"Wake up sleepyhead" said Jerri as she came out of the stateroom's bathroom. "We have a wedding to go to."
"Leave me alone ," mumbled Rhade. "I'm a wounded man."
"You seemed healthy enough last night," said Jerri. "If anything, I'm the one who should be having trouble walking."
Rhade pulled the pillow over his head. "I was shot, remember. I can't walk."
Jerri threw her own pillow at her recumbent husband. "That was two weeks ago and you were shot in the chest, your legs work just fine. Besides the protective vest you were wearing stopped the bullet. All you got was some cracked ribs and some nasty bruises.
There's no way I'm going to let you make us late for Orlund' and Cho Hee's wedding. So are you going to get up and get dressed or do I need to have Andromeda summon one of her Mariabots to help you get dressed. If I have to do that I'm going to make sure she records the incident and gives the recording to Harper so he can show it to patrons at the Oasis."
Faced with the prospect of public humiliation Rhade got out of bed. The closer Jerri came to her delivery date the more her libido seemed to be increasing. He was beginning to hope the babies would be premature so he would be alive to see them.
Rhade had his pants on and one arm in a shirt sleeve when Andromeda's voice came over the staterooms intercom. "I thought you might like to know that Virgil Vox is making his first broadcast since the his transmitter was destroyed. Would you like me to patch it in for you?"
"Yes," said Rhade and Jerri simultaneously.
A moment later the voice of the mysterious radio broadcaster came over the speaker. This is Virgil Vox once again bringing you the news the company doesn't want you to hear. I am pleased a to announce that the reports of my death were exaggerated. Now on with the news.
The top story is that tyher infamous General Burma has escaped from custody. Reports are still coming in and some are contradictory but one of the more interesting ones is that the general was assisted by an individual who h reportedly had the ability to walk through walls...
Rhade didn't hear what else Vox said after that. He was remembering the story Harper had told him about an agent of the SotA with that ability. If the reports coming in to Vox were true it almost certainly meant that the SotA was operating here in the Seefra system.
"It isn't over is it," said Jerri pressing herself into Rhade as if she was seeking protection.
"I'm afraid it's only beginning,Jerri," answered Rhade. "It's only beginning."
End