FLIPSPACE: Sol Side Up by John Steiner

Author:John Steiner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: mission, space travel, target, peacekeepers, outerspace, colonel, explorers, protocol, reincarnated, space mission, abductors, john steiner, flipspace, kidnapping plot, mockinbird, on leave, organize ships crew, return to earth, sol side up
Publisher: Melange Books, LLC

Chapter 6

To the Bone

“Aren’t you a little curious why he won’t say what he wants?” Colonel Rama asked the Asian man who had yet to utter a word. “Come on, Marvin. Suppose he wants to be King of the Lilliputians? Maybe he wants to be Top Martian, or First Martian or whatever you call your leadership.”

The middle-aged man was about to turn from whatever was displayed on his sleeve when a loud knock echoed from the large hanger doors. Jumping to his feet, the ringleader produced a pistol for the first time, and went for the door while pointing at Sumitra. “Watch her.”

He checked his shirt sleeve, linked to a computer somewhere on his person, and froze.

“C’mon, Sammy!” A voice called from outside. “Just open the goddamn door.”

“No one calls me that,” said the man, whom Sumitra assumed really was named Sammy. Sammy threw a shoulder against the wall next to the door’s rail track with pistol ready.

“We both know that’s a bunch of bullshit, Sammy,” the outsider countered loud enough for Colonel Ramachandra to recognize it was Captain O’Connell. “Lighten up and let me in.”

Instead, Sammy turned to Sumitra and grinned at her recognition. “A little shocked, are we?”

Sammy reached for the door control pad and opened it just enough for O’Connell to squeeze in lying down. The rollup door slammed back down just after the flight surgeon cleared it, causing the old man to jump away. He covered his surprise by dusting himself off. Sumitra thought she had heard a hard clack, when O’Connell’s forearm touched the synth-crete during his roll.

“Hand it over,” Sammy insisted with a summoning hand, as O’Connell rose up.

“What,” the captain asked through an instant of bewilderment, and then realized something, “Oh, yeah, the stun gun. Here ‘ya go. You got yourself deep into the shit now, Sammy.”

O’Connell revealed no inhibitions about pulling back his uniform sleeve to expose and remove the stun gun he probably got out of the Mockingbird’s weapons lockers. He passed it over without delay or signs of disappointment about the ruse failing.

“So what’s this you’re saying about deep shit?” Sammy shot back with a raised chin.

“Tell me you didn’t notice the audience you got out there.” The flight surgeon looked around, and then pointed up absently at the ceiling. “Re-Cal feds, Vandenberg Base Patrol, not to mention four Ghostwalkers skulking around the airfield.”

“Captain,” Rama shouted, her face red with rage.

“What?” O’Connell shrugged. “He knows already, or he should.”

Bhakti looked ready to say something about this, but her eyes locked onto Sammy’s weapon, and she clenched her jaw closed.

“You’re serious about the Ghostwalkers?” Sammy gave Malcolm a dead level stare.

“Yeah,” O’Connell said with a sideways nod. “Their idea was that I come in here and talk you down. You know, Xerces patient to Xerces patient.”

“I hadn’t noticed them.” Sammy checked his display. “You sure they’re out there?”

“Unless I was talking to real ghosts, yeah. You know I don’t buy into all that paranormal bullshit. So, what’s the deal with taking

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