Hunter Legacy 5 Hail the Hero by Timothy Ellis

recently, and so had no
expectation of another one. However, I had something else in mind. He braced
before me.
    “Lieutenant Commander, you are
assigned to command the Excalibur class Privateer Gorilla.” There was
general laughter at the name, although everyone knew it was his call sign as
well. He grinned as he realized he was getting what he most wanted.
“Further, when I’m not present, you will Captain the Assault Frigate
General Custer. When I’m present, you will act as her XO. Gorilla will be
hangered in the General Custer. Congratulations.”
    George hugged me. I pulsed him his new
epaulettes, grey ones instead of the blue he was wearing. While a Lieutenant
Commander was a fleet rank, it had been awarded first by the Americans, who
used the same ranks for both fleet and fighters. He’d been flying fighters
since the war started, hence the blue. Now, as Captain of the Custer, he was
being moved to fleet officially. If Lacey had asked for Custer, I’d have
assigned George to Camel.
    As he stepped back, Alison called, “Commodore
Daniel O’Neil.”
    He braced before me, looking proud to be
here.
    “Commodore, you are promoted to the
rank of Fleet Admiral, which is the equivalent of what other services call a
Rear Admiral, Lower Half. You will take command of the station Hunters Redoubt,
which will stay permanently in the Midnight system. You remain Captain of the
John Wayne, and shall command the fleet stationed at the station.
Congratulations.”
    He hugged me too.
    He’d never expected to make Cruiser
captain, let alone Admiral.
    When he released me, I went on, “See
me after lunch. I have orders for you and Lieutenant Commander Bronson.”
    I saw her nod at the mention of her name.
Also recently promoted, she wasn’t expecting anything, as she already had what
she wanted most. Her epaulettes had changed to grey as well, since she also
commanded a Corvette.
    “Are all your crew out of hospital
yet?” I asked O’Neil.
    “No sir, the last come out tomorrow.
But I’d like you to meet someone who came out today.”
    He beckoned to a lady his own age, I’d not
seen before. She walked over slowly.
    “Sir,” he said, “may I
present my wife Leonie, my XO on Custer.”
    “I’m delighted to meet you,” I
said. “Will you join him on John Wayne?”
    “I will,” she said.
    “Admiral, you’ll need to get your last
crew out of hospital this afternoon. If need be, move them to the Medical Bay
here. Also have each one report to Alison, so they can be formally employed. As
I told you, they’ll be back dated so they began the day you did.”
    “Thank you sir.”
    He led his wife back to where they’d been.
She patted his right star as if she couldn’t believe it was there.
    “Jane please.”
    That surprised everyone.
    Her avatar came to attention before me.
    “Jane, you are given the rank of Fleet
Captain. This avatar will wear the red epaulette with the full bird, as the
Americans say.” Her suit changed immediately. “Your avatar’s running
the Liner and freighters, will wear the four thick rings of a civilian senior
Captain, on the dull red epaulette.”
    “Confirmed. And thank you.”
    “I don’t know about everyone else, but
you’re more than just an AI, or the ship’s avatar. And I’m not just thinking
about how much more than a normal AI you’ve had to take on, and master, to keep
us alive. You’re my friend, and your part of the team. You deserve an
appropriate rank for what you do for us.”
    “Damned right!” said BA.
    Everyone laughed. Jane returned to the
corner she’d been observing from, a grin plastered on her face.
    “There’s one last thing before we have
lunch. John Slice please.”
    He walked over and stood before me, but
didn’t brace. I held out my hand, and he took it.
    “John, we haven’t known each other
very long, but it’s felt like years. In my people’s terms, meeting you was like
two old souls meeting up once again in a new lifetime. I consider you a