leave some active on purpose and then where would they be? With a shrug, he complied.
The search took hours. Four members of the security team were equipped with detailed specs of Syrah, and they consulted them frequently, measuring compartments, verifying component serial numbers, and their unique manufacturing tags, measuring power emission curves and much more.
Decker followed one pair around while Talyn followed the other, answering questions clearly designed to test their knowledge of the ship. Zack was glad Hera had made them crawl through every tube, examine every nook and cranny and memorize every detail of the layout during their passage to Kilia.
It proved impossible for either agent to determine whether or not the inspectors found anything suspicious and at the end of it, the team departed without saying a word, pausing only to collect the duo they’d left guarding the airlock.
“So?” He asked once the armored hatch shut them off from the docking arm.
She reached out and brushed his hand with dancing fingertips, spelling out a message in the tactile code used by naval intelligence agents.
They probably bugged us.
Zack nodded his agreement. Their hands reversed position so he could signal.
If the engineers forgot to hide something that could link us back, they’ll wait until we’re both off the ship to take it and us.
It was her turn to nod.
“It’s been a long day, Zack,” she said out loud. “Why don’t you go get us stocked up with fresh food while I put the ship to rights. Our friendly inspectors weren’t exactly subtle.”
Her fingers signaled although we shouldn’t stick around longer than necessary, if we leave right away, it’ll look suspicious.
“Good idea,” he replied. “Any special requests?”
“Stick to fruit and veggies. I doubt their protein vats grow anything better than the rations we’ve got.”
“I’ll see. A good vat steak is pretty much indistinguishable from what passes for beef in most outer systems.”
“At your discretion, then. Just don’t overspend. Until we get a contract, we’re living off savings,” she added, for any hidden listening devices.
Her fingers danced one last time. W hile you’re out, I’ll see if they left anything nasty behind.
If you find something, don’t touch it until I’m back , he replied, blowing her a kiss before opening the hatch again.
SIX
“So?” Talyn looked up from her scanner when Decker stepped through the airlock, burdened with what seemed like an entire food locker’s worth of victuals.
“I got plenty of fruit, veggies and meat – vat meat, but it looks good.” He dropped his bags and reached out to touch the back of her hand.
We need to talk. Did you find anything?
She nodded, but said, “Go stow the stuff. I’ll look at it later.”
“Aye, aye, Captain.” He winked.
“Once that’s done, you and I are going to take a close look at the inside of your forward launcher. Something needs to be adjusted, but I’m damned if I can figure out what that is.”
“That’s why you hired me.”
He vanished down the passageway, whistling an out of tune ditty.
***
As an improvised conference room, the missile compartment left a lot to be desired. Once Talyn shut the hatch behind her, they were more intimate than if they’d just hopped into a one person bunk.
“This is one of the few places they didn’t seed with microscopic bugs,” she said after Decker finished snuggling up to her. “The rest of the ship is lousy with them. You told me you needed to talk?”
“We have to leave this place quickly and quietly. There are a few too many folks distinctly interested in us, or rather our ship, more so than just a harbor master doing due diligence with the BOLO list.”
“Explain.”
“Item one: the man running the chandlery acted like a terrified rabbit the moment I walked in; he couldn’t throw me out, but I’ve never been served so
The search took hours. Four members of the security team were equipped with detailed specs of Syrah, and they consulted them frequently, measuring compartments, verifying component serial numbers, and their unique manufacturing tags, measuring power emission curves and much more.
Decker followed one pair around while Talyn followed the other, answering questions clearly designed to test their knowledge of the ship. Zack was glad Hera had made them crawl through every tube, examine every nook and cranny and memorize every detail of the layout during their passage to Kilia.
It proved impossible for either agent to determine whether or not the inspectors found anything suspicious and at the end of it, the team departed without saying a word, pausing only to collect the duo they’d left guarding the airlock.
“So?” He asked once the armored hatch shut them off from the docking arm.
She reached out and brushed his hand with dancing fingertips, spelling out a message in the tactile code used by naval intelligence agents.
They probably bugged us.
Zack nodded his agreement. Their hands reversed position so he could signal.
If the engineers forgot to hide something that could link us back, they’ll wait until we’re both off the ship to take it and us.
It was her turn to nod.
“It’s been a long day, Zack,” she said out loud. “Why don’t you go get us stocked up with fresh food while I put the ship to rights. Our friendly inspectors weren’t exactly subtle.”
Her fingers signaled although we shouldn’t stick around longer than necessary, if we leave right away, it’ll look suspicious.
“Good idea,” he replied. “Any special requests?”
“Stick to fruit and veggies. I doubt their protein vats grow anything better than the rations we’ve got.”
“I’ll see. A good vat steak is pretty much indistinguishable from what passes for beef in most outer systems.”
“At your discretion, then. Just don’t overspend. Until we get a contract, we’re living off savings,” she added, for any hidden listening devices.
Her fingers danced one last time. W hile you’re out, I’ll see if they left anything nasty behind.
If you find something, don’t touch it until I’m back , he replied, blowing her a kiss before opening the hatch again.
SIX
“So?” Talyn looked up from her scanner when Decker stepped through the airlock, burdened with what seemed like an entire food locker’s worth of victuals.
“I got plenty of fruit, veggies and meat – vat meat, but it looks good.” He dropped his bags and reached out to touch the back of her hand.
We need to talk. Did you find anything?
She nodded, but said, “Go stow the stuff. I’ll look at it later.”
“Aye, aye, Captain.” He winked.
“Once that’s done, you and I are going to take a close look at the inside of your forward launcher. Something needs to be adjusted, but I’m damned if I can figure out what that is.”
“That’s why you hired me.”
He vanished down the passageway, whistling an out of tune ditty.
***
As an improvised conference room, the missile compartment left a lot to be desired. Once Talyn shut the hatch behind her, they were more intimate than if they’d just hopped into a one person bunk.
“This is one of the few places they didn’t seed with microscopic bugs,” she said after Decker finished snuggling up to her. “The rest of the ship is lousy with them. You told me you needed to talk?”
“We have to leave this place quickly and quietly. There are a few too many folks distinctly interested in us, or rather our ship, more so than just a harbor master doing due diligence with the BOLO list.”
“Explain.”
“Item one: the man running the chandlery acted like a terrified rabbit the moment I walked in; he couldn’t throw me out, but I’ve never been served so
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