The Ark by Harvey Stanbrough

Author:Harvey Stanbrough
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: StoneThread Publishing
Published: 2020-12-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

After I left Colonel Gordon’s office and the bridge, I stopped in the hallway. I wondered whether the computer call-system thingy worked wherever you were on the ship.

I stopped and faced the wall. “Computer—”

From behind me came a chuckle. “You don’t have to do that, you know.” The accent was British. Or maybe Irish.

I turned, feeling myself flush.

In front of me stood a woman dressed in the ship’s uniform. She was around 5’4” and attractive with short, medium-brunette hair, fiery green eyes and dainty hands and fingers. She appeared to be about my age, maybe a little younger. And she had three black dots on her collar. So a major?

I cleared my throat. “Do what, exactly?”

She was still grinning. “You don’t have to stop to talk with the computer. Or face the wall for that matter.”

“Really?”

“Sure. If you like, think of the whole ship as a computer. You can talk with others as your walking down the hall or while you’re in bed or in the shower or—” She shrugged. “Just wherever.”

“Oh. Well, thanks. I’m sure that’ll come in handy.” I extended my hand. “By the way, I’m—”

She ignored my proffered hand and crossed her arms, a wry smile on her face. “Mark Hanson, I know. The new lounge chief. Between Jim Parsons and Joe Stapp, I’m pretty sure the whole ship knows by now. And you’ve already had a meeting with the colonel. You get around, Major Hanson.”

“Mark, please. Just doing my job.”

“I know, but you only got here what, two hours ago? Three? And with a lady, I understand?”

I grinned. “It was about three hours ago and I got here with another member of the crew. Separate quarters and all that.”

“Ah, interesting.” She paused. “So I figured you and the colonel must have known each other before. Old friends or something?”

“Actually that was my first time meeting him. He seems like a good officer. But no, we aren’t old friends. Yet.”

“And was your meeting successful?”

“I guess we’ll find out. He has to talk with Alamogordo and the shuttle commander first, but I think it’s gonna work out.”

“Well, if it was about staffing, I hope it works out. The FOH lounges are pretty understaffed.”

I grinned again. “Wow. Were you listening at the door or what?”

She shrugged. “It wasn’t that hard to figure out. I already know you’re the new lounge chief. You’ve been aboard only a few hours but you had a meeting with the XO. You aren’t personal friends, so that tells me you probably went to him with a suggestion, and the only thing you’ve had time to do is see how busy they are down on the FOH levels. Right so far?”

“Very good.”

She said, “Additionally, you were in there a good fifteen minutes, so he at least took your suggestion seriously. And if he’s calling Alamo, I suspect your meeting was probably successful.”

“So you’re a sleuth.”

She smiled. “Close. I’m the Security Chief. Rebecca Hones, by the way. Or Becky.” This time she offered her hand.

I shook it.

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