Ripped Genes

Now that he knew Woon was alive, he was getting mad at him again. That didn’t stop him from smiling with relief when Woon and Sufra disembarked. He gave Woon a brusque nod and said mostly to Sufra, “I’m relieved to have you back. Go get some rest, Sufra.” She looked dishevelled but unharmed. Giving Woon a stern ‘follow me’ motion with his head, he strode into Peleus and slid into the pilot seat. From there, he started running diagnostics on the com panel.

Woon stood uneasily beside him. “Don’t bother, sir. I heard you.”

Walsh’s head turned. Woon dropped his eyes, guilt all over his face.

As Walsh stood, he popped the physical recording DISC out of the panel and pocketed it. “I’ll take this, anyway. Get cleaned up and report to my office.”

Woon gave a deep bow. “Yes, Captain-san.”

Half an hour later Woon entered Walsh’s office opposite the Ambassador’s at the back of the bridge. As Walsh didn’t spend a lot of time in there, he was revelling at how nice it was to work on his astronomy captures on his large photonic computer. As Woon snapped to attention in front of him in his full formal sixer uniform he tapped his screen flat into the desk.

“Holy crap, Mr. Takahashi, I don’t know where to begin. The sound effects you used, alone, were criminally bad.”

Woon’s eyes were glazed and staring straight ahead. He didn’t seem quite there, but he answered, “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t plan to be doing that.”

“I can imagine why! You could have easily lost us an irreplaceable ship, as well as the heads of both Security Six and Computer Science! If you ever pull something like that again, I don’t care how talented you are, you’re going straight to the brig. Have you got –” Walsh paused his tirade. “What in the bloody black galaxy are you doing?”

Woon had sunk to the floor and was busy adjusting ceremonial weapons in front of him. A long, very sharp looking tanto, a dagger with intricate Japanese designs, and an equally sharp short sword. With his head bowed, Woon whispered with deep sorrow, “I’ve displeased you, Captain-san. I would be honoured if you would be my second in the honourable act of seppuku.”