"James Doohan - Flight Engineer Volume 3 -The Independent Com" - читать интересную книгу автора (Doohan James)

тАЬLet me show you to the restaurant,тАЭ Sarah said, rising and brushing off her bottom. тАЬItтАЩs
much too elegant to be called a mess.тАЭ

Doctor Regina Pianca was a short, dark woman with an aura of capable efficiency about
her. The gray in her hair placed her around sixtyтАФearly middle ageтАФas did the lines on her
face that indicated humor. She eyed Raeder quietly; her direct gaze seemed to encourage him
to speak.
TheyтАЩd already talked a great deal, about him, about Sarah and the Invincible.
At last the doctor said, тАЬWell, itтАЩs obvious youтАЩve already spoken to the lieutenant
commander. IтАЩm sorry you didnтАЩt give me a chance to speak to you beforehand. But no harm
done.тАЭ She gave him a gentle smile. тАЬItтАЩs also obvious that she means a great deal to you.
Personally.тАЭ
тАЬSheтАЩs a fine officer,тАЭ Raeder said sternly.
The doctor laughed out loud and Peter felt a blush rising, which annoyed and embarrassed
him both.
тАЬIтАЩm sorry, Commander,тАЭ Pianca said. тАЬYes, she is a fine officer. Your captain called me to
tell me so, and to indicate that he wanted her cleared for duty before he left Come By Chance.
SheтАЩs getting pretty twitchy, too.тАЭ The doctor looked at him sidelong, with a crooked smile
on her full lips. тАЬSo what do you think, Commander?тАЭ
тАЬShe seems fine to me, Doctor,тАЭ Raeder answered instantly. тАЬAnd the Invincible can
certainly use her abilities.тАЭ
тАЬYes,тАЭ Pianca said dryly. тАЬIтАЩm sure it can.тАЭ She sat forward in her chair and folded her
hands before her. тАЬThe thing is, Commander, with what sheтАЩs been through, and the tension
and stress and all, the girlтАЩs exhausted. SheтАЩs a great deal better rested than she was, but I
think that the lieutenant commander requires at least another two weeks before she returns to
duty.тАЭ
тАЬThe lieutenant commander is very concerned about losing her berth on the Invincible,
maтАЩam.тАЭ
Pianca nodded judiciously. тАЬIтАЩm aware of that, Commander. Sarah has been very forthright
with me.тАЭ The doctor looked off into the distance and seemed to be suppressing a smile.
тАЬShe has a way of expressing herself,тАЭ Raeder said, slowly, remembering a few choice
examples.
Pianca grinned openly, her dark eyes sparkling.
тАЬThat she does, my boy, that she does. So,тАЭ the doctor slapped her hands down on the desk
briskly, тАЬI have requested your assistance from your captain, who most reluctantly agreed to
spare you.тАЭ
тАЬMaтАЩam,тАЭ Raeder protested, тАЬthat will leave the ship short two officers . . .тАЭ
тАЬYes it will, wonтАЩt it? I calculate that it will set things behind for at least two weeks.тАЭ
 тАЬEasily, maтАЩam,тАЭ Raeder agreed with a short, disapproving nod.
тАЬExcellent,тАЭ Pianca said crisply. тАЬIтАЩm pleased to be able to tell you that for the next two
weeks the lieutenant commanderтАЩs therapy will consist of vacationing with you at
government expense. At the end of that time, which IтАЩm instructing you to fill with fun and
frolic, Commander, I will release her to return to her duties.тАЭ She gave him an evil grin. тАЬBy
which time all necessary repairs should have been accomplished and you can all fly off to
glory.тАЭ
Raeder sat as one poleaxed.
тАЬThank you, maтАЩam,тАЭ he said numbly.
тАЬYouтАЩre welcome, Commander,тАЭ Pianca said with a smile. Then more seriously she
explained, тАЬExhaustion is a very real condition, Commander. My patient would recover all on
her own in time. SheтАЩs young, and flexible, so thereтАЩs no doubt of that. But IтАЩd prefer to send