>>6026576The rattle Thanaret's steel jaw makes when he laughs is enough to shake your innermost instincts. “You already know the answer, young lady. Straight for this Cascandir, of course. Who would ever turn down a good tussle like that?” As the airlock door closes, Silas gives you a meaningful nod. Looks like the fight never really left this one.
Tim is already back at the bridge when you return. He immediately greets you with a salute. Interesting. “Both you and the junior Thanaret have given me much to think over. I do appreciate it.” You smile graciously, “Glad to hear that, Johnson. I understand the last few weeks have been... difficult. Can't promise it'll get better.”
He hands you a slip of paper. “Don't jinx yourself like that.” You don't even need to look past the header to know what the letter is about. At last, the official summon has been sent out. Thanks to Moynihan, all three of your ship's quantum pulse arrays has suffered inexplicable malfunction as soon as the first few sentences of the message made it through, but even this little trick can only buy so much deniability.
A few hours later, at least one thing did go right in this day. In order to gain speed, Inger has slingshotted the ship danger close to the primary. That a maintenance airlock was suddenly depressurised during the manoeuvre was an unfortunate coincidence. You catch Silas making the spacer's cross on hearing Goldsmith report the ‘irrecoverable loss’ of a few unmarked containers. As for yourself, you can only hope such superstitions won't be necessary.
<span class="mu-s">News update</span>
>Conflict in Kaskandir continues, battleships from First Fleet soon to arrive in the region.>More than 5 million credits raised by popular subscription to finance purchase of new ships.>Reports of unknown warships on the fringes of Directorate space dismissed as ‘baseless rumour.’>Minister of Internal Security on alleged maltreatment of Hawaiian Qyngurs: “National security is paramount.”>United Nations General Assembly unanimously passes condemnation of Qyngur aggression in Kaskandir. 