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“I’m fine I mean, I’m a little shook, but they didn’t put me in the e pekoe, oolong, chamomile —”

“I don’t knohat any of those are”

“Me either So Okay, you get oolong”

The machine hissed She handed him a bulb It felt warm in his hand and had a subtle smell of smoke and water Alex sat at the table and tried a sip, but it was too hot Bobbie sat beside him

“That was so,” she said “I’m almost sorry I wasn’t there to see it”

“I would have warned you, but, you know Heat of the moment”

She shook her head “No objections If I’d been tensed up, I’d have probably popped open an old wound or stroked out or soht data Seriously, I was in this roos, and there were still a few seconds there I didn’t think ere going to make it”

The admiration in her voice felt war, and hoped it didn’t show “Yeah, it was a squeaker Good da up with anything Do we knoho the hell those ships are?”

“No Most of the escort’s pulled off to cover us, and so far it looks like it’s working But no transponder signals fro”

“Creepy” The tea had cooled enough now “Any chance they’ll let e back to the captain?”

Bobbie sighed and spread her hands “Eventually, yeah They’ve been treating us like friendlies, but it may be a while before they hand us access to the coht, even if we’re not at the middle of it”

“What did you tell them?”

Bobbie’s brow furrowed “The truth, only it doesn’t come out real well”

“Meaning?”

“I said ere out there looking for nals because of a tip from James Holden”