Morale."

"Sure," Maise said, cracking a grin on his stiff lips. "Sorry. I know it
isn't your fault."

He opened the report, and commenced reading.

* * * * *

TITLE:

SPECIAL CONFIDENTIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL REPORT, prepared in
collaboration with Lieutenant E. G. von Wald, Special Reports
Officer, Mars XLV Base.

TO:

COMMANDING OFFICER
Psychological Study and Evaluation District
Central Command Authority
Unified Human Defense Forces

FROM:

LIEUTENANT ALTON A. B. MAISE
Executive Officer
Space Combat Device LMB-43534
Seventh Space Fleet

SUBJECT:

ATTEMPTED BACTERIOLOGICAL POISONING OF COMMANDER THOMAS L. FRENDON,
recently assigned captain of above-mentioned Combat Device. As per
Special Order PSIC334349, dated 23 July 2013.

On 17 October 2015, Space Combat Device LMB-43534 was detached from the
Seventh Fleet and returned to the Martian XLV Docks for general
overhauling and refitting with new equipment. This period extended for
two months, and was followed by a seven-day course of rechecking by the
crew.

I was assigned to the ship as Executive Officer on 21 November following
detachment, and was in command of the ship during most of the
above-mentioned operations. The men were extremely hostile toward me,
owing to their fear that I was a Psi Corps officer acting under a
special commission in the SCS, but no overt signs of mutiny took place,
perhaps because we were still in port. Needless to say, I was very glad
when the message arrived informing us of the assignment of Commander
Frendon as captain, inasmuch as the situation made clearly evident that
I could not expect to be able to assume tactical command of the ship
myself when it was returned to combat, the attitude of the crew being
what it was.

Almost immediately upon receipt of the message, some of the animosity
toward me lifted, but hardly enough for me to consider myself accepted
as a member of the crew, although there was a good deal more work done
after that.

* * * * *

Six days before our scheduled departure date, Commander Frendon arrived.
I was in the control cabin with Lieutenant Spender, Third Officer, when
Lieutenant Harding, the Astrogator entered. He limped around the little
room a couple of times and then slumped dejectedly into a chair. "Well,"
he said, "we've had it, boys."

Spender looked ar