Before letting in Vasquez and his doc friend, JS glanced at Lucas Sr.'s letter: "I know from reliable source that the President gave the order to assassinate you. The order is illegal and secret and this makes it even more dangerous. GOD, instead, is interested in taking possession of your ship. I'll keep you informed." JS folded the letter and put it in his pocket. "I must find a safe place, ASAP." He thought, lest to bring more troubles to his people. At the door of the parlor, while he was going to ask Vasquez to introduce her friend to him, a Gray approached JS: "One word, Captain?" JS nodded and the Gray said: "We are returning among our people. My people owe you a debt of gratitude for freeing us from Rogue slavery." JS and the Gray greeted with due formality. "How he can shake hands with a Gray!" hissed the doctor. "They have abducted Eartheners and used them as guinea pigs for centuries!" Vasquez looked at her friend puzzled: "That Gray fought with us at the Yttrium Mines. We are brothers in arms!" JS came to meet them and noticed that the man had stiffened. Reading his mind, JS felt the man's animosity. "This is Dr. Lee de Carvalho." Vasquez introduced the doctor, "I'm at the bar." "I know who you are. A bloody murderer.." the doctor thought, but the flow of his thoughts was interrupted by JS. "I hope that Vasquez has explained about the job. She spoke very highly of you and I have a high opinion of her judgment," politely JS let Lee assimilate his words. "I was a medical officer on several ships of the EA fleet." Lee said, putting his resume on the table, but he was thinking: "I saw you on the Pasteur.. How many did you kill?" Staring Lee in the face, JS said: "Just to be clear. If you accept the job, you will execute my orders to the letter, whatever the order." Lee grinned, "I will obey your orders in the medical field also, won't I?" "You will, if I have to give you one. If you signs, your soul belongs to me, am I clear?" The man flinched and the memory of the EAS Pasteur ran in his mind like an accelerated movie. JS sighed. His people needed a real doctor, he knew it. "For a good cause" he thought and said: "If you do not consider justified any order of mine, tell me and you will be landed at the first port, but for no reason disobey my orders." The Steampunk Hell's owner knocked lightly on the door and indicated that he had to speak to JS. "Before taking on the job, I grant you a direct question and I promise an honest answer." JS said, nodding to the owner. "Two Rogue destroyers have just moored. They are asking questions about you." The bartender whispered. "The Pasteur, was it a covert operation? It was you who led it?" "No." JS replied staring at the doctor with his ice-silver eyes. "Your response?" "I agree. Do I have to sign with my blood?" said sternly Lee de Carvalho while thinking "I'll find if you lied. Those dead call revenge." "As you like." said JS concealing his fury and dismissing him. His past was haunting him and those he loved. Eve darted into the parlor. "Jay, listen..." and told him the mermaid's story. "They need help!" "Eve, we cannot. We already have our troubles!" JS set his jaw. All concerned about the pain she felt for the Atargatis people and unaware of JS's glacial mood, Eve exclaimed: "But, how can you! You can't be so insensitive!" "In my line of business callousness is a virtue." JS murmured, his voice hard with a pain he didn't acknowledge, even to himself, staring at her with a blank look. "Before, I had to cover only my a*s, but when I accepted your gift and took command of our people and the ship, I committed myself to serve and protect at my best. This means taking unpleasant, callous decisions. I am a man of my word. Sorry for that. We'll take off in half an hour." He left closing his mind and the door. --- Thanks bobbie25: Hardcore M4