Rendezvous
© 2019 by Walter Reimer


Thumbnail art by  rabbi-tom


“Dorwant g’Raf, report to the conference room, please,” the all-ship intercom announced, and Varan paused in studying the Kith’s weapons inventory. The vir smoothed her duty uniform as she stood, and lengthened her stride as she left her office. The conference room was on the far side of the ship.

The door opened at her presence and she saw the Captain and Command-Second seated at the table. She stepped in, stood at attention and as the door closed she saluted. “Reporting, sir,” she said.

K’Jen and v’Tal’s expressions were neutral, but the Captain’s tailtip twitched, a sure sign that he was angry at something. “Please have a seat, Commander.” He glanced at his padd and placed it on the table in front of her as she sat down. “Do you know anything about this?”

She looked at it, her tail hitting the deck with a thump.

“With great respect, k’Jen-sir, but do you have {any} gravity mines? Please speak with me. D’Estcourt.”

Varan felt her ears go straight back. What was that dhotin vir thinking? Her feline eyes dilated as she looked up at her superior officers. “I knew nothing about this, sir.”

“You wrote a contact report after returning to the ship,” Subcaptain v’Tal said in a crisp tone. “You visited d’Estcourt’s parents, and met her there.” The vir’s fingerclaws tapped against the table. “Please recount what you and she discussed.”

The associational triggers were there; the memories were recent . . . “Among personal matters,” the vir said, “we talked about news she had heard of Confederate ships appearing in Imperial-occupied space. She made use of her tactical training, both in the Colonial Navy and the Kirfrelyatz, and concluded that the Confederacy will be attacking any freighters in an effort to stifle trade between the seceded colonies. This would force us to commit ships to protect them.” She met the Command-Second’s gaze. “I concur with her tactical assessment.”

K’Jen’s lips quirked. “Subcaptain v’Tal and I have discussed this as well, after I recovered from the surprise of having her communicate with me. Using the civil network and not encrypting the message was a foolish move on her part.”

“I don’t believe she had any current Imperial ciphers at her disposal, sir.”

“G’reget, dorwant,” Tabin v’Tal said with a fleeting smile.

K’Jen frowned. “In your opinion, Commander, what should I do?”

Varan replied, “Obviously, Captain, we can’t arm civilian Colonial ships, and the decision to detail forces to protect the hyperspace routes would rest with the Fleet Commander, possibly the High Admiral herself.” Her tail wound around her waist. “In my opinion, you should speak to Captain d’Estcourt, sir; see what her idea might be.”

The kam frowned again, briefly, before flicking an ear. “Aka, she is a captain now, is she not? Ernnh. Do you know if she is still in the system?”

“She said that her ship will be leaving in another local day.”

“I see. Dismissed, Commander.” Varan uncoiled her tail, stood, saluted, and left the room. When the door closed k’Jen glanced at the ship’s executive officer. “Yes?”

“You do want to talk to her, don’t you sir?”

“Am I that transparent?” he replied with a brief snort of laughter. “Contact the system’s traffic control, and see if her ship is still here.” He sighed. “Terran-normal gravity . . . I hope my knees won’t buckle.”


***


“Captain d’Estcourt?” Jemel Fikset’s voice sounded uncertain.

Meredith tapped her padd. “Yes, Jemel?”

“Could you come to Command? We’ve got a shuttle on approach, requesting to dock.” He paused. “It’s Kashlanin.”

The mare blinked. “No shit?”

The wolf laughed. “Nope, no shit. They’re at one-fifty kilometers and closing. Tell them to hold station, or come in to dock?”

Meredith quickly estimated how long it would take the shuttle to dock, versus the average time it took her to shower and get into a fresh uniform. “Have them come on in,” she told the midshift helmsfur, “and ask someone to straighten things up in the dining hall.” She quickly shut off the intercom, shed her clothes and headed for the shower.