Intrepid

''And?'' Kris said, giving Jack the frown she'd learned from her father, right after she was found with her pudgy three-year-old hand in the cookie jar.

''And,'' the Marine captain continued, after taking a deep breath, ''we're having the … ah, well, some really interesting and informative discussions. I feel like I'm getting Command and Staff College courses delivered through a fire hose.''

''Your prisoner is quite an interesting military historian,'' Captain Drago added.

''And it's not like he can go anywhere we aren't going,'' Penny pointed out.

''And he's a lot more fun to listen to than some old vid lecture,'' Cara added.

The colonel took a sip from his coffee cup, then said, ''I do sleep in the brig. Having slept on the ground with no blanket, I assure you, your brig is quite comfortable.''

Kris headed for the steam table, drew herself a tray and plate, and started down the line, filling it. ''And what is the topic for tonight?''

''Bocage, Your Highness. Or hedgerows if you prefer. In the last great European Civil War, midtwentieth-century Earth, the subsequent victors landed on the French coast in an area with thousand-year-old hedgerows. Age and substance had made them just as impenetrable as that mountain you dug into. The attacking side had an impossible time advancing through these hedges and thought they'd made a terrible mistake. What they failed to see was that the hedges had two sides. The subsequent losers wanted to launch their own counterattack and throw them back into the sea. The hedgerows did not let them do that.''

''And that helped them how?'' Kris said, and knew she was hooked. To make matters worse, they reserved a seat at Colonel Cortez's elbow for her, and before long, Cara was sitting at Kris's feet, resting her head on Kris's knee.

One old colonel and one twelve-year-old were worming their way into Kris's heart. Well, maybe it might work for the girl, but just as soon as Kris had someone to turn Cortez over to, he'd leave the Wasp in handcuffs.

But for now, he was interesting to listen to.

A few hours later, they jumped into Xanadu space … and Kris found herself with a whole lot of nothing to listen to. The planet had gone even quieter than before. And now, it refused to answer their hails, even to tell them to shut up.

''Captain Drago, 1.5 gees, please,'' Kris said. ''Chief Beni, put together a team of sensor magicians and crack that silence. I want to know something before I stick my head into whatever noose they've woven for me while we were gone.''

* * *

''They've dug themselves a cave and pulled the hole in after them,'' Chief Beni reported for the sensor team that had grown to include every boffin on board who might have something to add to the findings. The null findings.

''We aren't even finding the heat we found before,'' he added.

Kris thanked them for their effort, then let them leave before she turned to her command team, which, at the moment, included one prisoner, Colonel Cortez. ''So, any suggestions on what we do now?'' she asked.

Jack shook his head. ''If there's no threat to our shuttles, I suggest we land the Marines and have a look around,'' he said.

Cortez frowned.

''You have a problem with that?'' Kris said.

''No, ma'am. It seems that you must do what you must do. However, I am reminded that both Cortez and Pizarro marched deep into the two empires they approached. It was a trap. The natives intended to kill them. That both of them got out of it alive and as conquerors was never the intent of the locals.''

That left everyone with cheery thoughts.

From orbit they could not find the warm houses from before. ''It's winter down there, isn't it?'' Kris noted.

Chief Beni nodded agreement. ''Better put on your woollies, Your Highness, when you go down there.''

''Put on yours, too. You're coming with me. I want an immediate report on any noise, squeak, or peep.''

''But I can work better up here,'' the chief pointed out.

''We'll be covered from here. You are going with me. Think of it as an adventure.''

The chief just shook his head, dolefully. ''Adventures may be fun for you, but I can do without them. People get killed on your kind of adventures.''

It was an honest thought, but not one Kris wanted to dwell on, so she kicked herself off and headed for her stateroom and Abby to get prepared for this newest of adventures.

It only took three shuttles to carry the troops down this time. Sick bay was still full of Marines recuperating from their jaunt down to Panda. Today's approach to Xanadu was well spread out. Jack insisted the first shuttle be down and its Marines already deployed before the third shuttle came in with Kris.

Kris didn't much care for that, but, per his authority over her, he could and did order it, and she had no choice but to follow her security chief. Again, Kris was reminded how much she did not like Grampa Trouble and Grampa Ray messing with her life.

By the time Kris finally rejoined the chief of her security detail, he had a whole lot of nothing to report.