Audacious

60

Captain Drago avoided asking Kris the obvious question until they were boosting for Jump Point Delta at 1.5 g's.

''Where do I set a course for?''

Kris had been considering that quite a lot.

She turned to Abby, Jack, Penny, and Gramma Ruth. Penny, along with thirty-six bandaged, walking wounded had come aboard the day before the Wasp sealed locks and got under way.

There were other wounded that did not make it aboard. Captain DeVar's legs were a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle. The docs were still debating whether to fix him up or amputate and install metal. The wounded that did come arrived in twos and threes, anything not to draw attention. Kris was none too sure that mattered.

The newsies dirtside had a lot to report…and they were reporting it all.

The opposition party had used a rarely applied option for them to actually put a law on the table. Now, after the slaughter, they had the votes to see that their proposal to give the voting franchise to every man or woman in American Eden was not sent off to die in committee.

Any option for the ruling party to hold the line on the vote vanished when Lieutenant Martinez pointed out that he and his Fraternal Order of Proud Caballeros had not fought that night for those of Spanish blood, but for everyone on Eden. If people could fight for everyone's freedom, shouldn't everyone be free to vote?

Kris feared the man was too logical for a life in politics, but it looked like he was headed that way.

So full voters rights were passed and moments later, an election was scheduled. Eden certainly needed to fill plenty of seats. The presidency was vacant, as well as the prime minister position. And all three of the vice presidents also ended up vacant.

As it turned out, the woman who survived with the third vice president was not his wife, and they had been in his office the whole time, not skulking under a table. He admitted to being an alcoholic and signed himself into rehab.

She admitted to being an aspiring actress and offered to portray herself in both a family version of their adventure…and a version for mature audiences only.

Kris did not look back as she left Eden with little or no plan to ever return.

But that did leave the question of where to go.

''Abby, have you filed your report on my misadventures yet?''

''I need to send it out today. Do you want to review it?''

''Nope, just send Nelly a copy.''

Jack raised an eyebrow at how Kris was avoiding Captain Drago's question. ''You should check back in with General McMorrison on Wardhaven.''

''Yes, I imagine that I should,'' Kris said with a sigh. ''But I've got this ship and a batch of Marines. Why should I let Mac or Grampa Ray decide what I do next?''

''Isn't that what Naval officers usually do: whatever kings and generals decide?'' Penny said.

''And look what that has got us,'' Kris pointed out.

''There is that,'' Penny agreed.

''I think my little girl done grown up.'' Gramma Ruth beamed.

''Anywhere you'd like to go, Gramma?''

''I been a lot of places. Some I can even go back to,'' Ruth said with a sly smile. ''Why don't you surprise me?''

''Set a course for Chance,'' Kris decided. Then she glanced at Abby. ''I suspect if Grampa Ray or Mac don't like it, we'll hear soon enough.''

Admiral Sandy Santiago at Chance had orders waiting for Kris by the time the Wasp docked. Neither Kris nor the admiral felt any rush to comply, so they spent a pleasant morning bringing each other up-to-date on the recent happenings in their lives. Kris found several interesting things in Sandy's report on the comings and goings of her command, Naval District 41, out here on the Rim.

The efforts to crack the newly discovered alien worlds were not going well. No surprise there.

In a similar vein, just about any ship that could hold air were being chartered and sent out to try to duplicate Kris's success at finding new worlds. Other alien worlds. Anything.

That also was no surprise. Before Grampa Ray's Treaty of Wardhaven there had been a similar explosion of discovery.

And humanity stumbled on the Iteeche and had almost been made extinct.

That was something to think about, but Kris begged off of lunch with Sandy and instead dropped down to Last Chance to see a certain Ron Torn.

He invited Kris to dinner at his favorite steakhouse and introduced her to Amelia Blang, the daughter of the new ambassador from the Helvetican Confederacy.

Their wedding was in a week. Could Kris manage to attend?

Kris was pretty sure her heart did not skip a beat. Or at least not too many. And she did remember to breathe.

After only a moment's reflection, Kris found that she must beg off. She had immediate orders that would have her moving on before then.

The next day, the Wasp boosted for Jump Point Alpha at 1.5 g's.

Another good boyfriend lost. At least, on the positive side, this time Kris would not have to add another bridesmaid's dress to her collection.