Read Online The Dead Sun (Star Force Series) by B. V. Larson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: B. V. Larson
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this personally and be angry with them, but they might not understand. After all, the ambassador asked for it.”
I turned back to Kwon. “What happened after the Ambassador died?”
“Well, the rest of the diplomatic team kind of freaked out. They shot a few Worms—it didn’t go too well.”
“Hmm,” I said, sighing. “A diplomatic incident. Now I understand their message better. The Worms were speaking of mending our lost ways. I would wager from their behavior they’re angry and considered a warlike response.”
“I think they were pissed off, yes, sir.”
Newcome was still eyeing Kwon suspiciously. “Your story is quite fantastic, First Sergeant. What was your part in it? How did you survive?”
“Well, I didn’t pull a gun. Instead, I got up like this.”
Kwon stood and crouched with his hands out to his sides. His knees were bent, and his hulking form was clearly in the posture of a wrestler. In fact, he looked like a sumo wrestler to me.
“They didn’t try to kill you, then?”
“Well—they tried. They sent in a Worm about my size. I was glad he wasn’t one of the really big ones—you know, the Granddaddy Worms. Anyway, he was tough, and strong, and I didn’t have an armored suit or a knife or anything. We thrashed around, but I finally managed to tear him apart.”
“How do you even go about getting a wrestling hold on a Worm?” I asked him.
He shook his head. “No, no, I didn’t do a wrestling move. I grabbed one half with my arms locked around the middle, see, and I squeezed him until he came apart in two halves.”
“Ah, you literally tore him apart.”
“It was the only way I could figure out to win, sir.”
I chuckled. Admiral Newcome looked disgusted.
“So then they were impressed,” I said. “They decided you could live, and they shipped you up here when we came by. When did the wrestling happen?”
“About a week ago, if I had to guess. I’ve been living in my suit. Not much to do. Not much to eat, either. Could I go to the mess now, Colonel?”
“You certainly can, Kwon. You’ve earned it.”
I clapped him on the back and sent him on his way.
Newcome turned on me the moment he was out of earshot. “Do you believe all that nonsense, Colonel? I mean, seriously?”
“It makes sense, sir,” said Marvin suddenly. He hadn’t spoken much throughout the briefing, but he came to life now that Kwon was gone.
“ Sense? ” demanded Newcome. “What kind of sense? These aliens crushed our entire diplomatic team without a warning, and Kwon is returned by ejection from their ships? This isn’t civilized behavior.”
“Agreed,” I said. “But Marvin’s right. You have to understand the Worms, Admiral. They aren’t like you or me in personality or culture. They’re rough around the edges compared to us.”
“Rough around the—I can’t believe what I’m hearing. You’re defending them.”
“Maybe,” I said. “Like I said, you have to understand them. Our chief emissary clearly failed to do so. She went into a shark tank, then invited the sharks to do what came naturally to them. I recall certain British explorers making similar mistakes a few centuries back. These are aliens , Admiral. Not primitive people who need more education. You have to deal with them as they are, not as you wish them to be.”
Newcome didn’t seem to get what I was saying, and I lost interest in the conversation. I knew I didn’t really need to explain it to him. If he stayed alive long enough out here on the frontier, he’d figure it out on his own as Kwon had. You just couldn’t judge aliens by human standards—and if you did, you’d likely make a fatal mistake at some point.
I dismissed Newcome and turned to Marvin.
“What do you think we ought to say to the Worms, Marvin?”
“You’re asking me, Colonel?”
“I believe I just did.”
“I rarely am queried for advice in diplomatic matters.”
I rolled my eyes. Marvin had served as my translator on countless
I turned back to Kwon. “What happened after the Ambassador died?”
“Well, the rest of the diplomatic team kind of freaked out. They shot a few Worms—it didn’t go too well.”
“Hmm,” I said, sighing. “A diplomatic incident. Now I understand their message better. The Worms were speaking of mending our lost ways. I would wager from their behavior they’re angry and considered a warlike response.”
“I think they were pissed off, yes, sir.”
Newcome was still eyeing Kwon suspiciously. “Your story is quite fantastic, First Sergeant. What was your part in it? How did you survive?”
“Well, I didn’t pull a gun. Instead, I got up like this.”
Kwon stood and crouched with his hands out to his sides. His knees were bent, and his hulking form was clearly in the posture of a wrestler. In fact, he looked like a sumo wrestler to me.
“They didn’t try to kill you, then?”
“Well—they tried. They sent in a Worm about my size. I was glad he wasn’t one of the really big ones—you know, the Granddaddy Worms. Anyway, he was tough, and strong, and I didn’t have an armored suit or a knife or anything. We thrashed around, but I finally managed to tear him apart.”
“How do you even go about getting a wrestling hold on a Worm?” I asked him.
He shook his head. “No, no, I didn’t do a wrestling move. I grabbed one half with my arms locked around the middle, see, and I squeezed him until he came apart in two halves.”
“Ah, you literally tore him apart.”
“It was the only way I could figure out to win, sir.”
I chuckled. Admiral Newcome looked disgusted.
“So then they were impressed,” I said. “They decided you could live, and they shipped you up here when we came by. When did the wrestling happen?”
“About a week ago, if I had to guess. I’ve been living in my suit. Not much to do. Not much to eat, either. Could I go to the mess now, Colonel?”
“You certainly can, Kwon. You’ve earned it.”
I clapped him on the back and sent him on his way.
Newcome turned on me the moment he was out of earshot. “Do you believe all that nonsense, Colonel? I mean, seriously?”
“It makes sense, sir,” said Marvin suddenly. He hadn’t spoken much throughout the briefing, but he came to life now that Kwon was gone.
“ Sense? ” demanded Newcome. “What kind of sense? These aliens crushed our entire diplomatic team without a warning, and Kwon is returned by ejection from their ships? This isn’t civilized behavior.”
“Agreed,” I said. “But Marvin’s right. You have to understand the Worms, Admiral. They aren’t like you or me in personality or culture. They’re rough around the edges compared to us.”
“Rough around the—I can’t believe what I’m hearing. You’re defending them.”
“Maybe,” I said. “Like I said, you have to understand them. Our chief emissary clearly failed to do so. She went into a shark tank, then invited the sharks to do what came naturally to them. I recall certain British explorers making similar mistakes a few centuries back. These are aliens , Admiral. Not primitive people who need more education. You have to deal with them as they are, not as you wish them to be.”
Newcome didn’t seem to get what I was saying, and I lost interest in the conversation. I knew I didn’t really need to explain it to him. If he stayed alive long enough out here on the frontier, he’d figure it out on his own as Kwon had. You just couldn’t judge aliens by human standards—and if you did, you’d likely make a fatal mistake at some point.
I dismissed Newcome and turned to Marvin.
“What do you think we ought to say to the Worms, Marvin?”
“You’re asking me, Colonel?”
“I believe I just did.”
“I rarely am queried for advice in diplomatic matters.”
I rolled my eyes. Marvin had served as my translator on countless
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