Mess With the Bull (Rise of the Peacemakers Book 8) by Casey Moores

Author:Casey Moores [Moores, Casey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Seventh Seal Press
Published: 2021-09-06T22:00:00+00:00

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Chapter Twenty-Eight

Fitzparj City, Planet Monogatari

Zoku System

Three black, oblong shuttles settled down in a line within a few meters of Seerna’s orbital shuttle. Goka had already landed in two separate troop shuttles. Security teams fanned out in every direction. Seerna looked up to find two Hunter-class gunships in an alternating figure eight pattern. Further out, Seerna discovered a small number of drones.

If Stavro is trying to hide her presence, she is failing.

The door to the first shuttle opened.

“Coordinator, the general is waiting,” the nearest Goka troop informed Seerna.

Seerna stared at the Goka for a moment without moving.

A Human would frown right now.

She walked to and entered the shuttle. The interior was large enough for a Veetanho to stand in. Stavro stood next to a refreshment station. The younger Veetanho coordinator was motionless and expressionless.

She is forcing me to initiate the greeting ritual, as if I was a subordinate. Now I know where we stand.

Seerna stepped toward Stavro and commenced the formal sniff, touch, and groom display Veetanho performed when they reunited. As a further slight, Stavro let Seerna conduct the first few actions before joining. When they’d last interacted, Stavro had been well below Seerna’s station. In fact, Seerna had instructed Stavro on the ways of a coordinator.

Remember, this is the path you chose.

When the greeting was complete, Stavro sat and pointed to the refreshment station.

“There are drinks available if you are thirsty from your trip,” Stavro said. The other Veetanho had an obnoxious need to demonstrate her dominance. Stavro settled into a cushiony bucket seat as if it was a throne.

The appropriate response would be to take nothing as a sign of fortitude. However, Seerna understood what was coming. She would need all the sustenance she could get.

“General Stavro, is it?” Seerna said as she poured herself a vitamin-rich beverage.

“Of course you know that I am, in truth, still a coordinator,” Stavro said. “However, it is important to play many parts in the execution of a coordinator’s duties, is it not? Thus, to gain legitimacy in the eyes of the local government and the mercenary forces I command, I have given myself the title of general. Naturally, none question the station of a Veetanho who gives commands. With the exception of a few uncooperative races, we have conditioned just about everyone pretty well in that respect, have we not?”

“Of course. As I taught you early on, that is one of the great advantages to being a Veetanho, and a great coordinator must learn to harness that power for maximum benefit. It seems you have done well with my lessons.”

Seerna relaxed into one of the couches. It was an incredibly comfortable ride, and she planned to make the most of it. Had she not been able to see outside through the small windows, she might not have realized they had lifted into the air.

Unabashed, Seerna guzzled her first beverage and returned to pour herself another.

“You have gone feral, have you not?” Stavro said. She made no attempt to mask her condescension.

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