“Sir, if I may share something with you, will you not demote me?” Said Jugger.

“Jugger shut the hell up and spit it out” growled Graystain.

“I made a pass at Meico Sir”. He said sheepishly.

“She is dead son what does that have to do with anything.  Besides that she was a switch hitter”.

“That Sir, was the ahh challenge. She took me up on it Sir.” Jugger, carried on quickly with vigor as he recalled the interface in the Labs. He had cornered her ever so briefly while she worked, he recalled one long black lock framing her face as it had inexplicably escaped her severe ponytail. Her face was a picture of determination, surprise and fear all at once.

“In fact she slipped me her on board comms card. I thought I was in Sir! Then her head exploded like a ripe mellon.”

He held out the card for Graystain.

Jugger recalled the scene yet again, a smile furtive, then confident, as her hand reached out and activated his glove pocket on his right hand. “Look after this for me” she said as she leant heavily against him. Jugger could not recall the stammered response he was trying to utter, as it was then she disappeared, a spray of lumpy redness and wet black hair everywhere.

Jugger was sure he saw a slight tremor in Graystains hand as he took the card from him. He exhaled a stream of smoke and considered the card.  “ Well Jugger we cant read it onboard a CruiserNet connected device, it will be logged. Toss me that old Nook and my interface kit. “your what? said Jugger.  “ The God Damn book reader you philistine” roared Graystain. “Dam you children of the AV, you are all fucking morons”.

“But sir I read, well I listen to books all the time, I don’t know what the hell a Nook is? Isn’t that something related to a Crannie?”

“Jugger, please shut up before I shoot you. Just hand me the small slate on the counter there.” After fiddling a little with an old digital converter cable he looked at the data on the screen and murmered “Oh My God”.  He stood punched his wall mounted comm unit red panel. “Aye Sir this is Connelly. Your orders Sir?

Graystain squared his shoulders, cracked his neck and looked at Jugger then said “ All hands prep for light speed to New Phobos”  Jugger snorted his  645 year old Tequila out his nose and gasped for air. “New Phobos”.