"You'll have everything you need to make this docking as sweet as your reputation deserves."You'll have everything you need to make this docking as sweet as your reputation deserves." Tasha smiled; there had been no sarcasm in Denni's voice, just an intent to help Tasha continue with her perfect driving record. "Thanks, Denni. I'll buy you drinks when we land." "I know where the best bars are." "I bet you do," Tasha laughed. "Bridge out." Tasha spent moments examining her controls. She sighed. "It's hard to believe how good she is. David, can I ask you a question?" "Ask away." "I want you to know that I'm having something of a breakdown." She glanced over at him, and he glanced back, surprised. "I've always believed in you. When I first came onto the Asking as your Navigator, I did so because I knew that you had never made a bad decision. You had made some losing decisions but your ratio was always in the black from the day you bought her. I checked your record and I knew that no matter what I was boarding a good ship. It's not often a junior officer gets to make that kind of decision; usually, we're forced to take whatever we can get. "But this time, I don't see the outcome of your decision. It's all happening so fast, I can't tell if it's going to be for good or for bad. For the first time in my life I wonder if you're doing something that's going to put you in some sort of red. And to be honest, I'm forced to just have faith in you. You've always done me right in the past, I have to believe you're doing the crew right now." "Tasha..." "No, you don't have to say anything," she said, glancing back at the clock. "I'm impressed that it's taken you this long to do something selfish, something that you wanted strictly for yourself without thinking about us or the ship. But now that you've decided, I just want to remind you that we're still here, and we worry about you. And I want you to be sure." David smiled, reached across and patted Tasha on the shoulder. "Thanks. |