Tom was not forgotten. Since Grampa Ray sent no message, Kris sent her own to the new Wardhaven Ambassador on Turantic about Tommy's possible involuntary status. She got no reply.
Next day she sent another message, waited another day, and repeated it. Silence. The ship was closing on its last jump when Kris repeated her message… and got an immediate reply.
To: Lieutenant JG Longknife
From: Lieutenant Pasley
We Heard you the first time.
Now shut up and let me work.
''Lieutenant Pasley?'' Kris muttered, letting the name roll around in her mouth. It sounded familiar.
''Wasn't she the woman who Tommy got to know?'' Nelly said slowly. ''The woman who reported him missing? Or maybe she is just someone with the same name?''
Kris found her mind going in two totally different directions. Since when did a computer use a question when it damn well knew the answer? Was Nelly learning tact?
''Pasley,'' Jack frowned. ''She was headed for Itsahfine. What's she doing answering the Ambassador's mail on Turantic?''
And signing her name full Lieutenant, Kris thought. She was just beginning to like the way a Princess outranked all present. Was she going to have to get used to working with a Navy type who outranked her… again?
Chapter 6
Kris studied the space station that was High Turantic through the view port in the dinning room as the liner approached its dock. From the looks of the stretched cylinder, a good three-quarters of it was brand-new. SMART METAL, Nelly answered when Kris asked. Definitely a rush job.
Below, Abby was in charge of the four pursers who had appeared to repack Kris's baggage train. Kris had almost turned them away; Abby moved quickly to put them to work. Apparently, a Princess could accept no less. Kris wondered what might be added to her luggage. Jack had muttered something about checking things thoroughly once they got to their hotel. Kris wasn't the only paranoid around.
In the few minutes between docking and the gangway opening, the Captain appeared at Kris's elbow and ushered her personally the short distance from first-class dining to the gangway. ''I hope we meet again when I can show you more of space,'' he said, bowing over her hand and kissing it
''Has the Captain gotten rather too smooth the last few days?'' Jack said as he followed Kris into the gangway's elevator.
''Smooth, yes,'' Kris agreed. ''Too smooth? No. Maybe it's a girl thing, but I could get used to that.''
''Yes, Your Princessship,'' Jack drawled.
Abby, with Kris's luggage, was waiting for them as the elevator disgorged them into the customs area. There was no line, and the agent only seemed interested in waving them through. Abby produced an Earth passport that got a frown and a stamp. Just beyond customs was a slightly familiar face in Wardhaven Navy blues sporting the two broad stripes of a Lieutenant.
''Good afternoon, I'm Lieutenant Pasley. The Ambassador regrets he cannot be here himself. I am at your disposal. I have reserved rooms for you at the station Hilton.'' Kris had to admire the amount of words the woman got out in one breath.
''I was planning on going planetside immediately.''
''Yes, Princess,'' Lieutenant Pasley went on without reflection. ''You will find the Hilton fully meets your needs.''
''And the matter of Tommy Lien?''
''I can brief you on all we know as soon as you are comfortable in your rooms at the Hilton.''
Kris grew tired of that hotel being Penny Pasley's answer to every question. ''And if I don't want to cool my heels where you want to stash me?''
Lieutenant Pasley drew herself up to her full height, which was a good two inches shorter than Kris. ''Lieutenant, I've made arrangements for you and your entourage. Please follow them.''
Kris stood in place, fixing her superior officer with a hard stare, and did not budge. Penny frowned. ''I told the Ambassador that wouldn't work. How about this: If we can just get to a secure area, I can bring you up to date on quite a lot.''
That settled it for Kris. ''Lead. We will follow.''
Penny had already checked them into the Hilton; they processed quickly through the foyer directly to the elevators. They must have made for an interesting parade: Penny in uniform, Kris in an expensive red outfit Abby called a ''power suit,'' Jack trying not to look like he was eyeing everyone for a gun, while doing so, and Abby, followed by a large procession of auto trunks in perfect formation, one behind the other.
Kris's suite was only five floors in from Circle One, the huge outer floor that ringed the station and stretched from the bottom to the wall separating it from the yard. ''Besides the elevator, this floor also has a connecting slide car to take you up or down,'' Penny said. A wall screen showed a live view of the station, its long cylinder silhouetted against the setting sun with Turantic below. The suite was even more palatial than the ship's; Kris ignored the finery as she collapsed onto a sofa. ''So, what do we do now?'' she asked her growing entourage.
''I don't know. What do you want to do?'' Jack said. No surprise, a gizmo appeared in his hand as he slowly moved about the rooms, checking for bugs.
''I tried to arrange a tour of some of Turantic's more scenic sights,'' Penny said. Kris wasn't really surprised the Lieutenant held a slightly different gizmo and was doing her own sweep.
''I'll have to unpack,'' Abby said, and did surprise Kris by doing no such thing. She produced her own gadget, of yet another design, and began another sweep of the place. Kris kept her surprise off her face; Jack did not. He looked ready to run the maid through his own bug finder.
Five minutes later, all three were back rubbing elbows in front of Kris's easy chair. ''What do we do now?'' she asked.
''I think a nice relaxing bath might be in order,'' Abby said, eyeing the other two. Jack nodded slightly, Penny more vigorously. So they adjourned to a bath slightly less roomy than the Firebolt's bridge. Abby ran water into a tub big enough for a small water polo match. The tub looked to be a long time filling, since the maid did not put in the stopper.
''How many bugs did you find?'' Kris asked Penny.
The woman identified eight, quickly giving their locations in the five-room suite. Jack had found eight, too, but he'd missed two of Penny's and found two more. Kris and Jack then fixed Abby with glares.
''Hey, you have no idea what some employers figured they got for their paycheck. I may be a working girl, but I'm not in that line of work. Anyway, I found two more that you missed.''
Kris raised an eyebrow to Jack. ''How many species of bugs are we dealing with?'' That would give Kris an idea of how many players had dealt themselves in to whatever game was afoot. Jack met her question with a shrug and headed back to the rooms, Penny and Abby right behind. They returned two minutes later; the women seemed content to let Jack talk for them. ''There are five different models of bugs out there. One is standard Wardhaven issue. Strange Lieutenant Pasley missed it,'' that got a blush from the subject. ''The ones Abby turned up are not even close to a design in my book. Strange you found them.''
''I think they're a familiar Earth subspecies,'' Abby said dismissively. ''Probably so old, they took it out of your book.''
Jack said nothing, but Kris could see the wheels spinning behind Jack's eyes. Who is Maid Abby?
''So, do we squash the bugs, or leave a few active?'' Kris posed to the team.