Consort of the Scorpion Queen (Aeon 14: The Empire Book 2) by M. D. Cooper

Author:M. D. Cooper [Cooper, M. D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Wooden Pen Press
Published: 2020-09-20T22:00:00+00:00

* * * * *

Taking advantage of a lull in the battle, Petra asked Melan if he’d meet her in the briefing room aft of the bridge, and he agreed. She arrived first, pacing back and forth during the minute she waited for him, rehearsing what she was going to say.

“OK, what is it, Petra,” the man huffed as he entered the room. “In case you haven’t noticed, we’re a little tight on time right now.”

Resisting the urge to snap back at him, she nodded. “I know, and time is of the essence. Alastar and I just got word that our agent is in hot water. He’s down on one of the inner yards that we’re not planning to hit, and needs exfil. I want to take a strike team down to free him.”

“Oh?” Melan cocked an eyebrow. “Why not just tell Diana and get her to order it?”

Petra shrugged. “Well…I kinda don’t want her to know. It won’t take long. We can grab him while the fleet passes around the far side of Bella Seas, and we’ll meet back up when the fleet re-forms.”

He regarded her with hooded eyes for a moment, and she wondered if he suspected she had suspicions of her own. Finally, he consented.

“Very well. I’ll have a squad meet you down in Bay 19. But if you don’t make it back, we probably won’t have time to get you. This system’s perimeter fleets are already moving to intercept us, and that fight isn’t one I think we can win—not even with our stasis shields.”

“Understood, Admiral, and thank you.”

“Thank the empress. I’m only doing this because she likes you so much.”

<Oh, that can mean so many different things,> Alastar said.

<I know, right? The man is so hard to read.>

Admiral Melan returned to the bridge while Petra left the room and headed in the opposite direction. She quickly ran through what she was going to tell the empress, and then reached out.

<Diana, I think something I ate is disagreeing with me. I’m going to follow the rest of the battle from our quarters so I don’t have to rush off the bridge every five minutes.>

<Oh, Petra…you did have a lot of those potatoes.>

She held back a laugh. <Yeah, that could have been it…or the half-tray of meatloaf.>

<I could see that. OK, I’ll check in on you when we’ve regrouped. Don’t hesitate to get a medic to check you over if you need it.>

<Of course, I’ll see you soon.>

Diana sent a farewell wave, and Petra disconnected.

<You have the feed from our quarters faked?> she asked Alastar.

<Yup, you just have to duck in there and back out. I’ve left the message on the deaddrop as well. If things go sideways, Tenna will find it.>

Petra nodded, taking the lift to their private section of the ship and doing as the AI asked before making a beeline for Bay 19.

A lieutenant was standing outside a non-descript shuttle, and he gave her a salute as she approached. “We’re ready to go, Ambassador.”

“Excellent,” Petra said, giving the man a nod as she walked past.

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