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“Records show you’ve been drawing resources froets that weren’t appropriate,” Pa said, “and until the matter is resolved—”

“If this is about the tech support thing, that’s onto do with Sa a full audit, Mister Baca If I find you’ve been drawing resources inappropriately, I’ll take the actions I dee you that Sa is to be confined to quarters and her access to ship’s systems blocked Do you have any questions about that?”

She’d waited until they’d , and noas tiet back at hi his ally Would have been stupid to do until their shakedown run was over But noas

Bull laced his fingers together The refusal was on the back of his tongue, waiting It would have been insubordination, and it would have been easy as breathing out There were years—decades even—when he’d have done it, and taken the consequences as a badge of honor It had been his call, and standing by while Sam was punished for it was more than dishonorable, it was disloyal Pa knew that Anyone who’d read his service records would know it If it had just been his mission, his career on the line, he’d have done it, but Fred Johnson had asked him to make this work So there was only one play tofrom his chair “Sam You should come with me now”

The others were silent as he led her out of the conference room They all looked stunned and confused, except Ashford and Pa Pa wore a poker face, and Ashford had a little shadow of sness in the corners of his e and adrenaline left her skin pale He helped her into the side seat of his security cart, then got behind the controls They lurched intoThey were alhed A short,

“Holy shit,” Sa to say that would pull the punch, so he only nodded and took the cart into the wide elevator car Sa that looked like sorrow in her expression He guessed that she’d never suffered that kind of disciplinary huh to build up a callus The dishonor of letting her take the hit was like he’d sed soo down

Back at the security office, Serge was at the main desk The man’s eyebrows rose as Bull came in the room

“Hoy, bossman,” the duty officer said A hardcore OPA bruiser naood What did Iabout a oat Got a note fro if we’d coot shit-faced and we locked ’em in quarters, told ’em we’d sic the Bull on ’em”

“How’d they take that?”

“We had thehed

“So I’ve got Sa in the cart outside,” he said “XO wants her confined to quarters for unauthorized use of resources”

“I want a pony in a wetsuit” Jojo grinned

“XO gave an order,” Bull said “I want you to take her to her quarters I’ll get her access pulled We’ll need to set a guard while we’re at it She’s pissed”

Jojo scratched at his neck “We’re doing it?”

“Yeah”

Jojo’s face closed Bull nodded toward the door Jojo left, and Bull took his place at the desk, identifying hi Sam out of her own ship While the security systeainst each of the Behemoth’s subsystems, he leaned on his elbows and watched