Read Online Dark Horse by Michelle Diener - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michelle Diener
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Although you and the life-forms that came with you are the first sentient oranges Iʼve ever seen. We come across plenty of non-sentient oranges on our missions, but never have I found seven sentient beings my system couldnʼt identify in one day.”
“Is that the scanner?” Rose pointed to the scan bed.
Kila frowned. Gestured around the room. “There are a few pieces of equipment in here, may I ask how you chose the correct one? Your people have something similar?”
Rose shrugged. “Probably lower tech, but yes.”
She slipped off her shoes, hesitated, and then pulled a chain with a thin crystal over her head and placed it on the closest counter. “Will it take long?”
“No. Five minutes.” Kila waited for her to lie flat before she programmed the scanner and set it to run.
It hummed, lit up, and Rose closed her eyes in obvious discomfort.
“What is it?” Kila leaned over her.
“The light hurts my eyes.”
Kilaʼs lips pursed with interest, and she opened a drawer and pulled out a mask for Rose to drape over her eyes. Then she turned to him and raised her eyebrows. It was clear she wanted a word in private, but there was no way Dav was leaving Rose alone here.
“When the scan is finished, Lieutenant Kila will need to study the results before we have the all clear, and I have some instructions to give Commander Appal, so perhaps youʼd like to spend the time outside until we have to leave?”
Rose gave a nod. “Thank you.”
The scan bed powered down, and Rose stood and pulled her shoes on, picked up her necklace, although she didnʼt put it back on, holding it in a tight fist by its silver chain. “Will it be all right if I walk down to the river?”
Dav gave a nod and he and Kila followed her out.
Rose started toward the river and didnʼt look back. As she walked away from them, she lifted her necklace and pulled it over her head, her hands coming up to flip her braid over it and tug it close to her neck.
“Is that wise?” Kila asked him. “Letting her go off like that?”
Dav signaled to the two soldiers whoʼd accompanied them up the hill and they followed her at a distance.
“Where can she go? She canʼt run from us. What can she get up to, Lieutenant?” Dav turned to his officer.
Kila shrugged. “I donʼt know. She is absolutely fascinating and I canʼt wait to speak with her more, but she seems harmless.” She looked upward, to the sky.
“Yes,” Dav said, following her gaze. “Thatʼs the sticking point. If sheʼs harmless, who killed a Class 5 full of Tecran?”
T he river that ran above-ground was not as wide or noisy as its counterpart that ran through the collapsed cave a little distance away. But it was beautiful and the feel of cool, fresh water tugging at her hands was indescribable. Rose lowered herself down from her crouch to sit on the bank and rolled her trousers up to her knees, took off her shoes and dipped her feet in.
The scan had to have registered that she had an earpiece in her ear and she wondered how long she had before Kila or Captain Jallan came over and asked her about it.
She glanced over her shoulder, and saw the two guards Captain Jallan had sent after her were giving her plenty of space. They didnʼt have their camouflage activated and she was comforted by their presence, rather than intimidated. The memory of the hot, fetid breath of the gryak blowing in her face as it lunged across the river at her made her shiver. She was happy to have their guns on her side and at the ready, and they were giving her the respect of some privacy.
Sazo hadnʼt tried to speak to her inside the med-chamber. It would have been difficult to not let it show on her face if he had, although she was surprised he wasnʼt speaking to her right now. She was as alone as she was going to get for a while, and he must surely still be in control of the Tecran explorer craft that had brought them here. She was three hundred meters from it, not three kilometers, and she still
“Is that the scanner?” Rose pointed to the scan bed.
Kila frowned. Gestured around the room. “There are a few pieces of equipment in here, may I ask how you chose the correct one? Your people have something similar?”
Rose shrugged. “Probably lower tech, but yes.”
She slipped off her shoes, hesitated, and then pulled a chain with a thin crystal over her head and placed it on the closest counter. “Will it take long?”
“No. Five minutes.” Kila waited for her to lie flat before she programmed the scanner and set it to run.
It hummed, lit up, and Rose closed her eyes in obvious discomfort.
“What is it?” Kila leaned over her.
“The light hurts my eyes.”
Kilaʼs lips pursed with interest, and she opened a drawer and pulled out a mask for Rose to drape over her eyes. Then she turned to him and raised her eyebrows. It was clear she wanted a word in private, but there was no way Dav was leaving Rose alone here.
“When the scan is finished, Lieutenant Kila will need to study the results before we have the all clear, and I have some instructions to give Commander Appal, so perhaps youʼd like to spend the time outside until we have to leave?”
Rose gave a nod. “Thank you.”
The scan bed powered down, and Rose stood and pulled her shoes on, picked up her necklace, although she didnʼt put it back on, holding it in a tight fist by its silver chain. “Will it be all right if I walk down to the river?”
Dav gave a nod and he and Kila followed her out.
Rose started toward the river and didnʼt look back. As she walked away from them, she lifted her necklace and pulled it over her head, her hands coming up to flip her braid over it and tug it close to her neck.
“Is that wise?” Kila asked him. “Letting her go off like that?”
Dav signaled to the two soldiers whoʼd accompanied them up the hill and they followed her at a distance.
“Where can she go? She canʼt run from us. What can she get up to, Lieutenant?” Dav turned to his officer.
Kila shrugged. “I donʼt know. She is absolutely fascinating and I canʼt wait to speak with her more, but she seems harmless.” She looked upward, to the sky.
“Yes,” Dav said, following her gaze. “Thatʼs the sticking point. If sheʼs harmless, who killed a Class 5 full of Tecran?”
T he river that ran above-ground was not as wide or noisy as its counterpart that ran through the collapsed cave a little distance away. But it was beautiful and the feel of cool, fresh water tugging at her hands was indescribable. Rose lowered herself down from her crouch to sit on the bank and rolled her trousers up to her knees, took off her shoes and dipped her feet in.
The scan had to have registered that she had an earpiece in her ear and she wondered how long she had before Kila or Captain Jallan came over and asked her about it.
She glanced over her shoulder, and saw the two guards Captain Jallan had sent after her were giving her plenty of space. They didnʼt have their camouflage activated and she was comforted by their presence, rather than intimidated. The memory of the hot, fetid breath of the gryak blowing in her face as it lunged across the river at her made her shiver. She was happy to have their guns on her side and at the ready, and they were giving her the respect of some privacy.
Sazo hadnʼt tried to speak to her inside the med-chamber. It would have been difficult to not let it show on her face if he had, although she was surprised he wasnʼt speaking to her right now. She was as alone as she was going to get for a while, and he must surely still be in control of the Tecran explorer craft that had brought them here. She was three hundred meters from it, not three kilometers, and she still
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