Battlecruiser Alamo - 7 - Battlecruiser Alamo: Sacred Honor by Richard Tongue

they’d have us as accomplices, and three of us in the cells isn’t going to help.”
     “Lane wasn’t around when I started to break into the room…”
     “What the hell was that about, anyway?” Duggan said.
     “I can’t tell you.” He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, “I need to both to trust me on this one.”
    They looked at each other, and Orlowski nodded, “If you can’t tell us, you can’t. I’ll do a little digging, see if I can find out anything about Lane, but we’re going to have to be careful. Odds are that she’ll suspect us, anyway.”
     “Probably true,” he replied as the elevator came to a stop. “Tell Barbara what happened, as well. What actually happened.”
     “Gabe, none of us who know you think you could have done this,” Duggan said. “It all fits together too neatly anyway; if you’d wanted to kill her, you could have got a bullet with no ident easily enough, or erased it, for that matter. The Captain must know that.”
     “I think he does,” Orlowski replied. “I saw...anyway, come on. This way.” 
     Equanimity restored, Cooper walked down the corridor to the cell, a stark, cold, white room. Duggan entered a ten-digit code to open the door, and Cooper walked in, sitting down cross-legged on the floor. Orlowski tossed his datapad after him.
     “In case you want something to read,” he said.
     “Thanks, Orlok.”
     “If you need anything...one of us will be round with some food in a bit,” Duggan said. “Stay loose. We’ll start work on getting you out of here.”
     “Thanks,” Cooper replied, as the door slammed shut.
     

 
    Chapter 8
     
     Nelyubov and Carpenter were waiting at the airlock when Orlova arrived, carrying the light travel holdall that the fabricators had managed too produce. She had a hunting rifle slung across her pack, a pair of cartridges stuffed into her pocket; Price had accepted her interest in trying the ‘sport’ without any questions, almost seeming eager for her to give it a try.
     “I should be going down there,” Carpenter said. “You’re too valuable to the ship.”
     Nelyubov looked across at her, then said, “She’s right. Let me go, instead. I’m as good with a gun as you are, and if I go missing…”
     “The invitation only had one name on it, and it was mine,” she replied. “This is m y job .”
     “You’re the commanding officer,” Nelyubov pressed, “which gives you certain responsibilities.”
     “I am fully aware of my duties, Lieutenant. Prime among them at the moment is finding a way to get this ship back to Triplanetary space. Someone down there seems willing to help us, and I need to find out who. Carpenter, you are in command until I get back.”
     “What?” Nelyubov said. “With all due respect, she’s a scientist with an honorary rank.”
     “A rank in the Triplanetary Fleet, which means she outranks everyone else on this ship.”
     “Maggie, I shouldn’t be doing this,” Carpenter said. “Take me with you, if that’s a problem…”
     “I can’t spare anyone for this but me.” A loud clang issued from the hull; the shuttle had arrived. “With luck I’ll be back in a few hours. Keep going with the repairs. If something does go wrong, don’t come after me. That’s an order.”
     “Damn it, ma’am,” Nelyubov said.
     “Lieutenant, I said that it was an order. Don’t make me repeat myself again.”
     The airlock opened, and a man’s head peered through it with a gleaming smile, wearing a khaki jumpsuit, “Looking for a Commander Forster?”
     “Right here,” Orlova said. “I’ll want a full report on the repair schedule when I get back,” she said to Carpenter. “Keep pushing Price.”
     “Have a good trip, ma’am,” Nelyubov said, managing a smile. “I’d like to get down there myself.”
     “Rank hath its privileges, Lieutenant, but we’ll see what we can do.” Stepping into the cramped shuttle, she