Read Online In the Presence of My Enemies by Stephen A. Fender - Free Book Online
Authors: Stephen A. Fender
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stormed into D ’s cargo hold.
Shawn, amazed, got to Trent’s side just as the man was about to collapse. “Good job, buddy. Whatever you did, you sure made his day.”
“Remember how I said there was some guesswork in installing that food unit? Well, let’s just say I had to add some special ingredients and leave it at that.”
Shawn slapped him hard on the back, nearly doubling the man over. “Keep up the good work. Your dedication to your craft should be rewarded.” Then he glided past him on his way to the control deck.
Ambassador McDermott was next, holding his clenched fist close to his mouth. Fearing that something might blow past his lips, he simply offered Trent a thumbs-up as he , too, entered the cargo hold.
On her way up, Melissa look at Trent apologetically, then gently brushed his arm. “Try not to think about it —ever again.”
Behind her, and the last to enter Sylvia’s Delight , was the lone Marine assigned to the team. Sergeant Wilcox, dressed in full armor and with his rifle slung across his back, locked eyes with Trent and then shook his head. “You really need to man up and grow a pair.”
“Yeah…that’s what my mom used to tell me.”
“You should have listened. Try coming down to the platoon barracks sometimes. You’ll smell worse things than that Kafaran food.”
When the sergeant was in, Trent pushed the actuator and drew the cargo ramp up.
“Hatch secured, Skipper,” he called into the intercom.
“Good,” Shawn replied. “Double check that everything is locked down tight and then get up to the flight deck.”
“Yes, sir,” Trent replied, offering the microphone a lazy salute. Then he passed out.
* * *
Three hours after departing the Rhea , Shawn found himself relaxing comfortably in his cabin. On their current course heading, the journey to Rugor would roughly take two days, and Shawn decided to take the first few hours of the journey to catch up on some rest. Lying flat on his bed, he was looking out the view port on the opposite wall, drifting in and out of consciousness, when there was a knock at his door. Not wanting to get up, he flipped a switch near his bedside that allowed the door to slide open.
“I’m not bothering you, am I?” Melissa asked as she poked her head into the small compartment.
“I thought you were flying the ship,” Shawn asked groggily as he rubbed his eyes. “You didn’t hit anything, did you?”
She looked at him dubiously. “In space? We’re in the middle of nowhere. What could I possibly hit?”
Pivoting, Shawn sat upright. “We’re not exactly in the middle of nowhere. Rugor is even closer to the Kafaran border than Second Earth is.”
“What has that got to do with it?”
“This whole region of space was pretty active during the Galactic War: lots of small skirmishes, and quite a few major battles. There’s bound to be some wreckage floating around out here.”
“I didn’t see anything on the sensors a few moments ago when I left. I’m sure we’re going to be just fine.”
Shawn braced himself against the bed, then looked around the compartment cautiously.
“What are you doing?” Melissa asked.
“As soon as you say something is ‘fine’ the ceiling usually caves in on me. I’m just trying to be ready.”
“I didn’t come down here to get ridiculed,” she said with a scowl.
“Then what’s so important?”
“Lunch, Commander. You need to eat.”
Shawn let out a heavy sigh. “When did you become my mother?”
“When you started acting like an adolescent.”
It was Shawn’s turn to scowl. “I don’t see any trays in your hands.”
“We’ll be dining in the passenger lounge.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard it referred to so formally,” he said with a bemused smile.
Melissa stepped closer to the bed and
Shawn, amazed, got to Trent’s side just as the man was about to collapse. “Good job, buddy. Whatever you did, you sure made his day.”
“Remember how I said there was some guesswork in installing that food unit? Well, let’s just say I had to add some special ingredients and leave it at that.”
Shawn slapped him hard on the back, nearly doubling the man over. “Keep up the good work. Your dedication to your craft should be rewarded.” Then he glided past him on his way to the control deck.
Ambassador McDermott was next, holding his clenched fist close to his mouth. Fearing that something might blow past his lips, he simply offered Trent a thumbs-up as he , too, entered the cargo hold.
On her way up, Melissa look at Trent apologetically, then gently brushed his arm. “Try not to think about it —ever again.”
Behind her, and the last to enter Sylvia’s Delight , was the lone Marine assigned to the team. Sergeant Wilcox, dressed in full armor and with his rifle slung across his back, locked eyes with Trent and then shook his head. “You really need to man up and grow a pair.”
“Yeah…that’s what my mom used to tell me.”
“You should have listened. Try coming down to the platoon barracks sometimes. You’ll smell worse things than that Kafaran food.”
When the sergeant was in, Trent pushed the actuator and drew the cargo ramp up.
“Hatch secured, Skipper,” he called into the intercom.
“Good,” Shawn replied. “Double check that everything is locked down tight and then get up to the flight deck.”
“Yes, sir,” Trent replied, offering the microphone a lazy salute. Then he passed out.
* * *
Three hours after departing the Rhea , Shawn found himself relaxing comfortably in his cabin. On their current course heading, the journey to Rugor would roughly take two days, and Shawn decided to take the first few hours of the journey to catch up on some rest. Lying flat on his bed, he was looking out the view port on the opposite wall, drifting in and out of consciousness, when there was a knock at his door. Not wanting to get up, he flipped a switch near his bedside that allowed the door to slide open.
“I’m not bothering you, am I?” Melissa asked as she poked her head into the small compartment.
“I thought you were flying the ship,” Shawn asked groggily as he rubbed his eyes. “You didn’t hit anything, did you?”
She looked at him dubiously. “In space? We’re in the middle of nowhere. What could I possibly hit?”
Pivoting, Shawn sat upright. “We’re not exactly in the middle of nowhere. Rugor is even closer to the Kafaran border than Second Earth is.”
“What has that got to do with it?”
“This whole region of space was pretty active during the Galactic War: lots of small skirmishes, and quite a few major battles. There’s bound to be some wreckage floating around out here.”
“I didn’t see anything on the sensors a few moments ago when I left. I’m sure we’re going to be just fine.”
Shawn braced himself against the bed, then looked around the compartment cautiously.
“What are you doing?” Melissa asked.
“As soon as you say something is ‘fine’ the ceiling usually caves in on me. I’m just trying to be ready.”
“I didn’t come down here to get ridiculed,” she said with a scowl.
“Then what’s so important?”
“Lunch, Commander. You need to eat.”
Shawn let out a heavy sigh. “When did you become my mother?”
“When you started acting like an adolescent.”
It was Shawn’s turn to scowl. “I don’t see any trays in your hands.”
“We’ll be dining in the passenger lounge.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard it referred to so formally,” he said with a bemused smile.
Melissa stepped closer to the bed and
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