Shadow on the Sun by David Macinnis Gill

Author:David Macinnis Gill
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2013-01-20T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 28

The Hive

Olympus Mons

ANNOS MARTIS 239. 2. 16. 04:13

Lyme stands in the Nursery, facing the observation window, looking out at the landing platform where two Hellbenders are loading the members of Alpha Team and are preparing for takeoff.

“General,” Dolly says, “Pilots One and Two are requesting permission to depart.”

“Mission orders are dispatched to the onboard CPUs?”

“Affirmative,” she replies.

“You have established the Leash with all of Alpha Team?” Lyme says.

“Affirmative.”

Lyme nods. “Permission granted.”

Rotors scattering snow across the platform, the Hellbenders rise into the air. Lyme snaps a salute and holds it until the two copters are out of sight. “May the gods of war smile upon you all,” he says, then stands at ease. “Dolly, have you received any communication from Oryol?”

“Negative, sir.”

Lyme walks across the Nursery to Riacin, who is standing over Driver One, monitoring Alpha Team’s flight. “Explain, Riacin. I hired Oryol on your recommendation. Why haven’t I heard anything?”

Riacin blanches as he stand erect, then regains his composure. “Oryol’s methods are unorthodox. Perhaps communication would give away the cover that—”

Dolly’s face appears on Driver One’s screen. “General Lyme,” she says. “I have received an urgent message on an encrypted military channel.”

“All right,” Lyme says, arching his eyebrows in surprise. “Driver, continue with the simulation. The battle plan must be flawless. There’s not room for error on a space platform. Dolly, Riacin will take the call on the main monitor. Patch it through.”

“Me, sir?” Riacin ask. “May I ask why?”

“I never answer unexpected communications,” he says. “I always have a flunky do it.”

Riacin screws up his face but nods and remains silent.

“Message routed to you, Lieutenant,” Dolly says, and fades out, her face replaced by a young woman with curly red hair.

“Where’s Lyme?” Rosa Lynn asks.

“General Lyme has other matters to which to attend,” Riacin says. “How may I help you?”

“Lyme’s got a bounty out for Jacob Stringfellow,” she says. “I’m going to claim it, but I want to renegotiate terms.”

“No one,” he scoffs, “renegotiates terms with General Lyme.”

She holds up a purplish blue ball. A green lights blinks inside it. “They do when they’re holding this.”

“A ball?” Riacin says, his voice rising. “Why would General Lyme be interested in that?”

Rosa Lynn tosses the ball in the air. “Your mouth says no, but your facial contortions say you know exactly what this is. So, like I said, I want double.”

“You’re insane.”

She drops a titanium leg on her desk and raps her knuckles on it. “Personally, I think Lyme owes me, don’t you?”

“He owes you nothing,” Riacin says calmly, “and he will have you killed for your temerity.”

“Death isn’t the offer I was expecting,” she says.

“Just what were you expecting from me, Cadet Malinche?” Lyme says, stepping into view. He nudges Riacin aside. “Yes, despite the dumbstruck look on your face, I do remember you. We have had business arrangements, after all.”

“Arrangements that you backed out of,” Rosa Lynn says. “After the accident, you said I’d be taken care of for life.”

Lyme shrugs. “I gave you a position in my

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