“For a long time,” Colman said.
“Don’t leave them at the post,” Sirocco said. “Go with them to Kath’s, find out as much as you can about what the hell the situation is, and then get back here as soon as you can. That way, maybe we’ll be able to figure out what needs to be done.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
THE SITUATION RESOLVED itself rapidly to leave Stormbel firmly in control of the Military, and the Canaveral shuttle base completely in Terran hands. Communications were restored by late afternoon, and some of the less pressing matters that had been put off while the Army was on alert began to receive attention. Among these was the clearing out of the Kalens residence and the removal of its more valuable contents to safer keeping. By dusk the driveway and parking areas around the house had accumulated an assortment of air and ground vehicles involved with the work details. Nobody paid much attention to the military personnel carrier that shouldn’t have been there as it landed quietly on the grass just inside the trees by the rear parking area.
Inside, 5tanislau shut down the flight-control systems, then walked into the passenger compartment without turning on the cabin lights to join Colman, Maddock, Fuller, and Carson, who were sitting with a large picture-cratepropped between them, and a pile of cartons, tools, and packing materials around their feet. Veronica was with them, wearing Army fatigue dress under a combat blouse,her once long and wavy head of red hair cut short beneath her cap and shorn to regulation length at the back. Maddock climbed over the litter to open the door, and then climbed out with Carson and Fuller; Stanislau stayed inside to help in the unloading. Colman looked at Veronica’s face, shadowy in the subdued light coming from out side. “Feel okay?” he asked.
She nodded, then after a few seconds said, “Casey will have fit!”
Her attempt at humor was a good sign. Colman grinned and heaved himself from his seat. “Then let’s go,” he grunted.
When they were all outside, Carson and Maddock took the picture-crate, Stanislau a toolbox, Fuller assorted ropes and fasteners, and Colman some papers and inventory pads. Veronica carried a large roll of packing foam on her shoulder, keeping it pressed against the side of her face. Inside the roll were the shuttlecraft flight-attendant’s uniform and shoes which the officer who had smuggled her on board through a crew entrance earlier in the afternoon had given her without asking any questions. They mingled with the bustle going on around the house and all through the ground floor, and eventually came together again upstairs, outside the door leading through to the rooms that bad formed the Kalenses’ private suite. Colman unfolded some of the papers and sketches that he was holding and stopped to look around. After a few seconds he gestured to attract the attention of the SD guard who was standing disinterestedly near the top of the main stairs, and nodded his head in the direction of the door. “Is that the way into the bedroom and private quarters?’ he asked.
“It is, but nothing in there’s to be touched until Mrs. Kalens has been back to get some stuff,” the guard answered. “She should be on her way down just about now.”
“That’s okay,” Colman said. “We just have to take some measurements.” Without waiting for a reply he walked over to the door, opened it, poked his head in, called back to Stanislau, “This is it. Where’s Johnson?” and went inside. Stanislau put down the toolbox and followed, then Colman came back out and squatted down to rummage inside it for something. Veronica appeared and went in with the packing roll, Stanislau came out, Colman went back in with a measure, and a few yards away along the corridor Carson and Maddock managed to get the picture-crate stuck across an awkward corner. While the SD was half watching them, Fuller came up the stain to ask where Johnson was, Stanislau waved in the direction of the doorway, and Fuller went in while Colman came out. Carson dropped his end
of the crate, Stanislau went in with a compad, Maddock started yelling at Carson, and Fuller came out.