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“You are,” he said, then paused for a beat “Lovely”

It was her turn to blush

“Aren’t you rin, happy for the distraction The sinals made the monster in her head see the final lead to a sensor at the small of her back “Very But I’ave hile with the tight spaces, she sat down into the suit’s open chest and slid down until her legs and arms were fully inside “Button me up”

Cotyar sealed up the chest as she’d shown him, then put the helmet on her and locked it in place Inside the suit, her HUD flashed through the boot routine A gentle, almost subliminal hum surrounded her She activated the array of micro-motors and pumps that powered the exo- at her, his face a question Bobbie turned on the external speaker and said, “Yeah, it all looks good in here Green across the board”

She pushed herself to her feet effortlessly and felt the old sensation of barely restrained power running through her lis, she’d hit the ceiling with enough force to severely dae it A sudden motion of her arm could hurl the heavy four-poster bed across the room or shatter Cotyar’s spine It

Cotyar reached under his jacket and pulled out a sleek black pistol of the slug-throwing variety Bobbie knew the security teauaranteed not to knock holes in the ship It was the sa He started to hold it out to her, but then looked at the thickness of her arer guard, and shrugged apologetically

“I won’t need it,” she said Her voice sounded harsh, ain

“As you say”

Bobbie punched the button to call the keel elevator, then walked back and forth in the lounge, letting her reflexes get used to her ar toaround feel vaguely drea toof the li and use had mostly overcome the sensation when Bobbie wore her aret past the oddness of it

Avasarala walked into the lounge fro as the communications center and sat down at the bar She poured herself a stiff shot of gin, then squeezed a piece of liht The old lady had been drinking a lot more lately, but it wasn’t Bobbie’s place to point it out Maybe it was helping her sleep

When the elevator didn’t arrive after several minutes, she thumped over to the panel and hit the button a few more times A small display said OUT OF SERVICE