> Ael turned to Matthew, who had stood to see her off. "Be careful, Healer > Brennan," she said, a bit more formally than was indicated here. "A man of > your loyalty, in either empire, is a rarity." She frowned somewhat > wistfully. <[I have not yet met the man, after all," she said, "who would > be willing to commit treason for me.]> > > Matt gently put his arms on her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. It had > to be done gently, lest he risk his life in doing so. <[Yes you have,]> he > told her. <[And he wonders if it is not his own misfortune that his heart > lies elsewhere.]> > > Ael returned the hug, then turned and headed up the ladder without another > word. Matt waited for her to reseal the hatches before he retook the FCO > seat. "Ready?" he asked Nabru.
"Ready." As the ship left dock, she said with a laugh, "I wonder how Admiral Renaud will react when he learns that you have slipped out." Matt's smile was both amused, and annoyed. "Well, there are two words that have been struggling to get out of my mouth every time I encouter Admiral Renaud," Matt said, looking her way. "Those two words are, 'Bite me.'" He shook his head. "We had the CiNC's blessing, did we not?" (eh?) "Unofficial, but his blessing none the less." The cloaked ship was slowly dropping in a negative Z plane from beneath the Rihannsu war cruiser docked inside spacedock, as a courtesy. The large spacedock doors were open, so there would be no problem slipping out. Minutes later, they were into the inky black of space. "It's been a long time since I've piloted a ship," he said, almost wistfully. The course was flawless, though. "There are certain talents," he said simply, "that once mastered, I am loathe to give up. This is why I could still split an apple on one's head with an arrow from fifty yards." (eh?)
