Chapter Twenty-Three
Carl tried to step around the admiral who was waiting outside Jas’ room, but the man blocked his path. He peered at the breast of Carl’s flight suit and said, “Pilot Lingiari, I don’t think we’ve met.”
Carl finished pulling up his zipper. He guessed this was the admiral who had the hots for Jas. He didn’t like the look in the man’s eye. It was the look of someone about to throw the first punch, and Carl didn’t have time for scrapping with love rivals. He had a ship to fly.
“No,” he replied, “I don’t think we have.” Saluting and asking permission for this or that didn’t seem appropriate in the circumstances. “Excuse me.” Carl tried to sidestep the admiral again, but the man put a hand on his chest. Carl looked down at the hand and up into the admiral’s eyes.
“Being
