Infamy Ascending by MJ Blehart

Author:MJ Blehart
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Argent Hedgehog Press
Published: 2023-12-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

“This is just not the way things are done,” commented Commodore Mordven.

Aria was getting tired of this very circular argument.

“The way things have been done is over,” remarked Admiral Rustic. “The emperor has put me in command and has full confidence in my decisions.”

“But you do not have the title of Ealantic Ocean Commander,” stated Commodore Bridgen. “This is troublesome, sir. The emperor simply must be consulted before you make such a dramatic change of tactics.”

Aria found herself unsurprised by this. Of the seven fleets of the Ealantic Command, four of the commodores had been deeply loyal to Admiral Tirkan. His absence had not been taken well by any of them.

“No one has,” replied Admiral Rustic, for the third time. “For now, the emperor has me overseeing our operations - as Admiral of the Fleet. It’s a very slight distinction, gentlemen.”

“But that makes quite a bit of difference, Mal,” said Commodore Gralph. Gralph had made his displeasure at being passed over by Rustic very well known. He was the longest serving commodore in the fleet - a post he held for political reasons alone, which everyone knew. His lack of respect for anyone else made Aria’s skin crawl.

“How so, Emmen?”

“It means even you must respect the chain of command,” he replied definitively. “Admiral or no, you haven’t the title with which to wield such bold authority, and you know it.”

“Commodore Gralph, do you always speak with such a mutinous tone?” queried Aria. She’d held her tongue long enough.

“Watch your mouth, young lady!” snapped Gralph. “I still don’t know why you are here. You are not commander of any of the Seven Fleets of the Ealantic.”

“But she is a Commodore, Emmen,” broke in Rustic. “She has a fleet under her command.”

“But she is not equal to one of us,” stated Gralph, gesturing at the others around the table.

Aria just shook her head. Admiral Rustic had sent out fast ships to locate the fleet commanders, and he had ordered them to come to the Valiant. He had a new plan to foil the Cromah, based on intelligence Aria and her fleet had uncovered.

<->

The survivors from the Magistrate had been distributed among the rest of the Knight Fleet. The remains of the wrecked schooner had been salvaged and used to make repairs to the Broadsword and the Talon. Neither ship was currently at its peak, but both were still able to fly and fight.

Aria had found survivors from that fight. One happened to be a Cromah Commodore. He had been in command of the barq they had sunk, and he had been injured when they located him.

Aria had him set up in Captain Orvin’s quarters. Cral understood what she wanted, so he allowed it. She had gone with him after a day or so, to see to their prisoner.

The Cromah Commodore was in a tunic and breeches, but his uniform coat had been practically shredded, so he was no longer uniformed. His right arm was in a sling, his shoulder having been dislocated as the barq went down.

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