Banished! — 7: Every Ship Alone

Matt hung up the phone and looked at his two officers on the opposite side of his desk. They just stared back at him. Jada looked appalled, but Carson was noncommittal.

“Damn it,” Matt said. “We’re all alone here.”

Carson nodded his head in agreement, then said, “Perhaps it is for the best at this time, Captain.”

Matt stared at him. “What do you mean?”

“The Balboa captain just said we shouldn’t appear to be ganging up on the Abdallah. He didn’t say it was forever.”

“Yeah,” Jada said thoughtfully. “He also didn’t say that at some point the two wouldn’t join together against us.”

The Captain nodded his head in agreement.

“Exactly,” he said. “We need to stay alert for any change in their actions that may merit our attention and a reaction from us.”

“So,” Jada said. “I guess that means that for now we are free to concentrate on our own problems. Shouldn’t we get started immediately on those topside extenders so the colonists can get outside?”

“Yes,” Matt said. “Then they can begin right away to do all the things we need to get moving on the most important things. The planting of crops, sending down the divers to investigate what’s below, and all the rest.”