When the Guns Roar by Eric Thomson

Author:Eric Thomson [Thomson, Eric]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: science fiction female protagonist, strong female character, galactic empire wars, female starship captain, canadian author science fiction, space battle, starfleet, space navy fiction
ISBN: 9781989314173
Publisher: Sanddiver Books Inc.
Published: 2019-10-21T04:00:00+00:00

— Twenty-Five —

Jan Sobieski’s crew received Dunmoore the day after her first command conference as commodore with enough formality to please the most demanding coxswain in the Fleet. Eleven bosun’s whistles, a full honor guard on the hangar deck and, since the frigate didn’t carry her own band, recorded music for the occasion.

As soon as the arrival ceremony was over, the former Stingrays who now served under Gregor Pushkin’s command lined up in the passageway to greet her and Chief Petty Officer Guthren. Dunmoore was pleased she could still remember every name even after all this time.

The last to welcome and congratulate her, just before Chief Petty Officer Foste steered her erstwhile mentor to the chiefs and petty officers’ mess adjoining the wardroom was Lieutenant Commander Trevane Devall, Jan Sobieski’s first officer.

“The star looks fantastic on your collar, Commodore. Thank you for accepting our invitation to dine with Jan Sobieski’s officers.” He gestured at the open door. “Our home is your home.”

As she entered, trailed by Pushkin and Devall, those officers who hadn’t served with her in Stingray and were waiting in the wardroom instead of greeting her in the corridor, came to attention.

“At ease, please. I’m merely a guest.” She turned to Devall. “Why don’t you introduce your messmates, Commander?”

After he’d done so, a young ensign who looked as if she graduated from the academy the previous week shyly offered Dunmoore a glass of wine.

“It won’t be as fine as the one Emma Cullop served,” Pushkin remarked in a low voice, “but Trevane keeps a good cellar.”

She took a sip and smiled at him.

“The wine is excellent, Gregor. Considering your first officer’s family origins, I expected no less. Jan Sobieski’s wardroom will be hard to top in this task force.”

“You mean after Iolanthe’s?”

“The flagship has a higher standard to uphold.”

Pushkin chuckled.

“I still can’t get over the fact you’re a commodore, and that behemoth of yours is a flagship.”

“Then you and Zeke have something in common. And it’s that former behemoth of mine. My promotion and appointment may not be substantive just yet, but Zeke’s are.”

**

After a pleasant meal, Pushkin invited Dunmoore to join him in the privacy of his quarters for a snifter of brandy.

“This is not top-shelf stuff,” he said, handing his former captain a glass half-filled with amber liquid before sitting down across from her, on the other side of a low table, “but it doesn’t bite either. Which is more than I can say for what the wardroom serves — at my chief engineer’s behest I hasten to add. Trevane knows a battle he can’t win when he sees it.”

“Like every good first officer.” She raised her snifter. “Your health, Gregor. Jan Sobieski is an impressive ship, and your officers strike me as more literate and intellectually curious than most wardroom denizens in our beloved Fleet.”

“The luck of the draw.”

“A captain’s influence more likely,” she gave him a complicit wink.

“And who did I learn it from?” Pushkin took a sip and sighed. “We’ve come far since

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