That still couldn’t wipe thesmile from his face. His eyes twinkled with a hint of mischief.
“Let’s hope that never happens.” Just as suddenly his mood changed. He became serious as his thoughts turnedback to work. “So what do you make of this lot.”
She took a few moments to readthrough the list and he sipped at his coffee. Oh, he needed that almost asmuch as the painkillers.
“I don’t like it… The firstcouple are all right, but this one here… Jampor. Magellan went there once… They didn’t want to have anything to do with us.” She shuddered as the memorycame back. “I was glad to get away from there.”
John frowned slightly. All signsof softness disappeared from his face. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to dothe groundwork. I’ll be out of action for at least a week.”
“Are you all right? Shouldn’tyou be in bed?”
Her concern was genuine, but hecouldn’t help grinning as he told her: “That’s the second time you’vepropositioned me.”
The grin soon turned to agrimace. He closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing; slow and even. Just as well McReidy was lost for words. He wasn’t listening to anything atthe moment. He opened his eyes.
“Just a few cracked ribs,” heexplained. “It only hurts when I breathe. According to the doc, if I lose mytemper I’ll be unconscious. Although that’s easy for him to say with a hypo inhis hand. It would probably give him great pleasure to knock me out for aweek.”
She was quiet, and he figured shewas in full agreement with the doctor and would probably love to see himknocked out for a week. Then her look changed to one of curiosity – and it hadnothing to do with the list in front of her.
“Don’t try and figure me out. You’ll give yourself a nervous breakdown.”
* * *
John managed to keep his temperfor the next week, and for several more after that. He had to leave all theground contact with new alien worlds to McReidy. At first, it was hard; almostimpossible. That came more from his own restlessness. But he had faith in herto do her job and came to depend on her heavily.
He also worried. From the momenta landing party left until they returned, he felt he was nothing more than aninterested onlooker. He could advise, but that was difficult when he was notfully involved. And he missed being involved. It was dangerous, made evenmore so when he felt so helpless. He knew it always had been. The personalthrill had always overcompensated.
The bridge crew set an examplethat was reflected throughout the entire ship. They worked as one, eachinterdependent on everyone else. Looking out for each other as much on theship as they did on the ground. Even John and McReidy seemed to have put asidetheir differences. They still disagreed as much as ever, but restricted theirverbal battles to the soundproof privacy of John’s office. More often thannot, they actually agreed, arguing the same side of a problem from differentperspectives.
As they ploughed in and out ofthe border, John began looking for targets. He was not willing to risk theship and only took out what he confidently felt he could achieve. The handfulof fighters on a training exercise that had strayed too far from their homeship was an opportunity too good to resist. So too had been the lone outpostset up in a newly occupied area.
He took on nothing that mightcause any problems. Their defence systems were in excellent condition. Anything that looked like trouble, he steered well away from. At the moment,it was a matter of developing technique and perfecting teamwork.
Battle simulations were well andgood, but when there was no real danger there was a tendency to relax. Thesatisfaction of actually doing something, of making a difference, was a greatincentive.
* * *
Then they came to Jampor. Onmaking initial contact, Bismarck was ignored. Persistence became annoyanceuntil finally they were warned to keep away. They were not welcome, wouldnever be welcome and should leave immediately or suffer the consequences. General consensus among the crew was to do as told.
John had to disagree. Forwhatever reason, Jampor was important to Command. Admiral Powers had stressedsuch in their orders. Nothing short of success would be satisfactory. Thecrew accepted his decision without question – a response that surprised himsince he was usually open to any suggestions.
He considered the landing party. This time he was going. His ribs weren’t too bad and he figured he’d been outof step for too long. And he hated the idea of sending anyone to a place wherethey were so clearly not wanted.
The planet sat in full view onthe main screen and he glanced around the bridge. “Gillespie –”
“Gillespie and I will go,”McReidy interrupted. “Magellan’s been there. We at least know what we’re upagainst.”
Gillespie was shaking his headslowly, his lack of desire clear on his face.
John was about to disagree withMcReidy, but there were always advantages when someone knew the situationfirsthand. “Who else do you want?”
“No one. Just the two of us.”
“What do you mean, no one? Youcan’t go down there alone.”
At McReidy’s frown, John checkedhimself. She’d had plenty of time to think this out properly. He had to trusther.
“Okay, if that’s the way you wantto take it,” he gave in. “I still don’t like it.”
“I want Kowalski on thetransporter –”
“Mister Kowalski, transporterroom now.” John flicked the intercom off. He met her soft brown eyes thatwere rapidly hardening. “Anything else?”
“Disk.” She held out her hand.
He took this treaty disk from hisjacket pocket and tossed it to her.
“And a good stopwatch. Once weget down there, we’re going to have to do some pretty fast talking to convincethem why they need us. They’re just as likely to try to kill us on the spot.” She paused, as though giving emphasis to her last statement. “Have you gotMagellan’s files on record?”
“Only what we got from yourshuttle. Computer, search files for any reference to Jampor.”
“Searching,” the computeracknowledged.
“Any particular reference?” Johnasked.
“The Imperial Compound. I don’tparticularly want to have to go and look for somebody if we can locate theGovernor directly.”
The computer found what it had. A
