A couple of the Navy pukes started gathering up the professor's stuff, and they kept looking at me scared like. I just shook my head at them, and went back up the aisle to get my stuff.

"Sorry, everyone. I shouldn't have blown my top like that." I shouldered my ruck and sighed. "That's not how a real Chief acts, trust me."

"Wow," Patricia said. "I knew Marines could move fast, but this is a record."

Sure enough, four big Marines came in, looked around, and headed straight for me. Not Merchant Marines, but actual combat Marines. Men and women that jump out of perfectly good spaceships, to go get on to another ship. Or to land on a planet and start blowing things up. Not someone the average person wants to mess with. My gray suiters hadn't gotten the word, though, and surged in front of me. They were willing to fight, but I wasn't sure about the odds. Four Marines is a hard nut to crack.

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"Everyone, stand down!" I ordered. Best to keep bones from being broken for no reason. I pushed through the crowd, and got to the front. "Patricia, I said stand down."

She looked ready to pop one of those Marines. She really ought to meet the First Officer, they would get along just fine.

The lead Marine had sergeants stripes, and she stopped right in front of me. "Identification?"

I handed her my ID card. She scanned it, and handed it back. "Come with us."

It wasn't a polite request, but then again, I didn't deserve it. I had lost my cool in public, and it would upset Captain when he heard about it. Time to make sure the others can carry on.

"Raul, Conrad, Patricia; carry on. You know what to do. Raul, you have the conn."