Read Online Prime Selection by Monette Michaels - Free Book Online
Authors: Monette Michaels
Tags: Romance
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connecting the buildings, you will be on point. I want us in and out with communications and weapons under our control and not theirs as quickly as possible. If we manage not to alert the enemy upon accomplishment of those goals, then and only then we will scout to see if we can free the Prime prisoners.” If they couldn’t, the prisoners would be freed quickly enough once the rest of Gold arrived.
“Agreed?”
“Yes, Commander,” A’tem said. “What is the contingency plan in case we are discovered while trapped underground?”
Nadia hadn’t created one. Her main goal had always been to get off-planet communications up and running so Joen and Aeron could contact Wulf and Mel and then fix it so no one could use the laser weaponry against the rescue ships. Without a lot of luck on their side, which she’d never counted on, she’d fully expected this to be a suicide mission. Both Aeron and Joen had understood that and that was why they had wanted to come in her stead.
Before Nadia could come up with an explanation as to her initial reasoning, Bram spoke up, “We will not be trapped, Commander A’tem. There are other ways out of the subterranean complex known only by certain Elite-trained soldiers with specific security clearances.”
Bram looked from A’tem to her and back as if deciding whether they were worthy of what had to be Prime military secrets. He smiled. “I am one of those soldiers.”
“And what are these other ways out?” Nadia asked.
“Once we are in the subterranean complex, I will point out a door closest to the communications secure room, leading to an escape tunnel into the mountains and the cave systems.”
Bram’s revelations sent a chill down her spine. “The enemy can get into the mountain caves from these escape tunnels?”
“Not the specific caves where our people are located, but into other similar cave systems,” Bram said. “Commander Ard suggested the cave system we occupy for its defensive capabilities and for the fact that not many know of the system outside of the certain Elite team members. Commander Ard told me to reveal facility security measures to you as needed. I have.”
“Thank you, Bram. A’tem and I won’t share the location of the escape tunnels with anyone else in Gold.”
“Commander,” Bram said almost gently, “I am sure Captain Wulf will reveal such secrets to his senior crew when he has the time. But you need to know all of your Prime crew members know of these tunnels and others like them in similar Prime military fortifications all across this part of the galaxy.”
And from Bram’s last statement, Nadia deduced every single Prime crew member in Gold was Elite-trained with the highest security clearance and the best the Prime had to offer. Wulf must’ve taken that into consideration when he and Mel vetted the Prime soldiers to be merged into Gold. She’d remember to thank him for that foresight later.
Her confidence level on surviving their particular mission had now gone from under five percent up to fifty. The fact A’tem had served in the Volusian military’s elite squads before joining the Alliance military bumped the fifty percent chances of mission success and survival up to maybe sixty-five.
Another thought struck her. “Then why aren’t we using these secret tunnels in the mountains to get into the compound?” Nadia scowled at Bram.
“Because the escape tunnels are meant to be exit only. They are booby-trapped against entry into the compound, but not against exit from it.” Bram’s tone was very dry and along the lines of “did you think Prime were stupid?”
Ignoring his sarcastic tone, Nadia let out a breath. “Bram, once we accomplish our primary missions, you remain on point to lead us out of the compound.”
“Gladly, Commander.” Bram inclined his head.
Of course, completion of their goals still wouldn’t be that easy, which was why she’d only bumped up the chances of success to sixty-five percent. Once
“Agreed?”
“Yes, Commander,” A’tem said. “What is the contingency plan in case we are discovered while trapped underground?”
Nadia hadn’t created one. Her main goal had always been to get off-planet communications up and running so Joen and Aeron could contact Wulf and Mel and then fix it so no one could use the laser weaponry against the rescue ships. Without a lot of luck on their side, which she’d never counted on, she’d fully expected this to be a suicide mission. Both Aeron and Joen had understood that and that was why they had wanted to come in her stead.
Before Nadia could come up with an explanation as to her initial reasoning, Bram spoke up, “We will not be trapped, Commander A’tem. There are other ways out of the subterranean complex known only by certain Elite-trained soldiers with specific security clearances.”
Bram looked from A’tem to her and back as if deciding whether they were worthy of what had to be Prime military secrets. He smiled. “I am one of those soldiers.”
“And what are these other ways out?” Nadia asked.
“Once we are in the subterranean complex, I will point out a door closest to the communications secure room, leading to an escape tunnel into the mountains and the cave systems.”
Bram’s revelations sent a chill down her spine. “The enemy can get into the mountain caves from these escape tunnels?”
“Not the specific caves where our people are located, but into other similar cave systems,” Bram said. “Commander Ard suggested the cave system we occupy for its defensive capabilities and for the fact that not many know of the system outside of the certain Elite team members. Commander Ard told me to reveal facility security measures to you as needed. I have.”
“Thank you, Bram. A’tem and I won’t share the location of the escape tunnels with anyone else in Gold.”
“Commander,” Bram said almost gently, “I am sure Captain Wulf will reveal such secrets to his senior crew when he has the time. But you need to know all of your Prime crew members know of these tunnels and others like them in similar Prime military fortifications all across this part of the galaxy.”
And from Bram’s last statement, Nadia deduced every single Prime crew member in Gold was Elite-trained with the highest security clearance and the best the Prime had to offer. Wulf must’ve taken that into consideration when he and Mel vetted the Prime soldiers to be merged into Gold. She’d remember to thank him for that foresight later.
Her confidence level on surviving their particular mission had now gone from under five percent up to fifty. The fact A’tem had served in the Volusian military’s elite squads before joining the Alliance military bumped the fifty percent chances of mission success and survival up to maybe sixty-five.
Another thought struck her. “Then why aren’t we using these secret tunnels in the mountains to get into the compound?” Nadia scowled at Bram.
“Because the escape tunnels are meant to be exit only. They are booby-trapped against entry into the compound, but not against exit from it.” Bram’s tone was very dry and along the lines of “did you think Prime were stupid?”
Ignoring his sarcastic tone, Nadia let out a breath. “Bram, once we accomplish our primary missions, you remain on point to lead us out of the compound.”
“Gladly, Commander.” Bram inclined his head.
Of course, completion of their goals still wouldn’t be that easy, which was why she’d only bumped up the chances of success to sixty-five percent. Once