Shelekhov

Received, New Chatham Communications Office. 0647 GMT. 5th June 1871-

Dear Commander Sminton,

I hereby confirm your earlier orders to proceed to the rendezvous point with the US and Russian-Imperial vessels. Once assembled, you are all to make haste to the Russian Shelekhov facility. Here you will confirm or deny rumours that the facility has been usurped by Ottoman forces. If our worst fears do prove to be true, you have full backing of Her Majesty’s Government to use your discretion in resolving this matter, up to and including the complete destruction of the facility.
Remember that the interests of the Empire overrule those of our allies in this situation, and that you are empowered to act accordingly. The potential risk posed by the improper use of the facility has necessitated that neither the Richmond nor Geneva treaties apply in this instance.
I wish you the best of luck and God’s speed.

Commander Ben Sminton is the new commander of the HMSS Oxford, a Type-6 cruiser, sent to investigate the Russian military installation set close to the Jupiter Trojans. The star base, built to protect the Russian deuterium plants on Io, has gone silent. Intelligence fears that this may be the first salvo in a war between the Russian and Ottoman empires, or is it something more sinister? Can Commander Sminton discover what has happened before war erupts in humanities new frontier?

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This is the short story Shelekhov. It's a taster of a longer steam-punk/sci-fi book (series) I'm planning. I'd really love some feedback (particularly if you enjoy it), on what you enjoy and what could be better.

If you do like it this book, let me know and I'd love to draft a few more shorts for you based in this universe. I have some really cool ideas