weapons, and pace. They both turned towards her as she entered the bay.
“Alright gents, this isn’t your first rodeo. While I’m not expecting any issues, let’s just pretend y’all are a couple of Boy Scouts today.” Reilly moved towards the door and stepped out onto the platform.
“Huh?” said Ty.
“Always be prepared? The Boy Scout motto?” Chang sighed. “Shoulda figured you weren’t a scout.”
“Why’s that?” Ty said as they followed Reilly out.
“Well, let’s see. A Scout is courteous, kind, friendly, cheerful, thrifty, clean, helpful…”
“I’m thrifty! I always get two-for-one drinks, and I get the free buffet at the Flyers Club. And I’m friendly to the ladies and helpful, I’m helpful too! Last time we were worldside, remember that one gal, her strap broke on her dress and I went over to help her out with that…I think her name was Mitzi or Ritzi or something…”
“You just made my case.”
“And how would you know? You’re no Boy Scout!”
“Yes, I am. I made Eagle Scout in just three years on Raslon when I was a kid. Had to keep up the family tradition my great-uncle started.”
They were walking through a small stretch of forest now, leading up to Welch’s home. Reilly gave them both a quick glare to silence them and then continued moving forward up the stone path towards the house.
“Well, I still don’t see how those things don’t fit with the motto. I’ll give you the cheerful bit, ’cause that just ain’t me,” Ty continued in a soft voice, “but I’m definitely clean, you can’t argue that one.”
Chang leaned in, gave a sniff, then shook his head and turned back to follow Reilly.
Ty looked at him in disbelief, and then, just to be sure, raised an arm and took a sniff himself. He made a face, shrugged, and followed the other two across a small lawn to the house. They paused as they stepped onto the back patio. The back doors were open to the fresh air, and a breeze was blowing the long drapes around the edges of the doors. Ty patrolled down the left side of the patio while Chang took the right and then returned to Reilly to give the all-clear. She nodded, and they all went through the door into a very modern living space which appeared empty. Chang and Ty went down the hall towards the rest of the house, while Reilly picked up a ledger left open on the desk. Its coding was a match to the ones they had recovered from the Vervian job.
Chang and Ty cleared several more rooms until they came to a locked door.
“Looks like we’ll have to break it in,” Ty said.
“Good idea. I’ll cover you.”
“Why do I always have to break them in?”
“Well, because you have the Scout traits of obedience and loyalty, and because I outrank you. Think of it as your good deed for the day.”
“Good deed my ass.” Ty pushed off from the wall and rammed the door hard with his shoulder. The lock held briefly and then fell inward with the rest of the door. Ty felt his feet slip on the hard floor as he tried to stop himself from falling forward. His rifle sling caught on the edge of the caved-in door, dragging him back down to his knees. He cursed and pulled the sling free, pushing up from the floor with both hands. His hands felt slick, and when he turned them over, the palms were red. He looked around at the room and stepped back, bringing his gun up unconsciously.
Chang keyed up his mic from the hall. “Captain, you’d better see this.”
—————
Duv slung a battle rifle over his shoulder and carried a tool box in his other hand. Behind him, Skeeter followed with a set of welding tools and some electronic gear. They headed around to the right side of the ship and the transmitter. Skeeter looked around warily. Even with Duv nearby, he still felt uneasy planetside. Duv examined the transmitter at a distance, then placed his toolbox on the ground.
“Well, there’s a detonator alright, but it looks like a simple circuit. Shouldn’t take too long to
“Alright gents, this isn’t your first rodeo. While I’m not expecting any issues, let’s just pretend y’all are a couple of Boy Scouts today.” Reilly moved towards the door and stepped out onto the platform.
“Huh?” said Ty.
“Always be prepared? The Boy Scout motto?” Chang sighed. “Shoulda figured you weren’t a scout.”
“Why’s that?” Ty said as they followed Reilly out.
“Well, let’s see. A Scout is courteous, kind, friendly, cheerful, thrifty, clean, helpful…”
“I’m thrifty! I always get two-for-one drinks, and I get the free buffet at the Flyers Club. And I’m friendly to the ladies and helpful, I’m helpful too! Last time we were worldside, remember that one gal, her strap broke on her dress and I went over to help her out with that…I think her name was Mitzi or Ritzi or something…”
“You just made my case.”
“And how would you know? You’re no Boy Scout!”
“Yes, I am. I made Eagle Scout in just three years on Raslon when I was a kid. Had to keep up the family tradition my great-uncle started.”
They were walking through a small stretch of forest now, leading up to Welch’s home. Reilly gave them both a quick glare to silence them and then continued moving forward up the stone path towards the house.
“Well, I still don’t see how those things don’t fit with the motto. I’ll give you the cheerful bit, ’cause that just ain’t me,” Ty continued in a soft voice, “but I’m definitely clean, you can’t argue that one.”
Chang leaned in, gave a sniff, then shook his head and turned back to follow Reilly.
Ty looked at him in disbelief, and then, just to be sure, raised an arm and took a sniff himself. He made a face, shrugged, and followed the other two across a small lawn to the house. They paused as they stepped onto the back patio. The back doors were open to the fresh air, and a breeze was blowing the long drapes around the edges of the doors. Ty patrolled down the left side of the patio while Chang took the right and then returned to Reilly to give the all-clear. She nodded, and they all went through the door into a very modern living space which appeared empty. Chang and Ty went down the hall towards the rest of the house, while Reilly picked up a ledger left open on the desk. Its coding was a match to the ones they had recovered from the Vervian job.
Chang and Ty cleared several more rooms until they came to a locked door.
“Looks like we’ll have to break it in,” Ty said.
“Good idea. I’ll cover you.”
“Why do I always have to break them in?”
“Well, because you have the Scout traits of obedience and loyalty, and because I outrank you. Think of it as your good deed for the day.”
“Good deed my ass.” Ty pushed off from the wall and rammed the door hard with his shoulder. The lock held briefly and then fell inward with the rest of the door. Ty felt his feet slip on the hard floor as he tried to stop himself from falling forward. His rifle sling caught on the edge of the caved-in door, dragging him back down to his knees. He cursed and pulled the sling free, pushing up from the floor with both hands. His hands felt slick, and when he turned them over, the palms were red. He looked around at the room and stepped back, bringing his gun up unconsciously.
Chang keyed up his mic from the hall. “Captain, you’d better see this.”
—————
Duv slung a battle rifle over his shoulder and carried a tool box in his other hand. Behind him, Skeeter followed with a set of welding tools and some electronic gear. They headed around to the right side of the ship and the transmitter. Skeeter looked around warily. Even with Duv nearby, he still felt uneasy planetside. Duv examined the transmitter at a distance, then placed his toolbox on the ground.
“Well, there’s a detonator alright, but it looks like a simple circuit. Shouldn’t take too long to
Similar Books
