, to push them to their limits before they go into a shooting match.” She hated having to say the next words, but as commanding officer, Flight Operations for Minos, being a hard case came with the job. “If you can’t give these kids your very best, you might want to consider taking a shore posting. With Peggy gone these last five years, I’m sure your kids would be pleased to see more of you.”
    Worsfold stared at her without blinking for far too long, then broke eye contact to take a sip of coffee. “Perhaps,” he finally whispered.
    Palter leapt from her chair. “Perhaps, bullshit. Henry, you’re the best CFI and best individual flight instructor I’ve ever worked with. You have consistently turned out the best-trained pilots in the school’s history. And now, because you see a young officer who reminds you of a lost chick, you want to throw it all away. That’s an obscene waste of talent. If this kid … what’s his name?”
    “Nathan Telford.”
    “If Nathan Telford is as good as you say he is, then it is your duty, Commander, to avail him of the most stringent training you can provide. Anything less is inexcusable. Bad for you, bad for him, bad for the Corps. Now wake up to yourself or I’ll have you relieved of flight operations.”
    “On what grounds?”
    “You’ve been dragging your feet ever since Jenny made a very human mistake and got herself killed. It was a tragic accident that you’ve allowed to shackle your better judgment. I’ve reviewed your training schedule for Epsilon Flight, and a blind rat could tell you’ve been playing it safe with these kids. Two weeks of safety protocols before you let them in the sims? That’s crazy! They barely made it through section three, no thanks to you. And you’ve been way too soft on them. That will not do.I’ve let things slide long enough, Henry, but now is the time for you to decide whether you still want the