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"What in the hell is that sca
"Uh," the local guard said.
"Plug it back in," the captain snarled. "You three, back through the sca
"The hell if I will," Mullins said, waving his cane. "Do you know who I am?"
"No, and I don't care," the StateSec officer said dangerously.
"Now Mother," Gonzalvez said soothingly. "We should do as the Captain says."
"I'll have you know that I know Rob Pierre!" Mullins said. "And he will not be happy that you have slowed us on our way back to Despartia!"
"Captain," one of the local guards said, trotting up and panting. "Is your communicator turned on?"
"What?" he asked, reaching down and activating the device. "No. I was . . . monitoring a procedure that required my undivided attention. And what is it to you?"
"Nothing, Sir," the private said, coming to attention. "But you might want to contact Colonel Sims. All of the communicators in your team were turned off; he thought you'd been taken out but there wasn't any incident report. The thing is, the Manty spies have been cornered in a warehouse in the company of a local woman. Team Five has them pi
"Shit," the captain snarled. "You," he said, pointing at the sca
"Yes, Sir," the private said sardonically. "In the interrogation room, huh?"
"Never you mind that," the captain snapped, striding away.
The sca
"You can go, Mistress. My apologies for the delay."
"Not your problem," he replied in a querulous voice. "But I've got the name of that captain. If he thinks Colonel Whatsisname is a problem, just you wait until I get done with him."
He got back on his float chair, which had been helpfully brought around the sca
"We're early," Gonzalvez said.
"I know. I'd figured more time getting through security."
"So we just lie low?" Mladek said.
"Yeah," Mullins replied, guiding the float chair over to a corner near the gate. "I'm going to take a nap; I had a long night."
Gonzalvez snorted then looked up as the blonde came into the gate, still straightening her clothing. "I'd like a long night with that."
"She doesn't look too happy, does she?" Mullins muttered.
"Not particularly," Gonzalvez said. "Ah, there's our sca
"Go see if he's got any information on what's going down downtown," Mullins said.
Gonzalvez walked over to the tech, who was obviously headed for his break, and waved him down.
"Pardon me, good fellow," Gonzalvez called. "I was just wondering if you could tell me something."
"Depends on what it is," the tech replied with a smile to reduce the sarcasm.
"The other fellow mentioned some sort of a shoot-out downtown," Gonzalvez said. "I'm just curious about it."
"Well, there was a group of Manty spies we've been chasing all week," the tech said. "That's the reason for the alert here. Anyway, they have them cornered someplace. That's all I know. I'll keep my ears open on break and if I hear anything else I'll tell you. But why do you want to know?"
"Just curious," Gonzalvez replied. "Excitement, danger, foreign adventures," he said with a relish. "It's all so wonderfully alien to my usual life, you know."
"I can tell," the tech said with a snort. "That's your mother?"
"Yes," Gonzalvez said with a sigh. "The head of Oberlon when she was twenty-nine and now no one can pry her out of the seat, don'cha'know."
"Well, good luck," the tech said with a chuckle. "I'll keep you posted."
Gonzalvez went back to the group and sat down. Mullins was flipping through a pad that contained very reasonable, if wholly imaginary, business reports on a company called "Oberlon" while Mladek was just sitting staring out the windows at the shuttle port.
Gonzalvez glanced back over at Mullins and realized that he was riveted on the blonde.
"Mother, is there something wrong?" he asked, clearing his throat.
"Uh, no, dearie," Mullins said, returning to his pad.
"She doesn't appear to be your type, Mother," Gonzalvez clucked.
"Go away, dear," Mullins said.
"On the other hand, she is mine." Gonzalvez chuckled and walked over to the blonde.
"That was idiocy at the security sca
"Thank you," the girl said, looking up at him with a pinched expression. "But I've had about all the male attention I can handle for the day."
"I'm sorry," he said with a rueful smile. "I can understand. But I thought you'd like to know that the guy in charge of the security detail caught some hell for a completely different reason. He's likely to lose his captaincy."
"Thank you," the girl said curtly. "Now if you'll just leave me alone I can try to get back some of my bearing. Or at least center my aggression."
"Okee-dokee," Gonzalvez said, stepping away as the sca
"Good news?" Gonzalvez asked, intercepting him well short of the girl.
"For us," the sca
"Yes, it is," Gonzalvez said shaking his head. "Those poor people. I know they are your enemies, but I can't help but feel for them."
"Well, yes," the tech said, adjusting his perceptions. "A terrible tragedy. But at least now the security won't be so intense and you'll be sure to catch your shuttle."
"Yes, that will be for the good," Gonzalvez said, shaking the tech's hand. "Thank you very much for all your help."
"No problem. Have a good trip."
Gonzalvez sat down by Mullins and took a breath.
"You heard?"
"I heard," Mullins replied. "We'll talk about it when we get back."
"Boarding for the Adrian Bayside will begin in just a moment." A slim female in Bayside Lines uniform appeared at the gate door. "I would like to have anyone with mobility problems, very small children or priority passes to come up first."
"Well, two out of three ain't bad," Mullins said, holding up a hand. "Give me a hand so
"Yes, Mother," Gonzalvez said with a sigh. "Coming, 'Robert'?"
"I suppose," Mladek said, standing up and smiling. "Let me give you a hand, there, Mistress."
"Such nice boys," Mullins said, shuffling towards the perso
"Mother!"