“Karrde?” Dankin’s voice came tiredly. “We’re coming up on the Bilbringi system. Breakout in about five minutes.” “We’ll be right there,” Karrde told him. “Make sure the turbolasers are manned—no telling what we’re going to run into.” “Right,” Dankin said. “Out.” Karrde tapped off the intercom and keyed off the desk’s decrypters. “He sounds tired,” Aves commented from the other side of the desk as he put down his data pad. “Almost as tired as you look,” Karrde said, giving the display he’d been studying one last scan before shutting it down as well. The report from his people on Anchoron, like the others before it: all negative. “It must be too long since we’ve had to pull double shifts,” he added to Aves. “No one’s used to it anymore. I’ll have to include that in future training exercises.” “I’m sure the crew will love it,”
