When the last passenger is off, Paris slumps tiredly against the
bulkhead and smiles at Bart. "My friend, thank you--you've
been a
lifesaver--and have you ever been fishing?"
Bart has been fishing, but not deep sea fishing. :)
"mmm hummm," Bart nods absently, his eyes following the ground car.
Paris and Bart stand at the open hatchway looking out at the Lorton
Starport. The air is cool, crisp, but thin with a hint of salt
in it,
The local gravity is only a little over half standard, enough
to keep
your feet down where they belong, but little enough to make moving
around a pleasure. The port here is small...you can see only a few
landing pads, and most are empty. What looks like another few
pads are
out beyond a high chainlink fence with tangle wire along its
top...military base, maybe? The local time is late afternoon
and a few
lights are beginning to come on in the buildings here.
As you stand there a small ground car leaves the terminal area
and comes
across the tarmac toward your ship, pulling to a halt just
below the
hatch where Paris and Bart are standing. A short, stout, young
steps out from the driver's side and looks up at you.
The woman is dressed in the Starport Authority uniform of a
lieutenant.>> She reaches inside the vehicle and picks up her hat,
which she plops
onto her head, a briefcase. Then she walks swiftly toward the
leading up to the hatch.
Her voice is high pitched as she looks up and calls out to you
from the
foot of the stairs, "Lieutenant Urquart of the ISA requests
to come aboard."
"Hell, pretty young women are always welcome," Bart says, his
perpetually
surprised expression shinning down on her.
"Don't worry about the Mouse, she's not near as ferocious as she
looks." He
adds, cupping his huge hand near his mouth away from the mouse,
in a loud
stage whisper, "It's just we offloaded her work, so now she's
got no body to
be bossy with but me."
"What?" Lt. Urquart says with a surprised look of her own, "Oh?"
"Oh! Right? she breaks out in a grin, "I get you."
She bounds up the stairs two at a time moving very lightly.
Upon reaching the top step she stops and reaches out her hand
to shake with each of you smiling, "Lt. Kathy Urquart. Welcome
to Overnale."
Glancing down at Bart's sidearm she adds, "Your first time on
Overnale?"
"Lorton and Giffin Island have *really* serious laws against
private weapon ownership, so please don't try to take your
sidearm...or anything more serious than a butter knife through
the externaty zone. I'd hate to find out you were dead or
locked away for 50 years."
She looks from Bart to Paris and back, "There are a few local
laws and regs I need to go over with your crew, if you don't
mind."
Urquart adds with a smile, "Saves time and trouble later."
"I'm sure--I'm rather," Paris said, ushering the Lieutenant aboard--with a nod at Bart to keep an eye upon her--and not the swing of the woman's rear either--"surprised that such a list of local restrictions was not transmitted prior to landing."
A shrug. "This is our central crew lounge," Paris said, seating the Lieutenant, "Bart, would you summon the crew and I'll get something to drink for all?"
She stepped into the open galley--the corner of her eye still on the local officer--trust went a long way, but only as far as you let it go.
