Free The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Dreadnaught by Jack Campbell Page B

Admiral Geary,” Major Sirandi said in a sudden rush. “But if you need good commandos, men and women who can fight better than anyone, please remember us.”
    Geary met his eyes. “Major, rest assured that I will remember you, and everyone else here.”
    A minute later, the major’s comm unit chimed again. “Dock 71 Beta,” he reported to Geary. “Your shuttle is docking there.”
    “Thank you,” Geary said. “That’s Captain Desjani?”
    “Just a text, Admiral. It also says . . .” The major frowned in puzzlement. “ ‘Mother was right.’ ”
    Geary couldn’t help grinning. “It’s . . . a code, Major.” Of sorts. He remembered the shock on the face of Desjani’s mother when they’d met her on Kosatka, and the first words her mother had spoken to Tanya. You are going to have a very interesting life, Tanya. Just remember, if it gets too interesting, that you chose it.
    They had cleared all but the last security checkpoint when Admiral Timbale came toward them. The commandos stayed walking with Geary but fell back a few steps so he could talk to Timbale privately. “Is everything all right on your end?”
    “For the moment,” Timbale said. “I’ll be happy once the extra troops and assorted senators leave, and my station starts getting back to normal. I take it you have orders now?”
    “You’re talking to the new commander of the First Fleet.” Geary waved to encompass the whole star system.
    “I hope congratulations are in order.”
    “Me, too.”
    “Is Dauntless part of your fleet?”
    “Yes.” Geary hadn’t had a chance to let that soak in before now, to realize that his orders would not force a separation from Tanya.
    Timbale grimaced. “We don’t have much time before we get to the dock, but there’s one other thing I should tell you while I have a chance to speak privately, something I heard rumblings about. Maybe just scuttlebutt, but it sounded legitimate to me. Have you wondered why your orders didn’t send Dauntless and her commanding officer off to one end of the Alliance and you off to the other end?”
    “To be perfectly honest, I hadn’t gotten around to wondering about that yet,” Geary said. “Though I had worried about the possibility.”
    “It’s not out of concern for your happiness. You and Desjani maintained a professional relationship while you were single.” Timbale gave him an apologetic look. “Some people are questioning how well you can do that when you’re married. If you’re separated, there’s no chance for failure. But if you’re together . . .”
    “We might slip up?” He felt beyond anger, wondering at the minds who spent their time creating trouble for others instead of trying to solve problems.
    “Just a warning. There are people watching for that, hoping for that, for some chink in the armor of Black Jack.”
    He felt a short laugh escape. “Hell, if they want to know that I’m human, I’ll be happy to announce that to the universe.”
    “Not too human,” Timbale warned. “You and Desjani getting married raised some eyebrows despite what was known or suspected about your feelings for each other. But you’d done nothing wrong that anyone could turn up, and the marriage was perfectly proper by rule and regulation. But if you two acted inappropriately now, it would give some individuals what they consider legitimate grounds to call into question whether there were improper actions before.”
    Geary realized he truly didn’t care what others might suspect about him, but Tanya was another matter. He couldn’t allow her honor to be questioned, especially not because of something he might do. “Thanks for the warning. We weren’t planning on doing anything while aboard Dauntless , but it doesn’t hurt to be reminded that we’ll still be watched.” By those who are hoping that we fail.
    Once past the last checkpoint, Geary and Timbale started to encounter other people in the corridors again, his commando escort now moving to march