Robert Asprin – Tambu

A chorus of angry shouts answered his challenge. Tambu gritted his teeth. Egor was showing an unsuspected talent as a rabble rouser. The captains were teetering on the brink of an emotional commitment the fleet could ill afford. Tambu would have to move now if he was to maintain control of the meeting.

“Order!” he barked. “Order, or I’ll adjourn the meeting right now! Order!”

Grudgingly, the captains complied. One by one, they returned to their seats, but their faces were tense and expectant as they stared at the viewscreen. Tambu knew they were barely holding their emotions in check. He considered his words carefully.

“Egor,” he said after the noise had subsided, “I can only say that I share your grief-as I’m sure all the captains do. Whitey was liked and respected by all who knew her, as a captain and a friend.” He paused and took a deep breath before continuing.

“However,” he added in a harsher tone, “I must also say as the chairman of this meeting that what you say has no bearing at all on the subject under discussion.”

Heads snapped up, but he pressed on.

“Whitey was no longer with our fleet, and therefore outside our sphere of protection. I personally offered to establish her in a location where her past would be unknown, but she refused. She chose instead to live among people who knew her as a fleet captain. She knew the risk, but make her decision anyway. The fact that she lost her personal gamble should have no bearing on the policies or decision of the fleet.”

The room was staring at him out of the viewscreen, but no one seemed to be in violent disagreement.