He resisted the urge to swipe her foot away, realizing, rightfully, that such an action would be no less unprofessional than if he were to give into her advances out right. Instead, he took a moment to gather his thoughts, and said, finally, “I pity you, Madam Shekalane. It has become increasingly clear that you will deceive yourself until the very last moment. You will be delivered to the processing terminal tonight, madam. Nothing can stop that now. All orders sent down from The Lucitor are final. Please, do not test my patience further.”
She dropped her foot, but the mischievous smile remained. Not for the first time, it occurred to him that it was a mannerism better suited to a girl than a woman.
Again, her restless eyes shifted toward the water, and after a time she said, “I could s
