Free Willful Child by Steven Erikson Page A

either ace the serve or double down. The choice is yours.”
    She stared up at him with wide eyes.
    “I’ll give you a few minutes to think it over,” Hadrian said. He reached down, opened the lower drawer in the desk and lifted out a bottle of Macallan, and set it in front of her. “Do join me on the bridge when you’re ready. As for me—Tammy!”
    “Captain?”
    “We have work to do.”
    “Indeed?”
    “That military capacity you mentioned.”
    “Ah, that.”
    “Can you be more precise?”
    “Well, I’m afraid the technology is rather advanced, and not compatible with Terran science.”
    “Really? How so?”
    “Well, it seems that, given the choice, I employ beam weapons.”
    “Beam weapons!” Hadrian slammed the desk, and then fell to his knees beside it, hunched over and cradling his right hand.
    “I have sent for the surgeon again,” said Tammy.
    Nodding through his tears, Hadrian staggered upright and weaved his way to the door.
    He emerged onto the bridge and hurried over to the command chair.
    “Sir!”
    Hadrian looked over to see that Lieutenant James Jimmy Eden had resumed his post at comms. “Oh, you again. What is it?”
    “Uh, nothing, Captain. I was just about to inform you that I have resumed my post.”
    “Really? Why, I didn’t know that.”
    “S-sir, I apologize for passing out—”
    “Let’s just say I’m disappointed, Lieutenant, and leave it at that—just be sure to eat yourself up over it on your own time, am I understood?”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “Carry on,” said Hadrian.
    Printlip arrived. “More nanogel, Captain? You must give it time to let the bones knit.”
    “Just leave me the spray gun, Doc.”
    “Application of nanogel is listed under Guild Exclusive Practices—”
    “It’s a damned plant mister, you dolt! Give it over and go back to your test tubes and electrodes!”
    The Belkri swelled and flushed alarmingly. “Unsanctioned use by non-Guild members is not permitted!”
    “Getting uppity with me, are you? Fine, spray, then! Good! Satisfied?”
    “Did you not observe the skill with which I applied the nanogel, Captain? Twenty-two Terran years invested in becoming an accredited Affiliation surgeon and chief medical officer, rated for human physiology. Why, I have— ”
    “Twenty-two years? Let me guess, Terran-imposed apprenticeship, right? Never mind. You poor bouncy ball, you. Anyway, see? My hand’s all better. Well done. Your technique was exemplary. You may now go.”
    “Thank you, Captain.”
    After the doctor departed the bridge, Sin-Dour leaned close. “Captain, what have you done with the adjutant?”
    “I killed her, why?”
    After a moment, he looked up, and then sighed. “Of course I didn’t. Despite the fact that she drew a blaster on me, as Tammy is my witness.”
    “A blaster?”
    “Affiliation Instigator Hand Weapon, to be more precise.”
    “Ah. So, what is she doing still in your office?”
    “Who can say? Playing with my balls, maybe. Tammy, when are we reaching the Exclusion Zone?”
    “Five point three-two hours, Captain.”
    “Oh for crying out loud—this is taking forever!” He stood. “Sin-Dour, join me in my stateroom, please.”
    “Your stateroom, sir?”
    “That’s right. You do know how to play Ping-Pong, don’t you? Grab a paddle and smack balls. Tammy! You have five-plus hours to rig us up for beam weapons. Coordinate with Buck in engineering, why don’t you?”
    “Must I?”
    “Why not? What’s wrong with Buck?”
    “I don’t know where to begin.”
    “Adjust and adapt, Tammy. It’s what us biologicals do best.”
    As it turned out, Halley Sin-Dour had a wicked serve, and he was forced into a chopping underspin defense, which lifted the ball high enough in the low-g field to permit her a series of vicious spikes. He lunged. He danced back. He flung himself forward. He got slaughtered.
    An hour later, he slumped to the floor and leaned against one wall. “You haven’t even worked up a sweat,” he