Read Online AMP Siege by Stephen Arseneault - Free Book Online

room was a long oval with a single chair in the center. Consoles with crewmen lined the outer edges. A Gonta in a bright blue uniform with no helmet was standing in front of me. The Gontas had wide-set eyes and noses that could only be described as short snouts. After retracting my glove, I held out my bare hand for a shake as a welcoming gesture.
    The captain looked at my hand for several seconds before speaking. "Mr. Grange. If you are expecting a formal greeting through contact, you will want to withdraw your hand. Personal contact with other species is not something that we do. We find it offensive. Given the circumstances surrounding our situation, I will withhold my indignation."
    I replied as I lowered my arm to my side, "My apologies, Captain. I lack diplomatic training. I lead with my gut, and that is a formal greeting amongst my people. I believe we have many things to discuss. Each of us can benefit from a mutual friendship. This may be far too early to broach this subject, but my full intention is to gain the Gonta Federation as an ally."
    Dozens of small nodules that lined either side of the captain's skull puffed up with a red tint. The scowl on his face told of his irritation.
    The captain spoke. "You are brazen, Mr. Grange. Much like our political caste. As an officer of the Federation Defense, I have a low opinion of such behavior. It is the utmost duty of a Gonta officer or soldier to follow protocols at all times. It is obvious that Humans do not follow such."
    I replied, "Again, I apologize, Captain. Our military has similar protocols that they follow, and I sometimes butt heads with them as well."
    The captain grunted. "So, you are a politician. You may as well return to your ship, as I will not have discussions with one of your ilk. Major Harkei! Please escort Mr. Grange back to his shuttle. There will be no further discussions with him."
    I held up my hand. "Hold on there, Captain. Before we go any further, I am not a politician or of the political caste. I am a patriot for my people, and I come from a long line of military men and women. I am the spokesman for all Humans. If you don't discuss relations with me, you won't discuss them with any Human. I thought that being a captain, you could be reasoned with. In fact I bet my life on it, which is why I am standing here on your bridge."
    The captain again replied with an irritated voice, " Bet is not the proper term for what you are doing here, Mr. Grange. Your action was not a gamble. It was a calculated risk. A bet is a wager, something my people are quite familiar with and skilled at doing."
    I lowered my hand. "OK. If it's a wager you want, how about this: I bet you my life that we can help you bring your weapon systems back online. If we can't, you do with me as you will. If we can, you and I will sit down and have a frank discussion of what next steps we might take, together, to further a dialogue between our peoples."
    "That does not seem like a fair wager, Mr. Grange. It sounds like a foolish one, but I am intrigued at the thought of a good gamble. So, I will offer this in return. Should your team assist in the cleansing of our weapon systems, I will withdraw the statement of war from my logs. If that statement were to reach the Federation, there would be no turning back for our peoples, Mr. Grange. The Federation would pursue you to the ends of the galaxy."
    I nodded my head. "Fair enough, Captain. Just authorize Mr. Harkei to expedite the interaction of your people and mine."
    Goddard, York, and Frost got to work with their Gonta counterparts as I continued my discussion with the Gonta captain. At the same time, I began to wonder if I had not taken my wager too far. I had never been good at gambling with my credits. I wondered if the same would not hold true with my life.

Chapter 6

    As our discussion continued, I spoke. "And I would like to ask one thing further of you, Captain. Can we sit while we wait? Ever since I bumped heads with the