terrible. But she couldnʼt eat a whole fruit of it.
She put the piece down.
“Not good?” Havak asked.
“Not bad, itʼs a taste Iʼm familiar with, but only very diluted and in small quantities. Itʼs too much all at once for me in this form.”
Havak took out a handheld and started taking notes.
“I like that one.” Filavantri pointed to a green, softer fruit with what looked like dark blue seeds flecked through it.
Rose took a piece, bit down. “A bit like grape, but weird because it has the texture of a pear.” She ate it all.
The plate with meat proved more successful. Rose was able to eat all the different types, although most were too gamey for her taste. The last plate had what she guessed were cheeses and tiny desserts, but she didnʼt like any of them.
She was incredibly sorry about that.
When sheʼd had enough, Filavantri picked up the tray. “Weʼll leave you now. You look very tired.”
Rose nodded through a yawn. “Do they have my things yet?” She realized Havak had avoided the question earlier. “So I can shower and change?”
Havak shrugged. “I donʼt know, but there are some things for you in the closet.” He walked over, showed her another cabinet, this one quite large, and with shelves, no hangers. There were a few items of clothing folded up on the lowest shelf, and three towels as well.
“Is there anywhere I have to be? Do I have to set an alarm to wake me?” she asked them.
Havak shook his head. “Sleep as long as you like, and then you can contact Liaison Officer Dimitara or myself by using the comms built into your room.” He showed Rose where it was, and how to call up someone through the directory.
“Rest, and be assured, you are safe now,” Filavantri said as they stepped into the passageway. “The Tecran will be held to account. As a representative of the United Council, I can promise you that.”
“Thank you.” Rose tried to stifle another yawn, then pushed the button to slide her door shut. When it closed, she stood, almost too tired to do anything but stand and stare at it. She felt in her bra for the earpiece, took it out and looked at it for long minutes and decided not to put it in until after her shower.
She would deal with Sazo again when she could think straight.
12
H avak and Dimitara stepped onto the bridge, and Dav signaled Lothric to take over from him as he approached them.
“Letʼs discuss this elsewhere.” He didnʼt give either of them a chance to express an opinion, walking past them and through the open upper level into a small conference room.
“Captain Jallan, Iʼm sorry to do it, because until now, youʼve shown yourself to be in complete compliance with the codes of the United Council, but I will be noting the lack of care youʼve shown Rose in my report.” Filavantri Dimitara chose not to sit, instead, walking to the large screen which showed the Class 5 hanging menacingly before them in space.
Dav joined her, standing straight, hands behind his back, as he looked out with her. “Youʼre right to do so. Iʼve dealt with Rose personally since we found her, because there was, and still is, a possibility she was responsible for the deaths of nearly five hundred Tecran. I wanted to observe her, make sure she wasnʼt an immediate danger. But Iʼve had other claims on my time, more immediate crises to deal with, and I did not take the care I should have done.”
She was silent for a moment. “What crises?”
“Our comms are jammed, which means no help is coming. Borji has confirmed the Class 5 system is blocking all messages, and is blocking all efforts to get into its comms system, and its weapons system as well, for that matter.”
“That is not good news,” Dimitara acknowledged. “Does this mean there could be a pre-loaded sequence to fire on us in there, and Borji couldnʼt do a thing to stop it.”
Dav gave a curt nod.
“I understand there are other priorities for you than whether Rose gets any food or water, but
She put the piece down.
“Not good?” Havak asked.
“Not bad, itʼs a taste Iʼm familiar with, but only very diluted and in small quantities. Itʼs too much all at once for me in this form.”
Havak took out a handheld and started taking notes.
“I like that one.” Filavantri pointed to a green, softer fruit with what looked like dark blue seeds flecked through it.
Rose took a piece, bit down. “A bit like grape, but weird because it has the texture of a pear.” She ate it all.
The plate with meat proved more successful. Rose was able to eat all the different types, although most were too gamey for her taste. The last plate had what she guessed were cheeses and tiny desserts, but she didnʼt like any of them.
She was incredibly sorry about that.
When sheʼd had enough, Filavantri picked up the tray. “Weʼll leave you now. You look very tired.”
Rose nodded through a yawn. “Do they have my things yet?” She realized Havak had avoided the question earlier. “So I can shower and change?”
Havak shrugged. “I donʼt know, but there are some things for you in the closet.” He walked over, showed her another cabinet, this one quite large, and with shelves, no hangers. There were a few items of clothing folded up on the lowest shelf, and three towels as well.
“Is there anywhere I have to be? Do I have to set an alarm to wake me?” she asked them.
Havak shook his head. “Sleep as long as you like, and then you can contact Liaison Officer Dimitara or myself by using the comms built into your room.” He showed Rose where it was, and how to call up someone through the directory.
“Rest, and be assured, you are safe now,” Filavantri said as they stepped into the passageway. “The Tecran will be held to account. As a representative of the United Council, I can promise you that.”
“Thank you.” Rose tried to stifle another yawn, then pushed the button to slide her door shut. When it closed, she stood, almost too tired to do anything but stand and stare at it. She felt in her bra for the earpiece, took it out and looked at it for long minutes and decided not to put it in until after her shower.
She would deal with Sazo again when she could think straight.
12
H avak and Dimitara stepped onto the bridge, and Dav signaled Lothric to take over from him as he approached them.
“Letʼs discuss this elsewhere.” He didnʼt give either of them a chance to express an opinion, walking past them and through the open upper level into a small conference room.
“Captain Jallan, Iʼm sorry to do it, because until now, youʼve shown yourself to be in complete compliance with the codes of the United Council, but I will be noting the lack of care youʼve shown Rose in my report.” Filavantri Dimitara chose not to sit, instead, walking to the large screen which showed the Class 5 hanging menacingly before them in space.
Dav joined her, standing straight, hands behind his back, as he looked out with her. “Youʼre right to do so. Iʼve dealt with Rose personally since we found her, because there was, and still is, a possibility she was responsible for the deaths of nearly five hundred Tecran. I wanted to observe her, make sure she wasnʼt an immediate danger. But Iʼve had other claims on my time, more immediate crises to deal with, and I did not take the care I should have done.”
She was silent for a moment. “What crises?”
“Our comms are jammed, which means no help is coming. Borji has confirmed the Class 5 system is blocking all messages, and is blocking all efforts to get into its comms system, and its weapons system as well, for that matter.”
“That is not good news,” Dimitara acknowledged. “Does this mean there could be a pre-loaded sequence to fire on us in there, and Borji couldnʼt do a thing to stop it.”
Dav gave a curt nod.
“I understand there are other priorities for you than whether Rose gets any food or water, but
Similar Books
