“What’s the big deal?” Clint couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “God, you really are a swabbie, Maier.” He couldn’t stop looking down at his pretty new vehicles from the control station as Nika eased them back out onto the ocean.
“Careful there, Lieutenant. Your Pappy wouldn’t be amused.” Her tone was neutral, but he felt as if he’d just been slapped.
She’d been acting strangely ever since he’d met her down on the loading deck. Had Sly said something to her? That didn’t seem likely.
Not knowing what minefield he’d just wandered into, he decided to proceed more carefully.
“Those,” he said over the intercom, waving his hand toward the vehicles now chained to the hovercraft’s deck even though he knew Nika couldn’t see him do so. “Imagine that the Ranger Special Operations Vehicles that
