Méridien (The Silver Ships Book 3) (16 page)
Read Méridien (The Silver Ships Book 3) Online
Authors: S. H. Jucha
Tags: #Science Fiction & Fantasy, #Science Fiction, #Alien Invasion, #First Contact, #Space Opera
Alex glanced at Renée, who rose, and the two of them left the meal room.
* * *
Samuel Hunsader and Clayton Downing sat ensconced in a salon at the CEO’s palatial home. Downing had settled his portly bulk into a luxurious armchair chair while he delivered the news to Hunsader of the death of his nephew and the failure of their plot. Hunsader paced in front of Downing, his footsteps muffled by the thick pile of the hand woven carpet.
“Sit down, Sam, relax,” Downing said. “Enjoy some of this marvelous o’bour you’ve procured. We’re in the clear. As you know, all the participants are dead. Our Strikers were wiped from the sky and—” Downing paused. “Sorry again, Sam, about your nephew. He was a brave boy. But to my point, when that upbraided Captain lost his temper, he removed our remaining people aboard that shuttle he’d shot down. In our favor, he destroyed the three Strikers parked on the shuttle apron at Prima’s secondary terminal. Can you imagine loosing missiles on a city terminal? He’s certifiable. By my count, that’s ten of our fighters, a shuttle, and over forty of our people. We can use this against him—paint him in the media as having gone alien, a man who no longer cares about his own people.”
Downing would have said more, but four TSF troopers with plasma rifles, led by a Colonel, burst into the salon. For a brief moment, Hunsader wondered how they had gotten past his security, both electronic and personal. He would soon be shocked to see how many TSF troopers waited outside on the grounds, pinning his security people face down on the ground and securing their hands behind their backs.
“Samuel Hunsader and Clayton Downing,” the Colonel announced, “it gives me the greatest pleasure to inform both of you that you are under arrest.” While the Colonel’s shoulder-mounted vid recorded his pronouncement of their rights, the troopers roughly secured the two men, despite their vocal objections.
“You have nothing against us, Colonel,” Downing said. “That silly excuse for an Admiral made sure of that.”
“Oh, I see,” the Colonel replied. “You’re confused by that media announcement of the downed shuttle full of TSF troopers … the one that actually was forced to land at Barren. The same one that was full of people who turned evidence to avoid life sentences. It seems they implicated people who in turn produced proof of your involvement.” As Hunsader started to object, the Colonel shoved him out the salon’s doorway, saying, “Save it for your trial.”
* * *
In his suite, Alex worked through final preparations. He ordered Andrea and Sheila to transfer six Daggers, pilots, flight crew, and armament to the
Unsere Menschen
.
to service the Daggers. Make this a priority over all other work.>
Alex’s next comms were to Director Stroheim, the liner Captains, and the Captain of the remaining freighter.
. The contractors will prepare a bay directly opposite the station hookup, which you may not need too much longer. Lieutenant Dorian has command of the fighters. He will guide you in the disposition of your ships around the city-ship to provide maximum protection. Please obey his directions in this regard.”
Alex released the Captains from the comm but kept Eric on, sending,
Alex made two final calls, the first to his family, which was uncharacteristically short as Alex’s mind was elsewhere, and a second call to the President.
under Lieutenant Dorian’s command. He has orders to defend the Libran flotilla at any and all costs.>
Maria could sense the anger still simmering beneath Alex’s words. That their relationship had reached this state saddened her. “Admiral, I want you to know that Hunsader and Downing will be prosecuted and more than likely will receive life sentences in prison.”
“I wish to personally apologize to you, Alex, for not being more proactive. We failed as a people to protect our society and our values. The lesson has been learned. My hope is that you trust us again someday to deal well and fairly with your people.”
After they signed off, Maria recalled Alex’s last statement. He had called her by her first name. She held that small gesture close in her thoughts.
The flotilla left New Terra for Libre with little fanfare. The
Money Maker
led the way, setting the limit of the flotilla’s acceleration. The
Freedom
and the
Rêveur
, with the
Outward Bound
attached, shadowed the freighter.
Alex had been assured by President Gonzalez that she had absolute control over the Strikers stationed on Niomedes, Cressida, and Sharius. Nonetheless, Alex had Sheila stand by, ready to launch at a moment’s notice. Now that Alex was responsible for the lives of so many, trust existed in short supply.
When the flotilla cleared the orbit of the gas-giant Seda, the system’s last planet, without an incident, Alex called a strategy meeting with his officers. Sheila and Lazlo participated via comm while Mutter mirrored the
Rêveur
’s holo-vid display, which Alex, Andrea, and Tatia had gathered around.
Tatia caught the small smile that had briefly played across Alex’s face.
While Alex and Andrea were staring at the display, the holo-vid display reversed itself and rolled forward again, but from a slightly different angle.
Rêveur
’s bridge,
Tatia took the plunge first, sending,
Sheila chimed in,
Tatia withheld her opinion, waiting for the others. She had already signaled she was leaning the Admiral’s way. When Alex had first announced his intentions, she had researched their first silver ship encounter with Julien. The fighter’s abrupt about-face, abandoning its pursuit of Sheila, had always needled her.
<“Prison ship” might be a better term,> said Tatia.
* * *
New Terra’s ice fields lay behind the flotilla, and they entered FTL early the following morning. Alex spent the day game-planning tactics to capture a silver ship. Questions often arose. What next? What next after we capture a ship? What next if we free the inhabitants? What about the prison ship? The frustration came from the fact that no one, including Alex, had answers to the questions.
After evening meal, Alex retired to his cabin. He stood in the refresher for a long time, enjoying the pulsing massage of the liquid on his shoulders and neck. No matter which plan was attempted, the tactics would be dangerous and lives would be lost, but Alex couldn’t bring himself to participate in the elimination of a captive species.
Alex reluctantly shut down the refresher. As he exited, he expected to be handed his robe, but Renée walked to the bed.
“Come. I have learned a technique I wish to try,” Renée said. When Alex lay on his back on the bed, she added, “Not this evening, my love. I require you roll on to your stomach.”
Alex followed her request. While their lovemaking had become quite inventive, he was sure this position would be quite impossible. He heard the soft whisper of Renée’s wrap as it slid off and felt her straddle his lower back. Then her hands, covered in a soothing gel, began massaging his neck. Her fingers were strong despite their slenderness. She worked the gel into his neck and his shoulders for a half-hour.
Despite the coolness of the room, Renée felt the sweat running down her lower back and between her thighs as she rocked against Alex’s lower back. Her hands were tiring as she worked to relieve Alex’s stress, but the sensation of riding her lover’s heavily muscled back was intense, erotic. Alex might have been very surprised to know that, at least for Renée, sex was possible in this position.
Alex lay still when Renée stopped and eased off him. He heard her feet pad into the refresher. A few moments later, she returned with a moistened towel to wipe the gel and sweat from his back. Whatever was in the gel had eased his tightened muscles and soothed his nerves. The intimate massage had been a pure bonus. He felt Renée cuddle along his side, an arm and a leg over him.