Next Big Book Thing: Dissolution of Peace (Excerpt) by Richard Flores IV

Chapter 3

Carlson hadn’t said much to his new partner over the first two shifts. It had made the last two nights long. He could pull rank and move to another shift, but he liked the nights. Carlson wasn’t intentionally ignoring Janice, but she didn’t say much and frankly he didn’t expect her to last long. She didn’t seem to take it seriously; it was exactly why he picked her.

But she was quickly proving him wrong. The first night she studied the captain’s file and the files on the bridge crew. Last night it was the bridge layout and protocols. Even now she continued to study; this time it appeared to be the ship’s layout.

Janice hadn’t been what Carlson expected from day one. She was a beautiful woman, which had been a surprise in itself. She had dark brown hair that might go down past her shoulders if it were worn down. She had an athletic figure that her uniform showed well. She was tall, only a few inches shorter than he. And the few times Carlson had seen her smile, it was radiant.

Janice glanced up from her pad at Carlson, he was caught looking at her. “Next you’re going to read my file.”

She showed that smile again, “I did that before our first shift together.”

“Oh.” Carlson was surprised. Janice had clearly decided to be more prepared for this assignment than he had expected.

“You pissed me off when you knew so much about me, but I knew nothing about you.” Janice set the pad down on the table between them. “I’m not about to be shown up again.”

So he had been the one to kick start her interest in her job. “Why did you skate by in Protective Services School? Clearly, you could have aced it if you’d put in some effort.”

“You had it right.” Janice shrugged. “I was just looking for an easy specialty to promote.”

That had likely been what pissed her off. But Carlson had counted on her dropping out quick. “So why the sudden interest?”

“If I have to be here a year, I may as well do it right. Especially if I am going to be partnered with you. Seems you got the job down to a science.” Janice smirked, this time his cheeks flushed a bit. Was she flirting with him?

“I guess. I just do the job, even when it’s hard.” Carlson turned his attention to the ground. It had recently been really hard.

“Your file doesn’t say much about your past partner.”

Carlson hadn’t known they removed it from his files, or at the very least put it under higher clearance. He thought for a moment, not sure how to address it.

A red light clicked on above the entrance to the quarters, a few seconds later the klaxon sounded. Janice jumped. Carlson was relieved to avoid the issue. “It’s general quarters. Stand up.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

“It’s usually noth—” Carlson stopped mid-sentence when the captain came out of her room.