Triad. Sheila Finch

      “Dammit, Lil! I’m not talking about trade agreements. How can you make an agreement with animals?”

      “Sounds like you’ve made up your mind before all the data are in.”

      “I’m just suggesting—”

      “We’d have to call a crew meeting over this. There’s a moral issue involved. “ One of the first things she’d learned at the Academy years ago: never trust simple solutions to issues involving ethics. To anticipate consequences of her actions, a captain had to consult with her crew. Everybody’s opinion was useful.

      “Forget protocol for a while!” Madel slapped her hand hard on the lab counter in emphasis.

      But it was a tempting idea. And maybe it was meant to be, she thought. Surely it had been an act of fate that brought them here in the first place. “What’re you suggesting I do?”

      “Just let me get on with my research. Later, when we’re ready, you can put the word to CenCom.”

      “We?”

      “Actually, it was Dori’s idea.”

      “I should’ve have known,” Lil said. “Well, I’ll think about it.”

      “Don’t think too long. And Lil”—Madel glanced at the small lab console where the green eye was temporarily closed—”keep this away from HANA. We don’t want it leaking to CenCom before we’re ready.”