“Thank you.”
“Now I am telling you to leave.”
Their reappearance in the foyerappeased what had become a tense situation. Whatever had gone on was mutuallyagreeable.
“Happy now?” McReidy hissed asJohn contacted the ship for immediate transportation back.
“Perfectly,” he grinned.
Dunlop joined them on thebridge. He was as curious as the others and not willing to let John out of hissight. As they took their positions, he hovered over John’s shoulder.
John was giving nothing away. Ifhe regretted his earlier decision, he knew he would have regretted it more ifhe had given in.
“Take us out of orbit, Giacomo.” He didn’t have to think about his orders. They came automatically.
The ship moved away. The imageof the planet on the main screen became smaller, and then disappeared.
“You know, I’m going to miss thatkid.” Dunlop’s statement went unanswered, but not unheard.
John knew they were all waitingfor an explanation of his earlier actions. He was unwilling to give one. Ascurious as they were, no one was game enough to ask. He guessed what they werethinking. The hint of a smile on his face at their wrong conclusions onlyappeared to confirm their suspicions.
“Did we find out anythinginteresting?” John asked.
“Not yet.” Dunlop’s whisperedvoice in his ear was heard by no one else.
“And you’re not going to,” camethe equally quiet reply.
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Chapter eleven
The star maps began to run out. Small gaps began to appear between known regions and cartography tried to plotin sections as they came across them. An extension to a map might range from amillion kilometres to a light month. Even in some of the roughly chartedareas, the original maps were only accurate as to what was physically there. Worlds hadn’t been investigated beyond their existence and what long rangescans had made of their structures. Whether they were inhabited or not was yetto be seen.
For John, this was the dangerouspart of their mission. Unknown worlds in uncharted systems. This was supposedto be more investigative than anything else: assess the strategic or threatpotential. If it was more than likely to have been overrun by Andromedans, itwould be left alone.
John stopped in mid thought. Hedidn’t need to do all that work. There was someone on board who knew most ofthis territory. A little persuasion might be necessary, but that wouldn’t beany trouble. His attention settled on McReidy. No trouble at all.
Giacomo scouted the three planetscurrently on the main screen and John’s focus shifted back to work. Overlooked the planets may have been, but thatdidn’t necessarily mean they were deserted. They didn’t need any surpriseswaiting for them.
Lifesign scans showed the firsttwo deserted. The third appeared to have life, although it was confined to asmall area. With no apparent vegetation on which to sustain itself, it wasassumed not to be indigenous. John was tempted to check it out. Thecomposition and pressure of the atmosphere would make human life impossible, evenfor a short period of time. It was decided wisely to leave it alone.
The bridge was quiet. Gillespiepulled on a set of earphones, guaranteeing silence, and switched the securitysystems through the navigational sensors.
That left Humphries to monitorcommunications and he quickly crosslinked that console to his.
Everything appeared to be wellunder control. John stood up. “Giacomo, you’re in charge.”
“Yes, sir,” Giacomo confirmed.
“McReidy, you’re with me. Gillespie…”
Gillespie caught John’s glanceand nodded.
McReidy followed John from thebridge.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
He didn’t answer, avoiding herlook, and kept walking. He stopped when they reached the bar and hesitated atthe door. He let a breath out and turned to her, meeting outright suspicion.
“Can you do something for me?” heasked quietly, almost reluctantly.
“Like what?” One eyebrow dipped.
“Can you… let your hair down?”
“Why?”
“Trust me… please.”
He was asking, not ordering. Hiseyes were soft and the small smile was genuine. He wasn’t trying to charmher. They both knew that was impossible.
Suspicion remained but wasovercome by curiosity.
“Oh, all right.”
She let her hair down. Itdropped limply at first, having been restricted for so long. Running herfingers through it from her neckline, she shook it out and fluffed it up. Aquick flick of her head had it bouncing around her shoulders.
John nodded with satisfaction,unaware that his smile had widened slightly. He opened the door and led herin.
It was quiet, but that was notunusual at that time of the day. They seated themselves at a table. John wassilent, refusing to answer what had not been asked, and waiting.
Soghra noticed them as soon asthey entered. If not both of them, then very definitely McReidy. Trying notto appear too forward, he summoned all his patience and composure.
John’s slow counting had notreached twenty by the time Soghra was at their table.
“Lieutenant Commander,” hegreeted McReidy. “How lovely to see you again.”
Her hands were folded on thetable. He quickly picked one up and was moving it towards his lips.
As if she remembered John’searlier warning, she quickly manoeuvred her hand from his grasp before itreached its target. The hot breath flared from his nostrils. McReidy pulledaway quickly, rubbing at her wrist then slowly up her arm to her elbow.
“What can I get you?” Soghraasked.
“Andurian rum,” John answered.
Soghra jerked around insurprise. He had forgotten or not noticed John’s existence, so captivated hadhe been.
“Andurian rum,” John repeated,knowing Soghra had completely forgotten the question.
“Yes, Commander,” Soghra regainedhis composure. “And you?” His attention was still focused on McReidy.
“The same. With Coke and a twistof lemon.”
Soghra returned to the bar to gettheir drinks. McReidy folded her arms, still rubbing at her sleeve and tappedher foot under the table.
Soghra returned momentarily withtheir drinks and seemed reluctant to leave, placing and replacing the servietteneatly in front of McReidy, adjusting the lemon sprig perched over the rim ofher glass and pulling the cloth from across his shoulder and wiping nonexistent dust from the table.
“Would you like to join us?” Johnoffered.
McReidy choked on her drink. Neither man seemed to notice and John was avoiding her look like the plague.
Soghra quickly grabbed a chair,slamming it down between John and McReidy and throwing himself into it beforeJohn could change his mind. He propped his elbows on the table, perpendicularto it. His chin
