Read Online Fusion (Crimson Romance) by Candace Sams - Free Book Online

curling up on her share of the blanket. “And while you’re daydreaming, why don’t you imagine a fleet of allied war birds appearing and taking out the entire enemy contingent. Then imagine we’re offered private rooms with warm, soft beds, hot tubs, massages, and dinners consisting of nice juicy steaks, loaded baked potatoes, and cases of cold beer. Plus three whole months of nothing but sleep!”
    Soldar actually grinned at the burst of imagination but he persisted. “Of course, it could go the other way. I could either be killed in an attempt to get to the bridge or I’ll succeed … and then be killed. Or I could give bad head and be ripped apart for that — ”
    “God! Hopefully, you won’t have to give anyone ‘head.’ Besides, you need me for more than just sex. You’ll find my technical knowledge might come in handy. Assuming we can get to the bridge at all,” she informed him wearily.
    “What technical knowledge?” He raised himself up on one elbow.
    “Before I joined Earth’s ground forces, I worked for a small distribution company. We were always fighting to stay in business against some very large competitors. My brother and I … well … we
might
have figured a way to hack into some of our competitors’ systems and take a look at what they were doing. Of course … I’m not admitting to anything and this was all a long time ago — ”
    “Why didn’t you say something about this?” he angrily interrupted. “You might have mentioned it when I detailed Aigean’s plan!”
    “You didn’t ask. I figured you at least had my hacking skills or you wouldn’t have been chosen for this mission.” She adjusted her position on the blanket to better face him.
    He moved his index finger in the air, back and forth between their bodies. “It’s called communication, Lyra. It works both ways!”
    “Okay … Christ!” she uttered and then paused for a long moment. “Is it that important? I mean … if I’d gotten to the bridge without you and didn’t have any knowledge of hacking, what was I supposed to do with any information? I figured that this Aigean person would help transmit.”
    “She will. All her messages indicated she’s trying to get locking codes that the Condorians installed in her systems. The point is … if she can get her ship’s computer back, we can send any message to allied vessels. They’ll know the information is true because of the authentication I’ll add. Obviously, all this is assuming we can get on the bridge in the first place.”
    “But
I
don’t know that authentication.”
    “
Lyra
… it’s the same authentication you’d always use to send a message from one allied vessel to another.”
    She sat up and stared at him.
    He simply shrugged in confirmation.
    “
That’s it!
That’s your ‘secret code’?” she asked while making quotation marks in the air with her fingers.
    He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “The Condorian excrement never broke it!”
    “God! Allied ground forces are being commanded by idiots!”
    “No,” he said in a patronizing fashion, “it’s actually quite brilliant.”
    “Please … enlighten me.”
    He frowned at her and used his most condescending tone of voice. “As you know … the standard ship-to-ship, allied authentication system is very simple. It only takes a few keystrokes or negligible hologram manipulation to engage … depending upon how old the com console is. Furthermore, it can be changed immediately if it becomes necessary. And since the message would be coming from Aigean’s ship … a woman who’s helped us in the past … it doesn’t really make any difference if the damned thing is read by a fleet admiral or some probationary cadet,” he clarified. “By regulation, the communication still has to be delivered to the recipient … and that will be General Elias Shafter.” Soldar moved closer to her. “The ‘code
,
’” he responded with equal sarcasm and by