The lean, well muscled,
trim figure of the Queen's commander gave the impression of hard bitten
force held in check by will control, just as his face under its thick
layer of space burn was that of an adventurer accustomed to make split
second decisions--an estimate underlined by that seam of blaster burn
across one flat cheek.
Van Rycke, with a slight change of dress, could have been a Company man
in the higher ranks--or so the casual observer would have placed him,
until an observer marked the eyes behind those sleepy drooping lids, or
caught a certain note in the calm, unhurried drawl of his voice. To look
at the two senior officers of the Free Trading spacer were the antithesis
of each other--in action they were each half of a powerful, steamroller
whole--as a good many men in the Service--scattered over a half dozen or
so planets--had discovered to their cost in the past.
Now Jellico brought the heels of his space boots together with an
extravagant click and his hand flourished at the fore of his helmet in a
gesture which was better suited to the Patrol hero of a slightly
out-of-date Video serial.
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