Starlaw by Candace Sams Page A

a fair man, but he does have a temper. He’s a little short on compassion these days.”
    Laurel had no trouble believing that. To get around the commander and commit to her plan, she concentrated on every word Gemma said. If big, tan, muscle-building guy lost his temper over her having trashed one space aboard his precious ship, he was gonna shit a real fury turd before she was done. But there was one thing about cops she guessed might be universal. They didn’t do what they did expecting to be popular. With that thought in mind, his good opinion was the last thing she worried about.
    • • •
    “Commander, we’re approaching Chamron,” Barst advised, as Darius stepped onto the bridge and took his seat.
    “Have we received permission to dock?” Darius asked as he checked the computer readings on the console in front of him.
    “Yes, sir. Everything is in order, including our refueling request.”
    “Good. The sooner we get off this planet, the better. Some of the locals aren’t enamored with enforcers. Besides, it’s been fifteen days since we left Earth but it feels like a year. I want us home.”
    Several of the crew heartily murmured in agreement.
    The hatch to the bridge opened and Gemma took a position to the left of Darius. “Sir, as soon as we’ve docked, may I speak with you?”
    “Go ahead, speak your mind. Barst can handle things from here on.”
    “Well … it has to do with Laurel.” Gemma hesitated in saying more.
    “What’s she done
now
?” Darius frowned as he took note of Gemma’s concerned expression. The last thing he wanted was trouble while in
this
particular port. Inhabitants of Chamron were known to start fights at the first inclination. He’d have to watch every step they made while dealing with locals. He couldn’t spare the time for the Earther’s fits of childish temper.
    “No, sir, she hasn’t done anything. It’s just that … given the fact she’s got to be assimilated sooner or later, I thought …” Her voice trailed away.
    “You’re not remotely serious!” he blurted.
    “Why not?” Gemma pressed. “She’s been cooped up in med bay doing nothing but research on the computer. The isolation and whatever she’s looking at in the general library records isn’t helping her attitude. She’s let it slip on more than one occasion that she’s not sure she’s really on a ship at all. What better way to make her face reality than to put her in a position she can’t deny?” She sighed heavily. “Sir, I think it’d do her mental status some good. As med-tech, it’s my professional opinion she’d be better off and so would we all, once she understands there are no schemes, no deceits. She has to recognize the truth about what’s happened to her.”
    From his console, Barst chimed in. “She’s
still
confined?”
    “She
is
,” Darius confirmed. Then he thought for a long moment and actually considered the request and its implications. He stroked his chin and stared out the main view port. “However crazy it sounds and however reluctant I might be to encourage some incident … Gemma may have a point.”
    “She does?” Barst asked in shock.
    “Of course I do!” Gemma defended as she glared at Barst.
    Barst shook his head in wonder. “I don’t get it.”
    Darius did his best to explain in light of Gemma’s professional counsel. “Our … guest … can’t go back to Earth. To contain further displays of irrational rage, she hasn’t been told. I reiterate the general order that only I am to discuss certain matters with the woman.”
    Barst and Gemma nodded in unison as did any bridge crew standing near enough to hear.
    Darius tapped the arm of his command chair as he thought on the matter. “I suppose … if she’s to be living among cultures that will seem very strange … she must be introduced to them sooner or later. And while Chamron isn’t the best place for such an experiment, it’s a damn lot better than letting her walk down the gangway on