( 3 years later on the Fleet HQ base Orbiting the Capital) " Captain Tell the Rear Admiral will see you now." I slid the beret off from over my eyes and secured it back on my head. in my defense I had been waiting for over two hours for the old man to see me. Admiral Dunham was a good man and not the kind to play power games so I sure he had his reasons but still Thats a long wait so Maybe just maybe have nodded of for a bit. standing up I thanked the receptionist as he toggled the door open. stepping inside I smartly marched up to the desk and saluted. I may have a well earned reputation for informality that others may call lazy and unbecoming of an officer. but that didn't mean I would disrespect my superiors espically Admiral Dunham head of scout escort fleet operations. my reputation was a careful balancing act I am good at my work. objectively speaking on paper I am the best ship and small task group commander in fleet today. but to keep my edge on I need to be out in the field not sitting at some fleet anchorage waiting for a war that may or may not happen. well anything bigger then a frigate only gets into action once a year during the fewt exercises other then that they sit in system qaiting for so.ething to happen the might get lucky on a patrol and run across a pirate or raiding party but those patrols and their routes are so regular that you can print a map off and hang it on your wall. I know becuase I have one. always good to know how close help is if you get in a pinch. so I preform well, the best, again objectively but details, to keep my post but have this reputation so I don't get promoted to capital class ships and stuck I a gravity well besides think of how much more paperwork one of those big ships have, no thank you. Admiral Dunham has figured out my game long ago, to dedicated to retire, to famous to be cashiered since he's a war hero they moved him to scout escort fleet command to get him out of the way. so he lets me be so long as when the chips are down I step up. pirate base raids, orc fleets to small to deploy a task force, kidnappings, slavers etc. I get the job done and I get to keep my cushy small corvette with only 35 men, woman, and aliens to worry about. the admiral returned my salute " at easy have a seat Alan" I sat in offered leather chair old but actually comfortable unlike most high class chairs.he offered me coffee which I happily Accepted Commander Flufenhiem had her Promotion board today so I covered night watch on the approach to the station last night. to say I was tired was an understatement. " so Old Man what can the fox do for you this time hopefully not something to hard since I'll be braking in a new Commander now that Flufenhiem has been promoted" the old man looked uncomfortable for a minute and didnt say anything. I looked at him " she did get promoted right?" I asked worriedly Flufenhiem had some of the best hunter Instincts I've seen in my career. and I wasn't saying that becuase she was a kitsune. she was a great officer and should easily make Frigate Captain soon. Dunham sighed and waved away my worries " no no Captian Flufenhiem was confirmed an Hour ago I expect she will go far, the problem is my best officer Is being transfered" I frowned in confusion. " Harrington? we have known she was moving up to Frigates as soon as the Dependable class ships were finished" Valor Harrington had Almost as many exploits as I did but she was a role model officer. she didn't understand why I behaved the way I did but she respected my ability and we got along fine. it would be a shame to lose her to main fleet but not at all unexpected. Dunham shook his head " not Harrington well at least not yet. good news you wont be braking in a new Commander, Flufenhiem will. you have been transferred effective immediately to Academy Fleet to command the ship for class b-4 the Inspiration" I froze, I'm not proud of this moment but I did. Academy command Half Instructor half babysitter this is gonna be infinitely more paperwork, my easy life with a well trained hand picked crew that I could just sit back and let handle the day to day gone. now I would actually have to work again training a bunch of students to be officers, wait this is the B classes this isn't horrible I can work with this. " B class so these are the talented ones who scored well on entrance exam thats not so bad, but that ship name Inspiration really?" Dunham wenced " yeah not my idea either but they redid the classes last year you got.... well you got the appointments Alan" that was it I was done. the appointments that ment Id be getting admirals kids, Secound sons of nobles, and influential smaller allies appointments. I was getting the spoiled Brats! " how" i puased and collected my thoughts " how did this happen I made sure... I mean I unfortunately have a reputation of being ill fit for this kind of roll no way someone would want me transfered there to teach" Dunham shrugged " all I know Is I got the orders to tell you to report next monday when the Academy jumps into Cap sys ( capital system) " I sighed resigned to my fate the only way to get out of this now was to resign which I wasnt going to do. I worked on a easy plan In my head I just wouldn't care who my students were I was going to treat and teach them all like the other Academy students. then when that pisses of some Admirals son they will torpedo my career! and where do careers go to die? why the scout escort fleet of course!