Read Online Machine Gods (Star Crusades Nexus, Book 2) by Michael G. Thomas - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michael G. Thomas
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a great variety
of operations. Admiral Anderson had been the commander of the
Prometheus Research facility on the other side of the bridge, but
in recent months had transferred permanently to this new sector of
space where he was responsible for all Alliance activities. She
made herself comfortable and then looked directly across the table
toward the seated Admiral.
“ Ms Morato, thank
you for coming to see me,” he started.
It was formal, and
in her experience that wasn’t a good thing.
“Gun, you are always welcome here.”
Gun nodded but said
nothing. W ords meant little to him, only
action, and he had yet to hear anything from the assembled group.
Unlike the others, he remained standing, mainly because none of the
chairs were suitable for his great bulk.
“ You’ve heard the
news with regards to the bill that has just been pushed through by
the Senate? All private security companies have been blocked from
working on board Alliance funded facilities. This includes
stations, ships, and bases such as this one. I know this is a blow
to you and Spartan. You built this company up with hard graft after
leaving the Corps. I understand that investors from the Carthago
Trade Consortium are in the process of initiating a hostile
takeover of APS Corp. That’s got to be hard for you?”
Teresa inhaled and
did her best to suppress feelings of anger. She’d only just heard
the news herself and was livid. The Consortium was an entity built from a number of traders, mining
companies, and speculators. They’d become rich in the last year,
while APS had been hit as public support faded for the private
security companies. But what worried her most was the anti-Biomech
language being used by their executives.
“ Yes, Spartan would
be furious if he was here. If they succeed, their first order of
business is to cancel all contracts with Biomech operatives. We
have over three hundred on our books, half being
Jötnar.”
“ Your people are the
finest warriors we have met. You will always find work alongside
out people,” said one of the T’Kari while gazing upon
Gun.
The alien’s voice
was synthesized, as with all of their
species, due to their reliance upon their suits’ inbuilt translator
system. Gun’s great size and strength had been a source of great
wonder to the T’Kari. His people had been treated as honored guests
ever since, much to the surprise of Alliance High Command. Admiral
Anderson looked taken back by the announcement from the
aliens.
“ Ms Morato.” He
was formal for the benefit of the others
present. “Things are changing fast in this sector. We are having a
hard time keeping up with what is happening.”
He nodded to the
three T’Kari representatives who waited patiently.
“ Since meeting our
friends here, we have started to learn a great deal about the many
worlds outside of our own systems. There are stars, planets, and
races we never knew existed before. The T’Kari are the first, and
we hope to meet others, if any of them still exist. There are many
questions coming from our politicians, generals, and the public at
large. Who are we? Where do we come from, and are we related in
some way to the T’Kari?”
The three aliens sat
motionless in their civilian body armor, listening patiently as the
suit translators altered the sounds into their own tongue. The
suits were very much like those worm by their warriors but missing
most of the armored plates and extra equipment. Their resulting
figures were similar but far more slender than that of humans and
their skin pale like glossy alabaster.
“ Nonetheless, this
isn’t important right now. As of today, we have some rather more
important issues to contend with. As you know the Alliance has
established a number of bases through T’Karan, at the invitation of
the T’Kari.”
Teresa nodded
but still found it odd that the region of
space so recently called New Charon had changed name. She recalled
hearing something about the T’Kari calling
of operations. Admiral Anderson had been the commander of the
Prometheus Research facility on the other side of the bridge, but
in recent months had transferred permanently to this new sector of
space where he was responsible for all Alliance activities. She
made herself comfortable and then looked directly across the table
toward the seated Admiral.
“ Ms Morato, thank
you for coming to see me,” he started.
It was formal, and
in her experience that wasn’t a good thing.
“Gun, you are always welcome here.”
Gun nodded but said
nothing. W ords meant little to him, only
action, and he had yet to hear anything from the assembled group.
Unlike the others, he remained standing, mainly because none of the
chairs were suitable for his great bulk.
“ You’ve heard the
news with regards to the bill that has just been pushed through by
the Senate? All private security companies have been blocked from
working on board Alliance funded facilities. This includes
stations, ships, and bases such as this one. I know this is a blow
to you and Spartan. You built this company up with hard graft after
leaving the Corps. I understand that investors from the Carthago
Trade Consortium are in the process of initiating a hostile
takeover of APS Corp. That’s got to be hard for you?”
Teresa inhaled and
did her best to suppress feelings of anger. She’d only just heard
the news herself and was livid. The Consortium was an entity built from a number of traders, mining
companies, and speculators. They’d become rich in the last year,
while APS had been hit as public support faded for the private
security companies. But what worried her most was the anti-Biomech
language being used by their executives.
“ Yes, Spartan would
be furious if he was here. If they succeed, their first order of
business is to cancel all contracts with Biomech operatives. We
have over three hundred on our books, half being
Jötnar.”
“ Your people are the
finest warriors we have met. You will always find work alongside
out people,” said one of the T’Kari while gazing upon
Gun.
The alien’s voice
was synthesized, as with all of their
species, due to their reliance upon their suits’ inbuilt translator
system. Gun’s great size and strength had been a source of great
wonder to the T’Kari. His people had been treated as honored guests
ever since, much to the surprise of Alliance High Command. Admiral
Anderson looked taken back by the announcement from the
aliens.
“ Ms Morato.” He
was formal for the benefit of the others
present. “Things are changing fast in this sector. We are having a
hard time keeping up with what is happening.”
He nodded to the
three T’Kari representatives who waited patiently.
“ Since meeting our
friends here, we have started to learn a great deal about the many
worlds outside of our own systems. There are stars, planets, and
races we never knew existed before. The T’Kari are the first, and
we hope to meet others, if any of them still exist. There are many
questions coming from our politicians, generals, and the public at
large. Who are we? Where do we come from, and are we related in
some way to the T’Kari?”
The three aliens sat
motionless in their civilian body armor, listening patiently as the
suit translators altered the sounds into their own tongue. The
suits were very much like those worm by their warriors but missing
most of the armored plates and extra equipment. Their resulting
figures were similar but far more slender than that of humans and
their skin pale like glossy alabaster.
“ Nonetheless, this
isn’t important right now. As of today, we have some rather more
important issues to contend with. As you know the Alliance has
established a number of bases through T’Karan, at the invitation of
the T’Kari.”
Teresa nodded
but still found it odd that the region of
space so recently called New Charon had changed name. She recalled
hearing something about the T’Kari calling
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