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a long envelope proportioned for a sheet of paper so folded, sealed the envelope, and handed it to Max along with a stylus.  Max then used the stylus to sign his name on the same scanner that had just read his handprint, creating a signed and time-stamped digital receipt for the message.  When he withdrew the stylus, the panel slid back into place, Max returned the stylus to the chastened petty officer, put the envelope in his pocket, and left Compartment G-894, walking straight across the corridor to another hatch marked with a sign that said “G-895 ORDRDRM.” 
    “ ORDRDRM , try pronouncing THAT,” Max thought.
    The Orders Reading Room was a Spartan enclosure, about two meters square, with one standard issue Navy desk chair and a small table.  Max sat down in the chair, ripped open the envelope, extracted the paper, set the envelope on the table, and began to read.
    23:14Z 20 January 2315
    TOP SECRET
    URGENT:  FOR IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION
    FROM:  HORNMEYER, L.G. VADM USN, CDR TF TD
    TO:  ROBICHAUX, MAXIME T., LT USN
    1.  EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, YOU ARE RELIEVED AS ACTING COMMANDER AND WEAPONS OFFICER USS EMEKA MORO, FLE 2379.  TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION RE EMEKA MORO.  NEW TEMPCOM ALREADY APPOINTED.
    2.  EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, YOU ARE RELIEVED OF ALL TDY PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED.
    3.  EFFECTIVE 00:01Z 21 JAN 2315 YOU ARE CIG TO LCDR USN WITH ALL THE RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES APPERTAINING TO SAID RANK.
    4.  YOU ARE ADVISED THAT USS CUMBERLAND, DPA 0004 IS EXPECTED TO RENDEZVOUS THIS TASK FORCE APPROX 07:30Z 21 JAN 2315 UNDER TEMPCOM OF HER FIRST OFFICER LT R.T. GARCIA.  CUMBERLAND FULLY PROVISIONED AND ARMED WITH STD WEAPONS LOAD.  SOME PERSONNEL FROM THIS TF WILL JOIN SHIP AT THIS TIME.
    5.  AT 09:00Z 21 JAN 2315,  YOU ARE REQUIRED AND DIRECTED TO REPORT ABOARD SAID VESSEL AND ASSUME CHARGE AND COMMAND OF HER SUBJECT TO ALL APPLICABLE LAWS, REGULATIONS, STANDING ORDERS, AND OPERATIONAL ORDERS THAT SHALL ISSUE FROM DULY CONSTITUTED AUTHORITY FROM TIME TO TIME.  SEPARATE WARRANT OF APPOINTMENT WILL ISSUE.
    6.  AS SOON THEREAFTER AS PRACTICABLE, BUT NO LATER THAN 09:15Z 21 JAN 2315 USS CUMBERLAND UNDER YOUR COMMAND IS TO PART COMPANY THIS TASK FORCE, ACCELERATE AT STANDARD TO 0.01 C, AND PROCEED TO NAV BUOY JAH1939. 
    7.  UPON REACHING DESTINATION, YOU ARE TO IMPOSE COMPLETE EMCOM ON VESSEL AND EXECUTE SEALED ORDERS IN CAPTAIN’S SAFE.
    8.  KICK ASS AND GODSPEED.
    He read the orders again, more slowly.  After he finished, Max realized he had been holding his breath and slowly exhaled, took in another slow breath, and let it out slowly. 
    Max fought to slow down his thoughts and to process what he had read.  He remembered what his old mentor, Commodore Middleton, told him:  “All operational orders contain good news and bad news.”  So, good news:  one, promotion to Lieutenant Commander, the next step up.  Two, his own command.  And, big three, a new, powerful, Khyber Class Destroyer.  The class, although new, was getting a reputation as being good ships. 
    Bad news:  one, the Cumberland , a known “problem ship” that had turned in a disappointing performance in two fleet actions (or, as Caesar might have said, she came, she saw, and she ran like hell) and was becoming known around the fleet as “The Cumberland Gap.”  Two, her skipper and XO had recently been relieved and the rumor said that many of her senior noncoms had been reassigned to shore duty back in the Core Systems.  Three, whatever problems the ship had, there would be plenty of leftovers still aboard for Max to deal with as the new CO. 
    The rest?  A mystery until he opened the sealed orders, but there were hints that gave him hope.  The orders directed him to part company no later than fifteen minutes after his appointment as Skipper became effective, which said that Old Hit-em Hard was in a hurry.  And the “kick ass” part smelled like orders for combat.  He wouldn’t say “kick ass” if Cumberland were going to be