“He’s better than they are.”
“I know. Could you imagine thefuss if I made him chief?”
“You could promote him.”
“I don’t have the authority… Idon’t think I would even if I did. He’s not ready for the responsibility.”
“You throw it on him anyway.”
John turned to her suspiciously. “What is this? The Kowalski PR campaign?”
“No, of course not.”
“So what have you got againstRed?”
“Nothing.”
“But you think Kowalski’sbetter?”
“I didn’t say –”
“Didn’t you?”
“All right then.” Since she hadstarted it, he wasn’t going to let it finish there. “Your opinion ofKowalski.”
“Yours,” she threw back.
John took a breath. “He’s good,no doubting that. But he lacks experience and maturity. I need a chiefengineer with both. And a calm head… Now, your opinion.”
“Best engineer I ever saw onMagellan. Apart from Anthony.”
“Giacomo.”
She eyed him curiously.
“Crew evaluations,” he answeredher unasked question. “As first officer, you’re entitled to an opinion.”
“Personal or professional?”
“Whatever.” He was completelyserious. “Giacomo.”
“Good pilot, easy to work with,tends to worry. Picked up a lot of things from you. Perfect gentleman. Didn’t pick that up from you.”
John’s eyes narrowed slightly atthe intended insult.
“Stephen Gillespie,” she got inbefore he could throw another name at her.
“Con artist of the first order,” wasJohn’s automatic response.
She considered his answerbriefly. “Agreed.”
“Tan Gao,” he continued, leaningforward and refilling his glass. She held her glass out and he topped it up.
“Efficient.” She took amouthful, her eyes squinting shut for a moment, then slopped some Coke into herglass.
“That it?”
She took another mouthful,enjoying it, then shook her head. “He’s still got me baffled.”
“Dave Humphries,” he continued.
“Is going to get himself deckedone day. Most likely by me.”
John was curious. “Anyparticular reason?”
“Do I need one? Doctor Dunlop.”
“Brilliant and temperamental. Sean Daniels.”
“Unfair question!” She shouldhave picked the gleam in his eye long before this.
“Sean Daniels!” he repeated,noting her discomfort.
“Katrina Lockett,” she firedback.
“Touché.” His voice dropped. Hewasn’t going to answer that any more than she was his subject. “Lorraine Bricks.”
“She’s good for Giacomo. She’salso pretty smart, although I don’t think many of you guys have noticed that. Wanda Mitchell.”
“Probably the reason why so manyguys report in sick.”
McReidy had to agree. Wanda wasan extremely attractive addition to sick bay.
John threw her a quick glance. She was watching him, waiting to see his next person.
“John Madison.”
“I have no opinion.” None shewas willing to share.
“Smart answer,” John laughedquietly. “Not completely honest, but smart.”
He emptied his glass, put itdown, leaned back and kicked his feet up on the coffee table.
“I just had a horrible thought.”
Her glass stopped halfway to hermouth as she tensed, expecting trouble. “What’s that?”
“Do you realise there areactually some things we agree on?”
She couldn’t help smiling. Hiseyes were warm and it wasn’t just the affect of the alcohol.
Gillespie returned a little laterand helped them finish off the bottle. It was with great reluctance that anyof them finally moved at some unmentionable hour of the morning.
“Steve, would you kindly take ourguest home?” John asked.
“Why me?” Gillespie had becomequite settled in his chair.
“Because I’m not capable.”
Gillespie grumbled and got to hisfeet.
McReidy was nodding off, her eyesmore closed than open.
“Come on, then.” Gillespiehooked her arm around his neck and hauled her to her feet.
“I’m comfortable,” she complained.
“And you’ll be more comfortablein your own place.” He slipped his free arm around her waist and guided her tothe door.
She leaned into him as theyheaded down the corridor. “You make a nice pillow, Steve.”
“I’m not your pillow,” he gentlyreminded her.
“I know,” she yawned. “Don’tworry, I’m going to find you a nice girl.”
“I’ll do my own looking, thankyou.” The last thing he needed was McReidy or anyone else trying to set himup. “John’s not so bad, is he?”
“No, I suppose not.”
* * *
The bridge wasn’t a pleasantplace to be next morning. John was hungover; McReidy wasn’t much better. Hereyes were bloodshot and she had trouble focusing.
“Did you two have the bridge allnight?” Giacomo asked as McReidy yawned widely.
“Something like that. I got tobed…” She glanced at her watch, moving it back and forth under her eyes andblinking strongly, before dismissing her attempt to read it. “It seems like itwas only five minutes ago.”
“You shouldn’t be on duty thismorning.”
“Anything he can do…” She noddedbriefly in John’s direction.
“That is not a healthy attitudeto have around here.” Giacomo didn’t know who he was more upset with. McReidyfor being there, or John for letting her.
A mug of coffee was placed on theconsole in front of McReidy. “Coffee for you, young lady.”
Her eyes travelled from the mugalong Gillespie’s arm and up to his serious looking face.
“And no more nights like lastnight,” he told her firmly.
“Yes, Steve,” she teased, smilingobediently.
He frowned and shook his head – shewould disobey him the first chance she got.
Giacomo was completely confused. He looked from McReidy to Gillespie and decided it was something he better stayout of.
John was not so easy to placate. Coffee did wonders for him, but lack of sleep tended to make him grumpy. Hisheadache really did need sleeping off, or a trip to sick bay. But he wasstubborn enough not to give McReidy the satisfaction of knowing she was in abetter state than he was.
* * *
Returning to Tricon was not highon anyone’s popularity list. Regardless of Red’s assurances, John was moreworried about whether they could actually make it back. They were still wellbehind the border, even if he had no idea where it currently was. He couldn’tfind any other ships – allied or enemy. They were nowhere near their lastplotted co-ordinates. A bit of support would have been nice. The last thinghe needed was to lead the Andromedans to the jump gate.
His desk in his quarters was amess. It always was when he was working. He liked to have everything withinreach and to be able to find something at a glance without having to searchthrough piles of papers. He knew where everything was.
He hadn’t heard the door beep andjumped when the intercom beeped.
“Go away.” He didn’t want to bedisturbed unless the ship was under threat, in which case Humphries would haveidentified himself from the bridge.
The caller was persistent.
“Go away,” he repeated in afirmer voice.
“No.”
John slammed his
