CROSSFIRE - Atlantis DSV - New Cape Quest

She pursed her lips. “The Secretary-General tried pretty hard to keep us off the line,
sir. But since the Aquarius... well, you know. I guess we‟ve been pushed pretty hard since.
Lost our fair share, too.”
“So I‟ve noticed.”
She nodded. “Actually, that was the reason I wanted to speak with you, sir.”
“Then spit it out, Captain.”
Roderick hesitated for a moment before turning up her nose slightly. Whatever she
was going to say wasn‟t easy for her. “We‟ve been on this line for about two weeks since our
last rotation, sir, and I‟m not going to try and pretend things have been easy. We‟ve lost
more pilots in the last fourteen days than we have in the previous six months combined.”
Ainsley shrugged. “Commonwealth is the only carrier between here and Palau. We‟re
spread thin until Enterprise arrives. You‟re the only thing between Japan and the entire
Chaodai 6 th Fleet right now. I‟m not exactly surprised.”
“Admiral, I don‟t want you to misunderstand me. I am not taking issue with our duties.
This is a war and people die – I‟ve long since accepted that. I don‟t need to be lectured on
it.”
Roderick‟s tone was hard, and Ainsley straightened slightly at the sign that he‟d
inadvertently struck a nerve. Roderick was quick to realise her own mistake, and looked
away apologetically. “...I apologise, sir. That was uncalled for. But like I said, it‟s been hard,
and if you‟ll take my meaning Admiral, I‟m probably coping with the situation better than
anyone right now.”
A flicker of a smile appeared at the corner of Ainsley‟s mouth, and he began to
understand. “Ah.”
There was silence for a few seconds as Ainsley drank his coffee again. “And how
often does Banick hold services?”
“Daily, sir. It‟s been like this since the Chaodai moved up a second carrier group two
weeks ago. We‟ve been losing one or two people every day. Today was the worst we‟ve had
it in nearly three months.”
“Then I‟d say we have a problem.”
“Yes sir.”
Ainsley worked his jaw for a moment before looking to the mirror. The darkness
outside gave him nothing more than his reflection, which served to send a chill down his
spine. “I take it you‟ve spoken to the Captain?”
“I tried, yes. But right now Captain Banick is trying hard to run the ship as tightly as
he can. When I spoke to him yesterday morning after the last service it was about the most
stubborn I think I‟ve seen him. And I mean that with as much respect as I can afford, sir.”
Ainsley closed his eyes. “I suspect you caught him at a bad time, CAG. I‟ll see what I
can do.”
Roderick smiled genuinely for the first time in days, and Ainsley could tell that the
emotion had become unfamiliar to her.
“Thank you, sir. I appreciate it. And it‟s good to have you back.”
Roderick stood, looking down at her coffee for a moment before setting it aside. She
snapped a sharp salute. “Sir.”
Ainsley returned the salute, and then nodded to the unfinished, steaming mug on the
sideboard. “You may take that with you, Captain. I‟m sure it won‟t be missed.”
Roderick nodded a quick smile as she picked up the offered mug, and quietly made a
hasty retreat, leaving Ainsley alone once more.
The Admiral rapped his fingers for a moment as he let a long, drawn breath, and then
purposefully marched to the desk, hitting the intercom, this time to the bridge, once again.
“Bridge, lieutenant Stewart here.”
“This is Admiral Ainsley... Lieutenant, are you able to raise me a secure line to
Captain Hitchcock on the seaQuest?”
“Of course, Admiral. Should I patch it through to your quarters?”
“No, my office please, lieutenant.”
“Standby, sir.”
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