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out of it, and you would have positively roared."
"Come on, Diana, it was funny and you know it," Freddy said with a
grin after finally losing the battle. "How long has it been since the
last time you had to do that?"
"I never did it, Freddy, because I never got caught," I explained,
then rubbed at my eyes. "But things haven't been going too well for
me lately& I'm getting out of here before Attila the Hun thinks up
any more entertaining exercises. I'll see you around."
"Wait a minute and I'll take you back to your quarters," Freddy said,
stopping me by catching my arm. "You might not remember the way."
I stopped and gave him the most sarcastic look I was capable of, and
at least he had the decency to look embarrassed.
"Sorry," he apologized with a wry grin. "I guess I forgot that
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Tanderon by Sharon Green - Chapter 7
infiltration techniques include automatic memorizing of routes
covered."
"Yes, they certainly do," I agreed. "And it looks like it's a good
thing you'll be auditing my course at 2 every night. I think you need
a refresher. Pete said to tell you we start tomorrow night."
"Fine," he acknowledged with a nod. "I'll pick you up at your
quarters at 2045 hours, right after - ah - "
He knew damned well I was scheduled for punishment before the meeting
time he'd specified, but the pink in his cheeks showed he thought it
impolitic to mention it.
"You've got it," I told him sweetly, patting his cheek. "2045, right
after ah. Don't be late or I'll leave without you."
I unhooked my arm from his grip and left the building, making sure to
close the door firmly behind me. Normally I wouldn't have minded
Freddy's company, but I had a couple of stops to make on the way back
to quarters. It had been a while since I'd last visited the Academy,
but the locations of my stops weren't difficult to remember.
One was just a short way up South Street and the other was just
beyond South Street at the far end of White Sheet Lane, not too far
from the women's barracks. Both spots were guarded by human beings
rather than electronic equipment, and if I hadn't been there on
private business of my own I probably would have called Pete and
described their sloppiness. No human being, man or woman, can be
alert all the time, but guards walking posts are usually expected to
make some effort toward that end. One day it wouldn't be me trying to
get past them, and that somebody else might not mind leaving no
living witnesses behind.
I stood in a quiet and shadowed corner for a moment, toying with the
idea of reporting them to save their lives at a future time, then
shrugged and left them to their destiny. None of the guards was a
child and they all knew better, and none of them would be grateful
for being called on their sloppiness. I had enough problems of my own
just now, and slipping away quietly was one way of not adding to
them.
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Tanderon by Sharon Green - Chapter 7
When I got back to my quarters, I discovered that my two roommates
were back. They looked up from their bunks when I opened the door,
and gave me the sort of inspection only one woman can give another.
They were both about eighteen, both had dark hair, but there the
similarity ended.
One was plain looking - the shy, mousy type - and she smiled when I
looked at her. I returned the smile, then looked at the other one
again. This second girl was a real beauty with clear, translucent
skin, peaches and cream complexion, and deep, limpid eyes. She lay
stretched out in long comfort on her bunk, and her expression said
she hated me at first sight. This was the sort of trouble Pete had
been thinking about when he'd said I didn't even have to start it.
With some people, you start trouble just by being there.
"Hi," the mousy one greeted me, shifting around on her bunk. "You
must be the third of our party. I'm Elaine Reynolds, and this is
Linda Simmons. What's your name?"
"Diana Santee," I told her with a nod. "Nice to meet you, Elaine,
Linda. Care for a smoke?"
I held up the carton of cigarettes I'd filched from the stores
warehouse on White Sheet Lane. I could have tried to buy them from
the PX, of course, but I didn't feel like taking any chances. If one
more person told me I was too young to do something, I'd scream. Or
worse.
"Where did you get that?" Linda demanded with instant suspicion,
turning her head a little to see the carton better. "I didn't think
cadets were allowed to smoke."
"Regulations say that cadets can smoke in their quarters when they're
off duty," I explained to her while closing the door behind me, then
stepping farther into the room. "The PX carries tons of these
cartons. Anybody interested?"
"I am," Elaine said, sitting up in a cross-legged position. "I've
been dying all day, but I was afraid to ask. Are you sure it's all
right?"
"Positive," I assured her. "Knowing what is and isn't contra regs is
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Tanderon by Sharon Green - Chapter 7
my hobby. Normally this time of day would not be off duty, but today
it is."
"You might as well give me a pack too," Linda said sourly, not moving
from the languorous position she'd taken. "If you two are going to
smoke, I'm not going to just lie here and watch you."
I tossed them each a pack, then lit up myself and stretched out on my
own bunk. I was beat from running around all day and starving from
having missed lunch, but I'd have to get dressed for parade in a
little more than an hour. What a life! And some people made careers
out of it!
A minute later there was a knock at the door, followed immediately by
the entrance of two female proctors. The two newcomers came over to
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