Deserter

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''Okay, Engineering, let's see if we can finish the test run this time,'' Captain Hayworth announced.

''And let's try not to blow up the ship,'' Lieutenant Junior Grade Kris Longknife added under her breath. Still, she nodded agreement with the Captain of the Fast Attack Corvette Firebolt as did the others on the bridge around her. The crew attended to their duties, faces professionally bland in the reflected reds, blues, and greens of their underway stations. The cool, processed air didn't actually smell of fear. Not quite.

The Captain turned his attention to Kris. ''Lieutenant Longknife, match your board to Engineering. Inform me if you see anything wrong. And this time, only use Navy-issue gear.''

''Aye, aye, sir.'' Kris tapped her station, converting it from offensive weapons to a copy of the ship's engineering station a hundred meters aft of the bridge. Everything was green. Question was, would the board show anything red before the Firebolt was nothing but a glowing cloud of dust?

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