Read Online Asarlai Wars 1: Warrior Wench by Marie Andreas - Free Book Online
Authors: Marie Andreas
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now .”
Jakiin seemed ready to jump off the gangway and take his chances at learning to fly before he hit the bottom. “I...I...I….”
Vas stalked away from him. Killing petrified idiots didn’t sit right with her. Even if he deserved it. Old age had made her soft. Funny, she hadn’t felt old a month ago. The previous Vas would have sliced Jakiin and tossed him over the railing before the last word cleared his lips. Or at the very least punched him. However, as much as she hated to admit it, he wouldn’t be the only person thinking it. Nor would he be the only one saying it. At least none of the rest of her command crew would be stupid enough to make that mistake again. They could spread it to the grunts when they hooked up.
“You live. For now.” She turned mid-step as an idea came to mind. “But Deven gets to watch out for you. The entire campaign. You’ll answer to him, and he’ll have new tasks for you each day.” Her grin grew while she watched both men’s faces cloud over; neither of them liked babysitters.
She marched over to her ship. “Yes, boys and girls, we have a new ship. No, I won’t discuss it. As you just saw, I’d recommend you don’t discuss it either.”
Chapter Five
The crew loaded the ship in record time, with only a few fistfights along the way. The problem arose because there were more crew quarters on the Warrior Wench than had been on the Victorious Dead . More variety meant more fighting over the selection. She now had forty-five of the best mercenary-trained five-year-olds in the Commonwealth.
Unfortunately, as much as she might like to space most of them right now, she needed all of them. The Commonwealth consisted of an eclectic collection of planets ranging from state-of-the-art technology to one level above hunter/gatherers. A few even mixed it up, creating odd conglomerations of technology. The Commonwealth kept its worlds culturally intact when it added them, and allowed autonomy for each world. Strictly enforced autonomy. They frowned on any group who brought the wrong level of tech to a planet. Since mercenary crews had to be hired through Commonwealth channels, the most successful crews were ones gifted in multiple styles of killing. Vas knew that her people were experts in their fields, each one with a unique skill set. Nevertheless, they were going to drive her mad with arguing.
“You’ll deal with this?” Vas nodded to Gosta as the squabbling continued. The last twenty-four hours had left her drained and irritable. It would be safer for her people if she didn’t deal with them right now. She might accidentally space a crewmember she’d need in the next fight.
Trying to get her quarters in order might bring her peace. At least it would get her away from the bickering.
****
Vas was just starting to feel better, and her collection of antique blasters and martial arts edged weapons had found a perfect home on her walls, when her door started rattling.
After almost dropping a rare Nlarian two-handed ritual death sword, she yelled for the door to open.
Deven leaned in the open doorway.
“What do you want?” Talking to him right now was one-step above dealing with her fussy crew.
Without waiting for her to invite him in, he walked in and sat down on her bed. “We need to talk.”
“What is it? You’ve been saying we need to talk since I found you. Which, by the way, was not a lot of fun. Most captains don’t have to grab their second-in-command out of a brothel. At least not the charging end of the brothel.”
“How do you know I charged them?”
She swung her desk chair around and sat down facing him. “Don’t give me that. I swear, between you, Mac, and Jakiin I’m spending more time babysitting than I am earning money. Do you think it’s easy supporting an entire planet? In case you haven’t noticed we’ve lost about half of our smuggling space on this damn trollop of a ship. Even if we can mask the idents, which
Jakiin seemed ready to jump off the gangway and take his chances at learning to fly before he hit the bottom. “I...I...I….”
Vas stalked away from him. Killing petrified idiots didn’t sit right with her. Even if he deserved it. Old age had made her soft. Funny, she hadn’t felt old a month ago. The previous Vas would have sliced Jakiin and tossed him over the railing before the last word cleared his lips. Or at the very least punched him. However, as much as she hated to admit it, he wouldn’t be the only person thinking it. Nor would he be the only one saying it. At least none of the rest of her command crew would be stupid enough to make that mistake again. They could spread it to the grunts when they hooked up.
“You live. For now.” She turned mid-step as an idea came to mind. “But Deven gets to watch out for you. The entire campaign. You’ll answer to him, and he’ll have new tasks for you each day.” Her grin grew while she watched both men’s faces cloud over; neither of them liked babysitters.
She marched over to her ship. “Yes, boys and girls, we have a new ship. No, I won’t discuss it. As you just saw, I’d recommend you don’t discuss it either.”
Chapter Five
The crew loaded the ship in record time, with only a few fistfights along the way. The problem arose because there were more crew quarters on the Warrior Wench than had been on the Victorious Dead . More variety meant more fighting over the selection. She now had forty-five of the best mercenary-trained five-year-olds in the Commonwealth.
Unfortunately, as much as she might like to space most of them right now, she needed all of them. The Commonwealth consisted of an eclectic collection of planets ranging from state-of-the-art technology to one level above hunter/gatherers. A few even mixed it up, creating odd conglomerations of technology. The Commonwealth kept its worlds culturally intact when it added them, and allowed autonomy for each world. Strictly enforced autonomy. They frowned on any group who brought the wrong level of tech to a planet. Since mercenary crews had to be hired through Commonwealth channels, the most successful crews were ones gifted in multiple styles of killing. Vas knew that her people were experts in their fields, each one with a unique skill set. Nevertheless, they were going to drive her mad with arguing.
“You’ll deal with this?” Vas nodded to Gosta as the squabbling continued. The last twenty-four hours had left her drained and irritable. It would be safer for her people if she didn’t deal with them right now. She might accidentally space a crewmember she’d need in the next fight.
Trying to get her quarters in order might bring her peace. At least it would get her away from the bickering.
****
Vas was just starting to feel better, and her collection of antique blasters and martial arts edged weapons had found a perfect home on her walls, when her door started rattling.
After almost dropping a rare Nlarian two-handed ritual death sword, she yelled for the door to open.
Deven leaned in the open doorway.
“What do you want?” Talking to him right now was one-step above dealing with her fussy crew.
Without waiting for her to invite him in, he walked in and sat down on her bed. “We need to talk.”
“What is it? You’ve been saying we need to talk since I found you. Which, by the way, was not a lot of fun. Most captains don’t have to grab their second-in-command out of a brothel. At least not the charging end of the brothel.”
“How do you know I charged them?”
She swung her desk chair around and sat down facing him. “Don’t give me that. I swear, between you, Mac, and Jakiin I’m spending more time babysitting than I am earning money. Do you think it’s easy supporting an entire planet? In case you haven’t noticed we’ve lost about half of our smuggling space on this damn trollop of a ship. Even if we can mask the idents, which
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