I nodded and tried to smile, then pointed at the dead Rabbit lying alongside me. "Who?" I mounted silently.
"I don't know him, sir," the midshipman replied. "But he's gone."
"Nestor's still alive though!" the Rabbit added, though it was a minor breach of discipline. "And in far better shape than you!"
I nodded again. "The attack?" I mouthed.
"Victory, sir!" the officer replied with a boyish grin. "Total and complete beyond belief! The Imperials tried to break and run at the last moment. Their formation was disrupted and... Well, I wouldn't have believed it yesterday, sir, but the survivors are surrendering in droves! White flags, as far as the eye can see! What's left of their battle line is fleeing for Point Two even as we speak, and they're still putting up an organized fight. But we've won!" He did a little dance of glee, to show how happy he was.
I let my head fall back onto the hard steel deck. "Gurrrgh!" I muttered.
Then suddenly the middie was all business again. "Just lay there and relax, sir. I'm going to take care of everything." He grinned nervously. "Don't you go dying on my watch, sir! Do you hear me? I'd never live it down."
I smiled back and nodded, which seemed to reassure him. Then he was gone, the gravity fluttered, and I heard the little vessel's drive engage at full power. I'd probably make it now, I judged. Which meant that I had to plan for tomorrow after all, and then all the tomorrows after that. So many had yet to die, so terribly, terribly many...
It was only then, when there was no one to see, that I finally broke down and wept.
David Birkenhead’s Adventures conclude in Book 7: Admiral
Available December 1st, 2012
OTHER TITLES FROM LEGION PRINTING
By Phil Geusz:
Corpus Lupus
Descent
Transmutation NOW!
Wine of Battle
Novellas:
Lagrange
Left-Handed Sword
The David Birkenhead Series:
Ship’s Boy
Midshipman
Lieutenant
Commander
Captain
Commodore
Admiral
By Fred Patten
Already Among Us, an Anthropomorphic Anthology
Table of Contents
Copyright
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David Birkenhea
OTHER TITLES FROM LEGION PRINTING