Fleet of the Damned Read Online Free PDF Page B

him into this mess, he'd be ascribed either a total liar or someone with too much clout to be friendly with.
    "It seemed like a good idea at the time."
    "Perhaps I might ask—what is your real rank?"
    "Commander."
    Sh'aarl't exuded air from her lungs. Of course she was female—even huge Araneida seem to follow the biological traditions. "Should I stand at attention? I am but a lowly spaceman second."
    Sten found himself able to laugh. "Actually, I'd like to see it. How does somebody with eight legs stand at attention?"
    Sh'aarl't side-jumped to the center of the room, and Sten tried not to jump vertically. Attention, for a spider, was with the lower leg segments vertical, the upper ones at a perfect forty-five-degree angle toward the body.
    "At full attention," Sh'aarl't went on, "I also extend my fangs in a most martial attitude. Would you like to see them?"
    "Uh… not right now."
    Sh'aarl't relaxed and clapped a pedipalp against her carapace. Sten surmised, correctly, that this signified amusement.
    "I guess you had no trouble with the push-ups today."
    Again the clap.
    "How serious do you think these beings are?" Sh'aarl't asked, changing the subject.
    "I dunno about Ferrari," Sten said. "But that Mason scares the clot out of me."
    "I also. But perhaps if some of us hang on and survive until others are washed out… Certainly they can't throw everyone away—given what the Tahn are preparing. Am I right?"
    Sten realized that she was desperately looking for reassurance, and so modified his answer from "I think these people can do anything they want" to, "Nope. There's got to be a couple of survivors. Speaking of which—why don't we go downstairs. See if this—" Sten almost said spider-web "—tender trap they've put us in also feeds the fatted lamb."
    "Excellent idea, Commander."
    "Wrong. Candidate. Or Sten. Or you clot."
    Again the clap.
    "Then shall we descend for dining, Sten? Arm in arm in arm in arm…"
    Laughing, the two went out of the room, looking for food.
    Later that night, there was a finger tap at Sten's door.
    Outside was one of the barracks staffers. If the staff members all looked, to Sten, like palace retainers, this man would be the perfect butler.
    After apologies for disturbing Sten, the man introduced himself as Pelham. He would be Sten's valet until Sten completed Phase One.
    "Complete or get flunked, you mean."
    "Oh, no, sir." Pelham appeared shocked. "I took the liberty, sir, of looking at your file. And I must say… perhaps this is speaking out of school… my fellow staff members and myself have a pool on which of the candidates is most likely to graduate. I assure you, sir, that I am not being sycophantic when I say that I put my credits down on you with complete confidence."
    Sten stepped back from the doorway and allowed the man to enter.
    "Sycophantic, huh?" Sten vaguely knew what the word meant. He went back to his desk, sat, and put his feet up, watching Pelham sort through the hanging uniforms.
    "Mr. Sten, I notice your decorations aren't on your uniform."
    "Yeah. They're in the pocket."
    "Oh. I assume you'll want—"
    "I will want them put in the bottom of the drawer and ignored, Pelham."
    Pelham looked at him most curiously. "As you desire. But these uniforms are desperately in need of a spot of refurbishment."
    "Yeah. They've been at the bottom of a duffel bag for a couple of months."
    Pelham collected an armload of uniforms and started for the door. "Will there be anything else required? You know that I'm on call twenty-four hours."
    "Not right now, Pelham. Wait a moment. I have a question."
    "If I may help?"
    "If I asked you who Rykor was, what'd be your reaction?"
    Pelham was very damned good—the only response to Sten's mention of the walruslike being who happened to be the Empire's most talented psychologist was a rapidly hidden eye flicker.
    "None, sir. Would you explain?"
    "I'll try it another way. What would you say if I suggested that you, and all the other people in this