Voyage of the Star Killer

Chapter 8

Section One

"There was the time that Admiral Gireau brought seven hundred worlds into the Alliance at one time. He enjoined several hundred individuals to the expedition and won the trust of millions. He should have brought her into his inner circle then; his own prejudice against her young age blinded him to the truth about her for many years."

*****Excerpt*****

Gireau cut a dashing figure as he stepped off the bridge onto the transport tube. This was the third space station they'd found on the way out to the unknown realms - unknown to the United Alliance. Dame Meniere had invited them to enforce her word as law, if necessary, but also to introduce them to more of the *aliens*. Corrolles met his glance briefly.

"Remember, Captain, to these creatures, we're the aliens. Dame Meniere requested that you go unarmed." She held out a thick leather vest. "For your safety. It goes under your uniform jacket." Gireau frowned and removed his jacket, accepting the vest. He handed the deep blue coat to the ensign and slipped his arms into the leather. The girl's face burned red when he presented his back to her to tie the laces.

Gireau shrugged into the jacket and tugged it into place. He smoothed a hand over the imagined wrinkles and straightened to his full height. "Well? How do I look?" The ensign gave him a stern look, running her eyes over him.

She reached up, maybe to fix his collar, and blushed deeper. "S-sorry, Sir. Your collar - it's crooked, and the vest peeks out. The vest needs to be completely hidden until you're asked to remove your jacket. When you take it off, you'll hand it to me directly. Then you'll move to the Dame's side, just behind her right shoulder. I'll be behind her left."

Gireau jerked and nodded, motioning the girl to make the adjustments. She flinched when her fingers brushed his neck and pulled away as soon as he was tucked up properly. "Thank you, Ensign." He eyed her critically. "Your uniform is different."

Corrolles stiffened. "Aye, Sir. I have a vest under my blouse, and leather chaps under my skirts." That wasn't what he meant, though. She wore a neatly tucked blouse, with long flowing skirts. Definitely not military regulation; however, she'd begun wearing more casual, yet formal clothing, modifying the uniform.

He suddenly remembered the life sciences division approaching him about making changes to their uniforms, to make them more welcoming and approachable. He decided to withhold his opinion for the foreseeable future. "We're flying over, correct, Ensign?"

Corrolles led the way to the shuttle bay. "Aye, Captain. Some of the species have religions and lifestyles forbidding what they deem to be magic. Everyone has agreed to take their own vehicles across."

Gireau pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled sharply. "Very well. Are we meeting the dame first or going to our quarters?"

Corrolles took a seat in the shuttle and buckled in, tightening the straps. "Tonight is a mixer. Tomorrow is the first day of the peace talks.Dame Meniere will await us in her quarters and we'll accompany her to the event. We'll share a suite with the Dame." She hesitated. "Sir, you're going as her enforcer, but why am I attending?"

Gireau scowled. "What do you mean, Ensign? You're a linguist, and we're going to encounter many new species. I would think anyone in your position would jump at the chance to study all these amazing species."

The ensign suddenly grinned at him. "Aye, Sir! Did you know that there are over 700 unexplored worlds in this galaxy alone? Dame Meniere hopes to include the StarKiller in an expedition."

He cocked an eyebrow in the child's direction. "Really." It was a question and statement rolled into one.

The ensign blushed again. "Yes, Sir." She glanced down and away, her shoulders drooping. "She's going to ask, Sir. She merely wanted my opinion on the least xenophobic members in our crew - those who are active in away team missions, those who seek out new life and new experiences, those who are open to new opportunities." She looked up through her eyelashes. "I told her I'd research it, but that I would have to run it by whoever you put in charge of the expedition."