Read Online A Galaxy Unknown 10: Azula Carver by Thomas DePrima - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Thomas DePrima
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so much what she said as what she didn't say, and what she hinted at. She knows. I know she knows."
Sltuvyck began to fidget nervously in his chair. "She couldn't possibly know."
"I'll remind you of those words as they place the noose around your neck."
Sltuvyck blanched as he thought about the penalty for sedition. He knew Madu's intuition was uncanny. "What do we do?"
"I have to think," Madu said as she began pacing around the office. "I have to think."
----
Chapter Five
~ August 27 th , 2288 ~
"Your Grace," the butler said as he entered her main office on the third floor, "a shuttle has entered the atmosphere. It appears to be headed this way. They haven't acknowledged any of the hails by our security forces, so security requests permission to shoot it down."
"Does the ship appear to be armed?"
"No, Your Grace. But it could be a remotely controlled ship with a large explosive device. The head of security strongly suggests you and the family go down to the emergency bunker immediately."
"Sound the evacuation alarm. I want everyone in the bunker."
"Yes, Your Grace," the butler said, then raced from the room. A couple of seconds later the emergency alarm began sounding throughout the palace.
Jenetta ran to where she expected to find the kids playing with the Jumakas, but they weren't there. She made it down to the first floor in twenty seconds and ran to the open courtyard in the center of the palace. The Jumakas and the children were there, along with her mother and two sisters-in-law. They were standing with bewildered expressions on their faces because they didn't know what the alarm meant.
"We must go down to the bunker immediately," Jenetta yelled over the sound of the alarm. "There's a possible threat headed this way."
"What kind of threat?" her mother asked.
"Not now, Mama. Just follow me."
Regina and Marisa picked up their children, and the group raced to an elevator. The Jumakas naturally followed along.
While the alarm was sounding, the button that sent the elevators plummeting to the underground bunker would work for anyone. As the doors opened at the bottom of the shaft to reveal an empty corridor, Jenetta stepped out and turned to her left. She had never been down here before, but her palace on Quesann was modeled after her palace here, and she assumed the bunker was almost an exact duplicate as well.
The enormous bunker was already crowded with staff members who had headed there as soon as the alarm sounded. As the last of the staff entered the bunker behind Jenetta, the massive door was closed and the room sealed. They were now safe from almost any attack on the surface.
The main room resembled a large lounge, and there was adequate seating to accommodate all, but everyone stood around, listening for any sound from the surface despite the fact that they were too far down to hear anything short of a nuclear explosion.
Finally, the phone rang, startling some of the staff who were straining to hear any sound from above. The butler answered the phone, nodded as the other person spoke, then hung up the device. He walked to where Jenetta was standing.
"Your Grace, Captain Pwuhvasqu, the chief of security, says all is secure. They were able to make contact with the Selaxian freighter that launched the shuttle. It appears the shuttle had a problem with its communication equipment as it entered the atmosphere. It doesn't present any danger."
"A Selaxian freighter? They're an awful long way from home. Who's in the shuttle?"
"The pilot is supposed to be a Terran named Wilkerson. M.A. Wilkerson to be precise. That's all Captain Pwuhvasqu was able to tell me at this time."
"Okay," Jenetta said loudly so everyone in the bunker could hear, "the crises is over. We can return topside."
Jenetta and her family, including the three Jumakas, were naturally accorded sole use of the first elevator to rise to the main floor of the palace. The spacious, high-speed elevators would have the entire palace staff
Sltuvyck began to fidget nervously in his chair. "She couldn't possibly know."
"I'll remind you of those words as they place the noose around your neck."
Sltuvyck blanched as he thought about the penalty for sedition. He knew Madu's intuition was uncanny. "What do we do?"
"I have to think," Madu said as she began pacing around the office. "I have to think."
----
Chapter Five
~ August 27 th , 2288 ~
"Your Grace," the butler said as he entered her main office on the third floor, "a shuttle has entered the atmosphere. It appears to be headed this way. They haven't acknowledged any of the hails by our security forces, so security requests permission to shoot it down."
"Does the ship appear to be armed?"
"No, Your Grace. But it could be a remotely controlled ship with a large explosive device. The head of security strongly suggests you and the family go down to the emergency bunker immediately."
"Sound the evacuation alarm. I want everyone in the bunker."
"Yes, Your Grace," the butler said, then raced from the room. A couple of seconds later the emergency alarm began sounding throughout the palace.
Jenetta ran to where she expected to find the kids playing with the Jumakas, but they weren't there. She made it down to the first floor in twenty seconds and ran to the open courtyard in the center of the palace. The Jumakas and the children were there, along with her mother and two sisters-in-law. They were standing with bewildered expressions on their faces because they didn't know what the alarm meant.
"We must go down to the bunker immediately," Jenetta yelled over the sound of the alarm. "There's a possible threat headed this way."
"What kind of threat?" her mother asked.
"Not now, Mama. Just follow me."
Regina and Marisa picked up their children, and the group raced to an elevator. The Jumakas naturally followed along.
While the alarm was sounding, the button that sent the elevators plummeting to the underground bunker would work for anyone. As the doors opened at the bottom of the shaft to reveal an empty corridor, Jenetta stepped out and turned to her left. She had never been down here before, but her palace on Quesann was modeled after her palace here, and she assumed the bunker was almost an exact duplicate as well.
The enormous bunker was already crowded with staff members who had headed there as soon as the alarm sounded. As the last of the staff entered the bunker behind Jenetta, the massive door was closed and the room sealed. They were now safe from almost any attack on the surface.
The main room resembled a large lounge, and there was adequate seating to accommodate all, but everyone stood around, listening for any sound from the surface despite the fact that they were too far down to hear anything short of a nuclear explosion.
Finally, the phone rang, startling some of the staff who were straining to hear any sound from above. The butler answered the phone, nodded as the other person spoke, then hung up the device. He walked to where Jenetta was standing.
"Your Grace, Captain Pwuhvasqu, the chief of security, says all is secure. They were able to make contact with the Selaxian freighter that launched the shuttle. It appears the shuttle had a problem with its communication equipment as it entered the atmosphere. It doesn't present any danger."
"A Selaxian freighter? They're an awful long way from home. Who's in the shuttle?"
"The pilot is supposed to be a Terran named Wilkerson. M.A. Wilkerson to be precise. That's all Captain Pwuhvasqu was able to tell me at this time."
"Okay," Jenetta said loudly so everyone in the bunker could hear, "the crises is over. We can return topside."
Jenetta and her family, including the three Jumakas, were naturally accorded sole use of the first elevator to rise to the main floor of the palace. The spacious, high-speed elevators would have the entire palace staff
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