the ship
around and taking you back to Tiffany's planet."
"What!" the chief and Barry said at the same time.
"I highly suspect that she's a wanted criminal and I
don't want us getting caught up in her machinations," Argentine said
angrily.
"Then why are we taking her to Asperia?" Sami
asked. "And why were you having her hide in the shuttle?"
"I wasn't having her… She's a stowaway," he said
forcefully.
"A stowaway?" said Barry.
"That's not possible," said the chief.
"Come on Frank, I think the game is up," Mandi
said with a reluctant smile. "You should probably tell them what's going
on between us."
"Yes Frank, you should tell us what's going on between
you," Sami said with her arms across her chest.
Trying to pretend that his face wasn't growing red,
Argentine said slowly, "There is nothing going on… But I promise, if this
woman doesn't start explaining there will be."
Looking directly at Mandi he concluded, "And she won't
like it… one… bit!"
"Oh, hold your water," she said.
And then to the group in general, "Is he always this
uptight?"
It didn't help Argentine’s focus that through his peripheral
vision he noticed Sami nodding.
ΔΔΔ
"This
whole situation isn't complicated at all," she began.
"I needed a way off of Tiffany's planet so I hitched a
ride with you guys. It's no big deal."
"Don't you think you should've asked? For that matter,
why didn't you just buy passage on another ship?" the chief wanted to
know.
"If I'd asked you might've said no. It was really so
much simpler this way."
"And you needed to get off the planet without the
authorities being able to trace you," the lieutenant said as he finally
entered the conversation.
"Well, there is that," she responded.
"This is all bloody well and good, and it seems like
you're having a jolly good time with us, but I'm still missing something… Why
did you pick our ship?" Barry asked.
"With all the information your Captain was kind enough
to provide me about yourselves I thought you would be a good choice."
"What kind of information?"
"All sorts of good things, including the fact that
you're on the run. This, by the way, is why you’re not going to take me back."
All eyes now turned to Argentine…
"I never said any such thing," he responded.
"You didn't have to. When I mentioned being able to
hack into databases and identify fugitives from other systems… Well, your face
spoke volumes."
"You're a hacker?" Barry asked in surprise.
"Of course she is," said Lieutenant Stark.
"It's how she was able to get aboard ship and hide out on the shuttle
without us being any the wiser."
"Yes, how did you figure it out? If you don't mind me
asking…" she asked.
"Never mind that," Argentine said. "You're
going to give us your story. From the beginning. No more tangents, no more
trying to change the subject… Just a straight linear story of who you are, what
you did, why you're trying to get away, and how you ended up here…
"If you don't do that to my satisfaction you're right,
I won't take you back to Tiffany's planet. But I have zero compunction about
throwing you out an airlock…"
There was something in Argentine's tone and posture…
"Fine, fine… You win. Where do you want me to
start?"
"At the beginning."
She sighed...
"Okay, if you must know, I was born on Tiffany's
planet. Have any of you ever been there? On the planet I mean?"
When no one responded she continued…
"It's not a great place to grow up. Oh, there's plenty
of opportunity for hard work, but I found at an early age I preferred to use my
mind. Combine that with a small aversion to authority and, well… I found myself
without a lot of legitimate opportunities."
"I sincerely hope this is not going to turn into an Oh,
woe is me , story," Argentine commented.
"No, because I found I didn't need
around and taking you back to Tiffany's planet."
"What!" the chief and Barry said at the same time.
"I highly suspect that she's a wanted criminal and I
don't want us getting caught up in her machinations," Argentine said
angrily.
"Then why are we taking her to Asperia?" Sami
asked. "And why were you having her hide in the shuttle?"
"I wasn't having her… She's a stowaway," he said
forcefully.
"A stowaway?" said Barry.
"That's not possible," said the chief.
"Come on Frank, I think the game is up," Mandi
said with a reluctant smile. "You should probably tell them what's going
on between us."
"Yes Frank, you should tell us what's going on between
you," Sami said with her arms across her chest.
Trying to pretend that his face wasn't growing red,
Argentine said slowly, "There is nothing going on… But I promise, if this
woman doesn't start explaining there will be."
Looking directly at Mandi he concluded, "And she won't
like it… one… bit!"
"Oh, hold your water," she said.
And then to the group in general, "Is he always this
uptight?"
It didn't help Argentine’s focus that through his peripheral
vision he noticed Sami nodding.
ΔΔΔ
"This
whole situation isn't complicated at all," she began.
"I needed a way off of Tiffany's planet so I hitched a
ride with you guys. It's no big deal."
"Don't you think you should've asked? For that matter,
why didn't you just buy passage on another ship?" the chief wanted to
know.
"If I'd asked you might've said no. It was really so
much simpler this way."
"And you needed to get off the planet without the
authorities being able to trace you," the lieutenant said as he finally
entered the conversation.
"Well, there is that," she responded.
"This is all bloody well and good, and it seems like
you're having a jolly good time with us, but I'm still missing something… Why
did you pick our ship?" Barry asked.
"With all the information your Captain was kind enough
to provide me about yourselves I thought you would be a good choice."
"What kind of information?"
"All sorts of good things, including the fact that
you're on the run. This, by the way, is why you’re not going to take me back."
All eyes now turned to Argentine…
"I never said any such thing," he responded.
"You didn't have to. When I mentioned being able to
hack into databases and identify fugitives from other systems… Well, your face
spoke volumes."
"You're a hacker?" Barry asked in surprise.
"Of course she is," said Lieutenant Stark.
"It's how she was able to get aboard ship and hide out on the shuttle
without us being any the wiser."
"Yes, how did you figure it out? If you don't mind me
asking…" she asked.
"Never mind that," Argentine said. "You're
going to give us your story. From the beginning. No more tangents, no more
trying to change the subject… Just a straight linear story of who you are, what
you did, why you're trying to get away, and how you ended up here…
"If you don't do that to my satisfaction you're right,
I won't take you back to Tiffany's planet. But I have zero compunction about
throwing you out an airlock…"
There was something in Argentine's tone and posture…
"Fine, fine… You win. Where do you want me to
start?"
"At the beginning."
She sighed...
"Okay, if you must know, I was born on Tiffany's
planet. Have any of you ever been there? On the planet I mean?"
When no one responded she continued…
"It's not a great place to grow up. Oh, there's plenty
of opportunity for hard work, but I found at an early age I preferred to use my
mind. Combine that with a small aversion to authority and, well… I found myself
without a lot of legitimate opportunities."
"I sincerely hope this is not going to turn into an Oh,
woe is me , story," Argentine commented.
"No, because I found I didn't need
Similar Books
