Read Online Deserter by Mike Shepherd - Free Book Online

worried frown as she told him of Tom. When she finished, he nodded.
    “I remember him, a good young man.”
    “He’s been my right arm too many times.”
    “This isn’t going to be easy, Kris.” When a man like Grampa Ray said things weren’t easy, they weren’t. “Turantic isn’t part of United Sentients. They’re playing a coy game, holding aloof and avoiding commitments to any of the sides taking shape. Kris, a year ago, when we were all good citizens of the Society, I could make a phone call as a private person, and half of the cops on Turantic would be hunting for Tommy. Now, I’m a king,” Ray said ruefully, fingering his brow that at the moment was in need of combing, “and I have less leverage.”
    Kris glanced at Jack. He was shaking his head, an I told you so look all over his swarthy features.
    “We have an embassy there, don’t we?”
    “Wardhaven’s business residency was renamed an embassy, but, hon, we’re all having to relearn a lot of stuff about separate and equal from the history books.”
    “I’d appreciate it if you would call who you can and see if they have any way of getting cops out looking for Tommy.” NELLY, SEND GRAMPA A COPY OF TOMMY’S CALL.
    Grampa focused on something offscreen. Kris could hear Tommy’s few words over the line. “I see.” Grampa frowned.
    “If he hadn’t gotten messed up with one of those damn Longknifes, this would never have happened to a kid from Santa Maria,” Kris pointed out.
    “He’s from Santa Maria. Then he’s not a U.S. citizen.”
    Right! Santa Maria, halfway across the galaxy, hadn’t joined anyone, either. “He’s a serving officer on a Wardhaven warship,” Kris pointed out. “That has to count for something.”
    “Some folks have been arguing that we ought to give dual citizenship in cases like that. This could get very mixed up.”
    Kris nodded with understanding but kept Grampa hostage with her eyes. For the first time in her life, Grampa was the first to flinch away. “I’ll make some phone calls. There’s bound to be somebody who knows somebody who owes them a favor.”
    “Thanks, Grampa.”
    “Stay close, Kris. I’ll get back,” and Ray ended the call.
    Stay close, Kris reflected. If she did, would that help Tom? She weighed Tom’s prospects, hanging on the razor’s edge of what Grampa Ray maybe could do. She was in motion before she actually decided to act. There was no alternative.
    NELLY, GET ME CAPTAIN HAYWORTH. The skipper of the Firebolt was at his desk aboard ship; he glanced up. “Lieutenant. You going to be late today? That ball go long last night?”
    “Sir, a personal matter has come up. I would like to take that leave you offered yesterday.” Behind Kris, Jack was back off the couch. Harvey cleared his throat noisily. Kris had long ago learned that from an NCO, it was as close to a scream of disapproval as you got. She ignored them.
    “Don’t see any problem; you’ve got the time coming. I was hoping you might use your backdoor access to get some Uni-plex for Dale to mess with, but we can survive a week without it.”
    Kris glanced at the box from Grampa Al on her desk. She could drop it off when she went through the station. Then again, Uni-plex had almost killed her once. She was headed, unarmed and unaided, into someone else’s plan for her life. Might a wild card come in handy? “I’ll get you some next week, sir,” she promised. “See you then, and thanks for being so understanding.”
    The Captain smiled. “You’re doing a tough job juggling a lot of stuff, Lieutenant, and doing it well. See you in a week.”
    “And why are you taking leave?” Jack demanded as Harvey roared, “Just what do you think you’re doing, woman?”
    Kris took a deep breath, full of familiar smells. This was the house she’d grown up in. Nuu House. The home of the Longknifes. They did what had to be done when there were no alternatives. Of course, she was headed off to a corner of space where Longknife