“Of course she did. All right, we’ll transition as soon as she’s done with her scans. Have the helm calculate our exit from transitional space carefully; I don’t want to arrive too closely in-system. At least three hours out, all right?”

“Aye, Captain. Three hours minimum,” Roberts nodded, moving on.

“All right, Doctor.” Weston turned back to Palin. “What is it?”

The academic grinned at the captain, his expression not quite insubordinate as he responded. “I’m pleased to say I’ve deciphered enough of their language for the computer to translate any conversation you might wish to have—that is, assuming you don’t want to ask her about technical details.”

Weston’s eyes widened. “You said it would take you several days.”

“On the contrary, I said it might take me a few days. I was wrong.”

“All right. I’ll want you present when I speak with her.”

“Of course. I’ll be waiting for the call.”

“Good. Thank you for the report,” Weston said, looking back down to the PDA. He had picked up four more forms to work on while he was talking to the commander and the doctor.

“Yes, sir,” Palin replied after a long silence and, finally getting the clue, turned and left the bridge.

As the academic vanished from sight, Weston set down his PDA and turned to his first officer. “His records don’t do him justice, you know.”

“Perhaps, sir, but his attitude needs a lot of work.” Roberts watched the retreating doctor with an odd expression on his face. “He’s broken at least two assistants in the com-lab. They’ve been begging for transfers since Alpha Centauri.”

“You’re kidding,” Weston blurted, his eyes widening.

“I’m afraid not, sir.” Roberts shrugged. “I changed them to another shift in the same lab. That’s holding them for now, but Palin has a habit of working odd hours, so I don’t know how long it’ll last. Everyone who knows him says he’s insane.”

“True, but genius has a way of tempering people.” Weston shrugged. “If nothing else, it helps excuse eccentric behavior.”

“I suppose, sir,” Roberts said. As far as he was concerned, if the person wasn’t capable of operating within proper military structure, he didn’t have time for them. Genius or not.

Roberts turned away, returning to the sensor reports that were still flooding in. Weston toggled another switch on his armrest. “Dr. Rame, are you available?”

The call came back a moment later. “Yes, Captain. Anything I can do?”

“How’s the patient, Doctor?”

“Fine, sir. She just requested a glass of water and accessed the entertainment library.”

Weston’s eyebrow rose. “Palin did a great job. What’s she listening to?”

“Oddly enough, ‘Brahms’s Lullaby.’ It seems to be doing her some good; she’s resting comfortably.”

“Good. I’ll want to speak with her soon. Please see to it that she gets whatever she needs.”

“Of course, sir.” The doctor’s tone indicated that he considered the order almost insulting.

“And, Doctor…” Weston hesitated.

“Yes, Captain?”

“We’re going to transition to another system soon,” Weston said with a degree of hesitance.