“It’s a duty day,” Phule explained. “The fearless forces of the Space Legion are hip-deep in muck, protecting the miners from the local ecology, and vice versa. The fact that C.H. and I happened to schedule our … meeting the same day as we would be normally joining our comrades in their discomfort is mere coincidence.”
“Amen to that,” Harry acknowledged with his first genuine grin since Goetz entered the lounge.
“Say”-the chief frowned, peering at one of the other groups in the lounges-“isn’t that the Eagles’ commander sitting over there with that little reporter … whatzername?”
“Jennie,” the Legion commander said without looking. “I believe it is. Why do you ask?”
“I thought you had her staked out as private property. Or is she part of the settlement between you and the Army?”
“She’s her own woman,” Phule said. “Always has been, from all I can tell. Just because we had dinner together a couple of times doesn’t mean-“
The shrill screech of his wrist communicator interrupted him in midsentence.
Annoyed, since he had left word he was not to be interrupted, the commander debated for a moment as to whether or not to acknowledge the call. Then it occurred to him that it would have to be important to override his orders, and he reached for the controls.
“Excuse me a moment, Chief … Phule here, Mother. What’s the problem?”
“We’ve got trouble, Captain,” came the communication specialist’s voice without any of her normal banter.
“What …
“I’ll let you hear it direct. Stand by for a patch from field operations … Go ahead, Lieutenant.”