been known to miss, and you can be sure the Bortellite ship won't be without its defenses."
"What I meant, sir, was that I have eighteen long-range weapons at my disposal. Why only five?"
"Because we're in a state of war, and ships of the Teroni Federation don't tend to travel alone in enemy territory. In the event of a confrontation, I don't want either you or the Teddy R's weapons computer to have to decide which ones to keep trained on the Bortellite ship and which ones to bring to bear on whatever else we're facing. It's better to sort these things out now, before there's a crisis."
"Yes, sir."
"Is there anything I can do, sir?" asked Christine Mboya.
"You're on the bridge until the end of blue shift?" asked Cole.
"Yes, sir."
"Start scanning this section of the Rim and see if the sensors can pick up any other ships that don't belong to Republic worlds. And Lieutenant . . . ?"
"Yes, sir."
"Thorough is more important than fast. We already know there's one ship that doesn't belong here."
"Yes, sir."
"Is there a bathroom up here? Human or alien, it makes no difference."
She gave him an odd look, but pointed toward a door at the end of a short corridor. He thanked her, approached it, entered the small human lavatory, ordered the door to close and lock, and activated his pocket computer, instructing it to contact Sharon Blacksmith.
"You heard every word, I presume?" he said when her image appeared.
"Most of them. I can go back and view the videos and holo recordings if there's any question."
"There's not. We have a ship out there that doesn't belong in this sector. I know my reputation. As soon as Fujiama or Podok hears we've altered course to approach it, they're going to think I'm some half-baked glory hound and order me to return to the ship's scheduled route. Until we learn why a Bortellite ship is on a Republic planet, that would be foolhardy in the extreme."
"I agree," said Sharon. "But what do you expect me to do about it?"
"Nothing too proactive," answered Cole. "People who stick their necks out for me tend to find out they're on a chopping block. All I want you to do is notify me when Fujiama gets out of bed, or if Podok approaches the bridge for any reason."
"And what are you going to do when I report such activities to you?" asked Sharon. "Take over the ship?"
"Spare me your humor. I'm a Republic officer, subject to their authority."
"Then I don't understand."
"Once you give me the word, I might take a small crew to the shuttle before anyone can order me not to. And if we're in a shuttle approaching an enemy ship, I don't think it's unreasonable to order my crew not to break radio silence."
"It sounds good, Wilson, but just what the hell do you think a shuttle can do against a fully armed Bortellite ship?"
"Talk to it. Find out why it's here, if it's alone, what its plans are. Bluff it if I have to."
"I hear a lot of ifs."
"Would you prefer maybes?"
"Do you have to do this your very first day on the job?"
"I'm not the one who ordered the Bortellite ship to go to Rapunzel, and I'm not the one who spotted it," said Cole. His voice hardened. "But I'm the one who ordered a computer update on our friends and foes, or we wouldn't know it was an enemy ship. Fujiama should do that every week."
Sharon sighed. "Okay, Wilson. I'll let you know when he wakes up."
Cole broke the connection, then left the bathroom and walked onto the bridge again.
"Pilot, how long before the Bortellite ship is within range of our weaponry?"
"Five hours and seven minutes at maximum speed, sir," said the Pilot.
"Rachel, will you need any help with the weapons?"
"I don't know, sir. I don't think so."
"Lieutenant Mboya?"
"Yes, sir?"
"If Ensign Marcos requests the presence of any gunnery personnel, they are permitted to come onto the bridge. Beyond that, this bridge is now closed to all personnel below the rank of commander. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir."
He raised Security on the ship's computer.
"Hi, Sharon.
"What I meant, sir, was that I have eighteen long-range weapons at my disposal. Why only five?"
"Because we're in a state of war, and ships of the Teroni Federation don't tend to travel alone in enemy territory. In the event of a confrontation, I don't want either you or the Teddy R's weapons computer to have to decide which ones to keep trained on the Bortellite ship and which ones to bring to bear on whatever else we're facing. It's better to sort these things out now, before there's a crisis."
"Yes, sir."
"Is there anything I can do, sir?" asked Christine Mboya.
"You're on the bridge until the end of blue shift?" asked Cole.
"Yes, sir."
"Start scanning this section of the Rim and see if the sensors can pick up any other ships that don't belong to Republic worlds. And Lieutenant . . . ?"
"Yes, sir."
"Thorough is more important than fast. We already know there's one ship that doesn't belong here."
"Yes, sir."
"Is there a bathroom up here? Human or alien, it makes no difference."
She gave him an odd look, but pointed toward a door at the end of a short corridor. He thanked her, approached it, entered the small human lavatory, ordered the door to close and lock, and activated his pocket computer, instructing it to contact Sharon Blacksmith.
"You heard every word, I presume?" he said when her image appeared.
"Most of them. I can go back and view the videos and holo recordings if there's any question."
"There's not. We have a ship out there that doesn't belong in this sector. I know my reputation. As soon as Fujiama or Podok hears we've altered course to approach it, they're going to think I'm some half-baked glory hound and order me to return to the ship's scheduled route. Until we learn why a Bortellite ship is on a Republic planet, that would be foolhardy in the extreme."
"I agree," said Sharon. "But what do you expect me to do about it?"
"Nothing too proactive," answered Cole. "People who stick their necks out for me tend to find out they're on a chopping block. All I want you to do is notify me when Fujiama gets out of bed, or if Podok approaches the bridge for any reason."
"And what are you going to do when I report such activities to you?" asked Sharon. "Take over the ship?"
"Spare me your humor. I'm a Republic officer, subject to their authority."
"Then I don't understand."
"Once you give me the word, I might take a small crew to the shuttle before anyone can order me not to. And if we're in a shuttle approaching an enemy ship, I don't think it's unreasonable to order my crew not to break radio silence."
"It sounds good, Wilson, but just what the hell do you think a shuttle can do against a fully armed Bortellite ship?"
"Talk to it. Find out why it's here, if it's alone, what its plans are. Bluff it if I have to."
"I hear a lot of ifs."
"Would you prefer maybes?"
"Do you have to do this your very first day on the job?"
"I'm not the one who ordered the Bortellite ship to go to Rapunzel, and I'm not the one who spotted it," said Cole. His voice hardened. "But I'm the one who ordered a computer update on our friends and foes, or we wouldn't know it was an enemy ship. Fujiama should do that every week."
Sharon sighed. "Okay, Wilson. I'll let you know when he wakes up."
Cole broke the connection, then left the bathroom and walked onto the bridge again.
"Pilot, how long before the Bortellite ship is within range of our weaponry?"
"Five hours and seven minutes at maximum speed, sir," said the Pilot.
"Rachel, will you need any help with the weapons?"
"I don't know, sir. I don't think so."
"Lieutenant Mboya?"
"Yes, sir?"
"If Ensign Marcos requests the presence of any gunnery personnel, they are permitted to come onto the bridge. Beyond that, this bridge is now closed to all personnel below the rank of commander. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir."
He raised Security on the ship's computer.
"Hi, Sharon.
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