Read Online Lacuna: The Ashes of Humanity by David Adams - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: David Adams
Ads: Link
said, "you're freezing. Let's get back to your quarters."
Liao barely remembered walking back to her quarters. James was right; it was cold. The air-conditioning on the Beijing made it pleasantly cool and warded away the daytime sun but suddenly sapped the heat from her body when she was wet. James went first, leading her through her own ship, a towel across her back. She didn't know how he found that.
Fortunately, she was so wet and unlike herself that nobody seemed to recognise her. Or if they did, they said nothing.
James closed the door to her quarters, and she stripped out of her clothes. Then with a faint whine, her coffee machine started up. Jeeves, she called it. Her assistant getting her through the long nights.
"How much have you had to eat?" James asked.
Liao shook her head.
He didn't look pleased. "When was the last time you had any water?"
She shrugged.
"Here," he said, giving her a black mug full of water. He held a warm mug of black coffee, steam pouring off it. "Hydrate first, caffeinate second."
"I had some water," she protested, but as she started to drink, she realised how cracked and dried her lips were. She had only just come out of the rain, but already her body felt dry. She drank eagerly, spilling it all over her front.
"Okay," said James. "More water first."
Another mug of water appeared. Another mug disappeared, more carefully this time.
Then the coffee. Liao cupped it in her hands, wincing at how hot it was. But as she held it, she realised that it was actually quite cool; her hands were cold. She sipped it absently.
"People think commanding officers don't get combat stress reaction," James observed. "But they do. Remember that."
Liao finally looked at him—right in the eyes—and shook her head. "No. I'm fine."
"I look like garbage," he said, pointing to himself. "I stepped from a war zone to a planetary catastrophe, to the end of our species. I haven't slept either, you know. I haven't bathed. I haven't done anything… and I'm taking care of you . Going to be honest, you look like hell."
"I'm not weak," Liao protested, an edge of anger in her voice.
"Never said you were," James answered, smoothly and evenly. "You blame yourself. I know, Melissa. I know. I feel the same way… I just can't think about that right now. Hell, I'm lucky I could leave Belthas IV. Commander Farah Sabeen is handling the evacuation well, though. Thank heavens."
Some of James's words started to sink in. "Wait," she said, putting down the mug. "Planetary catastrophe? What evacuation?"
"Ben's jump drive went critical."
Liao nodded. "I know. Right as his ship was breaking up. I was there."
"No, no, you don't understand. It's forming a singularity."
Her eyes widened. "A singularity…? Their jump drive survived impact? We detected anomalous readings, but I thought it was just the remnants of the experimental device that could jump anywhere… it always emitted strange signals…."
"It did, but that wasn't it."
Liao just stared into nothing. "How many Toralii are on that planet?"
"10,000. Most are aboard the Tehran now or the various Telvan ships."
The scene on Earth had been repeated on Belthas IV, in micro scale. Liao felt a stab of guilt, but she shook it away. "How many casualties?"
"A few," said James. "But chaos is our main enemy. Our forces are scattered all over the place. The Telvan's, too. Half the ship's inhabitants are Toralii, and a fair number of our Broadswords docked with Telvan ships. We're all having an impromptu cultural exchange."
She nodded mutely.
"So," James continued, "while I'm needed over there, I'm clearly needed over here, too. And I'm not leaving until I'm sure you're okay."
"I'm going to be fine," she said, not even believing it herself.
James touched her shoulder. "You need a hot shower, or you're going to get sick."
This was true. She was still cold, and not even hot coffee had changed that. "Okay."
"Hey." James touched her cheek. "You should shower because
Liao barely remembered walking back to her quarters. James was right; it was cold. The air-conditioning on the Beijing made it pleasantly cool and warded away the daytime sun but suddenly sapped the heat from her body when she was wet. James went first, leading her through her own ship, a towel across her back. She didn't know how he found that.
Fortunately, she was so wet and unlike herself that nobody seemed to recognise her. Or if they did, they said nothing.
James closed the door to her quarters, and she stripped out of her clothes. Then with a faint whine, her coffee machine started up. Jeeves, she called it. Her assistant getting her through the long nights.
"How much have you had to eat?" James asked.
Liao shook her head.
He didn't look pleased. "When was the last time you had any water?"
She shrugged.
"Here," he said, giving her a black mug full of water. He held a warm mug of black coffee, steam pouring off it. "Hydrate first, caffeinate second."
"I had some water," she protested, but as she started to drink, she realised how cracked and dried her lips were. She had only just come out of the rain, but already her body felt dry. She drank eagerly, spilling it all over her front.
"Okay," said James. "More water first."
Another mug of water appeared. Another mug disappeared, more carefully this time.
Then the coffee. Liao cupped it in her hands, wincing at how hot it was. But as she held it, she realised that it was actually quite cool; her hands were cold. She sipped it absently.
"People think commanding officers don't get combat stress reaction," James observed. "But they do. Remember that."
Liao finally looked at him—right in the eyes—and shook her head. "No. I'm fine."
"I look like garbage," he said, pointing to himself. "I stepped from a war zone to a planetary catastrophe, to the end of our species. I haven't slept either, you know. I haven't bathed. I haven't done anything… and I'm taking care of you . Going to be honest, you look like hell."
"I'm not weak," Liao protested, an edge of anger in her voice.
"Never said you were," James answered, smoothly and evenly. "You blame yourself. I know, Melissa. I know. I feel the same way… I just can't think about that right now. Hell, I'm lucky I could leave Belthas IV. Commander Farah Sabeen is handling the evacuation well, though. Thank heavens."
Some of James's words started to sink in. "Wait," she said, putting down the mug. "Planetary catastrophe? What evacuation?"
"Ben's jump drive went critical."
Liao nodded. "I know. Right as his ship was breaking up. I was there."
"No, no, you don't understand. It's forming a singularity."
Her eyes widened. "A singularity…? Their jump drive survived impact? We detected anomalous readings, but I thought it was just the remnants of the experimental device that could jump anywhere… it always emitted strange signals…."
"It did, but that wasn't it."
Liao just stared into nothing. "How many Toralii are on that planet?"
"10,000. Most are aboard the Tehran now or the various Telvan ships."
The scene on Earth had been repeated on Belthas IV, in micro scale. Liao felt a stab of guilt, but she shook it away. "How many casualties?"
"A few," said James. "But chaos is our main enemy. Our forces are scattered all over the place. The Telvan's, too. Half the ship's inhabitants are Toralii, and a fair number of our Broadswords docked with Telvan ships. We're all having an impromptu cultural exchange."
She nodded mutely.
"So," James continued, "while I'm needed over there, I'm clearly needed over here, too. And I'm not leaving until I'm sure you're okay."
"I'm going to be fine," she said, not even believing it herself.
James touched her shoulder. "You need a hot shower, or you're going to get sick."
This was true. She was still cold, and not even hot coffee had changed that. "Okay."
"Hey." James touched her cheek. "You should shower because
Similar Books
