“Don’t start using quotes on me unless you want to soak up a few in return,” the elder Phule warned dryly. “Now, are there any other nonproblems I can help you with? Like I said, I’m in the middle of a meeting.”
“No, that covers it. If you can just tell me how to get through to Albert, I’ll get out of your hair.”
“Stay on the line and my secretary will give you that info,” the elder Phule instructed. “I’ve got to run, myself. You know how your grandmother is if you keep her waiting too long.”
“Grams?” The Legionnaire blinked. “Is that who you’re meeting with?”
Phule grimaced. “That’s right. And she’s in one of her ‘holy crusade’ moods, and you know what that means.”
The commander gave an exaggerated shudder in response.
“Well, good luck, Dad,” he said. “No offense, but it sounds like you’re going to need it. Say hello for me, if you think it will help.”
“And listen to her run on about you and your Boy Scout troop again?” the elder Phule said. “Thanks, but no thanks. Got to go now … My best to Beeker.”
“So that’s it in a nutshell, Albert,” Phule concluded. “Can you help me?”
The holo-image of the computer specialist nodded slowly. It had the pale, unripened complexion of someone who habitually uses a cathode-ray tube for a sunlamp.
“I’ll have to pull a couple people off other things, but yes, I think we can handle it.”
“Good,” the commander said. “How soon can we look for you?”
“I’ll have to check the flight schedules, but I imagine we can be there in a couple of weeks. It’s not that far from where we are now.”