The door to my cabin chimes, I ignore it. My focus is on the video logs I'm currently analyzing on my tablet.

Whoever is outside can wait. The door chimes again.

Apparently they will not wait. Enter.

I shout. My eyes glued to the tablet.

I haven't made my bed and none of my half-eaten meals have been placed in the

carbon reclamation shoot. The shoot is clogged. I need to tell maintenance as

soon as I'm done analyzing the footage.

Captain Lambert? as soon as I'm done analyzing the footage.

Captain Lambert?

What?

I ask without looking up.

No need.

I know it's my first officer, Commander Brucard.

I'd know his voice in the middle of a raging plasma storm.

When he doesn't say anything, I set my tablet aside and turned from my desk.

What isn't B Bresard?

Sir, Fleet command has allowed us to dock, but we are confined to the ship until we have the situation

sorted out, Brissard says.

His eyes stayed glued to mine, but I know he registered the mess around us.

He's a tall man, much taller than most spacers.

While I am just under six feet, Broussard is easily a couple of inches over that.

It must make rushing through the ship a dangerous task, especially for that forehead.

...