Home Front (Star Kingdom #7) - Lindsay Buroker Page 0,83
on the top of the list of people who will be able to buy them once the professor makes more.” Shayban patted Casmir on the shoulder. This might not have been his plan, but he was willing to capitalize on it.
“Whatever it takes to get one,” the delegate said.
“You better get started promptly, Professor. Days pass quickly.” Shayban turned the pat into a shoulder squeeze.
“I’ve… heard that.”
Casmir had a grasp of how the slydar detector worked, but could he truly build one from scratch that quickly? He had better. He couldn’t imagine how they would find Dubashi without a working slydar detector.
“Let’s let the man work.” Shayban lifted his hands. “And start prepping the ships you’ll send after Dubashi. I’ll do the same. Samar, see to it that the professor doesn’t run out of snacks.”
Samar’s expression was wry as he looked at Casmir’s pile of cans and wrappers, but all he said was, “Of course, Father.”
Tristan and Nalini lingered after Shayban and the delegates filtered out.
“Do you need help, Casmir?” Tristan asked. “You look daunted.”
“Do I? Huh.”
Nalini poked Tristan in the shoulder. “I think you’re supposed to call him Acting Admiral Casmir now.”
Tristan eyed Casmir. “I think he’d prefer it if I didn’t.”
Casmir nodded in ardent agreement. “What kind of help? I could definitely use some engineering assistants. And I’ll take your math expertise if you want to lend it.”
“I’m not sure it would be helpful with software development or whatever you need for that thing, but if you want it, it’s yours. I also thought I could go along with you and your new fleet as a representative of the sultan, assuming he’ll approve. If I’m with you, his ship commanders might give you less lip. Asger didn’t take my pertundo, so I could wave it menacingly if need be.”
“You’re planning on leaving again?” Nalini frowned at him. “Without me?”
“I appreciate the offer, but you don’t have to come, Tristan,” Casmir said. “I’ll have Zee and the crushers I don’t send with Asger. They can loom menacingly if needed.”
“Hm, I thought it might be helpful to have someone who’s almost in the sultan’s family along in case you run into any red tape.” Tristan held Nalini’s hand. Did that mean he’d proposed? Or she had?
“Or,” Nalini said before Casmir could figure out if he should offer congratulations, “you could take a current and blood family member along.” Nalini patted Tristan’s hand and squinted at Casmir. “If you end up chasing Dubashi through the gate and into a different system—or into your home system—it might be useful for you to have someone who can speak as his representative.” She nodded, as if she’d decided without anyone else’s input. “I’ll make sure my father is all right with it.”
Tristan scratched his jaw as she walked out.
“Did you expect her to throw herself into danger?” Casmir asked.
“It’s not surprising. I was just debating if she has an ulterior motive. She’s not a student of war tactics and strategy, as far as I know.”
“Maybe she wants to come along this time to try to keep you safe.”
“I don’t think that’s it,” Tristan said. “She once mentioned being interested in real-estate development deals in the Kingdom. Maybe she thinks you’ll end up back in System Lion and that there’ll be opportunities there in the aftermath of the war. I once offered to show her the neighborhood where I grew up.”
“Nice place?”
“Oh, no. It’s a hellhole. But Nalini likes to take neighborhoods like that and develop them into something nicer. It’s also possible that her father will want her to spy on the Kingdom and try to figure out where those gate pieces went.” He shrugged. “I guess you’ll have a chaperone, acting admiral.”
“I’m hoping someone comes along who has actual military experience.”
“Asger and Bjarke?”
“They’re preparing for another mission. That reminds me. I need to send them three dozen crushers.”
Tristan blinked.
Casmir yawned, his mouth opening so wide his jaw hinge cracked. “And then figure out how to mass produce slydar detectors.”
“You’re winning over the systems by making things for people. I wonder if that’s ever been done before.”
Casmir had no idea, so he only spread his arms. “Who doesn’t like gifts?”
A new message came in on his chip, not from Asger but from his father.
Will you send along a copy of your virus? Bjarke asked. And instructions on how to use it on the Druckers?
I can send it. I doubt you’ll be able to trick them into accepting a file download from you.