The Commander stops, looks at the floor, returns to pacing.
"Commander," she says, "You're going to ruin your boots and socks and the floor. Please sit or I'll scream."
"I didn't realize I was..." as he sits. Fumbling with his cigar, he coughs slightly. "You shouldn't smoke Commander," she whispers. "So my wife says and the Captain and the Sergeant and hell, me too." "I'm sorry Commander. I shouldn't remark on personal things. My mother never did. Just to the point, the feeling, the seeing, then gone. I need to be more disciplined." "Never mind 'Oracle'. No harm done. This will be over soon and you can go home", says the Commander as he continues to smoke.
Now she feels silly. Why did she make comments like that. She knows that Commander misses the frankness and direct way her mother always talked to him, the way she interpreted the feelings. And soon the Captain would be here. She trembles and her palms begin to sweat. She could feel goose-bumps running up down her back. "No, Commander. I can't go home even after the seeing. I need to make sure this is finished, over, done. Too many people could be hurt, dead, if I don't."
At the word, dead, the Commander stands. The look on his face tells her everything. He didn't realize, didn't understand until then the severity of this feeling. "The Wizards have really mucked things up. I'd like to hang them all upside down in the Ankh." The Commander returns to pacing. This time she says nothing and lets him pace.
The Sergeant walks into the room. If you could call it that, lumbering, maybe. He carries a tray with steaming cofee and funny looking biscuits. He looks at the Commander and back at her. He sets the tray down and clears aways the earlier mess. Pouring coffee, he hands her a cup. She notices he's sweating. He gives her a plate with a biscuit and something that looks like dried fruit. His hands are quivering. She pats his hand. He smiles half-heartedly and gives the Commander coffee.
The room is quiet, so is the Watchhouse. She can feel them waiting for something to happen. It's not tense, just quiet.
"Commander, may I walk a little? Just around the Yard. I'm feeling, well, not feeling really, just, I, um, need to walk a bit.
You understand?" "Sergeant, will you accompany the Oracle outside to strech her legs?" the Commander says as he takes her hand and edges the Sergeant to the door in one smooth motion. He understands completely. She tries to breathe.