A Grimm Sacrifice: A Military Sci-Fi Series (Grimm's War Book 4) by Jeffery H. Haskell

Author:Jeffery H. Haskell [Haskell, Jeffery H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aethon Books
Published: 2022-09-05T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Jacob wanted to convey the seriousness of what he was about to do, which meant wearing his high-collared, service dress whites, complete with red combination cap sitting on the conference table in front of him. These occasions were the only time he wished he had his own office with a desk. Though he felt the shark on the table brought a sense of esprit de corps to the meeting.

“Bring them in,” he said.

Chief Suresh and Bosun Sandivol marched Ensign Brown, Midship Rugger, and Private June into a line on the opposite side of the shark-emblem-painted table.

“Detail reporting as ordered, sir,” Suresh said.

“Stand at ease,” Jacob ordered.

“Detail,” she said as sharp as a knife, “stand easy.”

The three crew members dropped to at-ease. Technically, they should be at parade rest, but he didn’t want them freaking out and thinking they were in trouble. How much trouble could they be in if he had them at ease?

“Ensign Austin Brown, Midship Travis Rugger, and Private Yanaha June, I brought you before me today to announce the official finding of the galley fire. Ensign Brown, though you were not there, I thought you would like to represent your friend in this ceremony.”

“Thank you… Uh…ceremony, sir?” Brown asked.

Jacob heaved himself up and came around to stand in front of the three.

“Ceremony. You see, Austin, we were all wrong about Ensign Lopez and Midship Rugger. Chief?”

Suresh snapped to attention. “It is the official finding that Ensign Mateo Lopez, as an officer and as a member of Interceptor’s crew, conducted himself in accordance with the finest traditions of the Navy. Ensign Lopez gave his life rescuing the spacers trapped in the galley during the incident. After several rescues, he succumbed to both his wounds and the smoke, and died a meter before reaching safety.”

“Sir?” Midship Rugger asked when she was done. “I never saw him, sir. Not once. I would have gotten him out if I had. I swear.”

“I know, Travis. When you were in the galley, did you pick the spacers up off the floor, or were they already making their way out?”

“As I stated in my report, sir, the crew members were walking under their own power… oh no.” Rugger’s sudden realization hit him like a slap in the face. Jacob’s heart ached, knowing there was one more man in there, one more just a meter from safety.

“It’s not your fault, Travis. Mateo did what I would hope any member of my crew, or the Navy for that matter, would do. Despite any differences you had, he did his duty and saved lives. Just like you.”

Jacob pointed to the XO as he stepped back.

“COB?” Boudreaux asked.

“Detail, atten-shun!” Suresh barked.

The three snapped to. Jacob could tell they were still processing the dreadful news.

Lieutenant Boudreaux marched to a stop before Ensign Brown and held out a small black box and flipped the lid open. Inside, a gold medal with the Navy’s logo emblazoned on the surface rested on top a black velvet interior. A blue, gold, and red ribbon held the medal in place.

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