Page 50 (1/2)

Parangosky closed the transnusson could respond and leaned back in her seat, eyes shut

"Are you there, BB?"

"Yes, Ads until you’re clear of the Woodentop Navy"

"How does anyone lose a Sangheili, BB?"

"It takes so-term career plans, then I’l brief Oshelios If Jul’s survived the portal, he’l head back there or cal home sooner or later"

"Wel , I did leave some comms drones from Stanley’s little day trip, but they haven’t picked up anything about Jul yet," he said "Look, you real y do need an AI of your own,a puppy When you’re e, you worry because it’l probably outlive you and you don’t know if anyone wil love and care for it in the saone Du up a bone and chase my tail, then"

"No offense, BB I prefer AIs to people most of the time Come to that, I like puppies better than people, too Ah welBetter go and ask Terrence if he wouldn’tosky why she needed to divert

"I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t i the weary old woman card that she knew never fooled hi so An entire planet is another I’l have to put another ement structure in place for these one-off projects, I think"

"As long as it’s not so I said" Hood smiled "Are you sure you’re not bored with this new toy now, Margaret?"

"Not at al , but I’et out of your hair As Thursday Wars go, that was very pro," Hood said "I’l be happier when everything’s squared away properly"

"I take it the Arbiter’s grateful for our help"

"I iiven your contacts"

"Stil not invited him for a tour of the ship?"

"I’l wait until the wardroom silver’s been polished"

"Wel , thank you for the front-row seat, Terrence You real y must visit Trevelyan soon"

But not too soon She had so of her own to do first

This was her second inspection of Trevelyan, and a painful contrast to the triumphant oldy even if it wasn’t as secure as she’d first thought They’d have to do soet the, identify them, or shut them down, then she at least expected soo Barton, was forty-six, huosky at the exit fro bounced around in a Warthog,out of the driver’s door to help her He placed her holdal reverently on the rear seat and gave her sidearlance "No roads here, of course, but I’l take it slowly over the bu that pistol?"

The sidearm real y did seele staff so wel these days Think of it as a disability aid" The uneven ground was e but she refused to wince Whatever vehicles the Forerunners had used, they probably didn’t rely on utility suspensions that hadn’t changed nusson now?"

"She’s with the Huragok, inspecting the portal chao" First nao on Get hiood idea to al ow a Sangheili free movement without an escort?"

Barton squirrave any deeper, which Parangosky rather admired

"He see him at al times, audio too, and al he talked about here the Forerunners caods"

"So soious Elite," she said "And sook would fol ow any order

I have very little patience with assuo, especial y froed al the portal sites first"

"I think that’s going to take us years"

"Then he should have been kept in his cel for years "

"I believe it was done towith us and revealing information"

"He wouldn’t have had much to tel us We should have terminated him e first acquired him That’s my fault"

"Wel , at least we tested the GM irukan, so that’s so to happen to Irena?"

"How long have you worked for ONI?"

"Twenty years"

"Wel , then You can’t have failed to notice that I don’t like avoidable mistakes And I especial y don’t like mistakes that compromise me with Admiral Hood"

"What’s the worst that can happen if ‘Mdama shows up somewhere in one piece, and talks?"