Donor 23 by Cate Campbell Beatty

Author:Cate Campbell Beatty
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science Fiction
ISBN: 9781484933176
Publisher: CreateSpace
Published: 2013-01-01T06:00:00+00:00

23

In the top bunk in an army fort, Duncan read a book by a light in a small, sparse room. He shared the room with Nox. Space was short at the outpost, and the army resented having TEO officers staying with them. So he and Nox made do with what they could get.

It didn’t help matters much that the soldiers and the fort commander did not like Nox. They arrived at this fort a few weeks ago. Nox’s reputation preceded him, as he traveled along the line of forts going west, ending up at this fort, the farthest west in the chain. Nox was a disciplinarian and hard liner—a stickler for the rules in a place where there were no rules. The fort commander, Major Henworth, found a report on his desk almost daily from Nox, informing him of infringements of the rules by the soldiers. Yesterday it had been an objection to the soldiers’ poker games. “Gambling is illegal in the Alliance and should not be tolerated,” the memo concluded. Henworth had tried to reason with Nox. “Look, these guys are out here for a long time. Let ‘em have a little gambling and drink, don’t you think?” Nox had replied, “I don’t think. I follow the law.”

Duncan rubbed his eyes, sore from reading in the dim light.

Nox burst in, saying, “She’s here! They’ve found her.”

Duncan dropped his book and jumped out of the bunk. “What? Where? She’s here? At the fort?”

Nox shook his head. “No, not here—here. Some traders came by the fort today. They saw her at a Nomad village—Pax City—a week or so ago. It’s maybe fifty miles northwest from here. I’m going to check with the Major to see when we can get an army escort, and we’ll head out to get her. Hopefully soon.”

Nox looked suspiciously at the book in Duncan’s hands. “What’re you reading?”

“Last Of The Mohicans.”

“Never heard of it.”

“By Fenimore Cooper. It’s from before the Impact,” Duncan said, and seeing the suspicion in Nox’ eyes, added, “Don’t worry, sir. It’s been OK’d. My father got permission for it. He collects old books.”

Nox nodded.

“I brought quite a few, sir, if you’d like to borrow—”

“No,” Nox replied tersely.

He did not intend to read any prohibited books.

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