The Trouble with Fhurquil

1

Chapter One: - More questions than answers 2

"Good morning Captain Peers. I believe you know all the members of the board?"3

"Sir, yes, sir." Jane Peers inwardly gritted her teeth. Of course she knew all the members of the board; they were the 'Big Five' - the top brass of the whole Byron sector. Most reporters from tri-d would know them - so how could a Spacefleet Captain not! 4

The enquiry room was large and airy and bore some resemblance to its ancestor - a courtroom. The Admirals on a slightly raised dais, Jane seated at one side and a small public seating area at the back of the room. 5

Jane had been pleased to notice that hardly any seats were taken in the public area and especially that no fhurquil were present. The relief was muted however, for she knew that a complete record of the hearing would be placed in the public sector at its conclusion - unless she was able to make a very good argument for it to remain classified. 6

"Very well; yesterday at twenty-three forty-five, Leonardo Station time, you brought the Rapid Response Space Ship, ‘Fairlane’ - the ship of which you were in command, out of hypospace within five megametres of Spacestation Leonardo and proceeded in to the station at over three-quarter's impulse. These actions are restricted to emergency situations. We have read your report but fail to comprehend why you saw fit to use emergency procedures. This then is a preliminary hearing to establish first; if the emergency you declared was genuine and second; if disciplinary hearings should be set. You understand Captain?"7

"Yes, sir." Captain Peers was barely able to keep her face neutral but it would hardly help her position if she were seen to be gnashing her teeth at an Admiral; the slightly humorous thought allowed her to at least partially quell her frustration. Patience had never been her strong suit, she acknowledged inwardly.8

She also knew it was the standard form but in the Admiral's slow, careful drawl. It felt more like watching a tedious tri-d. Admiral Dunbar, her former commander, had been bluff and sometimes crude but he had never been pedestrian or pedantic. Jane Peers whispered a soft wish he could be here now and they’d cut to the chase; her career depended on the outcome of this hearing and there had never been anything else she had wanted to do…  Jane shook her head. She’d had so many rows with her father about her choice of career; the times he had told her she should use her talent, her ability to speak and write fhurquil and stop wasting her time on something she would never achieve. Well she’d achieved it. The question now was - could she keep it?9

"Perhaps we should hear Captain Peers out before we start bandying any threats about Winston." Admiral Santana suggested.10

"Madam Chairman, we should advise Captain…"11

"I’m sure Captain Peers is well aware of protocol - she may look like a school child to you and I, but she is - as you yourself pointed out, Captain of the ‘Fairlane’ and you should try to remember that." Admiral Santana’s face had a half smile on it, taking a little of the sting out of her words.12

Jane felt the slight warmth in her cheeks; it had been a while since anyone had teased her about her age. She was one of the youngest Captain's in the Spacefleet but the situation had been exacerbated by her petite stature and fine features, which made her look nearer to twenty than her actual thirty years of age.13

"Perhaps you could run us through the important points Captain." Admiral Santana suggested. Ava Santana was neither young nor attractive but her smile had real warmth.14

Jane felt a wave of relief sweep through her. She had never met the Admiral before, but had heard that the Commander of the Byron Sector was a battle-axe, now however Jane was glad of her help cutting through the red tape. Jane almost smiled at the image of an axe cutting through an imaginary and vast tome of Spacefleet regulations. 15

"Yes, ma'am. As you know, we were sent to investigate a sub-space alarm beacon. We have all the records but the gist of it was that we found a Clan class cruiser, now thought to be the 'Sally Forth'. The co-ordinates are in the report but the important point is that it was way out in deep space, almost two ly from Byron and not on any known subspace route. The crew were unconscious, the cause of which we could not determine. The log of the ship appears to be have been erased, as was the entire computer, back to base level." 16

As Jane spoke it was almost as if she was back on the bridge again, as the totally inexplicable events piled up…17

~~~~~~~~18

"Captain, the tubes are cool!"19

"Are you sure Harn?"20

"Captain this is Elala, I'm in the engine room. The tubes are not just cool they are stone cold! I can't even get a blip on them."21

"Can you use a shuttle to tow her into the bay Harn? I don't think we are going to get any more answers until we can take a good look."22

"Complying Captain." Harn's Fhurquil lisp was unmistakable.23

"Captain, our 'guests' are coming around.24

"On my way down Donal - is Logan with you?"25

"No, but I'm on my way Captain."26

"Very good - you have the bridge Jon."27

The tubes had been a nasty shock; tubes on a ship that had been through hypospace were always active and would take weeks to purge, but worse was to come and then much worse.28

"Any idea what happened to the crew?"29

"Not a clue Jane, I would have guessed they had been given a post hypnotic command to sleep until moved but I'm sure that would have taken at least one hypno. shot and the two I tested were negative so I just don't get it."30

"Could it have been slav. we found a canister of it in the cargo hold?"31

"No, it would have shown up."32

"What about their general health?"33

"Fine, a bit groggy and a little dehydrated. I would say they had been laying there for several days but considering that, they are in pretty good shape - there is one woman won't let me get near her, but she looked okay."34

"Who do you have figured for the Captain, Ser?" Jane asked the Sweaps First.35

Ser waggled his head from side to side, a smile playing around his lips. "A wild stab in the dark Jane but I'd guess this guy over here."36

The man was sitting with his head in his hands, clearly still not feeling great.37

"Who are you?" 38

The man looked up. His blonde hair was shoulder length and he wore a soft leather jerkin and pants, they were unusual and a little archaic, with many buckles and studs but nothing obvious to link him to a particular world or system. 39

"Why? What's the charge? And who are you little police miss?" he sneered.40

"Captain Jane Peers, Captain of the Rapid Response Spacefleet Ship 'Fairlane', the current charge is drugs trafficking, but we're still looking." Jane gave him one of her half smiles,41

The man's eyes were wide with surprise as he took in Jane's uniform and those around her. Many of the planetary police uniforms mimicked the Spacefleet’s black with silver badges. 42

"I didn't… that is…" Groggy or not the man suddenly realised no little deal that local law might be bribed into, would work now. "Captain Jort Seacord, Captain of the 'Sally Forth' out of Tellian Two. What's this about drugs?"43

"Logan, just in time." Jane greeted the Esper First as him came over to them.44

Logan Iliana nodded in respect to Jane. She always felt sorry for the tall, thin esper, his face never showed much emotion but she had the feeling that there was a great deal of pain or sadness behind his dark eyes, perhaps the price of having extra sensory powers?45

"He seems to believe what he tells you Jane."46

"You are a very long way from home Captain Seacord, how did you come to be out here?"47

"What do you mean? We aren't more than a couple of ly clusterwards of Telian… are we?"48

Obviously the expressions on the listeners faces made him doubt his own assumption.49

Jane nodded to Ser.50

"Captain, we are just under two ly edgewards from Byron."51

"Byron? Byron! That's bullshit! My ship hasn't a fraction of that range! What kind of stunt are you bastards trying to pull here?"52

"What date is it Captain?" Logan asked softly.53

"Umm, fifteenth of Larn one four six, err… twelfth of March six sixty, Fed."54

"Three days adrift." Ser said softly.55

"So what do you remember last?" Jane asked, now very confused and trying to workout just what was going on. The Captain was right about one thing; his ship was incapable of such a vast journey in one hypospace jump. Tellian was way out on the edge of inhabited space. The fastest Spacefleet ships would take months in hypospace. Captain Seacord's would have taken years.56

"We were out near the ball nebula, just cruising. The next thing I knew, your people were dragging us aboard claiming we were criminals! And what is all this rubbish about Byron?"57

"I'm afraid it's true Captain, you are where Ser told you." Logan gently assured him.58

"We can't be, check the log!"59

~~~~~~60

"There was one more very important discovery, but as I said in my report ma'am, I think it's critical that it should be discussed in camera." Jane grimaced. It was very rare that any Spacefleet record would be excluded from the public sector, only survey reports were usually kept secret.61

"Can you give further reasons why this information should be reserved Captain?"62

"Not without compromising the information, ma'am."63

Admiral Santana’s eyes narrowed in thought for a moment.  "Very well, I will hear you out in chambers and make a decision as to the need for restrictions."64

Jane could have jumped for joy, for even if she wasn't clear yet, she had crossed what she thought would be the most difficult obstacle.65

"Members of the panel, I would suggest you adjourn to the rest lounge until we are ready to continue."66

The Admiral’s chambers were small but cosy. Much of the walls were covered with pictures, mainly old masters but a few modern holographic tri-d pieces as well. One wall had a bookshelf with a number of real books on them, only the second group of books Jane had ever seen. There were also quite a few papers on the Admiral’s desk. It all seemed very anachronistic.67

"Have a chair Jane, now what's this all about?"68

Jane pursed her lips, even now she felt it sharp reluctance to broach the subject. She took a deep breath and plunged in. "One of the crew of the ship is a fhurquil woman, ma’am." ~~~~~69

"Captain, a moment please." Ser Cydal nodded to Jane away from the prisoners. "The woman in the holding pen is wearing a disguise field." Ser spoke softly. "I think you had better take a look." 70

Even as Jane thought about it, she felt chills creeping up her spine. 71

Ser had adjusted the force field on the door of the cell and the interference patterns wavered and shifted to show the woman sitting inside was a fhurquil. It was like a physical shock, as if her bones had turned to ice. There was a still moment while Jane's mind refused to accept what she was seeing.72

"Jane what is it? You look like you've seen a ghost."73

"Ser, put that field back to normal, who else knows?"74

"Only Desh, he noticed a moiré pattern shift when he put her in."75

"You mustn't mention this to anyone, this is critical!"  "Harn, is the ship aboard?"76

"Yes captain, just fixing now."77

"Jon, mark this place with a static buoy - Tyron, re-compute the home course for maximum speed and emergency in. - As soon as you have it Jon, go hypo. We need to get home and fast!" ~~~~~~~78

Admiral Santana watched Jane, as she was thinking. She was atypical in many ways. Her skin was almost black, very unusual in an age where interracial marriages had been common for many hundreds of years. She was also smaller and more overtly feminine than was common for commanders in the Spacefleet. The Admiral had glanced over her record before the enquiry and had been startled at how high the Academy had rated her. Her only demerits had been with authority and that was no longer the obstacle it had once been in the services; Spacefleet wanted ranking officers who could think for themselves. Jane had never had a serious problem and had been ear-marked for command at a very early stage.  "But you have a fhurquil in your crew Jane." Admiral Santana gently prompted Jane out of her revere. 79

"Sorry Admiral, it was a terrible shock for me. You see, the woman does not even realise she's a fhurquil!"80

Admiral nodded. "So - drugs?" She gestured with an open hand. 81

Jane looked up and with a deep sigh, shook her head. "Sorry ma’am, I have been around fhurquil so long, I forget that people know less about them. You see ma'am, they have what they call Vaal, it is a sense of rightness and self. They cannot be brain washed, drug controlled or hypnotised. There are chemicals that render them unconscious but they have none of the disorientation we do. Their senses work even when they are asleep, always. So with Vaal they wake knowing both who they are and where."82

Admiral Santana shook her head, a puzzled look on her face. "So what happened to the one on board the 'Sally Forth'?"83

Jane shrugged and gestured with her open palms, and a tilted head. "What indeed, ma’am?"84

"Ah, I begin to see why you considered it an emergency, but why the secrecy?"85

"Two fold, ma'am. Firstly, I wanted to try to talk to her, to see if she knew what happened to the ship, but there is a real danger." Jane paused. "I have only heard what happens if fhurquil are forced do things against their wishes… Vaal, and that’s from their teaching stories but as I understand it, they always commit suicide." 86

Admiral Santana winced. "That would be awful and could be a very serious problem. You do know that strictly speaking she should not be in custody. Under the treaty of Tarpin, all fhurquil have diplomatic immunity in Federation space? If one died in custody - well!"87

"She isn't in custody, ma'am, she is isolated for medical reasons and her own safety."88

The Admiral nodded and half-smiled. "That might work, so what's the second reason?"89

"It was as you've said; to prevent the fhurquil from intervening before I have a chance to speak with her."90

Admiral Santana grimaced and thought for a few moments before answering. "Don't you think it might be better to just hand her over to them?"91

Jane sighed. That was what she had first considered. "I am pretty sure it would mean her life, ma'am, the fhurquil are unbending in matters of tradition."92

"Perhaps, but even so, if she were with them…"93

Jane sat forward on her seat, willing the Admiral to understand her reasons for taking the risk. "It would get Spacefleet of the hook, ma’am? Yes, but she would still be dead and what she knows about this with her."94

"So what do you rate your chances, Captain?" Admiral Santana's eyes were narrowed and her voice had a hard edge to it.95

Jane winced inwardly but she had been totally frank so far, she couldn’t balk at this last hurdle. "I won't mislead to you, ma'am; I just don't know. I’m in uncharted waters and out of my depth but I feel it's a chance against a certainty - so however slim." Jane shrugged.96

The Sector Commander sat back in her chair, her fingers steepled in thought. There was a long still moment as she considered the position. "Normally I would overrule you on this Jane, but by sheer luck it seems a fhurquil problem has fallen into the hands of a fhurquil expert." The Admiral half smiled.  "I have called in an engineer and a computer expert from Tellon Shipyards to inspect the ‘Sally Forth’, the slav has been sent to the labs and I'll line up a team to quiz Captain Seacord and his crew - except the fhurquil of course. All that will take a couple of days at least; do you think that would give you time to…" The Admiral gestured open-handedly.97

Jane could have jumped up and hugged her. "Plenty ma'am! Thank you."98

"Very well then, we will postpone the hearing until their reports are in.” The Admiral’s eyes lost a little of their sparkle and her face was serious. “If it doesn't go well with the fhurquil Jane, there will be a price to pay - you do understand that?"99

Jane nodded; her face equally serious. "Yes ma'am."100

Jane made her way back across the space station, hardly even aware of the bustle on the walkways, or the glances she and her uniform received. Captains that young and attractive were very rare.101

Over ten thousand people lived on this, the larger of the two space stations in orbit around Byron Four. A further two and a half thousand travelled up from the planet every shift to work. Space stations had become what many hundreds of years before, ports had been to sailing ships. Most of the spaceships that crossed between star systems were just too massive and too fragile to be taken into a gravity well and atmosphere, so space stations had become the important intermediate stage for interplanetary commerce and travel. All of the major plants had several of the orbital cities.102

Even when Jane passed the viewing bay she barely glanced at the stunning image of Byron four, way below, with its large ice caps and milky blue seas. Eventually, still deep in thought, she crossed back through the docking ports to the ship. All in all it had gone better than she could have hoped for but her thoughts were on what now lay ahead.103

Jane stood for a moment inside the hatch, considering if she should speak to Harn first. Jane knew that it had hurt him that she had been keeping something from him, but she was pretty sure he would have taken matters into his own hands irrespective her orders, and she didn't like to even think about the ramifications of that! Blowing out her cheeks she let out a long breath at her choices and then set off for the Sweaps section. 104

The ‘Fairlane’ was not the most spacious of ships. Rapid Response, (often referred to as double ‘R’s’), were used mainly for rescue and policing activities, although because of their powerful exchange units, they were capable of long hauls, with a crew of around forty or so, (depending on how many auxiliaries were aboard.) it could become a little claustrophobic. The cabins were too small and austere, for regular long flights. The only large spacious area was the shuttle bay, which had been pressed into service on occasions.105

The fhurquil woman was no longer in disguise and as Jane entered, she leaped at the field on the door. "What have you done to me! Give me back my body you bitch!" she screamed.106

Jane's was stunned by her reaction, for fhurquil seldom showed great emotion. She also looked very much like a friend from the academy. 107

"Satian hatabaf teo?" Jane asked, without thinking.108

The fhurquil recoiled as if struck, then gasped. "Nia Satian iftian Teolin Fe Ba Guin." Then slowly sunk to her knees and began to sob.109

It was too much for Jane; she quickly opened the field on the doorway and helped the woman to the bed. Jane held her for a moment until her sobs subsided a little. "Teolin, what happened to you?" she asked gently.110

The fhurquil stared at Jane for a moment, then gasped. "Fian totagraawe!" she slumped back on the bed the colour fading from her cheeks.111

Jane hit the panic button, then taking the fhurquil by the shoulders, shook her, hard.112

Ser Cidal, the Sweaps First, arrived at the doorway in time to see Jane slap the fhurquil hard enough to swing her head sideways. "Captain! What's going on!" he gasped, shaken by the sight.113

"Call Don! Quickly!"114

"Teolin! Eofarma narg totarraawe!" Jane shouted at the fhurquil and slapped her again.115

"Jane - please you can't!!" Ser reached out a hand to grab Jane's before she could deliver another slap but saw her relax.116

The fhurquil sighed and after a deep gasp and few dry coughs sat up. For an instant she seemed disorientated then with flashing speed she threw herself on her knees before Jane.117

"Pa tion. Eeatoriam fatak e ora ta Ma." she intoned slowly, her eyes downcast.118

"Saito iliilan to, yuri oolima pae ora im ta Ma ila Vaal, Teolin rise now and sit on the bed." The fhurquil arose as if prodded.119

Donal Escobaria, the ship’s Doctor arrived as Jane was speaking. 120

"Captain, what's the problem?"121

Jane blew out a long breath; it had been much too close for comfort. "The worst is passed for now I think Don. Do you have something that will act as a mild high on a fhurquil?"122

Donal nodded but didn't comment he knew he was well outside his sphere of expertise, nor would he question Jane's judgement.123

"Captain, might I have a word please?" Ser asked softly.124

At just on two meters Ser Cedal was only a little above average height but his frame was massive. Ser had been raised on Eden Four, one of the Separationist worlds. At an early age he had been taken from his parents and subjected to intense martial training. In his mid-teens, as one of the top two per-cent, he had been surgically altered. The process involved strengthening his bones and muscles and placing shielding below his skin to protect organs, arms and legs. When the xenophobic and paranoid colony on Eden had collapsed, Ser had been offered a place at the Spacefleet Academy on Earth; initially as a student but when his ability had been realised, as a combat teacher. He had however refused. He had also refused the offer to have his modifications removed. Jane had never spoken to Ser about it but had excepted him as one of the gentlest Sweaps (from security, weapons, shields.), officers she had ever met and marvelled at the fact he had come through so much, apparently mentally unscathed.125

"Captain, I saw you strike a prisoner, that has always been my privilege.” Ser smiled.126

Jane nodded. “Sorry, I had no time to call you, seriously Ser, she was ending her life, she stopped her heart and breathing.”127

"She could do that?" Ser's voice sounded shocked.128

Jane nodded sadly. "Oh yes, all fhurquil hold their lives in their hands, every moment of it."129

Ser shook his head in surprise and then asked softly. "But why did you strike her?"130

Jane looked up at Ser with one of her enigmatic half smiles. "I had to get her attention."131

Ser smiled and nodded and then his face became serious. "I still don't understand Jane, what happened? Why did she do that?"132

Jane snorted. "Now that is the start of a very long story, I'll try to explain at the next Firsts’ meeting but now I must get back to her. Her name's Teolin Fe Ba Guin, by the by and I'm hoping that at last she will be able to give us some answers about what happened to the 'Sally Forth'." Jane frowned. "This thing is going to give me a nervous breakdown before it's over."133

Ser snorted softly. "Yeah, right after Tyron plays Tom Thumb."134

Jane sat down beside Teolin, on the bed. “I am Jane Peers, Captain of the ship sent out to rescue the Sally Forth.” Jane saw a brief flicker cross Teolin’s face, almost as if she recognised her name, although it seemed very unlikely. "We need to know what happened. Can you explain why you were on the 'Sally Forth'?"135

Teolin's face still looked pale and her eyes were downcast. Fhurquil were seldom highly emotional but she seemed even less animated now.136

"Oy Ma. Terhanogitima tor tip…."137

"This will be recorded, will you speak in fed?"138

"Yes Ma. We know little of the… tar nar pel, only what you have told us. So I suggested to The Great Council we should have some first hand knowledge. My taken task then was to make contact and observe. We know that there are more problems where the Federation is youngest, so I went out to the edge at Tellian. I tried for a long time to make contact but I think stories of Vaal have been confused, for I could not get anyone to trust me. May I make a question Ma?"139

"Of course."140

"How do you know them? I met people I suspected were vishnarga but could not be sure, they seemed just the same."141

Jane smiled. "I'm afraid that the fhurquil idea of the ‘chaotic’, is as mistaken as that of the human idea of Vaal. Tell me now the rest of your story and I will try to explain about crime to you later. It would be easier for you to understand in fhurquil, I think."142

"Ma - I was about to give up and went to speak with the fhurquil representative, he supplied me with the deception field. Even then it was not easy. I loitered around some of the known… criminal?”143

Jane nodded.144

“Criminal places, and let it be known that I was looking for employment. Still it was difficult, few people seemed interested. Then Captain Seacord came to the tavern, he was quite desperate, for he was short of someone to work sensors and shields, so I volunteered." Teolin hesitated for a moment.145

"What is it?" Jane gently prompted.146

"He offered me some of your money and when I told him I did not need it… he became… a little odd. I thought he would be reassured to know I was not after his treasure."147

Jane smiled at the fhurquil's innocence. "It would have made him suspicious; he would have wanted to know why you would be helping him without seeking reward."148

Teolin thought this over for a moment.  "Echt. I did not think of that. Anyway, I think he was so desperate he was willing to take the risk. He told me to go straight to the ship and contact no one. I did as he bid, but someone I had not met, followed me. Do you think he was a friend of the Captain?"149

Jane nodded. "He was probably afraid you were a spy or policewoman, he had you watched to make sure you didn't try to make contact. The bar would have had scanners for microtransevers, but if you had been a spy you would have had to let your people know you were on the move." Jane grinned to herself; Captain Seacord would probably have done the same even if he had known Teolin was a fhurquil; hardly any humans had a clue of what Vaal really meant. It was translated as conscience but that was like saying a spark and an inferno were the same - since they were both fires.150

Teolin rocked her hand in agreement. "We think we understand human ways but we are like children trying to understand adults. I was so… ypagu to ah, I thought I could find out all about the tar nar pel."151

"Naïve, don't worry about it, I’m not sure even any humans really understand. As I said I'll try to explain later.” Jane was very interested in the fhurquil strategy but didn’t want to get side tracked. “So you were aboard the 'Sally Forth'  - what happened next?"152

"Within a few hours the whole crew were aboard and we lifted off. We did a series of tiny hypospace jumps and met with a ship near Tellian eight. A crate was exchanged… I think it may have been contraband."153

Jane smiled again at the fhurquil's innocent stating of the obvious.154

"Captain Seacord seemed very pleased with my work and when we got back to Tellian two, he gave me money and told me to stay ready for another flight. I was overjoyed; at last I had made contact. I got an extra cell for the deception field, because they only last about six standard days without recharging. Then I waited for the Captain's call. It came a couple of Tellian days later. He told me to go straight to the ship. Again we did several tiny jumps but when we came out of the last we were really close to the Ball Nebular. I was on the bridge and the Captain had a shouting match with the blonde woman, Shara. She and he were lovers I think. I could not understand what was said, it was not Fed but some other language. I am not definite but I think he was not angry with her but some third party. Anyway, after a long argument we went into the nebular."155

"Into the nebular?" Jane gasped.156

"Yes, it was a long slow flight! I was maintaining the shields for nearly three days with hardly a break. When we suddenly came out of the dust I nearly collapsed. Captain Seacord ordered me to sleep but before I left the bridge I saw a star system."157

"Good Lord! A system inside the nebular!?"158

Teolin nodded.159

"So what then?"160

Teolin's lips quivered and a tear slipped from her eye. "I woke here! I was fian totagraawe!"161

"No! You cannot be sure you were unmade, something very odd must have happened that got you here, most of the way across Federation space.  E toranada pa yentra feratii, don't judge yourself so harshly, make no decision until we know more."162

Teolin nodded but her lips still quivered with emotion.163

Jane was loath to leave Teolin in this state but she had to speak with Harn and arrange for someone to find out about the Ball Nebular. "I must go, I still have many things to do. You must rest and try not to dwell on what has happened. It may be that you have crossed the great divide." Jane watched to see that Teolin had taken in her words. She seemed stable again, but very sad and subdued, as if some spark of life was missing. Jane tried to dismiss the thought, she knew she was in forbidden territory, fhurquil traditions that she had only the slightest inkling of from their teaching stories and also  - Teolin had been through more than any fhurquil she had known, so… Jane gritted her teeth and hoped she had not gone too far to be forgiven, she would soon know.164

Jane made her way to the bridge. Although almost all systems were shut down, a regular watch was set on the bridge while the ship was still on standby.  She found Opal Sagaffian, a navigator second and Desh Smith a security third, playing chess.165

"Captain!" Opal stood up sharply.166

"As you were - we are in dock. I just wanted to ask a favour. Later, when you've finished your game, would you look up all the data we have on the Ball Nebular for me?"167

"Of course ma'am, are we going there?" Opal’s face showed her eagerness.168

Jane smiled. "I shouldn't think so, if you don't have time to finish, pass it on. Who has the watch after you?"169

"First Schott, ma'am."170

"Very well, I'll call back later then."171

Jane paused outside the bridge, she didn't relish the next hour or so but she had already put it off for too long. Gritting her teeth she headed for her cabin.172