Nova War by Gary Gibson

Author:Gary Gibson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Science Fiction - Adventure, Fantasy - General, Science Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Space Opera, General, Fantasy, Adventure, Fiction
ISBN: 9780230706804
Publisher: Tor Books
Published: 2009-09-04T04:00:00+00:00

Sixteen

For a long time, Corso lay on the floor of the train, next to the gurney, wondering just what options he had left.

Honeydew had opened a connecting door and disappeared into another part of the vehicle, leaving Corso to ponder the question of what would happen to him once the Bandati agent returned. And, as he pondered, a deep and overwhelming sense of regret began to seep through him every time he thought about Dakota.

The more he thought about it, the more he was forced to confront the very real possibility that he’d just been a staggering idiot.

He finally took hold of one edge of the gurney and pulled himself back upright. He slumped over it and waited until Honeydew reappeared, accompanied by another Bandati brandishing a shotgun, and with a variety of weaponry secured in the loops of his harness. The guard kept the shotgun trained on Corso’s head as Honeydew addressed him.

‘I want to know what your decision is,’ Honeydew said flatly.

‘I don’t know how you, or any of the rest of your people, think I could trust one more damn word you ever say to me. But I’ll still get your protocols for you.’ Or let you believe that until I figure out my next move.

‘And help us develop new ones if necessary, yes?’

Corso glowered at the alien for a moment, then looked away before nodding his head briefly in agreement.

‘We were not lying when we said we would invite your people into our negotiations, Mr Corso. Given the scale of what we are dealing with, my Queen knows the wisdom of seeking strength in numbers, and is entirely aware of how much you’ve succeeded where we have failed, and within a far shorter time span than was granted to us. I can’t tell you too much yet, but if you give us your willing cooperation, I think you’ll look on us rather more positively in good time.’

Corso felt the urge to give a bitter laugh, but he pushed it back down, realizing at the same moment that the train was finally beginning to slow.

To his surprise, things did indeed begin to change for the better. For a little while, anyway.

The train pulled into another, identical-looking station and Corso was bundled out. Re-emerging into blinding sunlight a few minutes later, he found himself on the edge of a wide level plain that had been entirely surfaced over. It had the universally bleak and lifeless quality of spaceports everywhere. The towers of a city - presumably the same city they had just come from - could be seen in the hazy distance, with the sharp peaks of mountains visible just beyond it.

Corso was promptly marched across the concrete towards a wheeled launch platform, a fast ground-to-orbit scooter mounted above it, sunlight gleaming from the craft’s black-as-night carapace. He was taken inside and thrust into a gel-chair, and left to watch as Honeydew and the guard climbed into their own restraints next to him.

The craft lifted up within moments,

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.