Intrepid

The Wasp's third jump had been into a system with an unreported colony. That had quickly led to the discovery of three more and rumors of a dozen others!

''When do you think that the king or your papa is gonna answer your report?'' Abby asked.

Kris just shook her head. Starting up a colony cost money. Lots of it. Someone was making a mountain of unsecured loans to finance these new outposts of humanity. Someone was sponsoring the explorations that found habitable planets. That left a big question of who. And why!

Questions neither King/Grampa Ray nor Kris's father, the Prime Minister of Wardhaven, had answers for. And as if the ''Sooners,'' as they called themselves, weren't enough of a problem, they'd attracted pirates.

Starting a year or two ago, about the time Earth and the Rim gave up on making a go of the Society of Humanity, the tramp merchant ships that made irregular calls among the Sooners started disappearing. Two in just the last three months.

As much as the Sooners did not want to see a uniformed naval officer from Wardhaven … and a Longknife to boot … they were almost happy to see the Wasp and hoped that someone with the authority of the law was finally taking an interest in them.

Kris fidgeted. It was nice finally to be appreciated by someone, even if it was the Sooners, who shouldn't have been where they were. But it left her with a bunch of unhappy scientists whose exploration was on hold. And a crew waiting, waiting, waiting for the pirates to make their move.

''What's eating you, woman?'' Abby demanded.

''Nothing,'' Kris insisted, then noticed that her right foot was tapping out a rapid tattoo. She froze it in place. Now her stomach wanted to spin.

''Don't you go lying to me, boss. I'm Abby. I know you, baby ducks.'' Her maid eyed Kris sideways. ''You got your panties in a twist because those pirates won't come out and play with you.''

''No,'' Kris insisted.

''What's it been, one, two months since someone took a potshot at you? Since you blew away some very deserving rats?''

''Something like that,'' Kris admitted, lamely.

''Kris, I think you're starting to enjoy all that fuss and feathers.''

Kris had been warned by those who should know, experienced cops, old Gunny Sergeants, that the rush could become as addictive as any drug. Was she hooked on being not quite killed? On doing the killing? She swallowed hard on the thought.

Abby shook her head. ''Woman, get your head on straight. You got nothing to worry about on the Wasp. Don't you think we can recognize those silly-ass games your great-grampa plays that he thinks will keep you safe? Yep, he made me COR, but when hell's a popping, Captain Drago's going to be looking your way for orders. 'Cause you'll be there, at his elbow. And me? I'm gonna be under the bed holding Cara safe.''

That forced a laugh from Kris. Despite Abby's constant claims to being a twice-baptized and very devout coward, Kris would more than likely be trailing Abby into the shoot-out.

''Now, if you don't mind, I've got to help a little girl catch up on a whole lot of schooling. I don't know what they were doing in those Eden schools, but it wasn't teaching.''

''Worse than when you were in those schools?'' Kris asked.

Abby just snorted. ''And you thank Nelly for me. She's a real good teacher.''

I AM A REAL GOOD TEACHER, Nelly chortled in Kris's head.

YES, YOU ARE A REAL GOOD TEACHER, Kris agreed.

AND YOU SHOULD CHILL OUT.

GO TEACH THE LITTLE GIRL. YOU ARE NOT MY SHRINK, Kris snapped. Maybe it was time to quit upgrading Nelly every time something new came along. It seemed that every new addition to Nelly, no matter what it was supposed to do, just gave her more of an attitude.

I HEARD THAT. AND IT'S 'TUDE. THAT IS WHAT CARA CALLS IT.

Oh Lord, now my computer has a real live teenage girl to show her the ropes. What have I done to myself?

Kris headed for the bridge. At least she'd get some respect there.

2

Kris didn't make it halfway to the bridge before Professor mFumbo waylaid her.

''When are we going to do some science?'' he demanded in a deep bass voice that almost made the bulkheads vibrate.

''I understand that pirates have this tendency to kill or enslave the crews of the ships they capture,'' Kris said as matter-of-factly as she could. ''Read it in the papers. Grampa Trouble says he even crossed paths with pirates once. Ended up one of their slaves.''

''I believe it happened twice,'' mFumbo said, scratching his chin. ''One really must wonder how smart someone is who made that mistake twice,'' he said, ambiguously, then smiled and moved to clarify his remarks. ''I should have thought that any educatable man would learn quickly that Marines do not good slaves make.''