Chapter Thirty-One
When North returned to the hotel to join his men
a few days later, a message was there informing him to be at Fleet
Assignments in two days for a briefing on his new patrol route. His
home base would be Haven's outer planet. He would patrol out on a
narrow run with Morn having a route parallel to his.
2 They would go out and return on each-other's course, thereby being
within a system's leap of each other at all times. Besides this,
North and Morn would both teach classes at Academy on battle tactics.
3 North's crew was ecstatic! A home run, a glory run in and out of the
heart of The Empire- and through some of the most profitable cargo
systems in The Empire! North too was overjoyed, but when he
flipped the last page of the orders he jumped up and let out a cry. The
other Officers looked astonished. "What is it?" they asked.
4 "'As there will be a considerable period between the time that your
ships are repaired and your new duties will begin, both crews are
granted missions of exploration in the unchartered systems of The
Western Sector! This will also give you the opportunity to make sure
all your ship's systems are functional. ' An EXPLORATION mission,"
cried North, "we'll probably have time to map two or three systems and
that means full shares of anything we find. If we find a life
supporting planet we could all be rich beyond our dreams!"
5 "You couldn't BE much richer, sir!" one of the other Officers
remarked, "but I sure would like some money!"
6 When North told Sweet Cloud, she, too, was happy, though she was a
little upset about North's plan of marrying her to an Officer on one of
his cargo ships.
7 "You'll only have to live with him for a little while," North told
her. "He's already got another wife,