ASMSG Scifi Fantasy Paranormal Emagazine April 2015 | Page 29

I could see from the monitor station that my instincts
had been right. I knew who was attacking and I knew
what they wanted.

“You’re the one who’s being stupid,” I screamed at
him. “You never listen to anyone! They’ll have
disabled our jump drive and stolen our scout ships by
the time we’ve turned around!”

“Look at those sharded drives,” I said, “they’re
Bodarian ships. They’re after the Lonestars. They only
want the gold cores from hydrives.” Another group
of fighters flew by and launched torpedoes into our
flanks. “Laxmo, give the order to the crews, we have
to get the scout ships away.”

“I told you, turn us about and jump us out of here,”
said my husband.

“No!” shouted Bill, “turn us around, Laxmo, we’re
not stopping to launch.”

“No! Laxmo, give the order to launch. Get those
scout ships away,” I shouted.

“Don’t forget who’s in command here,” I said.
“Captain Sanvari is dead; this is my ship.”

“Commander Fielding!” The Commodore bellowed.

Bill tried to pull himself up to his full height, but he
was still twelve centimetres shorter than me. I think
that had always bothered him. “You’ll recall,
Commander, that the commissioning ceremony was
interrupted. It is the duty of the flag officer to assign
promotions.” I couldn’t believe he was quoting book
and verse to me in the middle of a battle.
“Look, Bill,” I pleaded, “I know these people. They’ll
try to take out our engines and shields so they can
board us.”
This was typical Bill under stress, relying on rules and
regulations. It was his way of coping. I knew that
following procedure meant nothing when you were
dead, and I knew I was right.
“Commander Laxmo, in the absence of Captain
Sanvari, I’m in command, not the Commodore.”
Laxmo looked confused.
“Commander Laxmo, you’re in command and you
will obey my orders,” countered Bill.
“Really? We’re doing this now?” I shouted over the
noise of missiles hitting the hull plating. The
Bodarians had knocked out our defences, precisely
and methodically, just as I’d predicted.
“Don’t be so stupid!” Bill yelled at me. “Just shut up
and let me handle this.”

“Sir, what should I do?” asked Laxmo, but it wasn’t
clear who exactly he was asking.

“It’s Captain Fielding,” I yelled, “and this is