"its the defensive captains that we really need right now. there is a war going on and so many of our men are being sent to the front line and they are all action not defense. they think of taking the line not keeping the line. yes in the end they are going to be the ones that win this for us, but it is people like you that can knit men together and see how to make them defend thier home that are going to keep us alive to fight another day." she looked down at Chris's fingers twisted in her uniform and then looked back up at her, an eyebrow raised.

"yes I am a pioneer, and yes it is hard but I am doing what is needed here. and you should be out there making our men better fighters not babysitting me and a bunch of misfits that the whole admiralty wants to see wash out. you talk about me downsizing my self, what about you? I know you could do great things." she sighed taking another breath her hand ready for Chris to strike her." out of all of us on this ship you had the most going for you, there were admirals that wanted you in command of their flag ship, or their fighter wings. stop holding close to my tail coat and become your own captain. I Love having you with me," she looked down at the floor shaking her head. "spacers I love having you with me, some one I can fall back on knowing you will always have my back. but that is part of your's and my problem. if you keep pushing to have me as your commander they are going to start thinking that we cant work separate of each other."

she shivered as a thought awakened in her mind. " for crying out loud they already think that I have to have a female in my command staff that I can sleep with to make it through the command."her voice raised in frustration that she tired to quiche. this would have been new news to Chris. last she had heard Hadley had her eyes on one of the man in the class before theirs. he had gone up in rank before being discharged when his family needed him to take over for his aging father.

turning back to the doors Hadley sighed. she had not meant to tell Chris any of what had happened in her last command. she had been trying her best to keep that from any on the ship but now that it was out there was going to be hell to pay for it. she was so keyed up that she laughed outright at Chris comment about the pod. "it creeps me out to, but I cant let the others see that."


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

she had tried to keep the clothes in tacked for the alien, not knowing if they were something special like funeral garb or just everyday work clothes. many days when she was not on duty Hadley could be found in her room trying to figure out how to present this report to the higher ups, talking to the pod even if it never responded or in the med bay watching the doctor and his assistants working to take care of their guest. many of the crew brought their worry's for their captain to the commander. but few if any of what they said could be put into a report. some like hunter feared that she spent to much time with that pod but he could find nothing wrong with her trying to teach the thing how to speak to humans. the captains Stewart spoke of food sent back messed with but not truly touched. one day he had told her that he feared the captain was eating rations and not her prepared food. but when asked the captain would denigh eating any thing but what the Stewart gave her. she did not seem under nourished or to be losing weight, nor did she seem to have lost any sleep.

so when the Doctors call came she was not that far from his med bay. walking around the corner she looked over to his area before looking to thier guest. "has she said anything yet?"