Chapter 79: Discussions and Learning

Over the next fourteen hours, Ipanema limped back to the repair docks. Crucible Command had only one question for us during that time. We happily supplied the visual evidence of the damage our sensors had provided.

Sadly, the slow progress meant that by the time Ipanema was finally able to shut her remaining engine down and allow the AI operated repair dock to gently pull the ship into a specialized repair bay, two more members of the crew were declared dead.

As soon as Ensign White confirmed that Ipanema had been secured by the docking clamps, I turned to Lance Corporal Kelly at the helm.

“We should have a beacon guiding us into an open repair bay. Follow it,” I ordered.

“On it,” Lance Corporal Kelly said.

“Captain,” Ensign Munfree said. “Crucible Command has a call for you.”

“Put it through,” I said.

“Captain? This is Colonel Stiles,” I heard.

“This is Captain Parker. My helmsman is bringing Corsica into the repair dock now. I should be free for a meeting in about thirty minutes,” I said.

“You anticipated my question,” Colonel Stiles said with a laugh. “We finally were able to talk to Ipanema. Captain Prescott is trapped in his ship until the dock can pressurize, so he won’t be free until shortly after you are. How about we meet at the administration building in your village.”

“That wouldn’t be fair to Captain Prescott,” I said. “He doesn’t live there.”

“He’s already weary enough,” Colonel Stiles said. “I’m having Sergeant Griffiths and a full platoon of marines help get his people into medical pods. I don’t believe it would serve him to have to watch as his crew is returned to their homes. Especially since it looks like we’ll have to empty seven pods of their concubines.”

“What will happen to them?” I asked.

“I have to set up a home for them in the capital for now. I’ve launched a drone to Central Command requesting that we be allocated a Civil Service Officer. It’s their branch that is supposed to take over the care of concubines who are orphaned due to the death of a citizen,” the Colonel said.

“I’ve never heard of that branch,” I replied.

“It’s not talked about on Earth and not that often in space. I’ll be honest, most of the officers see it as a position for cowards. You are accepting all the benefits the aliens give us, but then refusing to fight for them,” the Colonel said angrily. “But I’d take one now. I don’t have a casualty list, but I could have up to fourteen concubines that I become responsible for.”

“Well, if you think about it, you’re responsible for all the concubines on Crucible. It’s just that you have handed out the immediate duties to others for all but your personal ones and these newly orphaned concubines,” I replied.

Colonel Stiles snorted. I could hear some laughter from Ensign Munfree. She turned and wagged a finger towards me.

“Fine, teach me to feel sorry for myself. Just remember I’ll figure out how to make you eat those words,” Colonel Stiles said. He sounded a bit more cheerful than he had. “However, I still think meeting in your administration building will help. I will have one of Captain Prescott’s concubines meet us. She will be safe.”

The last sentence was said in a tone that made it clear it was an order. “I’ll have Tatyana and Ashley join us then,” I said. “And you can bring a concubine as well.”

Colonel Stiles laughed. “You’ll have a crew just getting off a ship. They’ll be more than a little energetic. Yeah, that works, call it energetic.”

“As soon as we finish, I’ll have Ashley and Lenore get the concubines ready. They’ll be there to greet their loves,” I said. “Heck, I doubt I have to ask them to do it. Last time we were swarmed as we left the administration building.”

“That happens?” Colonel Stiles asked.

“I’ve got a fairly good crew, and I tried to instill a sense of caring towards concubines. Most of my crew dote on their concubines when we are on leave. I figured it would help bond my crew to something. Now I’m hoping it keeps them from stressing out. I know we communicated that we needed repairs to the hull. I’d also like four days leave for everyone. My people need time to relax and reset their bodies. I have a few I’m going to recommend take some time in a medical pod,” I said.

“Why?” Colonel Stiles asked.

“Stress and the side effects from too much for too long,” I replied. “We had to rush Ensign Munfree to a pod just before our battle after she passed out. She’d been pushing herself too hard and not getting enough sleep.”

“It was to protect you!” Chastity protested.

I raised an eyebrow and stared at the woman. “Did it work?” I asked.

Colonel Stiles snorted out a laugh. “I get that. I’ve never seen it, but I’ve heard about what they used to call battle fatigue. You’re right the medical pods can probably treat it, but I doubt they can completely erase the cause. I’m going to put in instructions to watch for how often crew have to be treated. We should look into the possibility of permanent fixes or transfers if we have anyone who can’t handle combat patrols long term.”

“We can discuss that at the meeting,” I said. “Lance Corporal Kelly has us lined up at the dock entrance. We’ll be docked shortly.”

“Carry on, and I’ll see you on Crucible,” the Colonel said. “Crucible Command out.”

“He cut the connection,” Ensign Munfree muttered. “And I’m sorry that I didn’t get enough rest.”

“I know,” I said. “That was why I kept insisting on rotations. If you noticed I tried to get off the bridge when I could.”

Lance Corporal Kelly laughed. “If we were in the middle of a jump he might come out of his office once an hour. Most of the time he stayed in there.”

“But you were in command,” Ensign White said.

“What could anyone do?” I asked. “My officers have the ability to do everything I can from the command chair. I’d set up a couple of viewscreens to display what I needed to track and concentrate on reports.”

“But,” Ensign White said.

“He’s right,” Ensign Munfree said. “We do need an officer in charge, but if we are in jump or drifting through an uninhabited system, he can command from just about anywhere on the ship. We could do the same thing, but we don’t have an office like he does.”

I shrugged. “Can you put a call down to my concubines?” I asked Ensign Munfree. “Knowing my luck, none of them are in our home.”

“I’ll try to connect,” Ensign Munfree said.

“Are you mad at her?” Ensign White asked.

“No,” I said. “I’m a little upset with myself for not noticing that she was pushing too hard, but that’s something we can work on. I do wish we had a tracking officer. Another officer would provide more reason for her to take breaks.”

“Sounds like you take more than your share,” Ensign Munfree complained.

“Ensign Daniels works much the same way I do,” I replied. “But he usually runs with six hour shifts and then ten off, so that he works with every shift over the course of a few days.”

“He does?” Chaz asked.

“Do you have my concubines on the com?” I asked.

“Oh, yes, sorry. Constance, I have your master,” Chaz said.

“What can you loving cunny do for you?” Constance said. The voice was coming out from the overhead speaker.

“Cunny?” I heard Blaine hiss.

“Constance, I’ve told you that I disagree with you using that name. You do not deserve punishment for anything. Now do you know where all the others are?” I asked.

“Who do you want?” Constance asked in a defeated tone.

“Well, once my leave starts I’ll take you first,” I said. “However, the reason I’m calling is that I need someone to organize all the concubines. The crew will be disembarking from Corsica shortly and I’d like their concubines to be waiting just outside the administration building.”

“We can do that!” Constance said happily. “Lenore has most of them working on setting up a big picnic area and barbeque pit on the east side of the village. She thought having festivals when Corsica returns would please everyone.”

“Is it ready?” I asked.

“The barbeque areas should be. Jesse was willing to say that they’d work, but he wishes they were seasoned, whatever that means,” Constance said.

“A good barbeque cook will cook up something with a lot of fat the first time they want to use the grill. The fat should drip over the grate and into the pit itself. It provides a base for the flavors. My grandmother did the same thing with her cast iron pans,” Ensign White said.

“Things I did not know,” I replied. “Well, let’s have Lenore start planning on us having that party in ten hours. That should give everyone eight hours to rest and enjoy cuddling with their concubines. I’ll even man the grills. My crew earned the reward. They got us home.”

“It was your training and your commands,” Ensign Munfree said in challenge to me.

“We can argue that later,” I said. “Constance, let everyone know. And I’d like you and Ashley to be ready to sit in on a meeting I will be attending as soon as we land.”