Free Fleet #03 No Rest for the Wicked Read Online Free Page A

waiting to be not only refitted for battle but to have all the new upgrades that had cropped up from across the fleet.
    Silly, Nancy's commander and head engineer had a new fire in him. He no longer stuck by useless rules and regulations that were outdated. He could use drones in the thousands. He had automated systems, factories that worked non-stop and an unending stream of ideas bouncing between him, Felix his brother Shrift and his Uncle Eddie. Some of the systems were damned exciting and he was finally getting to use some of the ideas on the BC monstrosity in front of him. It would only be another month or so until he could start laying down keels for ships of the line, proper ships that were purpose built to be on the front lines for a long time. Nancy was growing her business one yard at a time, the process getting faster with every iteration. Soon Resilient, Salchar’s Dreadnought and Eddie's passion, would have a dock to fit her, and there were plans for a carrier, and then a super-carrier dock.
    Yasu had been educated on the current ships that had been around at the end of the Union. They'd been made as quickly as possible, cheaply as possible, and without the modifications such as anti-matter storage systems—that Resilient only got because she practically built herself—proper med bays, not only secondary systems, and four layered backups and easy access systems. These ships had been meant to last for a few battles, not a decade, and they were quickly coming up on a century.
    Yasu saw that everyone was looking to her to say something.
    “Welcome to the training team. I am Yasu Cook, the training commander for Hachiro. If you have any issues don't hesitate to ask one of the veteran training staff. I would like to get reports from all of you on your readiness to teach, what you need in order to get started and such. Does anyone have any issues at this time?”
    There were no nods in the positive or raised hands so Yasu rolled on.
    “Get yourselves acquainted with your areas. Before long this place will be crawling with trainees and Free Fleet personnel.” The faces around the table looked eager. It was always a great job teaching people one's trade.
    “Well, I say we call this meeting and go get some food,” she smiled as the others in the room grinned, however their race did. Standing, Yasu tapped her fingers to her forehead, the others doing the same as she left, letting the training team get acquainted with one another.
    She went to Ms. Li's a tea shop, hidden away in the entertainment district. Hidden away wasn't quite accurate, but it was a place where most commanders went, or people wanting their own space. Ms Li had purchased a holographic screen, which covered a full half of her shop, making it appear as if it was perched on the edge of space. There was a sped up video of the moons around Telhalra, a pleasure planet. The red, blue, grey and purple moons passed in a relaxing manner as people read books, sipped their tea, or did work, or just sat there taking time to look at the view. Yasu greeted a few people loitering around the café as she got to the serving counter. Ms Li looked up with a smile on her face as she put commands into her data pad.
    “How's it going, Yasu?” the woman asked. She was one of the older first generation recruits. Even though she was only twenty two and had the body of a Free Fleet commando she was a motherly figure to all of those that came into her establishment.
    “Not bad. Just wished I was there instead of hanging back here,” she said, knowing Li knew exactly what there meant.
    “These trainees need your skills though, Yasu,” Li said, and Yasu nodded, knowing the truth of those words.
    Yet still she was a warrior, and not being with her people, especially Salchar, when they were in battle made her feel as if she'd let them down in some way.
    “I understand,” Li said as she put a cup under a receptacle, pressing different buttons and adding a few things from