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Book: Far From Home: The Complete Second Series (Far From Home 13-15) by Tony Healey
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Authors: Tony Healey
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Train a crew member of your choosing to monitor the helm when you're away. That thing could speed up, or move away, at a moment's notice."
"Aye, Captain," Banks said. "Understood."
Jessica did not add: That's probably more likely to happen once we've got past the airlock. It might not appreciate intruders .
She kept this to herself for the moment. No doubt the others were thinking it anyway.
*
"So you've picked your teams then?" Commander Greene asked her as they grabbed a coffee in the mess hall.
Jessica scrolled down the list of names on her data tablet.
"Yes. As you know, I want you aboard the Defiant at all times."
He nodded as if this were something he totally agreed with, and yet she noted a distinct despondent vibe from him.
"Del, I need someone on the ship I totally trust. Someone who knows what they're doing," she said. She looked about. The mess was only half full and they'd sat up one end of the room, away from everyone else. "Right now, that's you. I wish I could have you exploring that thing with me."
He smiled. "Listen, Jess, you don't have to explain your decisions to me. I understand. And I totally agree. Doesn't stop me feeling sour about it, though, does it? I'll get over it."
She nodded. "You're hormonal, but you're the right kind of hormonal."
Greene sipped his coffee. "Right, so, who's your picks?"
"Team One will consist of myself, Gary Belcher and Dana Oriz. Of course, I'll be the leader for that particular team," she said with a smirk.
"I thought you might feel like promoting poor Belcher . . ." Greene said.
"And rob the Chief of her right hand man? Never," Jessica said with a chuckle. "I'm afraid Gary will be in that engineering room till he grows a snowy white beard."
The Commander laughed behind his coffee cup to try and conceal it.
"Anyway, Team Two will have Lisa Chang as leader, accompanied by Peter Davies and Doctor Gentry, our latest addition to the funny farm," King explained. "Technically, Davies is a doctor like Gentry and Oriz, but he's been aboard a long time. Seen a few assignments off ship. His field's flora and fauna, and I thought it might be a good idea to have someone like that on one of the teams."
"Agreed," Greene said.
"Olivia Rayne will head Team Three –"
"Huh!?" Greene said, his eyes widening in surprise. " Little Olivia? You serious?"
Jessica nodded. "Calm down. You know, sometimes you literally jump the gun."
"Sorry."
"You stopped me before I could say that Lieutenant Jackson will also be on the team. And Jackson's a fine man, but he's too hot-headed to lead a team. I think we need someone with a little more . . . poise. That's why I chose Rayne."
Greene shifted uncomfortably. "I think she's the wrong one."
"Trust me."
He shrugged. "Okay. We'll agree to disagree on this one. So who else is on the team?"
"Oh, Selena Walker. I've tried to get as broad a range of expertise across the three teams as I can. Engineering, communications, science, history, tactical, and more. They're all there," Jessica said.
"And when are we gonna try and go across?" Greene asked.
"As soon as possible. I don't want to waste any time. As soon as that Walkway is fitted, I'll be leading the teams over there to bust that thing open and find out what's inside," she said.
"Man, I wish I could go with you . . ." Greene said wistfully.
Me too, Jessica thought. But what she said was: "I know."
*
The Defiant maintained constant velocity ahead of the Enigma . Indeed, if it were not for the planetoid below racing past, it might have looked as if the old Union ship were simply sitting in front of the huge cylinder. But it had matched the Enigma 's orbital movement perfectly, maintaining a constant distance.
Chief Meryl Gunn watched on the monitor as the Walkway slowly emerged from the nose of the Defiant . She realised it was as if the two ships (and the Enigma could only be a ship – couldn't it?) were facing one another down.
David and Goliath , she thought idly. The Walkway
"Aye, Captain," Banks said. "Understood."
Jessica did not add: That's probably more likely to happen once we've got past the airlock. It might not appreciate intruders .
She kept this to herself for the moment. No doubt the others were thinking it anyway.
*
"So you've picked your teams then?" Commander Greene asked her as they grabbed a coffee in the mess hall.
Jessica scrolled down the list of names on her data tablet.
"Yes. As you know, I want you aboard the Defiant at all times."
He nodded as if this were something he totally agreed with, and yet she noted a distinct despondent vibe from him.
"Del, I need someone on the ship I totally trust. Someone who knows what they're doing," she said. She looked about. The mess was only half full and they'd sat up one end of the room, away from everyone else. "Right now, that's you. I wish I could have you exploring that thing with me."
He smiled. "Listen, Jess, you don't have to explain your decisions to me. I understand. And I totally agree. Doesn't stop me feeling sour about it, though, does it? I'll get over it."
She nodded. "You're hormonal, but you're the right kind of hormonal."
Greene sipped his coffee. "Right, so, who's your picks?"
"Team One will consist of myself, Gary Belcher and Dana Oriz. Of course, I'll be the leader for that particular team," she said with a smirk.
"I thought you might feel like promoting poor Belcher . . ." Greene said.
"And rob the Chief of her right hand man? Never," Jessica said with a chuckle. "I'm afraid Gary will be in that engineering room till he grows a snowy white beard."
The Commander laughed behind his coffee cup to try and conceal it.
"Anyway, Team Two will have Lisa Chang as leader, accompanied by Peter Davies and Doctor Gentry, our latest addition to the funny farm," King explained. "Technically, Davies is a doctor like Gentry and Oriz, but he's been aboard a long time. Seen a few assignments off ship. His field's flora and fauna, and I thought it might be a good idea to have someone like that on one of the teams."
"Agreed," Greene said.
"Olivia Rayne will head Team Three –"
"Huh!?" Greene said, his eyes widening in surprise. " Little Olivia? You serious?"
Jessica nodded. "Calm down. You know, sometimes you literally jump the gun."
"Sorry."
"You stopped me before I could say that Lieutenant Jackson will also be on the team. And Jackson's a fine man, but he's too hot-headed to lead a team. I think we need someone with a little more . . . poise. That's why I chose Rayne."
Greene shifted uncomfortably. "I think she's the wrong one."
"Trust me."
He shrugged. "Okay. We'll agree to disagree on this one. So who else is on the team?"
"Oh, Selena Walker. I've tried to get as broad a range of expertise across the three teams as I can. Engineering, communications, science, history, tactical, and more. They're all there," Jessica said.
"And when are we gonna try and go across?" Greene asked.
"As soon as possible. I don't want to waste any time. As soon as that Walkway is fitted, I'll be leading the teams over there to bust that thing open and find out what's inside," she said.
"Man, I wish I could go with you . . ." Greene said wistfully.
Me too, Jessica thought. But what she said was: "I know."
*
The Defiant maintained constant velocity ahead of the Enigma . Indeed, if it were not for the planetoid below racing past, it might have looked as if the old Union ship were simply sitting in front of the huge cylinder. But it had matched the Enigma 's orbital movement perfectly, maintaining a constant distance.
Chief Meryl Gunn watched on the monitor as the Walkway slowly emerged from the nose of the Defiant . She realised it was as if the two ships (and the Enigma could only be a ship – couldn't it?) were facing one another down.
David and Goliath , she thought idly. The Walkway
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