''I'd imitate a pole, just like those poor sods did.''
Kris spent the morning with Tony Chang and the contacts he put her in touch with. Tony himself ordered enough food and drinks to get three of the restaurants open for lunch. ''I'm only hiring guys to work those places.'' Kris didn't argue.
Several movie chains agreed to rearrange their schedules and get enough movies up to High Chance's theater that they could start playing later that day. The Game Emporium was tougher. ''Most of the game stations are still up there, that's no problem. They were pretty old and lame. It's finding software to load on them. They are just so out of date.''
''We need something and we need it by close of business today,'' Kris said. ''The sailors that don't get shore leave need some entertainment.''
''I'll have a couple of kids up there to load the software and take their nickels.''
''You are going to keep the price reasonable, aren't you?''
''I was a kid once, a long way from home. We won't rook them, Commander.''
After lunch, Kris had to submit to an oil-of-turpentine manicure from Abby, who dug out a small fortune in tar from under Kris's nails and took an inch off her fingers. ''If you're going out tonight, I'm going to have to glue three nails on you.‘''
''I haven't heard what they're laying on for tonight.''
''Well, you find out, young woman, cause your Mama Abby ain't gonna turn you into no princess with a snap of her fingers. Not with you in the mess you're in today.''
''Yes, Mama,'' Kris said as she escaped from her quarters.
''You know you're henpecked,'' Jack said as she ran into him.
''My mother ignored me for most of my life. Why is Abby making up for it with interest?''
''Why does Abby do anything?'' Jack said. ''I did that monitoring you asked for while Hank's ships were coming in. No Chance messages out that didn't have a business reason for going out. I did, however, go over the communication logs from the jump point buffers. Nelly and I recovered a message sent just after we jumped into the system, heavily encrypted, and with, as it turned out, a false sender identified.''
''Bad sender address? Don't those usually bounce?''
''This was a false sender with a valid sending address. You know many day cares that send priority interstellar messages?''
''No. Has Nelly cracked the code?''
''Nope,'' Jack said. ''And she doesn't expect to. Very complex code that seems to change about every other line. Real good.''
''And you think Abby sent it?''
''I don't know who sent it, but it's interesting that it went out of here right after the St. Pete jumped in.''
''Anything like it since our last trip?''
''No. Nothing.''
Kris considered that as she took the elevator down to the shops. ''Could have been someone on the Pete messaging ahead. Since our main concern seems not to be involved, let's sit on it.'' Kris ran her thumb softly over her aching fingers. ''Abby may be a pain every chance she gets, but she does pull things out of those steamer trunks when we need them. Haven't you enjoyed the last couple of weeks when she didn't have to?''
''Best vacation I've had in years,'' Jack said.
Three restaurants were open, each just happened to be even with the piers in use by the ships. Italian, German, and Chinese were officially offered, but Tony said they'd cook up just about anything. The movie theater was open. Its offerings seemed dated to a girl from Wardhaven, but there were plenty of choices for the various screens that ranged from full auditorium to small home-movie suites no bigger than the one at Nuu House.
The Game Express had all its lights flashing.
''I am so glad to run into you, Lieutenant,'' someone said from behind Kris. She turned… and snapped a salute.
''Good to see you again, too, Captain Slovo,'' Kris said.
He returned her and Jack's honors. ''May I walk with you awhile?'' he asked.
''It would be my pleasure. Should I ask my security chief to find business elsewhere?''
Captain Slovo glanced at Jack. ''I assure you your princess and commander is as safe with me as she is anywhere else.''
''That bad,'' Jack said, but he saluted and detached himself.
''A good man,'' Captain Slovo said.
''You've gotten my briefing file.''
''Him, no, just my own assessment. And yes, we did get your file. Amazingly thin. Leaves a lot to wonder about.''
''You must have gotten the digest version,'' Kris said.
''Maybe, but I still find myself wondering about finding you here so unexpectedly.''
''Luck of the draw,'' Kris chose to answer. ''They were looking for a place to put me, and this opened up. It works the same in your Navy, doesn't it?''
''Sometimes, yes. But when last we heard, this station was unoccupied. So you can imagine my surprise when I find my ship taking active sensor sweeps from a light cruiser. We had heard that hulks were being distributed around Longknife space, mere scarecrows to make the locals feel safer. Yet I find a cruiser with its sensors up, reactors going. Full commission?''
Kris ignored that question, and the growing question as to why a Greenfeld officer was highlighting once again how surprised he was to see her. Nelly, make a note that if I ever give Captain Slovo a tour of the Patton, all the museum plaques come down first.
Will do, Kris.
Captain Slovo let the silence stretch a bit. ''You were not briefed on my commodore's cruise around the area. We were not briefed to expect you. Strange, don't you think?''
Beyond strange, Kris could agree… to herself. To a Greenfeld Navy Captain all she said was, ''Interesting. Is there anything specific I can help you with?''
''No, I was just taking a tour of the facilities you have opened for my men. The prices are steep for the pay of my able seamen, but not gouging. No worse than we usually meet with when we visit the inflation-ravaged economies beyond our borders.'' He smiled at that bit of political cant.
''I am glad to be of service. Hank said this had been a long trip. Your crewmen need something to break the monotony of staring at the bulkheads of their ships.''
''There is one more thing. It seems that I need a ride down to the planet tonight. My commodore is indisposed and there is a cocktail party that he wants some of us to show the flag at.''
''And you don't want to ride down in your own captain's gig?''
''I don't have a gig. None of the captains have a gig this trip. Our commodore wanted room for more liberty launches and said we could always ride in his barge. Yet tonight, his barge is not available.'' The captain coughed softly into his hand.
''And you really don't want to ride back up in anything like the launches were last night.'' He nodded.
''You could have your chiefs provide a bit of leadership.''
He looked away. Kris detected just a hint of a nod.
Kris considered letting him twist on the ropes of this unnamed situation that neither the captain nor the chiefs would talk about. She also wondered if the extra boat space was occupied by assault landing craft. How would this game be played out? And since it was no ''game'' at all, how many would die? Kris made her call.
''I'd be glad to provide a seat for you on my shuttle. What time is the party? You'll probably have to pass a metal detector, and please don't carry any packages that someone else has provided you.'' She did not smile.
He did, rather painfully. ''I will endeavor to keep you as safe as I do my commodore. The party is at eight. We are scheduled to have dinner with some businessmen beforehand, so could we leave by six? Oh, and I require two more seats.''
''Other captains coming along?''
''Yes, the two that sat with me on the barge last night.''
''Ah, the ones that are trying to provide adult supervision to the kindergartners.''
He made no answer to that but began to salute her most gallantly, signaling her dismissal. She got her salute up before he touched his hat. ''You have no idea how close to the truth you are, my dear Princess,'' he whispered softly, did a smart about-face, and left her to ponder many things.