A Meeting is Arranged

Meanwhile O'Tool looked at Astra, who was currently wearing only her panties, and frowned. "I hope that's chocolate."

"You've already made that joke once, back on the shuttle," Astra pointed out. "At least, I hope it was a joke."

"Sorry. And while I'm apologising, I'm sorry for that charade of arresting you. I had to make it seem convincing in case unfriendly eyes were watching."

"But how did you know that we...?" Stacy began. "Ah, Haruto."

"Yes, he's an old friend of mine. He rang to tell me that you were heading to Solidarity One and that he feared that you might be in danger. I happened to be land-side at the time, and it wasn't hard for me to spot you at the spaceport and get a seat on the shuttle."

"Haruto 'feared we might be in danger'? I wonder why?" Stacy said drily. Astra grinned.

"I'd better arrange for you to meet your friend, Michiko, A.S.A.P." O'Tool produced a phone from his pocket, and entered her number. "Michiko? This is Inspector O'Tool. I have a couple of people with me who I think you'd like to meet. Can you be in Bio-Dome 3 in say ten minutes?... Excellent. See you there."

He turned back to Stacy and Astra. Astra had finished putting on her jumpsuit, but Stacy was still struggling into hers. "Get a move on," he told her. "We don't want to keep your friend waiting."

"I'm not sure it's going to fit."

"Of course it will. It's one size fits all."

When Stacy had finally struggled into the jumpsuit, which was made of some stretchy material and fit her like a - very tight - glove, O'Tool led her and Astra out of the room. "I'm going to try to take us by little-used corridors, so our route will be slightly round-about," he said. "We don't want to run into anyone who was on the shuttle if we can help it, or they'd wonder what was going on."

1. They manage to avoid being seen. Michiko is waiting for them in Bio-Dome 3.
2. They are spotted by someone whom Stacy remembers having seen on the shuttle.

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