Valor At Vauzlee (A Galaxy Unknown - Book 2) Read online

  After finishing her bath, and polishing off two more pieces of fruit, she fixed her hair and then worked on applying her makeup. The pigmentation changes programmed into her DNA were starting to make their appearance, so it took surprisingly little makeup to achieve the subdued look she desired. As time passed, it would take even less, and then none, unless she wished to either highlight some facial feature, or make her natural coloration appear more subdued. When she was satisfied, she finished getting dressed, applied a hint of fragrance, and left for the lobby in the Bachelor Officer Quarters. The chronometer on the wall opposite the elevator indicated that it was two minutes before 1900 hours.

  Lt. Commander Spence entered the lobby just as Jenetta stepped from the lift car. The handsome six-foot one-inch JAG officer spotted her, smiled, then stopped in his tracks. The smile disappeared and he hesitated for a few seconds before continuing on to greet her.

  "What's going on, Ensign?" he asked as he reached her, concern clearly evident on his face. "Why are you wearing Lieutentant Commander's bars, and medal ribbons?"

  Jenetta looked up into his trenchant cobalt-blue eyes and smiled innocently. "I was promoted today," she said simply.

  Spence's first response was to run his right hand lightly over his short blond hair. Jenetta had observed the mannerism previously and knew it evinced a feeling of discomfort. "Promoted three grades? That's a bit— unusual."

  "That's essentially what I said to Admiral Holt, but he and Admiral Margolan put the rank insigna on me anyway— personally. Admiral Holt said that since advancement from ensign to lieutenant(jg) is not really a promotion in the usual sense, but simply an upgrade at the discretion of a commanding officer when the new officer is considered deserving, it's really only a two grade promotion. He said that by promoting me two grades, Space Command was just making up for the years that the Promotions Selection Board had skipped over my name because they believed me to be deceased."

  "And the two medal ribbons?"

  "The SC Star was awarded posthumously following the explosion of the Hokyuu, but the record has been amended and I'm entitled to wear it in recognition for the almost eleven years that I spent asleep in the escape pod. The Purple Heart was awarded for the broken arm I suffered during the retaking of the Prometheus."

  "And the collar pip?"

  "For recovering the Prometheus from the Raiders and returning it to Space Command, I'm being recognized as his first commanding officer. Although largely an honorary appointment, it's nevertheless official, so I received the pip as de jure recognition of being the commanding officer of an active duty warship."

  Lt. Commander Spence had dropped his arm to his side as she explained. "Congratulations, Commander," he said smiling, when she was done. "I'm sure that the pip will only be the first of many in a long and distinguished career."

  "Thank you, Commander," she said smiling widely. "I hope you're right."

  "You look wonderful, by the way."

  "Thank you."

  "I'm surprised by your choice of uniform. I thought that you didn't wear skirts and stockings?"

  "I've had a change of heart. Lately I find them more comfortable than I used to."

  "Shall we go?" Lt. Commander Spence asked, extending his left elbow.

  "I'm ready," Jenetta said, as she slipped her right hand beneath his crooked arm.

  Exiting the BOQ lobby, they turned left in the wide walkway and headed for lifts that would deliver them to the concourse level.

  "What else did they have to say?" Lt. Commander Spence asked as they strolled.

  "Who, the admirals?"

  "Yes."

  "Oh, there were a few other things. I'll tell you over dinner," Jenetta said demurely.

  "Alright. I've made reservations at a little place called Gregory's for 1930. The food is always excellent and the service is without peer on the station."

  "Wonderful. But what'll we do until then?"

  "Let's go down and see how busy they are. Perhaps they can fit us in early."

  Gregory's, located on the shopping concourse in the civilian section of the base, was only a ten minute walk from the BOQ.

  "How long have you been in the service, Commander?" Jenetta asked as they walked towards the restaurant.

  "Now that we're technically in a civilian area, may I suggest we use first names?"

  Jenetta smiled. "Okay, Zane."

  "Do you prefer Jenetta, or something else?"

  "My friends call me Jen."

  "Jen it is. I have seventeen years of commissioned service, Jen. I graduated from NHSA in May of 2250."

  "2250? Then you must know my brother, Richie. He was in the NHSA class of 2250."

  Commander Spence stopped walking and turned to face Jenetta. The look of unbridled surprise on his face made her giggle. "I don't believe it. Richie Carver is your brother? We roomed on the same floor in Wilcox Hall. I didn't even know that he had a younger sister. I only knew about his older brother, Billy, who was an upper classman while we were there, and about Andy and Jimmy who were two years behind us."

  "It's understandable that he never mentioned me. Lots of older brothers would prefer to forget all about their kid sisters; and my brothers are no exception to the rule. As the baby of the family, and the only girl, I spent most of my childhood years trying to prove myself and be accepted as an equal. It was an uphill battle all the way, and I never really succeeded."

  "I can appreciate that, somewhat. I have an older brother and I followed him around like a little lost puppy dog, always hoping he'd allow me to play with him and his friends. They rarely did." Commander Spence turned to continue walking and Jenetta followed his lead. "So you're one of those Carvers? I think that I understand you a bit better now. Your brothers never do things halfway. I'm sure you know that they were all linebackers on the football team at the Academy, but did you know that the coach at the Academy even named a play after them. It was a defensive blitz designed for situations where we expected the other team's offense to execute a pass play. It was called the Carver Charge. Your brothers are all so tall and strong that they could penetrate almost any offensive line like it wasn't there. If they couldn't go through it, they went over it. If the opposing team's quarterback was the least bit slow in getting the ball off, he either had to eat it or lose it. You take after them."

  "I rather think that we all take after my father. He's retired now, but he was a frigate captain when he was separated from service at the mandatory space retirement age. Actually— we come from a long line of Space Command officers. My great-great-grandfather was a lieutenant on the Severance, the first ship to break the light speed barrier, during its space trials and first several years of FTL service. We're just following along in the family tradition. Andy and Jimmy are lieutenants, but both are on the selection list for lieutenant commander promotions. Richie's a lieutenant commander, and Billy's just recently made commander."

  "That's great. I hope to make commander myself within the next few years. The exposure from your court-martial defense should put me in good stead with the Promotions Selection Board."

  "I hope so; you did a wonderful job. I was most impressed, and I appreciate everything that you did for me."

  "It was my pleasure. Ah, here's the restaurant. I think that you'll like this place."

  The retro appearance of the restaurant compared favorably to the other dining establishments lining the promenade. Instead of the usual collection of floating ‘oh-gee' geometric lights, glitzy chrome, and flashing fluorescent colors currently in vogue, Gregory's had the subdued but elegant look of expensive restaurants from Earth's twentieth century. Real wood veneer had been brought to the station for the construction of the interior, and then stained to a red walnut color. The earth tones of red, yellow, and brown were pervasive throughout the establishment. One of the few visible concessions to modernity was the opposed gravity seating, but the upper assembles of the floating chairs still retained a traditional twentieth century appearance.

  Upon entering the establishment, Jenetta and Zane observed that a couple of dozen people were waiting to be seated. From the bored expressions in evidence, it appeared they had been waiting for some time.

  "It looks like we're not going to get seated early," Zane lamented. "In fact, we'll probably have to wait for quite a while beyond our reservation time. Would you like to go elsewhere?"

  "Where else would we go?"

  "I'll find out," he said as he extended a finger towards the Space Command ring on his right hand. When an officer touches his or her ring, it signals the station's computer to establish a voice transmission carrier wave. "Commander Jerrod Tomlins," he said, looking at Jenetta. After another several seconds, he said, "Jer, do me a favor. Check the current availability of seating at restaurants on the concourse."

  "He's checking," Zane said to Jenetta, then, "Yeah, that's great. Thanks, Jer. Talk to you later. Spence out."

  To Jenetta, he said, "Constantine's, the Greek restaurant just down the concourse, is seating patrons immediately. The food's not quite as good as Gregory's, but they give you a good meal for your credits."

  Jenetta thought for a second before responding. "Let's wait for a few minutes and see how the queue moves here. It's not our reservation time yet."

  "Okay."

  "You employ your cranial transducer for personal use?"

  "Not for extended communications, but in certain instances, like finding sustenance, no one is going to fault you. The computer will break in to report the fact if another caller is attempting to contact you, and priority messages will always override any call."

  Jenetta nodded. "When my CT was implanted at the Academy, I was told never to use it except for important Space Command business."

  "Yes, I know, but that's just t
o keep twelve-hundred plus kids from overtaxing the system at the Academy. They also have to monitor the communications there pretty closely to ensure that no one uses it for cheating on exams."

  "Tell me about it! During my freshman year they caught two students from my dorm. They were summoned to the commandant's office, and we never saw them again. A store's clerk came to pack up their things because they had been sent home immediately; with emphasis on the immediately. We heard later that the pair had initiated a carrier before entering the test center, and were in constant communication during an exam, passing answers back and forth in Morse code by lightly tapping a pencil behind their left ear, where the CT would pick up the sounds."

  Jenetta had been studying the interior décor of the restaurant as they stood talking in the foyer, and was musing about the effect of furnishings on the appetite when Gregory spotted them and hurried over. The short, dark-haired restaurateur was always on the alert for the presence of important visitors in his reception area, and at all times kept one or more tables in reserved status so that important persons, even those without the foresight to make reservations, would not have to be turned away.

  "Commander Carver, congratulations on your promotion," Gregory said effusively as he approached Jenetta and Zane. "I just heard about it this afternoon. I was hoping that you'd come in tonight to celebrate, but I wasn't aware that you would be in Commander Spence's party. Come in, please, I have your table all ready for you."

  "Thank you, Gregory," she said as they followed him to an empty table with a reserved sign.

  "Here you are, Commanders," Gregory said, as he picked up the reserved sign and slipped it beneath his arm. "Your waiter will be with you in just a minute. Enjoy your meal."

  They both thanked him and Gregory quickly hurried off to greet someone else as Zane seated Jenetta.

  "Gregory always seems to know what the grapevine is saying, even before the grapevine is saying it," Zane said, as he sat down. "If he knows about your promotion, then I guess it's official."

  Jenetta looked at him uneasily. "You didn't believe me when I told you?"

  A pained expression immediately shrouded Zane's face, and he said ruefully, "Yes, I did. I'm sorry. I was just trying to be witty."

  Jenetta, feeling guilty for being so quick to challenge, said contritely, "It's okay, Zane. I guess that I'm just a little too sensitive after what I've been through the past month, with so many people appearing to doubt my every word."

  Uneasy after committing the solecism, Zane groped for a new topic of conversation. "I, ah, had no idea that you and Gregory were friends. I feel foolish for assuming that I was bringing you someplace new."

  "We've only met once. Last Friday, after the verdict was announced, I came here for lunch with my friends from the Vordoth."

  The waiter assigned to their table arrived then, and stayed while they selected from the menu, answering questions about the offerings and taking their order. He hurried into the kitchen to place their orders, but returned quickly with a bottle of wine.

  "Complements of Gregory, Commanders," he said, as he made a flamboyant production of pulling the cork before pouring a small sample for Commander Spence to taste. The semi-dry Maulon wine from the Sebastian Colony was of excellent vintage, and Zane nodded after taking a sip and swirling it around in his mouth. The waiter then filled Zane's glass halfway before pouring Jenetta's wine. With that, he gently settled the wine bottle into the wine bucket beside the table, bowed deeply, and left.

  Zane lifted his glass. "I propose a toast to your promotion, Commander."

  "Thank you, Zane."

  After they had sipped from their glasses, Zane asked, "What else did the admirals have to say today?"

  "I've received a new posting. I'm to be the second officer aboard the Prometheus. We'll be returning to Earth shortly."

  "Oh," Zane said forlornly, disappointment written across his face. "Congratulations. I knew that you had received a shipboard posting when I noticed the line officer insignia on your collar, but I had hoped that it might be to a ship assigned to this deca-sector."

  "But it is," Jenetta said. "Following the ship's official launching and my medal ceremony, the Prometheus will call Higgins its home port."

  "Medal ceremony? Haven't they already awarded you the medals? You're wearing the ribbons."

  "I'm talking about the other one."

  "Other one?"

  "Yes, the Medal of Honor for infiltration of a Raider base, recovering the two stolen battleships, and then destroying their base of operations."

  Zane's eyes grew wide. He had been swirling his wine gently in his glass. He put the wineglass down now and sat back in his chair. "Medal of Honor?! Why didn't you tell me about that?"

  Smiling coyly, Jenetta said, "I wanted to save something to talk about over dinner."

  "Now I'm really confused. They went to all the trouble to court-martial you, and then they promote you three grades and decorate you with the Galactic Alliance's highest honor. I'm beginning to wonder if I did such a marvelous job after all."

  "Of course you did. Can you imagine the repercussions on morale if they just shunted me off into a corner after making such a production of my activities during the past year? You brought so much support my way from the Space Command personnel who saw the live vid broadcast that Supreme HQ didn't dare not reward me. They had to show that my contribution was appreciated."

  "Perhaps," he said halfheartedly. "Did they say why they even court-martialed you in the first place?"

  "It's not important. I'm so happy that I don't care anymore. I've been posted to the best ship in the fleet, and as second officer, I'll have the watch during part of each day."

  "I'm happy for you. You seem to be getting everything that you've wanted. The medal ceremony will be held as soon as you reach Earth?"

  "I imagine so. It's to be held preceding the official launching of the Prometheus. Then we go to Nordakia because they want to give me something called the— the Too-da-loo Medal, or something."

  "Too-da-loo Medal?" Zane said chortling. "You mean the Tawroolee Medal of Valor?"

  "I guess that could be it, I suppose. I've never heard of it before and my head was already swimming from the news of my promotion and new posting when Admiral Holt informed me."

  "You probably haven't heard of it before because you were in stasis sleep when we made first contact with the Nordakians. Their home planet is quite remote and they stay pretty much to themselves. We'd never encountered them until one of our patrol ships observed a spacecraft entering their home world's solar system and followed along to investigate. They've only colonized the one planet, Obotymot, as a possible hedge against future food shortages as their population grows. It seems that their priesthood actively works to dissuade anyone from pursuing a career in space. You really should take some time to study their history, especially since they're going to be honoring you. Jen, the Tawroolee Medal of Valor is a great honor. It's their top military tribute. Like our Space Command Cross, it's second only to the Medal of Honor awarded by the Galactic Alliance Council." Scrunching up his face slightly, Zane said, "I can't recall ever hearing of any Terran military people being honored by the Nordakians before."

  "I guess that I'm to be the first, according to one of my friends. I do intend to study up on the Nordakian culture, though. I'll have three months to read about it on the way to Earth and then almost four more before we reach Nordakia. That should be adequate time to learn about their society in reasonable depth."

  The meal was superb and the couple continued to talk about the medals and the Nordakians as they dined. When they had finished their food and requested the bill, Gregory returned to the table.

  "Did you enjoy your meal, Commanders?" he asked.

  "It was simply wonderful, Gregory," Jenetta said. "Please extend my compliments to your kitchen staff."

  "Thank you, Commander. Your meals are compliments of the restaurant tonight, in honor of your promotion and the Medal of Honor that you will soon receive on Earth."

  "Thank you, Gregory. That's very nice of you."

  "I was wondering if I might ask a favor. Could you pose for a picture that we might display here in the restaurant in celebration for your having visited us on this memorable occasion?"

  "Of course."