“Yes sir. All systems read as green,” she told him, flipping a switch. “Lifting access ramp. Seals are green, Commander.”

“Good. Next?”

Milla blinked. “Call for clearance?”

Steph just stared at her.

Milla looked around, trying to figure out what she’d missed. “What?”

“Well?” Steph waved at the windows.

“I don’t—oh!” Milla’s hand went to her earpiece. “Odysseus Control, Marine lander shuttle Eagle One . . . Eagle Actual speaking.”

“Go for Control, Eagle One.”

“Eagle One requests clearance for departure.”

“Roger Eagle One, you have clearance on cat nine. Confirm.”

“Cat nine, confirmed. Eagle One, under power.”

“Roger that.”

Milla set three dials, then flipped a bank of switches before taking the stick and throttle. The shuttle shuddered slightly before it started to move. She steered it around, following the directions of the deck crew as they waved her to catapult nine.

Steph settled back, watching the process as the shuttle stuttered to a halt on the catapult square.

The Priminae didn’t use catapult launchers. Their shuttles didn’t need them, and frankly, they wouldn’t have any idea of how to use one. Steph had been part of the discussion when the admiral had demanded having them installed. It had been an interesting talk.

The Odyssey had used an electromagnetic launcher, but the Odysseus worked with a gravity launcher. Once the shuttle was hooked up, a process done entirely with software, the deck crew cleared out.

“Eagle One, stand by.”

Milla sent confirmation, opening the comm at the same time. “Eagle One, standing by.”

Stephen checked his restraints, though he doubted he’d need them. Unlike a last-generation cat, if they felt any acceleration, the odds were it would be the last thing they’d ever feel.

Milla checked the systems again, making sure everything was still green.

“Eagle One, Odysseus Control.”

“Roger, Control,” Milla said. “Go for Eagle One.”

“You are cleared to put power to your CM system, Eagle One.”

“CM,” she replied, pronouncing the letters carefully, as she flipped another bank of switches. “Activated. Powering now.”

The shuttle lifted on its wheels as the counter-mass system shunted a majority of the craft’s mass and inertia out of this dimension, away from normal space.

“CM fully powered, Control.”

“Roger that, Eagle One. Stand by to launch.”

An alarm went off outside and the deck crew emptied out of sight, other than a half-dozen in full vacuum suits.

“Eagle One, standing by.”

The comm clicked off and Milla sighed, turning her head to look at Steph.

“There is so much repetition,” she said wearily. “It is tiring, no?”

“That’s how we make certain everyone knows precisely what everyone else is thinking,” Steph said, half smiling. “It’s boring, but clarity keeps people breathing.”

“We have no such procedures,” she admitted, “and people do not stop breathing often on a Priminae vessel, Stephan.”

“How many flights does a Priminae ship launch in, say, an hour?”