It was Mr. Tashun's secretary. Tashun was about three reporting levels above me. When he called, you wanted to be anywhere else. It was a command perf...rmance, in his office immediately. I put my suit jacket on and straightened my tie. The elevator made the trip seem like forever. His secretary motioned for me to go right in. Standing next to him was Reese, his niece. No, not again! The last time she visited the office, I assigned her filing, and before the day was over, I was filling her,. .. ''... (pain)... ''... Skryben, report!... ''... (pain)... Officer Korsun... Acting Captain Rand Korsun... 'For long moments, there was no other response. Rand pushed feebly at the keys of his console, but it was dead, too. Dead, like the screens, and the drives. Inside his mind, the link with Skryben strengthened, broke down, strengthened again. He forced his blurry thoughts to scan all of her systems.Fusion engines. Those were his first concern. If those great cryogenic engines were dead,. It's a competition among ten of us for three jobs," I said quietly, dropping down into my usual kitchen chair. "I should have expected that."Diane walked to me and wrapped her arms round me, giving me her usual welcome home hug."You'll do fine," she said, her hand under my jaw and tilting my face up to hers. "Just be the man I know you are and you will be one of the three. I know it."If Diane believed in me, then who was I to be worried about the outcome? I needed to believe in myself and hope. "And you?" Milli asked."My favorite flavor is turned on German Teacher," Letty whispered. "But they don't make ice cream in that flavor."Everyone in the entryway laughed at that. Jessica looked around. "Kelsey still hasn't come to her senses?" Not that I've heard," I said sadly. "I did drop off a present with her parents, and I know Matti did as well." Where is my third companion?" Jessica asked. "I've decided that as long as she doesn't change I can definitely take her." Have you found a man.