Tyr broke the silence first. "You spend far too much time with him," his tone leaving no doubt who 'him' was.
Harper started to make a witty reply, remembered to whom he would be speaking, and wisely remained silent.
"For once, I have to agree, Beka. That was abysmal."
"Dylan—Captain," Trance started.
"Oh, that was abysmal? I notice that you make no mention to your own story—" Beka flared.
"Beka," Trance said.
"Harper, get your filthy paws off me immediately," Rommie snapped, catching his hands before they even got close.
"Hey, I was just trying to get my stylus, Rom-doll." Harper winced as Rommie returned put his stylus into his hand and put that back into his own lap, without paying much attention to the location and structure of his joints.
"All of you, be quiet!" Trance screamed suddenly, sounding more like a High Guard drill officer than her usual airheaded persona.
Beka, Dylan, Rommie, and Harper looked at her in surprise.
"I wrote something too," she said demurely, belying her previous ferocity. "Wanna see?"
"We'd better, or she might yee-haw us all to death," Tyr remarked, only half sarcastic given her recent demonstration of lung power.