Human Edge

Colette brought the commander a tray with tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of coffee. It looked like a sun set. She also carried her log. She knew the man must be busy but an empty stomach is a bad way to make plans. "Monsieur Commandant?"

Aloysius was just behind the chef. He waited outside, to allow her to conduct her business.

Alexei had been requested, and arrived in the briefing room early. Colette found him sitting in the front row, sipping a mug of coffee and examining his book of word puzzles.

As she entered, he nodded, and said, cheerfully, "What can I do for you, Miss Rupelle?"

Colette smiled. "Brought you lunch and a fresh cup." She placed the tray on the table. "When you finish zat, you can have a cookie. I also brought the log i made of ze pillars."

He raised an eyebrow as she treated him like a child, with the bait of a cookie, but accept it graciously.

"Thank you, Miss Rupelle. These will be very useful when I file my insurance claims back in civilized space."

Flipping through some of the images, he nodded, thoughtfully. "From the inside, it looks even worse, somehow."

"Well... it was an inside job." Colette giggled at her intended pun. "I have seen ze city and well I know that zere is not much for a spaceship zis large." She gave it a thought. "Maybe ze slave hoarders may have somzings we might need." She sighed. "Hopefully we can avoid conflicts wiz ze population."

"Oh, most of the parts we can get out of our storage hold - and I am told they found some useful salvage for the purpose... perhaps the spaceport will have anything else."

Alexei stroked his mustache as he flipped through the images. "I think the locals and the pirates are disparate bands... the former more friendly by far than the latter."

Colette nodded. "If not we can salvage from the wreck we will make of the Dragons." She giggled.

"Hmm... we'll see. I appreciate the vote of confidence in your escorts, however. I'm sure they, likewise, appreciate it."

Glancing to the hall, he added, "I believe there is a gentleman waiting outside - I do not wish to keep him overlong... was there anything else you needed, Miss Rupelle?"

"Nothing really... I won't bother you any more." She placed the cookie on the desk. "Enjoy... your lunch, you you are going to need ze energy." She walked to the door as she waved Alyonisus good bye.

/exit unless stopped