Page 41 (1/2)

A passing sailor su dinner in the petty officers’ (NCOs’) ly cramped little room of upholstered benches co oneself at the table requires a fair bit of twisting and squir

Rainy finds Cisco cursing a blue streak and threatening sailors who are entirely uni to him rant

“Getout of these ropes!” Cisco demands in a roar

“If you calo,” Rainy says

“I’ll cut your fugging balls off!”

“Shall I quiet hier blond-bearded seae wrench

“Cisco, you need to get control of yourself,” Rainy says “They really don’t like panic around here”

“Panic? Who’s panicking?” He makes an effort to quiet down The effort does not alter theAt a nod from Rainy, the sailor with the wrench reluctantly unties him

“Limey sons of bitches,” Cisco snarls as he rolls out and stands up But he does not threaten anyone further, and the gaggle of onlookers, disappointed not to have a fight, return to their duties

Lieutenant Corace through the veritable thicket of forehead-ses, and waterproof doors Rainy has already smacked her head twice, and she’s a foot shorter than the commander

Rainy has noted that no one salutes aboard the Topaz, but training compels her and she snaps a salute

“No, none of that,” Lieutenant Co ives him a piratical air His beard, neatly trimmed, is brown, like his hair He has an impressive bent pipe of wonderfully rich polished wood From time to time he emits a small cloud of sweet bluish s but which at thebody odor s behind her Lieutenant Coer’s expression and speech are alert, active, curious, and focused

An intelligent man

“We find the confined space really doesn’t allow for a lot of saluting and snapping to attention,” Alger says in a drawl that es to be both upper class and casual Then, with a sudden flash of wit, he adds, “You are also free to grow a beard and mustache”

Rainy sreat-aunt ould take you up on that”