Sindh stopped by. 'I probably won't see you when I leave tomorrow, Paul. I need to get off the ship early to catch my shuttle, so I'll depart during morning quarters.'
'I'm sorry to hear that. You deserve a proper send-off.'
She laughed. 'All the officers lined up at the quarterdeck saluting as I march grandly off to a bright, shiny new future? That's not really my speed, Paul.'
He didn't know whether or not it was the drink he'd had, but Paul blurted out his thoughts. 'You were always there for everyone else, Sonya. I'm glad I got to serve with you.'
'And I with you.' Sindh made a small smile. 'There was a song, long ago. Part of it says 'hello, hello; good- bye, good-bye; that's all there is.' We meet, we go on. Say my fondest farewells to Jen.'
'I will.'
Sindh made to go, then looked down at Paul with a mischievous smile. 'I expect to be invited to the wedding.'
'If there is one, you'll be there.'
Another smile, this time seeming reassuring, and she went on to talk with a gaggle of ensigns. Paul had another drink, watching her and thinking of the other officers who'd already come and gone since he'd joined the Michaelson. I'm becoming a veteran of the crew. Why do I still feel inside like I'm the new guy?
Someone plopped down next to him. Paul looked over, startled, at Val Isakov.
Isakov hoisted her own drink. 'You look lonely.'
She obviously favored outfits off-duty that showed off what she had to offer, which in Isakov's case was quite a bit. Paul felt a curious mix of attraction and repulsion as he looked back at her. 'Not really.'
'Are you dating your invisible friend?'
'No. Jen's on duty tonight.'
'Ah, too bad. No one to warm your bunk.' Isakov's hand snaked out under the table and she drew one finger across Paul's leg. 'Must be hard.'
His lower spine liked the sensation, but Paul's brain didn't. He twitched his leg away. 'I'm happy.'
'Did I say you weren't?' She laughed and took a drink. 'Lighten up. It's a party.'
'Sure.'
Isakov leaned over, her breast pushing against Paul's arm, and held the position for a moment. 'See you around,' she whispered. Then she pulled away, laughed again, and walked over to another group of officers.
Paul stared after her. He put down his drink, stood up, found Sonya and said farewell again, then left and walked back to the Michaelson.
Kris Denaldo was sitting in the wardroom, eating popcorn and watching a movie on the big display. 'Hey, early night.'
'I didn't really feel like partying.' Paul grabbed some coffee and sat down on the other side of the wardroom.
Denaldo eyed him. 'I don't bite. At least, that's what I'm told. And if I tried biting you, Jen'd come charging in here and throw me halfway to the Ort Cloud.'
Paul grinned. 'It's not you.'
'Crazy Ivana?'
'You mean Isakov? How'd you know?'
'Just a guess.' Kris shook her head. 'Women know.'
'Well, whatever the hell Isakov is up to, I don't want any part of it.'
'Good boy. Truth to tell, I'm not sure myself, yet. But I wouldn't fix my brother up with her.'
'And I'm going to be stuck working with her for more than a year. Great. I already miss Sonya.'
'I missed Sonya before you did.' Denaldo took another bite of popcorn and chewed for a moment. 'Just keep Crazy Ivana at arm's length. Literally, if necessary. We'll invite Jen over for dinner some night so Isakov can see what she's messing with.'
'I'm not sure that'd scare her off. Isakov keeps talking about loving excitement and stuff.'
Kris grinned. 'Messing with Jen's boyfriend would be way too much excitement for me to risk! How's Jen doing, by the way? I didn't get a chance to talk to her when she stopped by yesterday.'
'Okay, I guess.' Paul tossed his empty drink container into the recycling bin. 'She's really haunted by what happened.'
'I'm not surprised. I bet I'd be an emotional basket-case in her place.'
'And she's having some funny problems with investigators. People looking into what happened to the Maury.' Even with Kris, he didn't want to discuss the full details. It was just too outrageous, too sick to think Jen had played any role in what had happened to her ship.
'Really? Engineers?'
'No, uh, Navy cops, I guess you could say.'
'Did you talk to that lawyer of yours about it?'
'Lawyer?' Paul looked at her with real puzzlement. 'I have a lawyer?'
'Yeah, that hottie who helped nail Silver. What was her name?'
'Carr. Alex Carr. Commander Alex Carr. Why do you and Jen keep trying to imply there's something going on between her and me?'
Kris grinned. 'Because Jen's a bit jealous and I'm trying to cause trouble.'
'You and Isakov?'
'Whoa! Low blow. I'm not going to go Crazy Ivana on you. But, seriously, if there's something you don't understand about what the cops are asking Jen, why not ask Carr? Can't hurt.'
'Good, idea, Kris. I'll skip lunch tomorrow and stop by her office.' Maybe a full-bore JAG commander can get those special agents to back off.
Paul paused in front of the door with A. Carr, CDR, USN, JAGC stenciled on it. After Silver's court-martial, Commander Carr said if I ever needed legal help, I should check with her. This sure seems to fit. He knocked, annoyed at his own nervousness.
Alex Carr looked up as Paul entered. 'Lieutenant Sinclair.'
'Yes, ma'am. Commander, I need some advice and maybe some assistance.' Why does she seem reserved? Maybe I just caught her at a bad time.
'Something on your ship?'
'Uh, no, ma'am. It's about the Maury, about-'
'I'm sorry.'
'Thank you, ma'am, but-'
'No.' Carr gestured decisively. 'I'm sorry I can't help you. I can't even talk about it.'
Paul stared at her, puzzled. 'Ma'am, I just wanted you to know some NCIS agents have been talking to a friend of mine-'
'Lieutenant Shen.' Carr looked away, the quick smiles Paul remembered as being characteristic of her completely absent now. 'I know. Paul, I can't discuss it.'
He felt a chill inside. 'But… ma'am? What's going on?'
She covered her forehead and face with one hand, her elbow resting on the desk. 'I can't discuss matters in litigation. I can't discuss cases I'm involved with.'
Litigation? Cases? 'I don't… Commander Carr, please.'
She lowered the hand and looked straight at him. 'You'll know within a few hours.'
'I want to know now! Dammit, I'm as dedicated as any officer in the Navy and I've proven it! I went on the Maury and helped patch her together and got pieces of what was left of her crew on my hands! What's going on, Commander?'
Commander Carr stood up, looking steadily at Paul. 'A military magistrate has ordered the arrest and confinement of Lieutenant Junior Grade Jen on charges pertaining to the deaths of sixty-one crewmembers and extensive physical damage to the USS Maury. Happy, Mr. Sinclair?'
He knew his jaw had fallen open. He knew he was just staring back at her. But he couldn't say anything.
