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the midst of chewing him out.
    “You speak of her with disrespect when you aren’t even worthy enough to utter her name, Earthling.” Her voice had dropped to an angry hiss. “Admiral Brit Bandar is one of our greatest war heroes. She’s my hero. She’s a living legend. Many of us owe our lives to her. She’d give hers to save any of ours.”
    He lifted his hands in surrender. “Look, I know. I’m sorry. I fu—I screwed up. I was just trying to be funny—to break the ice, since we’re going to be serving together.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “You work for Admiral Bandar, right?”
    “I’m her executive officer, yes.”
    “I’m one of the pilots assigned to the Unity. We’re going to be stationed together on the same ship.”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    It was no joke; her confused expression attested to that. How was it possible for her not to know? Unless she and the admiral had just arrived, and…
    Tango swallowed. “Do you want the good news first, or the bad news?”
    Hushed mutters nearby drew their attention. Hadley’s eyes widened as a tall Drakken crossed the corridor trailed by two black-suited Coalition security goons. The Drakken wore knee-high boots over leather pants, and a leather vest. His white shirt was more than halfway unbuttoned, held in place by a crisscrossing of rugged weapons belts. Streaks of tattooing and tanned skin peeked out in between the well-worn straps. His expression was hard, his eyes wary, and he needed a shave. Or maybe the ponytail and beads were what made Tango gladly take a step out of his way as the Hordish officer strode past, beads and jewelry clinking. He caught a faint whiff of leather and something that smelled like cinnamon. “There goes Jack Sparrow,” Tango murmured to Hadley.
    “Who?”
    “Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean. ” Explaining was futile. “It’s another Earth movie. I brought it with me. I’ve got a suitcase full of magazines and DVDs, three thousand tunes on my iPod and plenty of time over the next year to give you a crash course in Earth culture.”
    Hadley wasn’t listening to him at all. Her full attention was glued on the Drakken as he disappeared into the waiting room for the prime-admiral’s offices. “Another one of our shipmates, I guess,” Tango said.
    “He is? ”
    “Why else would he be here?”
    Hadley’s eyes closed. “Goddess…” she whispered and sagged against the wall.
     
    T HE PRIME-ADMIRAL’S headquarters commanded a sweeping vista of the outer ring. Hundreds of thousands of portholes glittered, making the enormous, circular space station look like a jeweled band hovering in space. Zaafran was standing in front of his wall of windows, his index finger pressing a PCD to his ear, when Brit entered his private office. “Have him wait in the briefing room once Joss is done with him,” he was saying.
    “Admiral Bandar, sir,” one of the security guards announced.
    Zaafran ended the communication and strode toward her, his white teeth flashing. She allowed him to hug her. She’d known him for too many years not to.
    “Kin-Kan wine before lunch?” the prime-admiral offered.
    “You remembered,” she purred.
    “Always.”
    The table was set for a meal. Set for three, she noted. Hmm. There was to be another guest. Who else would be joining them? She kept her silence—and her impeccable military bearing; the prime-admiral would tell her when he was ready.
    Side by side in front of the wall of windows, they sipped the luscious, deep-ruby-hued wine and admired the view. Brit left it up to her superior officer to begin the important conversation or make small talk.
    “I want to discuss your new command, Admiral.”
    So much for small talk; he was going straight to business. She preferred it that way.
    “Brit, we’ve followed orders all our military lives. Some have been easy, some difficult.”
    “Of course,” she said.
    “Our duty takes us from our loved ones. It takes