Chapter 61<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They got ten days \u201coff\u201d between\nmissions. Admiral Lawson led a huge fleet to make the next run to the\nold colonies as they were now often referred to as.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It took seven days for Rose Carey’s\nteam to get through the viper and raptor repair backlog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then there were three days of off shore\nleave. The shipyard was too vulnerable if they were let off their\nposts. So while amor was replaced and upgraded on the outside of the\nships, the exhausted pilots and deck crews and many others slept in\nfor up to 14 hours a day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An amusement park of sorts was set up\nin the port hangar bay of the Saturn. The starboard bay featured a\nbar and music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After putting in a few shifts helping\nwith the repair backlog, the pilots felt less guilty about taking\ntime off and started to filter into the amusement setup, for the\nyoung and innocent. For most suffering PTSD it was the temporary bar\nset up on the starboard hanger deck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was a pretty good selection of\ndrink mixes. Cruiser, drowning the memory of two dead nugget trainees\nsuddenly thought of Rose Carey and remembered she liked tropical\ndrinks. So he found a pineapple coconut mix had the bartender add in\nsome Tauron rum and unsteadily walked to where the knuckle draggers\nwere still working on the viper backlog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Carey was ready to tear into him but\nremembered how fragile he was for that second nugget, took the drink,\nput it on a maintenance trolly and whispered into his ear. \u201cBring\nenough for my entire crew and I will give them two hours off.\u201d She\ngestured at the trolly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fifteen minutes later he and some\nactually sober pilots were back with a trolly full of drinks and\nsnacks for Carey’s team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTwo hours down time!\u201d Carey\nannounced. \u201cOne drink per customer then its all virgin drinks.\u201d\nShe noted in her logs that the hour before the break they completed\nrepairs on two Mk.7 vipers. The two hours after the break they\naveraged almost 4 vipers per hour. She smiled thinking she should\nwrite a management book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
* * *<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lieutenant Tamar Miller sat across the\ntable from Bruce Jenkins. Miller aged 28 had just been promoted to\nsquadron commander, Jenkins aged 24 had just made Lieutenant was the\nassistant squadron commander of the same squadron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The pair had served together on the\nMercury and later the Saturn in different squadrons. They had dated\nfor a little over three months. Two weeks ago, Miller’s promotion had\nbrought that relationship to a grinding halt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere are other assistant squadron\ncommander slots in the fleet,\u201d Miller said calmly, willing herself\nnot to fidget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI like the squadron I’m in,\u201d he\nreplied. \u201cWatching your six,\u201d he smirked looking over the edge of\nthe table. \u201cIs definitely a choice assignment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRegulations are clear. There are no\nrelationships allowed within the same command,\u201d she said. \u201cAs\nmuch as I will miss it, we are on hold.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf we stay discreet, I don’t see the\nissue. Things have changed. Our home worlds are irradiated and many\nbillions are dead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou know how personal relationships\nwere used against Admiral Lawson,\u201d Miller pointed out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo what? They still made her an\nAdmiral.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou know she was slut shamed and\ninvestigated.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cInvestigated for sleeping with a\ntoaster,\u201d he interrupted. \u201cAre you a toaster? I’m not.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEverything we do including whether\nwe decide to frak reflects on her as she is Commander in Chief of the\nentire fleet. The regulation is in force. I will follow it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jenkins put his drink on the table,\nmaking a loud noise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThank you for your time,\u201d Squadron\ncommander, he said angrily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sausage, the CAG of the Saturn, James\nRedding and recently promoted to captain approached Lieutenant\nMiller. \u201cThat was hard,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFrak off \u2026 Sir.\u201d she briefly\nconsidered throwing a drink in his face. \u201cI know that following the\nregulations that it protects the Admiral. You can stay the frak away\nfrom me until we start the operation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Day 331 jump 1. Total jumps for\nAnabasis 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rose Carey in her diary: Jump one is\nbehind us. No pilots lost, six vipers damaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n