Operation Orion - Kevin Dockery [20]
He had brought Char-Kane and several injured Shamani crew members with him when the drop boats had returned the SEALS to the frigate. Now Jackson and Carstairs were in the CIC, and the captain finally had put through the call to the admiral. He had explained in terse and unheroic language the rescue mission and the detour that had carried the Pegasus so far away from the other two Terran ships.
“This is Lieutenant Jackson, sir,” the officer reported. He waited for the message, traveling at the speed of light, to reach the larger ship in the outer reaches of the star system. The reply came back all too quickly for his taste.
“I thought I made myself clear, mister!” Ball-Breaker snapped. “You and your men were to stay out of sight and out of mind. From what I hear, you’ve been shooting up the whole star system on a peripheral mission when you were supposed to sit in the background.” The tone sharpened, heavy with sarcasm. “Maybe you think you should put out a press release: The SEALS are here. To hell with the rest of the planet.”
The admiral paused to catch his breath, but Jackson knew better than to reply to the rhetorical questions. It took too long to hold a conversation at those distances. There was nothing for it but to sit there and take the rebuke.
“Now see here,” Ballard began again. “I have already spoken to Captain Carstairs; he’s as much to blame as you! You’re a couple of goddamn space cowboys is what you are! And that kind of behavior is not tolerated in this man’s navy!”
“Excuse me, sir. I have a message for the American admiral.” It was Consul de Campe Char-Kane, who had entered the wardroom quietly while the lecture was in progress. Jackson felt the first flush of embarrassment. How much of the rebuke had she seen?
Ballard continued his harangue, but Carstairs flashed Jackson a sly look and then pressed the transmit button and nodded to the Shamani diplomat, encouraging her to speak.
“Greetings Admiral Ballard of America. I am Consul de Campe Shastana fu Char-Kane of the empire of the Shamani.”
She paused while the message was sent through space. Given the time lapse, the admiral was able to touch on several points, including courts-martial, painting the decks of rusty destroyers in the South China Sea, various brigs, and hard labor at Leavenworth, before he got the communication from the Shamani woman. When he did, he suddenly halted his harangue, startled almost to speechlessness by the interruption.
Char-Kane already had continued her statement. “I wish to thank you and all the heroic members of the United States Navy,” she stated calmly. “These men, the SEALS and the crew of the Pegasus, have saved an entire diplomatic mission: the Shamani delegation to the same conference you yourself are about to attend. You know, the meeting at Orion, I believe they are calling it on your world.
“At great risk to their personal safety, displaying the kind of courage humans of America are so famed for, they drove off a pirate ship that had disabled our transport. My delegation and I were at the point of surrender when the SEALS came aboard, destroyed the pirates, and brought us all to safety.”
Char-Kane drew a breath and continued to speak very calmly. Jackson amused himself by trying to picture the exact color of the admiral’s face. Even so, he remained silent and allowed her to speak.
“I wish to express the gratitude not only of myself and my delegation but of the whole Shamani Empire. These men are an example to all the races, and I am proud to call them my saviors.”
“Well, thank you, Madame Consul. Thank you very much,” Ballard said gruffly. “Rest assured that we will do whatever we can to help a ship and a crew in distress.”
“I am very glad to hear that, Sir Admiral,” she replied. “The pirates have stolen a very valuable piece of technology from us. It is a military device that could be of great use to humans as well as to the Shamani. Your heroic