Warhorse by Timothy Zahn Read Free Book Online Page A

sir.” She seemed surprised he would have to ask. “I’ve also read the initial survey reports on the four planets we’ll be looking over. Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta, the reports designate them.”
    â€œThe designations weren’t my idea,” Roman assured her dryly. “I would have picked something with a little more class.”
    She smiled again. “Yes, I’ve had some experience with bureaucracies and report factories myself, sir,” she said. “One question, if I may: everything in those reports came via the Tampies?”
    â€œRight. We’ll be the first humans to visit any of the four systems.”
    â€œSo everything in them—such as it is—is written from the Tampy point of view.”
    â€œIt’s something to keep in mind when we get there,” Roman agreed. “Any other comments on either the plan or the reports?”
    She considered. “Not really, sir. I did notice several places where the timetable or even the mission plan itself seemed a bit vague. May I assume that was deliberate?”
    â€œYou may indeed,” Roman nodded. “I wanted to leave us enough room to play things by ear. Don’t forget, Lieutenant, that this is the first time something like this has been tried. You’re going to be helping to make history here.”
    Or at least a footnote to history, her look seemed to say. “Yes, sir,” she said instead, her voice suitably neutral.
    â€œWe’ll be examining the voyage plan at regular intervals once we’re actually underway,” Roman continued. “I’ll look forward to your input then, and at any other time you have a comment, of course. So.” He glanced at his desktop display, checking to see if there were any other questions he’d wanted to ask her. “How’s your organization of piloting staff and helmers going? Any problems cropped up yet?”
    â€œNothing significant,” she shook her head. “Certainly not when you consider the potential for psychological clashes aboard.”
    â€œYes, some of that’s already surfaced back in engineering,” Roman said grimly.
    â€œI’ve heard,” she nodded. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about anything that bad in the helmer staff. I’ve had to handle worse conflicts on some of the warships I’ve served on.”
    â€œGood,” Roman said. “Then unless you have any questions, I’ll let you get back to your duties.”
    â€œYes, sir,” she said. “Are we still scheduled for an 0800 departure tomorrow?”
    â€œProvided the Tampies are all aboard and have the space horse tethered to us by then,” Roman said, suppressing a flash of annoyance. The Tampies, he’d discovered to his mild chagrin, had their own idea as to what constituted top speed, a level that was considerably below human expectations. “You can assume we’re on schedule unless and until you hear anything to the contrary.”
    â€œMy people will be ready whenever you need us.”
    â€œI’m sure they will. Thank you for coming by, Lieutenant. Dismissed.”
    She glided to the door and exited, and Roman turned with a sigh to his desktop display. A hundred twenty-three interviews down; just one more to go…but this last one was likely to be a beaut.
    Amity ’s exec. The man who Senate infighting had succeeded in putting in as second in command, despite the record and obvious competence of Erin Kennedy. The man who, unlike the rest of the ship’s officers and crew, had arrived barely twenty-four hours before the ship’s scheduled departure, too late to help with any of the pre-flight preparations.
    The man who’d brought with him a personal file and psych profile that practically simmered with Tampy-hatred.
    It was, unfortunately, the kind of politically-twisted logic that Roman should have expected. The Senate’s anti-Tampy faction