The Key by Pauline Baird Jones Read Free Book Online Page B

meant, but something in the way they looked at each other stopped him.
    “I’m waiting, Donovan.”
    Didn’t she out rank him? He was pretty sure he remembered that from Carey’s running commentary. But if he was retired, maybe that didn’t matter.
    Sara sighed, but then she dropped to the ground, her legs out, her hands flat against the floor. She pushed up from the floor, clapped her hands, then caught herself before she hit the floor. She did this until she reached a ten count. She stopped and gave Briggs a hopeful look.
    He sighed, signaled for her to get up, then strolled forward, circling the damaged ship, his hands clasped behind his back.
    “Dang.” He looked at her. “I said it before and I’ll say it again. You fly like a girl.”
    Sara grinned. “I crash like one, too.”
    His bushy brows rose. “Suppose that means you broke a nail.”
    She kind of shrugged and rubbed a finger along one of her fingernails.
    This had the feel of an ongoing…conversation between them.
    “Living in a beauty parlor really messed you up.” His sharp gaze rested on her for a long moment. Was that worry that crept into his eyes? “You sure you’re up for this? Looks like you took a helluva hit.”
    Sara patted her ship. “My bird would never hurt me.”
    Her tone was light, and she didn’t look at Briggs until the silence got a bit too long. Then she turned, her eyes wide and innocent.
    “What?”
    “I hear you ran into a little trouble down there. And took one to the brain-housing group in the crash.”
    She angled her head toward him. “It’s just a scratch.”
    Fyn started. She had more than a scratch when he pulled her from her ship.
    Briggs didn’t say anything. For another long moment, they looked at each other.
    Finally Briggs nodded. “Five kills up, three down. Only two headshots. Should have been three.”
    She sighed. “I know.”
    “You did okay…for a girl, I guess.” He nodded toward her ship. “We’ll have to put a little row of ships up there. And some little stick aliens.”
    Fyn had no idea what they were talking about, but Sara chuckled.
    “So, how did you like your first dogfight?”
    “Booming until I got shot down. They weren’t even that good. More about numbers than skill, don’t you think, Fyn?”
    He nodded. The Dusan hadn’t had to be that good for a long time. With them it was always about numbers. You killed them and there was always more to throw into the fight.
    “You rode her all the way down.”
    “Didn’t dare not. But if it weren’t for Fyn here, I’d have been ET’s house guest.”
    Briggs gave him a look that might have been approving. Or not. It was hard to tell.
    “Well, glad you’re back.” He didn’t look glad. “Hinson’s gooned up his computer again.”
    “I’ll look at it.”
    Sara followed Briggs to what Fyn now knew was a computer terminal. Briggs keyed something in, and the screen flashed with movement.
    “I’ll see you at oh-six hundred tomorrow in the gym.”
    Sara seemed to sigh. “You’re going to kick my ass, aren’t you?”
    “Damn straight.” He nodded Fyn’s direction again. “Nice to meet you, Chewie.”
    Fyn really needed to see that movie.
    Sara began taping on the buttons. “This won’t take a minute. I don’t know how he manages to goon—that means mess up, his code.”
    Fyn noticed that she had her hands on the keys, but it didn’t seem like she pushed them like the other people he’d seen.
    As he watched her, he had a feeling he was forgetting something—
    “All done.”
    She left the terminal. Behind her, the screen flickered a couple of times, then went dark. She stopped in front of him.
    “So, that went better than I expected. Of course, there’s still tomorrow.”
    “I thought you out ranked him?”
    Sara’s eyes widened a bit. “I’m not really sure anymore, but even if he weren’t retired, no way I’d ever pull rank on him. I think the only person who dares is the Colonel and I’ve never seen