Impulse Read Free Page A

head.
    â€œGood,” Wesley said, preparing to bring the conference to a close. I interrupted before he could finish.
    â€œI’ll want some of my cadet instructors with me on this mission, people I’ve worked with and know that I can trust,” I said to Wesley. I may have been under new orders, but I still had cards to play. Wesley looked aggravated at me for interrupting him.
    â€œI’ll need names, Lieutenant,” he said back impatiently.
    â€œGeorge Layton for one. John Marker for another,” I said, naming my best helm officer and marine corporal. “I’ll need a tech, Brice Devlin should do. Cort Drury from Propulsion, and Evangeline Goolagong as my Intel officer.”
    â€œAnyone else?” asked Wesley, obviously impressed with my forwardness.
    â€œYes,” I said. “Jenny Hogan from Astrogation.”
    â€œNo,” cut in my father.
    â€œBut she’s the best we’ve got,” I insisted, and it was true. She also happened to be Wesley’s niece.
    â€œShe may be,” said Wesley over the viewer. “But I’ve got someone else in mind for that job.” I wondered who he meant, but that didn’t stop me from pressing him.
    â€œSo this mission is safe enough for the director’s son but not the supreme commander’s niece?” I said back to Wesley. He fumed in silence, turning different shades of red as he stared down at me from the oversized view screen, but I held my ground.
    â€œGranted,” he finally said. “I’ll fill the rest of the roster with experienced spacers, Lieutenant. You won’t want for good advice.” I nodded. There was really nothing more to say.
    â€œThere is one more thing,” said my father. He slid a box across the table to me. I opened the top. Inside, swimming in royal blue velvet, were two lieutenant commander’s collar pins. “They belonged to your brother.”
    They’re giving me Derrick’s stars
, I thought.
    â€œThis assignment comes with a promotion,” said Wesley from the screen. “I know it’s a small consolation.” He was right about that. I shut the box again and stuck it in my pocket, then looked to each man in turn.
    â€œWhen do I leave?” I asked. It was Wesley who spoke again. It seemed very clear to me now who was in charge of this mission.
    â€œEffective at midnight tonight your commission is transferred from
H.M.S.
Starbound
to
H.M.S. Impulse
. You have two hours to pack your gear and catch a shuttle to High Station Quantar, where you will have a forty-eight hour layover while you wait for transport. From there you will proceed to High Station Candle on the cloud rim and will report to the deck of
Impulse
, under the command of Captain Lucius Zander, at 0700 hours on twelve-dot-two-seven-dot-two-seven-six-eight. Do you understand your orders, Commander?” he said. It was the first time he had used my new rank.
    I roused myself from my funk and stood, snapping to attention. “I do, sir,” I said. He nodded his response.
    â€œNow I’ll leave the two of you to finish your visit in privacy,” he said. “Good luck to you, Commander Cochrane.”
    â€œThank you, Admiral,” I said. Wesley nodded to my father and then the screen went to black, superimposed with the seal of the Quantar Naval Linkworks. My father turned off the viewer with the click of a button.
    â€œI’m so sorry about all this, Peter,” he said as I sat back down, sinking heavily into the chair, the weight of all that had just happened hitting me hard.
    â€œNo need to apologize, sir,” I replied.
    â€œI think there is,” he said. Silence came over both of us then. I thought about Natalie, about how young and beautiful she had been. I had reconciled myself to losing her to the service months ago once I knew her assignment, but not permanently. Then thoughts of Derrick came. It had been his death in a shuttle