“But Humber must know how much they hate me,”Zia murmured. “Obviously, he thinks it’s worth the risk.”
“The risk that you might be murdered? That’snot Humber’s decision to make,” Logan assured her.
Zia’s stomach knotted. “It was alreadycomplicated enough. Now this? I don’t know what to think. What tohope.”
“We’ll hope that you fail the test,” Loganreplied firmly. “And if you turn out to be a match, we’ll tellMalara that we can’t risk your life. Don’t you agree, LieutenantStone?”
“I don’t know,” Rem mused. “It’s a mess,that’s for sure. ”
Zia licked her lips, confused again, thistime by Rem’s response. He had promised her grandfather he’dprotect her. So shouldn’t he be on Logan’s side? Insisting that shenot go to Malara, now that he understood how serious therisk was?
He doesn’t want to go to Malara alone,she reasoned carefully. But did that justify endangering her? Ormaybe Rem was just being a good ally—supporting Malara the way ithad supported Earth so long ago.
Logan patted her hand. “Why don’t you go backto the Hacienda. I’ll stay here for the results. Lieutenant Stonecan return to his hotel and enjoy his last day on Earth for awhile. There’s no reason for all of us to wait.”
Rem shook his head. “I don’t mind staying.There’s nothing else on my schedule for today.”
“That’s obvious,” Logan drawled. “You’re outof uniform on Hacienda grounds. Go back to your hotel and decide ifyou’re off duty or on.”
Zia winced at the blaze of animosity betweenthe two males. She didn’t have time for this. Not now. She neededto think.
So she stood and gave them both a dismissivesmile. “I’ll stay here alone. When the results come in, I’llcontact each of you.” She shook her head to warn Logan againstprotesting. “I don’t want an audience when I hear the news. It’llprobably be good—a.k.a. bad. But in case it’s bad—a.k.a. good—I’dlike a chance to react in private.”
Logan hesitated, then gave her a slight bow.“I respect your decision. Call me as soon as you hear.”
“I will. I promise.”
He turned to Rem. “Lieutenant? Can I give youa lift back to your hotel?”
“No, thanks. I’ll walk.”
“Nonsense. This may be our last chance tochat before you leave for Malara. Indulge me, won’t you?”
Zia had to laugh at the murderous expressionon Rem’s face. “If you kill each other, who will be left to protectme? So play nice. Please?”
Logan grinned. Then he slapped Rem on theback. “Come on, hero. Let’s give her some privacy, shall we?”
Rem gave Zia a meaningful glance. “I’ll bewaiting for your call. And I can be back here in ten minutes.In uniform.”
“If it’s a match, you’ll definitely need tocome back, so we can make plans with Humber for the journey. Ifit’s not . . .” She sighed. “I’ll come to the launch tomorrow towish you good luck. I promise.”
“Yeah.” His tone was grim. “That makes sense.So either way, I’ll see you. Right?”
She nodded. “Bye, Rem.”
Logan gave her a wink. “And either way,I’ll see you too. Be good until then, understand?”
* * * *
“Stop pacing, Zia,” Humber advised her as shebegan her umpteenth journey across the floor of the lab. “Annurcannot work any faster, no matter how hard you try to make him doso.”
“It’s been ninety-six minutes,” she retorted,smiling to soften the complaint. “Meanwhile, I’m losing my mind. Ifwe don’t find out soon—Oh!” She froze at the sight of Annur,who had finally emerged from his cubicle. “On second thought, maybeI don’t want to know.”
Humber gave a rueful chuckle, then turned tothe Malaran physician. “So? Do not keep us in suspense.”
Annur cleared his throat, then glanced fromthe compu-tablet in his hand to Humber. Then back at the tablet.Then he looked at Zia as though she were a ghost and admitted, “Ido not know quite what to say.”
She felt a full-body chill. “Oh, my God . . .I passed? I failed? Which is it?”
Humber frowned. “Dr. Annur? What is theresult?”
“It is ninety-five,” Annur murmured.“Exactly. No deviation.”
Zia gasped. “I passed?”
“No,” Humber corrected her. “A passinggrade—a match—must be over ninety-five.”
“And a non-match is underninety-five,” Annur reminded him dolefully. “That is the standardthat has been set. I never thought to question it, because it neveroccurred to me that someone might score exactlyninety-five.”
Zia glared in confused frustration. “My lifehangs in the balance, and you don’t know if I passed or failed?It’s official. This is the stupidest test I’ve ever taken.”
Humber scowled. “There is no question aboutit. In order to qualify as a match, the score must be aboveninety-five. I am sorry, Zia,” he added more diplomatically. “Iknow you were secretly hoping to pass.”
“But Your Honor,” Annur protested. Then hebegan speaking rapidly in Malarese.
Zia watched in wary fascination as the twomen debated the subject. She had no idea what they were saying, butone thing was clear—Annur believed she was a match.
A match with Quito theGreat.
Finally Humber raised his voice and spoke soharshly, Annur slunk back to his cubicle in abject silence. Thenthe ambassador turned to Zia. “It is settled. You are not asufficient match to pilot the colossus. Shall we call the presidentand inform him?”
“Be serious!” She was laughing despite theenormity of her predicament. “One out of two Malarans think I’m theGhost of Quito Past. And since you’re an ambassador, andhe’s a genetic specialist, I’d say his vote overridesyours.” Raising her voice, she called out in frustration, “Hey,Annur! Will you hook me up now? That’s the only way to settle this,right?”
“It is out of the question,” Humber told her,his tone as harsh as it had been with Annur. “I know you aredisappointed, Zee. But that does not—cannot—change the result.”
She cocked her head to the side, finallyunderstanding. “You never wanted me to pass? What a softie. I can’tbelieve the Malarans let you be their ambassador.”
Humber choked on a sob, then pulled her intoan embrace that almost crushed her ribs. “You are so disrespectful.No wonder Commander Logan loses patience with you. This subject isclosed. We will not speak of it again.”
She wriggled free, then looked to Annur forsupport, but he was still hiding in his cubicle. So
