Finest Hour by Richard Fox

Author:Richard Fox [Fox, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Triplane Press
Published: 2019-09-30T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

Seaver pulled his boots off and got a whiff of feet and unwashed socks. He was on the second of four bunks, the third—Nassau’s—was empty. The lights were low, but the rustle of men and women struggling to sleep on canvas bunks carried around, along with coughs, mutterings and passing gas.

A clear suture on his hand sat in a numb patch in his hand. He could flex his fingers easily enough, which was a surprise, given that the Daegon medical bot had just dug out a small dummy round from between bones in his hand.

“You,” Keoni’s voice buzzed in his ear. “All team three. Office.”

Seaver stuffed his foot back into the boot as Powell and Inez sat up, groggy but moving quickly to obey the sergeant. He pulled his uniform top on and they went through a door at the end of the barracks to a small inner room where Keoni had his office; little more than a cot and a small nightstand. Keoni’s armor hung on a wooden cross. The man sat on his bunk, pants rolled up to his knees and a vape pen in one hand.

“Legio,” Seaver said.

“News,” Keoni opened the top drawer of his stand and took out a bottle of grey liquid and two slivers of what looked like coconut shells. He poured the liquid into a shell and handed it to Powell. She smelled it and hesitated.

“Bula,” Keoni motioned for her to drink and she took a sip. She shrugged and downed the rest.

“Oh…my tongue is numb,” she frowned and passed the shell back.

“Good stuff,” he gave a drink to Seaver who downed it in one swig.

“Bula,” Keoni said again.

“That’s what this is called, Legio?” Inez asked.

“No, it’s kava. You say ‘bula’ when you drink it. Bula,” he put the bottle to his lips and turned the end up.

“I feel…nice,” Powell said.

“You three go to shaping,” Keoni said. “Juliae favors you. Shaping for best themata.”

“Shaping? Is that more advance training?” Seaver asked. A gentle calm came over him as the kava took effect.

“Training, sure,” Keoni sniffed and leaned back against the bulkhead. “We second force to take planet. First has problem. Place called Concord, you know?”

“The masters attacked Concord?” Seaver asked, his face full of surprise. “Even the Reich wouldn’t attack that place. They fight hard against everything.”

“That why first army have trouble,” Keoni scratched his face. “That why shaping open.”

“How long have you served the masters? Why?” Seaver asked.

“Masters came to my home…they don’t give choice,” Keoni said. “Serve here,” he raised a hand high, “or serve here” he lowered his hand. “I can fight,” his hand wavered between the two levels.

“Why do they have blue or green skin?” Powell asked.

“So you know who the true masters are,” Keoni said with a smirk.

“Where did they come from?” Inez asked.

“Far,” Keoni brushed his hand away. “Beyond ke kai sky river. You call the Veil, yeah?”

“Slip travel’s impossible through the Veil,” Seaver said.

“Can I have more?” Inez asked.

Keoni tucked the bottle next to his body.

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