Read Online Astra: Synchronicity by Lisa Eskra - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lisa Eskra
Ads: Link
of a case where an IMRI didn't find something wrong. If I
didn't know any better, I'd say that you're making it all up."
She balked at his suspicion. "You think I'm
lying?" She had no reason to deceive anyone on board. In fact, she
disapproved of pretense in all forms. If one day humans woke up and
stopped lying to one another, Astra might not be a utopia, but it
would be a better place.
"No, I mean, we checked who you are. Any
outstanding warrants would've come up right away. There's no reason
for you to claim amnesia without having it unless you're deranged.
'Course living on Pisa…that place surpasses most people's
definitions of hell. I don't know what Xander was thinking when he
moved there."
"What can you tell me about him?"
He chuckled. "Most people would say if you
looked up the meaning of the word failure, his picture would be
right there. But I don't think that's quite fair. Misunderstood
genius is more apt. He became an overnight sensation when he was
still in college. Household robots were his brainchild and are
still based off of the design of his doctoral project. But he got
too ambitious in thinking he could craft a fully-functional android
in ten years. It never happened. Not only that, but he never had
anything to show for it. And once his wife died in that lab
accident, he just went off the deep end. I mean, stealing
high-grade electrum from the PAU and thinking he could get away
with it? He really has lost his mind."
"Would you trust him? If you were me?"
The doctor shrugged. The response did nothing
to sway her either way.
The two of them heard someone walk through
the doorway. "Lieutenant-Commander Carmen Martinez, reporting as
ordered." With that, her features softened. "Thank Astra, I'm
off-duty." She tugged at her collar and unzipped her khaki
jacket.
"I didn't realize…does that mean Amii isn't
your responsibility right now?"
Carmen's lips curled back and parted to
reveal a beautiful smile. "As the only female crewman aboard this
ship, damn right she is. I don't see King, how's he doing?"
"Second-degree plasma burns on his hand but
nothing electrical. It could've been a whole lot worse."
"If Admiral fucking McKirin would've listened
and upgraded our engines months ago, it would've never happened.
Second-rate cruiser, my ass." She gestured for Amii to follow her
out the door.
With one final look at the doctor, she headed
through the doorway and paused to allow the officer to lead the
way. "Is Xander some kind of criminal?"
"He's a thief. No one can argue that. But the
only thing he's really guilty of is lack of common sense. He got in
bed with the wrong people when he made that deal with the PAU. I
hope it was worth it. But enough about that. We'll get you changed
and head to the wardroom."
En route to the XO's quarters, they passed by
a handful of young crewmen milling around while they waited for a
lift. Each one of them gave Amii a once-over with hungry eyes. They
appeared far more interested in her than strangers should be.
Once they were out of sight, Amii asked, "Do
you think they know me?"
Carmen laughed out loud. "I'm pretty sure
they want to know you. The guys get a little
attention-starved when we've been in space a few months, and before
you know it, they're chasing anything in a skirt."
Amii followed her through a door into a small
room. She felt fortunate not to be claustrophobic. A twin bed
nestled against the far wall. A vase of glass lotus flowers sat on
a desk nearby, the only embellishment in the entire room. Their
crystalline petals caught the light and gleamed with pink
fluorescence.
"Why don't you get showered up while I find
you some clothes. Soap and everything's in there." She pointed to
the bathroom before pulling a bag from under her bed and rummaging
through it.
When she stepped inside the bathroom, Amii
noticed another door on the far side. Carmen must've shared it with
the captain. She suppressed her curiosity to see if his room was as
Spartan as the
didn't know any better, I'd say that you're making it all up."
She balked at his suspicion. "You think I'm
lying?" She had no reason to deceive anyone on board. In fact, she
disapproved of pretense in all forms. If one day humans woke up and
stopped lying to one another, Astra might not be a utopia, but it
would be a better place.
"No, I mean, we checked who you are. Any
outstanding warrants would've come up right away. There's no reason
for you to claim amnesia without having it unless you're deranged.
'Course living on Pisa…that place surpasses most people's
definitions of hell. I don't know what Xander was thinking when he
moved there."
"What can you tell me about him?"
He chuckled. "Most people would say if you
looked up the meaning of the word failure, his picture would be
right there. But I don't think that's quite fair. Misunderstood
genius is more apt. He became an overnight sensation when he was
still in college. Household robots were his brainchild and are
still based off of the design of his doctoral project. But he got
too ambitious in thinking he could craft a fully-functional android
in ten years. It never happened. Not only that, but he never had
anything to show for it. And once his wife died in that lab
accident, he just went off the deep end. I mean, stealing
high-grade electrum from the PAU and thinking he could get away
with it? He really has lost his mind."
"Would you trust him? If you were me?"
The doctor shrugged. The response did nothing
to sway her either way.
The two of them heard someone walk through
the doorway. "Lieutenant-Commander Carmen Martinez, reporting as
ordered." With that, her features softened. "Thank Astra, I'm
off-duty." She tugged at her collar and unzipped her khaki
jacket.
"I didn't realize…does that mean Amii isn't
your responsibility right now?"
Carmen's lips curled back and parted to
reveal a beautiful smile. "As the only female crewman aboard this
ship, damn right she is. I don't see King, how's he doing?"
"Second-degree plasma burns on his hand but
nothing electrical. It could've been a whole lot worse."
"If Admiral fucking McKirin would've listened
and upgraded our engines months ago, it would've never happened.
Second-rate cruiser, my ass." She gestured for Amii to follow her
out the door.
With one final look at the doctor, she headed
through the doorway and paused to allow the officer to lead the
way. "Is Xander some kind of criminal?"
"He's a thief. No one can argue that. But the
only thing he's really guilty of is lack of common sense. He got in
bed with the wrong people when he made that deal with the PAU. I
hope it was worth it. But enough about that. We'll get you changed
and head to the wardroom."
En route to the XO's quarters, they passed by
a handful of young crewmen milling around while they waited for a
lift. Each one of them gave Amii a once-over with hungry eyes. They
appeared far more interested in her than strangers should be.
Once they were out of sight, Amii asked, "Do
you think they know me?"
Carmen laughed out loud. "I'm pretty sure
they want to know you. The guys get a little
attention-starved when we've been in space a few months, and before
you know it, they're chasing anything in a skirt."
Amii followed her through a door into a small
room. She felt fortunate not to be claustrophobic. A twin bed
nestled against the far wall. A vase of glass lotus flowers sat on
a desk nearby, the only embellishment in the entire room. Their
crystalline petals caught the light and gleamed with pink
fluorescence.
"Why don't you get showered up while I find
you some clothes. Soap and everything's in there." She pointed to
the bathroom before pulling a bag from under her bed and rummaging
through it.
When she stepped inside the bathroom, Amii
noticed another door on the far side. Carmen must've shared it with
the captain. She suppressed her curiosity to see if his room was as
Spartan as the
Similar Books
