“It’s unfortunate we got ourselves trapped so far down in the system,” Barrett said. “It’s going to be another thirteen hours before we begin to put distance on the primary star again; perhaps we should rotate the bridge crew out for a short rest before we make the final push to try and leave the system.”

“Make it happen, XO.”

“Go get some sleep, Captain,” Barrett said quietly. “I relieve you.”

“You have the bridge, Mr. Barrett,” Celesta said before walking out the hatchway. She’d come to trust Barrett’s judgement in such matters and if he was firmly telling her she needed to get some rest, she needed to get some rest. He took his responsibility to the ship and crew very seriously and he would not sit by while a stubborn captain endangered the vessel or the mission because she was too prideful to ask for a relief watch.

In almost every measurable metric Commander Barrett was a more effective executive officer than she herself had been while serving under Jackson Wolfe. He wasn’t ready for command yet, but when he was he would be a force to be reckoned with. Now all she had to do was keep him alive long enough so that he could realize his full potential.

Chapter 20

“Lieutenant Commander,” Celesta nodded to the relief watch as she walked back onto the bridge after a fitful sleep that didn’t last nearly as long as she would have liked. “Please report.”

“All quiet, Captain,” Lieutenant Commander Washburn said as she gracefully unlimbered her tall frame from the command chair. “We’ve been actively tracking all targets. Three made intrasystem jumps and have been reacquired on radar along our plotted course. They are currently out of weapons range. Two targets are still pursuing us but are slowly losing ground.”

“They’re just there to keep us honest,” Celesta said. “Keep us from doubling back again and going silent to try and sneak our way out. Have there been any further attempts at communication from them or the Ushin?”

“No, ma’am,” Washburn said. “The com has been silent the entire watch. Medical called up and asked me to inform you that all crewmembers injured during the initial engagement have all been cleared to return to duty.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant Commander,” Celesta said. “Sign out on the log and then consider yourself relieved. Will you be going off duty?”

“No, ma’am.” Washburn signed her final ship’s log entry and signed out of the terminal. “I’m in the middle of my shift. I will be returning to CIC.”