21
"Captain?"
Rampa looked up from the manifest readout glowing on his tablet to the approaching commander, a sharp-eyed blond kid who must have friends or, more likely, family, in high places.
"Better be good, Commander," Rampa hissed. "I was in the middle of reviewing our recent delivery."
He shifted his weight as if the deck was too hot for comfort. Judging by the blood draining from his face, the commander had not anticipated that response.
"Admiral Klein instructed me to inform you of a priority message," he said, his voice wavering. "It's Gold, sir."
Rampa lowered the tablet. A Gold priority message certainly changes matters, he thought, but he wasn't going to let this privileged child know that.
"I will take it in my quarters," he announced, passing the tablet. "Inform the Ad
