Deep

Chapter 71 The third time's a Charm.

I retrieved my hot sauce and returned it to its place on the condiments cart.

Now I need to call Cassandra and I made the call. She picked up on the second tone.

'Hello, Captain, what can I do for you today?' 

'Doctor, I was wondering if it was okay...' 

'For you to report to duty early?' She finished.

' Err. Yes, doctor.' She eyed me with those emerald pools of hers.

'Is there another looming crisis?'

'No, it's the same crisis, but the situation has changed.'

'Do I want to know the details?' I chose not to lie to her.

'Doctor you will discover everything, but not at this moment.'

'I will have to perform another HX scan.' she said. I shuddered at the mental image of myself restrained in that machine for a third time.

'Okay, Doctor, maybe the third time will be a charm.'

She chuckled at my statement. ' Maybe it will.'

'I'll be across shortly,'

'Good, don't keep a lady waiting too long.' She said and disconnected. It's a good thing she is on our side otherwise...

I secured both data cases in my safe and dashed to Main Medical. 

*

Thirty minutes later, blast these security procedures. I was at Main Medical. Corporal Humar was at the main desk. She saw me and saluted. I returned her salute and said 'Carry on.'

I headed to Cassandra's office. When I got there, I pressed the office door intercom. The door opened. She was waiting for me.

'I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long, Doctor,' I said.

'Not long, all things considered,' she said. 

'Let's get this thing launched and into orbit as soon as possible, Doctor.'

Fifteen minutes later, Cassandra thoroughly restrained me in the HX scanner for the third time. I hope we will discover something useful this time.

Bob appeared just after the scan started. [Hey, what ya doing?] he asked.

Oh, nothing, just getting my head examined.

[Does that hurt?]