Read Online Last of the Immortals (The Jessica Keller Chronicles Book 3) by Blaze Ward - Free Book Online Page B

Your choice.”
    That got the man’s attention. Apparently, big–fish–in–a–tiny–pond syndrome. Kigali considered knocking the man down and kicking him, at least metaphorically.
    Maybe metaphorically.
    Apparently, Ariojhutti got that message. He reached down and pushed a button off–screen. A red border appeared around the screen.
    “Go ahead,” he said, much quieter.
    Command Centurion Tomas Kigali raised himself slowly to his full height. It wouldn’t change how he appeared on the other man’s screen, but pilots tended to be short, or at least compact, especially compared to his own lanky height. It would give him just one more edge in this discussion .
    “Premier Horvat and First Lord Kasum have declared martial law in the Ballard system, Ariojhutti,” he said simply.
    The man blinked in utter shock, but said nothing.
    Score a point for politeness, then. Or at least manners.
    “Very soon, an Imperial task force is going to arrive, intent on destroying Alexandria Station ,” Kigali continued. “ Ballard Flight Station will probably be second or third on their list of things to blow up. I got here first because I could. The rest of my team will be along in five or seven days. We’re going to try to stop him. You’re going to help.”
    “I’m in charge of this system’s defenses,” the man responded angrily, but quieter than before.
    Kigali considered several responses. Most of them were rude, verging on unacceptable in polite company. Even among command centurions. He decided the man needed a good smack to the side of his head, if just to get his attention.
    “The enemy force will be the Imperial battleship Amsel , with her cruisers and escorts, Ariojhutti,” Kigali said simply. Best to just stick the knife straight in and be done with it. “Your flight wing would last about three minutes against them. Your job, right now, is to get me a meeting with the civilians down on the planet so I can deliver my orders, and then to start evacuating the two stations so we can keep civilian casualties to a minimum. Later, we’ll have to fight Admiral Wachturm.”
    “What are you bringing to the dance?”
    Kigali had to give the man credit. The loud, obnoxious blowhard of a pilot who had started this conversation had slowly morphed into something approximating a professional. Give them a problem. Let them solve it. Maybe he wouldn’t have to let Jessica dress Ariojhutti down, after all.
    Maybe.
    “A strike carrier, a battlecruiser, two destroyers, me, and you.”
    “Against a battleship task force? Are you insane?”
    “We don’t have a choice, Ariojhutti, unless you want to let him just waltz in here and start blowing things up. Plus, we do have one thing on our side.”
    “What’s that, Kigali?”
    “Jessica Keller will be in command.”
    Because, really, this was the Red Admiral. If Jessica couldn’t do it, nobody else was going to manage.

Chapter XI
    Date of the Republic June 8, 394 Jumpspace en route to Ballard
    “What exactly is it?” Jessica asked Moirrey as they stood on the flight deck, surrounded by crews feverishly working on esoteric tasks for the fighters and bombers that would be going into battle in a matter of days.
    “Is no mine, ma’am,” the evil, engineering gnome, now centurion, replied. “Oz did this hisself.”
    Jessica turned to her chief engineer for an explanation.
    The man had a serene smile on his face. Anywhere else, she would have taken that at face value, but Moirrey had specifically asked her to come down to the flight deck to witness more Mischief .
    The objects of the discussion squatted before them.
    They looked like shuttle craft. Two of them. If you have gotten a group of Academy students drunk and asked them to assemble them. Without instructions. In the dark.
    Certainly, not something one would be proud to show off. And yet, six more engineers, Able–bodied Spacers and First Rate Spacers, all seemed quite pleased with themselves.
    Tickled,