Tara|NNP stood|VBD stock-still|JJ ,|, waiting|VBG for|IN the|DT first|JJ tiny|JJ gleam|NN from|IN the|DT scout|NN craft|NN to|TO appear|VB in|IN the|DT darkness|NNS of|IN the|DT wormhole|NN .|. 
The|DT gentle|JJ constant|JJ breeze|NN of|IN recycled|VBN air|NN from|IN the|DT vent|NN above|IN blew|VBD an|DT annoying|JJ hair|NN against|IN her|PRP$ nose|NN ,|, but|CC she|PRP ignored|VBD it|PRP .|. 

A|DT gasp|VB from|IN the|DT psychic|JJ broke|VBD her|PRP$ silent|JJ vigil|NN ,|, and|CC she|PRP turned|VBD .|. 

"|'' Results|NNS ,|, Harmon|NNP ?|. "|'' 
she|PRP suppressed|VBD the|DT surge|NN of|IN annoyance|NN that|WDT ran|VBD through|IN her|PRP as|IN she|PRP contemplated|VBD the|DT psi|NN 's|POS gift|NN of|IN getting|VBG all|PDT the|DT hot|JJ news|NN first|RB .|. 

Harmon|NNP 's|POS face|NN slowly|RB animated|VBN -|: joy|NN sweeping|JJ in|IN to|TO replace|VB stern|JJ concentration|NN .|. 
"|'' Tarrin|NNP says|VBZ the|DT planet|NN 's|VBZ a|DT freaking|VBG gemstone|NN !|. 
Thriving|VBG with|IN life|NN ,|, large|JJ and|CC small|JJ forms|NNS ,|, no|DT buildings|NNS of|IN any|DT kind|NN ,|, hydrocarbons|NNS ,|, metals|NNS ,|, and|CC a|DT stable|JJ atmosphere|NN .|. 
He|PRP 's|VBZ not|RB even|RB bringing|VBG them|PRP back|RB through|IN for|IN a|DT face|NN to|TO face|VB briefing|NN .|. 
He|PRP says|VBZ we|PRP should|MD come|VB through|IN now|RB ,|, immediately|RB ,|, before|IN the|DT probe|NN is|VBZ reported|VBN late|RB .|. "|'' 

"|'' Harmon|NNP ,|, tell|VB that|IN good|JJ for|IN nothing|NN son|NN of|IN a|DT beta|NN to|TO get|VB his|PRP$ hindquarters|NNS through|IN the|DT gate|NN and|CC back|RB here|RB NOW|RB ,|, or|CC I|PRP 'll|MD open|VB fire|VB on|IN him|PRP when|WRB we|PRP come|VBP back|RB through|IN .|. "|'' 
Tara|NNP fumed|JJ .|. 
Of|IN all|PDT the|DT impertinence|NN !|. 
Tarrin|NNP ,|, no|DT doubt|NN with|IN orders|NNS from|IN Mason|NNP ,|, was|VBD questioning|VBG her|PRP$ command|NN decisions|NNS .|. 
That|DT 's|VBZ what|WP I|PRP get|VBP for|IN not|RB using|VBG mercenaries|NNS .|. 

She|PRP returned|VBD to|TO her|PRP$ watch|NN ,|, regarding|VBG her|PRP$ own|JJ reflection|NN in|IN the|DT long|JJ window|NN .|. 
Mahogany-black|NNP curly|JJ hair|NN ,|, cut|VB short|JJ in|IN the|DT typical|JJ military|JJ style|NN framed|VBN a|DT careworn|NN ,|, dark-skinned|JJ face|NN .|. 
It|PRP was|VBD not|RB an|DT attractive|JJ face|NN right|RB now|RB ;|: her|PRP$ ebony|NN eyes|NNS shadowed|VBN by|IN hours|NNS on|IN the|DT watch|NN ,|, full|JJ lips|NNS pursed|JJ with|IN frustration|NN .|. 
She|PRP had|VBD the|DT look|NN of|IN every|DT leader|NN she|PRP had|VBD ever|RB known|VBN .|. 
At|IN six|CD foot|NN two|CD ,|, she|PRP stood|VBD a|DT full|JJ head|NN taller|JJR than|IN even|RB her|PRP$ Arrallin|NNP first|JJ officer|NN .|. 
Her|PRP$ glowering|VBG expression|NN completed|VBD the|DT imposing|VBG effect|NN .|. 
She|PRP picked|VBD imaginary|JJ flecks|NNS off|RP her|PRP$ stark|JJ gray|JJ jumpsuit|NN ,|, and|CC snorted|JJ .|. 
You|PRP look|VBP like|IN hell|NN ,|, Tar|NNP .|. 
Do|VBP n't|RB blow|VB this|DT .|. 
Do|VBP n't|RB let|VB fatigue|NN get|VB to|TO you|PRP .|. 

She|PRP used|VBD the|DT discretion|NN of|IN the|DT mirrored|VBD window|NN to|TO secretively|RB survey|VB her|PRP$ crew|NN .|. 
Harmon|NNP was|VBD an|DT excellent|JJ addition|NN to|TO the|DT bridge|NN team|NN ,|, but|CC was|VBD she|PRP open|RB minded|VBD enough|RB to|TO defy|VBP United|NNP Earth|NNP Command|NNP and|CC sever|VB all|DT ties|NNS from|IN Earth|NNP ?|. 
She|PRP watched|VBD the|DT psi|NN bob|NN her|PRP$ head|NN ,|, unaware|JJ of|IN the|DT rest|NN of|IN the|DT bridge|NN ,|, shaking|VBG blonde|JJ curls|NNS as|IN she|PRP chattered|JJ away|RB with|IN the|DT approaching|VBG psi|NN relay|NN on|IN Mason|NNP 's|POS ship|NN .|. 
She|PRP seemed|VBD so|RB depthless|JJ -|: self|NN conscious|JJ and|CC shallow|JJ on|IN the|DT outside|JJ ,|, but|CC having|VBG that|IN incredible|JJ gift|NN .|. 
There|EX had|VBD to|TO be|VB more|JJR to|TO her|PRP .|. 

Well|RB ,|, if|IN she|PRP did|VBD n't|RB pan|VB out|RB ,|, she|PRP 'd|MD be|VB terminated|VBN .|. 
Any|DT crew|NN member|NN that|WDT would|MD jeopardize|VB the|DT project|NN was|VBD meat|NN .|. 
It|PRP would|MD be|VB a|DT shame|NN to|TO lose|VB that|DT talent|NN ,|, though|RB .|. 

Rakal|NNP ,|, her|PRP$ first|JJ officer|NN ,|, was|VBD staring|VBG pensively|RB at|IN his|PRP$ panel|NN .|. 
He|PRP was|VBD what|WP this|DT was|VBD all|DT about|IN .|. 
She|PRP watched|VBD his|PRP$ graceful|JJ fingers|NNS ending|VBG in|IN thick|JJ black|JJ claws|NNS tap|VB out|RP calculations|NNS on|IN the|DT panel|NN .|. 
His|PRP$ pointed|JJ ears|NNS swiveled|VBD back|RB and|CC forth|RB ,|, catching|VBG every|DT sound|NN from|IN the|DT bridge|NN ,|, while|IN his|PRP$ long|JJ tail|NN swished|VBD to|TO the|DT rhythm|NN of|IN his|PRP$ thoughts|NNS .|. 
Only|RB those|DT of|IN the|DT Arrallin|NNP Insurrection|NNP inner|JJ team|NN knew|VBD he|PRP was|VBD no|DT common|JJ '|POS beta|NN furry|NN '|'' .|. 
His|PRP$ silken|NN fur|NN ,|, which|WDT would|MD be|VB tawny|NN golden|JJ and|CC striped|VBN with|IN jet|NN black|JJ bands|NNS ,|, was|VBD dyed|VBN perfectly|RB to|TO a|DT pure|JJ black|NN ,|, and|CC his|PRP$ mane|NN trimmed|VBD and|CC thinned|VBN as|IN to|TO be|VB indistinguishable|JJ from|IN the|DT rest|NN of|IN his|PRP$ coat|NN .|. 
His|PRP$ eyes|NNS had|VBD been|VBN treated|VBN and|CC darkened|JJ to|TO a|DT rich|JJ purple|JJ to|TO disguise|VB the|DT brilliant|JJ golden|JJ yellow|JJ color|NN that|WDT would|MD mark|VB him|PRP as|IN an|DT Alpha|NNP Arrallin|NNP ,|, and|CC leader|NN of|IN his|PRP$ hive|JJ .|. 
Right|RB now|RB ,|, he|PRP looked|VBD like|IN an|DT overgrown|NN wolf|NN who|WP 'd|MD learned|VBD touch-typing|JJ .|. 

The|DT scout|NN ship|NN re-emerged|VBD from|IN the|DT hole|NN -|: a|DT brilliant|JJ speck|NN emerging|VBG from|IN a|DT sphere|NN of|IN velvety|NN blackness|NNS .|. 
It|PRP 's|VBZ hail|NN crackled|JJ across|IN the|DT comm|NN ,|, and|CC Tara|NNP spun|VBD to|TO retake|NN her|PRP$ seat|NN at|IN the|DT helm|NN .|. 
"|'' Launch|NNP the|DT second|JJ probe|NN .|. 
Wo|NNP n't|RB Central|NNP be|VB crushed|VBN to|TO learn|VB that|IN another|DT gateway|NN has|VBZ yielded|VBN little|JJ more|JJR than|IN a|DT class|NN F|NN planet|NN and|CC a|DT white|JJ dwarf|NN system|NN .|. 
Level|NNP 1|CD and|CC 2|CD staffers|NNS should|MD prepare|VB to|TO be|VB briefed|VBN and|CC move|NN out|RP .|. 
This|DT sounds|VBZ like|IN it|PRP 's|VBZ the|DT one|CD .|. "|'' 
The|DT distinctive|JJ whuffle|NN of|IN pleasure|NN rippled|JJ through|IN the|DT betas|NNS on|IN the|DT bridge|NN ,|, and|CC Rakal|NNP let|VBP loose|VB a|DT small|JJ growl|NN ,|, as|IN if|IN to|TO caution|VB his|PRP$ charges|NNS against|IN false|JJ hope|NN .|. 
They|PRP 'd|MD scouted|JJ twenty-seven|CD gates|NNS so|RB far|RB ,|, and|CC none|NN had|VBD turned|VBN up|RB anything|NN worth|JJ the|DT Insurrection|NNP 's|POS time|NN .|. 
Tara|NNP would|MD not|RB let|VB giddy|JJ hopes|VBZ drag|VB them|PRP onto|IN a|DT rock|NN that|WDT would|MD spell|VB the|DT end|NN for|IN the|DT project|NN ,|, and|CC the|DT Arrallin|NNP species|NNS .|. 

