Read Online Doom Star: Book 05 - Planet Wrecker by Vaughn Heppner - Free Book Online Page A

than that.”
    “You sacrificed her without her consent.”
    “Do you ask permission when you send your soldiers into places that will get them killed?”
    “That isn’t the same thing!” Hawthorne shouted.
    “…I agree,” Yezhov said after a moment. “The military slaughters far more of its operatives than PHC does theirs.”
    Hawthorne found that his right hand was trembling. He gripped it so the others wouldn’t see. Now if he could only grip his growing anger…. “We don’t send soldiers to their certain death,” he said.
    “Come now,” said Yezhov. “That’s mere semantics. You must realize that when a battalion goes into battle that few of its soldiers shall survive contact with the Highborn. I sent a lone operative—”
    “You altered her.”
    Yezhov silently indicated Captain Mune.
    Hawthorne shook his head, but he couldn’t muster further arguments. He could hardly think. It was true that Yezhov killed Highborn. But this was nasty work, low, foul and un-soldierly. But economical of lives , said his coldly logical half. The Highborn were winning, and it was extremely hard to inflict kills on the super soldiers. They were very good at using FEC soldiers as fodder. Could this vile method help turn the tide of the war? No. It wouldn’t bring victory, but it might help in an attritional way.
    “World War One,” Hawthorne muttered.
    “Is that a historical reference?” Yezhov asked.
    “Captain Mune,” Hawthorne said.
    “Sir?”
    “Alert the team outside,” Hawthorne said. “Tell them to put these technicians into protective custody.” He felt soiled having witnessed this. Yet that wasn’t logical. Yezhov was right. It could be argued that he’d ordered much worse.
    “These are my best people,” Yezhov was saying. “I’ll need them to keep my operations running smoothly.”
    “You’ll need my good will to keep running smoothly,” Hawthorne said, his voice rising.
    Yezhov looked away. His fingers twitched.
    Hawthorne glanced at the technicians. They had stood, and at Mune’s orders, they filed for the door.
    “Kill them,” Hawthorne said.
    “What?” Yezhov said, turning around.
    A gun barked in Mune’s hands. One by one and in quick succession, the technicians thumped against the walls. The woman who had spoken before slid down to the floor in a growing pool of blood.
    Yezhov stared open-mouthed at Hawthorne.
    The door burst open and three bionic soldiers fanned out with drawn weapons.
    “Check the dead,” Mune said from his wheelchair.
    One soldier pulled out a chemsniffer. Another had an electro-scanner. The last kept his gun trained on Yezhov. The soldiers waved their wands over the dead. The electro-scanner beeped. In moments, a soldier peeled a tiny device from a technician’s breast.
    “What did your finger-twitch signal?” Hawthorne asked, with his voice under tight control. He had to grip his right hand. It was badly trembling. Was this his nerves, an old wound?
    “You’re mad,” said Yezhov.
    “Begging your pardon, sir,” said Mune. “He’ll never admit his guilt. I recommend you allow my men to drag him outside to be shot.”
    “You’re already in control,” said Yezhov. “So this can’t be a coup. Is this a personal vendetta against me?”
    “What did you signal, Chief?” Hawthorne shouted. “I saw your fingers twitch. My file on you says nothing about nervous mannerisms. It says you have the emotions of a lizard.”
    Yezhov turned to the bionic soldiers, addressing them in a grave voice. “The episode two days ago has unhinged our Supreme Commander. You can see for yourselves that he is no longer fit for command.”
    “Yezhov,” Hawthorne warned.
    “I used to admire him,” Yezhov said, continuing in his grave manner. “Yes, he has fought hard, but the truth is that the Highborn are winning the war. It saddens me to say this. But for the good of Social Unity you must relieve him of duty as you once relieved Lord Director Enkov.”
    “Good