Tachyon Web Read Online Free PDF Page B

comfortable one. Central is sensitive to the travel of youngsters in interstellar space.”
    “We’re having a wonderful time!” Cleo said, too loud and too enthusiastically.
    Jeret smiled again and he was lucky his stiff face didn’t crack. “How about you, Mr. Tirel?”
    “The trip has been very exciting so far,” Eric said honestly. Keep it short and simple, he thought. But an expression on Jeret’s face prodded him to speak again and speak quickly. Something on the bridge was disturbing the customs man, probably a slight change in the coloration of a couple of lights caused by the overlay. “Do you know, sir, how long it will be before we can make our hyper jump to Tau Ceti?”
    The question got Jeret’s attention back. He blinked twice and rubbed his eyes. “Once you receive clearance,” he said, “it should take only a few minutes to reach the jump point. That is, if Mr. Hark taxis out immediately.” Jeret paused to give Daniel Hark a chance to respond but Sammy chose to play it silent. A glance at Sammy told Eric why. Sammy was frantically gesturing Cleo and him to move to the left. Eric did so automatically, as casually as he could, and promptly banged into Cleo, practically knocking her over. He caught her just as Jeret asked, “Are you having trouble with your stabilizers?”
    “No,” Sammy and Daniel Hark said. “This ship is fine. You made me wake them so quickly, it’s no wonder they’re bumping into each other.”
    “If possible, sir,” Eric said, “we’d like to get another hour’s rest before the jump.”
    “We’re anxious to return to bed,” Cleo said in a high, excited voice, clasping his hand for what reason Eric did not know. Jeret interpreted her to mean the young nasty brats were anxious to return to bed for activities other than rest. It was funny in a way, for now he was the one who wanted the conversation to come to an end.
    “I see,” he said dryly. “I thank you for your time.” Eric nodded and swished Cleo offstage to where Strem was grinning idiotically and Jeanie was biting her nails. Now it was in Sammy’s hands.
    Jeret continued, “I think it would be safe to say those two are not aboard against their will.” He cleared his throat. “How you run your ship, Mr. Hark, is your business.” Jeret nodded to a person or persons off-screen. “You have been cleared for a jump to the Tau Ceti System. Please proceed out an additional ten million miles for initiating the jump. For all of Central, I wish you a safe and profitable trip.”
    “Thank you,” Sammy and Mr. Hark responded. Jeret disappeared and was replaced for an instant by Central Control’s triangular symbol. Then that too vanished and Strem started howling like a wolf at the moon. Eric couldn’t see the smile on his own face but could feel its tips brushing his earlobes. Especially when Cleo gave him a tight hug and Jeanie planted a warm kiss on his lips.
    “We did it!” Strem raised his clenched fists.
    “Sammy and Eric did it,” Jeanie said, laughing, softening her remark by embracing her boyfriend. “Face it, you and I just got in the way.”
    “My pet brain,” Cleo crooned, sitting in Sammy’s lap, actually petting his long brown hair. Sammy did not mind. He was smiling and Sammy had not really smiled since he had learned to read.
    “Eric is the one who took control,” he said. “I was drawing blanks left and right when Jeret started in on us.”
    “Let’s hear it for Eric!” Jeanie applauded, the others giving him a standing ovation. The hero worship was overdone and silly and that made Eric enjoy it all the more.
    “Eric did such a fine job,” Cleo said mischievously as the commotion died down, “I think he should be our leader instead of Strem.”
    “Wait a second,” Strem said. “Didn’t I just demonstrate what a great leader I am?” No one answered him with a quick affirmative. “But what is a leader if he doesn’t know when to delegate responsibility?”
    “I don’t