Page 57 of Skinwalker's Bane
Adam’s heart sank. “They were laughing?”
“Some were.” Corin looked troubled. “Why? What’s happened?”
Adam shook his head. “I can’t say right now. Tell me about the ones who were not laughing. Were they resentful? Angry?”
Corin grew alarmed. “Stars, Adam! They were justjoking. I didn’t think…”
“Think what?” Adam pressed. “It’s important.”
Corin took his time answering. Adam understood his reluctance. “A few of them were upset about you seeing a Palatino and a politician. As though you were playing for the other team. They joked about showing you where your true priority should be, that you weren’t any better than any of us.”
Reminding him that he was just as vulnerable as the next skinwalker would be a way to do that. The coldness in Adam’s belly stirred, making him feel sweaty and sick. “Thanks, Corin. Can you get Peter for me?”
When Peter came to the terminal, Adam outlined quickly what had happened and that he needed to get out to the engine room and check Adam’s suit as soon as possible. “Then lock the locker and put a seal on it, will you?” Adam said.
“You’re not going to suit up and finish the shift?” Peter asked.
Adam shook his head. “Whoever did this, I think they wanted to make a point. They don’t want me on the shift. They want me to take the hit, credit-wise. I’ll let them have their victory for now, because I want you to take your time over the suit. Now, though, I suspect there’s nothing wrong with it. Be thorough. I’m going to go and see Haydn.”
Peter agreed to head out immediately and Adam disconnected and went back to the locker room. The entire crew, all nine of them, was standing at the door waiting, talking among themselves. Adam pulled Perez aside. “You’re going to have to take everyone out for the shift.”
She paled. “No! I can’t! I’ve never—”
Adam held up his hand. “You’ll be fine. You’ve been out there a thousand times. You know my routine. Just follow it. Only, no tools tonight. Easy stuff, instead. The pile of skins we keep talking about moving closer up to where we’re working…start moving those. Probert’s Droolies crew can help with that, so you’ll have Probert next to you and he’s been leading the completely untrained for years now.”
Perez relaxed a little. “That sounds…do-able,” she admitted.
“It is. It will save the shift for everyone but me. I’m grounded, Perez. I’m damned if I’ll let everyone else take it in the jaw because some asshole thinks they know better than me. So take them out, take it easy and earn your bonuses. You’ll get crew chief bonuses for the shift, too. Pick a temporary second, to watch your back. I recommended Gelin, although you need to pick your own—whoever you’re comfortable with. You’ll be fine, Perez.”
She nodded, still looking nervous. Adam remembered the first time he went out as crew boss and figured she was doing about the same as he was, that time. She really would be fine.
He went back to the locker room and unsealed the door. “Me, first,” he told them and stepped into the room. Everything was the same. His locker was still yawning open, the suit slumped inside. He let everyone in.
“You’ll have to hurry a bit, guys,” Perez told them. “We’re behind. And good news, folks. I’m taking you out tonight.”
There was a startled silence and lots of glances at Adam. He stayed mute and stood by his locker where he could guard the suit.
“Shit, now we’re fucked,” someone muttered. It was a lighthearted jest.
“You want your bonuses?” Perez shot back. “Get in your suit and get moving, Tolly.”
Everyone did move, after that. Stepping out onto the skin on time was one of the criteria they had to meet to earn bonuses. Perez had appealed to their mercenary instincts and it had worked.
Adam was silently pleased. She would do okay out there.
“Sorry about the suit,” Galen muttered as he passed Adam on the way to his own locker. “Hope you find the idiot.”
“I’m working on it,” Adam assured him, although for the next thirty minutes, he stayed right where he was.
Peter showed up in record time, with three of his suit experts with him. They sailed into the locker room with their tool bags and equipment. Peter nodded at the crew—most of them were in their suits now and sealing up. They’d head for the airlock in less than five minutes, which would put them right on time.
Two of Peter’s team moved toward the locker, scanners in hand, while the third set up a portable analysis table. At the same time, Perez lifted her hand in farewell, her helmet already in place. The crew followed her out to the airlock, which was twenty meters down the corridor.
The locker room grew quiet and felt suddenly larger.
Adam got out of the way of the suit team. “Thanks, Peter,” he said, as he passed him.
Peter looked up from the portable terminal he was setting up. “This really could be sabotage?”
