"Insane...Everyone has gone completely insane!" Captain Miskyl muttered vehemently under her breath as she stormed out of her office onto the bridge. "I would have been better off never waking from that accursed stasis pod than putting up with these imbeciles." Captain Miskyl was completely oblivious to the fact that her voice was steadily rising. In the two months since her awakening from stasis, things had gone from horrific to...whatever was worse than that. As a captain of a mid-sized warship, most of the details regarding this operation were kept secret from her and those around her. Apparently, there wasn't a need to know. Well, there was now. How she wished those who had planned, or really failed to plan, were still alive so she could kill them herself.
Captain Miskyl paused mid-step. She had been pacing around the bridge and her dark mood was having a noticeable effect on the crew. She mentally kicked herself for allowing a habit, she had thought she had done away with years ago, to resurface. She masked her emotions and said, "As you were." The crew returned to their duties, curious but too frightened to ask what had set their captain off. Miskyl caught her newly appointed second in command's attention and motioned for him to follow.
Captain Miskyl eased herself behind her desk and waited for the timid officer. He finally entered, and glanced around as if looking for a way to escape. With shaking hands, he grabbed the seat and slowly maneuvered his body so that a quick escape would still be possible. Miskyl was beyond annoyed with the lack of spine the man showed, but competent officers were in short supply, much like everything else. Miskyl entertained her twisted sense of humor and let the awkward silence hang for several minutes. The young officer sitting in front of her had been a very low ranking officer when they had set out on this mission. When it looked like he could take no more, Miskyl spoke, "I need you to clean out your office immediately." The young officer looked like he was about to protest, but Miskyl refused to give him the chance. "Effective immediately, you are in command of this ship and its crew. Congratulations Captain." Miskyl held out her hand to the stunned young man.
"Wh...What about you?" he managed to stutter out.
"The announcement will be made by the end of the day, so you are sworn to secrecy until then, but I have been elected as High Fleet Admiral by the council of Captains," Miskyl replied.
"Congratulations," the new captain began to say, but trailed off at the threatening stare Miskyl gave him.
"This is all Alykyl's doing," Miskyl ranted. "He's been jealous of me ever since I outranked him in command school. He could never accept the fact that a woman was better than he was. I've been given an impossible situation and he can't wait for me to fail. On top of all that you have the nerve to congratulate me?" Miskyl spent a few more minutes venting before realizing the new captain was about to make a mess all over his new office. "You're dismissed," she grunted. The young captain was gone the moment the words passed Miskyl's lips. The young man's attitude was doing little to assuage her anxiety. A few moments later, her desk chimed, informing her that her short recess was over. It was time for the Council of Captains to reconvene and make more impossible decisions.
***
It had been a quarter cycle since she had been thrust into the position of High Admiral. They were finally on the move. A planet capable of sustaining life had finally been located, and though the planet boasted no life itself, the fleet had enough supplies to begin seeding the planet. The only other planet in the system was a massive gas giant. It was the perfect combination. The gas giant would provide the fuel needed to keep their ancient fleet of ships moving.
Miskyl sat in her comfortable office, contemplating the ramifications of the upcoming meeting. Now that a new colony could be founded, the Council of Captains wanted to decide the future of civil matters. Enough genetic material had been preserved that they would be able to grow their population as rapidly as their food supplies would allow. Now it was time to decide the future leadership of their race. Miskyl had a suspicion that the slime Alykyl was secretly coveting the regency. Miskyl was determined not to let that happen. Not only would Alykyl lead everything they had worked for to ruin, we would be given authority over the military as well. Miskyl reviewed the candidate choices one last time while she awaited the appointed time.
