Deathstalker 04 - Deathstalker Honor

Joy in my life.”
    “He’s just being polite,” Jack murmured. “Don’t hit him.” “I’m Lieutenant Xhang,” said the officer, smiling brightly and pretending he hadn’t heard anything. He pushed the heavy airlock door shut, checked it had locked securely, checked it again because he worried about such things, and then turned back somewhat reluctantly to face his charges again. He looked distinctly nervous, and Jack was tempted to shout Boo! just to see what would happen. “If you’ll please follow me, I’m to escort you to Captain Campbell’s quarters.
    He’s looking forward to meeting you.”
    “If he is, that makes him practically unique these days,” said Jack.
    “Yeah,” growled Ruby. “We must be losing our touch.” Xhang wondered whether he should laugh politely, but settled for smiling till his cheeks ached. He indicated the way, quietly proud that his hand wasn’t shaking noticeably, and led his two charges through the ship. It was days like this that made him wonder whether his pension was really worth it. Jack maintained a quiet but thorough watch on the people and places they passed. The shining steel corridors were crowded but not cluttered. Everyone had work to do, but managed to avoid getting in each other’s way. They were busy but disciplined. The crew had a job to do, and they were getting on with it. And yet there were no security officers present to spur or discipline them. Which implied the new Captain ran a tight ship, where discipline came from within rather than imposed from above.
    “So,” Jack said casually, “what do you make of your new Captain, Lieutenant?” “The Captain is a fine officer,” Xhang said immediately. “He knows his job. It helps that he came up through the ranks rather than coming straight from the Academy.”
    “Bit young, though, isn’t he?”
    “He knows his job,” said Xhang, just a little sharply. Jack couldn’t help noticing that the Lieutenant forgot his nervousness in his rush to defend his Captain. “That’s all that matters, sir Random. He was a hero in the war. Kept on fighting till they blew his ship out from under him. The Deathstalker himself pinned a medal on him.”
    “So he did,” said Jack. “So he did.”
    They came eventually to the Captain’s private quarters, and Xhang knocked smartly on the door and stepped back. The door slid open immediately, and Xhang gestured for them to go in. Jack nodded, and Xhang took that gratefully as a dismissal. He saluted smartly, turned on his heel, and strode off down the corridor at a speed he hoped precluded being called back. Jack couldn’t help smiling. For once his reputation was being a help rather than a hindrance. He gestured to Ruby, and she led the way into the Captain’s cabin, her right hand resting on her belt near her gun.
    The quarters turned out to be neat and tidy and just big enough to move around in. Space was at a premium aboard ship, and even a Captain couldn’t expect too much. The door slid closed behind Jack with a solid-sounding thud as he stared unhurriedly about him, looking for clues to the man’s personality.
    There were a few personal effects, nothing particularly unusual or unique. Presumably the Captain hadn’t been on board long enough to stamp his own tastes on the cabin. Or perhaps he simply didn’t have much left after being forced to abandon his last ship.
    The walls were bare. Normally they would have been covered with testaments to the Captain’s honored past, landmarks in his career. Citations, battle honors, that sort of thing. But all the Campbell had was his medal, and presumably that would have looked rather lonely on the wall by itself. The door to the adjoining bathroom suddenly hissed open, and Robert Campbell emerged, mopping his wet face with a towel. He was wearing his uniform trousers, with his jacket hanging open to reveal a remarkably hairy chest. He was tall and handsome and looked very young to be a Captain. He nodded amiably enough to Jack and Ruby, and sank into the only chair, dropping the towel onto his lap. “Forgive the informality, but we’re all rather rushed at the moment. Take a weight off your feet.”
    He gestured for them to sit on the bed. Jack decided that he’d feel more dignified staying on his feet.
    “Good of you to see us at such short notice, Captain.”
    “Your message wasn’t very clear,” said Robert, frowning. “In fact, it bordered on vague. Anyone else I’d have turned down flat.