Free No Way to Start a War (TCOTU, Book 2) (This Corner of the Universe) by Britt Ringel

conspiratorially,
“We have more than enough to beat back any Hollaran aggression.  In fact with
such a strong force, I worry that this CortRon won’t even have a chance to prove
itself in battle.”  The smile faded as he pointedly looked at each of his
officers.  “As you know, your performance is a direct reflection of my command
ability… and your officer performance reports.  We must demonstrate perfection
and we will, starting with this exercise.”
    Lieutenant
Lee tentatively raised his hand.  “Commander Durmont, I have serious reservations
as to my ship’s point defense capability.  Coach is a standard frigate, not a
dedicated escort.”
    Durmont
waved away Lee’s concerns.  “The Cerberus systems on Kite and Aspis will go a
long way toward enhancing your ship’s point defenses, Lieutenant.”
    Heskan’s
eyes locked with Gary’s while Vernay flushed deep red.  He felt his stomach
flip-flop as he thought, Here we go .  “Commander, as Captain Gary and I
have pointed out, Cerberus is unreliable right now.”
    Durmont’s
voice went from sedate to volcanic in a heartbeat.  “And as I’ve told you, Lieutenant,
you will have it functional before we dive to Sponde!”
    Heskan
could not help but cringe at the verbal lashing.  He saw Vernay’s hands tighten
into fists out of the corner of his eye as he responded, “We’re doing
everything possible to get it online.  We’ve installed, deleted and reinstalled
the software.  We’ve taken apart and rebuilt the hardware.  I’m starting to
think Cerberus just plain doesn’t work.”
    “Then
push your crew harder, man!”  Durmont stopped, his jaw clenching several times
before he resumed speaking in a calmer voice.  “You have to understand that you
can’t always coddle your crew, Lieutenant.  In combat, you’re going to have to make
tough decisions, and if you can’t make these simple decisions right now, how
will you ever be able to do so under fire?”
    “Commander
Durmont, are you seriously—” Vernay’s sentence was cut off when Heskan firmly
grasped her wrist out of sight of the briefing cameras.
    “Yes,
sir.  That’s good advice, sir,” Heskan replied calmly.  “I’ll apply what you’ve
said but it’s also my duty to keep you up to date on the squadron’s combat
capabilities.  Right now, our Cerberus capability is zero.”
    “I
understand, Lieutenant,” Durmont replied testily.  “Now you understand that my
defense plan calls for a functioning Cerberus.  If you fail to provide that, it
will be noted as your failure and your failure alone.”
    Heskan
gritted his teeth and nodded.
    Durmont
looked to his frigate captains.  “I hope you each have learned from this.  I
won’t abide incompetence whether it’s from the lowest spaceman or my vice
commander and I certainly won’t permit a defeatist attitude.  This CortRon will
engage and intercept every missile fired upon us.  Every one!  We will be the
finest escort squadron in the Navy and I won’t permit any of you to tarnish the
good record of squadron leadership.  Understood?”
    The
ship captains said their “yes, sirs.”
    The
meeting labored on, discussing the more mundane items necessary for the proper administration
of a squadron until, finally, the briefing participants were called to
attention and relief washed over them as Durmont stormed from his room and his
channel closed.
    After
several moments, Lieutenant Dixon broke the silence.  “What a charmer.”
    Gary
immediately requested a private channel with the frigate captain even as
Moore’s narrowing eyes glared menacingly at Dixon.  Heskan sighed.  The ships
don’t work, the ships’ captains are divided, and the squadron commander is an
egomaniac.  Will we even last long enough to face the Hollarans?

Chapter 8
    Angel-29
sat in the catapult of Eagle’s internal launch deck.  The deck ran
parallel to the top launch/recovery deck and was capable of slinging one
fighter into space every