everyone with his ability to size up
a situation and devise a way into and out of it. Rachel had ideas of her own.
As a gizmo-girl, she contributed to the dialog as would any expert engineer.
While Jordon understood everything she said, Buck, David, Josh, and Mara were
often left behind by the technical jargon. Race and Jordon were saying
something about Zero-point web emitters which were at present just theoretical.
Jordon’s mom soon became lost in the conversation that was
well beyond her understanding, so she graciously excused herself to make the
upcoming lunch.
“So, what do you think?” Jordon asked his uncle. “With your
help, and if we use this asteroid belt properly, can we take them?”
“We can,” Buck said, “assuming, of course, you and Race can
actually trap their Talons. But I’m still not happy with drawing the Confeds
straight to us. However, in this asteroid belt we’ll have the home court
advantage. If we can’t take them on in here, we certainly shouldn’t engage them out there in open space.”
“Captain Kori,” David said, “I have to agree with my captain
on this. Rhone is secret, and none of us need or want the Confederates to know
this is where we’re hiding. Leading them straight here puts us on their star
charts. Right now their map reads, ‘Here there be space monsters.’ I’d like to
keep it that way.”
“What happened to you Buck?” Jordon said irritably. “Used to
be you’d leap at a chance to scrap with the Confeds. Why the change of heart?”
“No change of heart, son. Had you said you wanted to tackle
them out there somewhere I’d rally the troops. But you want to bring them here,
right to my doorstep. That isn’t something I’m comfortable with doing.”
“Didn’t I see a wrecked space station floating near the
Saigus perimeter?” Joshua said. “Looks like the Confederacy’s been here
before.”
Buck hmph ed. “That was a Confed mining company, boy ,
not a battle tested war-ready flotilla.”
“Could be nothing more than a scout ship tracking us,”
Rachel chimed in softly, “. . . something easily dealt with.”
“Could be a whole fleet,” her uncle retorted. “Heck, it
could be every blasted fleet in the quadrant. Big or small, a lot or a few, I
don’t care. I don’t want them brought here. Got that?” He narrowed angry eyes
on Jordon. “But to blazes with what I want. So . . . against my
better judgment, here we are ready to risk it all.”
Jordon felt his anger rise. Fact was, Buck was right, and
there was no use arguing the point. But still . . .
“As we speak,” Jordon said, “I have a team looking for those
tracking us. Can I wait here till they contact us?”
Buck and David exchanged a look . . .
“The longer he’s here, Captain” said David, “the greater our
risk of being discovered.”
Buck released a sigh through his nose. “The moment you hear
anything from the Archers, you tell me.”
“Will do.”
“Fine. I’ll introduce you to the other captains. If this plan
doesn’t sit well with them, then you’ll have to leave first thing in the
morning, Jordy.”
“Captain French, we’re not certain anyone is actually
following us,” Josh clarified.
“Then what are we talking about?” Buck said.
“I believe there’s a chance we are being tracked, sir,” Josh
said.
“And I thought,” said Jordon, “that if we are, we, with your
help, could turn the tables on them.”
Buck shook his head. “Then I suggest you do your best to
convince the others.”
“I’ll do my best. But can we discuss this other issue?”
Buck gave him a hesitant nod from.
Jordon leaned forward. “Are you going to help me end it all
or not, Buck. You never said.”
“Wait! What?” Courtney said. “End it all?”
Buck glanced at him before looking at Rachel. “I don’t know
that I can.”
“My brother has to die,” Rachel said. “I see no way around
it.”
“And I need you to help me get it done,” Jordon
a situation and devise a way into and out of it. Rachel had ideas of her own.
As a gizmo-girl, she contributed to the dialog as would any expert engineer.
While Jordon understood everything she said, Buck, David, Josh, and Mara were
often left behind by the technical jargon. Race and Jordon were saying
something about Zero-point web emitters which were at present just theoretical.
Jordon’s mom soon became lost in the conversation that was
well beyond her understanding, so she graciously excused herself to make the
upcoming lunch.
“So, what do you think?” Jordon asked his uncle. “With your
help, and if we use this asteroid belt properly, can we take them?”
“We can,” Buck said, “assuming, of course, you and Race can
actually trap their Talons. But I’m still not happy with drawing the Confeds
straight to us. However, in this asteroid belt we’ll have the home court
advantage. If we can’t take them on in here, we certainly shouldn’t engage them out there in open space.”
“Captain Kori,” David said, “I have to agree with my captain
on this. Rhone is secret, and none of us need or want the Confederates to know
this is where we’re hiding. Leading them straight here puts us on their star
charts. Right now their map reads, ‘Here there be space monsters.’ I’d like to
keep it that way.”
“What happened to you Buck?” Jordon said irritably. “Used to
be you’d leap at a chance to scrap with the Confeds. Why the change of heart?”
“No change of heart, son. Had you said you wanted to tackle
them out there somewhere I’d rally the troops. But you want to bring them here,
right to my doorstep. That isn’t something I’m comfortable with doing.”
“Didn’t I see a wrecked space station floating near the
Saigus perimeter?” Joshua said. “Looks like the Confederacy’s been here
before.”
Buck hmph ed. “That was a Confed mining company, boy ,
not a battle tested war-ready flotilla.”
“Could be nothing more than a scout ship tracking us,”
Rachel chimed in softly, “. . . something easily dealt with.”
“Could be a whole fleet,” her uncle retorted. “Heck, it
could be every blasted fleet in the quadrant. Big or small, a lot or a few, I
don’t care. I don’t want them brought here. Got that?” He narrowed angry eyes
on Jordon. “But to blazes with what I want. So . . . against my
better judgment, here we are ready to risk it all.”
Jordon felt his anger rise. Fact was, Buck was right, and
there was no use arguing the point. But still . . .
“As we speak,” Jordon said, “I have a team looking for those
tracking us. Can I wait here till they contact us?”
Buck and David exchanged a look . . .
“The longer he’s here, Captain” said David, “the greater our
risk of being discovered.”
Buck released a sigh through his nose. “The moment you hear
anything from the Archers, you tell me.”
“Will do.”
“Fine. I’ll introduce you to the other captains. If this plan
doesn’t sit well with them, then you’ll have to leave first thing in the
morning, Jordy.”
“Captain French, we’re not certain anyone is actually
following us,” Josh clarified.
“Then what are we talking about?” Buck said.
“I believe there’s a chance we are being tracked, sir,” Josh
said.
“And I thought,” said Jordon, “that if we are, we, with your
help, could turn the tables on them.”
Buck shook his head. “Then I suggest you do your best to
convince the others.”
“I’ll do my best. But can we discuss this other issue?”
Buck gave him a hesitant nod from.
Jordon leaned forward. “Are you going to help me end it all
or not, Buck. You never said.”
“Wait! What?” Courtney said. “End it all?”
Buck glanced at him before looking at Rachel. “I don’t know
that I can.”
“My brother has to die,” Rachel said. “I see no way around
it.”
“And I need you to help me get it done,” Jordon
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