Children of the Old Stars by David Lee Summers

Author:David Lee Summers [Summers, David Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, General, Adventure, Fiction
ISBN: 9781885093387
Publisher: Lachesis Pub
Published: 2005-04-30T23:00:00+00:00

SHIPSHAPE

Aboard naval ships, the space allotted any sailor was at a premium. The crew slept in bunks lining the walls of the ship. The only concession for officers was a curtain that could be pulled across the sleeping space for some modicum of privacy. Even during his tenure as a ship commander, all John Mark Ellis had was a cot, a fold-down desk and a slightly larger curtain.

"So much for being a government employee,” said Ellis as he stepped into his quarters aboard the Nicholas Sanson for the first time.

Ellis entered alone, after a busy day reviewing crew reports and ship status. The bed, like those aboard naval vessels, was built into the wall. The similarity ended there. The bed was molded into the wall in a way that gave it a certain elegance, making it seem all the more inviting. Not only that, there was a window over the bed, allowing the stars to shine in, giving him a sense of peace, not unlike sleeping on the deck of his grandfather's boat. In addition to the bed were a dresser and two chairs at a round table. Like the bed, they were mounted to the floor in case the graviton generators failed, an occurrence Ellis had a hard time foreseeing on a ship this well maintained. Looking to the left, he saw a door that led into his own private lavatory.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Ellis eased shoes off his feet and lay back, sinking into the soft, yet supportive mattress. It seemed like it had been a lifetime since the captain had a good night sleep. For the past several weeks, Ellis rented a cubicle in Japan, where the mattress seemed paper-thin. Before that, comfortable as G'Liat's mud bath was, it did not compare to a real bed.

Lying in bed, Ellis thought about the good fortune that had allowed him to command a ship so quickly. One of the senior captains in TransGalactic retired recently, opening a position on a bigger ship for the Sanson's previous captain. As Kirsten Smart had said, they were reluctant to promote Yermakov. As Ellis faded toward sleep, he marveled at the remarkable chain of circumstances that allowed him to lie in this bed in these quarters.

The captain's eyes popped open. He thought back to his conversation with G'Liat about finding a ship for their search. He remembered suggesting the mapping vessel to G'Liat. Even so, that suggestion had come after the Rd'dyggian had been inside his mind. The captain's thoughts wandered and he found himself wondering just how long the alien had been planning a trip aboard this particular ship.

Ellis sat up in bed, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. It was well known throughout the confederation that the Rd'dyggians had always resented the Titans’ interference in their war with the Tzrn. The captain pursed his lips, hoping he wasn't letting himself be a pawn in some elaborate revenge plot.

Ellis growled at himself. The last thing he needed

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