Looking Glass 4 - Claws That Catch Read Online Free Page A

they just assumed if we were attending . . .”
    “It must be mandatory,” Weaver added with a chuckle. “More or less what Chief Miller said, except for the first bit.”
    “What the President doesn't realize is that this could have been a disaster,” the CAO continued. “On many levels. One of them being curiosity. So far the press hasn't asked why we're all here. They still may. They're getting closer and closer to the truth.”
    “I saw the article in the Washington Times, sir,” Bill said. The “Inside the Ring” column speculated, based on a number of data items, that the U.S. either had a space drive or was approaching having one. An earlier article had reported from “an anonymous source” that the Dreen had been located in real space and were somewhere near the Orion stars. That had probably come from the destruction of the HD 36951 colony. But with all the money that was going towards planning the Space Navy, the appointment of the CAO, the changes in training for every branch of the Navy . . .  The reality was bound to break sooner or later. “I think the President's playing a very dangerous game in not releasing the information.”
    “He's the Commander-In-Chief,” the CAO responded. “It's up to him, not us.”
    “Understood, sir,” Bill replied. “Just my opinion as a citizen, not an officer.”
    “And one thing to learn as an officer is that that is a very fine line,” the CAO said. “That was not a reaming, just pointing it out. You skipped a bunch of steps in your professional development and that might not have gotten through to you. We may have private political opinions, especially those based on our proprietary knowledge. We may voice them with close friends and peers. But we don't act on them except in the privacy of the ballot box. Among other things, even when we think we have the knowledge necessary to make a decision, often we're not privy to everything.”
    “Yes, sir,” Bill said, trying not to smile. “And the officers who clearly have too many friends in the press corps?”
    “If I find them, I will quietly move them out of any position of proprietary knowledge at all,” the CAO said. “I'd, frankly, prefer to move them to Davy Jones's Locker, but there is so much paperwork involved in something like that. Diego Garcia will have to do. But so far the details are holding. So far. I should leave.”
    “Excuse me, sir?” Bill said.
    “Young Bergstresser appears to want to introduce his bride to you,” the CAO said, gesturing with his chin.
    The bride and groom were circulating and being congratulated. Weaver had been watching one of the bridesmaids, a particularly pulchritudinous example of womanflesh, and hadn't noticed Berg and his bride getting closer and closer. As he glanced over, though, he caught a flash of Two-Gun looking their way and it was obvious he was unwilling to approach with the CAO there.
    The next time Berg looked up, Weaver caught his eye and gestured with his head for him to come over. Berg's glance at the CAO was clear so Weaver repeated the gesture.
    “Sir, Two-Gun has faced some of the worst monsters in the Galaxy,” Weaver said as the bride and groom approached. “He can face the Chief of Astronautic Operations.”
    “Admiral Townsend,” Berg said, nodding formally at the CAO, “may I present my bride, Mrs. Eric Bergstresser.”
    “Of course, Lieutenant,” the CAO said, taking Brooke's hand and bowing to kiss it formally. “Mrs. Bergstresser, you are a vision. It is said that every bride is beautiful but you exceed all expectations.”
    “Thank you, sir,” Brooke said, blushing.
    “I know that you feel you've picked the finest man on earth to marry,” the admiral continued. “And I agree. Sometime, sometime quite soon, you will be finding out just how extraordinary this young man is.”
    “Does that mean that his missions won't be . . .” Brooke's forehead furrowed for a moment then she shrugged. “I think the term is