Security - Keith R. A. DeCandido [8]
“I know the formation, ma’am.” Rennan could feel Kim’s pride as he spoke. “It’s the same as the alpha, only with you substituting for the injured crew member. In this case, you’ll be joining Angelopoulos and Krotine on gamma shift, with Chief Hawkins, T’Mandra, and Konya on alpha, and Robins, Vinx, and I on beta.”
Rennan was once again impressed with Kim’s knowledge of the ship’s duty roster. That was a level of preparation most people didn’t bother with. Then again, most people don’t worship the water their new CO walks on…
Corsi’s anger had come back full bore, though Rennan was more prepared for it this time. “Two things you need to know, Kim. One is that the duty roster shifts every few weeks, and the one you just recited was changed a week ago, after our mission to Artemis IX. And as of right now, the duty roster is changing yet again.”
That was a surprise, but only a mild one. Changes didn’t happen that fast regularly, but that didn’t mean they never did.
“Angelopoulos, Kim, and I will take alpha, with Lauoc slotting back in when he’s recovered. Beta is T’Mandra, Vinx, and Robins, with Hawkins, Konya, and Krotine on gamma.”
That threw Rennan for a loop—mostly because he felt the loop that it threw Vance into. Rennan knew that Vance had requested alpha shift the next time the duty roster shifted, so he and Carol Abramowitz would be on duty at the same time. When Vance had mentioned it to Rennan, Andrew, and Makk over dinner one night, he had seemed pretty confident that Corsi would grant it. Since Vance had served with the commander longer than anyone on board save Madeleine, Rennan assumed it to be a sure thing. So why did she stick him on gamma?
“The second thing you need to know,” and now Corsi’s anger was starting to make Rennan’s head hurt, “is that I do not like to be interrupted. Is that understood?”
In a small voice, Kim said, “Yes, ma’am.”
“Say again, Mr. Kim, I didn’t hear you,” Corsi barked.
More loudly, Kim said, “Yes, ma’am!”
“Good.” She looked out at the rest of them. “Alpha shift will report to the security office. Kim, you’ll be trained on the systems there. Beta and gamma, report to the hololab and run battle drills nine and ten. When beta shift starts, alpha and gamma will continue to do the same, this time integrating Kim into our maneuvers.” She let out a breath. “Bear in mind that we could find Lense and Bashir at any minute, and that may require an extraction. Dismissed.”
Rennan got up. He felt Kim’s disappointment in his first meeting with Corsi, which matched Rennan’s surprise. She hadn’t been like this when Rennan came on board—which was alongside Makk, Andrew, T’Mandra, Soan, Ellec, and the since-departed Frank Powers.
And it all happened when Kim said he was from Izar. Rennan was glad that he’d been put on the same shift as Vance—this was a concern about the security chief that he needed to bring to the deputy chief’s attention posthaste.
Chapter
5
U.S.S. da Vinci
in search operations between Stations Kel-Artis
and Deep Space 9
NOW
V ance Hawkins entered the mess hall in desperate need of a cup of coffee.
He also needed a short break. Konya and Krotine had things under control in the security office, the da Vinci hadn’t actually found the Missouri yet, and Corsi had, miraculously, allowed alpha and beta shift to get some sleep, after running them all through the ringer.
The only other occupant of the mess hall was Fabian Stevens, who had a variety of tiny parts on the table in front of him, along with a cup of coffee that looked like it had long since gone cold.
“What’re you doing up?” Hawkins asked as he walked to the replicator. “Coffee, black.”
As the steaming drink materialized with a hum in the slot, Stevens looked up and said, “Hm? Oh, uh—couldn’t sleep. Commander Gomez, Pattie, Nancy Conlon, and I were up half the night recalibrating the sensors. Nog was kind enough to send over the specs of the Missouri, and we’ve been fine-tuning so that the sensors