The Old New Ensign

By Jack Mackenzie

He was a medic in an army at war. If he played his cards right he might find a way into a comfy job on the Admiral's staff. If he failed, he was sure to end up on the front lines in the battle with the alien Kreoch. All that stood between these two fates was a mystery concerning the theft the Admiral's stasis chamber door. He would follow the thieves and maybe, just maybe, he'd survive long enough to solve the mystery. Set in the same universe as Debt's Pledge, Jack Mackenzie delights us with this quirky tale of a lowly medic and the mystery surrounding the Old New Ensign.

• Language: English
• Publisher: G. W. Thomas
• Release date: Jun 29, 2014
• ISBN: 9781927089798

Jack Mackenzie

Jack Mackenzie's stories have appeared in Dark Worlds Magazine, Encounters Magazine, Neo-Opsis Magazine, Raygun Revival and in the anthologies Magistria: The Realm of the Sorcerer from Ricasso Press,Sails and Sorcery from Fantasist Enterprises, Swords of Fire from Rage Machine Publications. He is the co-editor of the anthology The Void Eternal also from Rage Machine Publications.He lives in the wild country of British Columbia, Canada with his wife and daughter.

Book preview

THE OLD NEW ENSIGN

by

Jack Mackenzie

SMASHWORDS EDITION

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PUBLISHED BY:

RAGE m a c h i n e Books

The Old New Ensign

Copyright 2007 M. D. Jackson

Smashwords Edition License Notes

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Contents

Introduction

The Old New Ensign

INTRODUCTION

Readers who have already read Debt's Pledge are going to recognize some names in this story. It features the main character of the book in an earlier time and in circumstances a tad more humorous. Still, if you haven't picked up Jack Mackenzie's new novel, here is as good an introduction to the world of Elphara and Jefferson Odett as any you will find. This story appeared in Raygun Revival #23 (June 2007).

THE OLD NEW ENSIGN

Jack Mackenzie

Maybe it was just being on Elphara, but when the little martinet of a Lieutenant picked up the salad bowl and handed it for me to take I immediately thought about three different ways to kill him and dispose of his corpse.

Unfortunately the martinet held my future in his hands, so I nodded politely and took the bowl.

Put it in front of the old man, the Lieutenant said, his clipped Old Family accent sounding archaic in this New Fleet gathering. And if he starts eating it with his hands just smile at the old bastard and walk away.

His disdain made me want to laugh. I felt my mouth warping into a wobbly smile and I desperately tried to think about something else. My eye was drawn to a flitter as it performed a deceleration descent. Another load of officers arriving from one of the