Chapter 26 : Captain McKenzie

Captain McKenzie called us up to the command deck. Standing before the security door to the bridge she said.”I still hate Cadets and don’t like Midshipmen, but you guys have earned my respect so I decided you should complete your journey seeing the bridge. Now I expect you to behave and not to touch anything and we will all get through with this.”

I could not believe my luck. Of all the accolades I had received, this was the only one that mattered to me. After we passed the door she told her XO to explain the individual duty stations and introduced us to the Officers manning them.

I simply stood there and felt as if I had come home, to a place I had never been to. Union ships were marvels of technology and each department and station we had seen before were impressive and awe inspiring, compared to Engineering or the Gun turrets this was a quiet and not much different than a fancy living room with high tech chairs and command console. The Engines were the heart of a ship but this was its brain, its nerve center. I didn’t even notice as she stood next to me and said in a quiet tone.” It was the same for me, the first time I seen a real bridge. One day I expect you to hail me from your bridge. That is an order by the way!”

“Ma’am I will do my best to comply!”

“I read your file, Cadet and my offer was serious. You contact me after your second year and I see if you can’t serve your third as a midshipman on mine!”

“I will do that, Ma’am!”

She said just a hint louder.” XO, take her out. Course Arsenal II with all due speed.”

(here ends Galactic Chronicles Book 6, join me in Book 7 if you like to know what will happen next)