Bound by Blood by Terry Mixon & Glynn Stewart

Author:Terry Mixon & Glynn Stewart [Mixon, Terry]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Faolan's Pen Publishing
Published: 2019-04-22T16:00:00+00:00

Brad immediately dispatched some of his smaller ships to scout the likely line of advance that the force that had attacked Mars had used. He knew he was taking a risk, because the refueling depot would be guarded. Unfortunately, they didn’t find anything.

In the few days that it’d taken them to search, Director Kernsky had gotten the majority of the mercenary ships and companies sorted out. They didn’t have anything larger than destroyers, but what ships they did have were powerfully armed and crewed by experienced personnel.

The various armed forces of the different political entities that made up the Jovian system were slower to gather, but they were beginning to show up in force as well. Even though Arbiter Blaze had insisted that he was in overall command, he felt it would be best if he focused his attention through a single person to convey his orders to those ships.

As the combined force was gathering around Io, he turned his attention to the commanding officer of Io’s own militia space forces, Commodore Giles Buckley. He was the most likely candidate for the job.

Even though Brad had more than enough on his plate, he knew that he had to take the time to meet with the man face to face. Buckley was waiting to meet Brad when he docked at the Io shipyards.

The man’s appearance wasn’t anything like what Brad had guessed based simply on his name. Rather than a tall, thin white man with blond hair like he’d imagined, Buckley was a short, rotund man with deep black hair and a dark reddish-brown tint to his skin.

It took Brad a moment or two to figure out the man had to have an American Indian genetic background.

Buckley smiled knowingly as he extended his hand. “It surprises everyone the first time,” he said with a hint of humor in his voice. “I obviously took after my mother. Welcome back to the Io shipyards, Admiral.

“While we’ve never officially met, I have seen you around and about the shipyard on occasion, back when you were a simple mercenary. Though I’m given to understand that simple may not be the appropriate descriptive term. Your reputation precedes you and I’m looking forward to working with you.”

“I hope you still think so once we’re done talking,” Brad said with a slight grin while he shook the man’s hand. “I’m afraid that I’m about to make your life significantly more complicated than it was just a minute ago.”

Buckley shook his head. “If you’re going to ruin my day, let’s at least do so over a decent meal. I took the liberty of having something brought to my office so that we could eat in peace and discuss whatever you needed to speak about without distractions.”

With that, the man led Brad and his escort to the offices of the Io space force.

Brad left all but two of his Marines in the outer office, with the intention of posting the remaining two outside the door while the two officers ate and talked.

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