returned her to the Fleet complex. She didn’t envy the people who did a longer course.
“Sergeant Erascu will see you home,” Werensa said. He didn’t say ‘dismissed’ but she knew his intention.
Erascu picked up her bag before she could. She murmured her thanks as they left the room. “Buy you a drink?”
“Sure. Why not?” She liked Erascu. He had trained her in martial arts, not only in self-defense but in modes of attack. She learned about pressure points and where to find them, how to exploit weaknesses, how to bring a man down with a well-aimed kick or the side of the hand. How to fight dirty, as Erascu himself had described it. Don’t worry about a fair fight; fight for your life.
She paused in the doorway of the ‘Grenadiers’, an obviously popular watering hole in one of the Fleet accommodation towers, and looked around. Washrooms over to the left. Exit behind the bar. Glass doors leading outside. One man at a table by himself looked nervous or irritable. His eyes were on the door, not on her; probably waiting for someone. The place was well lit, noisy with conversation and laughter. The latest popular music played in the background. Glasses and bottles stood on tables, both options for weapons if needed.
Erascu grinned at her and gave her a brief nod. Well done. He led her to a table in the corner. Several people called out a greeting, which he returned.
“What can I get you?”
“Oh, just a mineral water, I think.” She glanced around the room as he punched in the order. Most of the people were Fleet and in uniform. “No officers?”
He shook his head. “We wouldn’t feel comfortable with any of them here.”
No, she supposed not.
A pretty attendant gave Erascu a smile when she delivered the drinks. When she’d gone, he raised his glass in salute. “You did well. Here’s to success.”
“The Chief didn’t seem too impressed.”
“Chief Werensa isn’t impressed with anybody’s performance, but that’s just his way. You did great, considering.”
Considering. “Thanks.” She smiled and raised her glass.
Erascu looked at her over the rim of his glass. “You know, I’ve never come across anybody as good at getting around in the dark as you. Or as good at finding sensors. Have you done those things before?”
“I’ve spent quite a lot of time in caves and things, so the dark doesn’t worry me. And the sensors…
well, I work with information systems. Just lucky, I guess.” And maybe a little help from the fact that her eyes had been modified so she could see in the dark and she could access data systems directly. But Saahren was the only one who knew that. She didn’t think he’d even told Vlad Leonov.
“Well, they’re very useful bits of luck. Sure, you need to practice the physical stuff but that’s just practice.” He fiddled with his glass. “How come you did the course?”
What to tell him? Grand Admiral Saahren said she had to? “Um. Vlad—my boss—thought it would be a good idea.”
“Vlad…?”
“Vlad Leonov.”
Erascu’s eyes widened. “AdmiralVlad Leonov?”
“That’s the one.”
“You call him Vlad?”
“Um. Yes. Look, I’m a civilian. All this rank stuff…” she waved a hand over the top of her head.
Erascu eyed her. “Gee. I guess this place is a bit—”
“This place is just fine. Have you been in the Fleet long?”
He nodded. “Twelve years next month.”
“Twelve years, I guess you like it.”
“I do. It’s a great life if you work with a good team. I’ve worked with Chief Werensa for about three years. Before that, I served onProserpine .” He drank some more beer.
Proserpine. Allysha’s hand tightened on her glass. “Wasn’t that one of the cruisers that hit Jossur?”
“That’s right.” Erascu grinned. “The ship jumped into the system, blew away a toe rag battle ship and jumped out again. It was all over in a few minutes.” He arced his hand over the table to illustrate—in, attack,
“Sergeant Erascu will see you home,” Werensa said. He didn’t say ‘dismissed’ but she knew his intention.
Erascu picked up her bag before she could. She murmured her thanks as they left the room. “Buy you a drink?”
“Sure. Why not?” She liked Erascu. He had trained her in martial arts, not only in self-defense but in modes of attack. She learned about pressure points and where to find them, how to exploit weaknesses, how to bring a man down with a well-aimed kick or the side of the hand. How to fight dirty, as Erascu himself had described it. Don’t worry about a fair fight; fight for your life.
She paused in the doorway of the ‘Grenadiers’, an obviously popular watering hole in one of the Fleet accommodation towers, and looked around. Washrooms over to the left. Exit behind the bar. Glass doors leading outside. One man at a table by himself looked nervous or irritable. His eyes were on the door, not on her; probably waiting for someone. The place was well lit, noisy with conversation and laughter. The latest popular music played in the background. Glasses and bottles stood on tables, both options for weapons if needed.
Erascu grinned at her and gave her a brief nod. Well done. He led her to a table in the corner. Several people called out a greeting, which he returned.
“What can I get you?”
“Oh, just a mineral water, I think.” She glanced around the room as he punched in the order. Most of the people were Fleet and in uniform. “No officers?”
He shook his head. “We wouldn’t feel comfortable with any of them here.”
No, she supposed not.
A pretty attendant gave Erascu a smile when she delivered the drinks. When she’d gone, he raised his glass in salute. “You did well. Here’s to success.”
“The Chief didn’t seem too impressed.”
“Chief Werensa isn’t impressed with anybody’s performance, but that’s just his way. You did great, considering.”
Considering. “Thanks.” She smiled and raised her glass.
Erascu looked at her over the rim of his glass. “You know, I’ve never come across anybody as good at getting around in the dark as you. Or as good at finding sensors. Have you done those things before?”
“I’ve spent quite a lot of time in caves and things, so the dark doesn’t worry me. And the sensors…
well, I work with information systems. Just lucky, I guess.” And maybe a little help from the fact that her eyes had been modified so she could see in the dark and she could access data systems directly. But Saahren was the only one who knew that. She didn’t think he’d even told Vlad Leonov.
“Well, they’re very useful bits of luck. Sure, you need to practice the physical stuff but that’s just practice.” He fiddled with his glass. “How come you did the course?”
What to tell him? Grand Admiral Saahren said she had to? “Um. Vlad—my boss—thought it would be a good idea.”
“Vlad…?”
“Vlad Leonov.”
Erascu’s eyes widened. “AdmiralVlad Leonov?”
“That’s the one.”
“You call him Vlad?”
“Um. Yes. Look, I’m a civilian. All this rank stuff…” she waved a hand over the top of her head.
Erascu eyed her. “Gee. I guess this place is a bit—”
“This place is just fine. Have you been in the Fleet long?”
He nodded. “Twelve years next month.”
“Twelve years, I guess you like it.”
“I do. It’s a great life if you work with a good team. I’ve worked with Chief Werensa for about three years. Before that, I served onProserpine .” He drank some more beer.
Proserpine. Allysha’s hand tightened on her glass. “Wasn’t that one of the cruisers that hit Jossur?”
“That’s right.” Erascu grinned. “The ship jumped into the system, blew away a toe rag battle ship and jumped out again. It was all over in a few minutes.” He arced his hand over the table to illustrate—in, attack,
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