Chutes & Ladders (Prosperous Book 1) by A. Rhea King

Author:A. Rhea King [King, A. Rhea]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Fiction
Published: 2017-02-14T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

TRU ROUNDED THE CORNER AND ENTERED THE BRIG. EXUM ZALET SAT AT HIS desk in the back of the Brig. He didn’t look away from what he was typing, but that was likely because, as an Avinion, he either knew Tru was coming from a premonition, or he was silently pulling information out of Tru’s mind.

Tru had always been fascinated by the Avinion, even as a child. They looked like someone had crossed a nearly starved human and demon, to get a creature close to two meters high, with a face that was long, gaunt, and gnarled. Their bodies were covered with chalk white skin that draped off their seemingly fragile bones. But they were anything but frail. In several medical classes in college, he’d learned that their bones were so dense that not even a laser could cut them, and that was after it had managed to get through skin that was as resilient as steel and regenerated within hours.

During his last stint as an XO, he'd discovered that an Avinion scientist, artist, or chef, was just as lethal as an Avinion soldier or security guard, and fought as ruthlessly as a rabid badger. They were also intelligent psychics, and Tru wondered how they continued to remain passive and non-violent with what they knew was going to happen, and how ruthless they could become when threatened. Maybe that was why they always looked sad, even when they smiled.

Perhaps that’s why his father had told him: When you get to pick your own security, ask for an Avinion to be the head man. They are psychics, they are strong and smart, and they are loyal to anyone they call a friend.

Tru walked around the control center in the middle of the Brig, watching the Avinion’s brilliant purple eyes look up to meet his.

“Good afternoon, Chief Zalet.”

Zalet smiled, but it looked sad. He moved slow, like a sloth, to motion toward a chair opposite his desk, saying languidly, “Please, have a seat, Captain.”

The slow movements and reactions Tru did understand. Avinions believed haste was unbecoming and a sign of a weak mind. They believed decisions and actions should be thought on, considered, reconsidered, and then acted upon. But he had seen them react when his last ship had been attacked by Marauders. Then they moved like liquid with deadly accuracy; Tru never wanted to see another Avinion in that state. He preferred them in this languid, non-violent mood, where they were relaxing to talk to and be around.

“Thank you.” Tru sat down. “How are things going, Chief?”

“Your new policy is keeping my crew and me busy.”

Tru’s eyebrows lifted. Was that humor or anger in the remark? Zalet smiled again, and Tru returned it.

“There hadn’t been any reports of fights or insubordination all week. I thought the crew was behaving themselves.”

“You made your policy quite clear. There has been no need to concern you.”

“Thank you, but going forward, please concern me.”

“As you wish, Captain.” Zalet looked at the doc-slips on his desk.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.