Read Online Ghosts of Koa, The First Book of Ezekiel by Colby R Rice - Free Book Online
Authors: Colby R Rice
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scrolled further down the holographic file.
Caleb decided he wasn't going to fret about Palmer's facial contortions, even though he knew what they meant. He had already prepared a well-rehearsed lie months before he got here, in case it came to that.
He continued to look around, noticing three thick tomes on the shelves beneath Palmer's rank plaques. The three stood taller and fatter than all the other books he had, and their covers had been stained with brilliant colors that Caleb recognized all too well. One was a deep azure blue, the other a sun-fire yellow, and the last a blood red. The Three Alchemic Alignments, the collection was called.There was no indication of which alignment Palmer belonged to.
"So I guess you're trolling around Demesne Five for the civvie snatch then, huh?"
The acidic lilt in the Palmer's voice forced Caleb to avert his gaze from the tomes. "Sir?"
"You know what I'm asking. The rest of your file is closed. You wanna explain?" Palmer turned the holographic file towards Caleb, pointing at the thick silver line in the middle. Beneath it, the hologram read 'Access Denied'. "You had a good career, and then as of the last two years, your record drops off. Why are you giving up a cushy job over in the 52 nd to lay up in the ass crack of the world?"
"Civic duty, sir."
A couple of chuckles fell from Palmer's mouth, practically clattering across the desk. "Bullshit. Civic duty? These are my folks, boy. Not yours."
Caleb blinked. "You're a Civilian," he said, finally understanding. "Not an Azure."
"Well, whoopty-la-doo for you. Seems like training as a Druid did you some good."
Caleb made a face. Aside from explaining the huge rod that was up the Cap's ass, his being a Civilian also explained why he didn't have an alchemic alignment. That distinction belonged to Azure Alchemists only. Apparently, so did manners.
"You buried nearly 100 cases over there in the 52 nd . That's pretty good. Excellent, even, if it weren't for the fact that most of your perps had been petty thieves, kidnappers, and thugs. You ever worked with big fish, boy?"
"I'm pretty fond of grouper, actually."
"You know what I'm talking about, smart ass. Have you ever tracked down Koan terrorists?"
"No."
Palmer shook his head and laughed, sending his toothpick into a tailspin. "Sweet Jesus. And they have the balls to send you over here like you're actually going to be useful?" With disgust, he flicked off the hologram. "What a waste of my damned time."
"The criminals I caught were just a symptom of the pond I was working in, Captain. I'm not sure how you all work here, but we tend to keep our fish under control in the 52 nd . Not a Koan terrorist in sight."
"Then I guess you won't mind if we let the big boys here cast the lines. They have more experience keeping dirtier ponds clean."
Caleb could feel anger flutter in his chest. "So what does that mean? You're not sending me out into the field?"
"Even if I wanted to, son, I can't. There's a special note here on your 'closed file'. Did you know that?"
Caleb felt the color drain from his face. He hadn't known that, actually. When did someone addend his file? "What does it say?"
Palmer slammed a fist down on the silver plate, and Caleb's hologram file popped back up. "As a Proficient-level Druid, Caleb K. Rai is to be treated as an imported investigative consultant," he read. "He is to work from the office only and is not to be put on patrol or special ops detail without express permission from the Halls of Eyre."
Palmer looked up at him with an acrid glare. "If you didn't get that last part, son, that means that you aren't to be given any work that could possibly knock the glitter off your ass. S omeone made it clear that they don't want you out in the streets getting your head blown off. So I'm sure you won't mind that the other boys take up the slack."
Caleb creased his brow. "Actually, sir, I would mind. I'm here as an officer, not as a decoration."
"Ha, that's
Caleb decided he wasn't going to fret about Palmer's facial contortions, even though he knew what they meant. He had already prepared a well-rehearsed lie months before he got here, in case it came to that.
He continued to look around, noticing three thick tomes on the shelves beneath Palmer's rank plaques. The three stood taller and fatter than all the other books he had, and their covers had been stained with brilliant colors that Caleb recognized all too well. One was a deep azure blue, the other a sun-fire yellow, and the last a blood red. The Three Alchemic Alignments, the collection was called.There was no indication of which alignment Palmer belonged to.
"So I guess you're trolling around Demesne Five for the civvie snatch then, huh?"
The acidic lilt in the Palmer's voice forced Caleb to avert his gaze from the tomes. "Sir?"
"You know what I'm asking. The rest of your file is closed. You wanna explain?" Palmer turned the holographic file towards Caleb, pointing at the thick silver line in the middle. Beneath it, the hologram read 'Access Denied'. "You had a good career, and then as of the last two years, your record drops off. Why are you giving up a cushy job over in the 52 nd to lay up in the ass crack of the world?"
"Civic duty, sir."
A couple of chuckles fell from Palmer's mouth, practically clattering across the desk. "Bullshit. Civic duty? These are my folks, boy. Not yours."
Caleb blinked. "You're a Civilian," he said, finally understanding. "Not an Azure."
"Well, whoopty-la-doo for you. Seems like training as a Druid did you some good."
Caleb made a face. Aside from explaining the huge rod that was up the Cap's ass, his being a Civilian also explained why he didn't have an alchemic alignment. That distinction belonged to Azure Alchemists only. Apparently, so did manners.
"You buried nearly 100 cases over there in the 52 nd . That's pretty good. Excellent, even, if it weren't for the fact that most of your perps had been petty thieves, kidnappers, and thugs. You ever worked with big fish, boy?"
"I'm pretty fond of grouper, actually."
"You know what I'm talking about, smart ass. Have you ever tracked down Koan terrorists?"
"No."
Palmer shook his head and laughed, sending his toothpick into a tailspin. "Sweet Jesus. And they have the balls to send you over here like you're actually going to be useful?" With disgust, he flicked off the hologram. "What a waste of my damned time."
"The criminals I caught were just a symptom of the pond I was working in, Captain. I'm not sure how you all work here, but we tend to keep our fish under control in the 52 nd . Not a Koan terrorist in sight."
"Then I guess you won't mind if we let the big boys here cast the lines. They have more experience keeping dirtier ponds clean."
Caleb could feel anger flutter in his chest. "So what does that mean? You're not sending me out into the field?"
"Even if I wanted to, son, I can't. There's a special note here on your 'closed file'. Did you know that?"
Caleb felt the color drain from his face. He hadn't known that, actually. When did someone addend his file? "What does it say?"
Palmer slammed a fist down on the silver plate, and Caleb's hologram file popped back up. "As a Proficient-level Druid, Caleb K. Rai is to be treated as an imported investigative consultant," he read. "He is to work from the office only and is not to be put on patrol or special ops detail without express permission from the Halls of Eyre."
Palmer looked up at him with an acrid glare. "If you didn't get that last part, son, that means that you aren't to be given any work that could possibly knock the glitter off your ass. S omeone made it clear that they don't want you out in the streets getting your head blown off. So I'm sure you won't mind that the other boys take up the slack."
Caleb creased his brow. "Actually, sir, I would mind. I'm here as an officer, not as a decoration."
"Ha, that's
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