Free Torchship by Karl K. Gallagher Page B

blushed as she realized how many stares her outburst had drawn. “Sorry.
I was surprised. John listed me as his next of kin.” A blink sent a tear out
into the hold. “Can we bury him here?”
    “I think the investigation
might require—” began Lt. Cdr. Trevayne.
    “Yes,” said Captain
Schwartzenberger. “Guo, we’ll need a shovel.” The mechanic nodded.
    Mitchie offered, “My suit
should stretch enough to fit Bobbie.”
    “Good. She should be there.”
A wave sent pilot and passenger to the suit locker.
    Forty minutes later Mitchie
watched the burial party from the bridge. Billy and Guo had carved a notch in
the side of the chasm. Trevayne had brought a squad of marines from his ship.
Schwartzenberger and Bingrong carried John’s corpse, wrapped in a thermal
blanket. Bobbie followed them. The pilot spent the wait shelving. The captain
had gone through all his reference books without finding an appropriate prayer.
    The mourners tucked the body
gently into the hole. Schwartzenberger floated by the head. The rest formed
flanking lines. He began, “Let us pray. We brought nothing into this world and
it is certain we will take nothing out. We have gathered to commit our brother
John to the sky. Let us remember his sacrifice as we prepare to join with him
in the resurrection of all. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed
be the name of the Lord. Amen.” When the captain finished the marine sergeant
gestured sharply to his squad. The laser rifles blasted puffs of steam off the
opposite wall. Then twice more.
    When the steam dissipated Guo
and Billy began shoving ice in the grave. When it was as full as they could
make it the marines applied some low-power shots to melt it all together. After
a respectful pause the Navy contingent headed back to their ship. The captain
led the gravediggers back to theirs.
    Bobbie had anchored herself
next to the grave. She sat facing it, hands clasped together. Bing floated
behind her, waiting. Finally the first mate moved up to touch helmets. Mitchie
wished Bing had used the suit radios instead. Not that hearing their
conversation would be of much use to her. When they started back to the ship
Mitchie left the bridge. Bobbie would need help getting out of the suit.
    By the time Fives Full was ready to fly Bobbie was the only passenger left on board. Tsugawa was on
the survey cruiser with his observatory and two grad students. The third
student had been found after fourteen hours in empty space, sedated, and
returned to Demeter aboard a Navy courier. The courier also carried Bobbie’s
friends, whose parents wanted them home immediately. The courier had apparently
been arranged by “friends of Daddy” but Bobbie declined a ride on it.
    Lt. Cdr. Trevayne had
objected. “Miss, I think it would be best if you returned home on an armed
vessel for your security.”
    “Really?” answered Bobbie. “You
think putting me on one of your ships would be the safest thing for me?”
    “Of course,” said the naval
officer. “You’d have armed personnel with full background checks around you.”
    “No offense, Commander, but
the crew of this ship passed a better check than anything the Navy can do. For
all I know half your crew is just waiting for an opportunity to mutiny and grab
me. I can trust Captain Schwartzenberger and his crew. I don’t know your crew.”
    Trevayne’s jaw tightened. He
took a few deep breaths before speaking again. “Miss Smith, I really must
insist that you . . .” He was speaking to empty air. Bobbie had bounced across
the hold. Trevayne turned to Schwartzenberger, who’d been listening intently. “Can’t
you make her see reason?”
    A merchant ‘Captain’ didn’t
outrank a Navy officer, but Schwartzenberger addressed Trevayne as if he was a
midshipman. “No. She’s reasoning clearer than you are. She has the right to
make her own decisions. And I have an obligation to take her home.” He shifted
to a friendlier tone. “Thank you very