Prince of Sunset by Steve White

Author:Steve White
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Science Fiction
Publisher: Baen Publishing Enterprises
Published: 1998-02-28T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

The Mu Arae Sector, 3910 C.E.

The wreckage caught the ruddy light of DM -48 11837 as it drifted in orbit, fragments of ships tumbling end over end through the void. Basil gazed at it in the viewscreen and kept his face expressionless as he listened to Lenore Silva's report.

"All the hostile units have been accounted for—destroyed, surrendered or fled. The scout screen reports no further response to their offers to pick up life pods." The starlight glinting off the chief of staff's ebon features failed to reveal any expression.

"Not that there would have been many pods from their flagship," Sonja remarked. Neither she nor any of them could forget the sight of the battleship's cataclysmic end. "Too bad . . ." She let the thought die. None of them had expected Serafini herself to be with this advance force. But, then, she'd always prided herself on leading from the front.

Basil swung around abruptly and faced the two women, silhouetted against the starfields and the blaze of the local sun. "I never wanted this. As soon as I realized Serafini was here, I tried to persuade her to surrender, to join us—"

"We know you did, Basil," Sonja assured him. "But it takes two to make an agreement, and Serafini wasn't having any. You can't blame yourself."

"No. But . . ." Basil shook his head as he often did when dismissing a thought, as though seeking to physically dislodge it. "Never mind. Let's proceed to Mu Arae and wrap this up."

* * *

As the shuttle entered Hespera's atmosphere and approached Bronson's Landing, Basil found himself having to suppress a shudder at the memory of his last experience at that city's spaceport. Then he had to laugh inwardly at himself. This was nothing like that night a year and a half before when the New Humans had snatched him. For one thing, he was arriving rather than departing as he'd been then. And this time there was no danger. Serafini's subordinates had surrendered with almost comical haste when the reinforced Task Force 27 had arrived at Mu Arae hard on the heels of the news from DM -48 11837. There would be no ambush awaiting him, only an obsequious official greeting party.

"What's so amusing?" asked Sonja, who'd noticed his lips twitching upward. When he told her his thoughts she snorted derisively. "The only risk you'll be running this time is embarrassing yourself by throwing up in public. I really dread listening to these hypocrites explain how they've really been loyal subordinates of Medina all along, and having to pretend to take it seriously."

"Oh, I don't know. It may have its entertaining moments."

"Only if getting your ass kissed entertains you."

"Actually, my tastes run in slightly different directions."

"I know." Her twinkle mirrored his, and they clasped hands briefly as the shuttle came to rest.

They stood up and entered the forward compartment, where the Marine honor guard was getting organized in its full black-white-and-silver splendor, complete with chrome-gleaming dress helmets. Some court synthetic with nothing

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