Read Online Plague Wars 06: Comes the Destroyer by David VanDyke - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: David VanDyke
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you could, holding nothing back.” Shan held out his hand to Schaeffer.
The American took it, and Shan lifted him to his feet. “Why?” he managed to say.
“I wanted to demonstrate that I could have beaten you, even all three of you, at any time. If I had any nefarious intentions, you would not have been able to stop me. Steward Clayton,” Shan turned to the restrained man now glaring up at him from the floor, “I will be happy to release you if you can control yourself.”
“Yeah. All right.” Clayton did not look controlled.
At that moment the gym door burst open and armed Marines stormed in with weapons ready. Shan made no move, and Schaeffer transmitted instructions subvocally over his internal radio. “Stand down. False alarm. Steward business.” He shot a look at Steward Greco, who slapped the Marine in charge on his armored shoulder to get his attention, pointing back toward the door in emphasis.
Reluctantly, the troops withdrew.
Greco himself hefted a PW20 in one hand, an EMP cannon in the other. The first would hardly bother Shan, but the latter should shut down all of his cybernetics. Schaeffer decided not to give the order to take him down. Shan had spoken the truth. He could have killed them both easily, but now he wanted to talk.
“All right then,” Schaeffer said, controlling his breathing with an effort of will. “What was this all about?”
“Would someone get this restrainer off me please?” Clayton asked from the floor. Schaeffer leaned over to pop the coded release, and the other man got to his feet, rubbing his chest and glowering.
Shan reached into a pocket and withdrew a compact tablet, turning its lit screen to face the others. “Read this, please,” he said with an air of deference.
“Citizen of Earth Declaration…and that pictogram is, what, your name?”
Shan nodded.
“You’re going to join EarthFleet?”
He nodded again.
“Why?”
Shan shrugged a very Western shrug, but said nothing. Schaeffer pursed his lips and thought for a moment, and then answered his own question. “I know why. Huen joined too, right? And you’re his buddy, so off you go.”
“That is as good an explanation as any. Why does this idea bother you?”
“It doesn’t –” But Schaeffer realized Shan was right. It did bother him. Was it because the Chinese had taken the difficult step that he himself had been contemplating, beating him to it? Or was it because this action contradicted his own cherished belief that Shan was up to no good. It could all still be a ploy; nothing said he couldn’t join EarthFleet but still be in the employ of his nation’s masters. If so, it was a very twisted route he followed.
Schaeffer realized he would have to either take a leap of faith about Shan, or hold onto his suspicions and sooner or later he would be replaced, for he had no doubt that the position of Steward was far too sensitive to be filled by any but actual Fleet personnel. Suddenly the thought of going back to the States, back to Earth, seemed like a retreat, a failure, and he realized what he wanted.
“All right. Good on you, Shan. I’m going to do it too.”
“What?” Clayton and Greco said simultaneously, staring at him. “That’s treason,” Clayton continued wonderingly.
“No it’s not,” Schaeffer retorted. “Not unless you think Admiral Absen and every other American joiner is a traitor. There’s nothing treasonous about giving up your citizenship, though it makes me sick to think about it. But it’s the right thing to do. I’m joining EarthFleet.” He held out his hand to Shan. “Bygones?”
“I am unfamiliar with that term,” Shan replied, “but I deduce its meaning. I agree.” He clasped hands with the redheaded American, swallowing the other’s in his massive paw. The Chinese’s eye twitched in a wink. “Now…perhaps I can offer you a job?”
Chapter 11
Admiral Absen nodded to Master Helmsman Okuda as he came in to the conference room. “Admiral on
The American took it, and Shan lifted him to his feet. “Why?” he managed to say.
“I wanted to demonstrate that I could have beaten you, even all three of you, at any time. If I had any nefarious intentions, you would not have been able to stop me. Steward Clayton,” Shan turned to the restrained man now glaring up at him from the floor, “I will be happy to release you if you can control yourself.”
“Yeah. All right.” Clayton did not look controlled.
At that moment the gym door burst open and armed Marines stormed in with weapons ready. Shan made no move, and Schaeffer transmitted instructions subvocally over his internal radio. “Stand down. False alarm. Steward business.” He shot a look at Steward Greco, who slapped the Marine in charge on his armored shoulder to get his attention, pointing back toward the door in emphasis.
Reluctantly, the troops withdrew.
Greco himself hefted a PW20 in one hand, an EMP cannon in the other. The first would hardly bother Shan, but the latter should shut down all of his cybernetics. Schaeffer decided not to give the order to take him down. Shan had spoken the truth. He could have killed them both easily, but now he wanted to talk.
“All right then,” Schaeffer said, controlling his breathing with an effort of will. “What was this all about?”
“Would someone get this restrainer off me please?” Clayton asked from the floor. Schaeffer leaned over to pop the coded release, and the other man got to his feet, rubbing his chest and glowering.
Shan reached into a pocket and withdrew a compact tablet, turning its lit screen to face the others. “Read this, please,” he said with an air of deference.
“Citizen of Earth Declaration…and that pictogram is, what, your name?”
Shan nodded.
“You’re going to join EarthFleet?”
He nodded again.
“Why?”
Shan shrugged a very Western shrug, but said nothing. Schaeffer pursed his lips and thought for a moment, and then answered his own question. “I know why. Huen joined too, right? And you’re his buddy, so off you go.”
“That is as good an explanation as any. Why does this idea bother you?”
“It doesn’t –” But Schaeffer realized Shan was right. It did bother him. Was it because the Chinese had taken the difficult step that he himself had been contemplating, beating him to it? Or was it because this action contradicted his own cherished belief that Shan was up to no good. It could all still be a ploy; nothing said he couldn’t join EarthFleet but still be in the employ of his nation’s masters. If so, it was a very twisted route he followed.
Schaeffer realized he would have to either take a leap of faith about Shan, or hold onto his suspicions and sooner or later he would be replaced, for he had no doubt that the position of Steward was far too sensitive to be filled by any but actual Fleet personnel. Suddenly the thought of going back to the States, back to Earth, seemed like a retreat, a failure, and he realized what he wanted.
“All right. Good on you, Shan. I’m going to do it too.”
“What?” Clayton and Greco said simultaneously, staring at him. “That’s treason,” Clayton continued wonderingly.
“No it’s not,” Schaeffer retorted. “Not unless you think Admiral Absen and every other American joiner is a traitor. There’s nothing treasonous about giving up your citizenship, though it makes me sick to think about it. But it’s the right thing to do. I’m joining EarthFleet.” He held out his hand to Shan. “Bygones?”
“I am unfamiliar with that term,” Shan replied, “but I deduce its meaning. I agree.” He clasped hands with the redheaded American, swallowing the other’s in his massive paw. The Chinese’s eye twitched in a wink. “Now…perhaps I can offer you a job?”
Chapter 11
Admiral Absen nodded to Master Helmsman Okuda as he came in to the conference room. “Admiral on
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