Amantus
Copyright© 2026 by QM
Chapter 20
Sulli pinned the red tag on my shoulder and returned my salute with a broad grin. “By damn! It’s been a pleasure watching you grow.”
“Been fun adapting to something my former clan would have hated,” Amantus chuckled.
“Former?”
“I’m not on the clan roll, so yes.”
“Yet you can contact them for aid?”
“No, I can contact my mother,” Amantus corrected her. “Any others of the clan would blank me or insult me with unwanted pity.”
“So who was the woman you had a liaison with?” Sulli asked. “I’m only asking because sooner or later it will be flagged by the organisation that monitors involuntaries.”
“My mother’s senior maid, Trisa,” Amantus replied. “My mother was checking if I was managing, and Trisa and I have always ... gotten on well.”
“Ah, I see,” Sulli replied. “Please be careful, I know some of your circumstances, and it would not be a good idea to draw attention to yourself.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“So, he has the device?” Helia asked Trisa as they spoke privately in her secure office.
“He has, though I doubt he’ll use it whilst aboard his ship,” Trisa replied.
“Showing a degree of caution that he would not have used in the past,” Helia nodded.
“Yes, Hisuat.”
“Did you arrange the ... cover story?”
“Yes, Hisuat, the office of involuntary monitoring will simply see a sex starved prior conquest seeking a liaison with a former stud,” Trisa replied with a slight blush.
“It’s the open indiscretion that will hold their attention,” Helia thinly smiled. “And you are the only one I could trust to do so, my friend.”
“He’s quite ... accomplished,” Trisa admitted. “Visiting him will not be a chore.”
“Has he changed so much?” Helia asked.
“He has matured a lot. I suspect that if he gets into a position of power, he will become a force to be reckoned with,” Trisa replied.
“Has he given any indication as to just what he will do?”
“He said his plans are nebulous, but will probably be an attempt to make Fleet both independent of Vreekosian political intrigue and focused upon becoming a true meritocracy.”
“A reasonable goal, though he appears not to have fully thought it through,” Helia nodded. “The only way to remove political intrigue will be by becoming a titular head of the Protectorate, something the senior clans will not permit.”
“He certainly needs to develop a lot more before attempting that,” Trisa smiled.
“He’s in the perfect crucible to do so, however,” Helia observed.
“Indeed so, Hisuat.”
Amantus was relieved to get back to Conveelt. The Talonfire had taken a lot of damage in the battle, none of it particularly serious, but still quite extensive. The losses had hurt the crew, too, though they were mostly veterans now and knew how to cope. This was aided by their victory, which gave them a sense of pride. The Talonfire was ordered to a normal berth, its damage not deemed necessary for a repair dock. Once there, leave was given, and when it was Amantus’s turn, he went as usual to the data library. However, this time he plugged in the device Trisa had given him and used the central register to place a dirac call to the logged address on the call, having checked it would be a working daytime period on Vreekoos. He was held in a queue for several rotations until finally the screen cleared and he faced his mother.
“Amantus, you’re looking well,” Helia spoke first.
“Honoured mother,” Amantus replied. “I am indeed. I hope you are too?”
“I am. Word has reached me of fighting out at Vorang. Were you involved?”
“I was,” Amantus confirmed. “I am forwarding the details of the battle to you, as well as what I know of an ongoing attempt at sabotage of Sixth Fleet by higher echelons, possibly as a safeguard against mutiny at the command level.”
“Sabotage?” Helia frowned.
“Remotely controlled homing emitters,” Amantus confirmed.
“Who else is aware?”
“It has gone as high as Admiral Carse; he is apparently investigating,” Amantus replied.
“How did the battle go from your perspective?”
“The Vinns flotilla performed well with only one serious hit to the ship,” Amantus replied thoughtfully. “Other flotillas of the Fleet, however, struggled as they were unused to proactive measures against an enemy, merely defensive.”
“This caused casualties?”
“It did,” Amantus confirmed. “I suspect Admiral Carse will be arranging training to avert future losses, assuming he can get permission. Though that’s only my impression as I don’t see the whole picture.”
“I see,” Helia nodded. “What is that red thing on your shoulder?”
“A brevet promotion,” Amantus replied. “Temporary only until confirmed.”
“Brevet?”
“It happens mostly after battle, where officers are given a temporary promotion to fill in a dead man’s shoes,” Amantus explained. “No pay increase though, not until a promotions board confirms it. “It’s also the only way the likes of me can gain a promotion, as the other channels are closed to me owing to my circumstances.”
“I see, congratulations.”
“Thank you, mother.”
“Please keep in touch, Amantus,” I’m glad to see you doing so well,” Helia concluded with a smile.
“I will, honoured mother.”
The call had been monitored, though all that the monitor picked up was a conversation between a young man and a startlingly lovely woman, whom a facial scan confirmed had visited the man before. Naturally, it was flagged, but later examinations showed nothing of Fleet was spoken of, just a conversation between two infatuated lovers.
“From the data library, Amantus made his way back to the ship and to his cabin, where he relaxed and studied the information he’d logged out. He also checked the ship’s log, finding he was expected to attend a medal and promotion giving ceremony at the end of the shift. So, Amantus found himself at attention during the ceremony in which several officers got promoted, and all attending, except Amantus, received a campaign pin for taking part in the mission. Having done so, Amantus retired to his bed and slept well, looking forward to the next day.
This started in the usual way: rise, wash and make the bed. Head off to the canteen whilst reading the duty roster, eat and then turn up at his allotted slot for the bridge as he had been assigned comms.
“Reporting for duty, sir,” Amantus informed Veris.
“Good, keep an eye on things; the Commodore and Captain are at a high-level debrief and may need information sent to their perscomps,” Veris replied.
“Yes, sir.”
Veris was correct, occasional datapackets were requested by Sulli and Vinns, along with the day-to-day requests for the various minor repairs that were ongoing. Amantus noticed the slightly higher security protocols for any yard teams entering the Talonfire, with their positions and work monitored at all times and checked by engineering after they left.
“Commodore and Captain have returned, sir,” Amantus warned Veris.
“Thanks for the heads up, inform the various heads of sections,” Veris chuckled.
“Done, sir.”
To Amantus’s surprise, both Sulli and Vinns came to the bridge, taking the salutes of himself and Veris.
“Sub-Commander Amantus, your brevet promotion has been approved; you are now an acting Sub-Commander,” Sulli announced. “Collect your new bar from stores at the end of the shift.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” Amantus saluted again. “I’ll try to be worthy of it.”
“I’m sure you will,” Vinns nodded.
“Unfortunately, it also means we’ll be losing you,” Sulli continued. “Here are your transfer papers to the destroyer Sabre in Commodore Hrilt’s flotilla. You’ll report for duty there in three days.”
“Again, thank you, ma’am,” Amantus replied.
“Just be careful there,” Vinns warned. “Captain Dorce is a by-the-book type and will come down hard on any acts that don’t follow regulations.”
“I’ll be careful, sir,” Amantus nodded.
“He’ll also be smarting because the Sabre performed badly during the scouring of Vorang for not being adaptable during the battle.” Vinns continued. “Commodore Hrilt was the one who ‘requested’ your transfer after reading your assessment given during the promotion request.”
“I doubt I can do much should Captain Dorce insist on standard tactical evaluations, sir,” Amantus replied.
“I know, but I suspect opportunities will arise,” Vinns chuckled. “Dorce knows now that he’s being assessed as well.”
“Yes, sir, I’ll do my best to aid, not antagonise him.”
“Do that,” Vinns nodded. “The experience in dealing with a Captain who does things by the book will be valuable. Just avoid bringing trouble upon yourself by straying beyond the bounds of accepted ... wisdom, at least not until asked to.”
Three days later, Amantus reported to the duty officer at the boarding tube of the Sabre, getting signed in and assigned a cabin.
“From there, you are to report to Captain Dorce in his day cabin immediately,” the Sub-Lieutenant informed Amantus.
Amantus repeated the order, getting an affirmative from the Sub-Lieutenant. Amantus dropped his still sparse gear off in his assigned cabin and went to the bridge, saluting the Commander on duty there.
“Welcome, Sub-Commander, we’ve been expecting you,” the man said. “I’m Commander Tukle. The Captain is in his day cabin.
Amantus went to the door, pressed the entry buzzer, and the door slid open before Amantus entered. Following protocol to the letter, Amantus saluted the man behind the desk and barked out, “Sub-Commander Amantus reporting for duty, sir.”
“Welcome aboard, Sub-Commander, “I’m Captain Dorce. I expect my command officers to stick to Fleet regulations,” Dorce began. “I will abide by nothing else, is that clear?”
“Yes, sir,” Amantus replied.
“I’ve assigned you to black shift, where you’ll be the senior officer. Do not let me down.”
“Yes, sir,” Amantus replied, realising he’d been shunted out of the way by the Captain.
“Report for duty at the assigned time,” Dorce concluded. “You may go.”
Once outside, Amantus was greeted again by Tukle, who introduced him to Lieutenant Karb, who was currently running comms.
“Did he put you out of sight, out of mind?” Karb asked.
“Seems that way,” Amantus chuckled.
“It’s not a bad thing, generally,” Tukle observed. “You won’t be micromanaged there.”
“It’s that bad?” Amantus asked. “I’d heard he was by the book, but micromanaging too?”
“Yeah,” Karb sighed. “He doesn’t trust us to do our jobs, and so there’s a hesitation before we all react.”
“Got us a right pasting in the battle of Vorang,” Tukle confirmed. “Unfortunately, the Captain is a favourite of the Commodore, who’s a by-the-book man himself. Though that favour took a hit owing to our performance, hence your presence.”
“I’ll ensure my bridge crew perform adequately without feeling I’m looking over their shoulder,” Amantus chuckled, before heading back to his cabin to unpack.
Amantus entered the bridge ten rotations before the start of black shift to receive the handover. Discovering, as expected, that little had happened as the Sabre was still docked whilst repairs were completed.
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