Chapter Seven
When the three left with a promise to return shortly, Jael turned her attention to Chesil. But before words left her lips, he was on his feet and at the door. He put his hand to it and tried to send it through. The moving gel blocked him. He glanced over his shoulder. “We’re locked in again, Commander.”
Pileser shrugged and stood. “Of course. They can’t have rascals like you running around, poking your nose into everything.”
Chesil straightened. “It was my hand I was trying to poke, not my nose, partner.”
Pileser didn’t reply as she walked over to the transluscent wall where Jael had gone when they first entered the room. She shook her head as a school of coral fish swam by. “It’s like paradise.”
Jael looked from her to Chesil’s frown and back again. “Traps usually are.”
Pileser spun around. “You really believe we’re trapped here, don’t you?”
“Don’t you?” Chesil stood at Jael’s side now, fists on his hips. “In case you haven’t noticed, we’re weaponless and have no communication devices. We can’t even call up the others that are with us here.”
Jael waved them to silence when Pileser strode back toward them. “Enough. The truth is, we don’t know what the truth is. Until we find out, we’d better spend some time finding out some things.” She swept the room again with her gaze. She hadn’t detected any listening devices or hidden cameras but that meant little. She would just have to take a chance. She put an arm around each of her officer’s shoulders and pulled their heads to hers. “Ms. Pileser, I want you to locate their central com center. Mr. Chesil, you find out where the central power center is. Both of you be discreet but get it done.” Before she let them pull back, Jael tapped Chesil’s shoulder with two fingers. “And Chesil? Brush your teeth. Your breath smells like fish and sea turtles.”
Before Darius returned, with Pileser hanging near the gel door, Chesil poured himself another glass of green juice from a clear pitcher and refilled Jael’s glass she absently held as she observed the younger woman from the corner of her eye. Chesil’s low tone broke into her thoughts. “You know, Commander, those two could be a real help.”
Jael frown and sipped the juice. “Explain.”
“Well, I just mean, if we do get ourselves in trouble, if we fan their little spark, we could use it to get Darius on our side. If we needed to find out certain things.”
Jael faced him. “I would no more toy with Pileser like that than I would you. So knock it off.”
She moved away, not wanting to see the hurt in Chesil’s eyes at her harshness. She hadn’t meant to be so gruff. That came from her growing concern over Pileser. In essence, Pileser could be used—against them. Maybe she should order Pileser not to even speak to Darius, do whatever she had to in order to douse the flame, not fan it.
But Pileser was a grown woman and an incredible officer. Jael trusted her completely. She didn’t deserve to be treated like a teenager. Unless she started acting like one. She’d have to monitor the situation closely and time any interference right. And monitor herself and not take out frustrations on the unsuspecting Chesil.
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