Read Online Chronicles of Kin Roland 1: Enemy of Man by Scott E Moon - Free Book Online
Authors: Scott E Moon
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gotten up, snapped her fingers twice, and beckoned him impatiently—using only her fingers like one might summon a dog. He smiled, rocked onto his feet, and crossed the room.
Raien dressed quickly. Her jumpsuit was faded and patched. She looked at his naked body. “You don’t have scars.”
“This is when you notice?”
She made a dismissive sound, neither a grunt nor a laugh. “You seem like you should have scars. Your arm is beat to hell. You walk like a fighter. I wondered after seeing your bare chest, but Fleet armor is strongest around the torso. I’d have thought you’d have scars.”
“I have scars.”
“You know what I mean. Battle scars, not accidental scars. Not scars from the occasional fight.”
Kin secured her armor expertly. Planetary assault armor was extremely tough, but each piece needed to be fastened and adjusted in a precise manner to form one cohesive whole. When done properly, few organic creatures could penetrate the metal and ceramic exoskeleton. An improperly sealed suit could leave hydraulic tubes and circuitry vulnerable. Reapers were one of the five known alien races that could kill a Fleet trooper in assault armo r, but it wasn’t easy for them.
“You’ve done this before,” she said. She watched him approvingly.
“A couple of times,” Kin said. “What would it take for me to draw armor from the quartermaster?”
Raien narrowed her eyes and smiled. Her face was still flush from their tryst. She leaned down and kissed him on the lips. Having the pilot of a three-hundred-pound war machine explore his mouth with her tongue was a strange sensation. He wasn’t sure he liked it, but he couldn’t pus h her away.
“I’ll protect you, sweet.”
“No doubt.” Kin held her gaze as she tapped the button to expand the helmet from the shoulder assembly, sealing her from the environment. “I know there are replacement suits, and suits the original owners no longer need.”
“I’ll check with the quartermaster when we return,” Raien said. Her voice was less feminine, amplified by the helmet. He couldn’t see her eyes. The flash-romance disappeared.
He dragged his shirt over his head, fastened his gun belt with its drop holster over the belt that held up his pants, and followed her out the door. In her battle armor, Raien was just a few inches taller than him, but weighed half again as much. She strode into the square and brusquely inspected the company of assault troopers without another glance at Kin.
He watched her, bracing for the dark emotion about to punch him in the gut. After nights spent with Laura, he went onto her deck and stared into the night to think. Kin had never been a stranger to women and the pleasures they offered. He had been somewhat chaste when stationed on the same planet as his beloved Becca, his childhood friend and adolescent infatuation. But like any soldier, he didn’t want to face death with re grets and missed opportunities.
He couldn’t believe Becca could love him as intensely as he loved her. The scene on Earth VI revealed the truth. She only cared for him like a brother or a trusted friend—a convenient confidant when pain and loss became too much. He was a killer, a traitor, contaminated by Hellsbreach and Reapers. Becca deserved better.
Captain Raien gave orders to her lieutenants and sergeants. Captain Zelig had given her the 11th Light Reconnaissance Company, which consisted of three full platoons and the remnants of a platoon seriously depleted during the landing. The twelve men of this fourth, much battered platoon were little more than Raien’s bodyguards.
During the assembly, Kin noticed Raien’s bodyguards were young, pretty, and athletic men. Two were tough sergeants in armor that had seen more than a few campaigns. Some soldiers were like that, cherishing their armor and upgradi ng it rather than replacing it.
The lieutenant of the fourth platoon wore Excalibur Battle Armor, the absolute best brand—too expensive to be
Raien dressed quickly. Her jumpsuit was faded and patched. She looked at his naked body. “You don’t have scars.”
“This is when you notice?”
She made a dismissive sound, neither a grunt nor a laugh. “You seem like you should have scars. Your arm is beat to hell. You walk like a fighter. I wondered after seeing your bare chest, but Fleet armor is strongest around the torso. I’d have thought you’d have scars.”
“I have scars.”
“You know what I mean. Battle scars, not accidental scars. Not scars from the occasional fight.”
Kin secured her armor expertly. Planetary assault armor was extremely tough, but each piece needed to be fastened and adjusted in a precise manner to form one cohesive whole. When done properly, few organic creatures could penetrate the metal and ceramic exoskeleton. An improperly sealed suit could leave hydraulic tubes and circuitry vulnerable. Reapers were one of the five known alien races that could kill a Fleet trooper in assault armo r, but it wasn’t easy for them.
“You’ve done this before,” she said. She watched him approvingly.
“A couple of times,” Kin said. “What would it take for me to draw armor from the quartermaster?”
Raien narrowed her eyes and smiled. Her face was still flush from their tryst. She leaned down and kissed him on the lips. Having the pilot of a three-hundred-pound war machine explore his mouth with her tongue was a strange sensation. He wasn’t sure he liked it, but he couldn’t pus h her away.
“I’ll protect you, sweet.”
“No doubt.” Kin held her gaze as she tapped the button to expand the helmet from the shoulder assembly, sealing her from the environment. “I know there are replacement suits, and suits the original owners no longer need.”
“I’ll check with the quartermaster when we return,” Raien said. Her voice was less feminine, amplified by the helmet. He couldn’t see her eyes. The flash-romance disappeared.
He dragged his shirt over his head, fastened his gun belt with its drop holster over the belt that held up his pants, and followed her out the door. In her battle armor, Raien was just a few inches taller than him, but weighed half again as much. She strode into the square and brusquely inspected the company of assault troopers without another glance at Kin.
He watched her, bracing for the dark emotion about to punch him in the gut. After nights spent with Laura, he went onto her deck and stared into the night to think. Kin had never been a stranger to women and the pleasures they offered. He had been somewhat chaste when stationed on the same planet as his beloved Becca, his childhood friend and adolescent infatuation. But like any soldier, he didn’t want to face death with re grets and missed opportunities.
He couldn’t believe Becca could love him as intensely as he loved her. The scene on Earth VI revealed the truth. She only cared for him like a brother or a trusted friend—a convenient confidant when pain and loss became too much. He was a killer, a traitor, contaminated by Hellsbreach and Reapers. Becca deserved better.
Captain Raien gave orders to her lieutenants and sergeants. Captain Zelig had given her the 11th Light Reconnaissance Company, which consisted of three full platoons and the remnants of a platoon seriously depleted during the landing. The twelve men of this fourth, much battered platoon were little more than Raien’s bodyguards.
During the assembly, Kin noticed Raien’s bodyguards were young, pretty, and athletic men. Two were tough sergeants in armor that had seen more than a few campaigns. Some soldiers were like that, cherishing their armor and upgradi ng it rather than replacing it.
The lieutenant of the fourth platoon wore Excalibur Battle Armor, the absolute best brand—too expensive to be
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