Free Fleet #03 No Rest for the Wicked Read Free Page B

Salchar, who'd had a talk with Min Hae, getting him to lighten up a little. Now Monk had to see if he could mutter a few words into Salchar's ear in an attempt to get him to at least rest before this all kicked off. The battle was coming no matter what, and there was no reason for the commander of the whole thing to be at his limit when it kicked off.
     
     
    Chapter - Holding Back Is Harder Than Rushing in Sometimes
     
     
    Rick looked over his systems. Nothing different , he surmised, as he shifted uncomfortably in James’, no Salchar's, chair.
    There was something about James that changed when he walked onto the Bridge, the way he sat in the very seat Rick was sitting in. He was cold and ruthless, yet there was a care for not only his crew but the fleet underneath that metal. He didn't fight battles. He orchestrated them like some kind of conductor. His music was life and death, a melody of rail cannons, missiles shields, and ships. He sent orders and the creatures of the fleet reacted as if they were Salchar's own body. It was as awesome as it was terrifying.
    Rick spent his time in battle keeping everything flowing. He had the pulses of every ship under his finger. He was merely a relay to Salchar, who took everything in, from whose weapons were in the best condition to the shield levels of every ship, which was summarised by Rick and squirted directly into his command console. Rick and Salchar hardly ever needed to converse now, as Rick constantly updated his commanders’ plot with information he knew he'd find useful.
    Yet now Rick was missing his other half in battle. It was as if he didn't have half of his cannons.’ He was spending every waking minute—and sleeping thanks to the sleep training programs—working on his skills as a fleet commander. It was terrifying the lives he was directly responsible for. When he was second in command his responsibility was compacting and relaying information, working at such a furious pace he didn’t have time to think about the lives that he held in his hands until afterwards. Then there was nothing but regrets that he hadn't been able to do more in order to help those that had been lost.
    Now as a Fleet commander he saw how the erratic pacing of leading a fleet allowed one time to think, time to doubt themselves and reflect on the lives lost. Every decision they made was wrought with the cost of lives it might take.
    How the hell does he do it? Sitting there like some statue as he dives into enemy formations, nothing but the certainty that he will win the battle no matter what.
    Rick knew that wasn't true, he'd spoken to Salchar about all that was lost before. But thinking know he couldn’t help it, that was what he felt.
    James just makes it look so easy, as if he has the easiest job, when in fact it's the hardest. How the hell am I going to come up with any tactics like his? Rick thought as he finished watching a sped up tactical view of a Kalu-Union battle.
    Annoyed he stood.
    “Aleya, take over for me,” he said to his second in command, a lithe Avarian female who crossed to his seat.
    “Taking control,” she said, the natural way she moved speaking of someone that could do a lot of damage with only their hands. Instead of just following in the footsteps of many Avarians, she trained to be a tactical commander. Since there were few spots she'd been slotted as third shift second in command. She spent most of her time around the Tactical area of the bridge, but her time as a commander with the Commanders made her the right choice to fill the second in command slot for the third shift as well.
    Rick was having one hell of a time getting everyone sorted out into their positions.
    Rick stretched as he left the bridge, Wruck following him. Gorjuv his cousin and equally big bastard but more of a joker, and Josein a Chaleelian who switched with him were evidently off. Some of the Chaleelian's had been a bit unsure about the Free Fleet after training, but they'd quickly