The Lost Fleet Beyond the Frontier - Dreadnaught by Campbell Jack

Author:Campbell, Jack [Campbell, Jack]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Novel
ISBN: 9780857689207
Publisher: Titan Books
Published: 2011-09-07T23:00:00+00:00

9

Desjani took a step forward, putting herself between Benan and both Geary and Rione. “Is there a problem, Commander?”

“I must speak with... the admiral.” Paol Benan’s face was deathly pale, his voice rough. “There is a matter of honor between us. I must—”

Desjani broke in, her voice sharp, at command tone and volume. “Commander Benan, are you aware of fleet regulations?”

Those fevered eyes turned on her. “I do not need to be lectured on regulations by—”

“Then you know what will happen if you continue on your current course,” Desjani said, her tone growing colder. “I will not have such a breach of discipline aboard my ship.”

“Aboard your ship? After what you and he did? You disgraced your position and should have been relieved of command and called to account for—” Other members of the crew had halted to watch the scene, and now a low growl arose from them, menacing enough to draw Paol Benan’s attention and choke off his words.

A chief petty officer stepped forward, speaking in a firm voice. “Sir, if there had been any grounds to question the honor of our captain, we would have been aware of it. She and the admiral never violated their duties or responsibilities.”

“Their honor is not stained,” an ensign added.

Whatever Benan might have replied was cut off by Victoria Rione, who pushed past Desjani to stare at him, then in a low, furious voice spoke to her husband. “We will talk. In private. Now.”

A flush spread across Benan’s pallor. “Anything you have to say—”

“If you still care about me at all, you will not proclaim in public anything regarding my honor or my actions,” Rione said in a voice that seemed to physically force Benan back.

That got through to him. Benan swallowed, then nodded, suddenly subdued. “I’m... I’m sorry, Vic.”

“Come with me. Please.” Rione faced not Geary, but Desjani. “If you will excuse us, Captain. My... thanks,” she got out in a strangled voice, then spun and led her husband away.

Desjani watched them go, then focused on her crew members, who were standing about, uncertain. “Thank you.”

They nodded or saluted or smiled and moved on as Desjani beckoned to Geary. “Let’s keep moving. That was close.”

“What was close? What was Benan doing that you interrupted?”

She stopped in midstep to stare at him. “You really don’t know what he was doing?” Desjani asked. “He was about to challenge you to an honor duel.”

Geary wasn’t sure that he had heard right. “A what?”

“An honor duel. To the death, usually.” They reached her stateroom, and she gestured him inside. “Hopefully, you can spend five minutes in here without anyone assuming we’re acting like rabbits in heat.” Desjani flopped down on a chair in an attitude very different from her usual rigid posture, her face troubled. “Honor duels started, I don’t know, thirty years ago maybe. Fleet officers calling each other out on matters of honor. We couldn’t beat the enemy so we started eating ourselves alive.” Her gaze locked on his eyes. “Matters of honor, like accusations of unfaithfulness.

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