This post is inspired by a writing prompt in the Worldbuilding Community - Worldbuilding Prompt #545 - Editing Mistakes
This is the next part of the space opera tale of Alex Deroma, where things start to go her way at last.....
BrownASP-Brigadier Garrad seemed to have made Alex's stateroom his own private office. He was sat in her chair, pushed back so he could put his feet up on her desk, which was covered in an untidy heap of dataslates and files. At his side floated an anti-grav tray with an exceptionally large glass of her finest (and most expensive) Filamnian Whisky.
"Ah, Admiral Deroma !" he greeted her with an expansive smile as she entered. "Trass has been helping me go over the personnel files of your key people. You chose well when you picked her as your X.O., she's good."
In the corner of the room, Trass looked down in embarrassment and blushed, her cerulean blue skin darkening almost to black. Alex glanced at her and smiled, trying to convey warmth and reassurance.
"So what have you discovered, sir ?" Alex asked, with a hint of trepidation in her voice.
Garrad took a long slug of whisky before answering.
"Frankly, I've never seen such a collection of fucked up nutjobs and misfits in a single fleet in all my life. Whoever thought it was a good idea to take the most damaged survivors of Tharwell and mash them all together in one formation needs their head examined. Just about everyone should have been sent off for psychological rebuilding, not shoved back into the front lines."
His eyes narrowed.
"And that includes you. You need to stop second-guessing and doubting yourself. You're screwing up your own performance with anxiety. So stop it. They wouldn't have promoted you so many steps if you weren't one of our best officers. The fact you've been able to do as much as you have with this Battle Corps proves it. But you have to get your act together. Right now."
"But," he continued, the hard edge leaving his voice, "I have identified a few people who really are giving you problems. Top of the list is Kailen Tarill Horgett of the Third Legion. He's one of the six most senior officers in the Battle Corps. I've invited him over for an informal chat, he should be here any minute. Take a seat on the sofa over there, just in case I need to ask you anything."
Less than sixty seconds later, as if on cue, the stateroom door chimed, and Kailen Horgett stepped in.
He was clearly working to keep his expression blank, but in is eyes was a mix of concern, arrogant self-belief, and possibly a hint of triumph. Alex realised with a shock that he thought he'd been invited to the flagship to take command, replacing her after a string of failures and problems.
Horgett stepped smartly up to the far side of Garrad's desk and saluted crisply.
"Here as requested, Sir !"
Garrad looked him up and down for several long seconds, tension slowly filling the room.
"So, Kailen Horgett, it appears from what I read here," he shook the plastic leaves of the printed personnel file in the air casually, "that you feel Admiral Deroma is not following standard operating procedures, and is not fit for command."
He put the file back on the desk and continued.
"Would I be right to think you have more command experience and believe you'd do a better job if you had command of the Battle Corps ?"
Horgett nodded, a hint of satisfaction creeping onto his features.
The ASP officer frowned at him. "Kailen, what I actually see here is that to further that belief, you have been deliberately obstructing Admiral Deroma's efforts. You think that she needs just a little extra nudge to ensure failure and enable you to take your rightful place as commander of 3275-A Battle Corps."
An expression of intense focus appeared on the brown-uniformed ASPsman's face. "Tell me truthfully, Kailen Horgett; are you a Confed agent ?"
Horgett flushed with anger and confusion. This was not the way he had expected the conversation to go !
"No sir ! I'm no traitor ! I've fought the Confeds my whole life, I'd never work for them."
Garrad nodded slowly, and smiled. "I'm glad to hear you are not a traitor. But it does mean that you are a narcissist who will stab your commanding officer in the back to get the promotion you believe is rightfully yours. There's no place in the Imperial Navy for people like that."
The blood draining from his face, Horgett stammered, "You... you're forcing me to resign after all these years of service ?"
Lifting his arm, Garrad's hand curled, and a black shape materialised in his fist. There was a loud BANG.
Blood splashed, bits of bone and brain splattered against the far wall. Horgett's headless corpse dropped to the floor, stone dead.
Images created by AI in Wombo.art
Shaking his head, Garrad sighed. "I said nothing about resigning."
Then he turned to Alex and Trass, their faces pale with shock, their mouths hanging open.
"I've got sealed orders for you Admiral Deroma. You're about to go on a mission of the utmost importance. But first, Third Legion needs a new commander, and she has to be one of the best. I'm sorry but I have to do this to you. Congratulations, Trass, you've just been promoted to command of the Third Legion."
To be continued.....
Previous parts of Alex's Saga;
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
The First Saga, the Tale of Fedric - Final Part - with links to all the previous parts.