Flagship Read Free Page B

right, all right," said Val, breaking the connection.
    Cole pressed another spot on the table.
    "Sir?" said Malcolm Briggs as his face appeared where Val's had been.
    "Remind Commander Jacovic that we're departing in less than two hours, and make sure all other crew members are on board."
    "Yes, sir."
    "Did you get that code installed in all the ships?"
    "All those at the station, sir," said Briggs. "I didn't want to take the chance of it being intercepted as a signal, so I turned a cube over to Captain Flores and told him to take it to Mr. Lafferty on Piccoli III and stay there until it was successfully installed in all his ships."
    "I approve," said Cole. He paused. "His ships are spread out over a dozen planets. I don't think we'll be seeing Mr. Flores anytime soon."
    "We wouldn't anyway," said Sharon. "We're all loners, at least until you tell us what you have in mind."
    "Thank you, Mr. Briggs," said Cole. "That will be all."
    He broke the connection.
    "You're going to tell me not to correct or contradict you in front of the crew, right?" said Sharon.
    He shrugged. "I don't give a damn, unless someone's shooting at us. If it makes you happy, contradict all you like."
    She emitted an exasperated sigh. "What the hell kind of hero are you, anyway?"
    "A live one."
    She stared at him. "Come to think of it, you don't look much like a hero."
    "What does a hero look like?" asked Cole.
    "Bold. Tall. Strong. Handsome. Fearless."
    "You've seen me with my pants off too many times. It spoils the illusion."
    She laughed, leaned across the table, and kissed him. "You're hero enough for me."
    Suddenly Malcolm Briggs's face appeared again. "I hate to bother you, sir," he said apologetically, "but we can't locate Commander Jacovic."
    "Pass the word to Val or whoever replaces her on white shift that we don't take off without him," said Cole.
    "Yes, sir."
    Cole got to his feet. "I'll fetch him. We know he's recruiting, and there's only two or three Teroni hangouts on the alien levels of the station." He paused. "Tell Bull Pampas to meet me at the hatch."
    "Do you think you'll need him?"
    "Probably I won't," answered Cole. "But Jacovic didn't respond when we summoned him, and after Val, Bull is the best human weapon we've got."
    "Then why not take Val?"
    "Because she's the Officer on Deck for another hour or so. Protecting the ship is more important than protecting the Captain."
    Sharon didn't agree, but decided not to argue the point, and a moment later Cole and his tall, dark-haired, heavily muscled Gunnery Chief, Eric "Bull" Pampas, boarded the tram and were soon inside the station.
    Suddenly an alarm went off.
    "Are you armed?" asked Cole.
    "Colonel Blacksmith told me I was supposed to protect you," said Pampas as two security guards approached and confiscated his weapon. "Besides, that never happened before."
    "The Duke was never worried about the Navy sending spies, saboteurs, and assassins before," said Cole. He turned to the guards. "We'll want that back on the way out."
    "Fuck you," said one of the guards. "You get the Navy to come out here, and then you and all your ships leave us to face them alone. You're damned lucky I don't turn it on you."
    "The Navy doesn't want you" said Cole. "They want us. Don't fire a shot and they won't either."
    "And if you're wrong?" demanded the man. "If they wipe us out, are you going to avenge us? I feel all better now."
    Cole could see that Pampas was tensing, preparing to try to take the laser pistol back. "Keep it," he said, taking Pampas by the arm. "Come on, Bull."
    "But that was my burner!" protested Pampas as he fell into step behind Cole. "They have no business keeping it!"
    "Draw another one from the armory," said Cole, heading to an airlift. "I don't need you getting yourself killed on Singapore Station. We've got bigger fish to fry."
    They reached the airlift, and Cole briefly read the holographic chart next to the controls. "Okay, third level," he said. "I don't spend much time on the