Read Online Point of Origin (War Eternal Book 4) by M. R. Forbes - Free Book Online
Authors: M. R. Forbes
Tags: Science-Fiction, Space Opera, Military, Time travel, Science Fiction & Fantasy, alien invasion, first contact, Galactic Empire, Space Fleet, Space Marine
Ads: Link
presence. The mask had made him even less comfortable.
Cormac started forward. Steven and John trailed behind him, keeping their heads down and trying to look inconspicuous to the few technicians coming and going from the salvager. They had their own work to do, so they didn't pay the three of them too much mind.
As they moved down the corridor, the sight of the salvager gave way to another ship, the one that Germaine wanted them to take. The first thing Steven noticed about it was the overall size. It was tiny. He couldn't believe someone had slipped hyperspace engines onto something so small. The second thing he noticed was that it was ugly. Fins and short wings poked out from all over the place, as though it had been stapled together from a hundred different atmospheric fighters.
"The Lanning," Germaine said as Steven reached him. "Mr. Tio's personal starship."
"You want us to go in this?" John asked.
Germaine laughed. "Look, it has a couple of guns hidden in the belly, and it's maneuverable as hell, but it isn't much use to the overall war effort. Isn't that what you were looking for, Admiral?"
Steven nodded. "Yes. I just wasn't expecting something this size. I didn't even know you could make a hyperspace capable ship like this. Well, other than Mitchell's fighter, but that was built by a Tetron."
"It's a little cozy, I agree. We'll just have to become good friends."
"I've got some porno streams we can watch," Cormac said. "Digger had a portable player and a partition on the data store. What's your flavor, Admiral?"
Steven glanced over at Cormac. The soldier shrank back.
"Oh, damn. You have the same evil eye as your brother. It must run in the family. I take it you're married, sir?"
"Yes, but I wouldn't watch that trash if I wasn't," Steven said.
Cormac put up his hand. "Okay, no worries, sir. I brought a pair of goggles." He looked at the others. "Just let me know if you want to borrow. Or you can share one side. I can't use it anyway." He laughed at himself.
"Let's get this show on the road, shall we?" Steven said. "It's a wonder Mitch hasn't figured out I'm gone yet."
"Right this way, Admiral," Germaine said, leading them onto the Lanning. Besides the two pilot seats, there was room for two more, along with a pisspot and small sleeping area in the back.
"This isn't cozy," Firedog said. "This is a frigging coffin."
Steven looked at him. His face had gone pale, and he was looking towards the airlock.
"Are you okay, Cormac?" he asked.
Cormac was shaking now. "I don't like small spaces, sir."
"You can back out," Germaine said. "Just keep your mouth shut."
Cormac took a step towards the hatch. Then he paused, clenching his eye shut. "Frig it all. No. I'm staying. Mitchell would want me to keep you alive, sir."
"You sure, Firedog?" Germaine asked.
"Yeah. Just close me in. I'll be over here." He sat in the second row of seats and closed his eye. His hands clenched the strap of his duffel, knuckles white.
Germaine took the pilot seat, while Steven sat next to him, leaving John with Cormac.
"I wish I'd brought a change of clothes," Steven said. "I didn't realize I'd be on a ship without any laundering."
"Been a while since you roughed it, Admiral?" Germaine said.
"I never piloted a drop. My Academy scores were at the top of my class, and I got bumped to commanding a cruiser six months out. I've never seen a fight from anything smaller than that."
Germaine laughed. "You're a lucky son of a bitch, aren't you?"
"I worked my ass off."
"Didn't mean to offend, Admiral."
"Call me Steven. I'm pretty much due for a court-martial if I go back to the Alliance before the Tetron are gone, and the rank doesn't mean a thing out here."
"True enough, Steven," Germaine said. "Let's get the show on the road." He pressed a button on the cockpit, opening a channel to Control. "Control, this is Germaine. I'm in the Lanning. Going to move it into the secondary Hangar for a retrofit. Digger thinks he can sling a laser
Cormac started forward. Steven and John trailed behind him, keeping their heads down and trying to look inconspicuous to the few technicians coming and going from the salvager. They had their own work to do, so they didn't pay the three of them too much mind.
As they moved down the corridor, the sight of the salvager gave way to another ship, the one that Germaine wanted them to take. The first thing Steven noticed about it was the overall size. It was tiny. He couldn't believe someone had slipped hyperspace engines onto something so small. The second thing he noticed was that it was ugly. Fins and short wings poked out from all over the place, as though it had been stapled together from a hundred different atmospheric fighters.
"The Lanning," Germaine said as Steven reached him. "Mr. Tio's personal starship."
"You want us to go in this?" John asked.
Germaine laughed. "Look, it has a couple of guns hidden in the belly, and it's maneuverable as hell, but it isn't much use to the overall war effort. Isn't that what you were looking for, Admiral?"
Steven nodded. "Yes. I just wasn't expecting something this size. I didn't even know you could make a hyperspace capable ship like this. Well, other than Mitchell's fighter, but that was built by a Tetron."
"It's a little cozy, I agree. We'll just have to become good friends."
"I've got some porno streams we can watch," Cormac said. "Digger had a portable player and a partition on the data store. What's your flavor, Admiral?"
Steven glanced over at Cormac. The soldier shrank back.
"Oh, damn. You have the same evil eye as your brother. It must run in the family. I take it you're married, sir?"
"Yes, but I wouldn't watch that trash if I wasn't," Steven said.
Cormac put up his hand. "Okay, no worries, sir. I brought a pair of goggles." He looked at the others. "Just let me know if you want to borrow. Or you can share one side. I can't use it anyway." He laughed at himself.
"Let's get this show on the road, shall we?" Steven said. "It's a wonder Mitch hasn't figured out I'm gone yet."
"Right this way, Admiral," Germaine said, leading them onto the Lanning. Besides the two pilot seats, there was room for two more, along with a pisspot and small sleeping area in the back.
"This isn't cozy," Firedog said. "This is a frigging coffin."
Steven looked at him. His face had gone pale, and he was looking towards the airlock.
"Are you okay, Cormac?" he asked.
Cormac was shaking now. "I don't like small spaces, sir."
"You can back out," Germaine said. "Just keep your mouth shut."
Cormac took a step towards the hatch. Then he paused, clenching his eye shut. "Frig it all. No. I'm staying. Mitchell would want me to keep you alive, sir."
"You sure, Firedog?" Germaine asked.
"Yeah. Just close me in. I'll be over here." He sat in the second row of seats and closed his eye. His hands clenched the strap of his duffel, knuckles white.
Germaine took the pilot seat, while Steven sat next to him, leaving John with Cormac.
"I wish I'd brought a change of clothes," Steven said. "I didn't realize I'd be on a ship without any laundering."
"Been a while since you roughed it, Admiral?" Germaine said.
"I never piloted a drop. My Academy scores were at the top of my class, and I got bumped to commanding a cruiser six months out. I've never seen a fight from anything smaller than that."
Germaine laughed. "You're a lucky son of a bitch, aren't you?"
"I worked my ass off."
"Didn't mean to offend, Admiral."
"Call me Steven. I'm pretty much due for a court-martial if I go back to the Alliance before the Tetron are gone, and the rank doesn't mean a thing out here."
"True enough, Steven," Germaine said. "Let's get the show on the road." He pressed a button on the cockpit, opening a channel to Control. "Control, this is Germaine. I'm in the Lanning. Going to move it into the secondary Hangar for a retrofit. Digger thinks he can sling a laser
Similar Books
