Free Steel Beneath the Skin by Niall Teasdale Page B

and take a look at Aneka’s test results. I’m keen to see what a xinti-built synthetic body can do for us.’
    Apparently the answer was, “quite a lot.” Bashford’s eyes widened as he sat in the mess with a fork in one hand and a data tablet in the other, the former apparently briefly forgotten before his stomach growled and he started on the food. Then he spent twenty minutes peering at the display and scrolling backward and forward through the results. Drake, whose signing off on the exams was more of a formality, looked a little surprised and dug into his food to await Bashford’s analysis. Gilroy was also gazing intently at a tablet, though that could not be Aneka’s test results.
    ‘Ninety-six per cent,’ Bashford finally said. ‘ I didn’t score that highly.’
    ‘I only scored eighty!’ Monkey squeaked.
    ‘Well, a lot of it was just recall of procedures,’ Aneka said, feeling embarrassed, ‘and I seem to be able to remember everything now. I always used to hate that kind of exam.’
    ‘You were supposed to be a data collection operative,’ Gilroy pointed out. ‘I would imagine the Xinti wanted accurate information.’
    Bashford grunted. ‘Yes, your scores on procedure and documentation are perfect. The practical analysis scores are lower, but those are always a little subjective.’
    ‘I’m ex-military. I’m used to tactical analysis, insertion and extraction methods, site security… personal protection.’
    ‘Well, get some experience under your belt and you’ll be an absolutely first rate facilitator.’ He tapped the screen a couple of times, and went through the sign-off process. Drake nodded, apparently happy, and did the same.
    ‘Aneka Jansen,’ the captain said, ‘Facilitator First Rank, welcome to the crew.’
    Aneka gave him a smile. Ella positively beamed at them both. Then Aneka turned to Gilroy. ‘What are you staring at so intently, Doctor?’
    ‘Test results. The dream programme you went through took note of your reactions as well as providing education. The first part of your consultancy, if you will. I’m quite sure that your memory will fill in blanks in our knowledge, but your reaction to our world also tells us a lot about the differences. Of course, it will take some time to analyse the data. Ella’s the psychologist, she’ll be doing most of that.’
    Trying not to think about the amount of dream sex she had had, Aneka said, ‘About that… You know, I was a grunt soldier. I mean, history was never my strong point and I hated politics. I don’t know how much blank space I can fill in.’
    ‘My dear girl,’ Gilroy said, smiling warmly, ‘if you’d seen how much information we have on your time you’d realise that anything you could tell us would be valuable. We’re not even sure about half of the information we do have.’
    ‘Like,’ Ella said, pausing to think of an example, ‘we’ve never understood how the world developed the way it did under a monarchy.’
    Aneka frowned. ‘A monarchy?’
    Ella nodded, enthusiastically as always. ‘We have records of one of the kings so we know it was a monarchy, and it just doesn’t seem like the right environment for a largely commercial inter-stellar society to develop from.’
    ‘Uh… which king? There was a queen on the throne when I… left.’
    ‘King Elvis. Apparently he was famous for singing.’
    Aneka’s jaw worked for a few seconds before she managed to come out with, ‘Okay… Yes, maybe I’ll be more use to you than I thought.’
    30.9.523 FSC.
    Aneka was busy checking perimeter security sensors in the pressurised hold when the announcement came over the ship’s intercom. It was Patton’s voice, sounding very matter of fact, ‘All hands. We will be dropping out of warp in five minutes. Orbital insertion in fifteen.’ A slight thrill went through Aneka; they were arriving at her first ever alien world. Apparently someone else had thought of that. ‘Aneka, please come up to the bridge,’