disappear inside. In a moment she popped back out and
motioned for them to enter.
The chief of military police was
middle-aged, lean and very reserved. His face hinted at American
Indian heritage, as if he’d flown straight from one of Old Earth’s
reservations. Strands of silver streaked his black hair. As he
stood to greet them, Gem saw he was of average height, but he
reeked of authority and command.
“Hello. My name’s Chief Blackwing,” he
said.
“No joke?” Brandy muttered under her
breath.
Gem discreetly pinched her. She smiled and
extended her hand. Security Chief Blackwing took it carefully and
shook, his grip hinting at controlled strength. He performed the
same act with Brandy, and nodded to Jaq. “Mr. Cole. I remember you
from The Spark. You serve good beer.”
Jaq nodded. “Chief.”
The security chief moved back behind his
desk. “What can I do for you?”
Brandy glanced at her, so Gem explained what
had been happening and why they’d come.
Chief Blackwing looked at her, his brown
eyes steady. “I see. What is it exactly you fear? You think this
Blue is the one shooting at you?”
“He might be,” Brandy said stubbornly. “But
it’s more than that. Somehow he convinced my sister to let him be
her bodyguard. For all we know, he doesn’t have a clue what he’s
doing.”
The chief digested that, his eyes going to
the door. “And where is he today? Did you bring him with you?”
“We made him stay home. How were we supposed
to check his story if he was with us?” Brandy explained.
The chief cleared his throat. “I see. Well,
I’m afraid I can’t release his records to you without good cause,
ma’am. Very good cause. The military respects the privacy
laws, as I’m sure you can appreciate.”
Gem considered that. She hadn’t really
thought they’d make any progress this way.
Brandy gave the chief a hard smile. “Have
you seen his records, sir? If you can’t give us anything specific,
maybe you can venture an opinion as to whether our lives are in
danger by having him on our property. How would you like it if your
wife or daughter were in this situation?”
His smile cooled a degree. “I’m not married,
ma’am. However…” He looked at his computer screen and typed in a
few commands. Whatever he was looking at took a couple of minutes
to scan, but his grim expression gave nothing away.
He looked at Brandy again before he
addressed Gem. “I feel confident in his ability to set up and
maintain a surveillance system, and to form a protective perimeter
around your property. He has no history of crimes against
women.”
“What about dishonorable conduct? Is he a
violent man?” Brandy demanded.
A faint smile turned up the corner of
Blackwing’s mouth. “All military operatives are violent men. It’s
in the job description, ma’am.”
“You know what I mean,” Brandy replied. But
her voice held a false sweetness that signaled she was losing
patience.
Blackwing clicked a button on his keyboard
and laced his hands over his stomach. “If it would ease your mind,
ma’am, I can make an informal visit to The Spark this evening. You
can introduce me to Blue and I’ll let you know what I think.”
Brandy looked to the side and blew out a
slow breath.
Gem looked at her sister and tried not to
smile. She was sure the chief had been as helpful as the
constraints of his office would allow, so she stood up and gave him
a polite smile. “That won’t be necessary, but thank you for your
time.”
He came around his desk, walked her the two
steps to his door and opened it. Then he said, “I don’t mind coming
tonight. I never need an excuse to stop in for a good beer.”
The front door to the military police
outpost had barely shut behind them before Brandy growled, “Well,
that was useless.”
Gem laughed.
“What?” her sister snapped.
“Sometimes you remind me so much of Xera,”
Gem said teasingly. She elbowed Brandy. “He was cute, though,
wasn’t
motioned for them to enter.
The chief of military police was
middle-aged, lean and very reserved. His face hinted at American
Indian heritage, as if he’d flown straight from one of Old Earth’s
reservations. Strands of silver streaked his black hair. As he
stood to greet them, Gem saw he was of average height, but he
reeked of authority and command.
“Hello. My name’s Chief Blackwing,” he
said.
“No joke?” Brandy muttered under her
breath.
Gem discreetly pinched her. She smiled and
extended her hand. Security Chief Blackwing took it carefully and
shook, his grip hinting at controlled strength. He performed the
same act with Brandy, and nodded to Jaq. “Mr. Cole. I remember you
from The Spark. You serve good beer.”
Jaq nodded. “Chief.”
The security chief moved back behind his
desk. “What can I do for you?”
Brandy glanced at her, so Gem explained what
had been happening and why they’d come.
Chief Blackwing looked at her, his brown
eyes steady. “I see. What is it exactly you fear? You think this
Blue is the one shooting at you?”
“He might be,” Brandy said stubbornly. “But
it’s more than that. Somehow he convinced my sister to let him be
her bodyguard. For all we know, he doesn’t have a clue what he’s
doing.”
The chief digested that, his eyes going to
the door. “And where is he today? Did you bring him with you?”
“We made him stay home. How were we supposed
to check his story if he was with us?” Brandy explained.
The chief cleared his throat. “I see. Well,
I’m afraid I can’t release his records to you without good cause,
ma’am. Very good cause. The military respects the privacy
laws, as I’m sure you can appreciate.”
Gem considered that. She hadn’t really
thought they’d make any progress this way.
Brandy gave the chief a hard smile. “Have
you seen his records, sir? If you can’t give us anything specific,
maybe you can venture an opinion as to whether our lives are in
danger by having him on our property. How would you like it if your
wife or daughter were in this situation?”
His smile cooled a degree. “I’m not married,
ma’am. However…” He looked at his computer screen and typed in a
few commands. Whatever he was looking at took a couple of minutes
to scan, but his grim expression gave nothing away.
He looked at Brandy again before he
addressed Gem. “I feel confident in his ability to set up and
maintain a surveillance system, and to form a protective perimeter
around your property. He has no history of crimes against
women.”
“What about dishonorable conduct? Is he a
violent man?” Brandy demanded.
A faint smile turned up the corner of
Blackwing’s mouth. “All military operatives are violent men. It’s
in the job description, ma’am.”
“You know what I mean,” Brandy replied. But
her voice held a false sweetness that signaled she was losing
patience.
Blackwing clicked a button on his keyboard
and laced his hands over his stomach. “If it would ease your mind,
ma’am, I can make an informal visit to The Spark this evening. You
can introduce me to Blue and I’ll let you know what I think.”
Brandy looked to the side and blew out a
slow breath.
Gem looked at her sister and tried not to
smile. She was sure the chief had been as helpful as the
constraints of his office would allow, so she stood up and gave him
a polite smile. “That won’t be necessary, but thank you for your
time.”
He came around his desk, walked her the two
steps to his door and opened it. Then he said, “I don’t mind coming
tonight. I never need an excuse to stop in for a good beer.”
The front door to the military police
outpost had barely shut behind them before Brandy growled, “Well,
that was useless.”
Gem laughed.
“What?” her sister snapped.
“Sometimes you remind me so much of Xera,”
Gem said teasingly. She elbowed Brandy. “He was cute, though,
wasn’t
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