feet. “If you wait too long, Captain, the effort will fail and I will be required to initiate direct maxillary stem-regrowth of said lost teeth in each canal, which is rather more involved and flbprr…”
“That’s fine,” Hadrian said. “Sin-Dour, you have the bridge. Make sure Galk’s still in the cupola with all weapons ready to prime. Buck, head back to engineering and see what you can do about—about … whatever. I have to pay the adjutant a visit.”
Hadrian marched from the hangar bay, throwing the jersey over a shoulder.
Adjutant Lorrin Tighe’s quarters were on Deck Three. The captain had Tammy announce to her his imminent arrival and when he arrived the iris opened and he found himself facing her. “Adjutant, you look lovely.”
“Sir, I am still in uniform.”
“Are you? Oh, so you are. And what a lovely uniform Affiliation issues, provided a woman’s got what it takes to fill it, if you know what I mean.”
“That is highly inappropriate—”
“And I haven’t even stepped into your room, yet—may I? Thank you. Get the door, will you? There, now. That’s much better.”
She crossed her arms. “I was just completing my initial report.”
“Alas, best dispense with all that nonsense, Adjutant. We are in a crisis here and I will need you in your capacity of chief of security, which, I regret to point out, is a responsibility you have been neglecting in your zeal to see me sanctioned.” He edged closer to her. “I don’t mind being sanctioned, but it depends on the circumstances.”
“Who punched out your teeth, Captain? As far as winning smiles go, well, I am afraid to say it leaves something to be desired.”
“Yeah, well, the other guy broke into a thousand pieces.” Seeing the flat look settling into her gaze, he added, “No, really. A thousand pieces. But that reminds me. A rogue AI of unknown origin has commandeered our vessel, Adjutant. We are locked out and utterly helpless. If that’s not bad enough, we’re already in T space and racing toward the Exclusion Zone.”
“What?”
“From there,” Hadrian went on, “we’ll be entering sovereign Radulak-Klang territory.”
“What?”
“But first things first,” Hadrian said. “Who’s patrolling the Exclusion Zone this month?”
“Oh God! The Misanthari!”
“Well, that’s not good news, is it? Best check recent sightings, Adjutant. We need to know their temper levels as soon as possible.”
“It doesn’t matter what their temper levels are right now! As soon as they detect us—”
Hadrian stepped forward and took hold of her arms. He kissed her hard. “Calm down, Lorrin. If we get Swarmed, and let’s face it, we will get Swarmed, we need security on station on every deck, because sure as we’re standing here—so close, so intimately—we’ll get breached. They’ll come in spitting acid and eager to rip our throats out. We could all be dead in a few hours, in fact. I’ve seen how you look at me, Lorrin—”
She pushed him away. “You just kissed me! I need to work! I don’t look at you at all!”
“Exactly. It’s driving me crazy.”
“Go away!”
“Can I help it if rejection turns me on? But of course you’re right, and I can see how you like that. Being right, I mean. Rejoin me on the bridge as soon as you have something to report.” He swung to the door. The iris opened with a faint sigh. He strode into the corridor and made his way to the nearest elevator.
“Smooth, Captain,” said Tammy.
“Shows what you know,” Hadrian replied. “She’ll be straddling me within the week. Assuming we all live that long.” He stepped into the elevator. “Bridge.”
“You don’t seem your usual confident self, Captain. Not quite the man who displaced into my ship with blaster in hand—by the way, wouldn’t it have been better to displace behind my stand-in?”
“What is it you want, Tammy?” Hadrian asked. “What’s in Radulak-Klang territory?”
“My origins, I
“That’s fine,” Hadrian said. “Sin-Dour, you have the bridge. Make sure Galk’s still in the cupola with all weapons ready to prime. Buck, head back to engineering and see what you can do about—about … whatever. I have to pay the adjutant a visit.”
Hadrian marched from the hangar bay, throwing the jersey over a shoulder.
Adjutant Lorrin Tighe’s quarters were on Deck Three. The captain had Tammy announce to her his imminent arrival and when he arrived the iris opened and he found himself facing her. “Adjutant, you look lovely.”
“Sir, I am still in uniform.”
“Are you? Oh, so you are. And what a lovely uniform Affiliation issues, provided a woman’s got what it takes to fill it, if you know what I mean.”
“That is highly inappropriate—”
“And I haven’t even stepped into your room, yet—may I? Thank you. Get the door, will you? There, now. That’s much better.”
She crossed her arms. “I was just completing my initial report.”
“Alas, best dispense with all that nonsense, Adjutant. We are in a crisis here and I will need you in your capacity of chief of security, which, I regret to point out, is a responsibility you have been neglecting in your zeal to see me sanctioned.” He edged closer to her. “I don’t mind being sanctioned, but it depends on the circumstances.”
“Who punched out your teeth, Captain? As far as winning smiles go, well, I am afraid to say it leaves something to be desired.”
“Yeah, well, the other guy broke into a thousand pieces.” Seeing the flat look settling into her gaze, he added, “No, really. A thousand pieces. But that reminds me. A rogue AI of unknown origin has commandeered our vessel, Adjutant. We are locked out and utterly helpless. If that’s not bad enough, we’re already in T space and racing toward the Exclusion Zone.”
“What?”
“From there,” Hadrian went on, “we’ll be entering sovereign Radulak-Klang territory.”
“What?”
“But first things first,” Hadrian said. “Who’s patrolling the Exclusion Zone this month?”
“Oh God! The Misanthari!”
“Well, that’s not good news, is it? Best check recent sightings, Adjutant. We need to know their temper levels as soon as possible.”
“It doesn’t matter what their temper levels are right now! As soon as they detect us—”
Hadrian stepped forward and took hold of her arms. He kissed her hard. “Calm down, Lorrin. If we get Swarmed, and let’s face it, we will get Swarmed, we need security on station on every deck, because sure as we’re standing here—so close, so intimately—we’ll get breached. They’ll come in spitting acid and eager to rip our throats out. We could all be dead in a few hours, in fact. I’ve seen how you look at me, Lorrin—”
She pushed him away. “You just kissed me! I need to work! I don’t look at you at all!”
“Exactly. It’s driving me crazy.”
“Go away!”
“Can I help it if rejection turns me on? But of course you’re right, and I can see how you like that. Being right, I mean. Rejoin me on the bridge as soon as you have something to report.” He swung to the door. The iris opened with a faint sigh. He strode into the corridor and made his way to the nearest elevator.
“Smooth, Captain,” said Tammy.
“Shows what you know,” Hadrian replied. “She’ll be straddling me within the week. Assuming we all live that long.” He stepped into the elevator. “Bridge.”
“You don’t seem your usual confident self, Captain. Not quite the man who displaced into my ship with blaster in hand—by the way, wouldn’t it have been better to displace behind my stand-in?”
“What is it you want, Tammy?” Hadrian asked. “What’s in Radulak-Klang territory?”
“My origins, I
Similar Books
