“All right, and you?”
It registered to her that hehadn’t revealed anything. There was a time when he would haveconfided in her. “I’m doing well,” she answered, not opening upeither. She moved to safer grounds. “Erling appreciated youchecking up on his family.”
“I was glad to do it; they’regood people.”
“Who’s in charge here?”
“Commander Quintary.”
“Would you take me to see him?”
He cocked an eyebrow. “He’s abusy man these days and doesn’t see just anyone.”
“He’ll see me.”
“Must be an important mission,”Jake said, draping his arm around her.
“It is,” she replied, pushinghis arm off. “I’m married now, Jake.”
“So I heard, but not from you.You didn’t even bother to tell me.”
“We were broken up. There wasno reason to tell you.”
His eyes held hers. “Wequarreled. I thought we could work it out.”
“I told you it was over. Somethings can’t be forgiven.”
“So I discovered.” Theywalked the rest of the way to the tube car in silence and boarded.“How’s Erling?” Jake asked.
“He was wounded by a poisonedblade in a sword fight. He nearly died, but was given an antidote intime and is now recovering.”
“A fight, huh; over a woman?”
“As a matter of fact, it was.You’re going to have to cruise the bars alone ‘cause Erling’sroving days will soon be over.”
“Another good man crashes andburns. Who’s the lucky girl?” The tube car stopped. They both gotoff and headed down the hall.
“Queen Koriann Marsindi, rulerof Jaipar on planet Borko.”
Jake whistled. “Impressive.I’ll bet she’s rich.”
“Beautiful too, but that’snot the reason he’s marrying her. This may come as a surprise, buthe’s marrying for love. In fact, I don’t think he’s lookingforward to the responsibility of being a sovereign.”
“Now, Toemeka, I’m not ashardhearted as you think. I know Erling wouldn’t marry for anythingother than love and I’m sure he’d rather be out having a goodtime than ruling a country. Well, here we are—Commander Quintary’soffice. How about having supper with me later?”
“I hope to leave for home bythen, but I suppose that’s wishful thinking. I should probably geta good night’s sleep first.”
“So, is that a yes?”
She knew she should say no.Instead she said, “I guess so.”
They entered Commander Quintary’souter office. An attractive woman with short dark hair sat at thedesk.
“I’m Toemeka Ganti Kimes. I’d like an audience with Commander Quintary.”
When the woman looked up Toemekarealized she was a gynoid, a female android. “I’ll contact him,”she said. She pushed a button on his intercom and relayed Toemeka’smessage. The door opened a moment later.
“Toemeka?” Commander Quintarysaid, his voice a question rather than a statement. His eyes sweptfrom her wildly-dyed hair to her purple flight suit before returningto her face.
“It’s her.” Jake chuckled.
“You sure it’s not FelicityAlenzata?”
“I’m sure.” Jake wore anamused grin.
“You’d know if anyone would.Thanks for escorting her, Jake. Why don’t you join us for thedebriefing?”
Once inside, the commander shutthe door and studied Toemeka’s disguise more closely.
“You look just like PresidentAlenzata’s daughter. I met her once at her father’s mansion. Thestylist who transformed you did a great job. How did you manage toget here safely? The space route between planet Borko and planetAlandra is full of Raptor starships.”
“I flew on a privatespacecraft. I’m reporting in after Erling and my latest uncovermission. We succeeded in our objective.”
His eyes lit up. “The missionwas a success?”
“Yes.” She was glad to bringhim good news. He’d aged noticeably since she’d last seen him,with new lines at the corner of his eyes and more gray hairs at histemples. Losing the war on Alandra had taken its toll.
Commander Quintary said to Jake,“Erling and Toemeka were sent to the Raptor base on planet Flo Shahto obtain strategic information.”
Jake’s square chin hardened andhe glared at the commander. “They shouldn’t have been sent there.It was too dangerous. The last team you sent disappeared.”
“Major Renheart, my job isordering men and women into battle and on dangerous missions everyday. I can’t make exceptions for your friends. Now sit.”
Jake testily sat across from theCommander who sat behind a metal desk. Toemeka took the remainingchair beside Jake.
“Toemeka, where’s theinformation you brought?” Commander Quintary asked.
She removed her barrette andhanded it to him. “Here it is.”
He examined it with a puzzledexpression, then pulled off the top. “Oh, it’s a matrix crystal.I’ll send it in for analysis right away.” He spoke into hisintercom then returned his attention to Toemeka.
“A team in Jaipar on planetBorko already began analyzing the information,” Toemeka said. “Ican share the results while you run your own analysis.”
Before Quintary could reply, thedoor opened and the gynoid receptionist came in. Quintary gave herthe matrix crystal and explicit instructions. Toemeka watched thegynoid leave with misgivings. She didn’t like entrusting a machinewith information she’d risked her life for.
They spent the next few hoursdiscussing what Toemeka learned on Flo Shah, the situation on Borko,including Jaipar being at war with Haklute, and what she learned whenshe was pulled aboard the Raptor starship. She also mentioned thatErling would be resigning from the Coalition since he was engaged tomarry Queen Koriann and had become the head of the military on planetBorko.
By the time she’d finished,Toemeka’s lack of sleep was catching up to her and she put a handin front of her mouth to suppress a yawn.
“Toemeka’s exhausted,” Jakesaid. “She had a long flight and was hauled aboard a Raptor battlestarship. Can we discuss this further after she’s had a chance toeat and rest?”
“I’m fine,” Toemekasnapped, annoyed that he’d intervened on her behalf as if he werestill personally involved with her.
“Jake has a point. Ask mysecretary to assign you a cabin, Toemeka. Jake can show you whereit’s located, then take you to the mess hall.”
“I’ll only need a cabin for ashort time. I intend to return to Jaipar as soon as I get some sleep.I want to be there before the Raptor air fleet attacks.”
“It’s too dangerous. Ourstarship is going to planet Borko. You can rejoin your team when wereach the Borko Alliance space station.”
Fuming, Toemeka didn’t reply.She didn’t intend to be stuck here when the Raptor air fleet wasabout to attack Jaipar.
“Those are direct orders, sodon’t even thinkabout breaking them.”
As
