Command Decision (48 page)
Authors: Elizabeth Moon
“And neither are you,” Martin said. He and Hugh exchanged glances; Ky could feel their approval.
Ky used the shipboard ansibles to call the other captains.
“What is it?” Ransome asked. He was still flushed from the party. “Have you decided whether or not to take a commission with them? Nice fellows, all, but I think they’re too straitlaced for me.”
“We’re leaving here as soon as we can,” Ky said. “If we didn’t have to make intermediate jumps that put us at risk if the pirates happen to be there, I’d leave tomorrow, but we will complete loading the munitions Mackensee is giving us.”
“So…you know where we’re going next?” Ransome asked.
“Yes. But the destination will not be given to you until we’re near the jump point, and even then in a unique code on a channel we hope is still secure.”
“We’ve found the enemy?” Pettygrew asked.
“No. But we’ve found allies.”
“Really?” Argelos raised his brows. “That’s welcome news.”
“Our allies need to be provided with the onboard ansibles I’m carrying. The concentration of ships necessary for that to happen would be a very attractive target. That’s why secrecy is so important.”
“How many ships are we getting?” Argelos asked. “Ten? Even…fifteen?”
“At least thirty-seven,” Ky said. “Assuming they all get to us safely.”
“Thirty-seven!” Argelos and Pettygrew glanced at each other. “That has to be a government—no one else could mount that many ships unless it’s a big merc company like this one. And I can’t see them giving us that many.”
“It is government,” Ky said. “But I’m not prepared to say which ones.”
“
Ones
plural? So we really are going to be a multisystem force?”
“Looks that way. My source is reliable for…some of them, and there’s speculation about others. I should’ve ordered more seals.” Ky grinned at them. “So…last chance to bail out. I’ll understand if you’d rather stay with Mackensee—” She looked at Pettygrew. “—or go off on your own.” That look for Ransome and Baskerville.
“I wouldn’t miss this for anything,” Ransome said. “Of course I’m coming with you.” Baskerville nodded enthusiastically, his hair flopping down on his forehead.
“And I,” Pettygrew said. “Mackensee seems to be a decent enough organization, but I want to stay with you.”
“Slotter Key sticks together,” Argelos said. “And my former adviser says you promoted him, so he’s yours.”
Ky felt a wave of emotion—joy and excitement and affection all mixed—washing away the depression and exhaustion of the past few days. She wanted to think of something stirring to say, but nothing came to her. Teddy Ransome, not surprisingly, spoke up.
“I could almost feel sorry for them,” he said. “The pirates, I mean. They won’t know what hit them.”
Ky laughed, the last tension gone for now. “Tomorrow,” she said. “We’ll start on that tomorrow.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Former Marine E
LIZABETH
M
OON
is the author of many novels, including
Engaging the Enemy, Marque and Reprisal, Trading in Danger
, the Nebula Award winner
The Speed of Dark
, and
Remnant Population
, a Hugo Award finalist. After earning a degree in history from Rice University, Moon earned a degree in biology from the University of Texas, Austin. She lives in Florence, Texas.
Also by Elizabeth Moon
T
HE
D
EED OF
P
AKENARRION
Sheepfarmer’s Daughter
Divided Allegiance
Oath of Gold
T
HE
L
EGACY OF
G
IRD
Surrender None
Liar’s Oath
P
LANET
P
IRATES (WITH
A
NNE
M
C
C
AFFREY)
Sassinak
Generation Warriors
Remnant Population
*
T
HE
S
ERRANO
L
EGACY
Hunting Party
Sporting Chance
Winning Colors
Once a Hero
Rules of Engagement
Change of Command
Against the Odds
The Speed of Dark
*
V
ATTA’S
W
AR
Trading in Danger
*
Marque and Reprisal
*
Engaging the Enemy
*
S
HORT-FICTION COLLECTIONS
Lunar Activity
Phases
*
Published by Ballantine Books
Command Decision
is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2007 by Elizabeth Moon
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Del Rey Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
D
EL
R
EY
is a registered trademark and the Del Rey colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Moon, Elizabeth.
Command decision / Elizabeth Moon.
p. cm. —(Vatta’s war)
1. Life on other planets—Fiction. 2. Space warfare—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3563.O557C66 2007
813'.54—dc22
2006049858
eISBN: 978-0-345-49808-3
v3.0