Science Fiction Short Story Review: "A Question of Courage" by Jesse Franklin Bone

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“I smelled the trouble the moment I stepped on the lift and took the long ride up the side of the Lachesis,” Lt. Thomas Marsden tells the reader as he assumes his new position aboard the scout spaceship. As Executive Officer, he’s pleased to see the vessel is well-maintained and in perfect trim, but the crew is obviously unhappy. It doesn’t take Marsden long to figure out why: Commander Charles Chase. Cautious Charley. By-the-Rule-Book-Charley. The reader gets a sense of the oppressiveness of serving under Commander Chase when Marsden is chewed out for being three minutes late reporting to the commanding officer. The resentment among the men is palpable and understandable. Not only does he rule with an iron fist, but there are rumors that Cautious Charley has managed to keep the Lachesis out of any major engagement in an effort to protect his own hide. The men are itching for a fight. One day, orders come to launch in a major offensive… Author Jesse Franklin Bone manages to create in a short story a complex, layered outer space for the ships to travel and battle in and complex and unusual forces at work behind what seems to be a senseless war. This is a nice little before-bed read. The names of the ships are also on point. "Lachesis," for example, is one of the three Fates of Greek mythology. This is hard science fiction, intended to appeal to young men. I liked it anyway. The ending is not a surprise, but is nicely done. This story is available free of charge from Project Gutenberg. It can also be obtained from Librivox as an audiobook. _____ Title: "A Question of Courage" Author: Jesse Franklin Bone (1916-2006) First published in Amazing Stories Dec. 1960. Source: ISFDB *An earlier version of this review appeared on another site. It has been updated and expanded for its inclusion on myLot.*