A Quiet Revolution: The Cassidy Chronicles Volume 4 by Adam Gaffen

Author:Adam Gaffen [Gaffen, Adam]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-04-15T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

TFS Enterprise

Kendra walked out of the lift onto the bridge.

“Captain, you said there was something interesting? What’s so interesting it couldn’t go over the comms? Especially at dinner?”

“Ah, Admiral. Yes. There is a locked signal for you. Minerva?”

“Message received from Buoy 2, Captain Kiri Stewart sending, attention Admiral Kendra Cassidy. ‘Does anyone want to take up farming? I have lots of land to sell you, cheap.’ Message ends.”

“Wait, what?”

“Do you want me to repeat the message, Admiral?”

“No, no, I got that. Something about farming. The buoys worked?”

“It would seem,” said Alley. “I think you’re a little too focused, Kendra.”

The use of her name in front of the crew, instead of her rank, snapped Kendra’s attention back.

“Minerva, the message again?”

“’ Does anyone want to take up farming? I have lots of land to sell you, cheap,’” the AI dutifully repeated.

“Where are they, Kendra?”

Kendra frowned, recalling the mission plan, then smiled broadly. “40 Eridani. Vulcan! Zeus’s brass balls, they found Vulcan!”

“Not quite, but close,” said Alley. “Kiri attached their preliminary sensor results.”

She couldn’t hold back her matching smile.

“They found chlorophyl, Kendra. Plants. Extra-solar life!”

The exuberant yelp drew stares from some of the second shift crew, who weren’t as used to Kendra’s ways.

“We’ve got to get there!” she exclaimed. “Joel, set a course!”

The helmsman looked back to the duty officer. “Lieutenant?”

Datu looked to Alley. “Captain?”

“Kendra, my ship, remember?”

“Sorry, sorry, sorry! It’s just, oh, man, Alley, this is amazing!”

“Yes, and it’ll still be amazing when we can get there. After Endeavour returns and we have a better idea what we’re looking at, and we’re not leaving Njord undefended.”

“But –”

“And we have a mission planned to Lemnos next week, remember?”

“But –”

“And you’re not going to drop this, are you?” It wasn’t a question.

“Admiral, let’s talk. Privately. Ms. Datu, you have the conn.” Alley didn’t really hear Datu’s reply as she strode to her ready room, Kendra in tow.

“Why do I feel like I’ve been sent to the principal’s office?”

“Because, Admiral, you’re coming dangerously close to crossing a line.”

Kendra dropped into the seat across from Alley’s desk.

“Okay. Educate me. I thought I was in charge?”

“You are,” said Alley, sitting more deliberately. “In general. On any given ship, though, you’re a passenger.”

“What?”

Alley nodded.

“A passenger. I can’t believe this hasn’t come up before.”

“Well, until a few months ago, I was pretty much stuck on Njord.”

“Okay, good point. Let me see if I can explain this so it makes sense, given your background.”

Alley was silent for a couple minutes.

“I think I’ve got it. When you were in sensies, you had a director and a producer, as well as all the actors, right?”

“Right, and a crew to do filming and other things. If it was a big production. If it was small, like when I got started on my own, I was often the producer and director and one of the stars.”

“Okay, good information, but it’s really not important to this. The producer had a vision for the film, which they’d tell the director, right?”

“Right.”

“And the director would then tell the actors how to do each scene in order to match with the producer’s vision.

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