Dread Empire by Adams P R

Author:Adams, P R
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Promethean Tales
Published: 2022-03-20T16:00:00+00:00

32

There was time for breakfast, and Riyun made sure his team took advantage of the opportunity. While they gorged themselves on fresh bread, spiced-vegetable omelets, and even spicier hot cereal, he reviewed the latest data from Zabila. He was so absorbed in the findings dug out of the Hoqar computer systems that he burned his lip on a cup of coffee someone had refreshed without him noticing.

He set the cup down, then the tablet, now feeling embarrassed. The burn wouldn’t leave a blister, but it was reminder enough that he needed to be in the now. Seeing the team around the long table set up specifically for them, hearing their voices, and simply feeling their presence was enough to anchor him.

Javika looked at him over a chunk of dark bread dripping a white, aromatic gravy that brought back memories of his farm life. Her eyes held for a second, then the lids twitched, and she looked away. “You see hope in the data?”

“I’m trying to. Is that wrong?” He wanted the words back immediately. Challenging her was the last thing he could have wanted.

“Our hope is in returning home.”

She shoved the gravy-coated bread into her mouth, head still down, as if the remnants of her eggs held the secrets of the universe. The secrets she held were what intrigued him just then. If he could unlock the thoughts inside her head, could just get a hint of what was in her mind, maybe he could salvage the relationship he’d managed to destroy just as it had started to blossom.

The hardy breakfast with its fresh ingredients and rich spices again reminded him of his time on Hurdist. He’d grown up on simple fare, but it hadn’t lacked for herbs and even spices. Physical toil demanded a lot of calories, and when there was food, they met those demands.

Right then, despite the food piled on trays along the length of the long table, he had more the sense of famine than a good harvest.

No. Negative thoughts weren’t going to help their situation.

Turning ever so slightly from Javika on his left, he caught Naru guzzling down the last of her coffee. When he cleared his throat, the hacker looked up, smiling hopefully. “Was there something?” Her focus went to the tablet he’d set aside.

“For you, you mean?”

A hungry nod followed what looked like a barely contained giggle. “I thought maybe they’d hacked the ship—”

He pushed the tablet across to her. “They’re stumped by one of the files they extracted.”

She licked her fingers and lifted the device. “It doesn’t make sense?”

“It might not. They can’t break the encryption.”

“What? That’s crazy. I was inside their security systems on that cruiser.”

“So you said.”

“Um, okay. Maybe this is something Imperial?” She leaned in closer to the display.

“That’s what Zabila thinks.”

“Can I…?”

“She was hoping you’d offer.”

“I’m on it!” A broad smile split the hacker’s face as she stood.

Like the others, she’d dressed in her own combat gear rather than the provided uniforms. It wasn’t that they didn’t approve

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.