Pegasus In Space

"You didn't mention him," Peter said. He had already been introduced to the AirForce commander of the Moon Base on one of his infrequent downside trips. The colonel had given Peter a searching scrutiny and dismissed him. Though Peter was somewhat accustomed to such a reaction to his skinny, unprepossessing teenage appearance, the colonel's scathing regard had rankled, the encounter leaving behind it an offensive taint. Whether the colonel was aware of it or not, he exuded negative empathy. Or maybe it was just to nonentities like Peter Reidinger.

Yeoman Nicola Nizukami stepped forward from the other end of the room.

"Colonel Watari is on the schedule, General."

Peter was surprised at her tone; maybe she didn't like the colonel either. Of course, he had come to realize that she adored the admiral and guarded his privacy, and reputation, with the tenacity of a pit bull. Barney came forward and offered them their beverages.

"Aha, Hiroga's struck again, has he?" Johnny said, teasing her. He took a quick sip of his coffee as she flushed, needlessly straightening the hard copy at the first two places. He liked to have hard copy for important meetings. He could doodle on it.

Peter regarded her intently and then realized with dismay that he had come close to scanning her.

"You're his superior in rank, General," she remarked in what might be a total non sequitur.

"That I am," Johnny said cheerfully.

"Your seat's there, Mr. Reidinger is on the admiral's left." Again she colored unaccountably. "Secretary Abubakar on the right."

Johnny leaned around to see who bracketed him at the table. "I certainly don't mind Commander Chatham but do I have to have the CFO on the other side?"

"You've met Ms. Taddesse?"

"I've heard about her." Johnny grimaced.

"Come now, General, a woman you can't get on the good side of?" Nicola said, teasing in her own turn.

"There are some it isn't worth trying."

"Even for the good of the Station?" Nicola tilted her head inquiringly.

They heard voices in the corridor and Nicola stepped back to the chair by the workstation.

A yeoman opened the door and then stood back to allow the guests to enter. The first woman who entered, her hair skinned back from her strong-featured face, was Alicia Taddesse, according to the large print of her Station visitor's badge. She glanced at Nicola, who politely indicated her nametag on the table. Ms. Taddesse shot the general a sharp look, swinging her hard-sided briefcase onto the table. The second woman, with a slightly Asian cast to her features, very dark eyes, and well-cut short black hair, entered nervously. She was so loudly broadcasting her dislike of the mode of transportation she had just had to endure that mentally, Peter reared back. The yeoman indicated her position at the table and she immediately sat down, as if a chair provided security. Then came Secretary of Space Abubakar, a scrawny-looking man with heavy jowls, a small but noticeable paunch under the loose black tunic he wore, and a luxuriant head of white hair, brushed back from a high forehead. He smiled, his eyes moving from Johnny Greene to Peter, Nicola, and Barney, attentively standing in the serving alcove. Behind him, as physically opposite to the Secretary as possible, slouched a tall man who unconsciously ducked his head to enter the room though the portal was certainly high enough to allow clearance to the tallest man on the Station. Georg Fraga nodded pleasantly to Johnny Greene, gave Peter a searching look, and then stood by his chair. Lieutenant Commander Pota Chatham preceded Admiral Dirk Coetzer.

"Pota, when will First Base be on-line?" he asked as he entered.

"They should be on," said Commander Chatham, looking at her comunit, "on my mark in five minutes, sir. Mark!"

"Thank you. Secretary Abubakar, ladies, General, Peter, if you'll all take your seats?" the admiral said. "If you'll be good enough to give Barney here your choice of beverage, we can get that detail attended to before we start the hard work."

The newcomers, with the exception of Mai Leitao who asked for water, preferred coffee. Peter used that brief diversion to seat himself next to Mai Leitao, who made herself very busy, precisely setting out her notepad and lightpen, fussing with the hard copy in front of her.

"Good navy coffee," the Secretary said with a pleasant smile at Barney. His glance fell briefly on Peter.

"Might as well leave a carafe on the table for us before you leave, Barney," the admiral said. "Secretary, have you been officially introduced to Peter Reidinger, the general's colleague in Supply and Transport?"

Peter heard Mai Leitao's surprised intake of breath. He didn't need to look around to know that she immediately leaned as far away from him as her armchair permitted.

Bitch! Johnny Greene said. Ignore her, Pete. She's along for the prestige.