Чужой

           Iwouldnevercontravenethat’

           ’No,butyourideaofwhatbettershumanlifemightdifferfromsomeoneelse’s.’

           Forsomereasonthatcausedhimtoturnandstaresharplyather,whenherother,moredirectprobeshadproducednoresponse.’Itakemyresponsibilityasscienceofficerasseriouslyasyoudothatofwarrantofficer.Thatshouldbesufficientforyou.I’mtiredofthis.Ifyouhaveaspecificaccusationtomake,lodgeitwithDallas.Ifnot,?andheturnedbacktohispreciousinstrumentation,’youdoyourjobandI’lldomine.’

           Shenoddedonce.’Fairenough.’Turning,sheheadedforthecorridor..stillunsatisfiedbutunsurewhy.Ash’sanswershadtheveneerofvalidity,werehardtoarguewith.Thatwasn’twhatwastroublingher.

           Itwasthefactthathisactioninpoppingthelocktolettheexplorationteaminsidewentagainstmuchmorethantherules.Itwentagainsteveryfacetofthescienceofficer’spersonality,directlycontradictedhisdemonstratedprofessionalisminothermatters.Shehadn’tknownhimthatlong,butuntilthisincidenthe’dgivenherandeveryoneelseaboardtheimpressionthatforhimnothingrankedabove,theofficialsciencemanual.

           Ashclaimedhe’ddonewhathe’ddoneonlytosaveaman’slife.She’dtakentheofficialside.Wasshewrong?WouldKanehaveagreedwithher?

           Sheheadedforthebridge,muchtroubledinmind.Littlebitsofcoincidenceswaminherhead,naggingatherthoughts.Themindgluetobringthemtogetherremainedmissing..