The Big Black Mark - A. Bertram Chandler [81]
"She stopped me from being pushed out from the airlock," said Grimes.
"And yet she'll still have to pay the same penalty as the others," stated Davinas.
"I suppose so," said Grimes. "I suppose so." He did not like the vision that flickered across his mind, of that slim body bursting in hard vacuum, its erupting fluids immediately frozen.
"There are times," Davinas said, "when I'm glad I'm a merchant spaceman. Being a galactic policeman is no job for the squeamish."
Chapter 36
"You will have to face a court-martial, of course," said the admiral coldly.
"Of course, sir," agreed Grimes glumly.
"Not only did you lose your ship, but there was that unfortunate affair on the first world you visited. Yes, yes, I know that fire was opened against your orders—but you, at the time, were captain of Discovery."
"I suppose so, sir."
"You suppose! There's no supposition about it. And then"—the old man was warming up nicely—"there's the odd private deal you made with that tramp skipper, Davinas."
"I acted as I thought fit, sir."
"In other words—it seemed a good idea at the time. Hrrmph. All in all, young man, you've made a right royal balls of things. I warned you, before you lifted off in Discovery, not to put a foot wrong. I told you, too, that you were expected to lick the ship into shape. You should have known that a crew of misfits, such as those you had under you, would be demoralized by an extended sojourn on a world such as Botany Bay."
"Yes, sir."
"The court-martial will not be convened until your return, however."
"My return, sir?"
"From Botany Bay, of course. You will be proceeding there in the frigate Vega, as adviser to Commander Delamere, whose instructions are to apprehend the mutineers and bring them to Lindisfarne for trial."
Delamere, of all people! thought Grimes. He had always hated the man, and Delamere had always hated him. Of Delamere it had been said that he would stand on his mother's grave to get a foot nearer to his objective.
"That is all, Commander," snapped the admiral. "You will remain on Base until sent for."
"Very good, sir."
"Try to reply in a more spacemanlike manner, young man You're a naval officer—still a naval officer, that is—not a shopwalker."
"Aye, aye, sir."
Grimes saluted with what smartness he could muster, turned and strode out of the admiral's office.
Chapter 37
"You're in a mess, John," said Commander Maggie Lazenby soberly. Her fine-featured face, under the glossy auburn hair, was serious.
"A blinding glimpse of the obvious," said Grimes.
"This is no laughing matter, you oaf. I've been keeping my ears flapping all day for gossip. And there's plenty. Not everybody in this Base regards you as a little friend to all the universe, my dear. You've enemies—bad ones. You've friends, too—but I doubt if they're numerous or powerful enough. And Frankie Delamere hates you."
"That's no news."
"When you're aboard his ship, don't put a foot wrong."
"I've heard that advice before."
"But it's good advice. I tell you, John, that you'll be lucky to keep your rank after the court-martial. Or your commission, even."
"Bligh kept his," said Grimes. "And then he rose to admiral's rank."
"Bligh? Who was he? I can't remember any Admiral Bligh in the Survey Service."
"Never mind," said Grimes. He filled and lit his pipe. "You know, Maggie . . . I've been thinking. Why should I stay in the Service? No matter how the court-martial goes—and I don't see how they can crucify me for Brabham's and Swinton's sins—it looks as though I shall never, now, make the jump from commander to a four-ring captain."
"But you just said that Bligh, whoever he was—"
"All right. Bligh did, and he'd lost his ship because of a mutiny, the same as I've done. I might be as lucky as Bligh—if Bligh ever was lucky, which I doubt But let's forget him, shall we? The question before the meeting is this: do I resign my commission, and go out to the Rim Worlds?"
"The Rim Worlds, John? Are you quite mad?"
"No. I'm not. They've a new state shipping line, Rim Runners,