Having someone jabbing at the reflexes made everyone see them, finally.
Dolan sat back as they watched the rest of the hologram play out again. “How’d you catch it?”
Jayda kept her eyes on the hologram. “I learned to count playing poker.”
“Remind me not to play with you.”
Jayda cast her eyes towards Breeze. “Don’t see that ever being a problem.”
Dolan cut off the hologram and stood up. “We have crews working with the bots to make the ship look more distressed than she is. Doesn’t have to be perfect, just convincing. Dr. Taylor had our damaged medical tubes brought aboard and a tech is wiring them to simulate full functionality.” He looked to one of the men. “Adams, I want security in them. We’re going to transfer them over as soon as they dock. That way we got boots on their ship.”
“Yes, sir.” Adams tapped up his comp-pad. “Most the people in the med lab are recovered enough to defend themselves.”
“Arm them. Matter of fact, I want all our walking wounded in a bed or on a cot. Arm everyone, including Dr. Maldonado.”
Dolan spun his head to look at his officers and Jayda. “We got about fifteen hours if they were telling the truth. I want some drills squeezed in, even if we have to do them in shifts. Dr. M in the fray too, so she gets to know who’s who and doesn’t shoot at one of us accidently.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem, sir. We just have to program her into our weapons system and teach her how they work.”
“I know how to use a weapon.” Talking like she was helpless brought the snippiness out even more. “It’s something else you don’t want to challenge me at.” Dolan’s lip started to curl. “I know how to bypass the ‘friendly-fire’ program too.”
“You’re still doing the drills.”
He shifted topics before she could respond, making sure Jayda knew the plans as thoroughly as his officers.
From a threat aspect, his plan made sense. At the end of the meeting she went with the security officer to Dolan’s ship to get cleared on weapons.
He scanned her, uploading her ID chip into their weapons. If the aim was off and a crewman was in the way, the laser wouldn’t fire. The same was true if the weapon was turned against them by the enemy, but it wasn’t fool-proof against friendly-fire. It meant she couldn’t accidently shoot Dolan.
She proved to the security officer she still rated as an Expert Marksman with the pistol. Jayda didn’t boast about her father starting her on hand weapons as soon as her fingers were long enough to grasp the hilt and reach the trigger.
On Dolan’s demand, she was given two of the small palm pistols. Being the station resident, no one would immediately suspect her of being armed, so it would provide an element of surprise, if needed.
Within two hours she was engaged in the first war game, being chased down by assigned terrorists. It had been a long time since she played this game and with her limitations, she didn’t last long. By the end of the day it was clear she was a dangerous liability, if this turned into a life-and-death situation.
Locked in her room, she sucked in Senaprox, doubled over on the edge of her bed. She heard the computer announce Dolan, but she didn’t answer. On the second request she refused his entrance. The door opened anyway. “Get out!”
“I need to check on you.” He came into her room, kneeling in front of her.
Jayda flinched when his hand settled on her shoulder. “I’ll be fine. I’ve been taking care of myself for eight years.”
“Maybe, but no one’s been out to get you before.” His hand pressed harder, trying to pry her up from the knot she was curled into. “Sit up.”
“Back off!” Jayda pulled away from him, rolling into the back of her bunk. “Go harass Taylor, or Verna, or one of the other women. I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to entertain you.”
“What the hell has crawled under your skin today?”
“What do you care?” Laying in the back of the bunk among her cushions felt a bit better, but she didn’t. “Why are you sniffing after me?”
“Beats me!” Dolan snapped, then sighed. “I care what happens to you. As tough as you want everyone to think you are, today proves you aren’t. Accept that and cooperate.”
“I am cooperating. I’m just not going to let you manipulate me anymore.”
“You think I’m manipulating you? For what?” She didn’t answer, and not looking at him, didn’t see him grab at the pillow she huddled into, jerking it from beneath her. She gasped at the shock to already bruised muscles and ignited nerves. Grasping her ribs. “How am I manipulating you?”
“Last night! This morning!” She gasped out an answer. “Don’t pretend you care. When this is over and you move on, I’ll just be…” She rubbed her face, too exhausted to fight. “Please, let me rest.”
Dolan gave her back the pillow and stood up. “I’ll back off, but when this is over, one way or another, we’re going to sit down and talk about it. Even if I have to lock you in a room to do it.”
She didn’t answer, hugging the pillow against her chest as he left. Maybe these people were the real thing and they’d take the crew off her hands. Then she could get back to her own life.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The sounding of an alarm tore Jayda from her dreams.
“Ship entering perimeter. Ship entering perimeter.” The computer repeated itself a couple more times.
“Yeah, I got it! Cancel alert.” She dressed
