The Impossible Future: Complete set by Frank Kennedy (mini ebook reader .txt) 📕

flying forward and her right leg kicking in a swoop. This was a kwin-sho move, beyond Michael’s physical capability. Her shoe caught him square in the cheek. He reeled in blinding pain as she landed firm and blasted a vicious left hook that connected with his nose. He felt the blood streaming and knew something was broken.

As the door slid shut, a new truth shown in her savage eyes: This was not foreplay.

Michael wasn’t fast enough, not with his fists or a weapon. Rachel threw him against the rear bulkhead. He vibrated inside the Guard body armor. He endured her punishment often enough – starting from day one of spec-ops training – that he refused to flinch.

Rachel stood at ease.

“For the record, Cooper, you weren’t my first indigo, but you were the best. You held your own in my bed, and that counts for something. Now the fun’s over. We all had a part to play.”

I’m a goddamn idiot.

“Be straight me with, Broadman. What are you saying?”

“C’mon, Cooper. At some level, you had to know there was an expiration date.”

Michael laughed at his stupidity. “You’re not talking about sex.”

“No, I’m not. It’s too bad, if truth be told. You’re a good soldier.”

As if on cue, the door slipped open. Maj. Aiden Nilsson entered.

Michael didn’t have to read the Major’s vacant eyes to know what was coming next.

34

N ILSSON LOOKED MICHAEL UP AND DOWN and shook his head before turning to Broadman.

“Colonel, when did I say anything about drawing blood?”

Rachel shook out her left fist. “It was a parting gift, Major. Last gift same as the first: Blood and pain.” When she pivoted toward him, Michael saw no malice in her generous grin. “He took it like a man both times. Standing on two feet, prepared for more.”

“You’re dismissed, Colonel. Wait outside.”

She winked as she left, adding before the door slid shut:

“Hey, Cooper. As cave hunters go, I’ve never seen better.”

In any other context, Michael would have appreciated the sexual compliment. Instead, he was left alone with a man whose trust and respect he spent four months working to earn.

Nilsson pointed. “Given the shape of your nose, I’m surprised there’s not more blood.” Nilsson tapped the dispensary above Percy’s bunk and grabbed a footlong medcloth. “Here. Clean yourself up and have a seat, Lt. Cooper.”

“I’ll stand if it’s all the same, sir.”

“I gave you an order. Sit.”

Michael wiped the blood and dabbed at his nose, which had been broken so often he couldn’t believe it was still attached. Stay calm. Don’t react unless you got no choice. Nilsson remained standing.

“I’ve had suspicions about you for days now,” the Major said. “I was hoping you’d steer clear of the fire. But you’ve always been ten more questions waiting to be asked. I could give you a long-winded exposition, but let’s make it simple, Cooper. Tell me what you think is happening right now.”

Michael tossed the cloth aside and realized he was out of options.

“Major, I think you’re working with Frances Bouchet and Capt. Forsythe to tiptoe out of here with people you need for Praxis. Then you’re going to leave the rest behind for some reason that makes no goddamn sense. I reckon Forsythe has been ordered to hook up with the invasion force, wherever it’s hiding, until they finish building an Anchor big enough for all those ships to pass through. A substrata jumpgate, probably in the Euphrates system or close by. Emil Bouchet has been supervising construction.

“You’re not taking Cm. Cabrise because the Admiralty’s had enough of the old bastard. They won’t forgive him for resigning his last fleet command. As for me, well, I’m a problem the Chancellors had just assume go away. Permanently. Am I close?”

Nilsson scratched at his manicured beard.

“No one ever gave you enough credit, Lt. Cooper, including me. I felt the same way as Lt. Muldoon the first time I saw you in uniform.” Their eyes met, Michael realizing how easily he fell into their trap. “Yes, Cooper, I was listening. It violated protocol, and Muldoon strongly objected. But I had to know how close you were.

“To my point, Cooper: In the past three months, I’ve come to more than respect you as a soldier and a man. I admire you. The staggering pain you endured to pursue a goal with such a small likelihood of success is, frankly, beyond me. I have no frame of reference. Did you know I have a wife and two children?”

“No, sir.”

“Because I never talk about them. To be honest, I rarely think about them. Perhaps when this tour is finished. Yes?” He clasped his hands together. “OK then. To business.”

Nilsson took a seat on Percy’s bed.

“Most of your speculation is spot-on, Cooper. However, we do have a legitimate reason for leaving a majority of staff behind. We want to maintain the illusion of continuing operations in the event Brother James and his agents look our way. If they believe our work here is insignificant, we’ll buy the necessary time to finish the jumpgate and obliterate Salvation. We chose to remain quiet in order to avoid dissent or panic. As for Cabrise, this bait-and-switch operation was proposed weeks ago, and he objected to staying behind. Capt. Forsythe agreed to replace him with Col. Doltrice, but this was a ruse. I don’t think Cabrise ever bought it.”

Typical Chancellor shenanigans. “So, you and Forsythe decided to play hide-and-seek with the base commandant?”

“More or less. Alternatively, I could have arrested him.”

Goosebumps told him how to respond.. “The plan was proposed weeks ago, so you must have known the Anchors worked. Tell me, Major, how long has it been? That test the other day wasn’t the first.”

“No, Cooper. The Anchor was proven viable three months ago, right around the time we arrived